Page 6 of Shift in the Blood
“Yes.” He leaned forward. “I believe you were panicking. You mentioned someone named Carina?”
“How long have I been here?”
“It’s been almost a full day.”
I pushed myself up, ignoring that I was stiff, and moving made my cheek ache. “Where is my purse? I need to make a call. And where are my clothes?”
Didier got up and moved to the side of the room, returning with the small clutch I’d brought to the exhibit opening. “I had my housekeeper get you some clothing, some pajamas, that sort of thing. She got your changed when we came back last night.”
I snatched it from him and scrabbled for my phone. I couldn’t face him. He sounded sincere when he said he hadn’t been the one to strip off my clothes. But I still felt extremely self-conscious. “Thank you for getting me out of that dress.”
“Of course. I wanted you to be comfortable.”
I didn’t reply, but focused on my phone. When I looked at the screen, it was as bad as I’d thought. Fourteen missed calls, all from Carina.
She knew that I painted for a living. She knew that some of my clients were not always the most upstanding of citizens.
That was all she knew.
But it was enough that it made her worried when I didn’t keep to the timeline I gave her. I looked over at Didier. “May I have a moment, please?” He made me feel like I needed to be proper and on my toes. He was good looking, almost too good looking. Dark hair, longer than you saw on men now, full lips that were pink and inviting, and pale skin that should look all wrong but instead made him all the more interesting.
“Of course,” Didier was up even before the last word was out of out my mouth. He walked to the door and stepped outside, closing it behind him.
I sighed. I dialed Carina. She picked up on the first ring.
“Where have you been? I’ve been so worried.” I could hear how upset Carina was. “I saw the news about the exhibit. Are you all right?”
“I got a cut on my cheek.”
“Okay, so where are you?”
“The potential client brought me back to his house.” I hoped this was his house, and not some dungeon I’d never get out of. Why I thought that I couldn’t tell—but something about Didier make me think if anyone had a dungeon, it would be him. He had that vibe, you know. Like, he seems all normal, and then when you see his house, he has a castle that’s been in the family for ages.
“Was that wise?” Carina’s question was older than her years.
Which made me sad. It had been me and her since our parents died, and I’d been working for—let’s admit it, criminals—and while I did all that I could to protect Carina, the shift that happened when you worked for criminals had rubbed off on her.
“Since I passed out, I wasn’t really in any position to make any kind of call.”
“Okay. You’re awake now. Come home.” Carina’s words came without hesitation.
“I need to finish my business with him, and then I’ll be home.” I didn’t want to get boxed into a time.
“Call me when you leave.” Carina’s tone brooked no discussion.
“I will.”
“I love you.”
“Love you, too.” My sister’s tone shifted from stern headmistress to my favorite sister.
The fact that she was my only sister didn’t matter.
I ended the call, and then called out, “Hello?”
Didier came back in as though he were waiting outside the door. “Is all well?”
“As well as it can be,” I said. “What happened last night?”
