York (13 page)

Chapter 24

Sky found Sam’s truck and fumbled with the keys before finding the unlock icon on the key fob.  The door locks clicked
open, and she used the truck’s stirrup to assist her in.  The windows were dark and, feeling shielded, she took a moment to drop her head forward and rest it on the steering wheel.  She wanted to be sick, but sucked in a breath to steady her nerves as her grip tightened on the steering wheel. 
I can’t believe he lied to me.
  Anger tugged her brows down;
I can’t believe I trusted him!

She started the truck and pulled out of the garage, the deep rumble of the motor mimicking the growl that wanted to emit from her lips.  She’d been lied to and used by a man
whom she thought she was growing to love.  Her foot hit the gas pedal, and she raced from the garage, and down the long, snow-covered road that would lead her away from York.
 

Fool me once
…she watched as Apex slowly shrunk in her rearview mirror.

***

Pleased with himself for finally being able to bring his Angel a plate of home-baked lasagna, York smirked to himself before his cursory glance up the hallway turned into a double-take. 
What the fuck!
 

Shane was on his knees, attempting to get to his feet while James ignored him
, pacing back and forth mumbling to himself with both hands fisted in his hair.

York’s eyes darted to the open
door, and he inhaled.  The plate hit the carpeted floor with a dull thud when he scented his Sky’s distress and…
TEARS!

“
What did you do?
” he snarled, peeling his lip back as his hands fisted.  He was halfway to James before he even realized he’d taken a step.

James
jerked round, dropping both hands to hold them up in front of himself.  “Whoa, bro!  Nothing!”  He began backing up.

York closed the distance between them in mere strides before he stopped and turned his head to eye the empty room.  Sky was gone.

“
Where is she?
” His animals surged to the fore, needing him to shift to track their mate before destroying whatever had caused her pain.

“
Sh-sh-she…left.”  James was shaking his head in confusion.

York’s hands slammed into
James’ chest and fisted the material there before he jerked the younger Walker into him and breathed down on him through gnashed teeth. “
What
. 
Did.  You.  Do
?”

James’s mouth fell
open, but nothing came out.

“It’s
Shy.” Shane croaked as he got to his feet, drawing York’s attention.  “We assumed she knew everything.”  Shane glanced at James in displeasure.  “James commented on how you challenged Leto for Shy, and Sky freaked.”

Shane continued his explanation, but York didn’t hear it.  His eyes rounded and he paled.  Slowly, he released James as the implications slammed into him.  Sky knew he’d challenged for Shy, which meant she thought he’d lied to her.  Unable to control his breathing, he continued to suck in whiffs of air through his nose
, automatically sifting through them.  He was so tuned-in to Sky now that he blocked out all other scents and could easily focus on the remnants of her emotions as they lingered.  Shock, betrayal, and pain.  His tongue darted out seeking to find even the slightest trace of anger or hatred.  He’d expect those, especially from his Sky.  His heart squeezed at their absence.  He could face her fury, but knowing that she was alone and hurting…

He shoved James hard and turned to follow her scent.

“You want help?” Shane threw at his back.

“NO!” he growled.  “You’ve done enough!”

Chapter 25

It was dark
; the roads were icy; the area was unfamiliar; and the fact that Sky kept crying wasn’t helping.  She’d tried messing with Sam’s built-in navigation system, but after a few minutes without even being able to turn the damn thing on, she’d given up.  Forced to rely on her memory, she muttered a curse about the blanket of undisturbed snow that covered the land all the way to the horizon.  The sun had already set, but she was pretty sure she was heading west.  She used the back of one hand to brush at tears that lingered on her cheeks.  She wished she could be a fly on the wall to see York’s reaction when his friends told him she’d gone.  Who did he think she was?  Did he honestly expect her to play second fiddle to her own sister?! 

Calm down!
She ordered herself as her eyes dipped to the speedometer.  She was driving way too fast for the conditions.  The truck rumbled to a low purr, and she forced herself to take several deep breaths.  A pang of guilt hit at the fact that she hadn’t let York explain himself, but it was short lived.  He’d found me, fucked me, brought me back to the states, and claimed me, and it was all because he’d initially wanted Shy, and she was taken. 

