Page 109 of Vexatious Queen

“Why?”

“He’s not going to take it well.”

Ren rubbed her forehead.

“Shit…if I were Nora, I’d want to know.” She looked at me. “Maybe we skip the middleman.”

“What do you mean?”

“Take me to the gym, she’ll still be there,” Ren said, and I cringed.

“You really want to get involved in this?”

“Not really, but Nora’s not only my friend. She’ll be our sister-in-law one day. I can’t know something this big and not tell her. What she chooses to do with the information is her business. If it comes from Liam, she really won’t take it well. I’m the best messenger.”

“Okay.”

Starting the truck, we pulled out of the parking lot and drove straight to the gym. This was not going to end well. I could feel it.

FEBRUARY 6 – FRIDAY 12:03 PM

Ren

Iwas tired today, and not just because Myles and Blake had kept me awake, which they did. I couldn’t get the look in Nora’s eyes out of my head. The gym had been busy, and she was chatting with the new evening manager she’d hired when we arrived.

She had been so happy to see me until I showed her the photo, then her face fell, and her eyes filled with pain that she didn’t shed in front of me. At first, she thought Liam had sent me, but once I explained what Theo and I had witnessed and that Liam knew nothing, she thanked me, packed up her stuff, and left.

Myles’s arm was warm around my shoulders as we walked outside from Wayside Hall.

“Should I have stayed out of it?”

“Yer gonna have to be more specific. Stay outta what?”

“Nora and Merlin.”

“Ah…I dunno. Ya said it yerself, if Ivy or Lizzy, or whoever, knew that some shady shit was goin’ on and didna tell ya, you’d be hurt and pissed. So, I think ya did the right thing even if it hurt her.”

“Yeah. Why does doing the right thing feel like crap a lot of the time?”

Myles shrugged.

“I guess cause doin’ the right thing isn’t supposed ta be easy. Tests from God and all that. Not that I’m gonna end up in heaven for the shite that I’ve done. But at least I have you, my piece of heaven on earth. I’ll happily spend all eternity roasting in Hell to keep ya for however long I live.”

I stopped walking and looked up at him.

“I hate it when you talk like that. Like you could die tomorrow. Like you’re not a good person. Like you’re not worth God’s love and forgiveness, if there even is a God.”

“Snowflake, death is inevitable. That’s why every time I open my eyes, I thank the big man that I get to spend one more day with you. That’s all I ask for—just one more, and I can die a happy man.” His knuckles trailed softly down my cheek. “And I know he exists, cause he sent me you. Aww, don’t be cryin’ all I mean is that I’m happy, and I’ll take whatever punishment I deserve for the crimes I’ve committed.”

I tried to hold them back but tears slipped down my cheeks. Myles wiped at them and then licked his thumb with a soft groan.

“Yer tears taste as sweet as the rest of ya,” he whispered, before he kissed me.

His lips were warm and soft and always just right. Never too much or too little, and I kissed him back, feeding on his tenderness.

A year ago, I never would’ve guessed that this was where we would end up. Now, I couldn’t picture my life without him or the way he made everything feel like it was going to be okay. Rising on my toes, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him harder, earning a groan. Myles’ hands were hot where they touched me and licked a fire up my spine.

“Ya drive me wild, Snowflake,” he said as we broke the kiss, breathing hard.