“No, before then. Someone broke in while I was at work and stole some undergarments and went through all my stuff. It was the tip that someone was after me,” Willow explains.
“No, hun. That wasn’t me.”
“Who then?” I ask. If that wasn’t Ghost then it had to be Milo, right?
“What about the notes?” Willow asks.
“The notes? The one I left at your doorstep when you moved from your apartment, that was me.”
“Okay, and the tea poisoning?”
“That was me. It’s hard to hold back in a physical altercation, but when he told me you were allergic to bananas, I had the bags made and placed them in your apartment,” James says. He flips his long hair out of his face, and I’m half tempted to leave him here, but he isn’t as heartless as he may think. While I don’t careto show this rock of a being that he has a heart, I do see someone with nothing to lose has the same goal as we do.
Eradicate the fucker who dared to hurt Willow Buttercup.
“I—it’s not?—”
“Think harder, why, Willow?” James says, and I growl at the man.
“Watch who the hell you’re talking to.”
“Do you want to find this deadbeat or not?”
“Arguing isn’t going to get us anywhere.”
“It’s not me he’s really after, it’s Layla,” Willow blurts, and I pull her tighter against me. No way is James running this damn interrogation.
“The other girl was on my list too, and I can tell she scares him. He wouldn’t give me any info on her,” James says, leaning back into his chair.
“Layla? You never went after her,” Willow mutters, crossing her arms. She rests a hand on her check and leans into my side.
“Layla,” he mumbles, more to himself than anyone.
“Okay, so we have to work together. Can you tell us exactly when Milo hired you and how?” Dylan asks, pulling out a clean folding chair for her to sit.
And here we are. Me, Willow, Dylan, and her almost killer, trying to piece together the puzzle of her mate’s “death.” What a great fucking life.
20
WILLOW
We get almostnothing from capturing Ghost. As much as I would love to have solved everything by capturing Ghost. I have to accept the fact that he’s not the problem.
Milo is, and goddess knows if we will ever find him. To go on with life as normal is like walking on hot coals without flinching. It’s hard.
Now I have this mating ceremony to worry about too. I’m supposed to be happy, pretend that everything is okay, and that Milo hasn’t lost his mind and is probably better off dead.
I didn’t think there would ever be a day where I would think that.
But I also didn’t think Milo was capable of doing the things he did.
The cherry on this cake, Eddie and I are invited to a family dinner the day before the ceremony, so now we have to leave for Kaler City early. My family wants to see me before the ceremony, at least that’s what they said, but I know they want us to hash our emotions out before the ceremony.
I knew this, yet I couldn’t say no to the invitation. I didn’t want Eddie to think I didn’t want my family to meet him or thinkhe is my dirty little secret, and for him alone, I accepted this invitation.
“Willow.” His voice is low and sing-songy. Wrapped in his arms, Eddie shifts closer to me as he wakes up. He tucks his nose into my neck, his smooth skin brushing against mine. Sliding one of his legs between mine, he lands a gentle kiss on my neck. Smiling, I keep my eyes closed as he moves his leg between mine, creating a delicious friction that lights my skin up almost immediately. I haven’t dared initiate anything beyond a kiss or a cuddle since I almost mated him, and it feels as if I’ve been starved of his touch for centuries.
I let out a desperate whimper as the pressure in my core builds and move forward. Just enough to get heated, just enough for me to rock on his leg more forcefully.
