Page 30 of Dangerous Love

I gave him a small smile. “I’m sure it was a lot to him.”

A deep breath shook his chest, and he swallowed hard before meeting my eyes. “Thanks.” Silence stretched between us, a strange shift floating in our space.

I didn’t know what had happened to him, whether it was about Seth, or something else, but Trey wasn’t the Trey I remembered. “You look different,” I said.

“Evil does that to people, Sienna.” He turned towards me, emptiness in his stare. “I’m sorry for how I treated you.”

My heart pumped faster. Though this was never the reason I’d forced myself here, it sure as hell was nice to know what had happened to me wasn’t my fault.

“Where is he?” I asked, my voice low. “He won’t return my calls. Or anyone’s for that matter.”

“He was here last night, but I’m guessing he’s gone back to his hiding hole for tonight.”

I gave him a puzzled look. “Hiding hole?”

He ran his fingers through his oily hair, the strands splitting a path on his head. “He’s booked in a shady hotel in Nerang. The Allembe Inn. It’s walking distance from the cemetery.”

“Thank you, Trey. I appreciate it.”

“Riley’s lucky to have you.” His eyes dulled as he looked in the distance. “I’m glad Williams got him out before it was too late.”

My skin prickled. “What does your father say about all of this?”

Trey’s fists clenched, his shoulders squaring as he gave a look I finally recognized.That, that was the Trey I knew and remembered. “He knows to stay away from me.”

Shivers ran up my spine. “He never stays away for long.”

He picked up a small concrete pebble from the ground and flicked it. “When he does reappear, he and I are gonna have a friendly chat.”

I pushed to my feet until I towered over him. “Thanks, Trey. You take care.”

“I’ll see you around, Sienna. Go find my brother.”

* * *

The hotel wasn’t as bad as I pictured. It wasn’t five stars, but I gathered that wasn’t why Riley had chosen it. Trey hadn’t lied. We could literally see Seth’s resting place from the veranda. Based on how quiet the place was, not many people had stopped by for the view lately.

Riley’s car was parked in front of apartment #3. Filled with apprehension, I climbed the ten-odd steps between me and Riley’s makeshift mancave. Guitar chords vibrated quietly behind the grey door, in some weird broken staccato. I peeked through the glass. And my heart sunk when I saw Riley on the bed, his back to the wall and his guitar sitting on his stomach. Missing half its strings.

Oh god.“Riley?” I called through the window.

He lifted his head and his eyes met mine, but he didn’t move. Instead, I opened the door and let myself in.Why lock doors when you’re hoping for a heart-to-heart with Hal Cooper, right?

“What are you doing here?” Curiosity flashed over his features. Like he asked the simplest of questions.

I stepped inside the hotel room and pushed myself on the bed, until my back was braced against the wall next to him. “Coming to see you.” His fingers drifted over the strings left on the instrument, the sounds not quite soothing. I chuckled. “That’s terrible.”

He lifted his head, surprise glimmering in his pupils. I let my fingers clunk on the instrument, and when the noise screeched through the room, he finally smiled. “It is now.”

There he is, my lost boy.I leaned forward until I was close enough to smell the last couple of days on him. Salty. Musky. Masculine. When he opened his arm for a hug, I snuggled against his chest and kissed him briefly. “I missed you.”

He swallowed hard. “I missed you too.”

“How long are you staying here?” I asked, before I gently dropped the guitar on the floor.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “Until I’m not a zombie anymore.”

My arms squeezed him tight. “I’m a zombie queen. Three years’ champion. Trust me, you could learn so much from me.”

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