Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
“I like that,” I said, my mind running. “Do we know precisely where near Parker’s Ferry the cultists lived?”
“No, but I’ll bet you I know who would.”
I looked at him and he grinned slowly, waiting for me to get it. “Taylor.”
“Yeah, man,” he said, pleased with me. “All that research she’s been doing, she knows where all the bodies are buried.”
I nodded.
“Metaphorically speaking.”
“Sure.”
“And you didn’t hear it from me, but maybe she’s got some plans at her house that should be here in the library.”
“Thanks, Dom.”
“No worries, witch of the woods.”
I stood up. “Actually, it’s raven of the woods now.”
“Oh, raven. That’s way better. Much more badass.”
I thought so too.
Amanda had to leave—she had people coming for brunch since it was her Sunday to host, and she had to meet the caterers.
“You didn’t think I was going to cook myself,” she scoffed, passing me my phone. “Now, I put three numbers in there—mine, Chief MacBain’s, and Declan’s. Nico put in hers as well. Anything else you’re going to have to do yourself. You’ve fiddled with mine for years, so you’ll have no trouble. You’re on my family plan, but if you and Chief MacBain become…more, maybe I’ll let you change to his.”
“Big of you. Did you call him like you threatened?”
“Threatened? Really? I just wanted to talk to the man.”
Of course she did. “Be nice to him when he gets here.”
“I was lovely to him on the phone,” she assured me, waving for good measure when Lorne pulled up in front of the library. He got out of his Jeep, jogged over to the foot of the stairs, and we walked down to him.
He held out his hand to Amanda, and she descended quickly to take it. They stood there, eyeing one another, until she finally huffed out a breath.
“Fine,” she relented, “Xan knows best about his own heart.”
“Yes,” Lorne agreed, smiling at her.
“God help you if you don’t take good care of it,” she said, the warning there in her voice.
“Don’t you worry,” he assured her. “I have forever plans for it.”
She nodded. “You’ll come for dinner?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
Releasing his hand, she smiled at me, then slipped around him on the way to her car.
“She’s a force of nature, yeah?” Lorne asked as I walked into his waiting arms.
“Yeah,” I said with a sigh, waving after she honked the horn.
“So why did you come here?”
“Look, she got me a phone, and there’s a new solar charger at home.”
“Well, I ordered several, so we’ll see whose is better.”
I chuckled. “It’s not a competition between you and Amanda.”
“Oh no?” He did not sound convinced.
The man was adorable, and I kissed him deeply so he knew I was crazy about him.
At his Jeep, which he led me to after taking my hand, I told him how much I appreciated him putting the soft top on his vehicle so I didn’t freeze to death.
“This isn’t about you,” he said, holding open my door. “If we go into mud or water, I don’t wanna get dirty.”
“You don’t want to get dirty?” I teased him.
“Absolutely not.”
Once he was behind the wheel, he said, “Now, as I asked earlier before you distracted me with your shiny new iPhone, please tell me why you came here.”
“I wanted to do some research on the cultists.”
“And?”
“And I think I have a lead.”
“Okay, so where are we going?”
“To visit my friend Taylor Hernandez.”
“Why do I know that name?”
“She’s Jesus Fernandez’s wife. He’s one of our councilmen.”
“That’s right. Why are we going to see her?”
“Because I need more information, and I think she can give it to me.”
“Gotcha,” he said, sounding almost sad.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I was just looking forward to going home.”
My stomach fluttered, and my breath caught.
He chuckled. “Something you wanna say?”
“You said home,” I barely got out.
“Yeah. I called Jim and told him he had to feed his own kid tonight, and he said that was not a problem.”
“Called?”
“That’s right,” he said happily, proudly. “When I got there to pack a bag, the house was empty, which was a shock, so I called to see where Jim was. Turns out he took his daughter and drove to Westfield to see a movie.”
“Really?”
He nodded, reaching over to put his hand on my cheek and drawing me close for a kiss. “My baby is a miracle worker.”
Oh yes, I would most certainly be his baby.
When he kissed me, I wanted to climb into his lap. I wanted, needed, to connect with him on a very primal level, and even though Declan’s visit this morning had been thoughtful and kind, it had also cut into my alone time with Lorne.
“You really are amazing,” Lorne was saying, “and I want this to—”
“Pack a bag,” I blurted out, leaning away from him. “Is that what you said?”
His face scrunched up. “Yeah, that’s what I said. Why? Do you not want me to—”