Ghost Silk (Ghost Perfume, Book 2) | ✔

3 - Promise me - Part 1

Michael called me that night when we were watching TV. Alexander had calmed down, though he continued to seem brooding and unreceptive. On mute. He had taken up the solitary chair, leaving me and Lukas to take the couch.

Earlier, trying out boldness, I slid closer to Lukas to lay my head on his shoulder. He promptly put his arm around me so I could curl into his side.

Alexander eyed us with an inscrutable expression and dark thoughts brewing, but Lukas said, with a nasty smile: I'm sure neither Michael nor Gabriel need to know about your little outburst earlier. And Alexander's lip curled as he said: I'm sure they don't need to know much else about today, and Lukas looked pleased and cuddled me tighter.

If they both agreed to tell the others nothing about today, that was perfectly fine with me.

My own personal space heater. He smelled really good. I was in a low, warm headspace, though not sleepy exactly, because tiny zings of electricity would shoot through me at every shift and exhale of Lukas's chest. He, too, was relaxing, not even pretending to watch the TV as he blinked sleepily at nothing, in the direction of the ceiling.

Surreptitiously, I glanced up at his profile, the long shadow of his lashes on his cheek. I kept trying to look for evidence of something inhuman about him, but except for the fact that he was perfect, there was nothing ... not in moments like these, anyway ...

The phone's ringing took me out of the bubble.

I hesitated over answering when I saw who it was. Michael sometimes called the others but he never called me. We always texted.

"You better get that," Lukas said, raising his head. Alexander did the same in the edge of my vision. "He knows about what happened with Tommy. He wants to talk about it."

So I'd been wrong, at least about what they'd told Michael regarding Tommy.

"You're all snitches! What is it - no secrets among the Alistairs?"

Lukas chuckled.

"No secrets," he agreed. What a liar. "But no one snitched here, it was Michael who was listening to your talk with Tommy. He couldn't come himself, so he let us know ..."

I sat up. "Why was Michael listening? When I thought it was Alexander, I thought he just hates Tommy and he's a control freak ..."

"Thanks," said the control freak.

The ringing stopped.

"Too true, darling, but Michael's in his own league. And he's not sure about you moving in tomorrow."

"I thought he said yes."

"But he's looking for ways to go back on that," Lukas said intently. "He claims he doesn't want to hurt your relationship with Tommy. He's just - looking for reasons not to go through with the move. Don't let him, yeah?"

I nodded as the phone came alive again.

"He's getting upset," Lukas warned.

I slid my thumb against the green circle.

"Hi Michael?"

"Rose." His deep voice didn't sound upset to me. "Do you have a moment?"

"Sure."

"I'm sorry I can't get away to come myself tonight."

"It's okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

"I heard Tommy was difficult about the move, earlier."

Which made it seem like someone told him after the fact, when actually he'd heard it by literally overhearing us.

Sneaky Michael.