Rain Shadow(19)

“Nah.” She held my arm tightly against her. “I had to start a new list for you.”

I turned to look at her without lifting my head and was quickly reminded of the big, tender lump on the side of my skull. “Does this list have an equally impressive title?”

“Yep.” She stared up at the sky. “You’re at the top of my ‘breathtaking, heart stealing man who has worked his way into my soul’ list. In fact, you’re the only name on the list.” She looked over at me. The shade of night could not dim the brilliant blue of her eyes. “Being with you gives me hope, hope that I might leave this bizarre fairy tale and live a real life. I’ve never had hope before.”

I leaned over and kissed her. “I made a promise awhile back that I wasn’t leaving this place without you, Evangeline, and I never break a promise.” Then I thought about the lie, it was always there, the lie that felt like a roll of barbed wire in my gut. “Angel, if you found out something about me that you weren’t expecting, something that might make it even harder for us, would you—”

“Nothing would matter, Luke. I’d still want to leave with you.” She leaned up on her elbow and gazed down at me. Her long hair tickled my arm. “Unless you tell me you like to kick puppies or something like that. Then I’d have to tell you to be on your way.”

I reached up, placed my hand behind her head and pulled her mouth to mine. “Never kicked up a puppy in my life.” I kissed her. I was sure my true identity would never even cross her mind. The truth, no doubt, would have a huge impact, but I depended on the fact that she wanted me as much as I wanted her. Nothing could drive us apart.

She lay back again and we listened to the chorus of the desert, crickets chatting, small critters skittering through the dust and the faint howl of the wind.

“Jericho and I used to come here to look for shooting stars.”

I looked over at her with a raised brow.

“Stop looking at me like that. Remember you weren’t always in my life. And something tells me you were no priest up there in Reno.” Her arm shot up. “Is that the North Star or Venus?”

“Sorry, I didn’t pay that much attention in astronomy.”

She lowered her hand. “My mom told me that I was born with a birthmark that looked like a star.”

“Really? That’s weird. That sounds so familiar. Don’t know why. That dejavu shit sure is crazy. Where is the birthmark?”

She pointed to the scar on her shoulder. “It was another reason my mom had given for Gracie burning me. Besides being jealous that I was taking up too much of her sister’s time, she was also mad because she wanted a star.” Angel grew quiet. I’d brought up the scar in the kitchen, and her aunt had insisted that her mom and grandfather had burned her shoulder. She sighed darkly. “My mom was so fucking nuts, I’m surprised I lived past my fourth birthday.” The distinct rumble of Harleys sounded in the distance. The lights were heading our direction. “Damn that Jericho. He’s such a traitor lately.” She jumped down from the rock. “Help me find my panties. Unless you want my grandfather to find them first.”

I slid down. “Shit, I don’t need that. What do you think he’s going to do to me now that I screwed up your arranged marriage?” The words had left my mouth before I had a chance to stop the stupidity.



Her bottom lip dropped open. “What are you talking about?”

I paused for a second, but it was too late to back track. “Tonight was a set up. Your grandfather and the president of that other club had made plans for you to marry the guy’s son. It’s part of his scheme to merge the two clubs.”

She stared at me as I handed her the panties. The bikes were closing in on us. A cloud of dust drifted overhead. She struggled to pull the panties over her boots. I hadn’t noticed the stream of tears on her cheeks until she straightened.

“Why are you so upset?” I asked. “I’m sure tonight put an end to those plans. Besides, I was never going to let it happen.”

Her bottom lip trembled. Seeing her cry made my chest tighten. She wasn’t upset with Dreygon. She was pissed at me.

“How long?” her wavering voice was nearly drowned out by the clamor of the bikes.

I looked at her unsure how to answer.

She slammed her hands against my chest. “How long did you know?” she sobbed. “Why would you keep that from me?”

The bikes formed a vibrating circle of steel around us. The headlights skewered us like spotlights on a stage. “Let’s go home,” Dreygon’s demand came through a glowing curtain of powder. “Angel, you get on with Cash. That boy has been between your legs enough for one night.” They were words that normally would have made her cringe, but it wasn’t about her despicable grandfather right now. It was about me. I’d kept a secret from her, and I’d just lost her trust.