Why Are All the Good Guys Total Monsters? Read Online Free Page B

through that. ‘Stay where you are. Don’t take another step.’
    He stopped where he was.
    ‘If you step on the patio you’ll set off the security
alarm.’ I pointed to the little flashing red light that indicated the alarm was
on.
    He nodded. ‘I lost a ring. It’s not valuable but it’s
precious to me. I think it’ll be lying around here somewhere.’ He glanced
towards the Cupid’s darts. ‘I thought if I left it until morning it could be
washed away with the rain.’
    His manner wasn’t threatening. I flicked on the main patio
lights so he could see what he was doing.
    ‘Thanks.’ He smiled at me, and even from this distance, in
the misty rain, his smile was dazzling.
    I watched him search through the flowers, his long coat open
to reveal his lean, strong physique clad in dark clothing. He fascinated me,
and my stomach twisted as I resisted opening the doors to help him look for
whatever he’d lost. But Daire had warned me about Sabastien, and he was an
intruder after all — again.
    ‘Ah, here it is.’ He smiled and held up a substantial gold
ring. It was a man’s ring and it glistened in the light. I couldn’t see the
details, though it seemed to be shades of gold. Very unusual. He walked towards
me but stopped short of the patio. ‘I would’ve been very upset to have lost it.
I’ve had it forever.’
    He sounded genuine. I nodded.
    ‘Sorry for intruding again. I promise not to make a habit of
it.’ He smiled at me, and I felt a pang of guilt as he said, ‘I hope I didn’t
scare you. And I hope Daire didn’t either.’
    ‘Daire warned me not to trust you.’ The words were out
before I could stop them.
    ‘Did he now?’ He slipped the ring on to his finger. ‘How
chivalrous of him. What else did he say?’
    I hesitated.
    ‘Do tell,’ he cajoled. ‘I’d love to know.’
    I bit my lip and then muttered, ‘He said you were a master
of trickery and deceit.’
    He laughed, quite heartily.
    ‘And he insinuated you’d tricked me into thinking I’d seen
faeries.’
    ‘Daire has been chatty, hasn’t he? I suppose my character
has been completely slain. You probably think I’m a devious monster.’
    ‘I don’t know what to think,’ I said truthfully. ‘There are
so many things I’d like to know.’
    He held his arms out openly. ‘Ask me anything you want.’
    ‘Anything, even if it’s about Daire?’
    He laughed again. ‘Especially if it’s about Daire. No holds
barred on that one, I promise.’ His fabulous lilac eyes were shining with
wicked intention.
    ‘Okay . . . can I trust you?’
    ‘Yes.’ He was quick to reply.
    ‘Can I trust Daire?’
    ‘Sometimes.’
    I scowled. ‘Sometimes?’
    ‘Keep going, this is fun,’ he said.
    ‘Could I have trusted Daire tonight?’
    ‘Probably not.’
    I gulped. ‘So you’re the good guy, not him?’
    ‘That’s about right.’
    ‘What’s Daire up to?’
    ‘Ruining everything for me, basically.’
    ‘Why would he want to do that?’
    ‘That’s not the question,’ he said, taking me off guard.
    ‘So what is?’
    ‘What you should have asked was — will he succeed?’
    I played along. ‘Will he succeed?’
    ‘He’d better not.’
    I laughed nervously. ‘I really don’t understand any of
this.’
    ‘That’s what he’s banking on.’
    ‘But you’ll tell me everything?’
    ‘Oh very likely. I’ve never been any good at keeping
secrets.’
    I paused. What did I want to know? What did I really want to
know? And then I thought — the letter. ‘Tell me about the letter.’
    ‘Ah, yes, the letter. Unfortunately you didn’t get to read
it, did you?’
    ‘No, only the signature. The words on the paper had faded.’
    ‘The words had faded on the envelope, which was the most
relevant part.’
    ‘I could read what it said on the envelope,’ I said, but he
was shaking his head.
    ‘Two words were missing.’ He seemed adamant about this.
    I thought back to what it said. ‘It was addressed to me,
private and