Page 13 of Love & Heart Braking

I pursed my lips. “Not a problem as such, but something I need to be open about. You should be aware that your details and love journey will always be absolutely confidential outside of these walls. Always. With that said, I need to let you know that I’m, uh, friends with your son.”

“Devereaux?” Her eyes widened. She peered at me. “A cupid? He’s never said anything about a cupid friend. His type tend to…”

“Keep to themselves? He said that. We’ve only known each other for a few months.”

I couldn’t believe I was meeting his mother like this. This was the woman who’d filled his freezer with lasagna. The woman whose son was ripped from her and locked in a facility for five years on the back of losing her husband to his rhage. She’d had such a traumatic end to her first love match.

She grimaced. “That does complicate things. I’m not sure how Devereaux will react. Do you think he’ll be hurt?”

I was reasonably certain that even if Devereaux wasn’t in his teens any longer, he still believed his mother to be strongly in love with his father.

“He loves you. Even if there are bumps in the road, ultimately, he wants his mother happy. Please be assured I would never, ever betray your confidence to him. This is your path, and no one else’s.”

The tension drained from her shoulders. “I believe you. I’ve come to realize that I need to consider my future too. I’ve turned down dates in the past to keep my Devvy from more hurt, but he’s older now.”

My Devvy. He was her everything. “Your future happiness is very important. To you and your son. So, if you’re happy to forge ahead, then so I am.”

She searched my expression. “I’m ready. Furoras would understand. He’d want me to be happy.”

Furoras would have berated her for waiting so many years. I opened our dating software. “Let’s see who I can find for you.”

4

“Got the papers?” I asked Soleil as we weaved between the crowds toward the shadier end of Mercury’s Bend. Anyone following would have a hard time tracking us through the thick throng of clubbers.

Soleil patted her handbag. “For the fifth time, yes.”

I’d managed to convince her to accept Bain’s loan offer. The conveyance documents had already been on standby, and she’d had Sintin push them through this afternoon for signing.

This move felt too quick on one hand. Completely right on the other.

I couldn’t wait to pull the rug out from under three of the twelve families. Not that it would dent their wealth any, but it felt like a massive fuck you.

The gold token warmed in my palm, and I glanced at it. “Left arrow.”

We turned down the next alley.

My nose wrinkled at the upturned rubbish bins.

The token warmed again.

Right arrow.

This was less of an alley, and more of a tiny gap between rows of shoddy apartments.

Another right.

Soleil’s panicked voice rose behind me. “I think I just stood on a rat.”

A lethal siren terrified of critters. “It’s just a twig.”

“Really?”

No. There were rats everywhere. “Yes.”

“Phew.”

The gold token grew hot, and I peered up at the heavy wooden door ahead. I set the token against the wood. “Here to see Fenton Icktus.”

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