Page 72 of Created in Chaos

Nova slits her eyes, and I have to admit I’m not sure how this is going to play out. Just as I’m about to put myself between them, she pivots and disappears into the closet, slamming the door behind her.

“Maybe you should have just told her,” I offer in a hushed tone.

“Why, so she can have a war of conscience? She makes excuses for everyone’s shitty behavior. How long do you think it would be before she started asking me to forget about the whole thing and to just let it go?”

I don’t doubt that Lucian is right. She even did it with Grace when we pretty much knew she was the ringleader in the attack. “I just hate that she’s so upset,” I admit.

“If she’s upset, she’s feeling something. The only time I’ll worry about Nova is when she’s not pissed off.” I get what he’s saying, but it doesn’t make me feel any better.

Lucian strips out of his shirt. I notice it’s different than the one he left the house in, so are his shorts, but I don’t need to ask why or why his hair was wet when he found me on the deck, nursing the same drink I ordered hours earlier. “I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon. I need you to cover for me again.”

“Jesus, you can’t give it a day or so?” I pull the covers back, anticipating Nova coming out of the closet soon…or hoping she will, maybe.

“If I could, I would. It’s with Bridget, and she says she has information worth a million dollars.”

“You think she’s going to tell you where Alden is?” I whisper, looking toward the door.

“She knows what wasting my time will cost, and it’s a hell of a lot more than a mil, so I fucking hope so.” Lucian climbs into bed naked. I leave my boxers on so I don’t make Nova uncomfortable, but it takes her so long to finally emerge from the closet, I’m nearly asleep anyway.

NOVA

The sound of a helicopter zooming over the house disturbs the quiet afternoon. I’ve been soaking up the sun and enjoying the cool breeze coming off the water near the pool. You could call it sulking. Last night was a mess. Lucian was gone when I finally woke up this morning, and I’m torn between being pissed at him and worrying he’s now mad at me.

I shield my eyes while looking up to see a bright red helicopter flying over the water in the distance. The main house isn’t nearly as close to the shoreline as it is at the Umbras’ estate. “Doesn’t it seem like they are flying awfully low?” I ask Nox, who’s sitting next to me, playing a game on his phone. He’s been putting up with me all day, and I feel bad.

Belatedly, he looks up, not seeming at all concerned with the helicopter. “It’s the coast guard,” he answers.

I try to see where they are going, but the chopper is already too far away for me to see much other than a red blip in the sky. “Do you think it’s a rescue or something?”

The sound of a boat speeding by interrupts his answer, but it’s not really necessary anymore, because several boats float over the water, leaving big waves in their wake.

“Where’s Lucian?” I question, getting a funny feeling in my stomach.

“Not out there, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Nox lays his hand on my leg when I would have gotten up to get closer to the water.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive he wouldn’t be near anything going on out there today.” His eyes are wide, imploring me to understand without words.

“Do you know what’s going on out there?” My question is slow and hesitant.

Nox gives me a small nod.

“Does it have anything to do with last night?” I whisper.

Another nod.

“Can you tell me?”

Nox looks conflicted for a few seconds, but then he drops his bare feet to the patio and leans forward. “Let’s go inside.”

I follow him up to the room, where he shuts the door and motions for me to sit in one of the chairs while he takes the one across from me. “It’ll be on the news soon, so there’s no point in keeping it from you. There was an accident last night on one of the boats, probably a small fire or something like that, that killed everyone on board.”

My mind starts racing. “Whose boat? When did it happen?”

“A few hours after we left.” He doesn’t answer the first part of my question.

“Nox, whose boat?”

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