The Curse (Belador #3)(65)

The blindfold loosened and fell away from her face. Isak flipped the cloth over his shoulder onto the rear seat of the Hummer next to a fat viola case that shielded the weapon.

She cut her gaze at the silent hunk driving and tested the waters with a simple yes-or-no question.

“You ever going to talk to me again?”

The hardheaded man wove his way through the interchange onto the northbound interstate in downtown and stared ahead at the traffic, ignoring her just as he’d been doing since she’d climbed into the Hummer. At the warehouse, he’d stood by her door, making no move to help her to the passenger seat.

Or to show any concern about her being buckled up.

Not that she’d needed his help, which meant she had to have the most contrary emotions to feel hurt over the way he’d ignored her this time. She hadn’t considered what Isak meant to her before today because of their bizarre friendship, but she already missed what they’d had.

Riding with someone who hated you sucked.

She’d had good reasons for not telling him the truth, but somewhere inside her cluttered heart she admitted that he deserved an apology. “I’m sorry, Isak.”

Still no reply.

“What’s it gonna take to fix this?”

Not a word from the driver’s seat.

She could appreciate his reason for being angry. Still, he of all people should understand why someone like her had to protect her identity. Especially to shield it from one of the few humans capable of killing her in a one-on-one battle.

She tried a different tack. “I like Kit.”

“Stay away from her.”

Four whole words spoken in a command, but she’d take that over brooding silence. Keeping her voice light, she pointed out, “Did you miss that Kit ordered me to see her again? You may be able to ignore her, but she scares the stuffing out of me.”

Had his lips twitched?

Maybe she’d hit on the right topic. She kept going. “I saw the way those men jumped to attention. And who wouldn’t when a human woman is fearless in front of nonhumans? Easy to see why your men all respect her.”

She could swear Isak’s jaw softened.

What else could she say to keep the stubborn man talking? She’d been making progress with the truth, but he’d been right about one thing. She had no parental experience to draw upon. “I can’t imagine growing up with a mother, especially one like Kit. You’re lucky to have her.”

She hadn’t intended to be quite so honest, but the longing in her voice had been as real and true as her words.

It still took Isak a moment to respond. His words came slowly when he did speak, as if he didn’t want to allow this conversation to keep rolling and pick up speed toward actually communicating again. “I know.”

Two words, both filled with admiration and love.

She’d never envied a human anything other than the ability to walk in the sun, but she coveted what Isak had—a parent who cared deeply for him. Someone he’d known since birth.

She let him drive silently while she considered how else she could widen the tiny opening he’d allowed. Killing demons was a whole lot easier than dealing with cranky men. She could ask him about the weapon Kit had loaned her, but Isak’s man Lambert had gone through the operation of the weapon with her—because Isak wouldn’t. To be honest, a monkey could hit a moving target with that custom superblaster.

The Nyght family built impressive kill toys.

“She likes you.”

Evalle jerked around at the unexpected words from Isak. “Really?”

“She likes the forklift driver, too.”

In other words, don’t go taking what he’d said about Kit’s liking her to heart. “I see.”

“No, you don’t. Kit’s hard as nails on the outside with a gooey center. Worst person I ever saw for taking on the broken refuse. Thinks she can save everyone.”

Now Evalle understood why he’d decided to speak to her. He wanted to make it clear how low she ranked on the scale of life in his world. Not worth saving.

All her good intentions toward Isak dissolved with that ice pick to the heart. The muscles in her neck clenched at the need to yell at him that she was not some homeless animal. She hated being treated like a dangerous creature who had no control over killing others, but more than that?

She hated being pitied.

She was not a loser and did not need him, Kit or anyone else saving her.

Isak scratched his head, then grumbled something under his breath and elbowed the door panel hard enough to crack it. That wasn’t going to improve his mood.

Evalle’s resolve not to snap at Isak crumbled under his whip of anger. The man couldn’t ride for a few more minutes in peace? Was sitting inside a vehicle with her so abhorrent?

He clearly had something he wanted to say and might as well say it now.

“What, Isak? Think of some new insult? By all means, don’t waste your chance to get back at me for being born. Go ahead and tell me whatever you’re grumbling about, because you won’t get another opportunity.” Not if she had anything to say about it. What did she need with him as a friend?

A friend who insulted her.

“Yeah, I’ve got something else to say,” he admitted glumly. “Kit would be pissed with me if she heard what I just said. That forklift driver’s a good guy and a brilliant combat engineer life kicked in the nuts. She wouldn’t consider you or him as broken or refuse … and neither do I.”