Aeron finally pulls out, and I take a huge gasping breath, my whole body flickering with pleasure like a light bulb about to blow. He chuckles, the sound deep and I open bleary eyes to see the smug satisfaction on his face.
“What’s so funny?” I ask, my voice a croaking whisper that makes me cringe with how abused my poor throat is.
“We owe you a necklace, Dove,” he tells me, leaning forward to skim his fingers along the column of my neck. “But we still managed to choke the air out of you, so that’s something.”
“You’re all fuckers, you know that?” I grumble, swallowing against the pain in my throat.
“I’ll make you some honey, lemon, and ginger tea for your throat,Eshgham,” Tarl says as he passes us, pausing to brush a kiss to my head.
“More talk like that out of you, Dove,” Aeron growls, grabbing my chin and pulling my face upward so he can whisper the last part against my swollen lips. “And I’ll bring your coffin up into my room for you to sleep in tonight.”
My eyes widen as he pulls back with a sexy fucking smirk, but I keep my mouth shut, knowing that he’d do it in a heartbeat. I mean, I might like the idea a little, but maybe not tonight. I’ll save it for another day.
Not many left, Lark.
It takes everything I have not to let the thought show on my face, and I’m not sure if I manage it all that successfully when Aeron’s brows dip slightly.
“Sorry, sir,” I say quickly to cover the moment, and he considers me for a beat, then leans in and kisses my mouth softly.
“Good girl. Let’s get you cleaned up and into bed, shall we? It’s getting late and we’ve got a busy few days of planning ahead of us.”
My stomach clenches, my skin achingly cold as he helps me up, Jude having pulled out when Aeron gave his coffin threat.
My mind whirls as he guides me upstairs, his hand in mine gripping tightly as if he knows what’s coming and is trying to deny it as much as I am.
It’s the only way, Lark. The only way to be truly free. To save Rook.
I just wish my heart would agree with that.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“PLAY DIRTY” BY KEVIN MCALLISTER
LARK
The next day we all get ready, and I can’t help sensing the tension in the air, like bees buzzing around you, ready to swarm. There’s a tightness in my gut that I can’t seem to shake, no matter how hard I fucking try.
They’ll be okay, they’re some of the biggest bad out there.
“Hey, Little Bird. Nothing bad will happen to you or us,” Knox tells me, wrapping his arms around me from behind, and the knot in my stomach tightens until I feel sick.
“That’s right, Dove. We’ll take care of you,” Aeron assures me as he steps into my front and cups my face in his large warm hands. I have to swallow back tears, feeling like the blackest of devils. “And your brother,” he adds after a beat. I can’t speak, just nod and kiss him back with trembling lips when he presses his to mine. “Let’s go meet the others and you can explain everything, okay?” His voice is softer than when I first met him, kinder too. The darkness that lived in his deep blue eyes is stillthere, but he doesn’t look as pained as he used to, and that just makes me hurt more.
We get into one of the trucks, Knox driving, with Aeron and Jude on either side of me, Tarl on the passenger side. They all keep shooting glances my way, brows furrowed, and I know I’m doing a shit job of hiding my apprehension, but I can’t seem to rein it in.
All too soon, we’re pulling up in front of what I know is one of the many office buildings owned by the Tailor gang. I huff a laugh.
“What’s so funny, little Nightingale?” Jude asks, bringing our clasped hands up to his lips and placing a light kiss on my knuckles.
“I was just thinking that only rich assholes like you would hold a meeting about the eradication of another gang in a smart office block. Will we get pastries and coffee?” Am I using sass and sarcasm to hide my misery? You bet your ass I am.
“Freshly baked from one of our bakeries,” Aeron whispers in my ear, and fucking hell, that boy could make a shopping list sound sexual. It’s almost enough to make me forget the sick feeling in my stomach.
“Only the best for us, Nightingale, and world domination is a hungry business, you know?” Jude says completely deadpan and without a hint of teasing. Of course he’s fucking serious, bloody psycho.
Someone in a smart uniform comes towards us, opening the door for Aeron, who gets out and then leans back in, holding his hand out for me to take. Feeling shaky, I place my palm in his and allow him to help me from the car, grateful for my boots and a sweater now that we’re entering into fall. The sun still shines like a traitorous bastard, like nothing terrible is about to happen. I just wish that sometimes my mood was reflected in theweather, like it should be stormy and blowing a gale outside like it is inside me right now.
Knox tosses the uniformed lackey his keys, and we make our way up to the modern glass doors which open with a swish as we approach.
