Fortunato has pressed the button.
Boom!
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
My blue eyes.
My thin lips.
My silver hair.
My face stares back at me as I grip the side of the sink, half expecting the ceiling to collapse or the floor to crack at the sound of the explosion.
But it was just an image.
Looking behind myself through the mirror, I see that Ed and Annabel remain, their faces stoic, their eyes boring into the glass. Ed is no longer touching me, his hand now by his side.
“You came to show me what happened, what you did,” I say.
They don’t respond. They don’t need to.
“Thank you,” I tell them.
Ed nods before looking at Annabel, and then they disappear.
Heading back to the bar, I wonder how long I’ve been gone, whether I’m going to have some explaining to do, and what bullshit story I can cook up to satisfy Una’s insatiable curiosity. But as I reach the bottom of the stairs, I feel him.
Valdemar.
Feet tap-dance in my stomach.
Una is laughing, Pierre looks scared to death, and Valdemar sits at the table looking like he’s been added in by the artist as an afterthought.
As I reach the table, he stands.
“Angel.”
“No talking through the bond. I can’t keep it up in front of Una and Pierre.”
“Hey, what are you doing here?” I say aloud as he pulls me into his chest and plants a kiss on my lips.
We sit, Valdemar gazing at me as if it’s been days since we last saw each other rather than the nine hours I’ve been at work since we parted this morning.
“I’m here for you,” he says.
“But it’s Monday night. I told you I was meeting up with Una and Pierre.”
“I know, and I hate to spoil the evening, but in light of today’s events, there’s now a meeting,” Valdemar explains.
“A meeting?”
As soon as the news broke, I rang Valdemar, and we exchanged our shock at what was being reported. I told him I had to go, as the newsroom was buzzing, and he promised me he would try and find out more details about what had happened at Fortunato’s house.
“You should go.” Una puts her hand on my arm, right on top of my raven tattoo.
I raise an eyebrow.
“Yeah, you should go,” Pierre echoes. “You’ve spent all day with us. Go be with your people.”
