Chapter 34
Malachai
“Did I hear the doorbell ring last night?” she asked the next morning, reaching for a piece of fruit across the kitchen island. “It felt like I was dreaming, but I could’ve sworn I heard it.”
I didn’t blink.
“Neighborhood security. The gate sensor got tripped by a stray. Nothing big.”
She nodded, satisfied. I wanted to tell her the truth, but I knew better.
I set my coffee cup down.
“Indigo,” I started, keeping my tone level on purpose; I needed her to know I wasn’t looking for an argument. “About Cooly. I’m asking you, reasonably, to stay away from him until I figure out why he’s in Florida. I don’t trust his intentions.”
She paused, then leaned back against the counter. “He’s just a friend, Malachai. He helped me out a lot in New York when I had nothing. I’m not trying to burn that bridge. He’ll be going back soon anyway.”
I stared at her. Just a friend. The same friend who had told me face-to-face that he was going to kill me and take her. I wanted to tell her about that black box Cooly had dropped on my porch—about the severed head staring back at me.
But I didn’t mention any of that.
Cooly had one thing right: I had lied too much in the past for her to trust my bare word without evidence. If I pushed without proof, she’d just throw Sasha in my face and shut down completely.
So, I just nodded once. “Fine. A few more days.”
She smiled like I’d passed some sort of test. Then she got up, walked around the island, and climbed into my lap.
She kissed me nasty—her tongue slipping into my mouth, hot and demanding, her arms wrapped tight around my neck. She ground against me slowly, like she was rewarding me for not losing my shit.
“I like this,” she whispered against my lips. “Conversation without the threats. You’re being so good today, Malac.”
I wrapped my arms around her waist, my hands splaying across her back, pulling her flush against me. On the outside, I was calm. Inside, my very nuclear cells were on fire.
I glance once more toward the door that led to the garage where the head was stored. I needed to take care of that mess.
“Go to your lesson at the studio; don’t be late,” I said quietly, brushing my thumb over her bottom lip. “I’ll see you at dinner.”
As soon as I heard her car pull out of the driveway, I called the guards to make sure they were following her closely. Then I called Kael. I needed him to do me a favor; I didn’t have the same connections he had anymore.