Page 81 of Crown of Death
I can see it, the look of disapproval on my father’s face. It’s a big age difference, seven years, at least in his eyes. I suppose he’s forgotten he and my mother have eight years betweenthem.
Then again, I did just turn twenty a month and a halfago.
“Have you seen Eli recently?” Dad asks, changing the subject. “I haven’t heard from him in a few weeks, and he hasn’t stoppedby.”
My throat instantly tightens and I have to force myself not to glance in Cyrus’ direction. “He’s been out of town with work. Somewhere in Asia. He’ll be back in about twoweeks.”
Dad nods, accepting mylie.
Again, I force myself not to look at Cyrus. But I’m so, so aware of every cell of his presence besideme.
“So, tell me,” Mom says. “How did the two of you meet?” She sets the last of the food on the table and Eshan immediately digsin.
I look over at Cyrus, reminding him with my eyes to go along with whatever Isay.
“I’d come home from dinner with Amelia,” I say. It’s easier to keep facts straight when they’re blended slightly with the truth. “I’d gotten in a fight with Eli earlier, and went for a walk to clear my head. I honestly hadn’t realized how late itwas.”
Parttruth.
“There was this creepy guy lurking in an alley,” I say. And I remember the glowing red eyes. The scream that came from mylungs.
“Collin stepped in and the guy ran away before it could go anywhere,” I wrap it up with a big lie. “He took me out for coffee after that, and we just…” I look over at him and he meets my eyes. “Hit itoff.”
He reaches for my hand, lacing our fingerstogether.
He does it under the table, but it’s obvious. Both my parents see themovement.
“Thank you,” my dad pipes up. “For stepping in that night before anything could happen. I…” he shakes his head, at a loss for words for a moment. “It’s a terrifying time of life, having your baby move out of your house, where you can’t protect her all thetime.”
I look at Cyrus once more, and remember the night where he actually did protect me from a predator. “He’s always there,” I say. “Watching out forme.”
“I promise you, Mr. Pierce, I won’t ever let any harm come to Logan while she’s withme.”
It’s a punch in thegut.
While I’m withhim.
Because if I’m not who he’s looking for, he’s going to moveon.
Everyone finishes dishing up and I put a bite into my mouth without tastingit.
“Thank you for dinner,” Cyrus says. “Your cooking really issuperb.”
“Well, thank you, Collin,” Mom says. And she actually blushes. “I love to cook. Unfortunately, I couldn’t ever seem to teach Logan a thing. The poor thing can’t even boil anegg.”
“Mom,” I gape in horror and embarrassment. “Really?”
“Yeah, Logan’s not really good at much except playing with dead people,” Eshanteases.
I look at my brother in horror. I could sock him right now. But at the same time I’m glad to see him finally relaxingtonight.
Mom just laughs, and everyone else smiles, too. “I’m sorry, honey. I swear I tried to prepare you to take care of yourself, but it just did notstick.”
Cyrus smiles and looks over at me. “I suppose it’s a good thing we haveFredrick.”
“Fredrick?” Dadquestions.
Cyrus looks back over, dabbing at the corner of his mouth with a napkin. “My assistant. He lives with us. He also cooks. Which is fortunate. Since neither Logan nor I know what to do when it comes to thekitchen.”