Page 34 of The Donor’s Dilemma

“So, it wasn’t Abe?” her mum teased.

Verity turned to her mother, fighting back a fresh wave of terror. She held her hands still, breathed deep, levelled her voice and asked, “Where did you hear that name?”

Debbie bit back a giggle, pointing to a bouquet of roses sat on the counter. Verity approached them, slowly, as if they might attack her should she move too fast.

“Such a handsome man he was, so polite. I told him you were at your meeting…”

“You told him?” Verity snapped.

“Well, he was so disappointed to miss you. Said he was leaving town and wanted to see you before he went.”

“He’s gone?” Verity asked, examining the flowers. A dozen red roses, huge perfect blooms, and a little card.

“He is love. But don’t worry…”

Verity pulled the little card from the flowers and opened it.

“… he said he’ll be back soon. And he can’t wait to see you.”

To the shining light of Ashhaven

I count the seconds until we meet again

Abe x

Chapter Ten

Hey man, wanna get a drink

thursday? Im buying

Theo read and reread the message, searching for the hidden meaning. For the catch. There was always a catch.

Elliot Wysall, like most of Theo’s friends, disappeared from his life decades ago, right after he stopped attending SubRosa. He had met the businessman before the club even existed. Before Havenshire and the Unveiling. Friends for centuries. But suddenly the freedoms Elliot found on that bloodstained dance floor were more important than their friendship. Suddenly, all of his friends were too busy for him.

The decision to avoid the club had done him no favours. Quite the opposite. Not only had it damaged almost every relationship he had, but thirty years later, and he was still fighting to maintain his career.

He looked around his office, unchanged in half a century at least. The bold and dynamic politician, once on the rise, left to stagnate in a dead-end position.

Festering. Forgotten. Irrelevant.

Verity had asked him what he liked about it, why he wanted to work in politics. It almost surprised him to remember that he hadn’t wanted it, the Roses had, and back then he didn’t know how to say no. Now, he didn’t know what else to do. Didn’t know what the point of him was outside of his office.

But Verity had asked. Verity had cared. Listened to his stories and anecdotes, big green eyes on his as she took in every word. Every breath.

The only thing that mattered right now was Verity. He needed to keep her safe, and to do that friends would help. Even if those friends had evaporated when it no longer suited them.

“She’s here,” came Stella’s sing-song voice from the intercom.

“Send her in.”

He stood, stretching before heading for the door.

The flowers had shaken her, far more than she’d admit. He heard the tremor when she called him. The way her voice pitched when she said Abe knew where she lived. Had spoken to her mother.

When it came to her own safety, Verity was reckless to a fault, but the fact that her mother had been dragged into it hit her hard. Theo had texted her yesterday, trying to check on her without being overbearing, but overbearing was his default setting. Something that had driven away more than a few lovers.

Not that Verity was a lover.