She looks to me, wild-eyed. “Are you just going to sit there and let her tell me off likethat?”
“Brielle?” I shake my head, completely at a loss for words. “Yes, Iam.”
She sucks in a breath, and half the fog around her dissipates. “And you?” She gapes atChloe.
“Get over it, Johnson. Grow a pair, will you? Laken has balls. Maybe you can learn a thing or two from her. She’s open to being decent to you. Who the hell cares if she’s having coffee or sleeping with Skyla? I sure don’t, and you want to know why? Because I know my place in Skyla’s life. I know that no matter who she’s ‘besties’ with”—Chloe shoves her fang-like air quotes in Bree’s face—“and God, I hate that word. Don’t fucking use it around me, got it? Nevertheless, Skyla and I are solid in our dissatisfaction with one another. And I know that some things will never change. Hear that? Skyla and I are unchanging. So if you’re as close to her as you think you are—feel secure in knowing that no matter how many morons she’s lifting pinkies with, there’s always room for one more—and that would be you.” Chloe straightens, staring down her oldest friend, and Bree nods as if this entire bestie fiasco suddenly made sense toher.
“I get it. You’re a genius now, Chloe, aren’t you?” Bree gives a couple of doll-like blinks, and for a moment I’m frightened. I’ve known Brielle to be a lot of things, but sarcastic isn’t one of them. I’m getting the feeling I should intercept, andquickly.
“Since we’re doling out life lessons so freely tonight”—I pull a tight smile in Chloe’s direction—“why don’t you take a brief moment and say hello to your daughter, and maybe even have Lex snap a few pictures of the two of you?” Lexy is around somewhere doing just that—documenting the boys’ first birthdayparty.
Chloe tips her head back and laughs so sharp and loud, Gage and Logan glance over from their conversation withEllis.
“Skyla—my darling little Skyla.” She shakes her head. Her lids hang low, and there’s a note of despondency I’ve never seen before. Chloe on a good day is dangerous, but Chloe knocked off her axis and desperate is an entirely other animal. “Wouldn’t that just solve all my problems? A little snuggle-fest that Bakova could add to her bloatedportfolio.”
Emily, Nat, and Kate head over withcaution.
“Don’t you judge me,” she snaps in their direction. “None of your lives turned out that great either. Kate—you aredead. Read up on the definition and figure out a way to stop breathing. It’s confusing the hell out of people, and nobody can understand whatever the fuck you’re trying to say.” She steps in close to their tightknit circle. “Em, you’re miserable, and we both know it. The only solace you have is in the kitchen. Wake up and stop chasing a man who isn’t even halfway interested in you. You’re smart, and you kick ass in everything you do. Get your own place, open your own damn kitchen, and give the Gas Lab some competition on this island.” She glowers over at Nat just as Michelle walks up with an uncertain gait with Lexy not far behind. “Nat, you’re fucking a dead guy. Need I say more? When his coffin closes one last time—and it will—go find yourself a decent person who treats you like a queen. Stop cutting guys off at the balls without giving them a chance just because they’re not Pierce. It’s going to be a long life. You might as well enjoy it.” She steps into Michelle, and a shit-eating grin gobbles up her face. Michelle, however, looks as if she’s about to have her ass handed to her, and she undoubtedly is. “AndShelly. Still secretly pining for her Dudley—still carrying around that hard-on for Logan. Well, you’ve done well for yourself, haven’t you? You’ve got Liam Love ’Em and Leave ’Em Oliver diving down your panties night after night—munching you out after smoking one of those big, fat blunts gifted to him by Ellis. Tell him to shit or get off your lap. You’re not some tramp who’s going to please him until his dick makes up its mind.” She darts a look near the fire pit and scowls at Liam—we all do. That big, fat blunt revelation is a new one for me. I’ll have to make a note to talk to my favorite stoner about who he can and can’t distribute to. All Olivers are off the reefer list, and that especially includesGiselle.
“And you”—Chloe turns to Lexy—“you think you’re hot stuff with your business off the ground and running—Logan Oliver eating out of your hand.” Thank God she chose to avoid any disgusting euphemisms about Logan having the munchies for anything Lex might be stashing in her panties, namely her pink parts. “You’re too hopped up on how wonderful you are—you can’t even see he’s trying toavoidyou! You don’t have his heart. He won’t gift you his body, and you will never be his anything.” Chloe turns her wrath my way, and poor Lex looks as if she’s been bitch-slapped. Okay, so I feel a tiny bit of satisfaction, but it’s less than a molecule in size. “And sweet little Messenger. Our angel of salvation, the chosen one to lead the Factionsnowhere. Aren’t you a sight forno eyes. Whoever the hell appointed you for anything was drunk on their own power. The only thing you managed to save was your virginity for your wedding night, and for inquiring minds that was withLogan.” The crowd around me gasps, and it’s only then I note we have an audience that spans outside of the Bitch Squad, Laken, and Coop. Logan, Gage, Wes, Ellis, and Marshall, not to mention Liam—Paragon’s newly minted pothead, plus, Drake and Ethan. Here we go. Let the good times roll. I’ll let her say her peace, then walk her to the woods and banish her somewhere because I just so happen to wield the power to doit.