***

In eagle form, York ghosted the dark vehicle carrying Sky further from Apex.  She hadn’t been hard to find.  Shifting, he’d soared high above Apex until he located a lone set of headlights illuminating the darkness of the high plains.  Once he’d caught up with the vehicle, he’d dipped low once to confirm the truck carried his mate.  It did, and she didn’t look happy.  He was apprehensive about her speed and the bad road conditions, but he knew better than to try to get her to stop.  His Commander Conn Drago’s Angel had been severely injured in a car wreck that they all suspected was caused by another Walker attempting to stop her car by shifting to deer form and blocking the road.  York wouldn’t risk it.  He’d follow his mate until she stopped, and then he’d confront her. He was angry with himself for not having explained things to her.  Honestly, he had hoped his interaction with Shy wouldn’t be brought up.  He should have known better.  When it came to Angels,
everything
ended up out in the open. 
Damn! 
Worse, how did he convince her that he hadn’t been interested in Shy when he had been?  Granted he hadn’t truly known her, but he had wanted a mate, and he would have claimed Shy if he’d been given the opportunity.  That thought, in and of itself, was jarring.  He’d almost claimed the wrong woman and in doing  would have given up on his true Angel.  He’d been a damn fool in more ways than one.

He followed the vehicle through several wrong turns and a dozen lengthy back roads, but finally Sky reached town
and gassed up. He contemplated confronting her, but she’d stopped at a full-service gas station and didn’t exit the vehicle.

Fine.
  He’d wait.  He was just relieved that she’d arrived safely, but that relief was short-lived when she paid the attendant and left town, hitting the highway.  Clearly, she was heading to StoneCrow, and the comfort of her sister.

The journey was long, but his only concern was for Sky.  The retelling of any part of his initial interaction with Sky’s sister would have
been painful for her to hear.  It’s why he’d kept it from her.  He shouldn’t have.  He should have been the one to tell her, to explain himself.  Now, Sky was hurting and it was his doing. 
Damn! 
How had he screwed this up?  He’d been elated to find her and excited at the prospect of claiming her without any of the difficulties his mated predecessors experienced..  Apparently, he’d been overly confident.

A few hours later
and one long OnStar conversation with Shy and Sky pulled up to the gate at StoneCrow.  Shy’s directions had been difficult for his angel to follow in the dark, but Shy had gotten his Sky safely to StoneCrow.

York dropped just inside the gate and shifted.  Having recognized Marko and
Haka as the Sentries on duty, he’d contacted them through the mist the moment he’d spotted them to inform them of Sky’s imminent arrival. 

“And to what do we owe the
honor?”  Marko smirked at York as he rose to his full height just inside the gate, rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck.

“My
Angel’s come to see her sister.”

It was
Haka’s turn to tease. “And let me guess.  You didn’t feel like riding shotgun?”

York growled
, his expression darkening as he waited just out of sight.  “My Angel is displeased with me at the moment.”

Marko smiled.

“Just let her in,” York snarled.

Haka
opened the gate and held up his hand as Sky pulled slightly forward, rolling down her window.

“Good evening, Ma’am.”  Marko was all matter-of-fact.  “What brings you to
StoneCrow so late?”

York watched Sky’s mouth open, but didn’t wait for her response.  He hurried to the
passenger-side door and jerked it open before sliding into the seat beside her.

***

One minute Sky was about to explain that she was Shy’s sister, and she was here to see her, and the next York was jumping into her truck.  Her stunned expression jerked to him before her eyes narrowed in anger.  “Get out!”  She swore she heard the Sentry laugh over her shoulder, and York confirmed it when he curled back his lip to snarl at the guard.

Lowering his lip, York commanded, “Drive.”

“No!”  Crossing her arms over her chest, Sky sat back and stared straight ahead.  “Not until you get out of my truck.”

“This isn’t
your
truck, and I’m not leaving.”  He leaned closer to her.  “Speaking of leaving, did you forget something…or
someone
back at Apex?”

“No!  I
didn’t
and what are you doing here?  Did you follow me?” The audacity!

“Of course I followed you!”
He roared.  “You’re my mate!” He didn’t mean to sound so irked, but the lingering scent of her tears and her barely disguised sorrow were putting him on edge. 

“Okay,” she pointed to his door, “that’s it.  Get out!”  When he didn’t budge she tried another tactic. “Has it occurred to you that I left Apex to get
away
from you?  Why are you in my…
this
truck?”

“Because I want you to…”

“NO!” she cut him off.  “You don’t want
me
and that’s the problem.”  She eyed him with icy disdain.  “You
want
my sister.”

“Sky,” his tone and expression softened, “
I don’t.”

Behind her she heard the Sentry clear his throat, “Uh, Ma’am, if you wouldn’t mind….”

This time York didn’t simply snarl, his eyes—glinting with fury—sliced to the Sentry and he opened his mouth, loosening a deafening roar.

“Damn it, York!” Sky lifted both hands to her throbbing ears.

“Leave us alone,” York snarled. 

Behind
her, she heard a beeping noise and then the Sentry speaking.  “Mrs. Reigns.  This is Marko at the front gate.  Your sister is here.  Please have Leto escort you down.”

