Page 238 of Never Fall for an Angel

“God, I never knew caring about someone would be this difficult.”

My gaze snaps to hers. She blushes even brighter.

“I knew it.”

“Knew what?”

“You and Levi.”

She scoffs, her mouth falling open, but she can’t form a coherent sentence.

“That’s-that’s not . . .”

“Your secret is safe with me.”

She shoots me a look, but when I can’t help but grin at her, she grins back.

“It’s strictly platonic.”

“So are Christian and I.”

With the absence of Bella, the lodge doesn’t run nearly as smooth as I would have hoped. It’s easy to see now why she was so frazzled before.

I’m approached with a thousand and one questions about the art of folding towels, guests with complaints, guests with compliments, and problems I never would have thought existed in a lodge as grand as this.

Like a missing bazooka. Apparently, it’s worth thousands, though I’m willing to bet, judging by the sly grin on the dad’s face when the kid is telling me about it, he threw it out.

It’s not until two that I’m able to check my phone when Paulina comes back, looking well-rested and a thousand times more chipper.

I slip into the employee bathroom to take a well-deserved pee break and check through the messages. There are a grand total of zero because all of like three people have my new phone number, plus my mother.

There’s still no news from Christian, but I push those thoughts aside.

The last thing I need to do is have a meltdown while I’m at work.

There are also no updates from Bella. I try to call her again, but it rings straight through to voicemail like the first time.

I chalk it up to needing a break and wash my hands in the sink while I stare into space and contemplate life as I know it.

My husband is going to catch the man that raped me, who just so happens to be my brother-in-law. My best friend is falling in love with myotherbrother-in-law, and my sister-in-law is missing.

Add on the fact that I’m going to start my period soon, and you’ve got yourself a very emotional Mila.

My phone buzzes, making me jump, and I look down to see Bella’s name on the screen.

I blow out a breath. I’m really not in the mood right now, but I reach for it anyway, answering it on the last ring.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Mila.”

Ice slips down my spine at the familiar edge to the voice on the other end of the line.

My scalp prickles and my scars burn under my clothes like they’ve been dipped in molten lava.

“I’ve got a proposition for you.”

I swallow down past the lump in my throat, my hand shaking where I’m holding the phone.

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