Page 38 of Soulless Deeds

I shook my head. “And I followed your advice. Except for her, there has been no one else.”

Aster opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, I shook my head again and repeated my admitted defeat. “There is no one else.”

Aster’s eyes flared with understanding before leaving me to the consequences of my actions. Despite the absolute craziness of the situation, unwarranted warmth saturated my insides. I buried it deep, submerged in the innermost recesses of myself where I couldn’t hope—couldn’t let the toxic attachment grow.

Aster needn’t worry about her safety. Spencer was alive and thriving when, hours before, I’d thought she was dead. To know she was in my home, sharing my space, under my protection…

I was incapable of hurting her or being away from her—a deathly weakness I was loath to admit for the sole reason of her being astutely right.

Spencer will be my end.

XV

Spencer

Iwas left all on my lonesome,orderedto remain in Echo’s apartment until we could come up with a schedule. For what, I had no idea. If he wanted to delude himself into thinking he had some semblance of control over me, he was in for a rude awakening.

My siblings hadn’t stopped blowing up my phone since I left them the night before, concerned for my safety. I flipped the camera to selfie mode, poked out my tongue and sent them a quick snap with the caption:Proof of life.

The image captured the gigantic leather couch beneath me, cushions moulded perfectly to my body, a raging fire right beside me.

Echo’s apartment was predominantly white, with black accents sprinkled throughout. Despite the luxurious decor, his apartment held no life—a typical bachelorpad with all clean lines, devoid of personality or taste.

He had nothing of substance, nor any personal effects, and I should know. He’d barely been gone an hour, and I’d already raided the whole place. I had Chase to thank for my infiltration skills. My sister was nosy as fuck. She had called it inquisitive; the rest of us called it intrusive. Either way, it was her mostcontroversial attribute. She needed to know everything abouteverything, that singular trait getting us into more trouble than I could count. Despite it all, I’d have willingly given anything to have that busybody back in my life.

Echo’s home (if you could even call it that) was utterly boring, leaving me thoroughly disappointed.

Surely, I haven’t misjudged him? Imagine me falling for someone suffocatingly mundane.The mere thought made me cringe.

No way. It couldn’t be… Ordinary people don’t fuck like him.

His only saving grace was a secret stash ofSweeter than Sweetcandy I found in a hidden compartment built into the lining of his walk-in wardrobe. For that fact alone, I hadn’t stolen his dozen jewelled watches that were locked up alongside them (couldn’t speak for the multiple cards that slipped into my pocket, though).

I popped a bubble with my gum and flipped his spare credit card between my fingers, the familiar four letters of his alias engraved in place of his name. When I’d left Nightingale Cemetery, I left all my belongings behind.

So, without another thought, I opened a new message for my bestie, Remi, telling him to meet me in the lobby.

Time to go shopping…and it’s my shout

The elevator doors pinged open, and Remi’s eyes bugged out when he took me in. His silver gaze tracked over the loose men’s tee tied at my belly button, down to the boxers poking out the waistband of my oversized jeans, cinched tightly around my waist with a thick black belt.

When I halted in front of him, he tried and failed to hold in a snicker. “What are you wearing?”

I pinched his ear dramatically. “I don’t have any clothes, so I borrowed some from Echo.” His eyebrows popped as I looped my arm through his, leading us to the lobby doors. “Doesn’t matter what I wear. Still hot, though.”

Remi sighed but didn’t disagree with my observation. “What the fuck have you gotten yourself into, girl? How the hell did you get locked up in Echo’s apartment? That has never happened in the history of… Well, forever.”

Just as we reached the doorway, guess who waltzed right through? Grabbing onto my elbow, Echo dragged me to a darkened corner with no misstep or second of hesitation.

I let him back me up against the wall, hands raising to rest on either side of my head. We had no contact, but warmth radiated from him, tunnelling into my skin. I couldn’t see his eyes, sunglasses so dark they closed off the gateway to his very soul.Not that he has one to begin with, the murderous bastard.

“Where do you think you’re going,Ghost?”The last word was infused with a bit of extra something, that one syllable skating over my body with suggestion.Oh, I like it when he’s bossy.

I tentatively snaked a hand up through the minute space between us, lifting his glasses to rest atop his head. His hazel eyes were blazing with barely restrained animosity.

“Get your ass back in that elevator and in my apartment.Now.”

I lifted onto my tip toes and popped my gum right over his lips.“Make. Me.”

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