Page 507 of Dark Love

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.

Vex loves me.

He likes my books, and he loves me. I don’t need to hide that part of myself from him. How am I going to tell him?

Do I just blurt it out? Oh hi, by the way, I’m the person who wrote those books. I’ve been keeping it a secret from you.

That only sounds a lot stupid.

I could tell him that I’m shy.

Like he doesn’t already know that.

Why couldn’t they have had book one in stock?

Vex already has book one. But he doesn’t have my latest book.

There’s a box full of Advanced Reader Copies in my suitcase that I was going to share with my author group.

I could sign one and give it to him… That’s perfect! I dash up the stairs, stopping at the spy door, which closed automatically when we came downstairs. A book propped up on the floor works to prevent it from closing behind me.

Thankfully, we left my suitcases by the door when we came in from shopping today. It doesn’t take long for me to grab the book and dash back downstairs.

What do I say?

Dear Vex—It feels wrong to put that name onto paper.

Yet, it’s his name. That’s who he is.

No. His father attached violence to his name.

This is silly. Just write something.

To a future of solving mysteries with you.

I love you,

D. P. Flowers

That will work.

“Why are you sitting on the floor instead of the perfectly comfortable chair just a few feet away?” Vex walks over to the bookshelf I’m sitting in front of.

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