Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 110802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Harper agreed with Knox that it would be a mistake to assume he was dead and drop their guard, particularly since that could be what Crow wanted. Knox had become more hyper-protective than usual, making her demon feel stifled and exasperated. Harper was a little more understanding, though it sometimes grated on her nerves too.
They still had no way of even guessing the identities of the Horsemen. It had made Harper a little paranoid, really. After all, they could literally be anyone – even someone she knew and liked.
“Did your new shoes for the shindig arrive?” Raini asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.
“Yep. They fit fine.” And they matched her dress perfectly.
“I still say we should have gone shoe-shopping.”
“Of course you do.” Harper preferred shopping online, where there were no crowds. As she reached the door, the phone in her pocket vibrated. Retrieving it, she frowned at the unfamiliar number. “Hello?”
“Hey, baby girl,” drawled a familiar deep voice.
“Lucian, hi,” said Harper.
Raini’s mouth set into a flat line.
He spoke again, but Harper couldn’t hear him over the music blaring in the background. “I can’t hear you. Where exactly are you?”
“Thailand,” he replied loudly – so loud that Raini was able to hear him and mouthed, “Thailand?”
“I found myself a nice little bar where I can drown my sorrows,” he added, glum.
Sorrows? “What’s wrong?”
“He died,” said Lucian, a hitch in his voice.
Her frown deepened. “What? Who?” There was a slurping sound that told her he’d just downed a good deal of whatever he was drinking.
“Elvis.”
She scratched the back of her head. “Um, Lucian, Elvis Presley died a long time ago.”
“Not him,” he said, impatient. “My Elvis. My emu.”
Raini crossed her eyes, but Harper said, “I’m sorry to hear that. What happened to him?”
A sniffle. “I can’t talk about it, baby girl. It hurts too bad.”
“Of course. I understand.” She considered telling him about the Crow situation, but she didn’t for the exact same reason that she didn’t tell him about the shindig. Lucian would probably turn up, and having him and Knox in close proximity was not a good idea. Especially when Knox’s current basic emotional setting recently was “irritated.”
“So… have you broken up with that psychopathic bastard yet?” he asked.
Harper placed a hand on her hip. “He’s not a psychopath.”
“That’s what you think, but they’re good at blending. They show you what they want you to see and tell you what you want to hear. Then they carve you up and bury you under the patio.”
She closed her eyes. “Lucian, I can’t have this conversation. I just can’t.”
“Fine,” he said, petulant. “When he murders you in your sleep, don’t come crying to me.” The line went dead.
Raini shook her head. “I don’t have words where he’s concerned.”
Harper slipped her cell back into her pocket. “Yeah, most people don’t.” Swinging open the door, she strolled into the working area with Raini. Harper then signaled for Khloë and Devon to join them in the back room.
Devon, who was sweeping the floor, said, “Give me two seconds.”
Phone to her ear, Khloë raised her forefinger at Harper as she spoke to whoever was on the other end of the call. “I can assure you that your tattoo is not washing off. It’s just a little excess ink. Some will wash or flake out as your body heals. Try your hardest not to pick at the scabs. If after the tattoo is fully healed it still seems to have breaks in the lines, come back and we’ll patch it right up.”
The doorbell chimed, and Harper tensed as Kellen walked inside. His shoulders were hunched and his gaze was wary as he scanned the studio until he spotted her. He offered a sheepish smile that made her chest twinge.
Tanner, who’d followed him inside, raised a questioning brow at Harper. He says he wants to talk to you. I can throw him out if you want.
I’ll talk to him. She was interested to hear what he had to say. Tanner nodded but didn’t leave, eyes boring into Kellen’s back.
Harper slowly made her way to him, unsurprised when Raini and Devon followed. Harper waited until her cousin ended her call before she said, “Hey.”
Rubbing the back of his nape, Kellen spoke. “Harper…” His face was a mask of regret.
She took pity on the kid. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not,” Kellen insisted, his expression downcast. “But I didn’t know what to do.”
She tilted her head. “About what? Why did you think I wouldn’t want to see you?”
He licked his lips. “Roan… it was my fault he yelled at you.”
Harper blinked at the unexpected answer. “How could it be your fault?”
“He found out that I meet with you sometimes. I don’t know how; he wouldn’t tell me. Anyway, he was really pissed…” He trailed off, cheeks reddening.
“It’s okay, you can use bad words,” she told him with a smile. “So he was upset with you?”