Page 36 of The Vixen

His jaw tics. He only glares in response.

“Hmm.” I flick my eyes between him and Luna. A black turtleneck bunches against her jaw as she carefully reads the paper. “She must not have told you about last night.”

My lips pull as the large, tan space between his brows bunches, but I’m hardly enjoying this. Riling Thorne up is too easy. It’s Luna I’m interested in hearing from.

He turns to her with the question in his expression, but she doesn’t seem interested in answering it.

Her face is a blank mask as she looks at me, the piece of paper lifted in her hand. “These are the names?”

“My grocery list, actually.”

“Answerthe Head Keeper’s question.” Thorne shuffles a foot my way. He looks like there’s an invisible wall he’s struggling to break through, his face tomato red with self-restraint. It seems pointless for him to be here if he isn’t allowed to hurt me.

Why?

I meet her eyes. Her vacant, unfeeling eyes, but I know better. It’s an act. There’s something underneath that frosty exterior, but whether it’s rage or deep sadness, I’m not sure.

I hope it’s rage.

“Yes… The region listed is my best guess of their location.”

“Tell me about them.” She lowers the paper and cups her hands behind her back.

“Aubry is a sure bet. She suffered severe abuse from a husband who isolated and subjected her to daily psychological torment. She hadn’t left her home in a year when I found her and spent the first five months on my island terrified to go outside… I’m pretty sure she left my island with a master, but she’ll adjust if you let me introduce her to your compound at my pace.”

A breath slowly exits Luna’s nostrils as she allows the slightest bit of relief to show in a momentary slouched posture. She rights herself in an instant, but for the second she slips, I feel something strange. Disappointment, I think. Because the relief she feels is about to blow the fuck up in her face. At some point, I’ll think it’s funny. Right now, I don’t know what I think.

“Is she a single mother?”

I rear back just a hair, my eyes constricting.

Luna raises a brow. “Isn’t that your preference?”

Blinking slowly, I shake my head.

She thinks I’d scoop up someone’s mother forhere? This fuckingbreeding farm?

“That isn’t the type we’re going to be targeting.” You fucking monster. “They’ve already experienced their children being taken from them. Most would rather die than relive that… Aubry is young and malleable. Trust me, she’s a good fit.”

Luna’s chin raised high, she nods. “And Liberty?”

I don’t jump to answer. But I don’t hesitate long. Just the right amount of time to make it seem like she’s harder to explain, but that I’ve thought the decision through.

And Ihavethought it through.

It’s terrible. It’s fuckingevil. The worst thing I’ve ever done, by far. Already, I regret it.

But it’s done. It was done the moment the idea occurred to me.

“Liberty is slightly more complicated. She was also in an abusive marriage but not as full of gratitude when I rescued herfrom it. I ended up selling her to a master on my island known for being ruthless and cruel, which I’ve always regretted…”Regretis a massive understatement. “He took her with him off my island. For her sake, I want to take her back.”

Luna frowns. “Will she be a problem?”

You have no idea.

“No… She’ll be upset at first, but give me some time with her, and she’ll calm down. They all will.”

Luna stares at me a few moments, her chest lifting and falling before she breaks her gaze to Thorne and hands him the paper. “Go ahead, my love.”