Page 26 of King of Night

“I did.”He slowly inhales and looks up, brown eyes meeting mine.“And I regret that every single day.I lost you.”Looking away, he shakes his head and plows a hand through his dark hair.“I knew what I was doing would hurt you.Yet I did it anyway.I told you that you could trust me as I lied to your face.And those lies and manipulation pushed you until you couldn’t take it anymore and I made you the bad guy so I could play the victim and not have to deal with the guilt of what I did.And I’m sorry.I don’t deserve your forgiveness yet you gave it to me.”

My mouth opens and closes, both taken aback and impressed at how insightful Easton was.Almost dying—the most recent time at least—most have really rattled him.“I’m okay being the villain from time to time.And I did go a littleCarrieat the end, though you totally deserved worse.”

He chuckles.“I did.None of that shattered glass came close to me.”Holding my gaze, he inches closer.“I really am sorry.I went into that job thinking it would be easy.We were taught witches are bad.It seemed so black and white at the time.Make sure you were a witch and then finish the job.”

“Well, I’m glad I made things difficult.”

He chuckles.“Me too.I didn’t want to hurt you.But you’re right.I did and I’m sorry.”

“Hey, to be fair, you weren’t the first or last person to try to kill me.Besides, you know what they say.The scars on our hearts aren’t left by our enemies, but by those who we loved most.”I fold my arms across my chest.“The biggest wounds I have are definitely from people I loved and who I thought loved me.”

“Yeah.The whole Martin family stuff.”He shakes his head and looks back at me.“I could see how fucked up it was from the start even though you tried to hide it at the time.”

“I think everyone could,” I add with a laugh.“I’m sure even William’s buddies…actually I don’t know how the fuck anyone bought the stories he told.They were so inconsistent and didn’t even make sense.I was just a kid yet I was away on missions and at some fancy boarding school at the same time.Abby isn’t that much older than me, so why was she going school in Chicago while I was supposedly away in Europe?”I shrug.“I used to care more than I do now.People can hurt us the most, that’s for sure, but this whole pending world domination by demons kinda overshadows that.”

“You know what else is fucked up?”

“What is?”

“That I’m almost glad for that.”

I let out a snort of laughter.“I get what you mean, actually.I’d rather deal with demons than my feelings most days too.”

“I definitely prefer the kind of demon I can kill.”

“Oh, me too.Because those inner demons…yeah.Not a fan.”I smile and slowly inhale.“I’m glad I ran into you,” I tell him, feeling a sense of closure I never thought I’d ever get.“You’re doing okay?”

“Yeah.Considering.”

“Right?Fucking djinn.”I let out a sign, thinking we should have had that conversation years ago.The heartbreak and betrayal trauma he left fucked me up for years.“You know, when things calm down, we should break into the Order’s warehouse and destroy something else.We’re lucky that djinn attached to me, really.”

“That’s one way to put it.And it’s interesting you say calm down because just this morning, we got a bunch of calls.That’s why I met with those assholes.”

“Calls about demons?”

“Yep.Tons of demonic activity has been recorded along Ley lines.”

“Fuck,” I sigh.“That was fast.”

“What did you do?”Easton narrows his eyes, trying to joke, but I wince instead of laugh.

“Nothing I can’t handle, though one of these days, I’m going to find my limit.If anything like really unusual catches your attention, let me know.”

“I will.Be careful.”

“You too.”I smile and hold his gaze for a moment and then nod before turning and walking back to the restaurant.Juliet is asleep in Abby’s arms and she insists I get a break while I can.She and Ricci already ordered so I quickly glance over the menu and add to the order.

“Exes, right?”Ricci says.“Though if I had one that looked like that, he wouldn’t stay an ex.”

I just smile and wish I had a glass of wine like she and Abby do.A few sips wouldn’t hurt anything, right?Though, there’s an annoyingly self-aware part of me that remind me how I used booze as a coping mechanism, and even though I rarely was hungover thanks to being half-angel, it still wasn’t healthy.I need to deal with my feelings one way or another instead of masking them with alcohol.

God, being a mom has made me boring.

“So how’s the pool coming?”Abby asks, changing the subject for me.

“Everything is pretty much set,” I tell her.“Though I did realize we totally missed the opportunity to hide a few bodies under the pool.The landscaping isn’t all done yet, though I kinda don’t see the point in putting in plants and flowers that will inevitably end up trampled.”

“Trampled?”Ricci asks.

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