Page 120 of The Haunting of Lockton

Many stores had started Black Friday sales early, and people flocked to them, hoping to get discounted gaming consoles, clothes, and alien dildos from the highly popular monster dong collection—yes, Ivy Grove had a sex shop that I may or may not have stepped inside once. Or twice. Just to check out.

“Shit, I’m freezing my nuts off,” Skyler said, burrowing deeper into his jacket after we parked and got out of the SUV. The tip of his nose was already pink.

“I think it feels amazing.” Julian only wore a light sweater. No coat. How he wasn’t cold, I had no idea. He winced and rubbed his temple.

“You okay?” Skyler asked, forgetting all about his cold nuts.

“Yeah,” Julian answered. “Just a headache. I’m fine.”

“Hey!” Madison greeted us when we entered the shop. She was more dolled up than usual, with rosy red lips and her blond hair in large curls. Her corset was black with silver buckles and delicate chains connecting them. Her deep red skirt brushed the floor but was hemmed up on one side of her leg, showing off the lacy black garter. Seemed she was going for saloon girl again that day. Or a high-dollar lady of the night.

“You look gorgeous,” I said as I approached her at the counter. “Come on. Do a twirl for me.”

She rolled her eyes before twirling her skirt and wiggling the leg with the exposed garter. “That’ll cost you twenty bucks.”

“Wow, you’re cheap,” Skyler said.

Madison looked at me. “I’m going to kill your boyfriend.”

Boyfriend. The word slammed into my chest and toppled down into my belly. Worried the comment would freak him out, I peered over at Skyler.

He averted his gaze to the storefront window, but there was a slight curve to his lips.

Skyler was more than a fling to me, but we hadn’t put a label on what we were. Long-distance relationships didn’t appeal to either of us. Everything was just… complicated. And it was a complication we’d deal with another day.

Because trying to prolong the inevitable always worked out so well.

“Greetings, gentlemen,” Valentina said as she came down the hall, her heels clacking against the floor. Her black hair was pulled back and adorned with a jeweled headband, the jewels matching the one in her necklace. “I’m delighted you’re here.” She motioned to her office. “Please step inside and enjoy some refreshments before we begin.”

Assuming I wouldn’t be participating in the meeting, I stayed beside the counter as the twins stepped toward her.

Skyler glanced back at me. “Something wrong with your legs, Ichabod?”

“Huh?”

“Because they should be moving.”

“Ah, yes!” Val made excited little claps with her fingers. “Do join us, Paxton. You played a major role in this tale and deserve to see it through to the end.”

“You heard them.” Madison pushed against my shoulder. “But don’t forget you owe me twenty bucks for the peep show.”

I laughed and followed after Skyler. My heart swelled as he reached for my hand. It seemed so natural for him, like he hadn’t even thought about it first. Just as I didn’t have to think about returning his hold and threading our fingers together.

Valentina’s office was small but cozy. There was only one window, but it let in a good amount of light. A tall lamp stood in one corner that had been set up like a little nook, with two plushy armchairs and a square table between them. Her desk was beside the window and covered in knickknacks and framed photos of her family. Something else was on her desk too, sitting front and center.

“Oh, sweet lord.” Skyler’s gaze landed on the platter of bear claws. “I need that in my tummy.”

Val smiled and told him to help himself. We took off our coats and sat down, casually chatting as we stuffed our faces. We washed down the pastries with the raspberry tea she’d brought for the tea-of-the-day flavor. Skyler gave his to me, trying to be sly about it.

“Don’t like raspberry, huh?” I whispered to him, while Julian and Val talked about the snowstorm we were expected to get the next day.

“Nope,” Skyler answered. “You give me your pickles, and I give you…” He looked at the cup. “That.”

I stifled a laugh and accepted the cup. I thought it tasted great.

After we ate, Skyler and I grabbed a chair from the breakroom and took them into Val’s office to set up the meeting area. She and Julian would sit in the two armchairs. Skyler withdrew his laptop and set it up on the table between us, while Julian situated the tripod to record the meeting. He placed his phone on a smaller stand that recorded us from another angle.

“Should I step out of frame?” I asked, eyeing the cameras.