Page 33 of Tested

“We went to talk to Adaline’s best friend, a woman called Monica Johnson. We were supposed to meet her at her home in Pasadena, but she was dead when we got there.”

He doesn’t move to release me, and I don’t let go. “It’s driving me crazy. I want to know who and I want to know why.”

We hold each other for several long minutes before his voice rumbles against my sternum. “Where’s Connor now?”

“I don’t know. He said he had to check on something.”

Trajan eases back a step so he can look me in the eye. “What something?”

“He didn’t say.”

His frown makes me uneasy, or else it bumps up against my existing uneasiness. This is crap, so I go for the heart of the thing. “Do you trust Connor?”

“I want to.” His murmured answer rings another alarm bell. “Do you?”

I brush the hair out of his face, aware that this is a tricky moment. It’d be real easy to side with Trajan, to make it us vs. him.

Which would eventually tear us apart.

On the other hand, I know exactly where Trajan’s coming from. “I think I trust Connor as much as I trust anybody. I’m just not sure he’s telling useverything.”It’s possible forme to holdtwoparalleltruths simultaneously.

I’mgoodthat way.

“You hungry?” I murmur, still teasing my fingers through his hair.

Trajan’s look of concern fades into something warmer. “Maybe.”

“C’mon.” I tip my head toward the house. “Time for a snack.”