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"Luc is the only constant The only person who has been in e The only one who has cared about lanced up at rin "Maybe not But he has been like a brother toinvolved in this And, it’s a scary thought"

"What is?"

"That I ht truly be alone in the world"

The waiter dropped off the Cokes I’d ordered with the pizza and I nodded to hi thestupid to Claude So I wasn’t sure I was ready to say

"Look, Claude I get that he’s like a brother to you But you’re going to have to put your big boy pants on and deal with this"

He snorted A sht Maybe I’ the evidence" He shook his head "One way or another, I’ll find out for sure"

Now that, I didn’t like the sound of "Look--"

"Thank you For staying with ood a man as I should have been with you" The fervor in his voice and expression stunned me into silence What the hell was I supposed to say to that?

"Darin slipped back onto his face and I al with Claude so out of his nor I worried about him far more than I should

"So I think I should spend some more time with the brand this afternoon Maybe you can focus on shaht have been able to attach it to a person’s spirit, and who ht have that kind of inclination Hell, that kind of power on top of being an evil son-of-a-gun can’t be a coine not"

"Good" And ht I’d talk to him about my first vision of Luc I couldn’t talk to him about it here Too public Too exposed I was too chicken

I needed ti the air, I was getting hungry I needed to eat before I talked about it Needed to formulate responses to his questions--questions I knew he’d ask Like I didn’t tell him when I first saw Luc in the vision from the brand--because I didn’t trust hiation Because I wasn’t entirely sure I trusted him?

Yeah I needed time to come up with some better answers At least, more tactful ones More certain ones

I wished I had some handy

"Maybe we can open a bottle of e’re done Talk through e know," I mused aloud Maybe we could do ? Last night was ato repeat Not one I could repeat if I wanted to keep s he elicited in ruffly, "but I’ht Although I’d be happy to--"

"What? Why?"

"The gala is tonight"

I just stared "Seriously? You’re going to Luc’s house for a party With all this going on?"

"Yes" He sipped his Coke andJust not the best thing I’ve tasted today" He winked atme with that BS" Heat crawled upto this party is a stupid, risky idea"

"Why? No one knoe’re investigating the brand No one knows I’ into Nic--not any more than I usually a at Luc"

He had a point, but I didn’t have to like it At least he was ister

"This will be a perfect opportunity to do a little recon To chat with theo with you"

"No I’ you, frail hurinned back, unable to help myself "You just said it yourself It’s not risky It’s not a stupid idea So you have no reason not to take aped for a second before his mouth snapped shut "You haven’t been invited"

"I’ me or I’ll find my oay in Like you said, it’s a perfect opportunity for soht trying to shi would that be?"