Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5)(28)

She tried to think of what to say, something to help this, something that wouldn't give anything away.

Something that wouldn't be a lie. "I just-"

"Don't talk to me if you're going to lie."

Okay, so her heart wasn't going to even let her white-lie her way out of this one.

"I want the truth," he said. "Were you going to meet your grandfather?"

"No," Kylie said with honesty, and with it came an enormous amount of relief.

He studied her closer. His eyes tightened. "Okay, I'm going to ask you a direct question and I want a yes or no answer. Don't you try to talk around the truth, because I'll know." He paused for effect, or maybe just to collect his thoughts. "Were you going to see Hayden Yates?"

Kylie's mind raced. What did Burnett know? When her grandfather had told her that Burnett believed Hayden's lie that Kylie had simply tricked the teacher into thinking she had permission to leave, she hadn't believed that Hayden had fooled Burnett.

He knew something. But just how much, and what he knew, remained unknown.

"Okay, your silence pretty much answers it for me. Come on." He motioned for her to start walking.

"Where to?" she asked, afraid of what he was going to say.

"You wanted to see Hayden, so let's go see him. And then you two are going to tell me what the hell is going on, or somebody's ass is grass! And I'll be smoking it!"

Chapter Ten

Kylie had heard the term "walking the green mile" when convicts walked to their execution, and the trek to Hayden's cabin sort of felt like her green mile. Burnett didn't speak. She barely heard him breathe. And yet his rock-hard posture moving beside her told her of his impatience. Her loyalty to her grandfather and Burnett had her heart torn in a game of tug-of-war.

"Can we go talk to Holiday first?" Kylie asked, knowing that maybe Holiday could calm Burnett down and make him understand.

"No." Burnett's one word came out coarse. "I'm going to get the truth."

But at what price, Kylie thought. Would Hayden realize that Kylie hadn't just turned him over? She hoped so. But would her grandfather understand her breaking her promise to him?

She didn't think so.

Like the man moving so brusquely beside her, her grandfather was not so forgiving.

As they came to the bend near Hayden's cabin, Kylie desperately searched for a way out. "Do we have to wake him up? Can't we just-"

"He's already awake," Burnett said with sternness. "He's tossing and turning in bed worrying about something. Was he expecting you this morning? Are you already late?"

"No," she muttered.

They kept moving and got all the way up the cabin's porch steps and suddenly Kylie realized something. Anger stirred her gut, and she grabbed Burnett by the elbow. "That's right, you can hear everything!"

"And your point?" he asked, obviously noting her new disposition. And yes, being angry gave her guilt over being caught hiding secrets a slight reprieve.

"Earlier, when you dropped me off at my cabin, you knew Lucas was there, didn't you? You knew he was waiting to talk to me!"

Guilt whispered across Burnett's brow. "He pleaded with me to give him ten minutes."

"And you gave it to him. You thought that was your choice to make," Kylie accused.

Burnett frowned, but the guilt didn't completely fade from his eyes. "If I remember correctly, you put your two cents in Holiday's and my romantic affairs."

"Neither one of you ran off and got engaged to someone else!"

He didn't flinch, but in his expression she saw her argument hit his conscience. "Everyone deserves their chance to explain themselves," he offered, but his tone lacked complete conviction.

"There's no explanation for what he did," she bit back.

Burnett inhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, I concede I might have been wrong allowing him that privilege. And I will forego any such actions in the future. And now maybe you and Hayden can make amends by explaining what you two are keeping from me!" He arched a brow at Kylie, raised hisfist, and banged on Hayden's door so hard it shook the hinges.

Once he'd taken his mood out on the door, Burnett cut his eyes to her again. She saw his mind churning, searching for answers. It was the first time she got the feeling that Burnett didn't know as much as she feared he might.

"Be forewarned," the vamp said, "if I learn that there's anything romantic happening here, I'm sending him packing ... less a few body parts."

Kylie's mouth dropped open. "Romantic? Oh, please, he's old. He's as old as you."

Burnett's brow creased. "Which is my point." His frown deepened. "Not that I'm that old."

* * *

Hayden opened the door and his gaze zipped from Burnett to Kylie.

Burnett growled. Then the vamp stepped across the threshold as if he ran the joint. Which he did.

Hayden wasn't happy about Burnett's grand entrance, but he didn't attempt to stop him. He backed up, allowing Burnett to come all the way inside.

Kylie swallowed, not sure how this was going to play out. Burnett was going to be furious, and as soon as her grandfather learned Burnett was on to Hayden, he would be furious.