Page 12 of Kill for a Kiss

Sleep takes me, as the sensation lingers, an unspoken touch I can’t quite place.

***

I blink awake, with the sun on my face. It feels like a whole new day. My mind is an empty canvas. I used to hate that foggy feeling whenmy memory slipped. Weeks ago, maybe. Or was it months? Years?

I really don’t know. All I know is I hear things. Voices, getting closer and louder. Outside of my door. The first thing I hear clearly is Clo’s voice, confident and carrying through the air. It makes me feel safe, like I’m not an outsider looking in, but someone who belongs here. In her grand mansion, her expansive estate.

The second voice has to be Kaye’s. It’s lighter, warmer, freer. It puts a smile on my face. I stir beneath the covers, my body slow to wake, my mind still tangled in the lingering haze of sleep. The warmth of my bed is tempting, the air outside of it a tad too cool, but Clo’s voice slips through the door, pulling me toward full wakefulness. I’m drawn alert to her presence.

“…it’ll be good for you, darling,” she says, smooth as silk, outside the door, most likely directed at Kaye. “A fresh start. You and my son will have the loveliest time traveling. And you’re sure you don’t want to take the private jet?”

I look at the ceiling, my fingers curling against the sheets before I push myself up. Yesterday was Kaye’s wedding. So today’s…her honeymoon? That’s what Clo meant by a fresh start. Though, the words feel like they’re cutting through me like a warning.

It’s snuffed out when I hear them talk more behind the door, particularly when Clo calmly says, “There’s no rush from us, Kaye. If you two would prefer to have a longer honeymoon, rest assured Kai and I will help your parents sort out Darkhaven. You and Damon deserve to slow down.”

Those two words.Slow down. Clo’s so caring. I feel light as air simply from hearing her talk. Smiling some more, I swing my legs over the side of the bed, sliding on my tights to hide burns I’ve dealt with since…

The breeze from the window hits my face. I blink from the harshness, then lose my train of thought, my bare feet landing on thecool floor. I slip on my shoes, moving on with my day. But my heart beats a little faster for reasons I can’t explain. Perhaps it’s something to do with the way I’m dressed since I don’t remember putting on this loose shirt, or maybe something about how their voices now seem so expectant, as if they’re waiting…for me?

Carefully, I step toward the door, my fingers wrapping around the knob. I hesitate for only a second before I twist it open. Clo and Kaye turn toward me at the same time.

Kaye’s face brightens instantly. “Elle,” she says, her voice light. “Good morning!”

Beside her, Clo smiles, poised. “Elle, let’s walk Kaye to her ride and wish her a safe trip before she leaves.”

I glance between them, nodding. “Of course.”

Clo reaches for my hand as if we’ve done this a hundred times before. And maybe we have. I just can’t quite recall all the times when.

The hallway is silent as we walk through it, the mansion’s still draped in the hush of early morning. The chandeliers above cast a warm glow. Clo leads us forward, her pace patient.

The cool air greets us as we step outside, the sky turning from dark ink to the deep blue of early morning. The estate is quiet at this transition of dawn.

Kaye walks beside me, easy in her movements, her posture loose despite the early hour. “So Elle, how long have you been working for Clo?”

The question is simple. I should have an answer. I open my mouth, but nothing comes at first. My mind reaches for something solid that should be there. Though, there’s only fog. “Not too long,” I whisper, uncertain.

Clo hums lightly. “It feels longer, doesn’t it?”

Kaye gives me a casual smile. “I figured you two have been workingtogether for ages. You’re so in sync.” Then, she asks, “Where were you before this?”

I tense, my head throbbing as I knit my brows.Before this?

The fog thickens, pressing in from all sides. I reach for something—some memory, some detail—but I can’t find the edges of it. I know theremustbe something before this, but I can’t pull it forward. The silence stretches for seconds too long.

Clo steps in before it can settle. “Elle has been with me for quite some time now. I knew the moment I saw her that she was the perfect fit. A natural.”

Kaye nods, seemingly satisfied. “Makes sense.”

The driveway comes into view. Kaye’s expression changes. She’s even brighter and more focused. I follow her gaze, where Damon stands beside a black limousine, his posture composed, his gaze piercing as he watches us approach. His tie is loose, his shirt slightly unbuttoned. His eyes, gray like storm clouds,just like the eyes of—

Kaye tears me away from my thoughts and from where my eyes stare when she grabs my hands and stands in front of me. “It was really nice meeting you, Elle.” Her smile shimmers. “Hope we can see each other again soon!”

I part my lips to respond. Still, nothing comes out.

“Of course you will,” Clo answers smoothly. “You two are bound to cross paths again. Now have a wonderful honeymoon, Kaye dear.”

Kaye smiles wider. I don’t say anything, because the moment is already moving past me. Kaye turns toward Damon and runs to him. Her heels click against the stone, her voice lifting in the cool morning air. “Dae,” she calls him, sounding as pleasant as a songbird calling for her lover.