Page 75 of Rule the Night (Blackwell Butchers #1)

REMY

“Jesus fuck, I’m tired,” I said to Bram as he pulled up to the gate outside the lot. “And hungry.”

I didn’t know what was on today’s menu, but whatever it was would be amazing because one of the many things I’d learned about Maeve was that she was an incredible cook.

I was already looking forward to seeing her, something I hadn’t expected when she’d moved in. Sure, I loved her cooking, but I fucking missed her during the day, which was a totally new and weird feeling.

We pulled inside the lot and I spotted Poe getting off his bike.

“Yo,” I said, climbing out of the car.

“Everything go okay?” Bram asked him.

“They tried to short us,” Poe said. “I left a message for Hans.”

“Think it was intentional?” Bram asked.

“Hard to say,” Poe said. “I’ll know more after I talk to him.”

We hopped up onto the old loading dock and I punched the code into the keypad next to the door.

“Maeve seem all right to you this morning?” Poe asked no one in particular.

“Didn’t see her,” I said. “But she seemed down to me last night.”

She hadn’t been downstairs when Bram and I had left that morning, although the kitchen had smelled amazing and the fridge and freezer had been stuffed with food prep so she’d obviously done a shit ton of cooking.

“Me too,” Poe said.

I wasn’t surprised Bram didn’t answer. He hardly spoke to Maeve at all. How would he know if she was okay?

We stomped up the stairs and I waited for the smell of Maeve’s cooking to hit my nose, but when we reached the second floor, the living area was empty, and that included the kitchen.

“She working tonight?” Poe asked.

I pulled up her schedule on my phone. “Not according to the schedule.”

“What the fuck?”

I looked up as Poe spoke and found him walking toward the dining room table.

And that was when I saw the note tucked under a familiar black velvet box.

My stomach churned.

I reached Poe in time to see him pushed aside the box and unfold the note.

I read over his shoulder.

I’m sorry, I can’t stay.

I’ve cooked enough to last you for the duration of our contract.

I hope that’s good enough.

“What the fuck?” I said.

Bram stepped closer. “What’s going on?”

Poe handed him the note.

Bram swore, but Poe just stared at him.

“What?” Bram asked.

I reached for the jewelry box and popped it open. The apple necklace we’d given Maeve for her birthday lay untouched in the velvet.

I raised my head and looked at Bram. “What the fuck did you do?”