“Look at you go!” Skyla marvels, and I follow her gaze to find Angel halfway into thekitchen.
“Geez.” I help Skyla put the boys on the floor before chasing Angel down. “She’s fast. I’ll give herthat.”
“Just like her mom,” Lex snarks and the tension in the room goes up anotch.
“Good morning to you, too,” Skyla growls at her questionable friend. “I already have the boys in their outfits. It’ll just take me a second to dress the baby.” She bites down on a smile as she takes Angel from me. “Who’s a pretty little girl?” Skyla peppers Angel’s face with kisses, and she kicks and screams withdelight.
“That reminds me. I want to show you something.” I pull a small faded Polaroid from off the mantel. “It’s me about Angel’s age.” Before the fire. But I don’t like to talk aboutthat.
“Oh my goodness!” Skyla’s voice pitches to its upper register. “You are the cutest little thing! And look at that face! Angel is basically you in adress.”
“I always knew I’d look good inpink.”
Skyla gives my ribs a quick pinch, and Ibuck.
“You know”—she pulls the picture closer and recluses into herself a moment—“my mother didn’t change our destinies at this juncture. She waited until you were older. She could have done it when you were a baby, but she didn’t. Do you think there was something she was trying to salvage in that alternatereality?”
“I don’t know. God knows I’ve thought about it. But I do know one thing that’s come from it. I appreciate life and living it to its full potential.” I can’t put into words the heartache, the anguish I remember, and, in turn, that makes me rabid to know others experience that level of heartbreak and loneliness. I guess that’s why I’m looking out for those taken to Raven’s Eye. It’s going to be hell for them, and I don’t want it tobe.
“Speaking of clothes”—Lex pipes up—“how about dropping trou, would you?” She licks her lips my way as if the invite was directed only at me, and I have no doubt itwas.
“Lex wanted to photograph us in the nude.” I wink over at Lex as she unloads her equipment onto thecounter.
“Correction”—Skyla scoffs at the thought—“Lex wanted to photographyouin the nude. I’m pretty sure she’d like the rest of us dressed—or better yet, off thepremises.”
“No, I’m serious.” Lex doesn’t bother looking up while switching out her lenses. “Nude reallyisall the rage. I’ve already done six family pictorials this last week, all in thebuff.”
“Six, huh?” Skyla makes a face while pulling a frilly pink dress over the top of Angel’s head, and the baby laughs and screams as if it was the funniest thing in the world. Barron rolls over and begins to gnaw on her chunky little leg, and it only makes Angel that much more hysterical. “So, how do these nudeswork?”
“That’s the hard part.” Lex comes over and begins shooting a few shots off as she adjusts her lens. “I usually place the kids over the parents’ privates. But I’ve done it all kinds of ways. The last one had dad on the bottom and mom on his back with each of their four kiddos piled on top ofher.”
“Sounds a little too organic.” I shake my head at Skyla in the event Lex is able to loosen a screw. It’s a hell no to that one. “I think we’ll stick to clothes.” I tug at the white dress shirt and jeans I donned just for the occasion, and Skyla gives an approving thumbs-up.
“But I think we should lose the shoes and socks.” Skyla plucks the boys’ socks off so fast you’d think their feet were onfire.
“What? I like my shoes.” I point a sneaker her way, and she frowns at it as if I’ve stepped in dogshit.
“Shoes and socks off, Oliver.” Something about the way she just barked out that command sounds erotic, and unfortunately for me has my dick begging to take my boxers off, too. Fat chance, buddy. Hold off on theparty.
“How’s Casey?” Skyla leans in and lays her shoulder over my chest as Lexy barks outinstructions.
“I didn’t see her last night, but she’s been good. Spirits are high. She’s lonely, but I let her kick my butt in Old Maid at least once a night so that makes up for it abit.”
“Did she say anything that soundsoff?”
“No.” Both Skyla and I are paranoid they’re going to torment those poor people to death, and I suppose that is the point. “But as soon as anything changes, you’ll be hearing fromme.”
Her forehead creases with worry. “I don’t have a plan, Logan. I don’t have a clue as to what we’ll do to help.” Angel slaps her over the nose, and she blinks back. “I got it. We’ll storm the island. We can get the Retribution League and head over if things gosideways.”
“And then what? Ellis offers them a fat blunt, and we all sit in a stoner circle while the dead trot back toparadise?”
She knocks her elbow into me. “You don’t have to be so glib about it. I don’t know what happens after that. Maybe you get naked and Lex can chase you around while documenting the event with hercamera.”
“That has my vote.” Lex gives an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
“I bet it does,” Skyla growls just under her breath. “Whatever it is, Holden is my first line of defense. He’s already chomping at the bit to get his brother back.” She winces. Pierce was taken last week, no thanks to Chloe. She was gunning to have Emerson incarcerated as well, but that almost backfired on her, and Chloe had to make a getaway herself. “I knew this would be tough for the family that had loved ones in the effort. Thankfully, there’s only a small handful. Not to mention Kate. Her mother has practically chained her in the basement. She’s terrified that outsiders will report her and terrified my mother will call her home on the spot. She’s been sending out group texts to Nat and me letting us know she’s bored out of her mind.” She glares at Lexy amoment.
About two weeks ago, Lex took Kate to the mall, and they accidentally bumped into Kate’s mother. Apparently, it almost sentherinto kingdom come, too. Suffice it to say, Kate had a lot of explaining to do. Lex thought she’d help out in that department since Kate is still reduced to whispers, and evidently Lex didn’t hold back on the details. Mrs. Winston, a human through and through, is now up on all things Faction and angelic. A frightening detail when you think about it. But she swore she’d keep everything to herself. She was so relieved to have her daughter back—albeit temporarily—that woman could be trusted with nuclear codes at thispoint.
