“What the fuck use would it have been to put us both in the line of fire?”
“Again, not your call.” She tried to breathe, but her throat was knotted up with too much fury and air barely seemed to get in. “We’re allies. If you start holding back information, that alliance falls.”
His jaw tightened. “You know damn well this had nothing to do with the alliance.”
“Yes,” she said, “it did. Everything we do impacts our packs.”
He didn’t answer, but she could feel the pulse of his anger.
“Don’t you dare treat me likeyour womanever again,” she said, teeth gritted. “Not when it concerns the safety of my pack. Which is all our ‘relationship’ is going to concern as of this moment.”
“No,” he said, grabbing her elbow. “You don’t get to end us. Not over this.”
The cat growled and she let the sound travel up through her vocal cords. “I get to do whatever I want.” She wrenched her arm from his. “I invited you into my home,” she said, nose to nose with him. “Itrustedyou. You just shit on that trust.” Sliding into the seat, she pulled the door shut.
He refused to let it close, leaning down to look at her. “I did not break your trust.”
“Tell yourself that if it makes you feel better.” This time, she pulled hard enough to make her muscles scream, kicking out at his shins at the same time. His grip loosened in surprise, and she got the door moving, sliding her leg back inside in the nick of time. Then she got the hell away from Riley before he did something else that made her heart hurt.
Her eyes burned and that only made her angrier. “God damn you, Riley!” She slammed her palm on the steering wheel hard enough to leave bruises.
CHAPTER 33
Sascha split off from Lucas as they entered the SnowDancer den. “What did Mercy say?”
“They found what looks like the Alliance’s bolt-hole, but the mercenaries are long gone.” He thrust a hand through his hair. “We can deal with this before we go down. Mercy’s got things under control.”
She nodded. “I need to speak to Toby for a few minutes. You go talk to Hawke.”
A quiet nod. “I’ll back you, whatever you decide. But, kitten, this could be serious.”
“I know.” She wouldn’t make the decision lightly. “Go on.”
As he followed the soldier who’d met them at the door, another led her to the schoolroom where Toby was doing math. “I’ll be fine now.”
Sing-Liu gave a nod. “See you around.”
Watching the other woman leave, Sascha was struck by the changes wrought over the last year and a half. The first time she’d come here, Hawke would have never allowed her to wander freely. Even now, she knew there were certain sectionswhere she’d be denied access, but all in all, it was a definite improvement.
Toby’s teacher glanced her way right then and, a short conversation later, the boy walked out to meet her in the corridor. “What’s the matter?” he asked at once, his E senses telling him she wasn’t as calm as she appeared.
“Come with me.” She walked him to an empty classroom and, closing the door, took a seat opposite him. “Toby, I need to talk to you about Sienna.”
“Oh.” She could almost see the struggle in him. “Loyalty’s important.”
“I know, kiddo.” She took his hands. “I don’t want you to betray her. I just need the answer to one question.” A question Toby could answer better than even the adults in his family.
“Just one?”
“Just one.”
“Okay.”
She held his gaze. “Does Sienna need help?”
Toby bit his lip and nodded, the movement jerky with emotion. “She’s so afraid, Sascha. It’s breaking her in here.” He fisted a hand and circled it over his chest.
“Oh, baby.” Getting up, she knelt down to hug him, stroking her hand over his back. “Have you been trying to help?”