Page 84 of Lady Killer

“Starbright.” Everest’s voice came from the other side. “We need to talk.”

Ugh, right, of course we did.

I rubbed my eyes again. They felt heavy and grimy, and I realized that in my discombobulated state last night, I’d forgotten to wash my face.

Gross.

“Give me a minute,” I called out, my voice still raspy with sleep as I made a dash to the bathroom.

Brushing my teeth and washing my face was the bare minimum, but it was ritual enough to center myself before confronting the charming psychopath. Something about Everest called to me, and I needed a moment to get myself together.

I didn’t bother getting dressed, instead grabbing a robe to wear over my plain gray lyocell nightgown. It was nothing special but kept the most important bits covered, which was all that mattered.

“Come in,” I finally said, taking a seat at the end of the bed, smoothing the cover out at my side.

The door opened to reveal Everest carrying a large tray full of what smelled like breakfast.

As per usual, he was dressed conservatively but stylishly. Today, he’d swapped the country club chinos for a pair of wool dress pants paired with a simple black turtleneck that made his striking features look even more severe.

His ever-present grin was there as he kicked the door shut behind him.

“Breakfast, my lady,” he said, placing the tray on the dresser with a sweep of his hand.

“What do you want, Everest?” I said, working hard to keep my tone even.

“A lifetime of my name on your lips, to start.”

My nostrils flared as I took a deep inhale. “Be serious, I mean it.”

“So do I, Starbright, and if I were a less patient man, I would be starting to get frustrated that you don’t believe me.”

Iwasstarting to believe him, which was why last night hurt so much.

“Why didn’t you tell me about Lucian?” My throat felt swollen as I rushed out the words.

Everest’s smile flattened and his brows furrowed. “What do you mean?” he said, coming to stand in front of me.

“What do you mean, ‘What do you mean?’” I threw my hands up. “I mean, you were in a relationship with someone else while we were fooling around, and you didn’t tell me!”

Everest looked down at me, confusion written in his eyes. “But I thought you knew?”

He meant it. The murderous psychopath thought I knew.

“Lucian is the only person I’ve ever cared enough for to listen to, at least since my parents died,” he said, his blue eyes wide.

The earnestness of his confession struck me like a slap, and I swallowed down my protest.

Then he broke me.

“Until I met you.”

The pressure built up in my eyes. I didn’t know why his words pierced me now, when he had never hidden his feelings for me. But there was a clarity about his actions that was impossible to ignore.

Lucian was special to Everest. I was special to Everest.

To him, it was as simple as that.

Shaking my head, I took a second to collect myself, then looked up at him, trying my best to level him with a serious look. “Other partners are the kind of thing you have to tell people before you have sex with them.”

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