Free Blinding Light (The Bloodmarked Trilogy Book 2) by Alicia Deters

close and didn’t want to lead them back to you.”
    An irrational wave of jealousy smashed into me. If I hadn’t been sitting, it probably would have bowled me over. She had to be in her forties if she was my mother’s age. Then again, Gavin was born in the 1800’s but had a twenty-year-old body. I wasn’t sure if I wanted the answer, but I had to ask.
    “What were you doing at her place?”
    He shot me a shrewd smirk. “Well, it wasn’t what you accused me of the next night if that’s what you’re thinking.”
    I may have insinuated he spent the night giving it to whatever girl was giving him information. “I wasn’t thinking that at all,” I lied.
    He leaned closer, and I did the same. I wouldn’t back down. “You do remember that I can sense when you’re lying, right?” he asked. He looked way too smug.
    I plastered a sweet smile on my face and leaned even closer, separating our noses by only inches. “The more you open your mouth, the harder it is for me to maintain this newfound level of maturity. So why don’t you go ahead and answer the question before I wipe that grin off your face with my fist?”
    I may have learned when to pick my battles, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t pick them. My patience hasn’t improved much, nor has my need for a good fight.
    His smile stayed in place a few more seconds until he conceded. He leaned back and gave that round to me before regaining his business-like persona. “I went there to figure out what to do. We needed a plan in case the assassins found you and we had to get out of town fast.”
    “Well? Did you come up with something? Is there a place we can go?” I asked.
    His eyes froze slightly, and when he spoke, his voice hardened. “There is a place. We should discuss this with Helen, though.”
    His tone made me uncomfortable. There was no hint of the happy, carefree boy from a moment ago or of the joking, flirtatious guy I spent the night with in the tiny bubblegum bedroom. The smiles were replaced with distance. He had the strange look I glimpsed earlier, like he was actively trying to keep me at arm’s length. It could only mean one thing.
    Another secret. Deep breath in. I wondered how long it would take me to punch him.
    “You said you had errands to run. What else did you need to do?” he asked.
    All thoughts of secrets dissipated, replaced by sadness. I took a steadying breath and answered, “I have to say goodbye to Holly.”
    His hard expression softened. He looked as if he might try to comfort me but thought twice about it. Clearing his throat to dislodge any sympathetic words stuck there, he continued.
    “I need to take care of some things here. I have to get my affairs in order and make sure my property manager and accountant can handle things while I’m gone. I shouldn’t take more than an hour. If you want to go to the cemetery, I can pick you up when I’m finished and we can go to Helen’s together.”
    “Works for me,” I said, jumping up. We had a lot to do before nightfall, and I didn’t want to disrespect Chief Beckett by wearing out my welcome. I think I’ve done enough damage here.

4
     
     
     
     
     
    Holly was buried in a small cemetery across town where her family members rested. This place was a major contrast to my usual hideout. No large, over-the-top statues or monuments adorned the grounds. Plain rows of understated headstones blended together to create dull uniformity.
    It was so unlike Holly. She was born to stand out with a bold personality and one of those presences that people took notice of the as soon as she walked into a room. She deserved more than this. Better than this. She deserved more time to make her mark on this world, because I know she would have.
    I searched among the look-alike headstones for a good fifteen minutes before finally finding the row of Becketts. She was at the end of it. The shade from the large maple nearby would sparsely reach her in the summer when it bloomed full and