I hopped out of the cab at the park a block from the gallery and walked under the massive gray stone arches then headed up the path between two rows of flower gardens until I reached the circular path. I saw a man standing with his back up against a maple tree smoking a cigarette. He pushed off and sauntered toward me. A border collie ran across his path, barking as it chased a squirrel, and he called the dog back and they both walked past.
My skin prickled in warning and I turned to see Roarke. “Roarke.”
He nodded to a wooden park bench a few feet away. “We’ll wait here for your Scars.”
I shook my head. “No, I should go to the gallery. Delara is supposed to meet me there.”
“The gallery isn’t safe. They’re watching it.”
Oh shit. “I have to call Delara.”
“Yes. She can meet us here.”
I nodded. Taking out my cell, I tapped on the screen until Delara’s number came up then hit Send. “Delara?”
“Rayne,” she said breathless. “Thank God. You got out.”
“I’m at the park by the gallery. With Roarke.”
Silence then, “Stay there. Jedrik and I are on our way.”
“Are the others okay?”
“Yeah. A few scratches, but nothing Anstice can’t heal. See you in fifteen.”
“Okay.” I hung up and texted Kilter where I was.
“You used your Ink to get out?” Roarke asked.
I nodded. “Yes.”
He half-smiled and, with his hand on my lower back, guided me over to a park bench. He sat, but I hesitated. “You have nothing to fear, Rayne. You know I’d never harm you.” The streetlights glimmered off his face and there was nothing but softness. “I need you to understand why I couldn’t risk taking you away from Anton.”
I sat beside him.
He kept his voice low as he said, “I didn’t intend to work for your husband. I was searching for a place in this world to settle, but it was for the simple reason of peace, which is impossible when we’re hunted by Scars. Agreed, most of the CWOs are cruel and are ruined by greed, but a few of us remain who seek peace.”
“The compound wasn’t a haven, Roarke. It was hell,” I said, anger now overriding the anxiety. “You’re a Grit, if you didn’t like what my husband was doing, you could’ve stopped it.”
He sighed, lowering his head and staring at the ground. “Yes, perhaps I could’ve, but I would’ve never left you—never. Never risked your life. I care about you, Rayne.”
“You don’t even know me. Not really. That girl you knew was an empty shell of who I am. I’m not that person anymore.”
“I can see that.”
“Why, Roarke? Why, when you knew how much I hated Anton, did you continue to watch what he was doing? Did you know what he’d planned for Ryker and me?”
He cleared his throat. “Once our union failed, I knew he wanted to breed you with a Scar. He was obsessed with getting a child that was stronger than any of us. But it was her idea—the woman, Jasmine.” He continued, “The Scars he attacked, the ones he sent Ben and the others to capture, they weren’t supposed to be killed. I wasn’t there when they went after them because I was with Jasmine.” He hesitated. “She knew I cared for you. That was my mistake,” Roarke said. “If I didn’t do it…”
“What?” I asked. I knew it couldn’t be good, and by the way he was tense, his brows low and face strained, it was painful.
“She gave me reminders of what would happen to you if I didn’t do what she asked.”
“What do you mean?”
“Rayne, it’s not important what she did, just that she is dangerous and will hurt you.”
“What did she do, Roarke?”
“It doesn’t matter now.” I opened my mouth, but he scowled and I closed it again. “When the Scars escaped the compound she found out it was my fault. I let them escape.”
What? “But you weren’t even at the compound at the time. I was the one who helped Kilter find Ryker and took them to the roof.”
“When you disappeared for twelve hours, I came back to the compound to help search for you. I knew you were in the air vent with the Scar, Rayne. I wanted you to escape with him, so I kept everyone out of that wing as much as I could.”
God, he knew Kilter and I had been in the air vent.
“Jasmine has merged with the vampires.” Roarke glanced at me. “If vampires are after you, then she told Liam about you. You’re very valuable to the Scars.”
“Why?”
“Jasmine is a Lilac, Rayne.” I’d heard about Lilacs, of course, but never saw one, at least I thought I hadn’t. Obviously, I had if that woman was one. “She knew Anton before I did. She’s the one who brought me to the compound.” He leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees, hands clasped between them. “I’ve been watching her. Saw her go into to Liam’s club over six months ago. Not much else has happened up until a few weeks ago. Then I saw her meet with him again. They’re planning something.” He raised his head and our eyes locked. “I saw Jasmine at the compound after the Scars blew it up. She said you belonged to her.”
“BACK AWAY, DAMIEN,” WALERON ordered.
I slowly rose. “Abbs, the water—fuck—it spilled on your face. You changed it to blood.” I stared into her eyes, praying there was some semblance to the girl I’d grown to… No, I couldn’t love her. I didn’t. Christ, she’s a fuckin’ vampire. “You know what that means, don’t you, baby?”