Page 38 of Her Ruin

My mouth twisted with bitterness. I scoffed, sitting on the couch and leaning back against the cushion. “And what could you have done? Pulled a miracle out of your ass? Come on.”

“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t have gone to Zayn,” he muttered. “I would have helped you figure something out.”

I sighed. He didn’t understand. “It’s done.” My voice was quiet. Resigned. “The gala will go ahead. Lyndsay will be amazed at my ability to get a booking at the venue that is unbookable by anyone other than Zayn, and that’s the positive part of this in case you’d forgotten.”

“I’m struggling to find the positive,” Julian grumbled. “Zayn doesn’t dofreefavors, Isla. You owe him now.”

Did I tell him I already owed him? I thought it was probably best kept a secret. Julian never knew about the kiss. He didn’t know I went to Zayn the night he ran out of my house with a gun in his hand. He didn’t need to know now. He never needed to know that twice now when I had needed something, needed help, I had gone to Zayn.

“Isla?”

I clenched my jaw. “I know.”

“Do you?” he pressed. “Because it sounds to me like you walked out of there without knowing what he’s going to ask for in return.”

I swallowed, eyeing the glass of wine I’d left on the counter. I didn’t know what he would ask for, and I suspected I wouldn’t like it. I knew that was a problem. But it wasn’t a problem for today.

I heard Julian sigh again. “Look, you don’t know him, not really. I know you will do what you want to do, but just…be careful with him, all right?”

“He’s your friend,” I whispered, feeling panic settle in. I was expecting Julian to be resistant, but I wasn’t expecting his tone to soundthisapprehensive.

“Heismy friend,” he confirmed. “But I am very, very careful of that friendship.” I heard the faucet running and knew he was probably going to make tea. “He’s not always a good guy,” he blurted suddenly.

“I know.”

We’d had so many arguments about Zayn over the years. I’d been the voice of reason each and every time. I’d been the one who told Julian he wasn’t a good guy; now, here I was, being warned by my best friend against the very thing I’d advocated for, for years.

“I mean it,” Julian pressed. “Be careful.”

“I will.” Even though I knew he couldn’t see me, I nodded.

“I’ll talk to him,” he said, and I sat up instinctively. “Either try to get him to be…nice,” he said, sounding like he had choked on the very idea of it, “or let you out of this altogether.”

“I need the Elixir for the gala,” I pressed. “I’m not letting that go.”

“Isla…”

“No.”

He said nothing more about it, we said our goodbyes, and I put the phone down. But I knew Julian well enough to know this wasn’t the end of this conversation.

He’d be hovering. Watching. Waiting for the moment Zayn called in his favor.

And I was honest enough with myself. I knew I was waiting for it, too.

And maybe even looking forward to it.

* * *

I took a deep breath,rolling my shoulders back as I adjusted my blazer. Calm. Composed. Professional.

That’s what I needed to be.

I entered the hotel and made my way to the conservatory, saying hello to those I passed. When I walked in, the first person I saw was Pete, the project foreman. He took one look at me and immediately left.

Good thing I wasn’t easily offended. The speed he left at would have been insulting if I hadn’t known he was runningfromme because of whathehad done.

Gerard was at his favorite table, drinking coffee, with a basket of fresh pastries in front of him. He looked up as I approached.

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