Page 73 of His Pretty Little Lies

“This better be important.”

“They took her to the hole.” I mutter a curse. I shouldn’t be surprised. It’s the way of the family when they want answers.

“Are you fucking kidding me? We don’t even know if she did anything.” My family hasn’t stayed on top all of these years by leaving things to chance, though.

“The hole?” Kinsley asks, not knowing what it is. “The scary place everyone jokes about around here.” Okay, I guess she does.

“Get her out and bring her here,” I order my brother.

“Oh, she’s out of the hole already,” Damon says, but I can tell there is more.

“Where is she, then?” Kinsley asks.

“Not sure.” He rubs his hand across the top of his skull.

“Stop talking around it and cut the shit. Get to the fucking point, Damon.”

“Eros went down there to see what information he could get from her.”

“Eros!” Kinsley gasped. “She’s good, I swear. She didn’t do anything wrong. Jax, do something.”

“Where is she, then?” I ask again.

“He took her,” Damon finally says. I stare at him.

“What do you mean he took her?” Kinsley's eyes bounce between us.

“I’m sure she’s fine. She’s not in the hole, and Eros has her.”

“Don’t lie to her,” I warn my brother.

“He fucking took her,” Damon says again. “She was barely down there, and he snatched her up. If he wanted her dead, she’d be dead. If he wanted to hurt her, she'd still be down there.”

I stare at my brother for a long moment. "You have got to be fucking kidding me." I shake my head. "She got him?" Kinsley tugs at my arm, wanting answers. Damon gives them to her.

"Another Marino bites the dust. This shit better not be contagious."

Kinsley's eyes widen. "Oh." I can see it click in her head. "I don't know if this is bad or good."

Only time will tell.

I shut the door in my brother's face, flipping the lock before I scoop my fiancée up into my arms. I need to get the ring, but right now, I need her back in our bed more.

"You think she's okay?" Kinsley asks when I lay her out on the bed.

"I think Blair can handle herself at this point. I honestly don't think it matters if she was in on it or not."

"Because she's his?"

I nod. "And you're all mine."

“You’re stuck with me forever,” Kinsley says as though it’s a punishment.

“That was my plan from the very first day that I saw you.”

The Marino instinct is never wrong when it comes to our soulmates.

Epilogue