Wolf's Bane (Monstrous Hearts #2)

Chapter Five

"Sometimes, I'd be in the middle of things." Then he shrugged and offered that indulgent smile he used with anyone who flared up at him over his art. "You probably remember that, since you won't even fully look at me."

She did, and hated how she had always agreed to let Magdalene drag her to those psychonaut parties, and how whatever they took—pill, shot glass of liquid, smoke—left her flushed and confused and looking to Magdalene for guidance.

In a low voice, she said, "I think it was a test from her. She liked watching us fuck. She liked seeing in my face that I'd do it only for her and not because I wanted to. Funny how words were never enough. I always had to prove it."

Realizing her cheeks stung with heat, she turned away to avoid his gaze. Silence simmered as her restless steps took her to Darby's side of the room. The walls there were painted turquoise and littered with photos of Magdalene. Some looked like Rob's work, but others were missing his cool, precise touch, and instead held a rawness that made Alice wonder if Darby had taken them, herself.

She suddenly remembered the first time she had admitted to Magdalene that she liked painting—just a little, just as a secret hobby that bore results too crude and embarrassing to show to anyone. Magdalene had given her an indulgent smile while insisting on seeing them, and then had crooned over each piece as if it had been a Whistler instead of simple splatters of coffee. Something had rushed through Alice, then, sweet and immediate like a cube of sugar dissolving on the tongue. After that, she'd flung herself after that feeling again and again until it became habit to seek Magdalene's approval, until it became the very course of nature itself.

How many times had Rob seen this happen? How could he have let his wife fall into such a trap? Alice nearly turned around to ask him, but a larger part of her insisted it was better to stoke his goodwill over his irritation. Instead, she kept studying Darby's space, trying to figure out the other girl.

An antique writing desk overflowed with paper and books. Just enough space remained clear for a vintage typewriter to sit and preen. Off to the side nestled an office cabinet with the doors open to reveal a modern workspace. The corkboard above the desk interested Alice the most, though, and she stepped closer to study it. Handwritten notes were pinned all over its surface like dead butterflies, the delicate paper crumpled from obsessive fingers. Most were scribbled too illegibly for her to read, but she did recognize one as the address of her cabin. The number "31" was written above it and circled.

"What does this mean?" she said, looking over at Rob.

"She doesn't tell me anything." Then he stubbed out his cigarette and rose from his chair. "But I still know the gist."

Alice locked her muscles to keep from flinching away as he approached, but he only studied the corkboard with her, his expression losing some of its smugness. "She's fixated on Magdalene. Everyone fucking sees that. And I've known about her biography idea for a while. She came up with it after the funeral. But I learned how you play into it only because I caught her nosing through my photo files. She could've just asked to see something. The fact that she didn't made me wonder what the hell she planned."

"Photos?" repeated Alice, cold fingers suddenly clutching at her heart. This wasn't at all what she'd expected. At the look on Rob's face, she guessed the answer, and fumbled for a nearby chair before her legs gave out.

His voice drifted at the edge of her thoughts. "The ones from the nights we'd spend together."

Alice tried to keep her voice from shaking. "She didn't show me those."

"She looked for them after seeing you. My best guess is that when you said no to the cabin idea, she decided to bring out bigger arsenal than a missing mom and a fucked-up grandma."