I stopped. “Why are you really here right now? You know Daemon is probably going to be ticked off, and he hits harder than Dee or me.”
“I wanted to talk to you.” His gaze tipped upward. “And there was a time that you used to like talking to me.”
Yeah, before he turned out to be the devil incarnate, he was a pretty cool guy. “I hate you,” I said, and I meant it. The level of animosity that I felt for this boy was a chart topper.
Blake flinched but didn’t look away. Wind roared through the trees, whipping my hair around my face and causing his to stand straight up. “I never wanted you to hate me.”
I barked out a short laugh and started walking again. “You suck at the whole not-making-me-hate-you part.”
“I know.” He fell in step beside me. “And I know I can’t change that. I’m not even sure I would if I had a chance to do it again.”
I cut him a hateful glare. “At least you’re honest, right? Whatever.”
He shoved his hands into his jeans. “You would do the same if you were in my shoes—if that was Daemon you needed to protect.”
A shiver tiptoed down my spine as my jaw locked into place.
“You would,” he insisted quietly. “You would do just as I did. And that’s what bothers you more than anything. We’re more alike than you want to admit.”
“We’re nothing alike!” My stomach seized up, though, because deep down, like I’d told Daemon before, I was a lot like Blake. Knowing that didn’t mean I was going to give him the pleasure of admitting it, especially since what he’d done had changed me.
My hands curled into fists as I stomped over branches and shrubs. “You’re a monster, Blake. A real live, breathing monster—I don’t want to be that.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment. “You’re not a monster.”
My jaw ached from how hard I was grinding my teeth.
“You’re like me, Katy, you really are, but you’re better than me.” There was a pause and then he said, “I’ve liked you from the moment we met. Even though I knew it was stupid to like you, I do.”
Dumbstruck, I stopped and looked at him. “What?”
The tips of his cheeks burned red. “I like you, Katy. A lot. And I know you hate me, and you love Daemon. I get that, but I just wanted to get that out there in case the shit hits the fan tonight. Not that it will, but you know… Whatever.”
I couldn’t even process what he was saying. There was no way. I turned and started back to the house that was now in sight, shaking my head. He liked me. A lot. That’s why he betrayed my friends and me. Killed Adam and then returned to blackmail us. A hysterical laugh formed in my throat and once I started laughing, I couldn’t stop.
“Thanks,” he muttered. “I put it out there, and you laugh at me.”
“You should be glad I’m laughing. Because the other option is hitting you again, which is still up—”
Blake slammed into my back, throwing me to the ground. Air flew from my lungs in a rush and his weight immediately primed my body for a fight.
“Don’t,” he whispered in my ear, his hands wrapping around my upper arms. “We have company—and not the good kind.”
Chapter 21
My heart leaped into my throat. As I managed to lift my head, I expected to see a fleet of DOD officers converging on us.
I saw nothing.
“What are you talking about?” I asked in a hushed voice. “I don’t see—”
“Quiet.”
I bristled but remained quiet. After a few seconds, though, I was convinced he was just getting a cheap thrill or something. “If you don’t get off me, I’m going to really hurt—”
And then I saw what he was talking about. Creeping along the side of my house was a man in a black suit. Something about his appearance looked familiar, and then I remembered where I’d seen him before.
He had been with Nancy Husher the day the DOD showed up, while Daemon and I had been at the field where we’d fought Baruck.
Officer Lane.
Then I saw his Expedition parked farther down the street.
I swallowed thickly. “What is he doing here?”
“I don’t know.” Blake’s breath was warm against my cheek, and I gritted my teeth. “But he’s obviously looking for something.”
A second or so later, movement at Daemon’s house caught my eyes. The front door opened, and Daemon stepped outside. To the human eye, he vanished from the front porch and reappeared in my driveway, a few feet from Officer Lane. But he just moved so quickly that he couldn’t be tracked.
“Is there something I can help you with, Lane?” His voice carried over the distance, even and without emotion.
Surprised by his sudden appearance, Lane took a step back and pressed his hand to his chest. “Daemon, God, I hate when you do that.”
Daemon didn’t smile and whatever the Officer saw in Daemon’s eyes got him straight down to business. “I’m doing an investigation.”
“Okay.”
Lane reached into the breast pocket of his suit and pulled out a small notebook, flipping it open. His jacket got stuck on his gun holster. I wasn’t sure if it was on purpose or not. “Officer Brian Vaughn has been missing since before New Year’s. I’m checking all possible leads.”
“Crap,” I muttered.
Daemon folded his arms. “Why would I know what happened to him or care?”
“When was the last time you saw him?”