Page 106 of Relapse

I was the internal contact. My blood price was happening tonight.

“Jace wants you to lead it.”

That threw me. Because if my time was coming, I’d assume Jace would want to be there. I highly doubted he’d want me to be in charge during a time meant to punish me. How would I lead my own blood price?

“He isn’t going?” I asked, trying to keep cool under the pressure. I didn’t want to let on that I knew. I needed to be able to at least partially protect myself if needed. And that meant not trusting anyone but myself.

“No, you’re behind the wheel. Make sure you finish up the paperwork so we can get going. It’s a long drive.”

I nodded, allowing my gaze to casually drift back to my laptop screen. I didn’t want to alert him or seem on edge by his request. Just another day. Just another job.

“We’re leaving from here, so make sure you take what you need.”

Take what I need, huh? I thought to myself. What was that supposed to be—a fucking body bag? A shovel? A damn will?

Either way, I had to face this. Jace’s demands were never unanswered, and the throbbing reminder of his cigar burns on the back of my neck never let me forget. I answered him, and I better make it count. I wanted to get out of this punishment alive, so whatever was asked of me tonight, I’d be putting on a performance.

Because surviving was more important than anything else.

I wanted to see Noah again.

My mind was constantly plagued by thoughts of his presence. His smile. His rumpled bed head of hair. His dark eyes.

My body yearned for him. He was like a switch I couldn’t turn off. Not even if I wanted to.

I wondered if I would ever see him again.

My fingers twitched forward to my cell phone. I debated calling him again. One last time. But something inside told me this might be easier. If I died tonight, it would be easier for Noah to get over it if I didn’t drag him back into my own mess. He deserved better than to be brought into this.

Instead, I stood at my desk, buttoning my coat, and for a moment I just stared at the crap cluttered on it. The coffee cup, the paperwork, the pens and sticky note reminders from so many of the secretaries. It all seemed so pointless now, but I wanted to soak in each small moment—just in case they were my last.

And then I remembered. I leaned back down to my desk drawer. Opened it.

Before I left, I made sure to put Noah’s airplane in my pocket.

Chapter twenty-six

Behind Closed Doors

NOAH

“I’m going to a party later,” I called to Damian as I entered the house. “Do you think I can borrow your car?”

“Which one?” Damian answered with a smirk.

I scowled.

“Why can’t you ask your new guard to take you? He’s been itching for something to do. And we’re basically paying him to stay in the house all day long unless you put him to work.”

Yeah right, I thought. How nonchalant would that be? Show up to a birthday party with a fucking lap dog body guard? No way. It was social suicide, and I didn’t even have much of a social life to begin with.

Damian sipped calmly from his cup, waiting for my response. He had a book open on his lap. He was the type who read for pleasure and I never understood that. Weirdo.

“I don’t want to be chauffeured in the Hansen car,” I finally answered with the most pitiful sigh I could muster.

“Did you finish all the work for your courses? Aren’t finals coming up?” Damian questioned.

I groaned. “I turned in everything,” I lied, hoping he wouldn’t ask to see it.