Ruby Revenge

“Three?” I repeated. “Niko, how many books are there?”

He frowned. “I’m not sure. Enough to cover more than half the states in this country. More in other countries.”

“You plan on finding them all?” I asked, my stomach sinking. He was going to leave again.

“As many as I can. I’m pretty sure they’ll start hiding them better real soon, and it will be harder to find them.”

I raised an eyebrow. “They wouldn’t get rid of them?”

“The belief runs strong, Sage. Those books are part of it. It would take a lot for them to do that. But it’s okay; when I can’t find any more books, I have a plan to take them down from the top,” he replied.

“The elders?”

“Yeah.”

“No one has mentioned your name at all. I’m guessing that has something to do with those missing pages?”

“Yes. I needed leverage.” He pulled me back into his arms. “For you to be free. And me. I’ve been waiting for them to come after me. I’m not sure they’ve caught on yet.”

I swallowed. “What happens when they do catch on that it’s you doing all this?”

“I’ll be fine. If I do give Kiara those papers, I’m sure the police have something that can prove they came from those books.” He shot me a confident smile. “If that happens, they’ll have much bigger problems to deal with than tracking me down.”

I didn’t share his confidence but decided to ask the other question that was bothering me. “If Kiara hadn’t told you about my dad, would you have come back?”

“Yes,” he said softly. “After seeing her, I was coming here. I couldn’t stay away from you much longer. Not talking to you was driving me insane. I needed to see you. I just wasn’t sure you wanted to see me.”

I rolled my eyes. “Next time, pick up a phone and ask.”

“I have no self-control around you, Sage.” He shrugged. “If I called, I wouldn’t have been able to stay away. I need to get those books.”

“Take me with you,” I pleaded, grabbing his jacket. “I don’t want to be here anymore. I want to be with you.”

He hesitated. “It’s dangerous. If I get caught—"

“Niko, I want the entire society brought down,” I interrupted. “I spent a year surviving a dangerous life. I can handle doing it again if it means the society is gone. I want to help. And I want to be with you.”

He ran his fingers down my cheek as he blew out a breath. “See, this right here is why I didn’t tell you what I was doing. And why I didn’t call.”

“You don’t want me to go?”

“Because I wouldn’t have been able to tell you no.”

I tilted my head in confusion before grinning. “So, that means I’m going with you?”

“Is that what you want, Sage?”

“My home is anywhere you are.”

He broke out into a smile before giving me another kiss. I felt whole now that I knew he wasn’t leaving again. Whether we were running around the country searching for books or living in the suburbs, I didn’t care. As long as I was with him.

“Then it looks like you’re stuck with me.” He ran his lips down my neck. “Again.”

“It’s exactly where I want to be.”