I huffed and followed Bastian through his giant penthouse. Why did one man need so much space?
He was holding my hand. I should pull away, but I didn’t. I wanted to keep my fingers entwined with his strong ones.
I’d slept for a few hours last night. More correctly, I’d slept in Bastian’s arms. Just the thought of that left me unsettled. But I’d take unsettled over all the other emotions bubbling inside me.
This morning, Bastian had left me in his bed and gone to work. I had vague recollections of his quiet murmur to sleep. Since I’d felt groggy and gritty eyed from the unpleasant combo of not enough sleep and my crying jag, I’d drifted off again.
I’d then spent the day wandering around his giant penthouse trying not to think about Ed. I knew I should have left, but I couldn’t do it. I’d needed time to…ignore what had happened.
But I knew I couldn’t avoid it forever.
I wished I’d had my iPad with me so I could draw. The next scene of my web comic had come to me clearly. Persephone missing her family, then discovering that her father Zeus hadbetrayed her. That he’d allowed Hades to abduct her. Hades holding her as she cried in despair.
Bastian had called me approximately a million times. He’d checked on me at lunch time, bringing delicious lobster rolls from the seafood restaurant in the casino. I hadn’t told him that lobster was a favorite of mine. He’d checked my wound and bullied me into taking more painkillers.
Then he’d set up a movie for me on his giant television. I’d watched 28 Years Later. I’d been in the mood for zombies, and survival against the odds.
Yes, Bastian had done his best to distract me from thinking about Ed.
Ed. Fucking Ed. The man I’d trusted, admired, had been a lie.
The betrayal cut deep.
Well, I guessed Ed was still teaching me a lesson from beyond the grave. That I couldn’t trust anyone.
It’s better to be alone, Lark.
I shoved Ed’s voice out of my head.
Maybe it was better to be alone, and yet, I held Bastian’s hand as he led me through a door and up a set of spiral stairs. He’d returned home a few minutes ago.
“How’s your side?”
“It’s fine.” The painkillers meant I didn’t feel more than a dull ache.
“You stole my shirt.”
“I did.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “It looks better on you. Borrow whatever you want.”
We stepped out onto the rooftop.
The sun was setting. Golden hour. The soft, warm, golden light of the sun was bathing the city. A cool wind whipped at my face and I shivered. I was wearing one of Bastian’s expensivebusiness shirts with my jeans. It was way too big for me, but I didn’t care.
He tugged me forward and that’s when I saw he had his own private rooftop terrace. The space was cordoned off from the rest of the roof with lots of plants and carved metal dividers. There was already a fire crackling in the metal firepit. It was surrounded by comfortable, circular, padded couches that beckoned you to come and lounge around, and enjoy the view.
Bastian sat on a couch and pulled me down beside him. He slid an arm around me and then grabbed one of the thick blankets resting in a basket nearby. He wrapped it around my shoulders.
I knew he was trying to make me feel better. My throat tightened. To distract myself, I looked at the view. Las Vegas spread out in front of us, the golden glow softening the harsh edges of Sin City. I pulled in a deep breath. My gaze traced over the Stratosphere Tower, then the distinctive glass roof of the Aurora Casino, then down to the pirate ship in front of the Treasure Island Casino, before drifting off toward the mountains in the distance. The sun looked like a golden ball, limning the mountains in yellow, while the few clouds in the sky were stained pinky-orange.
“I want everything you have on Ed,” I said firmly. “Every scrap of intel on the Red Ribbon Killer.”
“Lark—”
I shook my head, digging deep for strength. “I have to face this. I want to know it all. Ignoring it won’t help.”
He looked frustrated for a second, then shot to his feet and strode to the railing. The wind ruffled his thick hair. He was so damn handsome. The scratches I’d left on his face were healing.
