Chapter 161 161. Phone’s location
Chapter 161 161. Phone’s location
Tabitha’s POV
“Andrew…” Evren holds out his hand. “Do you have a phone?”
“Uh, yeah…”
Andrew hands him the phone and Evren dials something. Andrew and I exchange glances. I’m not sure who Evren is calling but he only says a few simple words before hanging up:
“We need your help right now. Yeah. Track this phone’s location.”
And then he returns the phone back to Andrew. “Thanks.”
“Uh… you’re welcome?” Andrew clears his throat. “So… what do we do now?”
“We wait…” Evren replies before glancing at me. He reaches for me on the front
“Long story,” Evren says as he leans back, then lifts his hand to his mouth when a cough forces blood past his lips.
“Great,” Andrew mutters while pressing harder on the gas. “I’ll just drive and hope we don’t run out of gas before they catch up. Seriously, how the hell are we supposed to get away from them?”
“Andrew,” Evren says as he extends his hand toward the front. “Do you have a phone?”
“Uh, yeah,” Andrew replies before passing it over.
Evren dials without hesitation. Andrew and I exchange a look as he brings the phone to his ear.
“We need your help right now,” Evren says calmly. “Yeah. Tell him too. Track this phone’s location.”
He ends the call and hands the phone back.
“Thanks.”
“You’re… welcome?” Andrew says. “So what do we do now?”
“We wait,” Evren replies.
He leans forward from the backseat and reaches toward me. His fingers brush my cheek, gentle despite the blood on his knuckles.
“Are you okay?” he asks quietly.
I manage a small smile. “As long as we all get out of here alive, I’ll be okay.”
He studies me for a second, his gaze calm despite the chaos behind us.
“We will,” he says.
Then he leans in and kisses me.
Andrew inhales sharply and almost chokes on it.
“Ahem,” he says, eyes fixed on the road. “I know we’re in a life and death situation and there are a lot of things to question, but aren’t you guys stepsiblings?”
“Yes,” Jace says with a laugh. “And?”
Before Andrew can process that, Jace leans forward between the seats and shamelessly steals a kiss from me too.
Heat rushes to my face. I’m pretty sure I’m glowing red.
Andrew gasps.
“Right,” he mumbles. “Sure. Of course. Totally normal Tuesday.”
I'm not sure if I want to laugh or hide in embarrassment. I look at Evren and Jace who are both staring at me with expressions of undiluted adoration.
My heart flutters.
I decide that I'm done feeling shameful about this. About us. Right now, we are quite literally driving away from certain death and while there are many reasons why I shouldn't be with these men—I realize that none of them mattered when I'm faced with the possibility of losing them forever.
I just… can't.
I need them like I need air.
And I'm not about to lose the air I breathe now. So with renewed conviction, I twist around the passenger seat, bracing one hand against the headrest as the car speeds down the dark highway. I reach over the seat and grab them both, cupping their faces with my hands. I lean in and press my mouth to Jace’s, then turn and catch Evren’s lips before either of them can pull away. I kiss them both in quick succession, my hands still cradling their faces, making sure neither of them is left untouched.
A strangled sound escapes from Andrew but I ignore him. My eyes are fixed on Jace and Evren as I pull away from the kisses.
Jace stares at me, dazed, like his brain just short-circuited. Evren's lips curve slowly but something in his eyes looks vulnerable.
“I'm sorry,” Jace mutters suddenly.
“For what?” I exhale.
“For everything. For dragging you into this mess.” He cups my chin and caresses my lower lip with his thumb. “But we're still too damn selfish to let you go.”
Evren strokes my cheek with the back of his hand, his touch tender. “And I'm sorry for not telling you about our—our cursed bloodline sooner. I should’ve told you the first night you moved into our house.”
I laugh. “Was that the time when you were saying that me and my mom had no place in your home?”
Evren shakes his head. “I said that because I was planning to push you away. I thought that was for the better. I thought if I—if we scared you away, you'd decide to leave the island. And then you'll be safer.” He clenches his jaw. “You'll be safer when you're away from us.”
“Why would you think that?”
“You've seen and heard the things about us, baby,” Jace is the one who answers. “If there's one thing that that man Marlon got right—”
“—Mario.”
“—Mario,” he corrects himself, “is that our bloodline is really cursed.”
“It's not. That's his opinion!”
“No, listen to me.” Jace’s voice is firm, though his eyes stay gentle. “We lose all control of our wolves during the full moon after our twenty-fourth birthday. And every full moon after that, too. It takes years to even begin reining in the beast we turn into twelve times a year. We know that. We’ve always known that.”
My chest aches.
“Is that why I found you bound in chains back in the mansion?”
“Yes. The four of us made that call. We’re not risking going berserk on the island on the nights we’re at our most dangerous. Not with you there. Not when there’s even the slightest chance we could turn on you.”
I hold his gaze for a while before I let out a deep breath.