Page 67 of Dark Encounter
Chapter 24
Grace
Two Weeks Later
"You okay?" Cole sat across from me at DeLuca, his expression kind.
"No." I glanced down at my coffee and forced my feelings back deep inside of me. "I miss him so much. You're sure he's okay?"
"Yeah. He got his ass beat pretty good, but Lucien loves him, Grace. It's just a different kind of relationship."
She shook her head. "And you know this because your father was a monster that beat you too?"
"No. I was an orphan growing up." He shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "You know why Erik wanted you there that night, right?"
"Tell me why." My hands shook, and the world seemed off, wrong.
"He planned on killing Thomas as he was requested to, but he hoped that you'd watch and hate him because of it, truly sealing the deal between the two of you." He glanced down. "He didn't think he was in love with you, or at least not to the extent he was. He woke up that night."
"How are you not furious with him?" I moved closer to the table. "He knocked you out. Used you to get me there."
He smiled. "My little brother would have done the same shit for a woman he loves. Erik is no different."
"Why are you wrapped up in them?"
"Because I have a debt I can't pay, Grace. Lucien paid it off for me, but for that, I'm indebted to him."
"What kind of debt?" I wanted to dig because not pushing forward in the conversation meant returning to our previous one - Erik.
"Erik is going to be fine. He's a strong mother fucker. Scary as hell too. "He chuckled. "I can't tell you the number of times over the last two weeks I had to hold my own against him, and I thought I might shit myself."
The smell of garlic wafted through the air, and I glanced back to see a small boy walking in with his family. He had a small pizza box in his hands. My stomach flipped upside down.
"Oh shit. I'm going to be sick." I got up and ran full speed to the bathroom, barely making it before I hit my knee and lost my breakfast in the toilet.
"Grace?" Jenna's voice calmed me a little. "You okay?"
I groaned and threw up again as she moved up and held my hair back. I finally got myself together enough to sit back on my heels. She handed me a cup of water, and I glanced back to see Cole standing in the doorway.
"I'm okay. Just ate something bad, I guess." I reached for Jenna and stood up.
"Let me take you home." Cole reached for me, but I pulled back.
"No. Please. I appreciate you being kind, but just take care of Erik for me? Let me know how he's doing and keep him safe? Please? I have no one who can help me with that." I brushed my hand across the back of my mouth and leaned against the wall. "Please?"
"Alright. I'll be around if you need me." He lingered in the bathroom doorway a little longer and turned to leave.
Jenna shut the door and put her hand on her hip. "What the fuck was that?"
"Cole? Nothing. He's just a friend."
"You barfing at the smell of garlic."
I shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't felt good for weeks now. Maybe I picked up a bug."
She reached out and pushed on one of my breasts.
I screamed and swatted at her. "That hurt!"
