Page 25 of Whispers of the Dead

I would be frustrated at her for dipping, but we’ve been at this for hours, and I’m getting a bit squirrely myself.

“Yeah. I never thought he was this far off the rails.”

“Speaking of Lucien,” I say, clearing my throat as I chug the last of my liquid courage down.

“What’s he done? I swear to God, Sera. I’ll ring his fucking neck if he⁠—”

“What? He hasn’t done anything. I was simply wondering if the man exists.”

“Oh, he exists.”

Lips pursed, I nod. “I haven’t seen him, is all, and I thought it odd since I work for him, and⁠—”

“Don’t go rousing monsters best left sleeping,” he says, mirroring what Aria called Lucien earlier, causing me to swallow over the racing pulse in my throat as he cages me against the desk.

Taking my glass from me, he hands it to Stanley, who had entered as silently as the wind, something he does pretty often.

“Ms. Thomas won’t be needing another, Stanley. Thank you.”

“Hey! Who are you to tell me…”

“Your boss.”

“So.” I scoff. “It’s Saturday.”

He checks his watch, as if he has to decide whether I’m telling the truth. It’s like he doesn’t live on the same planet as the rest of us. “So it is, and nearing dinner time, too.”

“So?”

“So, you should switch to something a bit more appropriate for the time, don’t you think?”

“Fine. I’ll tell Stanley I need a bourbon.” Attempting to sidestep him, I get caged with my left side now pressing into the desk and his lips at my ear.

“Let me take you out, Sera.”

A breath stutters out of me, my heart beating so fast, I swear it’s going to explode. “Why?”

“Because you’re doing all this. Because I want to, and because you want to go.”