36. Jasmine

36

JASMINE

" I 'm worried about Margo's brother," Jasmine said after the door closed behind Edgar. "She didn't call or text me."

She pulled out her phone and typed— Any news ?

Her phone rang a moment later. "There was a major blowout with Lynda, and Rob is devastated," Margo said in a hushed voice. "Lynda turned nasty when Rob confronted her about seeing her ex in secret, and she said very hurtful things very loudly and publicly. Rob was so devastated that I brought him to the other penthouse because he needed to be alone, and I didn't know what else to do. I wish I could tell him about his potential immortality to cheer him up, but I can't without asking permission first and taking the proper precautions."

Poor Rob . Jasmine's heart ached for him, but Margo shouldn't have brought him to the keep. "Did you ask Kian's permission to bring your brother to the penthouse?"

"I didn't, but I should. I need to call him and ask him what to do. Someone needs to tell Rob about being a Dormant, and what it means, but before that can be done, someone also needs to compel him to keep it a secret."

"So call Kian. What are you waiting for?"

"I'm scared that he will be mad at me for bringing Rob up here, and because I'm a big chicken, I'll probably call Negal and have him do that. The problem is that I can't leave Rob alone for long enough to explain to either of them what's going on and why Rob is here."

In the time it had taken Margo to talk to Jasmine, she could have probably managed to tell either Negal or Kian what happened, but Jasmine had a feeling that Margo wouldn't have called Kian even if Rob wasn't there.

Kian was intimidating, and calling him on a weekend when he was spending time with his family wasn't a good idea. Even Jasmine would have hesitated, and she wasn't timid in the least.

Well, she knew that Kian owed her for saving the twins, so she felt emboldened to contact him directly if she needed to, but only in case of emergency, which this was in a way, because Margo had made it so. If she hadn't brought Rob to the penthouse, everything could have been done at a much slower pace.

"Where is Rob now?" Jasmine asked.

"In the bathroom. I think he's crying in there."

Jasmine winced. "That bad, huh?"

"Yeah."

"I'm coming over. I'll try to console him while you make the necessary call or calls."

Margo released an audible breath. "Thank you. You are a lifesaver."

"I helped cook up this disaster. The least I can do is put salve on the burn marks." Jasmine ended the call and looked at Ell-rom. "Are you going to be okay by yourself here?"

"Of course. Go help your friend."

"What are you going to do while I'm gone?"

He shrugged. "I can watch television and learn a little more about your world."

That wasn't the best way to learn about Earth and humans, especially when she wasn't there to guide what he chose to watch and explain what he was being shown, but there wasn't much else he could do to pass the time.

As she glanced at the lap pool on the terrace, it was on the tip of her tongue to suggest that he take advantage of it to exercise, but she changed her mind at the last moment. She didn't want him doing physical therapy exercises without her or someone else watching over him.

Was she being overcautious?

Probably.

Jasmine leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "Take everything you see with a grain of salt." When he gave her a perplexed look, she laughed. "It means don't believe everything you see and hear on television. Everyone has an agenda and something to sell, and you are not familiar with the players."

He nodded. "I understand. I will reserve judgment."

"Excellent. I'll come get you when I'm done, and we will go visit your sister."

Smiling, he picked up the remote. "Sounds good. Just show me how to work this thing before you leave."

"Of course." She kept forgetting that he didn't know the most basic things and needed to learn everything.

After showing him how to operate the remote and bringing him a bottle of water so he would remember to stay hydrated, Jasmine headed across the vestibule to the other penthouse.