Page 201 of Dark Love

“What do you need, Dad?” Taylor answers.

“Vex’s girlfriend is going to Vegas.”

“That pretty little thing you were having lunch with?”

If I were to punch Taylor for that, he’d punch back. And it would hurt. “Her name is Dahlia Fleur.” But it would definitely be worth it.

“He wants her to be quietly protected.”

“Are you dating her or stalking her?”

It wouldn’t be that hard to kill Taylor… I think. “Can you do it or not?”

“I can do it, but what kind of trouble should my guy be expecting?”

“A bunch of women in Vegas for a work convention.”

Taylor groans. “That’s going to cost you triple.”

The money isn’t the issue. “Trouble seems to follow my woman. She’s going to need a careful eye.”

“You should have started with that, boy. Should your woman be meeting my Emilia?”

“Dad, his woman is the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen.”

“Ahh, that kind of trouble. Put three men on her.”

The two of them think they’re funny. They aren’t, but they’re not wrong either. “Make it five. Her friends are probably as bad as she is.”

“And I’m adding on hazard pay,” Taylor says.

Fair enough. There should be a picture of Dahlia in my office. “That works. Send me a bill, including the currency you wish to be paid in and the country.”

“That’s what I like about you. You’re always open to creative accounting. I’ll have it for you this afternoon. I’ll need flight and hotel information. And Dad, can I come to dinner to watch you torment Vex?”

“Sure thing. Emilia has been talking about finding someone nice for you.”

It’s my turn to laugh. Nosy old people are intent on tormenting us.

Ties

Dahlia

As Vex walks away, I set the camera down on the couch and start to wander around the library.

It feels just a tiny bit invasive looking at his books without him, but he brought me to see his utopia.

The shelves and shelves full of military and historical fiction and non-fiction don’t surprise me. Vex seems like the kind of guy who enjoys a book with lots of things blowing up.

His mystery section is the largest of all. Vex loves a good puzzle, it seems. He’s got Dylan’s entire series in hardback. And dozens of other authors I know or have read. None of which are cozy mysteries like I write.

Did I really expect him to read my… Those are mine. On the next shelf over, he has my books. All of my books.

Does he keep books that he doesn’t like? But he wouldn’t have every single one of my books if he didn’t like them. There are shelves of one-off books.

Vex likes my books.

He doesn’t need to love them like he loves me.

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