Page 30 of Endlessly Raphael
* * *
A few hours later, after dropping off Haven’s things in my apartment, I pull up in front of the pizza place where he works. A normally vibrant creature, he’s toned way down in black pants and a white shirt, with a black apron around his waist.
I want to whisk him away from this, but the last thing I want to do is offend him. He’s not looking for a handout. He turns to me and forces a smile onto his face.
“Thanks for everything. I’ll see you later?”
“You will.”
Haven pauses with his hand on the door handle. “It’s kind of wild how life works out sometimes, isn’t it? The night we met, I was about to head to this other club I heard about, but something drew me to the one you were in. It’s like I subconsciously knew I’d find the right guy for this madness.”
My brow creases. “Really?”
He nods. “Yep. You seem surprised.”
“Um, kind of. Thorn coerced me to go to that club. It’s not my normal hangout.”
“Hmm. Maybe it was fate.” He leans in to kiss my cheek. “See you later, Raphael.”
“Bye, Haven.”
I watch him leave in a bit of a daze. Maybe it was fate. His words linger long after he’s gone, but eventually I shake them off and get to where I’m supposed to meet Midnight. It’s our night to work together, and I need my head in the game for this target.
We know nothing about him except that he’s volatile and therefore dangerous. Yves suggested two of us handle him because he’s often with several people.
I drive to an alley where I leave my car, scenting my brother nearby. I spot him sitting on the edge of a rooftop and scale the building to join him. Cold wind whips past me, blowing my jacket around me. Midnight glances in my direction with a bored expression.
“Surprised you didn’t bring Tru.” I sit next to him and nudge his arm with mine.
“He’s with Vivienne and Viper, watching them make glamour potions.”
“That’s interesting. Why?”
“Viv says anyone can learn but I don’t think that’s true. She’d just teach us if it were.”
“Hmm, maybe not. Maybe she likes hanging out with us.”
Midnight chuckles at that. “Maybe. I think she adds a little something to it to make it work as well as it does.”
“Likely. No sign of our target yet?”
“Nope, but he should be by here at some point. He has some girls that work on the corner of Seventh and Maxwell.”
“He’s a pimp?”
Midnight shrugs. “He must be, but he obviously did something wrong if he’s got a hit out on him.”
“True.”
Dangling my feet over the edge, I gaze up and down the alley. We aren’t too far from where Haven works.
“Where is your fiancé?” Midnight asks with a smirk on his lips.
“He works.” I turn to my friend. “Since you have a mate now…” I pause, uncertain.
“Yes?”
“I don’t know. Haven said something that got me thinking.”