Page 6

I can’t erase Daniel’s muted cries from my head after his retreat. How the hell does he disguise a truth like that? Even more disturbing is why. I don’t know how much time passes after I collapse in one of the giant leather chairs, but Ben and Laura’s return feels too soon and not soon enough.

“Damn, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Laura says when I force my gaze toward them.

“I met Daniel while you were gone.”

Ben releases a heavy breath and drops to the couch. “Ah, then you kind of did. Sorry about that. He hasn’t been around for days. It looks like he did some damage.”

I sink my fingers into the armrests. “What do you really know about him?”

“All we want to know,” Laura mutters, lowering herself beside Ben. “Trust me, that boy’s secrets have secrets and none of them are good.”

“But you must know something,” I say, leaning forward. They have to. You can’t hide secrets like that. At least, you shouldn’t be able to.

“We know he does a ton of drugs, despises everyone, and is always getting into fights. That’s enough for me.”

What if it’s not enough for me? My eyes trace a pattern in the antique rug as I try to sort through everything that just happened.

Ben straightens in his seat, drawing my gaze. “You saw something with your vision things, didn’t you? That’s where this is coming from. What was it? Let me guess, he also cooks meth in the basement?”

I have trouble mustering the expected smile at the joke. The basement… could there be a room down there they don’t know about?

“Tell us,” Laura says, hands clasped, elbows on her knees. Funny how she hasn’t shown a shred of interest in me until I became linked to Daniel. What did Shakespeare say about over-protesting? I study her intense, eager expression.

“I didn’t see anything,” I lie. “It only works if I touch someone. Do you really think I touched him?”

Ben shrugs. “We don’t know your tastes. Lucy’s practically in love with the dude even though they’ve never spoken more than three sentences to each other.”

“Well, I can assure you that regardless of my tastes, I don’t make a habit of cuddling up to hostile strangers.”

Ben pounds the armrests. “Hostile! I knew it.” His face sinks into a concern I’m not sure I believe anymore. “Wait, did he hurt you?”

“Okay, not exactly hostile.” I suck in a breath, buying time.

This was a mistake. They hate Daniel. Obviously, I’ll get nothing helpful from them.

Or at least, they pretend to hate him. I glance back at Laura and the strange change that’s come over her.

“Seriously, there’s nothing to tell. It’s just, people don’t become what you described without a reason. Something must have driven him there.”

Laura snorts a laugh, and I fight the rising resentment. “Great, so now our resident psychopath has a disciple.”

“Give her a break. She’s new. Everyone likes the bad boys until they get hurt. We’re just trying to protect you,” Ben says to me.

Maybe. Probably not.

“Well, thanks. I’m probably just really tired,” I say, pushing up from the chair. It’s one of the few things that wasn’t a lie in this conversation.

“Just be careful,” Ben calls after me.

I feel their stares in my back as I retreat to my room.

A bad dream of an intruder. No, wait, definitely a scraping door.

I straighten in my bed, pulse pounding in the dark.

I strain for a better read of the noise, and my fear dissipates when I sense the commotion has no interest in me.

Still, if curiosity killed the cat, I’m on life number eight hundred, and tiptoe toward the common area to investigate.

I peek out just in time to spot a shadow drifting toward Daniel’s room.

A different kind of surge plunges through me at the prospect of a reunion.

I’ve thought of little else since our explosive encounter yesterday, and my hands shake as I creep into the living area and reach for the lamp.

Should I explain my strange reaction? Apologize?

Pretend it didn’t happen? Demand more information?

Will anything coherent come out of my mouth when he lands that scalding gaze on me?

The shadow materializes into a security guard when I reach his room, ending the debate.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“I’m sorry for waking you, miss. Please, go back to bed.”

Yeah, right. I cross my arms and settle into a skeptical stance against the doorframe. “What are you doing here?”

“This doesn’t concern you. Go back to bed.”

He moves to Daniel’s dresser, and I gasp when he yanks out the drawers and dumps the contents.

“You’re destroying his room!”

“I told you to stay out of this.”

“What are you looking for?”

“None of your business.”

He goes to the closet, and I tense in anger when he begins overturning the contents there as well. This can’t be legal. It’s definitely not right. But something burns deep in my gut that tells me this violation of Daniel’s privacy isn’t only sanctioned, it’s routine.

