friends, other Protectors. There’s an old story about someone like you, born of both bloodlines sometime in the sixteen hundreds. I’ve been asking around, but so far it seems to be more fairy tale than truth.”
That sounded about right. I wouldn’t have believed stories about someone like me, either.
He continued. “I’ve been asking about Franc, too, but if people know the Protectors who are helping your grandfather, they’re not talking.”
I’d hurt Gabe when I chose Asher. He’d told me that he loved me, and I’d rejected him. Gabe could have washed his hands of me, but he was out there searching for answers.
“Thanks for trying,” I said in a husky voice. “It means a lot.”
“Remy, what’s wrong?” he demanded. “Why are you with Lottie?”
I sighed. “You haven’t spoken to her? Or Asher?”
“Not for a few weeks. I’ve been around Protectors, and there’s been too much gossip about us. I didn’t want to take any chances until I was clear. What’s going on?”
His voice dropped, and the sound of it rumbled over me. The throbbing started behind my eyes, and I let my head fall back against the pillow.
“Aren’t we friends still? Come on, Remington.”
That old nickname cracked off a piece of the iceberg that had taken up residence inside me. “It’s Laura,” I blurted out. “She died.” My voice cracked, and I threw an arm up to cover my eyes.
His breath gusted out in a weighty sigh. “Oh man. I’m so sorry, sweetheart. How are you holding up?”
“Lucy’s devastated,” I said. “She blames me. I . . . Well, I’m sure she just needs time.”
A lifetime should about do it.
“I didn’t ask about Lucy. I asked about you. How are you?”
I never could fool him. “As well as can be expected, I guess. My heart is broken.”
“Did you try to heal her?”
He asked the question without blame, but I felt guilty anyway.
“She was too far gone,” I said. He would assume that meant I didn’t try to heal her, and I was okay with that. What could Gabe do if he knew? My chest constricted and I rubbed a circle on it with my fist. “It doesn’t matter. Listen, I think you should know . . .”
I hesitated. If I told Gabe that Asher was losing his powers, Asher might be angry. Maybe it would be better for him to tell his brother in his own time. Except we were headed back to San Francisco tomorrow. What if Asher got hurt?
“Yeah?” Gabe prompted. “What should I know?”
“Call Asher,” I said. It was my compromise. Gabe would know something was up, but I wouldn’t have to betray Asher. “Soon,” I added to be safe.
There was a moment of silence. “There you go taking care of other people again,” he said, and I knew he understood. “Who’s taking care of you, Remington?” he asked in a softer voice.
I almost came undone, but I steeled myself against the emotions. Gabe would join us if I asked him to, but I wouldn’t ask. I might feel less alone if he was around to share the burden, but I would be using him and his feelings for me. I hadn’t fallen far enough to do that to him. Suddenly, I was overcome by how much I’d missed him. It shouldn’t have been so difficult to hear his voice again after all these months, but I hadn’t known how we would slip back into the easy friendship we’d shared before everything had gone to hell. I had to get off the phone before I weakened.
“I’m okay, Gabe. I’m a survivor, remember?” Before he could answer, I added, “I should go. If Lottie finds me on her phone, she’s going to lose it. You know how she is.”
The forced humor in my voice fell flat. I said good-bye, and Gabe echoed me without argument. Perhaps he had finally remembered that he wasn’t supposed to care about me anymore. And who knew? After all this time, he probably didn’t love me anymore. Everyone moved on.
It was hours before I realized that Gabe had no idea Asher had broken up with me. Relief sighed through me. His pity might have
That sounded about right. I wouldn’t have believed stories about someone like me, either.
He continued. “I’ve been asking about Franc, too, but if people know the Protectors who are helping your grandfather, they’re not talking.”
I’d hurt Gabe when I chose Asher. He’d told me that he loved me, and I’d rejected him. Gabe could have washed his hands of me, but he was out there searching for answers.
“Thanks for trying,” I said in a husky voice. “It means a lot.”
“Remy, what’s wrong?” he demanded. “Why are you with Lottie?”
I sighed. “You haven’t spoken to her? Or Asher?”
“Not for a few weeks. I’ve been around Protectors, and there’s been too much gossip about us. I didn’t want to take any chances until I was clear. What’s going on?”
His voice dropped, and the sound of it rumbled over me. The throbbing started behind my eyes, and I let my head fall back against the pillow.
“Aren’t we friends still? Come on, Remington.”
That old nickname cracked off a piece of the iceberg that had taken up residence inside me. “It’s Laura,” I blurted out. “She died.” My voice cracked, and I threw an arm up to cover my eyes.
His breath gusted out in a weighty sigh. “Oh man. I’m so sorry, sweetheart. How are you holding up?”
“Lucy’s devastated,” I said. “She blames me. I . . . Well, I’m sure she just needs time.”
A lifetime should about do it.
“I didn’t ask about Lucy. I asked about you. How are you?”
I never could fool him. “As well as can be expected, I guess. My heart is broken.”
“Did you try to heal her?”
He asked the question without blame, but I felt guilty anyway.
“She was too far gone,” I said. He would assume that meant I didn’t try to heal her, and I was okay with that. What could Gabe do if he knew? My chest constricted and I rubbed a circle on it with my fist. “It doesn’t matter. Listen, I think you should know . . .”
I hesitated. If I told Gabe that Asher was losing his powers, Asher might be angry. Maybe it would be better for him to tell his brother in his own time. Except we were headed back to San Francisco tomorrow. What if Asher got hurt?
“Yeah?” Gabe prompted. “What should I know?”
“Call Asher,” I said. It was my compromise. Gabe would know something was up, but I wouldn’t have to betray Asher. “Soon,” I added to be safe.
There was a moment of silence. “There you go taking care of other people again,” he said, and I knew he understood. “Who’s taking care of you, Remington?” he asked in a softer voice.
I almost came undone, but I steeled myself against the emotions. Gabe would join us if I asked him to, but I wouldn’t ask. I might feel less alone if he was around to share the burden, but I would be using him and his feelings for me. I hadn’t fallen far enough to do that to him. Suddenly, I was overcome by how much I’d missed him. It shouldn’t have been so difficult to hear his voice again after all these months, but I hadn’t known how we would slip back into the easy friendship we’d shared before everything had gone to hell. I had to get off the phone before I weakened.
“I’m okay, Gabe. I’m a survivor, remember?” Before he could answer, I added, “I should go. If Lottie finds me on her phone, she’s going to lose it. You know how she is.”
The forced humor in my voice fell flat. I said good-bye, and Gabe echoed me without argument. Perhaps he had finally remembered that he wasn’t supposed to care about me anymore. And who knew? After all this time, he probably didn’t love me anymore. Everyone moved on.
It was hours before I realized that Gabe had no idea Asher had broken up with me. Relief sighed through me. His pity might have
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