Page 10 of Heresy

“Blue hair? You mean the older ones with diamonds dripping everywhere and enough perfume to drown a small army?”

He laughs.

“No. I mean the one in black leather, a shirt that hides nothing about what the gods endowed her with and blue pastel hair that hangs down long enough to brush her ass.”

That sounds a hell of a lot more interesting than what I originally imagined.

Honestly, I’m a little unsure how I’ve missed seeing her. A woman like her would stand out among the pathetic wannabes and prissy socialites filling the mansion.

“She’s wandering around here somewhere,” he says just as a particular blonde walks in through the front doors of the mansion.

Hillary is all grown up, the same elitist smile on her face as usual, but her style has matured, as well as her features.

“What are you doing here anyway?” Jase asks.

So focused on Hillary that I barely hear what he asked, I clasp my hand on his shoulder.

“Taking care of a problem,” I answer, my voice distracted as I stalk forward to intercept a long-lost friend.

“What problem?” Jase shouts at my back.

“Ezra will know.”

I move faster before he can rattle off another word, my steps slowing and pace more casual as I approach Hillary before she has a chance to make it past the staircase.

Intentionally bumping my shoulder with hers, I stop as if the contact had been accidental.

“Sorry about that.”

Her eyes widen when she turns to look at me.

“Well, look who it is. I don’t think I’ve seen you since high school, Shane. At least, not in person. You’ve made a splash on several news sources, though.”

That I have.

Not by choice, unfortunately, but I’ve learned to live with it.

Labeled thebad boyof the Inferno by the media, I usually laugh to think they only believe that due to my tattoos.

The other guys love it, though.

It allows them to operate unnoticed.

“Hillary, I’m so sorry I ran into you.”

She has no idea how much I mean that.

I’m sorry that I have to be near her.

Sorry that I have to take one for the team.

Sorry that she even exists on the same planet as me.

Thankfully, my apology does nothing to deter her.

“It’s not a problem. I probably wasn’t watching where I was going. How have you been?”

Quick to brush off my apology, Hillary eyes me with far too much interest for an engaged woman. But then, I am a man on the hunt, so I won’t question the opportunity she’s practically dropping in my lap.

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