Page 63 of You Don’t Kiss Your Brother's Best Friends

We returned to the house separately, but through the same entrance. I waited in the garden for Andre to signal back that the coast was clear. Two minutes later, I followed.

Holy fucking shit, Jocelyn.

It was the understatement of my life. I’d just watched a man die. I’d helped hide a body. I’d done it all without even thinking about it, as if sinking a man to the bottom of a cold, dark lake was the most natural thing in the world.

And still, somehow, I didn’t regret a single part of it.

My legs worked, but the rest of me was still shaking as I picked my way through the manor. The first thing I needed to do was shower again and change. I was covered in filth and muck and all kinds of other things I couldn’t explain away.

“Psst.”

I whirled at the sound, halfway through the ballroom. Relief flowed through me as I realized it was only Bruschetta Joe.

“Drink this.”

He shoved a glass of something my way. Again without thinking, I stepped to the bar and threw it down.

The clear, syrupy liquid burned my throat, but only temporarily. The moment it hit my stomach, my whole body bloomed with a pleasant, resonating warmth.

“Whatwasthat?” I asked gratefully.

“You needed it didn’t you?”

“Hell yes.”

Joe shook his head and took the glass back. “Never mind, then.”

I nodded, then headed toward the archway that would take me to the stairs. But Joe coughed, and pointed instead to the second exit.

“Go around,” he instructed me. “No guards in that hall right now.”

Once again I smiled my appreciation before slipping away. The halls were empty, my path thankfully unimpeded. I made it to my room, cleaned myself up, and changed into a clean outfit. Even after all that, my hands were still trembling as I pulled out my face kit.

Easy.

There was only enough time for rudimentary makeup. I finished quickly, flew downstairs, and followed the sounds of chaos.

“And I’m telling you, I haven’t seen him!”

Raif stood in the doorway to the kitchen, arguing with whoever was just inside. It was one of the men from Jacob’s crew, I knew. His accent shone through the frustration in his voice.

“EMILY!”

Kayden motioned me over from the other direction. I went to him quickly, eager to finally be in the right place again.

“Thank God you’re okay,” he whispered, ushering me along with him. He pulled me through the kitchen, and into the pantry. Always the damn pantry.

“What the hell happened?”

“I umm… I was with Andre, and, well—”

“We’ve got a problem,” Kayden cut me off. “Evelyn’s on the warpath. She’s looking all over for you, and I’m not sure what she’ll do when she finds you.”

My stress level threatened to go up another notch. I tamped it down.

“Forget about her,” I shot back. “We’ve got bigger problems than that.”

“What’s bigger than Evelyn running to—”

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