Unspoken (Shadow Falls: After Dark #3)(30)

Finally a subject landed on her tongue. “I thought you weren’t supposed to be here until next week.”

“Yeah, they let us go early.” He slipped a hand into his jeans pocket.

“So Perry is here, too?” Della’s mind went to Miranda.

“Yeah.”

For one second, she wondered if the bird had been Perry. If so, why hadn’t he said anything?

She felt Steve’s gaze shift over her and recalled Burnett telling her she looked like shit. Just how a girl wanted to look when she ran into an ex—or almost ex. Not.

“You’re back here early too,” he said. “Everything okay … at home?”

The awkwardness level increased tenfold with his question. The old Della would have told him. Opened her heart and let all the pain and anguish pour out. He would have wrapped his arms around her—brought her head to that soft spot between his shoulder and chest. His caring embrace would have felt good. It would have eased some of her pain.

But that was the old Della.

The new Della didn’t know what to do. The realization scared her. She liked feeling in control, a step ahead. She could never be on top of her game if she didn’t have a game plan. Or at least know the rules.

And where Steve was concerned she hadn’t considered a strategy and didn’t own that rule book. If she did, she sure as hell hadn’t cracked the spine. Hell, she was outright clueless.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” she lied. The words had no sooner tripped off her lips than she regretted them, because she saw in his eyes that he knew she lied.

“I’m sorry.” The apology slipped out before she could even consider the wisdom of offering it.

“It’s okay,” he said. “Really.”

She wasn’t altogether sure what the “really” meant, but the okay part was just Steve being nice and considerate. Steve being … Steve.

Suddenly, she remembered where she’d been going.

She remembered Chase.

A big lump of emotion formed in her gut. “I need to go. I have to … see someone.”

“We’ll talk later?” he asked.

“Yeah. Of course.” Maybe by then, she’d have her shit together and not be stuck in this awkwardness. Maybe she’d have a damn plan.

Nodding, she took her first step down the path.

“Della?” he called out.

She stopped moving, but didn’t look back. She needed a second to prepare herself, almost afraid of what he was going to say.





Chapter Thirteen

Chase walked into the cabin, got Baxter some food and water, and pointed the dog to his new bed. The dog was too busy sniffing around to care. Finally, after checking out all of the rooms and all of the corners, the dog started following him around.

Opening one of the boxes he’d brought over from his cabin, Chase set the picture of his family on an end table.

Running his finger over their faces, he stared at them for a few minutes, letting himself miss them. It didn’t hurt like it used to, but he’d bet there wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t think about them.

Baxter moved in and poked his leg with his snout. “It’s not the Hilton, but we’ve stayed in a lot worse,” he told the dog.

Baxter looked up with all-knowing eyes. He could almost read the animal’s thoughts.

“Yeah,” he said. “She’s the reason we’re here.”

Still amped up after his conversation with Steve, he moved to the kitchen table and pulled his laptop out of his backpack to plug it in. He found the list of Stones and Williamses he’d gotten from Burnett’s FRU computer in his pocket. He started pulling up maps, planning to visit each and every one.

Some of them for the second time. Because after a closer look, he’d noted that a couple of them were ones the Vampire Council database had spit out as well. He’d tracked down several of them.

Feeling his mood and his lack of sleep pull at his shoulders, he rubbed his neck. Looking back toward the bedroom door, he considered trying to rest, but he’d hoped Della would come looking for him.

Refocusing on the screen, he almost jumped when Baxter let go of a deep bark. The dog stared at a window.

Chase listened, and all he heard was a bird fluttering from tree to tree.

“Just a bird,” he told Baxter, then inhaled to make sure he was right. The air gave him nothing, but he instantly became aware of a fresh paint smell. And from the looks of the smallest bedroom, they hadn’t finished painting.

Pushing away from the table, he lifted the window to bring in some fresh air.

He went and opened the front door, staring out, hoping he’d see or hear Della coming. How long was the meeting with Burnett going to take?

He recalled her words and the pain in her voice. He knows I’m a monster.

Hell, he didn’t have to wait for her. “Come on, guy. Let’s go find her.”

*

“Della,” Steve said again, as if he weren’t sure she’d heard him.

She pushed back the notion of just ignoring him, and turned to face him again. “Yeah?”

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked.

This time she decided to go for the truth. “No. But ‘okay’ is overrated.”

It was supposed to be funny, but he didn’t smile. He just continued to study her with those dark, caring eyes. Eyes that seemed to see through her charade.