Page 64 of Irrevocably

“He was stalking you?” There’s anger in Wolf’s voice. “Jesus Christ, Astrid. How long has that being going on for? Why didn’t you say anything to me?”

If he’s using my full name, he must be really mad. “I thought I could deal with it myself.” It’s not difficult to sound like I’m upset. I am upset. Just not for the reasons Wolf expects. “I thought if I ignored him⁠—”

“Fuck’s sake,” Wolf growls. “You don’t handle shit like that on your own. Did you tell your father?”

I shake my head, my attention glued to the road ahead of me. “I didn’t want to worry him.” Which is at least partly true.

Wolf mutters another curse. “You should have come to me if you didn’t want to tell him. That fucker could have killed you.”

“Yeah, well, he didn’t.” I finally shoot a glance at him. His expression his taut with fury, and with the bruises on his face, he doesn’t look anything like the boy I once knew or the man I’m still friends with. He looks like he belongs in Lucien’s world. “I was more worried about what he’d do to you.”

Wolf’s dark eyes glitter. “I’m fine. Nothing a couple of stitches can’t fix.” There’s a hard note in the words, one that’s unfamiliar. It sounds as if it belongs to someone else, a different man. A more brutal man. “He shouldn’t have left me alive.”

“It’s okay,” I say, my heart still racing. “I’ll tell Dad when I get home and⁠—”

“No,” Wolf says flatly, once again cutting me off. “I failed to protect you and that’s on me. He’s mine to deal with.”

I swallow. Of course he’d blame himself. Typical Wolf. “He took you by surprise,” I say. “He didn’t give you any time to react.”

“It wasn’t surprise,” Wolf says. “He was good. He was better than me, which is saying something. Fuck, Addie. You had someone like that after you? I can’t believe you didn’t say a goddamn word.”

The force of his fury fills the car, and I grit my teeth. I knew he’d be upset with me that I didn’t say anything to him, but hopefully his anger will distract him from thinking too deeply about just who Lucien is.

Now is the time to tell him. Now is the time to warn him.

Matilda’s headlights illuminate the dark road ahead of me, the centre lines disappearing under the car as I speed toward home, taking me further and further away from Lucien.

There’s a pressure in my chest, that stupid balloon inflating, making me hurt, making me ache. I can’t think about Lucien now, I can’t. I should tell Wolf the truth, warn him that his club will be under attack, and yet the words won’t come out. There’s murder in his voice, I heard it, and if he knew who and what Lucien was, he’d beat him to a pulp. Or maybe his club would beat Lucien to a pulp, but either way, I can’t stand the thought of that.

No, maybe I’ll talk to Dad first, figure out what’s happening then I’ll warn Wolf. Until then, I’ll keep going with the stalker story.

“I know, I should have.” I make my voice as small as possible, the sound of a woman who’s just gone through a terrible ordeal. And again, it’s not difficult. “I’m sorry, Wolf. Please don’t blame yourself. All of this is my fault.”

He lets out a breath then lays a warm hand on my knee. “Don’t be stupid. It’s not your fault. I’m just pissed and worried for you.”

His touch is reassuring, until I remember that kiss, and then I want to pull away. But I don’t want to call attention to it since it might make him say something, and I can’t bear it if he does. Not now, not when I’m still thinking about Lucien’s hands on my skin.

“I’m okay.” I try to sound like I am. “He didn’t do anything bad to me, I promise.”

Wolf gives me a pat then removes his hand. “I believe you. But we’re still going to go straight to the clubhouse. I’ll get the brothers together and we’ll pay that motherfucker a visit.”

I don’t want to go to the clubhouse. I don’t want to answer a bunch of questions from his biker friends about Lucien, because of course there’ll be questions, demands for explanations. Also, I have to talk to my father.

“I don’t want to talk to anyone tonight, Wolf,” I say. “Please, I just want to go home.”

He’s looking at me again, I can feel it, and I hope like hell he’s not going to insist. But then he says, “Okay. Drop me off at the parking lot. That’s where I left my bike. I’m still going to get the brothers together, though. Just so you know.”

Through my relief at not having to deal with his club, there’s a small flicker of worry for Lucien. But I tell myself that even if the club does go back to that cabin, Lucien will be long gone.

“Good,” I say then flash him another glance, genuinely concerned about his injuries. “You should be going to the hospital. What if you have a concussion?”

He gives me a bloody smile. “Like I said, I’ll be fine.”

Back in Blackwater, I drop him at the parking lot, then as he gets out, he says, “I’m going to send a club member to watch your house tonight. Just in case that asshole decides to come back.”

I want to protest, because Lucien is going to come back for that information and if there’s a club member watching the house, they’ll see him. But I can’t say anything, not when I’m supposed to be scared, so I only nod and don’t argue.

It’s very late by the time I get home, but Dad is still up, I can hear the sound of the TV as soon as I step into the hallway.