RSVP

RSVP


Andrew's Pov

I wait until I’m sure she’s completely asleep. Her breathing is even, her body slack, curled slightly toward the back of the couch. Still, I give it ten more minutes. Just to be sure. Just in case.

Then I slowly get up, careful not to make a single sound. I move silently through the room, turning back once I'm out the door to check on her. She doesn’t stir. I'm out into the hallway, and up the stairs quickly, hyperaware of every creak.

Once I reach my office, I grab my laptop and the spare phone I keep in the bottom drawer. I immediately make my way back, I’m not about to risk her waking up and wondering where I am.

Back downstairs, everything is still. Angel hasn’t moved from the position I left her in. She’s still curled on her side, peaceful, and I can't help but think this, vulnerable.

I settle into the armchair across the room, opening my laptop with a soft click. The screen lights up, casting a faint blue glow on my side the room. As expected, there’s a flood of unread messages and notifications. I’ll get to them in a minute.

First, I pick up my spare phone and send Midas a quick message: ‘Why was Angel in the hospital?’

I stare at the screen while waiting for a reply. There aren’t any visible bruises, nothing on her arms, neck, legs or face. Which means it’s either internal, or underneath her dress. And either way, it’s already making my pissed

My jaw clenches. I don’t let myself go down that road. Not yet.

I text Kiernan next, half expecting he'd be asleep. But he isn't.

To my mild surprise, my message has barely sent when he starts typing. ‘Good evening, sir. Glad to have you back.’

He doesn’t ask where I’ve been. If he doesn’t know already, he will by morning.

I cut to the chase. ‘Evening. What things can’t wait?’

He must’ve had the list prepared, because I get a breakdown of tasks and events in less than a few seconds later. Two links to documents follow his meticulous list, documents I'm sure came i too recently to already have been added.

Looks like I’ll be up most of the night. Good thing I was unconscious for two days.

I get to work. Every now and then, I glance toward the bed, just to make sure she’s still asleep. . . still there. She is, everytime but as soon as I look away I want to check again.

I work late into the night and then early into the morning. I don’t even realize I’ve nodded off until my phone buzzes against my thigh.

I jolt awake, my neck stiff from falling asleep in a chair. It's still early, the sun's rays have barely broken through clouds. A quick glance at Angel tells me she's still asleep.

The screen lights up again. It's Daphne.

Shit.

I was going to call her in the morning, when I'd be sure she was awake. Get ahead of an argument and explain what happened.

She’ll forgive me, Daphne is a very reasonable woman. When I tell her I was in the hospital, she’ll understand. At least I hope.

I step out of the room, down the hallway, but keep the door within sight. I answer the call, already preparing my apologies to may the ground work for my explanation.

“Hey baby,” she says, her voice light, sweet. “You haven’t replied to my message.”

I clear my throat, still trying to shake off sleep. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I’ve been out of commission for two days and it’s just…”

I trail off, I really did need a minute to think of just how much I want to tell her about the whole fiasco. I open my mouth to apologize and try against when she continues.

“It’s fine,” she says, her voice airy “It hasn’t passed yet.”

“It?” I ask, confused. “Please just forward all the messages you sent me here to this phone. I lost the last one, baby.”

“Okay baby,” she says, and ends the call.

Well, that was. . . easy. She didn't even ask. Was it too easy? I don't know, I don't think so, I didn't detect any weirdness in her voice. I mull over that as I wait for the messages. The first one comes in and I refresh, waiting for the others.

And wait.

And wait.

Nothing follows.

Then the phone buzzes again. She’s calling back. “Did you see it, baby?”

“Yeah,” I say, rubbing my temple. “I was just waiting for the other texts. Weren’t we talking about—”

“Never mind that baby, just do this for me.”

I blink at the wall, feeling a little taken aback for some reason. But I shrug, maybe she needs this urgently. “Of course.”

I end the calm to check the message. It's an RSVP form for some party later today. It needs a beneficiary signature and she's already written my name. I sign and send it back.

She responds instantly. ‘Thank you! Talk later, gotta get ready.’

I stare at the screen.

I think. . . I'm a little disgruntled. That’s it? No questions? No concern? Not even anger?

I mean I guess she's probably busy, but if my fianceé didn't text me for two days, if definitely bring it up. A little comment about my radio silence for two days—

Or. . . did she not notice we hadn’t talked at all?

The thought sinks into me like cold water but before I can dwell on it, I hear a sound behind me.

The door opens hard. Startled out of my head, I turn around.

Angel is standing in the doorway, hand still on the knob, breathing like she just ran a mile. Her eyes are wide and frantic, tears already brimming.

She sees me and freezes. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, like she's trying to catch her breath.

“I thought . . .” she whispers, voice cracking, “thought it would be lockedMy heart twists.

“I’m so sorry, Angel honey,” I say immediately, moving toward her. “I just stepped out to take a call. I didn’t want to wake you. I’m sorry, baby. So sorry.”

She doesn’t say anything. She just lets me wrap my arms around her. I hold her tightly, gently cradling the back of her head as she presses her face against my chest. She’s shaking.

I hate that they made her like this. She already didn't like being alone and now she's damn well scared of it. It takes everything in me not to start asking questions she’s not ready to answer.

My phone buzzes again in my hand and unread the text quickly behind Angel. “Did something happen to you
? Text me when you get this. We need to talk. I found something.”

It's Sebastian.

What did he find?