“Okay. Tell him thanks when you speak to him again.”
“Will do.”
Okay, so what is with this too-polite business?
“Everything okay?”
“Apart from the obvious?” he sulks.
“Oh, Cole, my love. Don’t be like that.”
He huffs. “I’m sorry. It's just…I told you I don’t mind sharing you, but this…” He holds my hand up, “…this is an engagement ring.”
“No, it isn’t,” I insist. “It’s just a gift from a sire to a charge. It’s nothing,” I say, shrugging it off.
“Yeah, millions of dollars’ worth of nothing.”
I know he is miffed because he thinks he can’t compete with it, but I don’t care about the expense. It’s the gesture. It always will be. “Cole, please. I’m exhausted. It’s been a very trying couple of days. I’ve learned things that I don’t think I ever really wanted to know.”
He stays quiet then and I resume my snuggling.
I must have fallen asleep on him as I wake up wrapped in a fluffy towel in bed next to him watching me.
“Ergh, did I fall asleep again? What time is it?”
“Yes, just after 8.”
“Crap. I’d better get to work,” I say, dragging my arse out of bed.
“Oh no,” he says, pulling me back. “I don’t think you’re going anywhere. Liv, I’m worried about you. You look paler than normal and you are clearly exhausted. I think you should stay at home today. Devon can sort your work out for another day.”
Thinking about Devon and yesterday, I sigh and fall back against the mountain of pillows. I’m really comfy and really tired. “Okay, maybe I’ll have just a couple more hours.”
Which in the end, turns out to be another four.
I wake up starving, but Cole is there for me with a glass (or two) of blood, which I gulp down. “Thank you. Christ, I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” I grouch.
“Hey, you’re awake. Shit, Lizzie, I’m worried about you. We both are,” Devon says, coming in from the sitting room. He smiles shyly at me, remembering our time together yesterday, or was it today? I can’t get the time zones straight in my groggy, sleep-addled brain.
“I’m okay. I think. Jet lag, Power, etc.”
“Constantine called me,” he says casually. “He was also worried when you didn’t check in. He said to call him. Not to worry, but there might a be a slight problem on the Gregor front.”
“Oh? What?” I’m suddenly alert.
He shrugs as I reach for my phone and hit his number, drumming my fingers anxiously as I wait and wait for him to answer. That’s not like him. It makes me worried. I’m just about to hang up and try Nico, when Nico answers CK’s phone.
“Liv?”
“Where is he? Is everything okay?” I snap.
“Mr. D’Arcangelo is fine. He is in the middle of trying to sort out an issue. He said to ask if you are okay and he will call you back if the answer is ‘yes.’”
“Yes, I’m fine. Oh, Nico, did you find out anything?” I ask, meaning Cade and not Mrs. O’Dell. The other Mrs. O’Dell.
“I’m still working on it,” he says vaguely.
I know already he’s hiding something from me and now he’s hiding even more. “Hm, well, be sure to get CK to ring me as soon as he is available.”