Page 33 of Secrets & Desires
He took her hand and pulled her into his arms. “You do, Livia.Youdo.”
She touched his face. “Come back to bed, Nox. I’ll show you happiness.” And she led him back to theirbedroom.
ChapterFourteen
“So,”Livia began awkwardly as she sat in the kitchen ofLa Chat Noirwith Moriko. Their shift had just ended, just after the lunch rush, and Marcel was talking to an attractive young woman out front. His sous-chef Cat was having a sneak cigarette outside and Liv and Moriko had the kitchen tothemselves.
“So?” A small smile was playing around Moriko’s lips like she knew what Livia was going to say. She wasn’t going to let Liv off the hook though, clearly, and so Livia took a deepbreath.
“So…Nox has asked me to move in with him. Now, I want you to know, I gave him a big long speech yesterday about being independent and all that…but fuck it, Morry. Life is short. I want to bewithhim.”
Moriko smiled. “It’s not the biggestsurprise,Liv.”
“But,” Liv went on, “I’m still going to be paying half the rent on our place, the utilities, everything I’mpayingnow.”
Moriko sighed. “I wish I could tell you that was silly, but thetruthis…”
“Exactly. Look, please let me do this. I love Nox, but I hate toabandonyou.”
“You’re not abandoning me, Liv, this is life and I’m beyond happy for you. Also, however perfect he seems, he’ll still get on your nerves eventually and this way you’ll have somewhere to come to cool off, have girl’snightsin.”
Liv grinned. “You got it,sweetie.”
“When are youmovingout?”
“Not clear, yet, but it won’t be too long. Next couple ofweeks.”
Moriko nodded. “Has Nox any idea of the tsunami of paperback books that’s about to hit his beautifullyappointedhome?”
Liv grinned. “He sort of knows…just not theextent.”
“Well, I’m happy for you, sweetheart, Ireallyam.”
“Will youbeokay?”
Moriko rolled her eyes. “Doofus.”
Livia hopped off the countertop and hugged her friend. “Love you, Morry. Come on, I’ll treat you tolunch.”
Nox spentthe morning trying to find a good counsellor. Overjoyed that Livia had agreed to move in with him, he was determined he would repay her trust by getting the help he had known he’d needed for years. He contacted his family’s old doctor and asked for his recommendation, then made an appointment with a psychiatrist in the city. He had just hung up the phone when Sandor knocked at his door, a frown onhisface.
“Sup,dude?”
“Have you seen Pia this morning? She’s usually at her desk before any of us, but there’s no sign. Shannon from Human Resources called her home but her mother says her bed wasn’tsleptin.”
Nox sat back. “Really? Well…she’s an adult, so I think the police will ask us to wait twenty-four hours. She could have hooked up with someone. I’ll call her mother and see what she wants ustodo.”
“I’ll get Shannon to give you the number.” Sandor disappeared and Nox frowned. It was out of character for Pia to not show up. Nox had always been impressed with her work ethic, even at heryoungage.
Shit.He hated this sort of thing—the uneasiness creeping over his skin, the same way it had all those years ago. He still remembered the police showing up at Ariel’s parent’s home to tell them a body had been found. He’d known, even then, that shewasdead.
He called Pia’s mother, who tearfully asked him to keep her informed if Pia showed up. Then, needing to hear her voice, he calledLivia.
“Hey, gorgeous.” Her warm greeting made the tension in his body ease. He told her about Pia and she expressed her concern, but told him not to stress unless something concrete wasknown.
“I know it seems bad, baby, but she could just be around a girlfriend’s house—or a boyfriend’s—and overslept, or been so hungover she forgot to call. She’snineteen.”
“I know. I’m not trying to make unnecessary drama, either. It’s just that Iworry.”
