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I WRAPPED MY hair into a messy bun and walked into the kitchen, where Caleb was making breakfast.

“Coffee?” Caleb asked, pouring me a full mug and placing it in front of me.

“Do you even have to ask?” I teased, grabbing the mug and savoring the warmth on my palms. “Thank you.” I took a sip and looked up at him. Caleb moved back to the stove to finish cooking what looked like scrambled eggs with veggie sausage and a side of hash.

I giggled at how domestic he looked in the kitchen and the fact that he was willing to eat a vegetarian breakfast with me. Caleb wore plaid pajama bottoms which hung loosely from his hips and a red tank. His hair was tousled in such a way that I thought he looked like an angry cockatiel. I had to bite my lip to keep from outright laughing.

He turned, placed a generous portion of eggs on my plate, and turned back around to grab himself some.

After we ate in complete silence, my phone buzzed next to me. I looked down and saw a text from Dorian. Caleb eyed my phone as I opened the message. His mouth formed a straight line, and he glanced down at his food. He seemed bothered.

Of course, he is.

I sent a text to Sarah, letting her know I was coming back to East Greenwich today. We had kept in touch the last few weeks by texting. I wanted to check in with her often and make sure she was doing okay. What happened at the club had freaked her out, but she was ready to join me back in crime-solving mode whenever I needed her again. Sarah was a resilient witch, and I respected her strength.

I peered up at Caleb, who now stood next to me.

“Dorian and Noah are following Maurice for us. Dorian tracked him down a few days ago,” I explained. I waited for a response.

Nothing.

I cleared my throat and took a few more bites of breakfast. I couldn’t handle the silence anymore. “They’re helping us, Caleb. I think I may have spotted Maurice a few weeks back in Salem, but I wasn’t sure. For one thing, this was during the daytime, which makes no sense, so Maurice very well could be using a witch to help him during the day. Either way, it’s confirmed that he didn’t leave for the west coast as the rumors indicated. He was here, or rather, heishere. Having Dorian and Noah on our team and helping us track him is a good thing.”

Caleb let out a subtle grunt while still chewing his last bite and walked over to the sink, placed his dish inside, and turned on the water to rinse it clean.

“I don’t like him,” he confessed as he turned around. “I never have. But I’m thankful he’s willing to protect you and track Maurice for us.”

I was sure that it took a lot of humility to admit, and that wasn’t something that came easy for Caleb.

I studied his unreadable expression for a few seconds and asked, “So, you won’t mind if I have dinner with him tonight?”

His eyes widened, but he kept his cool. “Of course not.”

My shoulders relaxed.

That was a fucking lie, but at least we aren’t arguing over it.

I had to change the subject, or this was going to lead to awkwardness, and I was too tired for that. “Was your date with Melissa last night?” I asked, watching his mouth curve into a smile.

“I guess Simon couldn’t keep his mouth shut,” he said as his smile grew. “We had a great time. I like her … a lot, actually. She’s sweet.”

Sweet?He clearly avoided saying “beautiful.” She was, without a doubt, beautiful. Caleb needed to understand that I didn’t care anymore. He could be with whoever made him happy. As long as it wasn’t me.

“That’s great,” I said before taking a few more sips of my coffee. “Mind if I use your shower to get ready? I don’t need the twenty questions at my house with the coven. I’ll call them to let them know I’m back in town, but I have too many things to catch up on now that I’m home.”

“Of course. Clean towels are in the hallway closet. Roland gets back from his trip today, and I’ll let him know about the possibility that this murderer could be Maurice.”

I nodded, placing my mug down. “When do Abigail and Desiree get back from Hawaii?”

“Ifthey come back.” He smirked. “It’s been a while since they’ve been in the sun.”

I smiled at that thought. Abigail and Desiree were the first vampires who stepped up to be changed back into their human forms. They weren’t just human again; they had their powers back, which they had always yearned to have again. They never loved what they were, just like Dorian, though I couldn’t see him changing his mind any time soon.

Caleb pulled me out of my thoughts by walking up to me and placing his hand on my fingers. He didn’t grab my hand, but his touch lingered on my skin ever so delicately. “Have fun on your date with Dorian tonight.”

He smiled and walked away. I could have explained that Dorian and I weren’t dating, but I knew it was pointless. Caleb had only said that to get under my skin.

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