Page 55 of Devour

We change the subject to the event. I ask her for book recommendations and which authors she’s most excited to meet.

“I’m a huge Sapphire Knight fan. And Ashton Brooks is going to be there this year.”

“Oh, I love Sapphire!”

“Yeah, she’s amazing. Have you read Ashton Brooks?”

“I have not. I’m going to now, so I’ll be prepared for tomorrow.”

Our plane lands and we get checked into the hotel. I won’t deny that I do find comfort that Cleric sent two bodyguards for Lani, too. It’s nice having someone to bond over the craziness with. Speaking of crazy, I don’t want to tell Lani but that Ashton Brooks author seems a little unhinged. After reading only twenty-percent of her book, I was hooked and already adding all of her backlist books to my library. I had to look her up. What I found was triggering. She looks adorable – which is more terrifying. It’s always the ones who look innocent…

I’m lying on the bed in the hotel, completely wrapped in my book, when my phone ring next to me. I want to ignore it, but I check to see who it is. Tristan. I want to ignore it even more now. A text message pops up.

TRISTAN: Answer.

Shit. I swipe the screen.

“Hello?”

“Why didn’t you tell me about Leo? I would never have kept working with him.”

Shit. He’s pissed. “How’d you find out?”

“Not the way I should have. I should’ve heard it from you. Why? Why would you not tell me?”

“I was embarrassed and didn’t want you freaking out!”

“At least Deschamps did something.”

“What? No, Tristan. He went psycho. Did you hear what he did? Wait – are you seriously applauding him?”

“Vincent was wondering why Leo hadn’t been around and wouldn’t take any of his calls. Went to pay him a personal visit. Discovered he was missing a tongue. Leo was eager to have Deschamps punished. Thought we’d do it on his behalf. Vincent knew there had to be more to the story. Imagine his surprise when he discovered Trina missing a tongue as well. He sent forMark and he got the story out of them. The whole story. I know what he did to you, and how they both treated you.”

I swallow the emotions clogging my throat. “Did anyone speak to Nicholas about it?”

“Yes. He only said they got what they deserved.”

Why does that make my chest ache? “I don’t know about that.”

“I didn’t agree either. Butnowthey’ve gotten what they deserve.”

Click.The line goes dead.

Lani’s soft voice breaks through the pounding in my ears. “Everything okay?”

“No. I don’t think it is.” I turn to stare at her wide-eyed. “I think my cousins are bigger psychos than my boyfriend.”

Lani grins at me. “You called him your boyfriend.”

“It sounds nicer than stalker.”

Twenty-Eight

Nicholas

The most difficult and hardest challenge is allowing Maeve to have her space. I don’t record her. I don’t even pry a lot of information from the two I sent to protect her. I’m allowing my free-spirited woman to spread her wings and have fun. I told her to call when she’s ready. Evidently, she’s not ready.

I’m not too proud to admit that with each day that passes, my heart breaks a little. I know I can’t let her go. Deep in my soul, I know it’s not goodbye. She will call. It’s all a matter of when. To be honest, I still don’t see what I did that angered her this much. I’m not sure she’s being entirely fair. She’d really lose her mind if she discovered I also made them eat the tongues. Personally, I thought I was being poetic. Looking back, maybe I missed the mark.

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