Page 41 of Unholy Vows

Malachai

S ix months later.

I had just finished embalming Mrs Walker when a loud bang sounded from my front door. The noise echoed through the tiled hallway of the mortuary, sharp and jarring against the usual silence of the dead.

I still wore my gloves, stained with embalming fluids, and I peeled them off as I made my way toward the source. The banging started again, and I grit my teeth together, as I envisioned murdering whoever was on the other side if they woke Layla.

She’d been working endless late nights for weeks now, trying to meet an unrealistic deadline for one of her clients. When I offered to eliminate the problem, she scowled at me as if it were all my fault.

I’d been serious, of course, but apparently, she hadn’t appreciated the gesture.

“Most men would bring flowers or snacks. But not you, Malachai. Noooo, your psycho ass offers to off my client.”

“I thought you said my ass was sculpted, not psycho,” I pouted.

The corner of Layla’s lip twitched as she fought to suppress her smile.

“Get out before I take you out,” she said, amusement threading her tone.

“Promises, promises, baby.”

The pounding sounded again, pulling me from my reverie. I stormed toward the door, closing the remaining distance in a few strides.

“What!”

My voice echoed in the stillness of the night, and I cringed.

Then my gaze landed on a familiar face, eyes glinting with mirth as he grinned at me.

Noah.

He leaned casually against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, as if he hadn’t just been pounding on the door like a lunatic. The cocky tilt of his head made me want to punch him, but I reminded myself that Layla wouldn’t appreciate that.

For some unknown reason, she liked the idiot.

“Miss me?” he asked, as if we were old friends and not co-conspirators in multiple unsolved murders.

“Do I look as if I’ve had a lobotomy?” I deadpanned, crossing my arms over my chest.

Noah squinted his eyes, studying me as though he was trying to read my inner thoughts.

“It’s hard to say.”

He pinched his chin between his thumb and forefinger as he continued to examine me.

“You’ve always had that glazed-over, someone-help-me-I’ve-made-terrible-life-choices look about you.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“Keep talking, Noah. I’ve just installed a new cremation chamber in the basement, and I’ve been dying to test it out.”

He merely chuckled, completely unfazed by my threats, and pushed past me into the house like he owned the place.

“Relax. I come bearing gifts.”

“Oh, goodie.”

The dryness in my tone didn’t faze Noah; he just grinned back at me.

“Let’s see if I can guess what it is this time: a severed finger? Maybe a toe? What about your sparkling personality wrapped in police tape? Or is that just wishful thinking?”

His grin grew wider.

“You’ll see.”

He flicked his head, indicating for me to follow him, and walked out the door. A dark sedan was parked in the driveway, and he rounded the vehicle, stopping at the boot. He clicked the fob on his keychain, and the lid popped open.

Inside was a dead body.

I blinked.

“Noah, why the fuck do you have a corpse in my driveway?”

He beamed like a kid showing off his science project.

“Technically, it’s our corpse.”

“Our Noah, it isn’t a puppy! You can’t just show up on my doorstep with a dead guy and expect me to co-parent.”

“Obviously,” he scoffed. “The guy’s dead. No co-parenting necessary.”

“I’m ten seconds away from snapping your neck.”

“Don’t be like that, Malachai. Besides, you still owe me a favor. Well, seven actually. No, make that six. This guy is number seven.”

“There is a system, Noah,” I ground out between clenched teeth. “It is in place for our protection. You follow the system; you don’t get caught. You know this.”

He shrugged, completely unfazed.

“I’m aware, but this one was so close I figured I’d just swing by.”

“It’s the middle of the fucking night, and you parked in my driveway where anyone could see. You didn’t even have the good sense to pull up around the back,” I said, scowling as I hit him up the side of his head.

“Ow,” Noah cried, jumping out of reach.

“Keep your fucking voice down.”

“That was uncalled for, Malachai,” he sulked. “I figured you’d be less mad if I brought snacks.”

He held up a crumpled paper bag.

“Donut?”

I stared at the donuts. Then the corpse. Then back at Noah.

“Is this your idea of a bribe?”

“No,” he said. “It’s my idea of breakfast. The bribe is in the glove compartment. It’s bourbon.”

I ran a hand down my face, too tired for this shit.

“Give me the keys,” I said, thrusting my hand out.

Noah grinned, dropping them into my open palm, before he slid into the passenger side and buckled up, that stupid grin still plastered on his face.

Maybe I could throw him in with the body, I mused. Noah would be reported missing, and Layla would be none the wiser.

As if my errant thought summoned her, Layla appeared on the front step, her dressing gown pulled tight around her to ward off the chill.

“Shit.”

Layla narrowed her eyes at me, and I saw Noah waving happily from the passenger seat. She moved down the steps and came to stand at my side.

“Malachai.”

Her voice was deceptively sweet, and I knew we were busted.

“This better not be what I think it is.”

Noah popped his head out the window and grinned up at her.

“Hey, Lays,” he beamed.

“Her name is Layla.”

If I ground my teeth together any harder, something would surely break.

Noah didn’t even flinch at the threat in my tone. The bastard had been hanging around Margot too much, and it showed.

“Noah,” she said, leaning into the window. “Strange time for a visit.”

“No rest for the wicked,” he said, biting into his donut. “Want one?”

Layla eyed the proffered bag with skepticism.

“I’m good, thanks.”

Rising to her full height, Layla placed a chaste kiss on my cheek.

“If there’s a dead body in that car, Malachai, you and I are going to have words.”

She gave me a pointed look before turning back to Noah.

“I’m going back to bed. Nice seeing you, Noah.”

I watched as she climbed the stairs and entered the house, the door clicking shut behind her.

Ah, fuck.

She was going to kill me.