Fierce Obsessions (The Phoenix Pack 6)

“Which are yet more reasons why I don’t suspect him,” said Ryan. “But I also don’t trust him. I don’t like his lack of action.”

Tao turned to Riley. “We’ve done what we can to find out who it is, and we can only be sure of three things: One, they can’t shoot worth shit or you, Lucy, and Sawyer would all be dead. Two, if this is about finishing Wade’s job, they have a grudge against the five of you remaining from your age-group. Three, if they are related to the past shootings, they’re cunning and manipulative to have done what they did to Wade and kept the entire flock fooled all these years. Much as I hate to say it, we’re no closer to finding out who they are now than we were when we first got here. It’s time to go home.”

“I can’t leave.” Riley shook her head. “Not now.”

“For fuck’s sake, Riley!” Tao threw up his arms. “What the hell can you possibly do here?”

Nothing. She knew that. But walking away after Ethan, Lucy, and Sawyer had been shot . . . it felt disloyal, as if she were leaving them to deal with the entire mess. Riley knew intellectually that she wasn’t to blame for what was happening, but her arrival had still somehow triggered it. She didn’t know how or why, only that it might never have happened if she hadn’t come. To just run back to Phoenix Pack territory and leave them to their fate felt wrong. Maybe it didn’t make a lot of sense, but that was how she felt.

“This isn’t up for debate,” snapped Tao. “We’re leaving. Pack your shit and let’s go.”

She lifted her chin at his dictatorial tone. Her raven let out a pissed-off croak. “Don’t ever think you can intimidate me into doing what you want,” she clipped. “Throw your dick and dominance around all you want, but I have my own mind and I’ll damn well use it.” She looked at the others. “I appreciate that you came to help. You’ve done more than enough and I really don’t blame you for leaving, but I can’t go.” With that she spun on her heel and stalked up the stairs.

“Riley, we’re not done here!” Tao clenched his fists against the urge to punch the wall. He turned to his pack, eyes flashing wolf. “She can’t be serious about staying.”

“I can understand why she’s torn, Tao,” said Jaime. “She lost her parents. This whole thing will be bringing it all back—the loss, the pain, the fear. Especially since one of the people who was almost killed is one of the people who raised her. I’d want the bastard’s blood too.”

Tao’s mouth tightened. “Her life is more important than revenge.”

“I’ll bet if you ask her,” began Makenna, “you’ll find out that this is about more than just revenge. She grew up with these people, Tao. They were here for her like your pack mates were there for you. A couple of them might be assholes, but others have been good to her and they’ve loved her. For Riley, leaving probably feels like abandoning them all to whatever danger lies ahead.”

He closed his eyes. “Fuck, I hadn’t thought of that.”

Makenna gave him a weak smile. “Talk to her, Tao. All she’s hearing now is you trying to bully her into doing what you want. That’s not going to get past her anger or the chaos in her head—that’s just going to put her on the defensive.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m not good at talking.”

“I know, but you’ve got more chance of getting through to her than any of us have,” said Makenna. “She’s—much like you, actually—arbitrarily stubborn. If anyone can talk her into leaving, it’s you. Your worry will mean more to her than ours.”

Dante took Jaime’s hand. “We’ll head back to the cabins and pack. Convince Riley to do the same so we can all get the fuck out of here.”

After the front door closed behind his pack mates, Tao inhaled a deep breath and made his way up the stairs. He needed to be calm, he told himself. Calm. Patient. Nonconfrontational.

Basically, he needed to not be himself.

He found Riley sitting on the chair near the window, her face in a book. It was a dismissive act that raised his hackles. Be calm, he reminded himself.

She didn’t pay him the slightest bit of attention as he crossed the room, not even when he came to a halt in front of her. She just kept her gaze on that damn book he knew full well she wasn’t even reading.

“Riley, we need to talk.”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

His wolf growled. “Well, you’re going to.”

“I don’t need to.” Expression haughty, she flicked over to the next page. “I already know what you’re going to say. Don’t waste your breath. I’m staying.”

Like hell she was. “Sawyer was shot, Riley.”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“Good, so you must also remember that we’re back to not having a fucking clue what’s going on here.” She didn’t respond. Just kept on pretending to read. “Look at me.” But of course she didn’t. He snatched the book and slung it behind him.

Folding her arms, she glared up at him. “Problem, Fenris?”

“Being bitchy won’t push me away, Riley. Annoy me, provoke me, piss me off—it’ll do all of those things. But I’m not going anywhere. We’re going to talk this out. Tell me why it’s so important to you to stay. You won’t be abandoning the flock, if that’s what this is about. And you can bet your sweet ass that if they were on pack territory and shit started happening, they’d be gone in a fucking blink.”

“Not Ethan and Max.”

“No, not them,” he agreed. “They’re also the last people who would ever blame you for going home where you’re safe. Hell, they can come with us if you want.” But he knew they wouldn’t leave. Like Riley, they wanted to see someone pay.

“You’re wasting your time with this, Tao. I won’t change my mind.”

Jaw tight, Tao growled. He reminded himself once again to stay calm. He tried to come up with something sensitive and diplomatic that might make her think and see things his way, but he wasn’t good with words. It didn’t help that he couldn’t stop growling at her. “Don’t forget that someone is claiming you have one of our wolves doing all this shit, that it was you who pulled Wade’s strings and you’re finishing what he started. If others buy into that, you’re going to have a riot on your hands. Do you want your uncles to have to go through that?”