Tremble (Denazen #3)(17)

“And you want to set me straight. Is that right?”

I didn’t miss the hint of mockery in his voice. It was the same tone I’d heard him use a thousand times when ribbing Alex. I ignored it. A seed. That was all I needed. Enough of a seed to get him thinking. I was sure once I started the ball rolling, his mind would do the rest.

It had to, right? This was Kale.

I squared my shoulders and sucked in a breath. “That’s right.”

He stepped back and folded his arms, expression amused. “Go ahead. I’m listening.”

I knew he was just playing with me, but a small voice inside my head begged me to try anyway. “That girl you keep calling Roz—she’s Kiernan McGuire. She and Marshal Cross are using you.”

He didn’t say anything, so I took it as a good sign and kept going, hopeful and on a roll. “You’re not the monster they’re trying to make you think you are.”

“Or,” he said, taking another step closer, “you’re Kiernan McGuire—the girl who tried to kill me, resulting in the loss of my memory.” He poked me hard in the shoulder. “My family, my friends—my life—all gone because of you. Roz and Marshal are trying to help me. I love her.”

His statement pushed the limits of my control. It was one thing to see the lip lock—but to hear him profess his love for her? I couldn’t deal. “You love me!” I screamed. Even stomped my foot for dramatic effect. It didn’t make a difference.

Kale threw himself forward, knocking us both back against the wall. “I hate you,” he breathed, face inches from mine. In his eyes was all the rage and anger he had for Denazen. All channeled at me. “You destroyed my life.”

Tears stung the corners of my eyes, and for once, I didn’t care. The weight of his words came close to suffocating me. “I saved your life,” I managed. “And you saved mine.”

“Dez?” Alex called from the other side of the garage door. “You okay?”

Kale looked from me to the door. For a second his brow furrowed, almost as though he recognized the voice and was trying hard to place it. When he turned back, his expression was different. Not warm, but not the same kind of cold, either. This was something else. Uncertainty. War. A thought or feeling—something—was fighting for his attention. I could see it in his eyes. He was in there. My Kale wasn’t lost.

I just had to find a way to pry him loose.

He shook his head as if to clear away the cobwebs. “You’re…on my list.”

My arm was pinned awkwardly between my back and the shelf. Fingers splayed, I felt around for something—anything—I could use as a weapon if need be. This is Kale, that small voice inside said, horrified. He’d never hurt you. While another voice disagreed. No. It’s not. Not really. Be smart. Be ready for anything.

“On your list?”

He opened his mouth, then closed it. “They want me to bring you in,” he said, voice barely a whisper. “To question. And test…”

“Then get on with it.” I leaned closer than any sane person would have.

I was an adrenaline junkie by nature. But this was different. Taking risks for a cheap thrill was one thing. Standing in front of a ravenous bear with no place to run was something else. Courting death, Brandt called this. Fitting, considering Ginger, long before he was born, had dubbed Kale the Reaper. So here I stood. In front of Death, daring it to take me.

“Do it. If I’m on your list, then go for it.”

“I…” He brought his hand up, running a finger along my cheek from chin to ear. His touch, so soft, sent goose bumps dancing across my skin. I’d missed it so much and found my dreams hadn’t done it justice. It was far better than I remembered, the slightly calloused tip of his finger skimming my skin and leaving a trail of longing in its wake. Even like this, with him crushing me to the wall, possibly contemplating my death, I couldn’t get enough.

There was something seriously wrong with the way I was wired.

“Dez?” Alex called. “You coming out?”

“Kale?” a voice yelled from inside the house. Kiernan.

At the sound of her voice, he shook his head and backed away a few inches. I could see his entire face now. Beautiful but deadly. He watched me with a curious expression, eyes never leaving mine. For an insane moment, I was sure he’d lean down and kiss me—but he didn’t.

“There’s no one here.” Kiernan was getting closer. “Kale? Where’d you go?”

He opened his mouth to answer, but I interrupted. “Don’t. Please. Just let me slip out the door…”

“I… Roz will… No. I can’t.”

“Kale?” Kiernan was starting to panic. Inside, I could hear doors opening and slamming closed again.

“Please,” I said again, begging.

“NO!” he screamed and one word came to mind. Unstable. My Kale would never have such an emotional reaction. Anger was something he learned to keep in check at a very young age in order to survive. Whatever they’d done to him, it had shaken something lose. “No,” he repeated, calmer. “No. I’ll save you for last. I owe you for what you did to me. I’ll make you suffer like I did, then I’ll bring you in.”

And just like that, the fragile patchwork of hope shattered, stealing my breath and bleeding me dry. My hand closed around something—I had no idea what, but it was heavy. That was all I cared about. “Good,” I said, resigned. I loved Kale and I’d do anything to get him back, but I wasn’t stupid. “Then that gives me time.”