Page 50 of Looking Grimm

Leaning over the bed, I planted both hands on themattress and glowered at the madam. “Tell me where he is.”

“You know I can’t.” She turned and rolled off the other side, standing so her sheer lace gown fell smoothly over her hips. With her back to me, she moved into the bathroom, flipping on the light and starting to close the door.

I caught it with a wave of force and flung it open so hard the handle sank into the interior wall.

Isha’s dark eyes flashed with fear as she whirled around.

I beat her to speaking. “Because it’s Grimm above all else, right? It always has been.”

She retreated into the en suite, stopping when she ran into the sink counter. The absent light cast her features in shadow.

“You’d give up me, you’d give up Donnie,” I continued, “just to save your own skin. Just so Grimm doesn’t get mad.” With every word, I came closer until I stood in the bathroom doorway, barring her inside.

Isha pushed away from the counter to stand straight. Tension strung her body tight. “What would you have me do, Fitch?” she asked. “I don’t have the same luxury as your bartender friend, keeping you in his hip pocket. He could break ties with the gang because he hadyourprotection.”

The mention of Nash startled me. Our city was small, and our criminal social circle was even smaller. It wasn’t unlikely that she knew him, or at least knew of him. But the details about him banning the Hex from the bar must have come directly from Grimm.

But it wasn’t her knowledge of Nash or his recent break from the gang that troubled me the most.

“That’s not…” I frowned. “What do you mean?”

My confusion seemed to embolden her. All sense ofalarm wiped from her face, replaced by a cold fury I’d only seen a handful of times.

“I’m aware I’ve been replaced,” she snarled. “Is that why you want to know if I care about you? If I love you or ever did? You thinkhedoes? You think you love him?”

Her wrath swayed me back, but I kept my feet firmly planted as I replied, “I want to.”

The madam pressed forward. “And that’s made you weak.” She gestured to me. “Standing here sniveling, I’ve never seen you so defeated, and the battle hasn’t even begun.”

I wasn’t sniveling. Not even teary for once, but the accusation stung. If I shifted, I could have glimpsed myself in the gilded mirror on the wall behind her—see what she saw—but my eyes stayed locked on hers.

“He cares about me, Ish,” I said. “More than Grimm ever cared about you.”

She tossed her head, and her black locks brushed her bare shoulders. “Of course, he wants you to think that. Nicholas needs you. So long as you stand in the way, he’s safe from Grimm’s wrath. I’m sure he’d say whatever it takes to keep you close.”

Her confidence shot holes through mine, and I felt myself shrinking from her accusations.

“It’s not like that…”

The sound of her laughter echoed in the tiled room. “Whatever you say.” She gave a flippant wave. “But consider what you’re about to do. If you eliminate Grimm, your would-be lover won’t need you anymore. He wants to run an honest business. How can he do that with the likes of you lurking about?”

I blinked, almost disbelieving, but not enough to outright reject what she said. It hurt, like Holland’s nonchalance about the danger I was in. Nash may have been one of the only people who cared if I lived or died. To think he only felt that way because it served him, to think he was using me, too…

“Stop it,” I told Isha. “You don’t know…”

She kept smiling like she was enjoying this. And she knew me too well not to go for the kill when she said, “Soon, he will be rid of you, and you will be alone.”

“Stop!” I repeated, my voice leaping into a shout.

“It’s the way of the world, Fitch,” Isha insisted, matching my volume and fervor. She was fully in my face now, white teeth somehow sharp behind her soft lips as she snapped, “Everyone needs something. Until they don’t.”

I wanted to get away from her, to escape the truths I couldn’t accept but also couldn’t deny. I wanted her not to be so cruel. Not to ruin the one good thing I had left in my life.

Grimm wanted me dead because he couldn’t have me anymore. Isha just wanted me miserable.

If it would have done any good, I would have covered my ears to block her out. But her words were in my mind now, fueling fears that had plagued me. I was already so alone, so dreadfully lonely, and I believed killing Grimm would fix that. Without him haunting me, I could have peace. I could have a relationship with someone who loved me. Unless that someone was like everyone else in my life, destined to tire of me and leave.

Isha’s smug look was more than I could stand, so I shoved her. I put my hands on her chest and pushed. Itshouldn’t have been hard enough to hurt her.

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