Descent (Black Heart Romance presents Heaven & Hell)

Chapter Forty Five
Calvin
I knew I would have to trick Charity to get her to meet me, so I text her from Hallie’s phone
asking her to meet me at the place with the amazing goat cheese.
It sounds like Hallie, and it sounds like Hallie trying to be Nancy Drew and give a sneaky code,
so she does.
I bought out the restaurant for the night because I needed privacy.
I let her get here first so she wouldn’t turn and leave the moment she saw me.
There’s a plate of food on the table with the appetizer Hallie loved so much, so I know she
bought it. She’s probably so hyped up imagining all the different ways she can help Hallie escape me
that she doesn’t even think twice about being the only customer at the restaurant, or about the
obviously reduced wait staff. With only one table, they didn’t need more than one waitress to work
tonight.
But she doesn’t notice, so when I walk in, she’s caught off guard.
I note the shock on her face, watch it wash away like ocean waves on a sandy shore and leave
ripples of betrayal in the sand beneath.
“She didn’t sell you out,” I say, pulling out the chair across from her and taking a seat. “She
wasn’t complicit,” I go on, knowing that must have been her first thought. “Hallie doesn’t know I used
her phone to text you.”
Charity shakes her head, her face etched in lines of disgust. “I’m leaving.”
She turns to get her purse, but I stop her with a dismissive, “No, you’re not.”
She looks at me, bug-eyed and angry. “Yes, I am.”
I ignore her and drop my briefcase on the table. I see her slow down and watch me open it.
Curiosity gets the best of her. “What are you doing?”
I draw out the second Charity folder, the one Hallie doesn’t know about. “You and I have a few
things in common. Other things, not so much.”
“Spare me the monologue, all right? I just want to know—”
“For instance, we both love Hallie.” I look at her. “Right?”
I can see that she doesn’t enjoy being lumped into the same category with me, even if that’s the
one. “I do. You don’t. You’re some sicko who’s weirdly obsessed with her, but that’s not love.”