Page 98 of Midnight Wedding

I don’t even know what I’m looking for.

Arsen’s brushing his teeth in the bathroom when I slip back into our room. He looks at me with a strange frown as I settle myself under the blankets. I’m nervous and my head’s spinning, and I flinch when he sits down beside me.

“Can’t sleep?” he asks.

“Took a little walk.”

“Getting into trouble?”

“No. Never.”

He reaches down and brushes my hair. Then he frowns at his hand.

There’s a cobweb in his fingers.

We look at each other for a long moment. Then I give him a big, manic grin, and he only sighs and shakes his head like there’s not much he can do, and I don’t tell him where I was when he gets into bed.

But Sona lodged an idea in my obsessive little head, and there’s no way I’m going to stop thinking about it until I’ve figured out her secret.

Chapter 34

Arsen

The diner’s completely empty when I step inside.

Normally, this place is crawling with people, but this morning, there’s nobody. Only a lone woman in the kitchen looking extremely uncomfortable.

Garen’s sitting at his usual table. He’s facing the door, like always. Sona would normally be in the booth across from him, but today she’s missing.

Because she’s tied to a chair in my house.

Guards lurk behind him. Five men, just like we agreed on last night. Tigran’s with me, and four more of our most trustworthy soldiers fan out into the room.

“Coffee,” I tell the lone waitress. “Please.”

She grunts at me like this is an everyday occurrence and goes to pour it.

Garen glares as I approach. His jaw twitches and his hands rub together. He keeps shifting his weight like he’s trying to keep himself from standing up.

“She’s not hurt,” I tell him. “Mostly, at least.”

“Your own fucking aunt,” he says, tone trembling with rage. “You kidnapped your ownfuckingaunt.”

“She stabbed me.” I sit across from him and slide in to make room for Tigran.

“He should’ve killed her,” Tigran says, smiling like we’re having a normal family conversation. He slouches back and runs a hand through his hair. “I would’ve.”

“You’re a brainless idiot,” Garen snaps at him and looks at me. “How do I know she’s safe?”

I make a call to the guard stationed in Sona’s room. He holds the video around to face Sona. I show it to Garen.

“I’m coming for you,” Garen says to his wife. “Stay safe. I’m coming.”

“Come faster, you fucking idiot,” Sona says sharply. “Don’t give them what they want, either. You’re in a good bargaining position. Don’t be fucking?—”

I hang up on her. Garen’s jaw works. The poor bastard’s been taking shit from his wife for years and years, and now it’s obvious that he’s overmatched without her.

She really is the brains of their operation.

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