She’s changed into jeans and a large black hoodie that belongs to Kole. It drowns her, but she looks tantalizingly cute inside it. “Rev’s on board. She’ll be here at five with Sarah and our outfits.”
Nova smiles a little. “At least this outfit won’t be as risqué as the last one I had to wear.”
Thinking of her in the ensemble Luther picked out—because Tanner showed me the photo and, of course, I couldn’tnotlook—my cock twitches. I clear my throat. “Definitely less revealing,” I tell her.
“You trust Rev, don’t you?” she asks, swinging her legs gently over the side of the jetty.
“I’ve known her a long time.” As Nova shivers, I edge closer and put my arm around her. Snow grumbles protectively in my head. He wasnothappy when Luther accused me of putting Nova in danger. We would give our life for her; Luther should know that.
Nova reaches for my hand and entwines her fingers with mine. “Tell me something,” she says softly.
“What kind of something?”
“Something about you.” She looks up at me.
I laugh nervously and rub my beard with my free hand. “Okay… I’m a shifter. A polar bear lives inside my body and my head. I’m an air mage. I worked for the Bureau as an agent and then a teacher. I was the town’s sheriff before they suspended me… you know all this, Nova.”
Tilting her head, shrugging out of my grasp, she says, “Tell me something aboutyou,Mack. Not your work or something everyone else knows.” Moving her hand to her chest, where Kole’s ink hides that hideous fucking mark her now-dead-boyfriend left on her, she blinks at me. Her eyes are wide. The contrast between blue and brown is hypnotizing. “You know me, Mack. Not all of my past, but a lot of it.” She sits back on the jetty and crosses her legs. “I know more aboutLutherthan I know about you.”
A frown creases my forehead. Luther? Luther’s been sharing deep, dark secrets with her?
Noticing the look on my face, Nova’s lips twitch into a smile. “I tell you what… if you share something with me—somethingreal—I’ll share a secret with you.” She taps her foot. “It’s a good one, you’ll be pleased to know it.”
Studying her face, a mixture of trepidation and happiness blooms in my chest. How does she do this? How does she manage to make everything seem better? Lighter? “All right.” I turn away from her and look out at the lake. There’s one truth I want to share with her, but it’s the kind of conversation that tends to dampen the mood.
A solemn weight settles on my shoulders as I say, “It’s not true that you know nothing about me.”
Nova doesn’t speak. The air is still.
“You know that my sister died.” I focus on the horizon. “Her name was Layla. She was just a little younger than you. I was her big brother.” My mouth is dry. I swallow forcefully. Turning back to look at Nova, I force out the words I rarely say to anyone. “Layla took her own life.”
I watch as Nova’s eyes widen. A look of utter sorrow passes over her face. “Mack—”
“Rev was Layla’s best friend. She found her at The Hollow.” I stop. Nova doesn’t need to know any more than that.
Nova takes my hand in hers, then reaches up and strokes the side of my face. I lean into her warmth. A breeze blows across the surface of the lake. I’m losing control of my emotions. It whips up through the trees. Above us, storm clouds gather. Snow is pacing in my head. He misses Layla the same way I do. He lets out a sad growl as I screw my eyes shut and try to lock the grief back inside.
“I’m sorry.” Nova kisses my neck. “I’m truly sorry.”
For a long moment, we sit beside one another, not speaking or moving. I listen to her breath moving in and out of her chest. The rhythm soothes the pounding in my temples. Finally, when I’m able to speak, I squeeze her hand and say, “Your turn.” I smile, trying to lighten the heavy mood that has settled on us. “You promised to share something. Something I’ll bepleasedto know.”
Sitting back, Nova shakes her head. “It’s childish. I shouldn’t have pushed you.”
“Nova…” I catch her chin with my index finger and make her look at me. “I’m glad I told you.” I sit back and fold my arms. “But now it’s your turn. You promised me a secret, Little Star.”
Hearing her nickname on my lips, Nova smiles. “All right.” Something dances across her face. With bright eyes, she drums her fingers on her thighs. “Guess who I caught this morning, jerking off in the bathroom?”
I frown, thinking back to our movements when we woke up. Nova disappeared first then Sam. But seeing Sam wouldn’t be something worth sharing. I raise my eyebrows. “Luther?”
Nova nods eagerly. “Mm hmm, and guess what he was burying his face in while he did it?”
I have no idea what she’s about to say.
“My underwear.” She folds her arms a little indignantly. “My underwear! He took them with him when he went to buy ourSpineoutfits and never gave them back.”
My mouth hangs open a little. A chuckle ripples my chest. It starts small then grows until I’m laughing so hard my eyes water. “Fuck,” I breathe. “I don’t know why that’s so funny.”
“It’s not funny!” Nova nudges me in the ribs.