The Shadow Stealer (Silver Moon Saga Book 3) by Melissa Giorgio Read Free Book Online Page B

didn’t realize the impact his words had on me, probably forgot I was sitting next to him, listening to everything he said, but I knew I would never, ever forget it. Especially when I’d come just as close to losing him, too.
    “I’m not going to make excuses for what I did,” Evan said quietly. He sat hunched over, his arms resting on his knees, his eyes trained on the floor. “It was wrong, plain and simple. I woke up after she healed me and I suddenly had a chance to save Alex, so I took it. I told you I was going to check the building for other demons, but instead I called Charles. I regretted it the moment I hung up the phone—no, I regretted it as I was talking to him, but by then, it was too late. I couldn’t take it back. I desperately wanted to take it back, but I couldn’t.”
    “And then you pretended nothing was wrong.” Rafe stopped clutching his side to entwine our fingers. He was holding me tighter than he normally would, but I didn’t dare pull away. I understood why he was gripping me so firmly. “For almost two months, you kept your dirty deed a secret. You hung out with us. You talked with Gabi. You knew you had sentenced her to a terrible fate, and you pretended like nothing was wrong!”
    Evan nodded. “You’re right. I did do that. I kept pretending that maybe Charles hadn’t believed me, that maybe he thought I was being an ass and playing a trick on him, but then, right before Christmas, I’m told the Chens are moving Alex to HQ in preparation for the Soul Healer’s visit.” His blue eyes were glassy as he locked gazes with me. “And suddenly everything went to hell.”
    “But you continued with the plan,” Rafe pointed out. “You abducted her—”
    “I know! I know what I did! Do you think there’s been a moment during these past two months where I haven’t thought about the shit I put her through? Put you both through,” Evan corrected himself. “I betrayed my best friend and nearly got him killed in the process. And for what?” He laughed humorlessly. “Everyone hates me now.”
    “I don’t,” I said quietly. Rafe frowned, but I ignored him.
    And, in a way, I understood why he’d done what he did. I still wish he’d asked me to heal Alexandra, rather than going behind my back, but if I were in his place and found someone who could help Rafe heal the wound in his side, wouldn’t I do whatever it took to fix him?
    Wouldn’t Rafe do the same thing for me?
    “I get that you hate me,” Evan said. “But I’m an idiot, right? That’s what you’re always telling me. And since I’m such a dumbass, I refuse to believe this is it for us, Rafe. I’m not giving up on this friendship, and I don’t care if you think you are. I am going to make you like me again.”
    My mouth dropped open. “I don’t think that’s how it works—”
    “You are an absolute moron,” Rafe said. “We could be ninety and living in the same retirement home and I would still hate you.”
    Not to my surprise, Evan grinned. “No, I don’t think so. No one can resist my superpower: Evan Charm.”
    “What the hell is ‘Evan Charm’?” Rafe made a face when Evan started laughing.
    “See, it’s already working! No one can resist it. No one!”
    Rafe turned to me, a pained look on his face. “Why did you do this to me?”
    “Because,” I said, “you needed this. You need him, Rafe. You can’t keep doing this alone.”
    “I’m not alone. I have you.”
    I patted his arm. “As sweet as that is, we both know you’re wrong. You need Evan in your life.”
    “What does that say about me, if I need this idiot around?” He hooked a thumb toward the blond.
    “Don’t you know?” I asked. “Having him around just makes you look even smarter!”
    “You guys, I’m sitting right here and can hear every word you say. Why do you always do this? Say mean things about me when I’m still in earshot?”
    “Because we’re hoping one day you’ll get a clue and change,” Rafe