Page 570 of Dark Love

Probably not.

Hope holds the book up. “You’re D. P. Flowers! I love these mysteries. Dad does too. He saves them to read when he’s flying for work.”

“Your dad travels a lot?” My mother feigns indifference as she works on the brine.

“All the time. He’s going to take me with him next weekend when he goes to the Netherlands. I got the cutest new coat to wear there since there's already several feet of snow there.”

“What does your father do?” Mom transfers the chicken from its packaging into the brine.

“Internet security. He’s the best at it.”

That’s an understatement, but a slick way of hiding who he is without acting like she is.

“You and your father should come to the party Dahlia is throwing tomorrow.”

Mom didn’t just blame this mess on me.

“You’re throwing a party?”

The surprise in Hope’s voice makes me want to laugh.

“Of course we are. Look at all this food.” Mom swings her arm out across the island which is full of food we’re prepping and the table which is covered in cooling pies.

“My nonna makes this amount all the time. We have a big family that likes to eat.”

Mom’s jaw falls open.

“Hope, would you like to invite your family and everyone in the neighborhood?” I jump in even though it was fun watching Mom’s shock and confusion.

“Sure. I’ll go do that now.” Hope rushes off with my book in her hand.

As soon as she’s gone, Mom stops putting the chicken in and stares at me. “That’s Max’s daughter, isn’t it? Don’t even try denying it.”

Like I can lie to you. “That’s Max’s daughter.”

Mom walks over to the sink and washes her hands.

What does her silence mean?

“Would you finish the chicken and put it in the fridge? I need to go talk to your father in the library.” She walks away without waiting for an answer.

Imogene whistles. “You’re in so much trouble.”

The cookies can wait, but the chicken can’t. “And it’s only going to get worse.”

“Why don’t you tell your parents about him? You two are in love and all that.”

If only it was that simple. “What am I going to tell them? Hey, this is Vex, my vigilante boyfriend who kills people to keep the world safe, but every time he does it, he risks going to jail. But don’t worry, we’ll be happy together even if he ends up in jail for the rest of his life.”

Imogene stares at me for a long moment, then goes back to chopping the peppers badly. Cooking must be a new hobby for her.

My life is so messed up.

Someone Is Missing

Dahlia

“Go up and change for the party. I’ll finish down here.” Mom takes the spoon from my hand.

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