The Brightest Night (Origin #3) - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,156

grinned. “You should see your face right now.”

“I don’t need to see my face to know it’s the picture of confusion,” I told him. “If he’s not that good of a person, then why would he want to stay behind?”

“Because love can be complicated, Evie.”

I lifted a brow. “Okay. That was unnecessarily vague.”

“Look. Don’t worry about Grayson. He’s fine. If I thought he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be staying here.” He pulled the shirt on over his head. “Unless him staying here makes you comfortable.”

“It doesn’t.” I wrinkled my nose. “Well, I mean, half the time, I don’t even know he’s around.”

“He’s good like that.”

“He’s creepy like that,” I muttered.

Thrusting his hair back from his face, he chuckled. “I’ve got to admit something.” Luc zipped up his pants. “I almost pushed for you to come along.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “For purely selfish reasons. I don’t like the idea of leaving you here. Not because you can’t protect yourself or that I think anything will happen.” Buttoning his pants, he peered over at me through thick lashes. “I would rather have you by my side. I’m needy like that.”

“I would rather be by your side, too.”

“I know.” Picking up a pair of black boots, he sat beside me. “But people out there are going to see us. It’s inevitable. If you’re recognized and the authorities are contacted, things are going to roll downhill from there.”

I’d been thinking about that. “Do you think there’s hair dye around here?”

Lacing up a boot, he looked over at me. “You thinking about dyeing your hair?”

I picked a strand. “And maybe cutting it. I’m going to have to leave here eventually, and it’s probably a good idea that I change my appearance. Coloring and cutting my hair isn’t going to make me unrecognizable, but at least it wouldn’t be as easy.”

His gaze roamed over me, and then he nodded. “It’s a good idea. I don’t know if they have any here. You can check with Zouhour. She keeps track of all the goods here, but I’ll also keep an eye out for any while I’m out there. Any color in mind?”

“I don’t know.” I dropped my hair. “Probably brown? Something easy that will look natural. I always wanted red hair, but I have a feeling that will end badly with boxed color.”

“Brown hair?” He laced up the other boot. “I think I’ll dig it.”

I grinned.

He lowered his booted foot to the floor. “You going to be okay tonight, all by your lonesome?”

“I’ll be just fine.”

“I don’t think you’ll be ‘just fine.’ You’ll probably be up all night, hugging one of my shirts close to your bosom, sobbing.”

“I’ll probably get the best sleep of my life,” I replied warily, but honestly, I wasn’t looking forward to falling asleep without him there. Strange how I could get so used to that.

He pressed his hand to his chest, fixing a wounded expression across his face. “I will be clutching one of your shirts to my chest, sobbing all night.”

Laughing under my breath, I shook my head. “Truthfully, I’ll probably spend a good portion of the night worried about you guys. Every one of you are badass and all, but anything can happen,” I admitted. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I always am, but I promise.” He touched my cheek, teasing gone from his voice. “Nothing will ever steal me away from you, Evie. Nothing.”

31

It was only about a half an hour after Luc had left when I heard a soft knock on the kitchen door. I hadn’t sensed anything, so I knew whoever was there was human. Hope sparked as I hurried to the door. I didn’t know anyone who’d come to the back door other than Nate.

Telling myself I shouldn’t get my hopes up, I cracked open the door and peered outside. At first, I saw no one standing on the stoop. The corners of my lips turned down, and then I caught a glimpse of orangey-copper hair peeking around the corner of the stoop. My heart about stopped. “Nate,” I whispered.

A second later, his pale face appeared in the moonlight. He looked a little less dirt-covered than he had the last time I’d seen him. “Hi,” he said, his nervous gaze darting behind me.

“No one else is here,” I told him, stepping aside so he could come in.

“I know.” He stepped out from around the corner, but didn’t come in. “I mean, I saw the others leave. Him. The guy who lives here with you. I wasn’t watching you—I mean, I