Page 105 of Bright Dark Curses

Bringing out my phone, I sent Ian a fast text: I miss you.

While it’d have been awesome to have him by my side here, there was no one else I trusted to keep Key safe better than him.

My phone vibrated with his response: I miss you too.

“Stop texting your boyfriend,” Dru hissed. “This is important.”

I wiped the silly grin off my face. “Of course.”

“Love is important,” Brimstone intoned like he had a secret lake under an opera house. Thunder reverberated in the distance.

I reached over and smacked his leg. “Stop that.”

He narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

Hutton snickered.

Dru turned to him. “And you. You better back my new shop on Thursday.”

Hutton muttered a curse. “Yes, yes.”

“Don’t send Keith,” I insisted. “We want to see you.”

“I told you I would,” he said with a bit of a growl.

If it was meant to impress us, it failed.

“Just making sure.”

“Are you doubting my word?”

“Shifters are known for being shifty.”

Dru choked on a laugh.

“You—”

“Silence,” Brimstone snapped. “Someone’s coming.”

THIRTY

Ethan entered the small clearing formed by the trailers, scanning his surroundings with nervous jerks of his head. He huddled deeper into his leather jacket and hurried toward Lee’s trailer. After one final look around, he opened the door and slipped inside.

I checked my phone. Right on time.

“You better go get him,” I whispered to Brimstone. Initially, I hadn’t seen the need for Ethan to go through the charade of actually showing up, but Ian had pointed out that if McKee or the guilty party was following Ethan, it’d raise suspicions if he didn’t go to the meeting.

“I don’t understand why I can’t just set your suspect on fire,” Brimstone muttered.

“Because justice! Innocent until proven guilty!”

“Pshe.”

“Sonia wouldn’t like it, remember?”

Brimstone let out an unhappy sigh, then turned on his heel and slipped around the trailer toward Lee’s.

“And you leave your shop in his hands?” Hutton asked sarcastically.

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