Ethan couldn’t be dissuaded, couldn’t forget the distinctive blue tinge of the fire we’d all seen.
Hearing Victor spell it out and seeing for himself how the glowing Light transfer worked had finally made it all click. He wasn’t to blame.
He gave me a brilliant smile, dimples on full display, and pulled us both in for a hug. We sat on the floor laughing, shedding a few happy tears, and then Josh got to his feet.
He held his hand out to me. “Come on. I need to get back to my thesis, and you’re going to be late for lunch with Dot.”
“Shit!” She was probably furious. I was surprised she hadn’t sent Squiggles to find me—or a bear.
While I was in the bowels of Melior Group doing my best impression of a lab rat, she’d spent the morning shopping with Kyo, Marcus, and an entourage of security guards. The plan was to have lunch together at one of Dot’s favorite cafés in the city. She’d been trying to take me there for ages.
When we finally made it to the lobby of the building, Dot grumbled about my lateness but still gave me a hug. Marcus had some work to get back to in Bradford Hills, so he was getting a lift back with Josh, along with all of Dot’s purchases.
Dot kissed Marcus goodbye openly, her short frame plastered to his tall one, then took Kyo’s hand and led the way toward the exit.
“I don’t know about this.” Josh frowned as he held me close. “Maybe we should all head home and Ethan can make you lunch?”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, fiddling with the stiff collar of his shirt. “We have a full Melior Group detail, we have Kyo, and we have my big fire fiend. We’ll be fine.”
After what had happened at breakfast with Lucian, they were all understandably cautious. I was shaken too. The fact that he could get to us in Bradford Hills—probably the most guarded place on the East Coast—was disconcerting, to say the least. But I refused to live my life in fear. That’s what drove the division, the unrest.
“Text me as soon as you’re heading home,” Josh demanded, holding me almost too tightly.
“I promise.” I breathed in his expensive aftershave, resting my cheek on his shoulder.
“Maynard!” Dot yelled, her voice echoing in the cavernous marble-lined lobby. She and Kyo were waiting for us beside the revolving glass doors. “Move it! I’m hungry!”
Josh planted a little kiss on my nose and turned away, taking some of the countless bags off Marcus and heading for the parking garage.
The security detail wanted to take armored cars to our destination, but it was only three blocks away, and Dot and I insisted on walking. It was a beautiful spring day, though a bit chilly in the shade of the tall buildings, and we wanted to enjoy the sunshine and the blossoming trees.
It might’ve been better to take the cars though—the walk turned out to be less than relaxing.
Seeing high-profile Vitals with a couple of security guards had never been uncommon, but lately, it seemed as though anyone with Variant DNA who could afford it was hiring either Melior Group or another security company to follow them around.
Walking down the street, we saw several people being followed closely by frowning armed guards, but nothing compared to the entourage we had. No fewer than eight Melior Group operatives surrounded us, all of them taking their job very seriously and making the lives of anyone walking in the opposite direction a nightmare.
Dot either was oblivious to it or just didn’t care, walking confidently with Kyo just ahead of us. They were downright adorable, hand in hand, leaning into each other, giggling like schoolkids.
I smiled, overjoyed that my friends had found happiness in each other. Ethan squeezed my hand and gave me a knowing look.
“People are staring,” I whispered out of the corner of my mouth.
He chuckled and slung an arm over my shoulders. “People always stare at you. You’re beautiful. You just never notice.”
I huffed and slapped him on the stomach, but I couldn’t stop a wide smile from crossing my face.
We came to a stop next to an older Beaux Arts–style building. The café had cute striped awnings, planter boxes hanging off the low windows, and a door angled into the corner.
“I can’t wait for you to try the crumpets!” Dot grabbed my hand and bounced on the spot. “They make them from scratch, and they’re so good.”