Page 50 of Unholy

“They’ve been watching us for the last month. What for? You’ve been with Talon longer than that. They didn’t start watching us then, though. There has to be another reason it started just recently.”

Talon hummed, and Malachi tipped his head back, thinking. He’d been following Luke longer than that. Hell, he’d beenwithLuke longer than that. That night at the dinerwas about a month ago, and Luke had gotten spooked right after that because someone reported seeing them together.

A jolt went through Malachi. “Oh fuck me.”

Everyone turned to look at him.

Had someone been following him all this time? Did theyknow?

“Tell us,” Talon said.

Malachi licked his dry lips. “About a month ago, Luke wanted to end things. He got spooked at HQ because someone had reported seeing us together. He lied to Sloan about why I’d approached him that night, and Sloan seemed to accept it.” But what if he hadn’t? What if he’d pretended to, and secretly sent paladins to watch Luke instead? “Why wouldn’t they have confronted him if they suspected he was seeing a demon?”

Talon braced his hands on the bar. “Maybe they wanted to catch him in the act. Have you been out in public together since then?”

“No, no. I followed him on a patrol one night, but he hunts alone. No one saw us.”

“Are yousure?”

He didn’tknow. Fuck, what if he’d insisted on following Luke andhewas the reason Luke got hurt? He fumbled his phone from his pocket and sent a text.

Everything ok? Call me when you can. Something’s come up.

When he raised his head, Alex’s mouth was pursed sympathetically.

“What are you doing? Stop looking at me like that.”

“You can’t be caught going to his apartment,” Alex said. “And he can’t be seen going into yours.”

“What the fuck do we do then?” he asked hotly. “I’m not just going to stop seeing him.”

“Be discreet,” Talon said. “Like you said. Park around the block, wait until they’re distracted.”

“Kill them?” Malachi asked hopefully.

Talon rolled his eyes. “That’s not pretending we don’t know they’re there.”

“And would Luke approve of killing his shield-brothers?” Alex asked.

Malachi growled.

His phone chimed.

I’m fine. Headed home. What’s wrong?

Don’t go home. Go to mine. Park around the block. Don’t let anyone see you go in.

That would work for now—he hoped. If the paladins were following Malachi, Luke could get up to his apartment unseen while Malachi had them distracted here.

What’s happening?

Malachi sighed.

I’ll explain when I get there. Be safe.

This would force Luke’s hand. He would have to choose between staying with Malachi and continuing his work for the guild. They wouldn’t let him have both, and though he would sneak around as long as Luke wanted, it wasn’t a sustainable plan. Something would have to give.

He slid his glass over. “Pour me another, Wolf. I’ve gotsome time to kill while I keep my new shadows distracted long enough for him to get to my place.” Hopefully no one was following Luke. He wasn’t used to hoping. It didn’t feel like enough.

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