“Thanks for this,” I held up my half-eaten muffin and coffee.
“Anytime. Call him, Mere. Don’t let something this dumb drive you apart.”
I shook my head at her as she left. We’d see what happened when Evie started figuring out her own love life.
I mulled it over for a few hours. I’d told Orin to close the bar tonight. I’d wanted to spend some quiet time with Vas. And now that I was a hundred thousand dollars richer, I’d told the staff I’d pay them out for their hours and missed tips if they took the day off. The regulars would see the sign on the door, which said there’d been a death in the family.
After a few hours of moping, I made dinner. I was about to go downstairs and pay some bills when Vas finally arrived.
“Hey,” I said when he stepped inside.
“Hey.” His expression was carefully blank, and I swallowed.
“Thanks for fixing the shower.”
“You’re welcome.”
My eyes heated, and he studied my face. “What’s wrong, Mere?”
“I didn’t mean to hurt you last night. Especially after…”
He took me in his arms. “I know. You’re not responsible for my emotions, Mere. I should’ve known you’d balk at the life-span thing. But I’m not going to change my mind about this.”
“Where were you today?”
“Planning Dean’s funeral.”
I was not hurt that he hadn’t taken me with him. Nope, not hurt at all.
He was studying my face. “I wanted you to get some rest. I thought I’d take you over to Jade’s tomorrow night. I’m sorry. I should’ve asked if you wanted to come.”
“It’s okay.” I took a deep breath. “I’ve been doing some thinking,” I said.
His eyes lit up, and I couldn’t control the smile that spread across my face. His grin matched mine. Then his phone buzzed.
His mouth crashed down on mine. His phone continued to buzz, and he groaned, pulling away. “Let me turn it—”
Dread turned my lungs to concrete. “Who is it?”
“Jade. He went after Jade. Killed the guards I had on her and her family. Bael’s on his way there. Stay here. In this apartment. Behind this fucking ward. There’s a demon keeping watch on your roof.”
“What?”
“Promise me, Mere. You go nowhere.”
“Take me with you.”
“No. Promise me.”
His eyes were wild, and I swallowed down my protests. I’d only slow him down.
“I promise. Go.”
21
MEREDITH
Ipaced, flicked idly through TV shows I didn’t want to watch, and chewed my nails down to the quick. Vas never messaged.
