Page 30 of That Emerald Vow

“Charlotte Thatcher, are you blushing?” She nudges my knee with her hand. I feel my cheeks flush more. “Omg! Yes you are!”

I shove my face in my hands and groan. “Hush!”

Lily tugs my hands forcibly off my face. “Nuh-uh-uh! The conversation from earlier isnotover.”

“Why?” I whine. “I had liquid courage then.”

Her eyebrows immediately go up. “First of all, bitch, you don’t need liquid courage with me. I’m your best friend, and you know I will alwaysbe your safe space.” I push my bottom lip out, knowing she’s right. “Second of all”—she lets go of my hands and leans over to pull a bottle of chilled fireball and two skull-shaped shot glasses from behind one of my blue throw pillows—“I knew you’d still want some extra help.”

I snort. “You know me too well.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe I’ll write a manual for Damon.” I glare at her as I flip her off. She winks at me before pouring us each a shot. “Okay, shot first and then you spill!”

“Deal.” We each take a glass and clink them to cheers—the fiery burn feels nice as the shot makes its way down. “Did you order sustenance too?”

“Of course! It’ll be here innnn”—she checks the delivery app—“fifteen minutes.”

I smile, shaking my head. She literally has thought of everything to make sure I’m comfortable.

“Okay. Now pass me your crusty toes so I can paint them while we wait.” She sticks her tongue out at me, grabbing the green nail polish again.

Sticking my own tongue out at her, I swing my feet into her lap. I do exactly as she asks and spill my guts—telling her about everything that’s happened the past week, not missing a single detail.

“It hasn’t been that long . . . But I don’t know. I feel this long lost connection that I’ve only felt once before.” Lily looks up at me curiously. She’s been allowing me to talk without interruption. Her stupid social worker ass knows I’ll just fill the silence with more rambles. “With you. I knew I could trust you from the first moment we met in that chemistry class. The confused little Lils.”

“Would it really be the end of the world to see where it goes?”

“But what if—”

“Stop. What if nothing. As a wise woman once toldme, you don’t need to figure it all out this second.” She smirks at me, making me roll my eyes. “This could be the best thing ever, or it can just not work out. Both are okay. And most importantly,youwill be okay. But you know what won’t be okay, because I know you?”

I scrunch my eyebrows. “What?”

“You not trying and wondering . . . I love you, but you, my dear, will overthink it to death one way or another.” She’s not wrong. “So might as well try and see where it goes.”

I purse my lips and let out an exaggerated sigh. “FINE! You’re fucking right as always. I freaking hate you.”

“No, you don’t.” She grabs me for a hug.

“Fine. I don’t, but only because my mani/pedi looks amazing.”

Lily pinches my side.

“OW!” I exclaim as we both start laughing. “Can we move onto more important things? Like, you know, the lead we just got to take down X?” I ask.

Her eyes glisten in excitement. “Yes, let’s make a plan before heading over there tomorrow night.”

We just finished up an important mission to assassinate Jose Reyes, the cousin of the leader of the Onyx Devils—the biggest mafia organization in our city. Unfortunately, we immediately got called back to the second Crimson Creed Shop location for a shipment.

Adrian and I choose to change in the back while the others touch base with Axel and Ingrid.

“How are things with your . . .” Adrian starts to ask.

I wince thinking abouther.“We’re still waiting to hear about the appeal. I guess we’ll see.” Yanking off my slacks as fast as I can, I switch into my usual jeans. “Sometimes I wonder if I should have done what you did . . . killed her.”

Adrian looks up at me from tying his boots. “No, D. It doesn’t make it any easier. And now with Lily . . . It doesn’t make any of it easier.” Adrian had found out that his father was raping woman and Lily was on his list. He killed him soon after to protect her—making it look like an accident. Unfortunately, that’s how we got on Alex’s radar and were forced to join X.

“I can’t even imagine. I’m so scared with—at the idea of having a real relationship.” I stop myself in my tracks, about to say Charlie’s name and admit that I want this. Want her.

---