Page 63 of Twisted Devotion

Seth smiles at me, and the tightness in my chest releases its grip. “Deal.”

After hugging him for ten minutes straight, I finally leave the recovery room and find Jackson in his office. “We can head home,” I say. “Tristan and Aurora are coming to stay with him tonight. I’ll come back in the morning.”

We walk out of the office together after I stop by reception and thank Bethany for being here today. She gives me a quick hug, and the three of us head out to the parking lot together. We walk Bethany to her car and then head toward Jackson’s.

“Hey, Red?” Jackson says, and I turn to him just in time to catch the keys he tosses to me.

I manage a tired smile as I unlock the Escalade and get behind the wheel. I can’t help but feel this is a big deal. He’s finally letting me drive his damn car.

I click my buckle in place before sliding the key into the ignition and let out a breath.

What a freaking day.

Exhaustion rolls through me like a wave, and I can’t wait to get home and fall into bed.

19

We’re about halfway back to Jackson’s when the music stops, interrupted by an incoming call from Allison.

I press the answer button on the steering wheel and say, “Hey, what’s up?”

“Hey, Kelsey. I tried your cell, but you didn’t answer. We need to talk.” Her voice is strained.

“What happened? Are you all right?”

There’s murmuring on the other side of the line that I can’t make out, and then Allison says, “Where are you?”

I glance sideways at Jackson, but he doesn’t say anything. “We’re almost home.”

“We’re sending a security team to relieve you first thing tomorrow.”

My pulse jumps. “Why?”

“I don’t know how to say this,” she murmurs hesitantly.

I grip the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turn white. “Can you figure it out, please? You’re scaring me.”

“I’m so sorry, I—” she cuts off, sniffling.

Is she crying?

“Allison,” I repeat in a firm tone, “tell me what’s going on.”

“Maybe I should drive over there so we can talk,” she says in a small voice.

My rapidly climbing blood pressure doesn’t have time for that. “Tell me what’s going on right now.” Desperation creeps into my tone, and I clench my jaw against the sound of it.

Silence fills the line, and then her voice comes through. “Kyle is dead.”

I slam on the brakes to narrowly avoid rear-ending the car in front of us and swear under my breath. “What did you just say?” My voice cracks.

She sucks in a breath. “We received a report from one of Nikolai’s contacts on the police force. They found Kyle in his apartment this morning.”

Fingers aching from gripping the wheel so tightly, I switch lanes to turn off the main road and press my foot down on the gas, heading toward Kyle’s place.

Jackson’s voice is soft when he says, “Kelsey—”

“Don’t,” I bite out.

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