Grace spun around and rushed back inside.


    To her surprise, Ed was still standing right where she''d left him in the entryway, unmoving and perfectly still. It seemed he had no idea people had just died right outside.


    She took a deep breath, then gently cupped his face in her hands, speaking softly, "Something happened outside. For now, don''t go out. Your doctor friend-is he with The Obsidian?"


    Ed''sshes fluttered, and he instinctively nuzzled against her palm, his voice low and slightly clingy. "Yup."


    "Good. Call him. I need his help with something."


    If he were from The Obsidian, he would know how to handle dead bodies. No doubt.


    Ed immediately made the call without asking questions. After a moment, he asked, "Grace, why does it smell like blood?"


    Grace pulled him toward the couch in the darkened living room. "I got a small cut on my arm. It''s nothing serious."


    Ed didn''t push. He just sat there, silently stroking her fingertips, lost in thought.


    About 20 minutester, Grace heard someone outside.


    She stood, but ced a firm hand on Ed''s shoulder and said, "You sit down. Stay put. Do note out."


    He nodded obediently.


    Satisfied, Grace gave him a faint smile, then stepped outside.


    Sure enough, Anthony was there waiting, though his expression was anything but pleased. Getting called out thiste to fly via helicopter such a short distance was total overkill.


    He exhaled sharply and adjusted the sses on the bridge of his nose.


    "Ms. Lambert. What do you need?" he asked.


    Grace gestured toward the two bodies lying nearby. "Clean this up. Ed told me you''re part of The Obsidian-I assume this isn''t your first time handling a cleanup like this. Also, don''t say a word to him. In his mind, I''m still someone who can''t hurt a fly. If he finds out I killed someone, he might get scared."


    Anthony choked-literally. In the stillness of the night, his coughing echoed way too loudly.


    Grace raised an eyebrow, slightly concerned. "Are you alright?"<fnf58a> For more chapters visit Find?Novel</fnf58a>


    Anthony straightened his sses again, clearly struggling to keep a straight face. "I''m fine. I''m just a little... surprised. But don''t worry, I''ll take care of the bodies. I won''t say a word to him. I promise."


    "Good." Grace nodded. "Make it fast. He''s still inside."


    Anthony made a quick call, and within ten minutes, a crew arrived and cleaned up everything with surgical precision. By the time they were done, it was like nothing had ever happened.


    Just before leaving, Anthony nced back at Grace. "All done. You can go back andfort your boyfriend now."


    There was something off about the way he said it. Like he was watching some kind of amusing drama unfold. But Grace didn''t have time to think too hard about


    it.


    She returned inside.


    Ed was still sitting quietly on the couch. When he saw here in, his eyes lit


    up.


    "Has everything been taken care of?" he asked. Then, after a beat, "Why is it that you can talk to him about things but not me?"


    Grace reached out, cupping his face again. "Liam''s in trouble. He went to Bensville, and something happened. I need to head there right away. Thank you


    for tonight. I''lle back to see you when it''s all handled, okay?"


    She had barely finished speaking when Ed''s lips were already on hers.


    She leaned back, trapped between the couch and him.


    He moved in with quiet authority and took full control of the situation, his hands gently but firmly cupping her face.


    Their breaths intertwined, and she could sense the change in him in that closeness.


    His mood tonight was unusually light-too light. A quiet satisfaction radiated from him, too, seeming so strange that it was impossible to ignore.