Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4)(53)

“Yeah…” He paused. “Now, I don’t think it’s going to take that long.”

A vagueness clung to his words as if … as if hiding something.

She recalled asking him earlier if his issue with his parents was dangerous. His answer, “Nothing I can’t handle,” didn’t sound convincing.

“Does Burnett know about this?” she asked.

“Most of it.”

“Most?”

“It’s nothing.”

She peered up at him through her lashes. “You suck at lying.”

A smile brushed across his lips. “I don’t want you to worry, but knowing you do makes me happy.”

He dipped his head. His mouth was a breath away from hers. She could practically taste his lips. Feel them.

It would have been so easy to let it happen. But it wasn’t right. Not until she talked to Shawn. Oh, hell, not before she decided what she

planned to talk to Shawn about.

She’d only agreed to meet with Perry. Not pick up where they’d left off. And that was a big fat lie she’d told herself, too. With all the

shit falling on her right now, was it wrong not to want to think about it? But she couldn’t start something here, without ending it there.

Here being Perry, there being Shawn.

She pulled back, making Perry’s lips less tempting.

Disappointment flashed in his eyes. The same feeling resonated in her chest.

“I should go,” he said.

This time he leaned in, all the way, but not to her lips. He pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.

It wasn’t altogether wrong, but how it made her feel might have been. Because now she really wanted to feel his lips on hers. She wanted to

curl into him and ask him to hold her again. She didn’t want him to leave.

He pulled back, his smile still in place. “I’ll call you.”

Voices rang out on the other side of the door. And not just any voice. Her mom’s.

“Why should I trust you to protect her? You already lost her sister.”

“Shit,” Miranda muttered. The door slammed open. Perry stood up, her soft grip on his hand slowly falling loose. For some crazy reason, that

loss of connection hurt. The feeling almost as devastating as when she’d lost her grip on Tabitha’s hand after the explosion. He looked down

at her and whispered the word “Bye.”

Her mom stormed in, followed by a bright-eyed, tense Burnett.

Perry moved past her mom, nodded at Burnett, and stepped out. He glanced back one more time, and in some ways, seeing him leave hurt more than

when her dad had left.

“She’s safest at Shadow Falls!” A vein jumped on Burnett’s temple.

“I’m not convinced of that,” her mom shot back.

“Her father just told me he felt it was best.”

“Well, her father didn’t tell me that.” Her mom came and stood by Miranda.

“Then call him.” Burnett charged through the door. The rest of his words left in his wake. “As soon as I get her paperwork, we’re leaving.

”

Her mom let out an angry squeal. “That man needs to learn some manners.”

As do you. The words rested on her tongue begging to be set free.

“And I don’t know what you were doing cuddling up with Peter—”

She heard it then. Literally heard it. A pop. Her patience cracking, completely broken. “Perry!” Miranda said, her voice louder than she

intended. “And I wasn’t—”

“I saw you. He was holding your hand and you are practically engaged to Shawn.”

A warning signal flashed in her head. “We’re not engaged.”

“You should be. He’s your own kind.”

She saw it then, numbers flashed in her mind like a countdown to a bomb. Ten, nine …

Her mom glared back at the door. “That vampire thinks—”

“That vampire has a name,” Miranda said, proud her voice sounded even. But it almost sounded too calm. “It’s Burnett. And he’s right. With

the security alarm, Shadow Falls is the safest place.” Eight, seven …

“No. When your dad knows you’re at home, he’ll—”

Six, five … “Didn’t you hear him? He can’t do this anymore.”

“He will if you call him and ask him to come home.”

Four … “Instead of using me, why don’t you just apologize?”

Her mom brought out her finger. Not her pinky, but the index one, the one she used to discipline.

“You may have gone to school there young lady, but I am still your mother! And what I say goes!”

Three … “No,” Miranda said. Just no.

“Respect me, young lady,” her mother snapped.

One. Kaboom! “If you want my respect, earn it!” Miranda seethed.

Her mom’s gasp added another layer of tension to the air.

“You’re not behaving rationally,” Miranda continued. “We’re all worried about Tabitha and all you can do is be bitter and angry. You got

freaked because Dad consoled Mary Esther. I was here, and it wasn’t like he said he loved her. She was hurting and Tabitha’s their child. And