Page 30 of Ends of Being

She is sitting pin-straight in her chair, her hands folding in her lap and her gaze boring into mine as she states, “My name is Lilith Ferro, and I come with a message from The Dead.”

I keep my features impassive as I tilt my head in acknowledgment of her words. Any kind of message from The Dead is typically some form of a death sentence, and there really isn’t anything I can say or do to unring that bell, as they say. At this point, all I can hope is that I’m able to steer the sentence in an acceptable direction, but this also means my option of leading them astray with any cover story is off the table.

Because they know.

I expected this, but it doesn’t make it any easier to accept, given the repercussions that I’m certain will be coming down the pipeline. So, I don’t waste any time.

“Let’s hear it.”

She tilts her head at me as she asks, “Would you like the long game or the cliff notes?”

I shrug, giving my head a barely there shake as I say, “Cliff notes will suffice unless you think there’s a chance in hell I can change the outcome here.”

“Cliff notes it is.”

I give her a small nod. “Carry on, then.”

Cliff notes: I’m fucked.

Chapter Thirteen

Toni

Iwakeinstages,my eyes blinking into the darkness as I try to pinpoint what woke me.

I’ve been in this new location for a few days now and am still getting accustomed to the new space. I figure just as soon as I get comfortable, they’ll just move me again anyway, so I’m trying not to settle in too much, too soon.

They confiscated all of the electronic devices, giving me a burner phone, which only had three contacts programmed into it, and a new Kindle that does not have cellular access. And then I was informed I was on extended leave from my job for a family emergency, which totally pissed me off, but it’s not like I can do anything to change it.

I stopped asking questions as soon as we left the last apartment and other than the daily niceties, I haven’t gone out of my way to bug Tony or Matt. It’s actually a bit amusing to see how suspiciously they watch me, but frankly, I’m just sick and tired of the whole thing.

As for Dare, well, he has mostly been out in the world, attempting to right a wrong or whatever the fuck they want to call it. I still have no idea what I have to do with any of this other than maybe someone wants to use me to hurt him. But even that seems a stretch, considering we haven’t so much as gone on a date.

The room is quiet, still under the cover of darkness, but I can feel a presence near the side of the bed.

I can’t see him, but I know he’s there, so I speak out into the darkness, “Come here.”

He moves, and my eyes shift to the chair in the corner of the room where he must have been sitting, watching me sleep.

I sit up, resting on an elbow and pulling the blankets aside in invitation. “Are you going to just sit there and be a creeper all night, or are you going to join me?”

He chuckles, getting closer before I actually see him, and then I’m startled as the bedside light clicks on, and he’s standing next to the bed, not even a foot from me.

I roll my eyes at his magician skills, then pat the mattress beside me as I shift over to make room for his large frame.

He slides in beside me, his eyes taking in the silk shorts and cami set I sleep in. I blush, forcing myself not to cross my arms over my chest or to try to hide my body from him. I don’t believe he would let me anyway.

We’re lying on our sides, facing each other, not touching. It’s shocking how comfortable the silence is, especially given how crazy the last few weeks have been and the fact we haven’t had time to clear the air regarding his moonlighting as a stalker and potential unaliver.

He raises a hand, brushing his fingertips lightly down my cheek, over my jaw, and down along my collarbone. I sigh in pleasure, my body instinctively shifting closer to him until he’s wrapped around me like my very own man cocoon.

He strokes his hands everywhere he can reach, my back, my side, my hip. He reaches a hand down, squeezing my ass, and then with his other hand, he palms my breast, and it’s like an inferno has erupted inside me. I’m shocked at how consumed with need I am for a man I used to intentionally terrorize.

“Do you want to fuck me?” The question falls out of my mouth before I even realize I was thinking it, and I stare at him in horror, wishing I could take it back.

He raises a brow at me, giving me a baffled look as he replies, “I’m certain you know the answer to that question, Antoinette.”

I give him a pointed look. “That’s not an answer.”

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