Page 111 of Ugly Truths
“Oh,” I murmur, caught between surprise and something else I can’t quite name.
“It seems,” Silas says, his tone quieter, “Luis hasquitethe soft spot for you.”
I blink and then shrug. “We’ve been through a lot. He’s a good friend.”
Those dark eyes narrow just slightly, but he says nothing else.
I can't read into his reaction. Jealousy is fickle. It doesn’t necessarily mean Silas has decided to keep me forever or even long-term. It may just be a fleeting feeling, nothing more.
“He's waiting downstairs,” he says, stepping back and gesturing toward the door. I grab the black peacoat and small handbag draped on the edge of the bed before following him out.
Silas holds my hand down the hallway and the main staircase. The only sound is the soft click of my heels until we reach the bottom. I glance up at him, but he’s already looking toward the formal living room.
Through the cased openings, Luis sits on one of the couches. He looks well, better than I’d expected, and the tight knot I’d been carrying for him begins to loosen. Silas and Davey promised to get him back to Colorado safely, but I still worried.
He’s alive. Intact. And if there are scars from his time in those holding rooms, I can’t see them.
I limited my contact with Luis after Silas brought me here. Silas never stopped me from contacting him, but I didn’t need to hear the words to know how he feels about the friendship. Silas asked me to choose him, and this was one way I needed to, even if it hurt like hell to do it to one of the only true friends I’d ever known.
Luis’s face lights up, his smile wide and warm. Like he’s been waiting for this. For me.
I smile back. Before I can take a step, Silas gently tilts my chin up, forcing me to meet his eyes. The polite smile he wears for society is firmly in place, but I see the tension underneath.
“I’ll be in the other room while you two talk,” he says, slipping the bag and coat from my hands like they’re his responsibility. “You won’t need these.”
I nod, swallowing the questions that rise to my lips. As he steps back and turns toward the adjacent room, I take a breath, pushing down the flicker of unease he’s left behind.
Luis stands as I step into the formal living room. Before I can say anything, he wraps me in a tight hug and I hug him back just as hard, mumbling into his shoulder, “I’m so sorry, Lu.”
He pulls back, meeting my gaze. “It’s not your fault.”
I huff a soft laugh, shaking my head. “You’ve always been a terrible liar.”
His hands resting lightly on my arms as he surveys my appearance. After a moment, I gesture to the couch and he nods. I settle beside him, taking his hand in mine the way old friends do. It feels familiar in a way that doesn’t need words.
“How are you?” I ask, my voice soft. “How did everything go?”
Luis sighs, his shoulders sinking slightly as he glances down at our hands. “The first week… I don’t want to get into it.” There’s a shadow in his voice. “But after that, it was fine. Honestly, it felt like working for Peter again. Just with a nicer apartment.”
I roll my eyes, nudging his shoulder lightly with mine. He smiles faintly, though his eyes remain shadowed. Silence stretches between us.
“You look like you’re doing well,” he says, though there’s a subtle question woven into his words.
I nod, but it feels half-hearted.Am I doing well?I’m not sure I’d even know how to answer. I’m simply in limbo, waiting to see where I fit in Silas’s life.
My hesitation must show, because Luis’s brows knit together in concern. “Are you okay?” he leans in, voice quieter now. “Do you feel safehere?”
“I’m more than fine, really.” I glance down at our hands, exhaling. “I’m here until he tells me to leave,” I say simply, though the statement makes my chest tighten.
Luis frowns, but he doesn’t push. Instead, he squeezes my hand, and I shift the conversation before the heaviness can linger too long.
“Thank you for everything,” I say, meeting his gaze. “And please thank Ben and Corey again for me, too.”
He nods, his expression softening. “They’ll appreciate that,” he says, but then his features turn thoughtful, more serious. “What’s the plan with Peter?” he asks.
I hesitate. “I’m not entirely sure yet,” I admit. “Silas and Davey are working on it, but I’ll let you know if I can.”
Luis studies me closely before eventually leaning back against the couch with a small nod. “Fair enough,” he says, though his expression says otherwise.
