Page 49 of Bound By the Sleeper’s Harp

Vivi

Did you end up staying with the coffee shop goblin?

Vivi

I got the details from my sister. On top of cheating, that asshole ended up dipping into their savings, making a shady investment, and losing all their money. He didn’t tell her because he thought he could make it back before she found out.

Vivi

Crazy, right?

Vivi

You’re not answering my texts. What’s going on?

Vivi

Are you okay?

Vivi

Did that goblin kill you?!

Vivi

Rose! Tell me you’re okay, or I’m getting on a flight right now!

I sighed. The last four had been sent this morning. I’d slept through two of them. She was probably frantic.

I considered calling her, but I didn’t feel like talking. Quickly punching out a series of responses, I sent them and moved on to Tara and then Kaylee.

Then finally, Eaden. He’d texted me two nights ago, but I was only opening it now.

Eaden

Rose, what the fuck is going on? Your shit’s still in your locker. The back door is open. I sent Zach out to look for you. Looks like something happened in the alley. Cameras showed you getting on the back of a bike. Call me when you get this.

Another had come in yesterday afternoon.

Eaden

What the fuck is going on, Rose? None of my calls are going through. Are you okay?

And then, later last night, after I’d fallen asleep.

Eaden

Someone said they saw you at The Vault. If I don’t hear from you by tomorrow, I’m filing a police report.

I wasn’t going to call him. It would give him ample opportunity to ask too many questions, so I shot him a quick text telling him that something went down, and I was okay.

A few moments later, the beeping began. The screen began to flash with incoming messages. Vivi, Kaylee, Tara. One from Eaden. Then another from Vivi. I grumbled. I didn’t have patience for any of this.

Tossing my phone over on the bed, I climbed to my feet and slipped into the bathroom. After that, I crept into the kitchen. I half hoped to find Bastian standing there shirtless, cooking breakfast, but everything was quiet. The coffee maker hadn’t been cleaned out from yesterday, so I went about rinsing it out, then making coffee.

“Woooowwww…” I whispered, finding the stash of expensive coffee in the cabinet. Small batch beans in bags labeled with different flavors. A smile pulled at the corner of my lips. How very Bastian Croft of him. I grabbed the one that was labeled Oatmeal Cookie and poured some into the grinder. The smell that wafted through the air had me groaning in delight.

Once the coffee was brewing, I set about doing the dishes from last night’s dinner. Bastian was neat, and there was only the small stack in the sink. He mostly cleaned up as he went.