Page 88 of Vexatious Queen

“I’m never going to see this room the same way again,” Ren said.

“Is that a good or bad thing?”

She smiled wide, her face glowing.

“Do you even have to ask?”

I walked over to Ren and cupped her face, running my thumbs over the streaks of pink, orange, and purple, loving how her eyes sparkled.

“No, I don’t, but I like to hear you say it,” I said, kissing the tip of her nose.

“Yes, it’s a very good thing,” she whispered. “Thank you for all of this. You put so much thought and effort into every moment we spend together. It astounds me how you even came up with something like this.”

I brushed her lips with mine.

“It’s easy with a great muse.”

She laughed, her cheeks turning red.

“I love you, Liam.”

“I love you, too.”

My phone vibrated again, and I rolled my eyes.

“We’d better go before they send out a search party.”

Linking our fingers, we walked to the door and turned off the lights, plunging us into the dark abyss.

Opening the door, I stopped when I noticed a light shining near the back exit. The classroom at the end of the hall was occupied.

“What’s wrong?” Ren whispered.

“It’s probably just a teacher working late,” I answered and nodded toward the room.

Ren looked up at me with those inquisitive eyes, and I knew she wanted to check. I pulled out my phone and opened the camera app as we silently moved closer.

We were a classroom away when I heard two voices. One male and one female, but it didn’t sound like anything sexual. Instead of speaking, I signed to Ren.

I’m going to take a look. Check if that room is unlocked.

She nodded and backpedaled to the closed door behind us, giving me a thumbs up as she tried the handle.

Not wanting to have my shadow accidentally seen by whoever was in the classroom, I stood off to the side and hit record on the phone. The small window in the door provided a clear shot, while I remained hidden.

What the hell?

Why was Mr. Sharpe meeting with Patricia Genovese at this time of night? They spoke too low to hear what was being said, and it appeared casual.

My gut wasn’t sure what to make of this. They weren’t hugging or kissing or even laughing. They weren’t exchanging money or bags, at least from what I could see. Their body language was neutral, but the vibe was serious. It might have been a parent-teacher conference, but it was still strange. Was this truly about Vicky?

I leaned closer, trying to pick up on what was being said, but it was no use.

They shook hands, and I twisted, waving for Ren to get into the classroom. She jumped inside with me right behind her. I barely got the door closed before they passed our hiding spot on their way to the main entrance.

I watched them through the glass until I couldn’t see them anymore, then turned to Ren.

She signed. Who was it?