Psyche's Heart : CUPID'S MATCH BOOK 3

Chapter 7

We sit in Mino's car in silence as he drives us down the freeway.

I'm tense. Awkward. It occurs to me that - other than earlier this evening in the dungeons - I've not spent any time alone with him. Even though Crystal seems to trust him, and he helped us in the fights against Venus, and Valentine – I'm not quite sure what to make of him. And Cal really seems to dislike him.

I glance at him. Despite the uncomfortable silence that seems to hang in the leather scented air, Mino seems perfectly relaxed; his big hands rest casually on the steering wheel, and his dark eyes glint as the traffic passes up by.

"There's no need to be nervous, Lila," he says in his low, British drawl. He casts me a sideways look and grins, flashing his teeth, "I don't bite."

I hurriedly avert my gaze outside of the window – eyes passing over the Los Angeles skyscrapers penetrating the night sky. I clench my hands together tightly.

"Crystal wants you to break into my mind, doesn't she?"

"It would appear so."

I keep my gaze fixed away from him – insides clenching.

"She thinks I'm hiding something."

He pauses; lets the silence hang uncomfortably around us.

"Are you?" he says.

I chance another glance at him – taking in the formal white shirt that clings to the outline of his big biceps, his short black hair, and the light scar that cuts across his left eyebrow. He's still looking at the road – his expression passive.

I shift slightly on the leather passenger seat and look away – fearing that if he catches my eye the secrets will leak out of my mind.

Yes, I'm hiding something.

I spoke to Valentine. He wants me to come to the Underworld and get him. I've not felt the same since I killed him. And I want to keep him a secret and I don't know why.

"Are you...are you going to?" I ask – ignoring his question.

He doesn't speak for a moment. He licks his lips. Then he raises his dark eyebrow, emphasizing the scar that runs across it.

"I happen to think it's not particularly polite to break into someone's mind uninvited," he says. "So it's something I tend to reserve for my enemies. We're not enemies, are we, Lila Black?"

"No," I say quickly. "No. We're not."

I wait for the tension inside of me to uncoil – he's just said he won't do it.

And yet still I don't know if I trust him.

I glance at him again and his grin widens. "Good."

***

Mino drives us into the underground parking lot of what looks like an abandoned warehouse near downtown Los Angeles. There are no other vehicles around, and my anxiety increases as he pulls the keys out of the ignition and the engine comes to a halt.