A Discovery of Secrets and Fate (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 2)

Only because he really did love it, Carrick actually decided on an abstract horizon painting done in indigo and gray that would look great behind his desk. It was his way of exiting out of this meeting by making a purchase and breaking her hold on him.

But before she was willing to unhook her arm from his, she turned in closer. Once again, she laid her hand on his chest.

Tipping her head back, she whispered, “If you don’t have to rush out, I can show you a private collection in my office. We could… get to know each other better.”

Carrick wasn’t a man who was easily repulsed, so he wasn’t fazed. He was, however, curious as to how she would handle rejection.

Taking her wrist in his hand, he gently pulled it off his chest. “Tempting offer, but I’m wondering what your fiancé would have to say about us getting to know each other better?”

Clearly, she was a creature that didn’t like being told “no” because her pupils went from black to flame red.

But she didn’t know Carrick could see her true self, so Fallon pursed her glamoured human lips and pouted. “I imagine what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

Carrick was done with Dark Fae Fallon. He gave her a tight smile, told her to set the painting aside, and he’d send someone by with a check to pick it up.

“Thank you for your time,” he said politely, giving a slight bow of his head.

He was graced with a half-smile from the glamoured visage, but the thin lips of her fae face were pressed flat and her red pupiled eyes were filled with malice for being shot down.

As he walked out of the art gallery, Carrick had concluded a few things.

Fallon was already surrounding herself with other dark daemons, indicating she was up to something as they tended to be solitary by nature. He felt reasonably sure Finley’s sister was gone, and he loathed having to break that news to her.

More importantly, he felt confident this Dark Fae was incredibly dangerous. While she didn’t seem overly interested in Finley, if word ever filtered to her that Finley had special abilities, he had no doubt Fallon would kill her.

It was imperative Finley come back into his fold so she could be adequately protected.

CHAPTER 5

Finley

Mondays at One Bean are always a little hectic, being the start of a new business week. Except I’m not at One Bean. I’m sitting on the Fantasia at the kitchen table where I can periodically look out the large windows at the Fremont Bridge.

My day-shift manager, Lisa, was a gem this morning and did an inventory count for me, emailing me a spreadsheet I could work from to reorder stock. It’s not lost upon me that she’s stepping into the role that I had once upon a time when I was working for Rich, and I’m grateful to have someone dependable like her.

Who knows… maybe one day I’ll sell One Bean to her.

Maybe that day is soon, seeing as how it might be safer for me to move far, far away as Veda suggested was an option for me.

Except I know deep in my heart it’s not. I can’t walk away from a business I just bought, nor do I want to. This is my future, and I’m not giving it up.

It’s quiet and peaceful, seeing as how my roommates left for their own jobs a few hours ago. Adira is at One Bean, perpetuating my flu story to explain my absence. Rainey’s at the department store where she puts makeup on women, and Myles is doing his computer mojo in his downtown office. Rainey actually gave him a ride as he always takes the bus, and, let me say, that has been quite the turn of events with those two.

After Veda burst into a shower of golden sparkles—something I hope doesn’t fade from my memory as it really was quite fabulous—I went inside to the kitchen, having momentarily forgotten that Myles and Rainey’s secret admiration of each other was now out of the bag.

I found them in the kitchen, Myles behind the counter chopping tomatoes and Rainey sitting opposite him on a stool. Myles was talking animatedly, waving his knife sometimes for punctuation. Rainey was actually leaning way forward on the counter, hanging on every word in a way I’ve never seen her listen to Myles before.

It was weird and sweet at the same time. Myles had this geeky lopsided smile that popped just one dimple the whole time, and Rainey laughed a little too hard at the things he said. Then she started flirting by giving him compliments that turned his face red and threw him off his game, forcing him to stammer at times and almost cut his finger. It was beautiful to watch, and painful at the same time, so I felt the only thing to do was ply them both with alcohol.