DAMIAN Even as I drove, I couldn't help but wonder at the back of my mind what Ishtar would think of me when she found out about this. The best thing to do in this situation was to prevent her from finding out, and that solely depended on my finding. If I found her grandmother, then I might be forced to explain my actions to her. If it was the opposite, then she didn't have to know. I wasn't quite sure if I was doing more harm than good— that is, if I were to consider what her feelings would be in this. And that was why I wasn't doing that— not yet, not today. Taking one last glance at the address, I pursed my lips and tried to stabilize my thoughts. Right now, I didn't have to think about Ishtar or anyone else. I'd come this far for a reason, and it certainly wasn't by considering people's feelings. Even with this justification, I still struggled with the tiny voice at the back of my mind. The address led me to a desolate state highway, somewhere I hadn't ever been before, but th

ISHTARI woke up in a dimly lit room, nestled in the warmth of Damian's arms. Confusion washed over me as I realized I had passed out, my last memory a blurry haze. Panic gripped my heart, and I stammered, "Damian, what... What happened to me?"I remembered making dinner and waiting for him. I could vividly recall the moment he had walked in, too, but after that, I couldn't remember anything else. It was as though that part of my brain was wiped clean.His silence hung heavy in the air, and he only looked at me. I'd seen Damian look disturbed before, but this was the worst of it all. His keen eyes bored into mine like he was searching for something.We were on the floor by the dining table. There was a blockage in my mind every time I tried to remember what happened. He finally asked, after I tried to wriggle out of his grip. "Do you remember what you said to me, Ishtar?"I looked up at him, my eyes searching for answers, but I couldn't find any. "I... I don't remember," I admitted,

ISHTARI didn't want to tell him exactly what I heard from Reiss in the hopes that he'd come out clean and tell me that truth about himself. I thought I could do it, share a roof with him for the good of it, and act like we didn't know each other, but that one night had changed everything. It wasn't easy for me to pretend anymore.I stared at him, and he stared back, loosening his tie as he prepared to tell me the truth, although I hoped it really was. I couldn't help but wonder what else he was hiding. The silence of the house was sharp enough to sting us, and my tagged breathing filled my ears. I was impatient and ready to leave even though I wasn't sure where. I'd survive. I always did."The truth…Ishtar," he paused, then heaved a broken sigh. "You're right. I've not been completely honest with you, and it's for a reason I'm hoping you'd understand."I'd understand. I was pretty sure of it. I didn't dare to take my eyes off me, as though it helped me understand this enigma of a man

ISHTAR.This day would be perfect if Damian were here. I knew he'd never watch a movie with us like this, but at least I'd know that he was within earshot, and that alone would feel good.I was watching a horror movie franchise with Reiss in the home Cinema. It was the most comfortable thing I'd ever come across, and I can't even begin to explain how good it made me feel. The TV was the biggest I'd ever seen in my life while the surroundings were set like a bedroom, although dark.Reiss and I shared a blanket, and he spooked me by trembling his legs from time to time. It was fun and thrilling, unlike anything I'd ever experienced, yet it felt incomplete. I found myself drifting off and asking myself why Damian brought me here with him just to run off and start working.Was that his genius plan from the beginning? Was this never a vacation to begin with? The voices in my head wouldn't stop giving me answers, and just as I wasn't quite clear on his identity, there was so much doubt in m

ISHTAR."Well, well, well…"I lost a half the fragment of my mind when the lights clicked on, and Reiss appeared before us, obviously humored by our position. I didn't know whether or not to fume that he scared me or that he'd just snatched the chance I had to kiss Damian. God knows when I'd get to kiss him again when we get back home.I was stunned and speechless, and I watched Damian's hands slowly slip from my sides as he sighed exasperatedly and muttered something I couldn't understand underneath his breath. I think we were both mad at the interruption, not at the fact that Reiss found us kissing.Reiss leaned against the door frame and kept his sheepish smile intact, and for the first time in a while, I actually did want to knock it off his pretty face. I clenched my fist and tilted my head to move away the tendrils on my face. I heaved a broken sigh, and a small laugh followed it, "Reiss, howdy?""Howdy?" Damian echoed. "What are you, fifty?" He was being too adorable, and I did