Unspoken (Shadow Falls: After Dark #3)(74)

“Apparently,” Leo said. “If you’re calling for another shot at Pope, you’re going to be disappointed.”

“I’m not,” Chase said. “But why would I be disappointed?”

“The ugly son of a bitch met his maker. Another were broke free last night.”

“Did he take out several other prisoners, as well?” Chase asked.

“Nope. For some reason that were had it out for Pope.”

Chase stored that info away. “Look, I was sort of out of it when I left your place the other night. Are you sure it was Kirk you spoke with about Stone?”

“That was Kirk who came out to get you, right?” Leo asked.

“Yes.”

“Well, now that I think about it, I don’t think it was him, but the old fart.”

“Powell?” Chase asked.

“Yeah. The elderly dude.”

Chase found a little relief that it hadn’t been Kirk, Eddie’s good friend.

*

The first thing Della did that next morning was go to her computer, pull up her email, and send Steve a message.

It was simple. Short. Two words.

Not now!

While Della was trying to put her bedroom door back on its hinges, Kylie walked in looking sleepy and wearing light pink PJs.

“Want some help?” the chameleon asked.

“If you don’t mind,” Della said, and instantly felt bad for going bat-shit crazy on her friends.

“Here,” Kylie said and caught the door. “I’ll hold it up and you put the bolt in.”

In only seconds, they had the door up; only one of the hinges had actually broken, so while it wouldn’t close, at least it didn’t look broken.

“You okay?” Kylie asked, just like Della knew she would.

“No, but I’m getting used to faking it,” she answered. “And I hear Chase walking this way, so I don’t have time to elaborate on just how screwed up I am.”

“He’s walking you to breakfast?” Kylie asked. “You’re gonna be early.”

“No, I’m skipping school to help with my dad’s case.” She inhaled. “They set the trial for two weeks. Less than two weeks now.” Saying it made the air in her lungs hitch. What if they didn’t get anything? What if he actually got convicted?

“Sorry,” Kylie said. “Maybe tonight we can grab some Diet Cokes and have a talk?”

“Maybe,” Della answered in a low voice, hearing Chase get closer. “I’m still trying to figure out how I feel, and I don’t know if I can explain it without having another hissy fit like I did last night.”

Kylie bit back a smile. “Well, it was entertaining to watch.”

“Don’t remind me.” Della started out the door.

The knob still in her hand, she saw Chase, standing at the bottom of the steps, his wide-shoulder frame backlit with the early-morning sun.

Instead of the jeans and T-shirt she was accustomed to seeing him in, he had on a black suit and a light blue chambray button-down shirt underneath—all of which fit him really well and had her recalling some of the hot models on a commercial for men’s clothing.

Then for some crazy reason his pristine attire reminded her of things she would probably miss in this life. Things she’d lost forever when she left the human world behind. Things like going to the prom or those silly Valentine’s dances. Getting a corsage and posing for those stupid pictures in front of some wall of flowers.

She hadn’t thought she’d wanted those things, but seeing Chase looking so sophisticated in his suit, she wished she’d been given the choice. Wished it wasn’t wrong for her to want to run her fingers under that suit coat and feel the six-pack and ripples of muscles. She wished her father’s trial wasn’t preventing her from finding something close to happiness.

After another head-to-toe glance of the man in black, she felt underdressed in her jeans and powder blue scoop-neck blouse. Still standing with the door open, she considered dashing in and changing into her black pants.

“Don’t you leave without telling me who Cindy is!” Miranda called out from her bedroom.

Okay, nothing wrong with jeans.

Della shut the door with a little more force than needed. If Chase’s half-assed smile and arched brow were any indication, he’d heard the witch.

It was a friggin’ great start to her day.

*

Cindy? So Della had mentioned their conversation to her friend, huh? From what little bit he knew about girls with their friends, having her mention him was much more desirable than not mentioning him.

Which was the reason I was upset that she’d mentioned Steve to her human friend.

He pushed that thought aside and decided to focus on the positive and not his idiotic jealousy. He was spending the entire day with Della.

The positive also being his final conclusion about what she’d said last night. He heard her voice in his head: We aren’t talking about love, Chase. He planned to talk to her about that, too.

He watched her stand at the door in a bit of a stupor and noted the way she eyed him. He’d felt kind of ridiculous dressed in the suit, but Della’s appreciative gaze changed that.

“Good morning,” he said, standing a little taller.

“Morning,” she said, no doubt purposely leaving off the good.