Page 519 of Dark Love

“Prue, you’re up. What was your biggest accomplishment this year?” Keely asks.

“I got a job in Urbium,” I blurt out the words without thinking about where that might lead the conversation.

“Wait, you live in Urbium?” Fiona asks from the corner where she’s sitting reading a book. “We live in Urbium.”

“You do?” How did I not know that already? That means I have friends in town.

“Yeah. You need to come visit the café and have lunch with Daria and I.”

That would be a dream come true. Friends. I’d have real live girlfriends to hang out with.

Garnet jumps up in her seat. “Now that everyone has had a turn—”

“Colin hasn’t,” Piper interrupts.

Everyone turns to look at him.

“My biggest accomplishment this year was moving back to Urbium.” There’s vulnerability in his voice.

Moving shouldn’t have been a big deal for me, but it was. Why was it as hard for him?

“Okay, now can we go to the pool?” Piper looks around at the group.

A pool day it is.

Too Perfect

Vex

Me: Stay out of trouble.

Dahlia: I’m not trouble.

Me: Love you, Dahl

Dahlia: Love you, Darling

I set down my phone and stare at the gym walls. Every instinct screams at me to go to Vegas. To be by her side, protecting her from the evils of the world. Instead, I’m going to pound on the speed bag until my arms feel like wet noodles and then work out some more.

She’s safe. Taylor’s men are some of the best in the world.

As much as I’m paying for the service, I can ask for updates whenever I want.

Me: Status update

Taylor: She’s in her suite, which is now on a locked floor with controlled access.

Taylor: There are 12 people with her. All were screened.

Dahlia’s safe.

That should calm me down, but it doesn’t. This is going to be my life for an entire week. A simple workout isn’t going to be enough to keep my mind calm.

Whatever Shock got himself into might help a little bit, but I’m going to need more than that.

A distraction.

Possibly a violent one.

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