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I moved past my brother and shook her hand. Her skin was on the cool side, but her eyes were warm and friendly, and dimples were lurking about the corners of her lips.
“You don’t actually look too distressed,” I said, waving them both into the living room.
“Oh, I’m not.” She smiled up at Trae as his fingers twined through hers. The love so evident in that brief glance had my heart aching. “Although your brother has been the cause of a fair bit of stress over the last few months or so.”
“He’s like that,” I said wryly. “No thought or concern for those who care about him.”
“Ha,” he said, seating Destiny on the one sofa I had before folding himself to the floor at her feet. “This from the woman who apparently got herself into so much trouble that she gave her mother nightmares?”
I raised my eyebrows as I sat on the chair opposite them. “Why on earth would Mom be worried about me?”
“Because she was getting visions of you in trouble, and no one knew where you were or how to get hold of you. And you weren’t answering your phone.”
“I broke it.” I hadn’t even thought to ring Mom, but even if I had, I wouldn’t have. Especially not after Rainey’s death. “So that’s why you’re here? So you can tell Mom that you’ve seen me and I’m okay?”
“That, and to tell you I’m going to be a dad.”
“Like that wasn’t obvious.” I glanced at Destiny with a smile. “You’re a brave woman to take him on. He’s a little bit crazy. You know that, don’t you?”
She nodded, green eyes twinkling. “I discovered that awhile back.”
Both of them were grinning broadly, and Trae was looking happier than I’d ever seen him, but even as my heart rejoiced for them, it broke a little more.
And Trae saw it. The brightness in his eyes dimmed a little and he frowned. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, brother, I am.” I said it softly, forcefully, and even if I didn’t entirely convince myself, it seemed to convince him, because he relaxed a little. I pushed to my feet. “Now, while I grab us all some coffee, why don’t you tell me how you two met?”
So they did. And I wasn’t the only one who’d had a harrowing time recently, it seemed.
“So,” Trae said, several cups later. “You want to explain how you burned down both my apartment and yours?”
“That’s sort of a long story.” And it wasn’t one I really wanted to get into right then. Not when it was all still so raw.
He raised an eyebrow and gave me the sort of look that suggested he was prepared to wait a very long time indeed. “We have nothing to do for the next couple of hours.”
So much for him believing that I was okay. Thankfully, the doorbell chose that moment to ring. “Gotta answer that,” I said, rather unsuccessfully hiding the relief in my voice as I jumped up.
“We’ll just help ourselves to the contents of your fridge,” he said, voice dry. “And don’t think we’re going to be put off by whoever it is at the door.”
I flashed him a grin over my shoulder in acknowledgment and pressed the intercom button.
“Yes?”
“Mercy? It’s Damon.”
My body went hot, then cold, and my hands were suddenly shaking.
“Who?” My fingers reflexively touched the lotus pendant around my neck. I must have heard wrong. He couldn’t be here. Not after walking away. Not after all his fine speeches about being a muerte and wanting no one to care about.
“It’s me, Mercy.”
He sounded so heartbreakingly real, like he really was standing down there. But part of me didn’t want to believe it. He’d walked away. Surely he wouldn’t just walk back, like nothing had happened.
When I didn’t say anything, he added softly, “I need to talk to you.”
“Why?” I asked automatically. Then I remembered Trae and Destiny standing in my kitch
en, undoubtedly listening to every word, and I added hastily, “I’m coming down.”
