Page 122 of Pervade London
James looked surprised. “I thought Xavier was…complicated.”
“What happened to cause your attitude to change?”For him to fall in love.
“I saw what he was capable of. The good he could do.”
“You gave him a pass for his behavior?”
James gave a shrug. “My preconceived ideas were torn down. He gets anything he wants.”
“But not you?”
“Evidently that plan is skewered.”
“I can’t live without him.”
He set his mug on a table and took mine and placed it next to his. “Want to see something cool?”
As though rising from a dream, I realized these unfolding moments had given me insight into understandingthema little more. What they had and how they had evolved into something greater. I wanted to know more about the Far East, and what they’d done there.
My eyes stung, but I refused to let a tear fall. There was still hope that James would come to trust me completely. And let me stay with them.
“I have something fun to show you.”
I shook off the self-doubt. “As long as it’s not skeletons in your closet.”
“Close, actually.”
That devilish grin revealed his playful side.
Hand in hand, we continued along the winding hallway until we reached a chrome door. After deactivating a security system, we went through it and I realized we were standing in a temperature-controlled chamber.
James lifted me up and sat me on the edge of a long table. “I’ll bring them to you.” He handed me a pair of white gloves.
Intrigued, I slid the gloves on and watched him approach a chrome cabinet. After he punched in a sequence of numbers on a panel I heard a click. James pulled on a pair of gloves himself and reached in to remove a small tray, upon which rested an arrowhead, its worn down point proving it had been used back in its day. James lifted it from the tray and carried it over to me, leaning forward so he could show it off.
“How old is it?”
“1271. From a crusade stronghold.” He let it slip into my gloved palm.
I held it reverently. “Where was it found?”
“Scotland. More specifically, in the ribs of a skeleton.”
“How come you have it?”
“It’s part of my family’s treasures.”
“Your ancestors are Scottish?”
“On my dad’s side.”
There was something else I had to ask. “Have you ever killed anyone?”
James blinked in surprise. “How would you feel if I admitted I had?”
“I would be sad for you.”
“Me?”
