The Devil In Disguise (Bad Things #1)(24)

His gaze seemed to burn into hers. “Stop him from what?”

Her cheeks felt as if they were on fire. Her eyes jerked toward Rayce, then came back to Luke. “Can we talk about this alone?” she asked again, hating the pleading tone of her voice.

“Rayce,” Luke’s voice rumbled. “Go find Julian. Make sure he’s not hurting himself.”

Horror widened her eyes. “He’s not! I didn’t tell Julian to hurt himself—I wouldn’t—”

“The same way you wouldn’t tell a former lover to cut out his own heart?”

The sound of her sharply indrawn breath seemed way too loud. Oh, crap. He met Garrick.

Rayce gave a low whistle and his gaze raked over her with new appreciation. “Didn’t expect that. Bloodthirsty, huh? Guess that definitely makes her your type, Luke.”

“Go. Find. Julian.”

“Right. On it.” Rayce hurried out.

Luke kept that dark stare of his on her. She wanted to look away, but couldn’t. “I can explain…” Mina began.

“I certainly hope so. I mean, I would hate to think you just went around from man to man, f*cking them, using them, and leaving death in your wake.”

The pain hit her—so sharp and unexpected that tears actually filled her eyes. She should have been used to the accusations. After all, plenty of people hurled them at her. But for some reason—some stupid reason—hearing those words from Luke cut her right to the core.

He swore. “Are you crying?”

A tear leaked down her cheek.

“Stop it,” Luke snapped. “Stop it right now!”

She swiped at the tears, lifting her cuffed hands. “I’m not a whore, despite what you think.”

“You tried seducing me last night.” Like she needed that reminder. “And your ex just told me that was your MO.” The faint lines near his eyes tightened. “Didn’t I tell you to stop crying?”

“It’s not like I can do it on command!” Mina fired back.

He glowered.

“I made a mistake with Julian.” Her voice had dropped to a whisper. “I was mad and when I’m mad, I don’t think well enough before I speak. I said, ‘Screw you’ and it was like a light switched on inside of him. I could see it. The lust was there, burning too hot for him to control. He was charging for the cell, getting ready to unlock it—”

An animalistic rumble came from him. Deeper than a growl. Way rougher.

Goosebumps rose on her arms. Odd because she could have sworn that it had just gotten warmer in there. “So I told him to walk away. To get out of here. Before something happened.” She swallowed. “Before someone got hurt.”

Silence.

She didn’t think silence from Luke was a good thing. “How is your friend Eli?”

“Eli isn’t my friend.”

She rocked back on her heels. Still very, very furious.

“Did you talk to Eli?” Luke suddenly asked her.

“I told him that I liked his tat.” She remembered the intricate spider that she’d seen on Eli’s neck. “That a crime?”

“No, but using your voice to tell a man to kill himself, to get him to destroy his bar, to burn my whiskey—that is a crime.”

Tell a man to kill himself. She took a step back. “I didn’t.” Her voice was too low and the past was suddenly all around her. Grabbing at her. Slicing into her. Hurting her. “I didn’t!”

“Eli wasn’t there when I arrived,” Luke said, his voice curt. “He was gone, apparently sent to a hospital for treatment because of the burns that he sustained. A very helpful Agent Garrick McAdams was at the scene, though. He told me about you. About how you used Eli—you wanted a boat from him, wanted transportation—”

“The only thing I ever told the guy was that he had a nice tat!”

“When he couldn’t provide that for you, Agent McAdams said you gave Eli a dark compulsion. Death. And then you went on to your next victim.” His lips twisted. “That would be me.”

No, no, no. She ran forward, toward the bars. Toward Luke. “That isn’t how it happened! I went to the bar to find you! I waited outside until I saw you arrive, then I went in. I went straight to you. I didn’t talk to anyone else. I was so nervous that I was afraid I was going to pass out before I got to you, but I had no choice.”

He stared at her through those bars. “Why?”

Garrick had found her too fast. “Because I need that Eye. I told you already that I need it.”

“The Eye hurts. It destroys. If you wanted it, then you had your sights set on killing someone.”

She shook her head. “It isn’t like that.”

His jaw clenched. “Agent McAdams had your picture. He wanted to know if I’d seen you.”

No, no, no. “What did you tell him?” She held her breath.

He gave her that slow smile. One that made her stomach clench. “That I’d never had the pleasure.”

The dizziness was back. Maybe it was from relief again.

Or fear.

Or the damn hunger that had hollowed out her stomach. She’d been so desperate and so scared for such a long time. Running, always running and looking over her shoulder for threats. She’d barely slept. Barely ate as she closed in on Luke.