Page 81 of Twisted

“You might be the first person to ever say that.”

“I’m not a person, Wren.”

“You were, and you still are.”

“I’m a vampire.I died long ago.”

We both are slowly leaning in closer and closer to each other without realizing it.The longing in my heart intensifies, but instead of aching like it usually does, it feels quelled.My lips part as I take in a breath and Xavier is about to say something when he quickly snaps his head to the side, looking at someone who just walked through the door.The little bell dings as the door closes, and I feel an energy shift right before I hear her voice call out my name.

Gia.

CHAPTER32

Iwould know that voice anywhere and still I turn, needing visual confirmation that what I’m hearing is really what I’m seeing.Because, what the actual hell?

Gia comes running to me as soon as she sees me and throws her arms around me.Xavier still has his hand on mine and gives it a squeeze before I pull my hand back to hug my sister.

“What…what are you doing here?”I ask her, pulling her close to me.

“Ryder said he saw you pull into the parking lot of Maria Elena’s and we just had to come see if it was true or not.”

I look beyond her and see Leo and Antonio, standing sheepishly in the doorway.Their eyes meet mine and then they look at the man I’m sitting next to.Unlike the waitress, they know right away that Xavier is a vampire.

I lean back, taking Gia’s hands in mine.“I missed you, too,” I tell her.“I just saw your text.”

“I was wondering why you didn’t reply,” she says with the same amount of sass as usual.“You always text me back and Mom still won’t let me get a phone.It’s so lame.All my friends have phones.”She turns, noticing Xavier.“Who is this?”

“This,” I start, looking at him.“This is Xavier Malus.My husband.”

“You got married?”Gia’s eyes go wide and she looks at me blinking, waiting for me to laugh and tell her I’m joking.

“Yep.We didn’t have a wedding though, so don’t worry that you missed out on any planning.”

“Good because I would have been mad.You said I could plan the whole thing.”

I laugh, fighting back emotion that’s biting at the corners of my eyes.Gia and I would sometimes sit at night and look at my Pinterest boards.She had one too, and it was full of “normal things” she wanted in life but were too scared to tell Vivian and Marco.

It’s so fucked up.

“This is Gia,” I tell Xavier.

He holds out her hand to shake.“It’s nice to meet you, Gia.”

“Your skin is cold,” Gia replies when she takes his hand.Both my brothers come over, not liking that Gia is talking to a vampire.But what did they expect?They knew my situation and it’s not like I’d come back home to Asheville just to go to my favorite restaurant on my own.

“I take it this is Leo and Antonio,” Xavier says, standing up and buttoning his suit jacket as he gets to his feet.I didn’t even notice that he had undone the button when he sat down.“I am Xavier Malus.Your new brother in law.”If he were still sitting, I’d kick him under the table.“Please, join us.”

“We were…we…” Antonio starts and looks at me, face pleading for me to tell him that he shouldn’t be here.

“Can we?”Gia asks, already taking a seat next to me.“I miss Wren and no one has told me what’s going on, but she will and it’s really suss no one will talk about it and come on, guys, she’s freaking married.”

Xavier laughs.“What do you want to know?”

“Are you really a vampire?”she asks him, leaving Leo and Antonio sputtering.The girl was raised in the Order and knows about monsters.It may have given her a bit of false confidence, thinking her family can beat and kill anything that comes across her path.

“I am,” Xavier answers.

“How old are you?”