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“I am not the exchange, if that’s what you’re suggesting,” Kierse countered.

“I know you don’t do sex work, girl. I wasn’t born yesterday.” She pointed her finger at Kierse. “He still wants you.”

Gen shot her a look. “It’s a mutual feeling.”

Kierse raised her hands. “It’s complicated. I’m not here for the third degree.”

“Well, whatever you’re doing there, I want you both to be careful.” She smiled in truth. “And happy, if you can be.”

Gen burst forth, telling her mother all about Ireland and what it was like. Colette listened, encouraged by her daughter’s enthusiasm. Gen was describing their little apartment as the front door banged open again.

They all jumped up to find a man in the black and red of the Roulettes striding into the brothel.

Kierse broke into a smile. “Corey!”

Gen rushed forward, throwing herself into his arms. “We missed you.”

He hugged her tight for a long second. His chin rested on her head, reminding Kierse how tall he was. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“Us, too,” Gen told him as he released her.

Corey held his fist out to Kierse, and she bumped it.

At least he was one of the few who remembered that she wasn’t as accustomed to physical touch.

Though her aversion had lessened significantly since she’d faced her fears about Jason and saved Torra.

Who knew confronting your trauma could begin the healing process?

“Are you going to see him?” Corey asked without preamble. He brushed his dark hair off of his shoulders. It was parted down the middle, thick and straight as a board, thanks to his Filipino heritage. He’d always had a ready smile, but today it was strained. And Kierse could hardly blame him.

“Manners, my dear,” Colette chided him.

“Can I come with you?” he asked.

Gen and Kierse exchanged a look. Corey and Ethan had been endgame for so long. It was still hard to believe the news from Nate that they’d gone separate ways.

“Did he really break up with you?” Kierse asked.

Corey clenched his hands into fists. “I haven’t seen him in almost five months. What do you think that means?”

“Not good,” Gen agreed.

“And I know you’re going to try to get in there. You’ll be able to do it, Kierse.”

“Hey!” Gen said. “I could do it, too.”

“Yeah, but…”

“It’s Kierse,” Colette finished for him.

“I am going to see him,” she told him.

“ We are going to see him,” Gen corrected.

All of them looked down at her, and Gen shrank backward. “What? I want to go, too!”

“I should go alone,” Kierse said carefully.

Gen held her hands out. “But Ethan!”

“We don’t know exactly what we’re walking into. You saw the texts from Nate. It’s not like we’re the only ones who haven’t heard from him.” She gestured to Corey. “He hasn’t even seen Corey. Whatever this training is, it must be serious.”

“I know,” she said in a frustrated huff. “It’s bullshit.”

“It is bullshit,” Corey agreed.

“And you still want to see him?”

Corey bit his lip, retreating at the question. He was hurt, but he was desperate to have it out with the man he loved. “I always want to see him.”

“And you’ve forgiven him just like that?” Colette snapped.

“I don’t know.”

“Again, we don’t know if everyone can get in,” Kierse said.

“But you can,” Gen muttered.

Corey looked between them. “Why can she get in where no one else can?”

“Because Lorcan is obsessed with her,” Gen said.

Kierse flushed. Lorcan had stalked her for weeks this past winter.

When he’d discovered she was a wisp, his behavior had gotten even more intense.

He’d called her the pulse of his heart in Irish.

He’d asked her to come with him. To uphold the allegiance their people had always had.

She’d declined, considering he’d tried to kill her and her friends.

And now that she’d seen a memory where even her parents didn’t trust him, she felt more justified in her actions. However, she had a feeling he wouldn’t kill her outright the way he might any others who trespassed into his territory.

“That’s awfully useful,” Colette said.

Kierse rolled her eyes. “It’s not like that.”

Colette smirked. “It could be. You have wiles. I wouldn’t be afraid to use them, darling.”

“The day Kierse uses wiles to get what she wants instead of subterfuge and stabbing,” Corey muttered under his breath.

“Okay. Okay. I get it,” Kierse said with a panicked laugh. “But we all agreed that, under the circumstances, I am the one who is best equipped to deal with Lorcan?”

“Equipped is right,” Colette said with a wink.

Kierse choked. “That isn’t what I meant.”

“It worked on Graves,” Gen said with a shrug.

She put her head in her hand. “I’m just going to break in and see Ethan. Then I have some questions for Lorcan. None of that means seducing him.”

“Or fucking him?” Colette asked. “I’ve heard from very reliable sources that fucking gets you all the information you want.”

“The reliable source being…you?”

Corey barely suppressed a laugh. “I sort of love you.”

“If the need arises, use what you have. That’s all I’m saying,” Colette said.

Kierse sighed. “It’ll be fine. It won’t come to that.”

“All right, you go alone this time.” Gen deflated. “But I want to go the next time.”

“As soon as I know it’s safe.”

Kierse hated excluding Gen. They were finally home, finally this close to Ethan and Lorcan and answers . But she wouldn’t risk Gen any more than she had already been risked. And she would get those answers so that she could bring Gen safely into the fold.