Tink pulled back, smiling. “I am going to need an extremely detailed report. You know that, right?”
I laughed. “I do.”
“Good.”
It was then that I realized Caden hadn’t walked toward the elevator. He’d stopped halfway across the parking garage. Tink and I caught up with him. “Where are we going?”
“To a place where Tanner handles certain…unpleasantries.”
This is the first I’m hearing of such a thing. I glanced at Tink, and he shrugged. “There is such a place?”
Caden nodded. “Only a few know of it. I’m surprised my brother didn’t tell you.”
Tink snorted as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. “He knows I abhor violence unless it’s violence I’m causing.”
I frowned at him as we reached a nondescript white door. Caden placed his thumb against the keypad, and above, the red light turned green. The door unlocked, and he pushed it open. We stepped into a white hallway, and I could already hear Tanner speaking. There were also other voices I couldn’t make out. Caden turned to me, extending his hand.
My gaze dipped to his palm and then rose to his. He…he wanted to hold my hand? It was such a simple gesture that wouldn’t mean much to others, but it would be huge.
He was the King.
To the others who were here, I was just some human. They didn’t know what I was or what he’d done. Him holding my hand was a statement, and obviously, I hadn’t the chance to talk to Tanner or Faye or Kalen. They would be so confused.
But I placed my hand in his, and my heart did a back handspring when he curled his fingers around mine, squeezing.
“You guys are so adorable,” Tink said, tugging the hair I’d thrown up into a messy bun.
“You are,” Caden said. “Especially when you blush.”
“I’m not blushing.” I watched Tink walk ahead, his long-legged pace taking him around the corner of the hall.
“Your face is the shade of a rose,” he told me.
“It is not.” I could feel my cheeks heat even more. “We need to focus on what’s important.”
“I am.”
I glanced up at him and felt a little unsteady as my gaze met his. “Benji and finding out where they’re getting the Devil’s Breath is important.”
“It is. But you’re more important to me. You will always be the most important thing.”
“You…” I swallowed, closing my eyes. “I wish we had time for me to tell and show you how perfect I think you are.”
“I’m not perfect.” He touched my cheek. “But I don’t have a problem with you showing me later how much you think I’m perfect.”
Heat simmered in my veins. I planned on doing just that after I told him what needed to be shared.
But by the time we reached the end of the hall, I’d filed all of that away. What we were about to deal with needed our full attention.
The first person I saw when we turned the corner was Ren. Dressed in black, he leaned against the plain white wall, his back to us, ankles crossed. Tink was beside him. Fabian behind him, his blond hair draped over broad shoulders. He was the first to see us, his expression somber, and then there was a slight widening of his pale eyes.
Ren looked over his shoulder. “I was wondering when you were finally going…”
Either he trailed off, or I just didn’t hear what he said because my gaze had been snagged by those remaining in the hall. Faye and Kalen stood with Tanner. There was an older male fae, as well, his silvery skin pale. He’d been pacing while Faye spoke to him quietly.
Maybe it was my imagination, but everyone seemed to stop and notice our joined hands. The message Caden was sending out had been received. We were together.
It was Kalen I zeroed in on because one side of his lips curved up a moment before he bowed slightly. “My King.”
