King Cave (Forever Evermore, #2)(148)
I froze, even with Ezra gifting me his power, because I didn’t think Antonio was talking about me.
“She’s dead,” Cahal stated factually, turning to face Antonio and placing his hands in his pockets.
Antonio’s gaze flew to Cahal. “What?”
Cahal studied Antonio in the silence, even the kids going quiet. “You never saw her death?”
I took my hand away from Ezra’s stiff one, taking a few steps forward. Instinct had me in protection mode, moving so my back was to Antonio, creating a barrier between him and Cahal. Even though Cahal had helped Antonio last night, he had done so while Antonio was defenseless. He wasn’t the type to fight someone who couldn’t defend themself. If he was going to fight for his mate, it would happen when a real brawl could occur.
I stayed still, waiting for Antonio’s answer, which would definitely be a deciding factor between Cahal attacking him or not by the way Cahal stood on the balls of his feet, even if his hands were harmlessly in his pockets. Ezra jerked from his statue position, obviously done working past his shock that Antonio might have known beforehand. He moved closer to his dad with his eyes steadfast on him, ready to take him down if he moved, a fight being not what we needed right now.
That was when Antonio placed a hand on my shoulder and f*cking zapped me with a morsel of his magic. I yelped, grabbing my shoulder, and he shoved me aside, swiftly striding across the room to stand toe to toe with Cahal. His jaw was clenched, and he thrust his face into Cahal’s. “Are you seriously asking me this?”
Cahal’s face cracked, and furious, he shouted, “Goddamn it, Tony, tell me if you f*cking knew!” He shoved Antonio’s shoulders even as Lynn quickly swiped up his kids, rushing them out back. Cahal’s chin trembled, his narrowed eyes darting back and forth between Antonio’s as he yelled, “Tell me, goddamn you!” He shoved Antonio again, still shouting. “After every damn thing we’ve been through, I would have expected a little f*cking warning even if you hate me!” Another shove. “Did. You. Know?”
I stood back, more than shocked at Cahal’s outburst after his studious calm during his grieving process. He didn’t want to kill Antonio. This was different. This was hurt that a friend would keep a secret from him. The kind of secret that would wreck his insides like losing a mate would, shredding his Core, the pain horrifying. One glance at Ezra, and I moved, grabbing his hand where he stood frozen from his dad’s explosion.
Cahal grabbed fistfuls of Antonio’s shirt, slamming his back against a wall, his whole body trembling. “I loved her.”
Antonio finally spoke quietly, his eyes down. “She was your mate. I know you did.”
A whisper. “Did you know?”
Antonio’s chest expanded. “If I had,” his eyes slowly lifted to meet Cahal’s, “you know I wouldn’t have been able to tell you, so does it really matter if I knew or not?”
It was a growl. “Yes, it matters.”
Swiftly, Antonio turned his head away, his jaw clenched.
Suddenly, oddly, Cahal froze. “Fuck.” He stood motionless for a few moments before he slammed Antonio once more against the wall, then released him and swiftly strode out the back door, breaking it clean off its hinges he hit it so hard, his Vampire growling in fury.
Ezra swiftly kissed the top of my head before blurring out the back door after his dad.
I stared at Antonio where he leaned against the wall, head tilted back toward the ceiling. “So, Tony, huh?”
He grunted, his eyes closing. “Don’t even think of calling me that damn name.”
“Wouldn’t think of it.” I moved to lean back against the wall next to him, staring at the unremarkable ceiling where he had been, and calmly, I asked, “Did you know?”
He was silent for a few moments and then stated evenly, “I knew one day she would die, but I didn’t know it would be on this trip.”
Truth.
I tilted my head toward him. “Why didn’t you just tell him that?”
His lips tilted in a self-mocking smile as he glanced down at me. “You keep forgetting,” he tapped his ear, “about Vampires, Lil. I just did.” As I blinked, he turned and walked outside.
Following him, I saw that Cahal had indeed heard. He rested against the Hummer with his bag at his feet, face back to blank in Elder Zeller fashion, but he watched Antonio until he looked his way, giving him a half-nod of appreciation for the information he so desperately wanted before turning to listen to whatever Ezra was saying to him.
I picked the door up, which lay in the middle of the yard, walking past Lynn, who was settling his kids in their child seats, and I murmured, “Anything you see or hear while with us, I would appreciate your silence about.” And yes, I put a little command behind it, letting him know it was the Queen speaking.
His lips tilted crookedly. “Mum’s the word, Your Highness.”
Throwing the door inside the house, clean-up duty done for now, I turned to Antonio. “I need you to change the color of the Hummer and alter the tags.”
Instantly my Hummer was black with different tags, which I was positive would work on any Com police scanner. Mage power may be a pain in the ass most of the time, but I still loved their magic. I clapped my hands, and when everyone quieted I asked Ezra, “Where are we heading?”
His lips lifted as Bonnie and Clyde bounded out of the house, coming to sit between us. He opened the driver’s side door, sat inside, and readjusted the seat for his taller frame. “I’ll tell you on the way. While I drive. And you navigate.”