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“I had that same thought,” Jess said. She pushed a wave of shiny brown hair over her shoulder. “Let’s start reading fantasy next.”
“So that a dragon can come and burn my house down?” Noah asked. “No, thank you.”
“Or so that a dragon makes you com—”
“Jake,” Noah said, cutting off his husband with a slap to the chest.
“Ding, ding, ding,” Jess said and clapped her hands together. “I want that dragon to lightmeon fire, not my house.”
26
TRISTAN HALL
I leanedagainst the clean kitchen counter, my brother’s face filling my phone screen. He smiled as blue water reflected down from the aquarium tank that surrounded him. He was in the shark tunnel at the Tampa Aquarium, where he’d found his dream job pretty early on in life. That’s something us as brothers happened to share: aside from big smiles and asymmetrical dimples, we’d also both found our passions quickly and worked hard to make our dreams real.
I was proud of him.
“And you’re sure everything’s good over there?” he asked. I’d just given him the rundown on the most recent developments. My entire family wanted me out of the state, under government protection if possible, so I had to constantly reassure them I was fine.
They didn’t know about the abduction… that was something I couldn’t really bring myself to talk about yet. I couldn’t imagine telling my mom over the phone, my little brother, my dad. They would be completely distraught, hurting for me without me being able to comfort them.
That would have to wait until everyone was together. For now, I gave Malik the SparkNotes version of my ordeal.
“I’m good,” I reassured him. I glanced at the clock on the wall. Gabriel was supposed to get home in ten minutes. I already had my surprise all set up for him, which made me wish I could just speed up time and have him home earlier. “Gabe is getting close. I think we won’t have to be scared for much longer.”
“I hope so, Trist. This shit has me stressed the fuck out.”
“Yeah, you’re telling me.” I walked around the kitchen island, glancing out the window above the sink. It looked out to a dark yard, a tall fence surrounding it. There was an invisible fence that ran along the same length, triggering the cameras and yard lights to turn on. So far, all I saw on the camera were cats, squirrels, and a couple of opossums.
Thankfully.
“How’s Farrin?” I asked of my brother’s new boyfriend. I met him a couple of months back. He was a good guy, with freckles for days and a puppy-dog look every time he glanced at my brother. It was sweet seeing them together.
“He’s doing great,” Malik said as a hammerhead shark lazily drifted over his head, a manta ray flying close to its fin. “Got a promotion at work. We’re thinking of adopting a pup, so we’ll see. There might be a new addition to the family soon.”
“Well, let me know. I’ll send a few chew toys over. From the guncle.”
“Perfect,” Malik said. He put his fingers up to his forehead and gave a little salute. “Alright, Trist, call me if you need anything.”
“You, too. Love you.”
“Love you.” We hung up, leaving me with the crackling of the electronic fireplace I had left playing on the television. The sound of a car engine pulling into the driveway and turning off drew my attention. I went out to the living room, wearing only a pair of small black shorts. The lighting was low, and the couch had been moved to the guest room, replaced by a white massage table and crisp white sheets, folded with a plush towel rolled up near the headrest. Candles gave off a faint scent of rain-soaked meadows—at least, that’s what the label said. All I could smell was the distinct smell of a blue Febreze bottle.
This was literally the least I could do to thank Gabe, who had rushed into my life at the exact moment I needed him. He never second-guessed his role in protecting me, and he worked diligently to figure out what was really going on. I wish I could pay him, but considering how low my royalty checks had been lately, that wasn’t a possibility, which made me even more grateful for him. I had asked how he was getting paid, and he told me Zane had shifted his agency to salaried detectives so clients didn’t have to take on the burden.
Still, I wanted to throw all the money and time and energy I had at him.
The locks on the door clicked open. The hinges creaked. A large shadow filled the doorframe, coming into focus as the candle flames shifted back into place after fighting with the sudden draft.
“Holy shit,” Gabe said, stepping in. He looked around, those blue orbs glittering, that smile growing. He had a bag in his hand, white with thin gray straps.
I grabbed his hand and led him to the table. “I wasn’t joking about me giving great massages.” I gave him a kiss, my body fitting flush against his.
“I was just gone for twenty minutes,” he said against my lips.
“I work fast.”
He chuckled and separated from me, lifting his bag and placing it on the massage table. “Let me give you this first.” He opened the bag, an Apple logo on the front. He took out a… laptop? What the fuck?
