Chapter Thirty-Five #2
If there was one thing Verity hated more than bed rest, it was the fact she needed it.
Taking Dr Smythe’s advice, she begrudgingly allowed Theo to take care of her, tucking her in and keeping her hydrated.
They agreed that if anyone realised she was staying with him, they would say it was because he needed the blood, and they were worried about her safety given her association with him after the attack. It was a valid excuse.
He also left her with the burner phone, saying he’d use Jesse’s if he needed to. He’d only given it to her as a distraction to keep her in bed, but that was fine by Verity.
Replying to everyone took time. She told her mum she was staying with a friend, knowing she wouldn’t like the idea of her staying with a vampire.
Cora’s message didn’t have its usual pep but at least she’d checked in.
Verity told her she was fine and staying with Theo, not wanting any more lies between them.
The message that brought her the most relief was Adam’s. For once, something had gone right. He’d received a new client who was helping him through withdrawal rather than taking advantage of him. His client was a bit "tough love" as Adam put it, but Verity was grateful for anything that helped.
Adam also mentioned he’d passed her number on to Sienna, though the other woman had not been in contact yet. Hopefully that was down to Sienna realising Verity’s phone might be compromised. Still, Verity needed to know she was okay after what had happened with Abe, so she asked Adam for her number.
With that done, she had little else to do but listen to the hushed, clipped voices of Theo and Jesse from the other room.
Whatever the plan was, it wasn’t going well.
They couldn’t ask Petra Rose to come to Ashhaven and have nothing to show her.
Although, Verity did find herself wondering exactly what Jesse had said to get her to agree, given his topless photographs.
She couldn’t help but chuckle. Maybe Jesse was nothing like Theo — or maybe, once all this was over, Theo would be sending her thirst traps of his own.
Her mind drifted as she turned the situation over, considered their lack of options, considered how trapped they were. The drifting became drowsiness, and sleep claimed her without warning. Before she knew it, Theo was sliding into bed beside her, wrapping her in his arms.
“You want a drink? Food?”
She shook her head.
“Are you sure?” Why was this man always obsessed with her eating?
“I’m fine. You two got a plan yet?” she murmured, barely keeping her eyes open.
Theo huffed.
“I’ll take that as a no,” she said.
“Stella isn’t allowed into work. Apparently, as my assistant, if I’m not there, she doesn’t need to be either.
I have no idea how to get to my briefcase for the original reports and my laptop.
” He fidgeted, arms tightening around her waist. “Stella says she’s locked out of the network, she can’t even log in.
If she can’t, then I won’t be able to. We’re completely shut out.
Jesse’s going to try something, but I don’t even know what he can do this time. ”
“Jesse’s…” Verity started, not quite knowing how to finish, as warmth pulled her back towards sleep.
“He can be a little unconventional,” Theo said.
“His eyes,” Verity murmured. “So blue…”
If Theo replied, she didn’t hear it. Oblivion claimed her.
By the following night there was still no plan.
Jesse had gone out, gods-only knew where, leaving Verity and Theo in the apartment with nothing to do but wait.
Theo said he was feeling better, but the dark lines of his face had deepened overnight.
With every hour that slipped by, the hollows of his cheeks grew more pronounced, his eyes darker.
She’d asked him to drink over and over, but he wouldn’t listen.
“You need to rest,” he kept saying. “You need to conserve your energy.”
The irony of that coming from him, the one who had been bleeding out on a hospital bed a few days ago, was not lost on her. She knew he wouldn’t take what she offered, just as she knew he needed it.
Verity massaged her temples at the kitchen island while Theo paced the lounge.
She didn’t want to tell him, but she did have an idea, the beginning of one at least. She didn’t know yet if it had legs.
She hadn’t mentioned it to Theo because she already knew what he’d say, and "no" would be his final answer before she’d even finished explaining.
Sometimes his need to protect her outweighed his need to get things done.
People could die if they didn't act, if someone wasn’t willing to take the risk.
Theo might not be willing to risk her for it, but she was willing to risk herself.
When Jesse reappeared, he brought a newspaper at Verity’s request.
“Isn’t going to make for easy reading,” he said, slapping it down on the counter.
She read the headline and her heart sank before reading on: "In the wake of the vicious attack on Lord Mayor Chapel, police have taken the decision to enforce daylight curfews on humans until further notice."
“What the fuck?” she said.
Theo was immediately on the phone, and Verity knew that if she was going to do anything, if she was going to get that briefcase back - get to the articles and reports before someone else did - it had to be now.