Page 67 of Winter's End

“That’s what I thought.” Hillary appeared in the doorway wearing the most luxurious silk pjs I had ever seen. She had gifted me with my own set upon arrival; a light blue t-shirt and short set that perfectly matched my eyes. Her set was similar, in a light peach, with a monogrammed breast pocket.

I was convinced she was secretly attempting toPrincess Diariesme. She was going to be sorely disappointed, but I liked the pajamas all the same.

“I’ve been doing a little digging.” She reached for the hairbrush on her dresser and ran the bristles through her shiny blonde hair. “Antonio’s initiations are said to be brutal, and no one is spared from the guts and glory. You know the incident Cam mentioned with his mom at the club when she was pregnant? I guess that was the twin’s initiation. They had to kill in cold blood—they weren’t even 18.”

The limited contents of my stomach curdled, and I wasn’t so hungry anymore.

“I don’t even want to know how you found that out.” I threw her a pointed look and tucked my arms into my armpits, my body freezing cold suddenly despite the lush feather duvet beneath me. “Please tell me you’re being safe.”

“Always, Sweets,” she said airily, breezing through the room as if we were talking about the weather. “What do you think Georgio’s initiation was?”

My mind immediately went to the gruesome photos of Cheryl Simpson’s body in the police files Shane got his hands on from his aunt. I didn’t know how legal that was, but I wasn’t complaining. I felt like we were on the cusp of an answer—a big one. We just had to fit in those final few missing pieces.

How it would actually help us get out of this mess, I didn’t know. But knowledge was power, right?

“Something to do with Cheryl’s disappearance. I’m sure of it.” I considered my next words. “And somehow, all our fathers were involved. I have no idea what a sixteen-year-old girl would do to get the Carlos’ family’s attention though—unless she saw something she shouldn’t? Or maybe she and Georgio had a thing on the side? It’s weird to think Drew’s mom was his girlfriend.”

“I’ll do some more digging to see what I can find. And there’s no accounting for taste, I guess.” Hillary shrugged her shoulders flippantly as she plopped down on the bed beside me.

I pursed my lips to hold in my laughter. “You’re one to talk, Mrs. Eccles. No accounting for taste, I guess.” I mocked her in a sing-song and she grinned back, unrepentant as always.

“I made quite a lot of money on that transaction.” She flipped me the finger and snorted when my mouth dropped open. “And considering you’ll be next in his bed, you’re one to talk.”

Her dry tone did nothing to hide her amusement. I didn’t dignify that with a response.

“Chow mein?” I asked instead and tossed a menu at her for Bao Phu’s. “I’ve got a wicked craving for ginger beef, too.”

“Get what you want,” she said while she perused the crinkled paper copy in her hands. “I’ll order some extra egg-rolls too. They’re the best. Aaron and I had some the other night.”

I perked up at this juicy morsel of gossip. “Who’s Aaron?”

She shrugged dismissively. “An old friend. He owns a lot of property in the area and we hang out sometimes.”

I tossed the menu at her with a wide grin. “You’re sleeping with him, aren’t you!?”

She wiggled her delicate eyebrows at me suggestively. “Sometimes. He’s got a great ass.”

“Scandalous!” I eyed the who-knows-how-high-of-a-thread-count sheets I was sitting on. “Have you washed these since? I need to know what I’m getting into here.”

“Excuse me, Miss Harem.” Hillary’s signature haughty expression melted into a naughty grin. “You’ve got four swinging dicks waiting for you at home. How often do you cleanyoursheets?”

I bit my lip—my three official men—and now, including whatever was brewing with Logan, had somehow turned into four and a half. I wasn’t ready or willing to face my in-the-moment decision to kiss Quick, or admit out loud how many times I had thought about that kiss since.

I could feel a rolling heat creep up my cheeks as the image of him on top of me materialized unbidden in my mind’s eye.

“You dirty dog!” Hillary exclaimed as she shoved me back into the softest blanket I’d ever laid on. “Who crept into your thoughts just now? Was it that cutie, Travis? Or Cam’s buff bod? Was it all of them?”

I swept those feelings under the rug and laughed, imitating her airy tone. “All of them, of course. I can’t choose just one.”

My longing for Quick’s kisses shifted to pain for Travis’ predicament. So far, he was just assigned to Georgio’s personal security during some sleazy business dealings, and he’d told me that under no circumstances would he allow himself to commit murder. I didn’t know how he’d have the power to stop it, short of getting harmedhimself.

Hillary nodded thoughtfully. “You’ve got me curious about that possibility.” She picked at an errant stitch on her duvet. “When the divorce is final, maybe I’ll start developing my harem of sexy men. One blonde Viking man, one handsome businessman, and one … roguish stranger.”

I snickered, picturing that fictional band of men, knowing full-well she was into the elusive Viking that was Kellan Carlos. “I highly recommend it,” I teased, before turning serious. “When is the divorce completed?”

“In about a month. We’ve signed all the paperwork; we just need to submit it. Technically, we’re seeking an annulment since we never consummated the marriage.”

She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Good old religious values keeping our virtues in check. You gonna consummate it on my behalf?”

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