Page 89 of Blood & Lace
"See you tonight, Luci." He hung up before I could grumble about him using my mother's nickname for me.
The silence echoed around me, bearing down on my shoulders as I went very still. My heart pounded against my ribcage as a single thought came to mind.
I have to help him.
My mind was made up. I did what any good husband would do. I'd had a general idea where Onyx disappeared a few times each month, but I'd held back from knowing the exact details. There'd been a line clearly drawn in the sand, and I'd stepped right over it. I hoped Nash was right and it was better to ask for forgiveness. I swallowed thickly as I got out of my car and walked two blocks down before turning the corner. The building loomed over me as I stood there, staring up at it.
We had a few runners on that side of town. I stared at it as if I looked long enough, the answer would come to me. I'd know what was happening with my husband.
I could turn around right now.
A mother and her two kids came out the door. Her gaze was filled with weariness as she ushered her kids closer and away from me.
"Mommy, he's huge."
The little boy pulled away from his mother and ran over to me. "Are you a giant?"
"Esmund, get over here right now." Her hands trembled as she reached for him.
I relaxed and smiled down at the kid. "I'm only half."
"Wow."
The mother ushered her kids away with a wavering smile on her face as they headed down the street. I blew out a breath and headed up the three steps before opening the door. The lock was clearly broken. I ducked my head, narrowly missing the doorjamb as I headed in. The air in the building was stale and pungent with a multitude of smells leaking from the apartments.
I checked the number once more and made my way upstairs. The flooring creaked under my weight. Every crack in the wall or stain only made me more confused. The apartment wasn't aplace I ever expected my husband to spend his time. Nothing about it said Onyx belonged there.
My knuckles rapped against the wooden door before I could question myself any further. I was already here and there was no going back. I steeled myself for anything. I was ready to kill whoever waited for me on the other side of the door.
A few minutes passed and there was no response. I knocked again, a lot heavier than before.
"Leave it at the door," a weak voice came from inside.
My head tilted to the side. It was a male on the other side, but I hadn't recognized his voice. When he didn't answer the door, I knocked again.
"Leave it!"
The door was thin enough I could knock it down with one or two hits with my full strength. I put that as option two if the man didn't come and open the door. My fist pounded against the wood, making it rattle in the doorjamb.
"What the literal fuck is your problem?" The door was yanked open. A very angry scrawny man—with platinum blond hair and soft features that were achingly similar to my husband’s—stood in the doorway. "You can't understand goddamn English?"
"Yes."
He craned his head back, his eyes widening slightly as he looked up at me. Anger shifted to fear as he took me in. They even had the same blue-gray eyes but his were red rimmed.
"Who are you?" His voice shook slightly.
"That's what I want to ask you."
His brows dipped as he looked at me with confusion. "You must be lost, I'm not buying anything you're selling." He slapped the door right under the apartment number. There was a No Solicitingsign. “Fucking read.” He went to close the door, and I moved quickly, shoving my foot in the way.
Shock waves of pain shot up from my foot to my knee. The man met my gaze, only to look up angrily at me.
"What is your problem?" His French accent wasn’t nearly as thick as Onyx’s when he got mad.
There were too many similarities and differences that I wasn't sure what to think yet. I needed him to answer some questions first. Depending on his answers, he might live or die at my hands. If I had to be the monster so that my husband was happy, I’d do whatever needed to be done.
His question went to the farthest back of my mind as I was hit with a pungent smell that made my nose hairs burn on contact.
