Page 146 of Infernal Secrets

“I saw her board the bus before I went to her boss, so she’s probably on her way.”

Ash scratched his beard. “How did you get home before her, then?”

“Uber.”

“Did anyone see you with her boss?” I pushed the rest of my lunch toward Zeke, who hadn’t looked away from the food since sitting down.

“No. Made sure to catch him when he went to his car. No one nearby.” Cyn tapped his tongue piercing against his teeth, leaning on the counter, restless even after dealing with her boss.

“You still put yourself at risk,” Ash said. “If he reports you…”

“How’s he going to report me? He didn’t get a chance to see who I was.”

“How?” Zeke asked, stuffing a bite of chicken and rice into his mouth.

“Like this…” Cyn pushed off the counter and pulled the hood up on his black hoodie, tightening the strings until the fabric covered his mouth, leaving only his bright amber eyes and nose visible.

With his scowl and dark clothes, he looked more like a street punk than Shyrlivi royalty capable of incinerating a human.

He pushed his hood back, shaking out his messy hair and shoving it from his face. “He thought I was going to rob him, so I took the money from his wallet. Used it to tip the Uber driver.”

Ash tapped the counter. “What about security cameras?”

He shrugged. “Doubt they saw me. I pulled my hood up before entering the bookstore, but I covered my face when I went to the parking lot.”

His agitation when he returned hinted at a deeper issue than her boss’ harassment.

I knew Raelynn had gotten under his skin. That he harmed a human for her proved that much. Even without that proof, I knew what had happened between them the other night.

Whatever spell brought us all together made it possible to scent her the way we should only scent a Nyrith mate.

The evidence was irrefutable. When he came downstairs, his face was a mask of tragedy and confusion. He reeked of sex and her unique fruity-floral blend, edged with a savory tartness.

The overpowering scent triggered an intense and immediate reaction I couldn’t control, driving me to the bathroom to alleviate the ache.

I refused to be tempted into something neither she nor I wanted.

I focused on him again. “What else happened?”

His brows lowered as tension returned to his body. “She went to the bookstore where she got that book and blabbed everything to the woman working there.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, she told the woman about infernals, but she didn’t reveal who we are.” The muscles in his jaw worked when he ground his teeth. “What bothered me most was realizing the woman knew exactly what Raelynn was talking about.”

I paused at that. “Did you get a good look at the woman?”

“No, I couldn’t. Not without Raelynn seeing me.”

Ash sat forward. “She didn’t think Rae was crazy?”

“Not in the slightest. She kept going on about Raelynn’s ‘soul’s need’ and ‘heart’s call.’ Said the book came from the same place where those things came from. Raelynn didn’t get it either, but the woman knew of our kind.”

Zeke swallowed another bite of food. “What?”

“Fuck if I know.” He scratched his head, fluffing his hair. “The woman claims Raelynn asked for us—but she didn’t even know she did?” His glare sharpened, frustration evident. “We’re her soul’s need and heart’s call. What the fuck does that even mean?”

“I don’t know,” Ash said, fist tightening on the counter. “Did the woman say anything else?”