Page 91 of Violence and Vice

Sysco just gives a thumbs-up and hurries across the street before the light can change.

I turn toward Ares, mouth tilted in a crooked smile. “That was easier than I thought.”

“Almost too easy,” he says with a smirk. But I can tell he’s just as stunned by the serendipity of it all.

But we still have one very big conversation to get through.

Florence.

Florence’s office is sleek, modern, and cold in the way only billion-dollar pharmaceutical companies manage to be. Her assistant escorts us to her doors.

When we step inside, Florence’s head is down, typing furiously.

She looks up, blinking with surprise. “Oh no. Is the world ending already? I swear, it’s just one fucking catastrophe after another these days.”

She’s been debriefed on all the insanity that never seems to stop these days.

Ares nods and takes a seat across the desk from her. I sink into the chair beside him. “That’s kind of the point. We need to talk to you about something.”

Her eyes sharpen instantly, but she doesn’t say anything. Just waits.

“We’re moving to Chicago,” I say, keeping my tone gentle.

She stares at us. For a heartbeat. Two.

Then she lets out a sound that’s somewhere between a laugh and a groan.

“Oh, thank fuck.”

I blink. “Wait… what?”

Florence leans back in her chair and tosses her pen onto the desk. “I’ve been wanting to move the company out of New York for over two years now. Taxes, local regulations, the constant... drama. And this psycho bitch taking control of vampires? Not only are my brother and sister-in-law vampires, but my wife is also a vampire. Getting out of New York has been on my mind damn near every minute for forever now. But I couldn’t leave you, Ares. Now, you two suggesting it?” She points between us. “Maybe I can finally breathe again.”

“You’re really okay with this?” Ares asks, brows lifting.

“I’m more than okay. This is the opening I’ve been waiting for. It’ll take time—I’ve got a lot of operations to transfer—but I’m not kidding. I’ve been thinking about this for forever.”

“I was worried you’d be mad,” I admit.

Florence simply laughs. She does, in fact, seem… happy. “Mad? I’m relieved. Happy. I’ve been worried about you two since this all began. You’ve been trying to hold together acracked city. And it’s terrifying, worrying about your wife being in danger all the time.”

“Amen,” Ares mutters in agreement.

Florence smiles, sitting straighter. “This is the best news I’ve gotten in weeks.”

I look over at Ares, and I can see it on his face.

This is just the next in a whole series of signs. Every door we feared would slam in our face is swinging wide open.

The universe isn’t just letting us leave. It’s clearing a damn path.

Chapter 21

One last goodbye.

It’s the hardest.

The most toxic.