Chapter 71

Back at the apartment building, the two of them stepped into the elevator side by side. With a soft "ding", the elevator arrived at Calliope's floor. She walked out first, but paused at the door and turned to look at him. "Oh, right. Don't forget-tomorrow afternoon you're coming with me to see my mom." The man looked at her, eyes deep and unreadable. "Okay." Calliope pressed her lips together. The "goodnight" that almost slipped out rolled on her tongue once, then she swallowed it down. Lucien had once told her - half-joking, half-serious - that whenever he said "goodnight," he really meant "I love you." To him, it wasn't just a habit. It was a silent confession, a ritual of affection. And foolishly, she'd believed it. She'd believed him. She'd only ever said "goodnight" that way to him. So now, when she opened her mouth to say it, the words caught on her tongue. Instead, she settled for something safer. "Get some rest." But just as she turned to go, the man behind her spoke - his voic