Page 22 of Forever Midnight

“We have to go see Yves,” he says, leading me away.

“Did that go well?” I whisper once we’re in the hallway.

“Yes. They like you.”

“How do you know?”

He smiles. “I just do.”

We enter another apartment, pausing to talk to the woman who helped me last night and a darker haired woman next to her at the desk.

“This is Vivienne.” He points to the redhead. “And Viper. Vivienne keeps our lives together while Viper does the same for our business.”

“Nice to meet you both,” I say.

“How do you feel?” Vivienne asks.

“Great. Thanks for your help.”

She smiles and nods.

“Is Yves available?” Midnight asks.

“Yes,” Viper answers. “But fair warning, he’s looking over the new computerized client intake system and it’s stressful for him.”

“Yves is a little old-school,” Vivienne says, winking.

“To say the least,” Midnight murmurs. “Thank you, ladies.”

Midnight rests his hand on my lower back, leading me past where the women are working and into a room that feels like one of those old studies you see in movies. There are books packed into bookcases, heavy wood furniture, moody lighting, and leather chairs.

Behind the desk sits a man I assume to be Yves. He’s striking in appearance—handsome, yes, but something else as well. Something intangible but intriguing. Like you just want to sit down and listen to anything he wants to tell you. He has pale skin, light brown hair, maybe slightly red, and an intense expression as he stares down at a laptop.

“Yves,” Midnight says.

“Yes?” he answers without looking up, but then, realizing Midnight isn’t alone, he sits back in his seat and smiles. “Hello.”

“Hi.”

“Yves, this is Tru. You remember him,” says Midnight.

“Tru. I thought your name was Gideon.”

“It is. My middle name is Tru and I prefer that,” I say.

“Ah. Are you well?”

His voice is so deep it vibrates through me, and I instinctively step back. “Yes. I’m good. Thank you.”

Yves chuckles. “Don’t be afraid of me, Tru.”

“How did you…” I don’t bother to finish my question. I don’t think I want to know.

“Tru has a problem,” Midnight says.

“I gathered that when we first met him,” Yves responds, folding his hands on the desk. “Please sit.”

We do and Midnight smiles at me. “Go ahead and tell him what you need.”

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