I swallowed hard. “You think she’s still alive?”
Not great, but not an outright, she’s probably dead, either.
He fidgeted with the edges of his suit jacket before he answered. “I am pretty sure I would know if my sister died.”
“Why?”
“We are twins. For Fae, twins are rare. Their magic works in sync and they are more powerful together than apart.”
If Fin and his sister generated more power together, maybe the party we attended was a trap to capture Fin so he and his sister could be drained of power together.
Shit.
I scrubbed my hands over my face and shook my head. “If he wanted to capture you so he could use you both, then yes, she’s probably still alive.”
“I fear once I save her, there will be nothing left of her,” Fin whispered.
Damn it, I was angry with him. I should be laying here reviewing the curse-word laden speech I would give him when I walked out on him and our contract. Hearing the tremor in his voice and the longing for his sister matched the exact way I used to speak about my parents and their deaths. It would be easier to walk away if Fin were simply a rich asshole looking for a mouthy distraction. But the more I learned about him, the more I could see the vulnerability behind the mask he showed the world.
Time to change the subject. “So, tell me about Olivia? What turned her into a crazy person?”
Fin drew himself up in the chair, slipping behind his armor again. “To be honest, I have no idea. If I knew she’d be vulnerable to the Black Mage’s seduction I never would have asked her to try. She was my friend and my lover for a time. But her affections were always mercurial, and she gets bored with people quickly.”
“Sounds like the perfect person to send on a long-term undercover mission.”
He sighed. “When I think about it now, I realize she was the wrong choice.”
Did he know I killed her? That she’d killed me too, if only for a few seconds? Now would be a great time to explain to him about my dream, about the Black Mage’s ability to hop into other skins. Fin wouldn’t have left that little nugget out of his initial safety briefing.
To do so required trust. In our relationship so far, I’d always given way more than him in that regard. He’d finally shared with me why he’d gone after the Black Mage, and it was one step in the right direction. It didn’t counter the multiple steps we’d staggered back in that house.
I shifted in the bedding, seeking the comfort I needed to force the truth out. “Fin, I need to...”
Holly bustled into the room, looking like a bright spot of sunshine. She carried a tray of food and placed it gently over my hips. “You’re awake. I’m so happy.”
I nodded my thanks. Her eyes jumped to Fin and then back to me. “Oh, I’m interrupting. I’ll come back to chat later.”
Delicious scents wafted from the tray. I lifted the plate lid to find a buffalo chicken sandwich and waffle fries. My mouth watered, and I shifted forward. Probably not a great idea to eat buffalo sauce over expensive white sheets, but right now I didn’t give a fuck.
Fin laughed at how I popped a fry in my mouth and wiggled in delight. “This is so good.”
“You’ll need to eat more the next few weeks as your body heals your injuries.”
I snorted through my mouthful of food. Once I swallowed, I said, “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
He pounded his hands on the arms of the chair and pushed himself out of it. “I’ll let you eat and rest. We can discuss things more when you’re feeling better.”
I stopped eating, putting the chicken sandwich down with a sad whine. “No, please. I need to get this out so you can think about it.”
“What is it?”
How do you tell a man you killed his ex?
“Did you see me fight with Olivia?”
By fight I meant, had he seen her pummel me with her magic into unconsciousness?
He ducked his chin and a sharp pang of guilt shot through me. Not for killing her, but for hurting him.