My blood ran cold. “And where was that?”
“Her mother’s new boyfriend had that exact tattoo. On his forearm.”
Chapter Thirteen
Jade
I was changing out of my work clothes when someone pounded on my door.
“Just a minute,” I yelled. I threw my red silk scarf, white linen pullover, and black skirt on the bed and hurried into a tank top and a pair of heather-gray sweats.
I walked to the door. “Who is it?” I’d have to talk to Sarah about installing a peephole. Snow Creek was a small town and all, but I was a young woman living alone. I needed to see who was behind my door.
“It’s me.”
Talon. I opened the door. He was red with rage.
“Oh my God. What’s wrong?”
“Your mother’s boyfriend. What’s his name?”
“Nico. Nico Kostas. Why?”
Talon ran to my sink and turned on the water. “God, I met him. I fucking shook his hand.”
The water turned hot, and steam rose from the falling cascade. Talon pumped out some soft soap and scrubbed his hands. They turned red with the heat.
I strode quickly to the sink and turned off the water. “You’ll burn yourself. What the hell are you doing?”
“Where is your mother’s boyfriend now?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“I… I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since the night of my mom’s accident. He said he was flying to Des Moines. He hasn’t been back.”
“God… Goddamn.” Talon raked his wet hands through his tousled hair. “So fucking close!”
“Talon, please. Tell me what’s going on.”
He turned to me, gripping my shoulders. “What color are his eyes, Jade? This Nico guy. Does he have brown eyes?”
“Y-Yes, I think so. I never paid that much attention.”
“Neither did I, goddamnit. If only— Damn!”
“Talon, you’re scaring me. What the heck is going on?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Tell you what?”
“Tell me where you saw that fucking phoenix tattoo!”
“I did.”
“You told me you saw it in one of Toby’s books!”
“I did. I didn’t—”
“You saw it first on him! You saw it on that fucking psychopath!”