TRADING MY CHEATING HUSBAND FOR THE LYCAN KING novel Chapter 192

CHAPTER 132: FLIGHT TO FAIRBANKS–2

Her eyes dart from Rayana to Rafael to Knox’s murderous expression to my barely concealed amusement, cycling through confusion, alarm, and finally settling on forced enthusiasm.

“I brought the luggage for the flight to the States,” she says carefully. “But I’m sensing the plans may have… changed?”

“We’re going to see the Northern Lights!” Rayana announces like she’s declaring a holiday. “Three days in the wilderness, all of us together. Won’t that be wonderful?”

Queenie’s smile tightens. “Wonderful. Yes. That sounds… wonderful.”

Behind her, Nathaniel appears in the doorway, and his reaction to Rafael’s presence is immediate and

visceral.

His whole body goes tense, hand drifting toward his weapon before he controls the impulse.

Something passes between him and Queenie, wordless, and I file it away with everything else I don’t understand about the people around me.

“Sir,” Nathaniel says to Knox, his voice carefully neutral. “I wasn’t informed of any changes to our travel

arrangements.”

“Neither was I,” Knox replies grimly. “Until approximately five minutes ago.”

Rafael claps his hands together with the energy of a man who’s already won.

“I’ll have my people arrange everything. It’s about six, seven hours of driving through wilderness by road. But by air?” He smiles. “Under an hour. Private airstrip near the property. We can leave this afternoon if everyone packs efficiently.” He looks at me with something that might be warmth. “I promise you’ll love it, Ember. The aurora this time of year is breathtaking.”

I don’t respond because I don’t know what to say to a man who cornered me in the hallway, spewing dangerous words and looks at me like I’m something he’s been waiting for.

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Knox’s hand finds the small of my back, possessive and grounding, and I lean into his touch without thinking about it.

Three days in the wilderness with my complicated whatever–Knox–is, his dying ex–fiancée, the man who is Knox’s enemy, and security personnel who are definitely hiding something.

What could possibly go wrong?

The flight to Fairbanks comes faster than I’m ready for, and I spend most of it pretending to be asleep.

It’s easier than navigating the tension that fills the private jet, though invisible but undeniably choking.

Knox sits beside me with his hand on my thigh, territorial and possessive, his thumb tracing patterns that might be soothing if I couldn’t feel how rigid the rest of his body is.

* CHAPTER 132GHT TO EMRBANKS T

Aeross the aisle, Rayana reclines with a sleep mask over her eyes and a blanket tucked around her thin shoulders.

Queenie is somewhere toward the back with Nathaniel, their voices a low murmur I can’t quite make out.

And Rafael.

Rafael moves through the cabin like he owns it – which I suppose he does – checking on everyone with

gracious concern that makes my teeth ache.

He offered me champagne when we boarded. A blanket. A pillow that was apparently specially ordered from some luxury brand I’ve never heard of.

Each kindness delivered with that smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes, that intensity under the polish

that makes me want to scrub my skin clean.

Knox intercepted every single offering with barely concealed hostility.

I keep my eyes closed and my breathing even and let them both think I’m sleeping, because I’m too tired to perform the appropriate social responses and too wired to actually rest.

My body still aches from last night, that delicious soreness that reminds me of Knox’s hands and Knox’s mouth and the look on Gale’s ruined face while we took our revenge.

I shouldn’t find that memory as satisfying as I do.

But I do. Goddess help me, I really do.

The plane shifts slightly, and through my mostly–closed eyes I watch Rafael make his way toward the front

of the jet.

He disappears through a door into some private section I can’t see from here. Knox’s hand tightens on my thigh, then relaxes when Rafael is gone.

Minutes pass. Five, maybe ten.

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