Page 28 of Lovely Darkness

This is why she’s the way she is.

Nick. My inner voice is almost chuckling. Indie had this, and it never slowed her down. Not one bit.

But Indie was influenced by Carter. Wendy was not.

Wendy needs this. This is Wendy’s cure.

The real one, I mean. Because the one Donovan and Carter have, that’s the fake one. Mind over matter. Manifestation kind of shit.

This is what I’m gonna give her once this cure nonsense is all over.

I’m gonna give her a family, and a big ol’ house filled with comfy things.

Maybe we won’t have kids—it’s dangerous to keep the bloodline going, not to mention that whole second-generation speech I just sold myself about Maggie—but we could adopt. Not Company kids, either. I know they need it just as much as anyone, but no. There will be no second generation in our future home. I don’t care if our adopted kids are mouthy, mean, snot-nosed, trailer-park brats. That would still be better than having one of our own.

I get up and walk back down the hallway to the front room and I’m just in time to see Indie, Nate, and Wendy walk over to the pavilion. I pull the curtain aside and watch through the window as they flop down onto that huge, flat bed swing like they are meant to be that way.

There’s something very personal about the way they tangle together. The way they are familiar with each other. And they should be, I guess. But there’s a little sexual tension wafting off these three. I know Wendy’s not part of that. It’s all Nathan and Indie. But I don’t like it. I don’t want her out there with them. Because let’s face it—they are meant to be this way.

They are meant to be together.

They are the new generation.

Adam, and McKay, and me… we’re the old.

CHAPTER EIGHT - ADAM

I call the Corinthian Hotel and let them know I’m coming so they can kick out whoever is in the penthouse and have it ready for us. I own the entire chain. Ten hotels—New Orleans, New York, Seattle, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Tokyo, Berlin, Rio, and Bora Bora. That was a little side hobby I had after Maggie and I left. Collecting hotels. There was only one Corinthian when I started, but I had a shit-ton of money and a chain of luxury hotels seemed like a good thing to own when you’re on the run from everyone you hold dear.

Nick appears in the living room just as I end the call. I’m in my office, but the door is open, so I watch him as he crosses the living room and stops to stand in front of the window facing the porch. He doesn’t notice me until I leave my office and enter the living room. Then he peeks over his shoulder and sighs.

I walk up next to him and stand there, taking in the view. Which is Indie, Nathan, and Wendy all lying together on the pavilion swing like they are still kids.

“When she tried to kill me,” I say, “it was because I caught her kissing him.”

Nick looks at me.

“I tried to beat the fuck out of him,” I add by way of explanation.

“Hmm. I can’t say I’d have done it different. She was what, sixteen?”

“Nearly. Who told you about it?”

Nick shrugs. “Everyone, I guess. They were all talking about it in the safehouses.”

“The assassins?”

Nick nods.

“So they knew you were alive, but none of them ever thought to mention it to me?”

“Not all of them, obviously. Not until recently.” He shrugs again. Then he looks at me. “But the ones who knew… I guess they were hedging their bets, right? Who’s in charge? Me? Or you?”

“Do you wanna be in charge?”

Nick Tate guffaws. “Fuck no. I’m not the one in charge. You asked me a question, I answered it. That’s all.”

We go back to watching the scene out in the pavilion. “I love Wendy too. I’m not sure what to make of what you told me last night, but I guess it’s none of my business.”