Damn it!
  Sky’d wanted a reprieve from York, not to see him in close proximity to her sister, the apparent object of his affection.  “Get out of this vehicle or I will,” she threatened, trying to fight down the panic that rose with the mental image of he and Shy engaged in a warm embrace.  How close were they?  Had her sister missed him?  Had
he
missed her?

The fear was too much
, and Sky jerked the handle of her door, hopping down from the vehicle.  “Fine.  You stay.” She made it four steps when the Sentry reached for her.

“Uh, Miss…”

Then he was sailing through the air, accompanied by a vicious roar.  She winced when the poor guy hit the ground with a heavy thud, the air whooshing from his lungs.  Car lights illuminated the scene, and she knew Shy had arrived.  Turning to York, his chest still rumbled with a growl as he reached for her.  Instantly, an insane terror seized her.  Any second now, Shy would exit the vehicle and York would flash that smile that Sky had foolishly believed was reserved for her alone.  In mere moments, she’d have to witness her own heart’s demise.  Her world was about to be ended by the two people she thought she lov...

Eyes wide with horror as she stared at York, she jerked
back, holding up a hand as she screamed, “DOOOON’T!”

The forest fell silent. 

York’s rumbling instantly ceased, and even the Sentry on the ground stopped moaning to stare at her. 

Nobody moved
, and the only sound was the soft wind through the darkened forest and Sky’s ragged breathing.  She flattened a hand on her chest in an attempt to slow her breathing.  Blinking, she felt tears slide down her face and was startled to realize she hadn’t even noticed when they’d filled her eyes.  Her dazed expression was centered on York’s chest. 
What’s wrong with me?

“Sky?”
York’s voice was a near whisper as he took a step closer to her.

Jerking her hand back, her gaze
slid to his. 

“What’s wrong,
Angel?”

How did she tell him?  How could she tell him that she was terrified of watching his eyes
light with longing when he looked upon her twin?  Would she read sexual desire there?  The thought had her belly churning.  Would it be reciprocated?  A hand flattened on her belly as she nearly retched.

Silently, she shook her head as her body began to tremble from the cold.
  Funny, she hadn’t noticed how cold it was until her breath left her in a great white puff.  She needed to figure this out, this fear that seized her,  making it painful to breathe.

“Sky?” she heard Shy’s
worried voice behind her, and she braced as she watched York’s expression.  She was waiting to watch his eyes seek her out.  To see his relief at finally being near the female he truly wanted.  Relief never made an appearance on his face.  In fact, his concerned gaze never left hers.  What did it mean? 

Her control was tenuous at best.  She knew
she was going to snap, and she didn’t want to.  Not here, not like this…
because
of this.

A masculine voice spoke behind her.  “York, let me take her to our home.  Let her sister soothe her.”

York’s eyes finally left
hers, but it wasn’t so they could flit to Shy’s with any form of longing.  No, his green eyes suddenly glittered; his face flushed with anger as he snapped, “She’s
mine!
”

Sky peeked over her shoulder and saw a large man with flowing black hair step
up and wrap his arms around Shy. 
Leto? 
Her eyes shifted lower and locked on a fuller version of her sister. 
Shy! 
She lost it then and rushed to her sister, tears surging forth.  Her sister’s mate barely had time to release Shy before Sky was crushing herself into her sister’s embrace. 
Shy.  Something familiar.  Home!
 

Behind her, York’s
tone was imploring. “Tell me what you need, my heart.”

“I am not your heart,” she sucked back her tears
even as more rushed forth, turning to face him.

“Tell.  Me.  What.  You.  Need,
” he stated more firmly, taking a step closer to her.

“I NEED TIME!”
She cried out desperately, then clutched her chest when she saw sadness flicker in his eyes.  Tilting her head back, a painful moan escaped her as her body was wracked with a sob.  “Can I just
please
have some friggin’ time?  Things are going too fast.”  She turned her back on him and whispered, “I only just met you.  I can’t…I
can’t
love you.”

He grabbed her shoulders from behind but didn’t turn her. 
“Take all the time you need.  But know this.  I love you, Sky.  I’ve loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you.  I understand your love needs time to bloom and flourish like a blossom in the sun, but for me…you
are
the sun.  Without you, I can’t live and without you, I wouldn’t want to.”  He released her.  “When you’re ready, my heart, I’ll be here.”

The
sound of departing footsteps was the only indication that he’d left.  Dropping to her knees, she buried her face in her hands and softly wept.  She’d hurt him and it wasn’t her intent, but he was pushing her too fast.  She had the right to be cautious, didn’t she?  It was
her
heart on the line. 

She heard
the light crunching of snow before Shy’s slender arms enveloped her.  “Oh, Sissy.”  Shy kissed her sister’s head before leading her to the car.