Page 95 of Lovely Darkness

When I’m done taking in the room, I realize two things. One, Nathan is looking at me with expectation. Like he’s waiting on something. And two, Indie and Wendy are not in this room with us.

“Wendy?” I call.

“Never mind Wendy,” Nate says. “She and Indie are exploring other places.”

“What?”

“I’m here to tell you that my debt to you has been cancelled.”

“You made me drive three and a half hours to tell me that?”

“No.” Nathan actually snickers. “No one brought you here. Regardless of what you think, Nicholas Tate, the world does not revolve around you.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? Wendy!” I call again. “Answer me!”

“She’s not gonna answer you. Indie took her outside.”

“What?”

“Are you even listening to me?”

“Nathan,” I say, trying to force myself to be calm. “What the fuck is going on?”

“It’s not about you. Get it through your thick head, Nick. This is about Wendy. This is about Indie. This is their secret, not ours. And I don’t know what kind of mindfucking you’ve done on Wendy to make her submissive to you the way she is, but it’s not gonna work here. She and Indie have a destiny—”

I reach for him. Have his throat in my hands a split second before he reacts.

And then we are fighting.

Fists, knees, elbows.

His martial arts skills are very good. I knew this. I’ve sent him out on many jobs and he never ended up dead. But I didn’t quite understand just how good until he gets me in a headlock and shoves my face into the floor.

I grab his ankle, pull him off balance, and then he has to let go.

We both spring up, breathing hard, circling each other. “What the fuck are you doing?” I say.

“Keeping you occupied.” And this asshole has the nerve to smile at me.

“Who the fuck are you? What’s going on here?”

Nathan relaxes a little. Lowers his fists and drops his shoulders. Still smiling. “You really don’t listen, do you? It’s like no one else exists but you.”

“Answer my question. You and Indie set this up? You’re the ones pulling the strings? You what, just strung me along for all these years?”

His laugh is like a bark. “That’s funny coming from you.”

“Answer me.”

“How many times do I have to say it, Nick? This isn’t about you. It’s about them.”

I leave the room. Weaving my way through the house, calling Wendy’s name.

But everything is dark and silent.

Indie took her and they are both gone.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - INDIE