The guard stops suddenly, lifting a gold necklace to the light. The triumphant smile on his lips makes my stomach churn.

“Maybe that’s his,” I hiss.

“Sure,” the guard scoffs, pocketing the necklace and crushing Daniel’s belongings under his boots on the way to the door. “Have you seen the kid? Heart pendants aren’t exactly his thing.”

“Maybe it’s his mother’s or a girlfriend’s.”

The guard glares at me. “You’re obviously new, so let me do you a favor. Enjoy your pretty school, your new friends, and all your fancy stuff. This?”—he waves a hand around the disaster he created—“Stay far away from this.”

He tears off for the exit, leaving me alone with the mess.

I turn back to the shattered remains of Daniel’s room, not sure what to do.

I could listen to the guard and ignore the sudden emotion welling inside me.

I’ve been ignoring the truth in my visions for years.

I’ve perfected the art of pretending. Of forgetting.

Of denying. I not only could, I should. Who is this guy but an unsettling enigma that can’t possibly help in my quest to belong?

At best, he’s made it clear he’s not interested in an ally.

At the very worst? I can’t begin to answer that.

But my feet refuse to cooperate. Our encounter comes flooding back.

The way his eyes flashed with a spark of connection before he shoved me away like I’m sure he’s been trained to do.

By circumstances, or something more sinister, I can’t guess, but I do know I’m a witness to what just occurred.

Even Lucifer himself should get an explanation when he returns to a disaster like this.

And where are Laura and Ben? How can they sleep through such a hurricane?

Maybe they’ve grown accustomed to these visits. Or worse, don’t care.

The suite door clatters again, and footsteps thunder toward me. I turn and catch my breath when Daniel appears in the threshold—disheveled and wrapped in an urgent expression.

“What did they take?” he asks, unconcerned by my presence or the state of his room as he rushes forward. “What was it? Did you see?” He drops beside me and frantically sifts through the broken objects and rumpled clothing.

“It was a necklace of some kind. Gold, I think.”

“No! No, no.” Angry tears burn in his eyes. “Dammit!” He slams a handful of debris into the wall, and it’s then that I notice the bruises on his face.

“Oh my... What happened to you?”

He ignores me and collapses against the base of the bedframe.

“I’m sorry. I tried to stop him,” I say.

Head on his knees, his fingers clench and unclench in tight fists in his hair. It’s like he’s forgotten I’m here.

“I’m so sorry. The necklace, it was important?”

He looks up, and I hate the agony on his face. I don’t know him, but it kills me that something can hurt him so much. “Just leave. Please?”

Leave? Not possible. I move to the door, but only to close it.

“I told you. I don’t believe the others. They’re wrong about you.”

I kneel in front of him, and he shakes his head, withdrawing further. “I can’t do this right now. I can’t handle you. Go!”

“Daniel, please. I get that we don’t know each other, but I want to help.”

I reach for his hand, and he recoils too late. Once again, my limbs go numb. Once again I’m left shaking in the wake of violence I don’t understand. I brace my fists against the floor.

“I saw the room. Is that where those bruises come from?” My blood runs cold. “Oh my god. Is that what happened tonight? Where you just locked down there now?”

He glances up in horror, the sheen in his eyes magnifying the frustration on his face. “What are you talking about?”

“My gift. I see flashes of people’s past and future.”

“Stay out of my head. No one belongs there.”

“Your injuries aren’t from fights, are they?”

His expression hardens further. “That’s none of your business.” He jumps to his feet with renewed venom. “I’m going to get my necklace back.”

No, that fire will get him hurt. I know that much and instinctively follow to block his exit. “Really? At what cost?”

His glare digs into me again, and I can’t help but feel that my soul is an open book to him.

I sense myself letting go of the struggle to hide, and suddenly my rebellious hand shocks us both by lifting to investigate the bruise on his cheek.

Sparks bolt through me from a vision of a woman with soft, tender eyes.

She’s wearing a heart-shaped gold necklace.

Daniel steps back as if struck. His burning gaze sears into me.

“You don’t know me. You have no idea what you’re doing,” he warns.

“I know you’re not who they think you are.”

“I’m exactly who they think I am, just not for the reasons they think.”