Page 55 of The Dearly Departed

“Just everything that might help me find you again.”

If I wasn’t wearing this mask, if she could see my face, she would know that sentence—that she wanted to find me—pulled all the warmth to my cheeks and set my heart racing.

She wanted to know me.

And, dammit, I wanted to know her too.

I wished I could.

Yet I shook my head. “You don’t want to find me, Analise.”

She studied me for a moment, her eyes roving over my mask, down my chest and shoulders, past my arms and lower, lower. All the while holding her breath as her sheer interest grew, and I was certain she could see my obvious interest in her as her gaze settled below my waist.

She swallowed. “You say that like I should be scared.”

“You should be.” Even as I said it then, I had no idea how much I’d mean it.

“And yet you’re the first man who hasn’t terrified me,” she admitted in a whisper before sending her eyes back to where she must’ve sensed mine were. Then she added, “And none of them gave me any warning.”

I narrowed my eyes and opened my mouth to speak when, suddenly, I realized we were no longer alone as a shadow stretched along the terrace, darkening the place in which we stood.

I clamped my lips shut and turned to watch as Gerald Crowley wandered toward us with a casual flair.

“Analise,” he said, coming to stand beside her and resting his hand on her shoulder.

I didn’t miss the way she turned her head away from his touch.

Is he one of the men she spoke about?

If I ever needed another reason to end his life, that would be it.

“Benjamin was just looking for you.”

Analise swallowed, then looked up toward me once again—just for a moment—before asking, “Oh, is he inside?”

Gerald nodded. “In the sitting room, last I checked.”

“Well then.” She offered a curt nod, then said to me in a tight, formal tone, “Thank you for the chat, stranger. Enjoy the rest of your night.”

I nodded in silent reply, and then she walked hastily away, the sound of her heels against stone resounding through the night.

It didn’t take a genius to know she’d been dismissed. I doubted Benjamin was even looking for her at all. But Gerald clearly wanted me alone, and now he had me.

Finally.

Maybe now I’ll get some answers.

“Abraham.” Gerald looked up toward my face and smiled. “You came.”

“Why the fuck is Leonard here?” I hissed, jumping straight to the point, not seeing any reason to mess around with small talk.

We never had before, so why start now?

“All in due time, my boy,” he answered coolly. “I want to chat first.”

“You could’ve chatted with me all night, but you didn’t,” I fired back angrily, using my natural voice for the first time since entering the house. “I was starting to think you didn’t recognize me.”

“Do you see any other six-foot-six giants around here?” he countered sarcastically, glancing around him. “Of course I knew it was you. How stupid do you think I am?”