Page 13 of Tick Tock, Darling

He didn't say anything. He never does. He waited as I quickly told him what happened—the church, the shard, the tree, the sidewalk, all of it.

And I hoped to God Angelo wasn't standing next to him, because I'd been keeping clear of that room at Crimson Stakes for a long time and I'd just given him a reason.

The silence after was worse than anything Angelo ever did to me. Angelo yelled. Angelo took something off you. Enzo just went quiet, and I sat in misery, waiting for him to respond. My heart banged against my ribs, echoing in my ears.

He finally spoke. “Alice is back in town for the holidays. Tinker Bell trained her. She'll get you through the door." As always, his voice was controlled, steady.

I'd met Alice once. Never met her mate — Darius Acosta, who'd been trapped in the Elder Dimension after the war and somehow wasn't anymore. The story was that she'd gotten him out.

Something brightened inside me, chasing away my dark thoughts. I breathed easier.

Alice had done it. Somebody had done it, once, and she was in this city tonight.

I stopped pacing on that dark street and stood still for the first time since the sidewalk.

"Thank you."

"Stop Pan." Two words, and he hung up before I could answer.

He never threatened me. He never had. But that wasn’t the same as him not being disappointed.

I would stop Pan. Either he’d end up buried six feet under or end up back in his cell at the Hollows. I didn’t much care which.

A black Corvette sped down the street and slammed into Tinker Bell’s driveway, tires screaming. It spelled pissed off.

The driver’s door ripped open and I lost him. That’s the only honest way to put it—I looked at the driver’s seat and then a man with long curly black hair was standing at the passenger door with his hand on the handle. My vampire eyes hadn’t caught a single frame in between. Definitely Darius Acosta. Golden Demon. A runner. I’d heard about him but had never seen him in action.

Then the woman got out, and I made myself stand there and want something from a stranger.

Blond, green-eyed, in a baggy Legacy Academy T-shirt and jeans she'd clearly pulled on in the dark. She'd been in bed too. Enzo had called her and she'd come, for a woman I'd been paid to watch and hadn't.

That was going to be the first thing she learned about me.

Her eyes locked on mine. “You’re Caspian Hook?”

“I am.” I flashed her my most winning smile. “And you’re Alice Acosta.”

She gave me an icy stare. “Nice job protecting Tinker Bell.” She wasn’t Angelo Santi, but her voice sounded exactly like him.

I gnashed my teeth.

Darius put his hand on her shoulder. “Easy, Tigress.”

“Don’t patronize me, Darius.” She knocked his hand away. “He was supposed to protect her and lost her. Flirting with another woman?”

My reputation definitely preceded me. I bristled. “No. I offered her my help and she refused it. I was forced to stay outside and stakeout her house. A mistake, I know.”

Darius gave me a sheepish smile. “Tinker Bell likes to work alone. Asking for help doesn’t come easy for her.” He stretched out his hand. “Acosta. Darius.”

At least he wasn’t acting like he wanted me to walk the plank. I shook his hand. “I’ve heard of you.”

“He’s not a player.”

Darius kissed her cheek. “Calm down.”

Alice sighed and folded her arms. “Fine.” Her face softened. “I’m sorry. I’m just worried about her.”

She should be. Pan was notorious for what he did with women.