MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

88. LARA: A NUDGE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Silas has been in the shower for a while.

I stood and walked over to the window to stare outside at the dark sky. Stars decorated it like a million diamonds. Was Ethan one of those stars? Was he watching over us? I turned away and walked over to the bedside table where I had placed the small note David had given me. Something he found, he had said.

I never got the chance to read it because we needed to leave.

Opening the drawer, I reached inside and pulled out the note. I unfolded it with shaky fingers and frowned. It was not what I expected.

You'll find whatever you need underneath the river tree. Our treasure buried will set you free.

The bathroom door suddenly opened and Silas stepped out. I spun around, not surprised to find him frowning at me. His eyes darted from the note to my face. Silas had a towel wrapped around his waist. He had the ends clutched together with one hand while the other hung limply at his side.

My eyes darted over his exposed skin. He had red marks and healing wounds almost everywhere. My eyes lingered on the deep lashes near his right hip. It looked ugly and it kind of made me feel a little sick. It was deep and bleeding again.

Silas followed my gaze and muttered a curse. He pulled the towel away and balled it up before pressing it against the wound.

I swallowed. "D-do you want me to l-look at that?"

"No, it'll heal."

"D-David gave it to me earlier. He said he found it." I stepped closer and held it out towards him. "It says something about treasure."

He took it from me and froze. After a few seconds he crumbled the note into a ball and threw it onto the bed. With a growl he walked over to the wardrobe and pulled clothes from the drawers. Silas pulled on a pair of jeans and threw the t-shirt onto the bed before walking into the bathroom. I silently followed him and watched as he placed a bandage on the bleeding wound.

"Where are you going?" I asked him when he pulled on shoes and then his shirt

"To the river."

"Why?"

He nodded towards the note. "To dig for treasure."

"I'll come with you," I said, already walking over to put my shoes on.

"You won't." Silas glared at me. "You're going to stay here."

"Silas—"

"No arguing, sweetness."

I stared at him as he walked over to the door. "What's wrong with you?"

Silas paused with his hand on the door handle and turned slightly to glance at me over his shoulder. "Nothing."

"Silas."

"Just fucking drop it Lara. Nothing is wrong with me."

"Then why were you about to kill your own father?"

He growled and without a word, stormed out of the room and slammed the door shut behind him, making me wince. I was frozen in place but it only lasted for a few seconds. Hurrying towards the door, I threw it open and hurried after him. Silas was already out of the house by the time I caught up on him.

"Silas."

I heard him growl softly. "Get back inside, Lara."

"I'm not done talking to you!"

He ignored me. It was hard to keep up with him as he moved through the trees and deeper into the woods. My feet hurt since I hadn't pulled on my shoes, my legs felt like jelly and my lungs ached because I couldn't catch my breath. After a few more steps, I was forced to stop.