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“I knew we needed money quick,” Lilac explained. “Luckily, I still had two of my mom’s rings. I pawned them to pay for our new identities and the medical bills. And as soon as we were able to, we ran again. We decided that we had to come here. You guys were kind of our last chance. We were out of money and options. Plus, with Kye, well . . . we needed someone to help us protect him. Stefan wouldn’t be above using a baby to keep us in line.”
She took a deep breath. “So, we came here to find you guys. Well, we did some asking around first about Haven. The things we heard seemed crazy. But we were out of options. I knew . . . I knew that Tanner would likely hate me. I was just hoping that his brothers were good men like him. And that you would all be able to look after Kye, and Ryleigh and Opal.”
Tanner turned her to face him. Grabbing her chin, he tilted her head back. “And what about you, baby? Sounds like you need the most protection from this asshole.”
She shook her head, smiling sadly. “That’s just it. I can’t stay here.”
“What do you mean, you can’t stay here?” Ryleigh asked.
“Lilac, don’t say it,” Opal warned.
“I’m not staying, because I’m going back. The only way to ensure we’re all truly safe is to take out Stefan. And I’m the only one who can manage that. I’m the one that he really wants. That he won’t kill. So, I’m going to go back. And I’m going to make sure that he can’t hurt any of you ever again.”
38
To her shock, Tanner just started laughing.
Okay, that wasn’t the reaction she’d been expecting.
She’d thought he’d immediately tell her that she couldn’t go. That Mr. Bossy or Meanie Malone would make an appearance.
This was . . . unexpected.
Standing, she put her hands on her hips as she stared down at him. “Why are you laughing?”
“Because you’re funny.”
“I’m not funny. How is that funny?”
“Because it’s a joke.” The smile wiped off his face as he stood. Okay, this was more like what she’d been expecting. Only, he was very intense. A bit scary. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him look like this before.
Lilac swallowed and stepped back.
Bad move.
Because all he did was take another step forward. And another and another. Until she was backed up into a wall. He placed his arm against the wall above her head, leaning into her.
“Uh-oh.”
“Yes, pretty girl. Uh-oh is right,” he rumbled.
“Tanner, I think you should back away from my friend, you’re intimidating her,” Ryleigh said.
“Pretty sure that’s the point,” Opal said dryly. “Lilac, say your safeword if you want him to back off. Or you want me to make him back off.”
Tanner seemed to ignore all the banter behind him, staring down at her from those deep brown eyes. “You were joking, weren’t you, Lilac?”
“Um.” Okay, so he seemed like he really wanted her to say she was joking.
There was just one teeny-tiny problem . . .
“Linc, get him to back off her,” Ryleigh demanded.
“Nope,” Linc replied.
“Why not?” Ryleigh asked in frustration.
“Because she needs to learn the truth,” Alec said firmly.
