0.6-The Asylum Interviews: Trixie Read Online Free Page B

ego, maybe you could put your brain to use and think of a viable way to help her.”
    My shoulders slumped as I dropped my head into my hands. I was being an ass. I was missing the point, which was that Jo needed help. “You’re right and I’m sorry,” I said. I looked up and found Trixie staring at me with a surprised look on her face. “Never hear that before?” I asked with a smirk.
    “Uh . . . no, not for a long time.” Trixie’s voice was soft and a little husky as she took an unsteady step backward, turning to her chair.
    “I might not be the smartest man, but I do admit when I’m wrong. It just might take me a little while.” Trixie nodded, the first glimpse of a genuine smile crossing her full lips since she’d walked into the parlor. “I think the first thing we need to do is talk to Jo and get the whole story. She might also have a suggestion or two about how to deal with Chester, seeing as she is a vampire and has the inside scoop on how their society works. I would rather not take Chester down and leave a lot of vampires homeless—not the best way to make friends.”
    “Good idea,” Bronx said with a grim grin.
    “I’m supposed to be meeting her tonight at Warm & Toasted,” Trixie offered. “She wants to know how my interview with you went.”
    I stood, glancing up at the clock on the wall. It was only seven thirty. The night was still young—plenty of time to get into trouble. “What time?”
    “Nine.”
    “Great. I’m going with you.” I turned my attention to Bronx to ask him something, but Trixie also jumped to her feet and closed the distance between us.
    “You can’t go. She’ll know I told you.”
    “I’m sorry, but we’re past the point of hiding this from Jo. If we’re going to help her, she has to know and I’m not sitting back waiting for you to feed me more info. And last I checked, I’m the only one here who had been intimately involved with her. Unless you’ve got something you’d like to share with the rest of the class?”
    Trixie’s lovely mouth bobbed open for a couple seconds as her cheeks flustered bright red. “It’s not what you’re thinking. Jo and I are just friends. Just. Friends.”
    I shrugged. “A guy can hope.” I turned to look at Bronx, who was shaking his head at me while trying to hide his smile. At least he knew I was only teasing. “How many appointments you got tonight?”
    The last of his smile instantly soured. “Several.”
    “Keep your cell phone close.”
    “I can cancel,” he offered and I appreciated it. I was getting too accustomed to having him at my back. But I didn’t think I wasn’t going to need it tonight. After calming down, I realized that I couldn’t go gunning for Chester’s head without a plan, and I wasn’t going to have a working plan until I got all the details from Jo.
    “Thanks, but don’t. We should be fine.”
    “Call me before you head to the nest,” Bronx said firmly, bringing a smile to my lips.
    “Like I would deny you your fun!”
    “You’re not going,” Trixie said in a low voice, sounding as if she was crushing each word between her clenched teeth.
    Turning to face her, I shoved my hands in my pockets and smiled. “You lost your right to veto me out of any involvement when you passed along your news. Jo is my friend too and we will help her together.” I extended my hand toward her, waiting for an agreement.
    Trixie stared at it for several seconds, her lips pulled into a frown, before she took my hand. “You’re a prick and an asshole and I have no idea what Jo ever saw in you, but we’ll help each other.”
    “Excellent,” I replied with a wide grin. I returned to my seat and finished flipping through her portfolio. During the next forty-five minutes, I peppered her with questions about who she studied with, where she worked, and proper stirring techniques for various potions. The mix of her artistic talent, her potion knowledge, and her devotion to a friend made her a