Page 54 of Shadows of Nightshade
“Go for it.” I looked away, not wanting to witness what might happen next. I didn’t ever want to see it again.
15
Titus disappeared while Julian,Damen, and I moved into the living room. Even though Miles stayed in the kitchen to try to save the party by making chocolate chip cookies, the mood was greatly diminished.
I didn’t want to talk—and Julian and Damen clearly expected this reaction. Instead, they stayed close, both absorbed in their own projects, while they left me to sulk under a navy afghan.
Miles arrived with a plate of chocolatey goodness and sat on the floor across from me.
“Don’t let him ruin the rest of your night,” he said, and pushed the full plate across the sofa table. “Eat this. I even put in extra chocolate chips.”
I peeked out from a hole in my blanket fort. I couldn’t deny that the puffy baked offering was tempting. It was almost too much, in fact, to resist. The longer I stared, the more my mouth watered despite my trauma. But, “No, thanks.”
Miles pouted—my refusal had hurthim—yet he respected my decision. “Well, if you’re sure,” he began, and started to pull the plate away. “I guess I’ll just—”
“I changed my mind.” The blanket dropped from my shoulders as I moved out of my shelter and placed my hand over his. What kind of person would rescind such an offering? It was offensive on an almost personal level.
One must be beholden to their word.
I watched him, looking him in the eye, as I took a huge bite of the cookie. “Delicious,” my response was muffled.
The corner of Miles’s mouth lifted in a triumphant grin. “I’m glad.”
“That was brave,” Julian intoned. He’d barely lifted his attention from his book as he joined in our conversation. “Of you both.”
Why brave? I paused mid-action of lifting a second cookie to my mouth and looked between them. Miles, too, seemed confused.
“Why?” he asked. “I’m not worried.”
Why would he be worried?
“Did you do something to the cookie?” I asked him.
“No.” Miles blinked his big, brown eyes at me. He was so cute and earnest that I believed him.
He was too good-natured to do evil.
“Thank you.” It was delicious, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t be cautious. “But if something happens to me, I’m holding you personally responsible.” And that was a promise.
Miles blanched but couldn’t form a coherent reply before Damen slapped his hands together. “That being said,” he interrupted, “there’s something that we need to discuss.”
I grabbed the corners of my blanket as my heartbeat picked up again. Whatever Damen wanted to talk about had to be important. A shadow fell over the room, and I glanced to my left—Titus. His thick, dark features were grim, and my stomach dropped.
I hadn’t heard him return.
“What’s wrong?” My voice came out as a breathless whisper.
“All right.” Titus grimaced as he held up a small square between his strong-looking fingers. “This is your SIM card. I’ve removed it and your battery, and I’ll destroy them. There was also a tracker built into your phone.”
I’d expected that, but it still didn’t stop the blood rushing from my head. Nor did it do anything to quell the anger that’d begun to rise in place of my grief. “What kind of tracker?”
“A location tracker,” Titus replied. “Along with some other things.”
“Like what?” Damen asked with all seriousness.
“All her calls and messages are being monitored.” Titus squeezed his fingers together, and the card snapped in half.
My anger ebbed somewhat.
