“Is that something you’re an expert on? Unfaithful men?”
“You’d be surprised just how many things I’m an expert on.” His voice didn’t hold a whole lot of friendliness at the moment. Which was fine with her. It made it much easier to concentrate on something other than the sight of his mouthwateringly perfect bare chest as he pulled his black shirt back on.
Luckily she wouldn’t have to think about it. They were going to follow Richard Morgan to see who his mistress was. Or even
She wondered if Fay had been serious when she said she’d be taken back home and possibly killed for abandoning her fairy ways for the love of a human. What kind of fairies were these, anyhow?
Scary fairies.
Unlike yesterday, this morning when Eden had gotten showered and dressed, received a knowing look from Leena in cat form — which she ignored — and was ready to leave, she didn’t try to sneak onto the elevator without Darrak. He accompanied her, although he was quiet. He sat silently on the passenger side of her car as she drove to a Starbucks, the one Fay said Richard always picked up coffee from each morning, and parked outside.
It was strange. Darrak was so different than Ben in more than the obvious ways. Ben made her nervous. But when she was with Darrak she felt like she could speak her mind. Easily. In fact, she’d been more open and honest with him than she’d been with… well, anyone. Probably ever. And that was all kinds of pathetic.
One of the many reasons why she wanted him gone.
Although, after seeing the real her, warts and all, it would surprise her if he’d even consider sticking around after their situation had been taken care of.
Which was good. She didn’t like what she’d seen of the supernatural world so far. She was more than ready to get back to her blissful ignorance.
Also, she didn’t want any obligations. Even working with Andy was beginning to have that permanent feel to it. Especially since it was doubtful that he’d be able to buy out her half — or rather,
But if she wanted to sell so damn bad, why had she felt ill at the prospect of him claiming bankruptcy yesterday?
Because she would have lost money. That’s all it was.
Money that hadn’t really been hers in the first place. Her mother was the one who’d won half the agency. Other than her name on a piece of paper, Eden had no claim to the business, or really any right to be there.
And then there was Ben.
When she’d first caught a glimpse of the cop, she’d never thought she would have a chance with him. It seemed safe to admire him from afar. Now things were different. So what happened if there was something between them? Not saying that he’d ever ask her out again, but what if he did? And what if she accepted?
There were a lot of big what-ifs in her life at the moment.
Another one was what if she didn’t solve the Darrak problem and in a year she died because of him?
That one took up a lot of space in the what-if pile.
Her life sucked, but she didn’t want it to end anytime soon.
See? That was a specific goal. She knew what she wanted and she knew what it took to get it. A chance at a happy and fulfilling future was dependent on her saying hasta la vista to Darrak as soon as humanly possible.
No matter how easy it was to talk to him. Or how much she’d liked kissing him. Or how her unconscious self seemed to have extremely impure thoughts when it came to the demon.
None of that mattered.
Being possessed by Darrak would eventually kill her.
She didn’t want to die.
He had to go. Simple as that.
“There he is,” Darrak said after a moment.
Eden glanced down at the picture Fay had given her, and yes, that was Richard Morgan walking into the coffee shop. Right on time for his double espresso.
“So what should we do?” she asked.
“You’re the fake private investigator in this car. Not me.”
“Andy said to write down what he does and take pictures.”
“Then that’s exactly what you should do.” Darrak leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. “Have you thought about getting your license?”
“No.” She held the camera up and snapped a shot of the back of Richard’s head.
“Just no? Not a maybe?”
“I don’t want to do this sort of thing on a regular basis. This is an exception to the rule.”
“You sure have a lot of rules. You should think about breaking them sometime. You’d probably be a lot happier.”
“I’m happy.”
He eyed her sideways. “Sure you are.”
“I’m ecstatic about life. I’m surprised it doesn’t show.”
“What do you want to do with your life?” he asked.
“Like a career?”
“Sure.”
She shrugged a shoulder. “I considered flipping houses for a while but the economy’s not so great anymore. Plus, my credit isn’t fantastic either. So that’s out.”
“Flipping houses. I can’t think of a career that has less permanence to it than buying a house, spending weeks making it better, and then selling it and moving onto something else. Is that really what you want?”
She tried not to glower at his appraisal of her career suggestion. “Maybe I’m not looking for any permanent responsibilities. I’m just like my mother that way.”
“Your mother was a bit flaky?”
“You have no idea.”
“You know what you need?”
That earned him a full-on wary glance. “What do I need?”
His lips curved. “Oh, you need a lot of things. But the first thing that comes to mind is passion.”
Her cheeks heated. “Yeah, and let me guess. You’re willing to provide it?”
His expression didn’t change. “I’m not just talking sex. I’m talking meaning in your life. You need to figure out what you’re passionate about and pursue that. You know, your dreams and hopes. Things that make life worth living.”
“Is this self-help advice from a demon?”
“Guilty as charged.”
“My life is fine just the way it is.”
His smile faded. “I don’t know that much about you, but I can tell by just looking in your eyes that you’ve been hurt in the past by people you’ve let into your life. You’re very guarded. You don’t let your hair down—”
“My hair’s down right now.”
“You know what I mean.”
Darrak’s gaze felt like it was burning a hole right though her. She didn’t like how perceptive he was. How it seemed like he knew her without her even offering up anything about herself. She didn’t want him to know her. Frankly, she didn’t want anyone to know her.
“So you’re saying I need some sort of permanent, passionate outlet. Like a job I’m really into?” She snapped another photo just so she felt like she was doing something constructive.
“I think you might be good at this investigation thing,” he said.
“That makes one of us.”
