Page 28 of The Shade of Things
The pink T-shirt pulled tight across his pecs featured an image of Boo from Monsters, Inc., a nod to the kitten he’d taken in with the same name. He would be the kind of guy who’d wear a T-shirt with a kids’ character on it to a morgue, and yet, when he unfurled a lazy smile at me, a fleet of butterflies launched in my stomach, along with thoughts that were adult-only.
“Hi,” I said breathlessly, biting my lip and wishing it was his, drawn closer as though by a magnetic pull.
Amusement sparked in his eyes, and in one fell swoop, the butterflies dropped in my gut like a lead weight. Our conversation about what my parents had done might be the end of that look and his carefully guarded smiles, but I owed him the truth. I had to tell him.
Damn Zev. I toyed with the strap of my purse. Could I swear Laurent to secrecy? I sighed. No, it wasn’t fair to burden him with that knowledge and not let him speak to his aunt about it. Plus, I’d still be breaking my oath to the vampire, which was a no go with all the nasties that would come out to play if he didn’t keep them in check. Fuck. I required a loophole, stat.
It was bad enough my parents had done this to Tatiana; she’d been a stranger to them. I wasn’t a killer, but I was still a shitty human being if I didn’t give her this information. With so many unanswered questions around the event that had derailed her life, how could she have truly moved on?
I wouldn’t have been able to.
Laurent flipped the coin to his other hand. “Did Sadie get her shoes?” he said conversationally.
“Shoes?”
“The last time I saw you, you raced out because of a shoe emergency.” His words were playful, but his smile was sharp enough to slice.
It took me a second to place the excuse I’d given after learning about my parents’ role in Tatiana’s car crash. Laurent wasn’t an idiot. He knew I’d lied, but was that as far as it went, or had he put all the pieces together?
I shifted my weight to my other foot, studying him carefully, but I couldn’t discern if he was upset because he knew the truth or because I’d ghosted him. “Yeah, the shoes. She’s all stocked up. Let’s catch up later, okay, because I’ve got a bit of a situation.”
Laurent tossed the coin up and caught it, staring at it as if it provided an answer to an unasked question. His fingers closed over the coin. “Another shoe emergency?”
“Ha.” My fake laugh caught in my throat. “No.” Unable to take the weight of his gaze any longer, I motioned at Ryann. “Could I speak to you privately?”
She nodded. “Gerald, see if the poison was endemic to this Ohrist or if it was applied topically before Laurent engaged with him.”
I grabbed his arm. “You were poisoned?!”
“Had a bit of a situation.” A predatory current thrummed through the smile that didn’t reach Laurent’s eyes and I stepped back. Did he think I’d blown him off?
“Did you see a healer?”
Laurent grunted something vaguely affirmative and returned his attention to Gerald.
Men. I followed Ryann into the hallway.
“What’s up?” She leaned against the bamboo walkway railing, threading her fingers into a row of fringe on her tie-dyed skirt.
“I’ve been hired to help Eli find Teresa Wong.”
“Who’s Teresa Wong?” Her guileless expression didn’t change, but her fingers tightened momentarily in the fringe.
“Ryann.” I looked at her sternly.
She shook her head slowly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
I frowned. “Your dad—”
“Is with the Vancouver Police Department and is completely autonomous from the Lonestars,” she said firmly. “I’m sorry if a Sapien citizen has gone missing, but it’s out of my jurisdiction. I can’t help you.” She clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Now I have to get back in there.”
She spun with a whirl of color into the morgue.
I narrowed my eyes. Her brush-off was too pointed. I scanned the hallway for cameras, and while I couldn’t see any, it never hurt to be paranoid.
I pulled out my phone and sent a text. You wanted me on this case, didn’t you?If you’re planning on using Eli and me to suss out another suspected corrupt Lonestar, I’ll make your life a living hell.
Ryann: I wouldn’t do that.
