Page 98 of A Wild Darkness

“Yeah,” I grit out, forcing a smile.

“Let me know what Annabel says.” His reminder is stern, meant to show his dominance. What a joke. “Hopefully someone has seen him.” Silas turns his back to me, then makes his way down the hallway.

“You know our type…We thrive under seclusion and isolation,” I exclaim in a hushed tone.

Silas’s arm waves into the air as he gets farther away. “That we do.”

I close the door behind me and quickly realize I never updated Christian last night. I wasn’t thinking clearly after that kiss with Stevie, so I walk over to my suitcase and thumb through it until my fingers land on the SE earpieces.

“Christian?”

A few moments go by before he responds. “Sebastian.”

“Sorry I didn’t update you last night.”

“Too busy fucking?”

“Piss off. Nothing happened,” I lie.

“Give it more time.”

I squat onto the floor above my suitcase and keep the earpiece close to my mouth, making sure I’m not too loud. “Jealous? How long has it been since you got your dick wet?”

“I’m too busy handling everything for you and River because you guys can’t seem to be around an attractive woman without getting obsessed with her.”

“Sounds like someone needs to get laid.”

A different laugh vibrates the small speaker.

“Hayden?”

“Present,” Hayden answers humorously.

I laugh, not surprised to hear him on the call. “You could have announced yourself earlier, dickhead.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Hayden jokes. “Besides, I think you both need some pussy. Me? I get it whenever and wherever I want.”

Christian’s laughter is loud in my ear, forcing me to glance behind me as if Stevie can hear too.

“Okay, back to business,” I say. “Last night didn’t go exactly as planned, but whatever. It’s done, and that’s all that matters.”

“Which one?”

“Larry the Lurker,” I say.

“How’d Stevie do?” Christian asks.

Hayden clears his throat. “Wait, what do you mean it didn’t go as planned?”

I take a beat to think about how I’m going to respond to either one of their questions, but let’s be real, it’s a complicated answer. “Stevie did very well. She was supposed to get Larry into the hallway so we could set him up for a suicide, but he insisted on taking her out onto the balcony instead.”

“Annnd?” Christian drawls out.

I rub the back of my neck. “Basically, I strangled him with my belt and then threw him off the ledge, sending him down a cliff.”

“No shit? Really?” Hayden chuckles.

“Not your typical MO, is it?” Christian cracks up, barely getting the words out. “More of a passionate murder, don’t you think?”