Twisted Devotion (Twisted #4) - Jessi Elliott Page 0,1

the first time we’ve had a chance to catch up.

Her gaze shifts back me. “Yes, ma’am. I’m back in my marketing position at the Westbrook now that Aurora and Tristan are living in Rockdale again.”

“That’s great,” I say, and she nods.

I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with Tristan since he and his wife and son returned to the city. We’ve all tried to give them their space to situate themselves. And saying goodbye to his face would be too hard after everything he’s done for me.

“Hey, chica,” Allison says with a grin, glancing behind me.

I turn and find Aurora walking toward our booth, pushing a stroller with a sleeping Adam inside. That kid is living the dream; I could use a nap myself.

“Morning,” she greets with a tired smile, putting the brakes on the stroller before sliding into our booth next to Allison. She runs her fingers through her hair, tying it into a messy bun on the top of her head, and stifles a yawn. She pours herself a generous cup of coffee from the pot our waitress left on the table at Allison’s request.

“Hey, Aurora,” I say with a smile, flicking my gaze between her and Adam. The kid is adorable, even when he’s asleep. Especially when he’s asleep. “How’s it going?”

She laughs softly, stealing a glance at her son. “I’d be a hell of a lot better if he would sleep at night.”

“You and Tristan need to take shifts,” I suggest with a grin.

Aurora blinks and then laughs. “Right. Tris is great with him, but when it comes to bedtime, the kid just wants his mom.” She takes several sips of her coffee before sighing. “I am exhausted, though. I wish there was something I could do to boost my energy.” Her eyes light up. “Maybe I need a workout routine. Are you taking on clients at the gym? I know it’s supposed to be fae-exclusive, but I’d love to work with you.”

I bite my lip, badly wishing I could lie. One of the pitfalls of being fae. “I’m not taking new clients,” I tell her, quickly shifting my gaze to Allison before I lose my nerve. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you guys about.”

Allison snorts and says, “I’m not looking for a trainer, Kels. I prefer to do my workouts horizontally.”

I cringe, dreading what I’m about to say. The last thing I want to do is hurt my friends. “I’m leaving Rockdale.”

That wipes the amusement clear off Allison’s face, and the usually bright and bubbly emotion swirling around her dims. I’ve been fae for a little over five years and I don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing how people feel. The whole colored aura thing is still weird to me, especially while walking down a crowded street. I’ve gotten pretty good at tuning it out, but when my own emotions are high, it’s rather challenging.

“Wait, what?” Allison shakes her head. “I don’t understand. Why?”

“I want to travel,” I tell her, and it’s the truth. At least, it’s part of it. Bouncing around North America during the battle, while stressful and somber, was an experience. One I’d like to now have without the pressures of war.

“When are you leaving?” Aurora asks softly.

Pressing my lips together, my gaze shifts between them. “Tomorrow.”

Allison’s eyes go wide. “Why am I just finding out about this now?”

My knee bounces rapidly under the table. “I . . . I didn’t know how to tell you. You’ve become a real friend to me, and—”

“And now you’re just going to leave?” Her tone is harsh; the sound makes my chest ache with regret. “And how the hell can you afford to? I’m sure you’ve made decent money with your training gig, but living in Rockdale is expensive.”

“Allison,” Aurora warns gently.

“It’s okay,” I cut in, my bottom lip trembling—because she’s right. I don’t have a lot of savings—just enough to get me started somewhere new. Hopefully. I’ve never been motivated by money; in fact, it’s left a stain on my life in the past, but I sure wish I had an abundance of it now.

“Are you leaving for good?” Sadness splashes the colors surrounding Allison; dark purple hues overpowering her usual bright ones.

I let out a heavy breath. “I’m not sure yet, Al. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to upset you.” Tears burn the backs of my eyes. I don’t want to leave on bad terms.

She shrugs. “It’s your life. You get to do whatever you want, just like