Chapter 38
After a last check to see that Storm and Daegan could handle cleanup, Adrianna returned to where Isak had his mother in a bear hug. The woman was rock solid and hadn’t whimpered or complained, even for a second. Adrianna respected Kit for the front she’d shown, but tonight Kit had faced real monsters that were a whole different level of terrifying.
The sooner Isak got her out of here, the better for Kit, who would not want to break down around the boys.
Adrianna checked on the twins, since Evalle would expect her to do that. She had to be careful not to wound their young manly pride.
She asked Kellman, the always calm and levelheaded of the two, “You guys going to be okay?”
“We’re good.” His wary gaze drifted to Isak. “I don’t think he’s ever going to let us near Kit again.”
Talk about a heart wrenching sound in Kellman’s sad voice. That ripped Adrianna’s own heart, which hadn’t had the best of days already.
But Isak had shown signs that he might be rethinking his harsh reaction when he’d first learned of his mother’s kidnapping.
He’s only human, Adrianna reminded herself with a chuckle at the truth.
She told the boys, “Give me a minute to find out the travel arrangements since I came here with Isak. I’m fairly certain he had all your camping gear and his mother’s SUV picked up by his men. There should be plenty of room for all of us in his Hummer.”
At least the rain had quit, but now the night air was turning cool. Her body was tired of the bouncing weather changes.
When she walked up to Isak, Adrianna asked, “How are you doing, Kit?”
Kit unfolded herself from her overprotective son’s embrace. “I’ve had better days, but I count that we’re all safe as a blessing.”
Evalle came running up to the group, really fast with the return of her super Belador speed. First she grabbed the boys and hugged them.
The relief on their faces warmed Adrianna’s heart.
Seeing Evalle hug anyone was quite a change from when Adrianna had first met her.
Technically, the boys were legally adults. They’d grown up on the streets of Atlanta, but from what Evalle had shared with Adrianna, they’d gotten mothering from Kit that they’d never experienced. Clearly it had been good for them.
Kellman and Kardos might need a touch of that mothering now.
Evalle left the pair off to the side and walked up to Isak. “I’m glad everyone is okay.”
He said nothing. The man had a head as hard as granite.
Kit told Evalle, “Thank you for coming to get us and please thank Tristan.”
“I will.” Evalle looked at Isak then Adrianna during the uncomfortable silence.
Kit cleared her throat and announced, “I need to talk to the boys.”
Isak said in a firm but gentle voice, “Kit.”
All Kit did was lift a finger, pointing straight up, and Isak gave up his argument.
That small woman had some kind of power in that one finger.
Impressive.
Adrianna might have to ask Kit for lessons.
Walking away on shaking legs, Kit might be still rattled, but she was not one to cross.
“Stay away from her,” Isak said in a quiet voice that Kit wouldn’t hear, but Evalle and Adrianna couldn’t miss the order he’d issued.
Evalle didn’t even try to hide her shock. “What?”
Adrianna didn’t want to believe he’d act this way now. Not right after everyone had risked their lives to save Kit and the boys. She asked Isak, “What is it you think I’m going to do to her?”
“Nothing, because you’re never going to be around her again.”
That was as final as it got.
Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, Adrianna reminded herself she’d faced worse in her life without showing any crack in her mask.
She wasn’t about to give him the benefit of knowing how deeply his words cut. She reminded him, “Staying away from Kit might be hard to accomplish since you made me come here in your truck.”
“Not a problem. One of my men will be waiting for you and the boys.”
She had survived years of poor treatment from her Sterling witch family and missed her sister desperately since her twin had died so that Witchlock would not land in the wrong hands.
If Isak thought he could break her, he was wrong, but he’d done a damn good job of knocking the foundation out from under her heart.
She gave an abrupt nod and started to leave, but Evalle grabbed her arm. “Wait a minute.”
Then Evalle took Isak to task. “How can you be that way to her?”
He was just as cold to Evalle. “I’m done with you people.”
“You people?” Evalle asked in a tone of warning.
Isak made it clear he was unwilling to say more than, “She can take the boys home or you can. Kit’s going with me.”
Evalle sounded ready for another throwdown. “She has a name. It’s Adrianna.”
He ignored her and said, “I don’t want Kit around witches, demons or any other things again.”
Looking over at Kit and the boys, who thankfully weren’t listening, Evalle said, “Why are you being an ass, Isak? Bad enough that you treat Adrianna this way, but Kit loves those boys and they love her.”
Adrianna sighed. “Give it up, Evalle. We’ll never be more than strange things to him.”
That must have pushed Isak’s pissed-off button harder. “Kit is all I have. I don’t want anyone to ever put her in that kind of situation again. The best way for me to ensure that never happens is to keep her away from ... nonhumans.”
Evalle gave him an incredulous look and huffed. “Now I understand why Adrianna said she can’t be with someone who can’t meet her halfway.”
“That’s no longer an issue.”
Staring holes through him, Adrianna waited until Isak finally looked her in the eyes. She said, “Would have been nice if you’d just listened to me when I tried to tell you we wouldn’t work. Would have been even nicer if you’d never come by my house last night. Just so we’re clear, don’t ever come near me again or send your men. I won’t play the good witch next time.”
Bitter? Yes. She’d opened her heart and her body to this man and he’d stomped on her trust.
Spewing curses under her breath, Evalle shoved her hands on her hips. “Your loss, Isak. Big loss.”
For a moment, he looked at Adrianna as if he agreed with Evalle, but Adrianna forced herself to stand stoically. She’d learned to manage her facial reactions many years ago and right now she had stone-cold bitch face firmly in place.
Isak called to Kit, “You ready, Kit?”
Kit hugged each of the twins, whispering to them. Then she joined Isak. As he stepped away, he said over his shoulder, “The second Hummer will be waiting for you.”
Evalle replied, “She doesn’t need it and neither do the boys. We take care of our people.”
Still, Adrianna said nothing so he continued on with his mother.
The twins walked over and Evalle asked them, “Did you power up your hearing and eavesdrop?”
They didn’t even look embarrassed when they both said, “Yes.”
“Shoot. I’m sorry.”
Kardos shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. We’re not concerned. Kit said she’d have a talk with Isak.”
Adrianna didn’t have the heart to tell them that wasn’t going to fix it. Isak was now firmly on the opposite side of the line drawn between humans and nonhumans.
She’d stay on her side, far away from the man who had mangled her heart. He’d never get that close to it again.