Page 56 of Kiss the Dawn
Now why was that so sexy? There was something seriously wrong with me. But I knew Hemlock well enough to believe that he would do what he promised, and as much as I hated what had happened, as much as it would haunt me, I couldn’t live with myself if Eliza lost the men she loved.
She’d tried to stop them. She hadn’t been in on the plan.
“I don’t want them hurt.”
He smiled, mirthless. “I don’t care what you want.”
“Yes, you do.”
The words hung between us heavy with truth, and Hemlock was the first to break eye contact and drain his glass.
“Go get washed up,” he said. “Dinner will be on the table in ten minutes, and after that we’ll play chess, and afterthatyou’ll go to bed.”
“Alone?” Why had I said that?
Longing twisted his features briefly before he regained composure. “I can take the sofa.”
I didn’t argue this time because something hadchanged between us since our chat on the balcony, and it didn’t feel right to push him into increased proximity right now.
I finished my whiskey. “Okay. I’ll be right back.”
I headed to the bedroom to wash up and change into my comfy PJs.
I was so going to kick his ass at chess.
Hemlock beat me at chess,which wouldn’t have been too bad if he hadn’t been so smug about it.
By the time we finished, it was almost one in the morning, and my eyes were gritty.
Hemlock stretched and yawned. “Time for bed.”
“Yeah, I’m wiped, but thanks for keeping me company. The food, drink and?—”
“Beating you at chess?”
I bit back a smile. “That too.”
“Oh, before I forget, the investigation into how you ended up with the Order highlighted your parents’ deaths…They’re not sure it was accidental. Some of the details are off.”
All traces of sleep evaporated. “What? How could they have missed that?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure. But I’ve made it clear that we need answers and fast.”
“Do you think my parents were…murdered?”
His expression was grave. “Bearing in mind what we know about you now, the possibility isn’t off the table.” He exhaled. “They would have known you weren’t their biological child and lied about it.”
“You think they knew where I’d come from and how…” My eyes widened because I’d just assumed someone had switched their real baby for me or something. “You thinktheywere in on it?”
“At this stage, anything is possible.”
“Then who murdered them? No. I don’t believe they were involved. Took me in and lied that I was theirs, maybe, but there’s more going on here.”
“Agreed. We will get to the bottom of it.”
It felt like all we had was questions. Who had smuggled me off the Isle? Who set fire to the boat house and killed a bunch of vampires? Who messed with Merry’s mind? What happened to the missing people? And was Edwin okay, and probably a dozen more that I was forgetting right now.
I went to bed with a heavy heart, a tired mind, and the hope that Ezekiel would be waiting for me in my dreams.
