Page 68 of Haunted Hearts

“You knew this whole time that he was Alabaster and fucking hid it from her! You talk about trust and yet you are the worst of them all!” She pauses, then asks, “How could you?”

“You don’t understand.” I plead for her to listen.

“Then make me understand!”

“What we were taught was wrong,” I say, meeting her eyes. “I’ll tell you everything, just let me go and come inside. I promise, he isn’t a threat to her.”

“How the fuck can you say that?” she asks with a desperate laugh. “He is the very thing you’ve been protecting her from.”

“No, he isn’t. Please. Trust me, there is a lot you don’t know.”

For a moment I see her hesitate. “I need you to tell me what the fuck is going on.” She pauses, opening the truck door as I remain frozen in place.

“Let me go, Genevieve.”

She pauses, weighing her decision as she drops her hand and I fall to my knees. I sit there for a moment as she closes the door.

“C’mon,” I call to her as I turn to walk back to the house.

“You better have a damn good explanation, Cade,” I hear her say from behind me. I smile, knowing I won this round.

We both walk back into the house, and I glance at Jack who is still passed out on the sofa. Rage comes back to the surface as I sit down at the barstool, inviting Gen to sit, too.

She fidgets and doesn’t make eye contact.

“I just found out that my best friend has been possessed by a fucking God. The last thing I need is you going rogue,” I say sternly. She doesn’t respond. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

“How could you let her near him?”

“You think I had a choice?” I ask, my voice raised. “It would break her heart.”

“But it would keep her safe!”

“Welcome to the last four years of my fucking life. Regardless, she isn’t safe. Her magic is slowly killing her, need I remind you.”

“And who told you that? Huh? The guy who is the literal reason the Covenant exists! You idiot!”

“Calli bleeds every time she uses it; we both know what he said corroborates the facts.” I rake my fingers through my hair and sigh. “I need you to let me take care of this.”

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull it out. It’s a message from Calli.

Calli: Hey! Thank you for being so cool about everything. I promise I’m safe. We are staying off route 50, room 13 at the Hotel Six.

That’s on the way to the airport. The fact that she is so ignorant to the chaos of the situation is almost a relief. I press the call button and she picks up almost immediately.

“Hand Kai the phone,” I say flatly.

“Oh, okay. Here.” Calli’s voice fades.

“Keep me off speaker,” I demand of Kai.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“When were you going to tell me about Jack?”

Silence falls over the line for a moment.

“Answer the fucking question, Kai.”