Page 78 of Third Offense
Maybe I just need towake up.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
LAYLA
“What happened?”I demanded in a low voice as we started down the hallway toward our suite.
“Auric’s lost his damn mind,” Novak muttered back to me. “But I think he might be onto something.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Novak glanced around, like he was searching for a sentry or a camera. “It’s too perfect here.”
I frowned. “Too perfect?”
He paused at the door to our rooms. “Yeah. Like too good to be real.”
“Like a dream,” I said.
“Exactly.”
“Is that such a bad thing?” I wondered out loud. “We’ve been through a lot. So this all probably feels a bit strange, but don’t we deserve the reprieve?”
He studied me a moment, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and pushed open the door.
Auric stood on the other side, his face freshly washed, but I could see the lingering signs of bruises along his jaw.
When neither of them moved or said anything, I knew this fight had been worse than just a physical beating.
My mates tended to release their frustrations on each other, often ending in sex, but this time was different.
They stared at one another, the palpable tension in the air making me shift my weight as I debated what I should say.
Auric raked his fingers through his damp hair. “I’m going for a walk,” he said as he brushed past me. “Alone.”
“Auric,” I snapped. I left no room for debate in my tone.
I wasn’t going to let him just walk out of here without some sort of explanation.
He turned and glared down at me, but he wasn’t angry. The lost confusion in his eyes glittered with desperation.
“What’s going on?” I asked, forcing my words to soften as I rested a hand on his muscular arm.
Auric seemed to ponder my question as his gaze drifted to Novak.
Then he frowned. “This place isn’t what it seems.”
Apparently, that was all the explanation I was going to get because he shrugged me off and left without another word.
When I moved to follow him, Novak’s voice stopped me. “Let him go.”
I paused but didn’t turn around. Instead, I stared down the hall as I tried to make sense of my mates losing their minds.
Over what, exactly?
Things were great here, weren’t they?
But not for him, I thought.The Noir hated him on sight.
