"Alyssa, please tell me where to find you."
I hesitate to say no when all I want to do is just crumble, beg him to find me.
"I can't," I almost whisper.
Silence creeps through the phone as we both sit waiting for the other to cave. I can't give in though. I can't watch my world break him.
"I'd give anything to take that night back," he finally says, breaking the breathy suspense. "I'd tell Deke to fuck off and deal with shit on his own for once. I'd stay in bed, holding you to me as you curled around my body. There's not an inch of your body I wouldn't have explored by now, and there's no way I would ever leave you alone for anything again."
My tears finally start dripping, making me hate myself for falling for him. I knew better. As much as I want to be human, I'm not. Stringing him along was the worst mistake I could have made.
"But you already did. Kane, I’m not going to lie. I know you went back for Amy. There's apparently something going on, and I-"
"I swear it's not like that. Please let me come to you. I'll prove it."
"Let me finish." I sigh while gripping my head. "I don't know what the deal is between the two of you, but I don't want in the middle of it. I care about you too much too soon as it is. You probably did me a favor by disappearing into the night. I need to go. Please stop calling Thad's phone, and don't start calling mine."
He sits silently on the other end, and then I hear a harsh breath.
"L.A.?" he asks, making my heart slap my throat.
"What?" I release with a crackle, my mouth drying.
"You're in L.A.? I can be there in a few hours. Don't leave. We'll discuss this in person, and I'll show you how much I care about you."
"How do you know where I am?" I shiver as excitement and dread fills me at once.
"I just traced your phone. Money affords someone more than a nice house. I'll be there soon."
"Kane, don't. We're about to leave. Please stop this."
"Then call me when you get to where you're going, and I'll follow you then."
"No, I won't call, and I'm switching off my GPS. Just forget me."
"That's impossible. I'm coming to you whether you like it or not. Now, you can stay there, or I can come find you at your next place. You'll call me again, Alyssa. You want to be with me just like I want to be with you. Admit it. This chemistry between us isn't something people find everyday. I know better than anyone that it's not."
I swallow my heart back down, and then I shake my head.
"It's not something someone finds everyday, but it's also not good for you." Or your life. "I'm sorry, Kane. I won't be here when you come."
I hang up, quickly rushing into the room where Thad is packing.
"Yeah, I heard. Loverboy is persistent, I'll give him that."
I don't have time to be aggravated with the fact he was eavesdropping. Damn immortal hearing.
"We were going to leave tonight anyway, weren't we?"
"Yeah. No worries, pretty girl. Just grab your stuff, and we'll meet the others at the next rendezvous."
He offers me a wink, and then I narrow my eyes.
"I don't want to catch any more lizards down my shirt."
He starts laughing, and then he moves over to where I am, letting his thumb trail over my lips as he stares down at me.
"I would have gone for a snake, but I thought it'd be too much of a pun. Grab your stuff."