He didn’t like the answer.
When Cass stopped talking and fell quiet, he picked his words carefully. “Does it help, knowing all this now?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted softly, almost sadly. “I’ve spent years with this image of her in my head, and now…” She sighed. “She was right about the holding-a-grudge thing because even now, after everything she told me, part of me wonders if it’s all some sort of ploy.”
Trying to ignore the way his chest loosened at her admission, he focused on playing devil’s advocate. “To what end?”
“That’s the thing. I don’t know.”
Well, maybe he could help with that—at least he hoped she’d view it that way. He cleared his throat. “Just so you’re aware, I have someone looking into Russ and your parents.”
Fortunately, her response was more resigned than outraged. “Probably a good idea.”
He pulled into the condo’s parking lot. “I’m hoping he’ll bring me something by early tomorrow.”
“That’s fast.”
“Zane’s that good, and he knows I’m working against the clock.” He turned into his assigned spot and noted someone had parked in his visitor’s lot. Not that he minded. The compact wasn’t Zane’s truck and probably belonged to someone visiting a neighbor. He shut the car, popped his trunk, and undid his seat belt.
“So, what’s the plan?” Cass asked as she undid hers.
“I’ve got Zane grabbing a couple of items I need, so I can dive into the leads my source gave me.”
“What leads?”
“I’ll show you.”
They got out and met at the trunk. Grayson lifted the lid, and Cass frowned. “What are those?”
He picked up the two heavy leather-bound books, shifted them to one arm, and then closed the trunk. “Research journals,” he murmured.
She matched his tone. “Research?”
“The kind that shouldn’t exist,” he admitted as he curled his free arm around her waist. Together, they started toward the condo.
Her eyes widened, but she followed his example and, despite no one being around, kept their conversation quiet by mouthing the word, “Cabal?”
He nodded as they passed under the streetlight and hopped the curb to the path that led through the complex. The faint sound of a car door opening and closing came from somewhere behind them.
“That means you’ll be staying in and studying?” she asked.
“Unless I need to go out and grab something. Why?”
She worried her bottom lip. “I need to do a divining, maybe get a better idea of what we’re up against.”
They turned into the breezeway, and under the outdoor lights, he studied the weary slump of her shoulders and the shadows darkening her face. The circles under her eyes were obvious even through her tinted lenses.
He tried to be diplomatic. “You’re exhausted, Cass. Maybe you should rest first.”
“I’m fine,” she lied with a tight smile. He raised his eyebrows, and her smile turned genuine as she leaned in and bumped shoulders with him. “Okay, not exactly fine, but fine enough. Besides, you’ll be there, so I won’t stay under long.”
Remembering her warning about spiraling out, he waited until they’d climbed the exterior stairs to the second floor and then asked, “And if you cascade?”
Determination wiped out her faint humor. “I won’t go deep.”
They got to his door, where he undid the locks and then the security rune before holding it open for her. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
She moved to pass but stopped in front of him, her hands resting on his chest as she pressed a quick kiss to his jaw. When she pulled back, she held his gaze. “I’ll be fine.”