“Skyla”—her voice breaks, and it stuns me—“you did it. You bested me.” A visible lump rises in her throat, and she swallows it down. “You caught me off-guard and fed me to the lions—just like you said you wouldn’t. You know what they say, a covenant made is a covenant broken.” A dull laugh comes from her, and yet my heart plummets. But my God, I did not break our covenant. I’m fighting for it. Still am. “I have to hand it to you—you acted just like I would have.” Her eyes gloss over, and she looks dazed as if I had thumped her over the head with a spirit sword. “You tied a noose of lies around my neck and left me to hang. And here I am.” She takes a staggering step back. “The day your mother banished me, I had lost all hope.” The wordhopesounds like nothing more than a pop. “And the day you pulled me free—made promises to me that night by the fire—I felt as though life’s red carpet had rolled out for me once again. I thought she came through for me. Skyla, my nemesis, wants something with me. I can be of use to her. We can rally together and save the fucking world.” She grunts as if the thought made her want to vomit. “And now here we are. You in the throes of celebration. The high time of your life. And me, far worse off than I was that night in the Transfer. At least then I could set foot on this planet without having to take the fall for bullshit you were responsible for to begin with. You got me!” she shouts those last words with her arms stretched wide, a wicked smile brewing on her lips. “You did it, Skyla. You outsmarted me at last!” She laughs, and her whole body convulses. “And you should celebrate. This is your day. Dear Skyla”—she purrs as she takes a step backward—“happy fucking birthday. Your gift will be a little late, but you’ll undoubtedly know it’s from me. Just know it wasn’t my idea entirely. After all, I’m not nearly as bright as you are.” She turns and glides through the murky evening fog, making a beeline for Demetri. Chloe wraps her arms around his neck and slaps him with a kiss, so long, so hard it makes my mother gasp sharp and loud. Chloe pushes him away with a shove and darts into the woods, and I do the only thing I can think of—I dart right afterher.
“Chloe, wait!” I speed into the neck of the forest and scream her name until my throat rubs raw. “I want to help you! We arebound. We are one! Please! Let me help you. I’ll send you to the Transfer! You’ll be safe. I’ll keep you safe just the way I promised.” My voice tires from yelling as I come to rest upon the pale shoulder of a birch. “I’ll send you wherever you want togo.”
“Hey.” Gage comes up, breathless, and lands a warm hand over my shoulder. “It’s okay.” He wraps his arms around me, and the tears come. All of them are for Chloe Bishop. In a lot of ways, Chloe really is my dark twin, my shadowed reflection in a broken mirror. For as much as we’re different, we have that much in common. “Your mother just pulled out the cake. Let’s focus on the boys for now.” He pulls back and offers an anemic smile. “Let’s focus on you, too. Don’t let this ruin your special day. We’ll figure something out for Chloe after the dust settles tomorrow night. Her troubles aren’t going away anytime soon, but today and tomorrow are fleeting. Our boys only get one first birthday.” He gently lifts my chin. “And you only get one per year,too.”
“Thankfully.” I wipe my face clean and let the fog kiss my slicked cheeks as the two of us make our way back. Drake has his boom box going, and Ellis and Giselle are engaged in some sort of dance-off. Mom and Emma are bouncing the boys on their hips, and the mood is once againjovial.
Dr. Oliver steps up and garners the crowd’sattention.
“Before we sing, I just wanted to say how proud I am of Skyla and Gage for being the best parents little Nathan and Barron could ask for. You’ve both come so far—as people and a couple. I’m proud and honored to have the two of you raising my precious grandchildren. And to Nathan and Barron, may God give you the strength to live a life in search of His will, with a hungry heart full of love and integrity. I know you’ll both go far in this wonderful world. Happy birthday, boys. And happy birthday, Skyla andGage.”
The crowd roars to life, and Mia leads us into a rather cantankerous version of “Happy Birthday”. And before we’re through, I pick up Barron, and Gage takes Nathan in his arms. We lead them to two blue candles and help blow them out. It’s a familiar scene, Gage and I blowing out candles simultaneously, but now it’s infinitely better. The two of us with our sweet baby boys, our own flesh and blood knit from our love. The four of us cheer and huddle as Gage wraps his strong arms around us. And I have never felt so whole, so complete, perfect, and so well-loved. Our little family is bliss. This is heaven. With all my heart, I wish Sage could have been here to celebrate withus.
That night,after an exhausting battle to feed and change the boys, we pack up any and everything we can into the minivan. I hug my mother, my sisters, Em, and Bree as Gage and I drive off to the Estates to our forever home that we renovated withlove.
We pull into the driveway that Liam cobbled together with ivory-colored paver stones, and admire the landscaping Logan pitched in for—a line of pepper trees sway their soft feather-like branches as if waving us in. A row of gerbera daisies in every color brighten the world as the porch light shines down on them with a warm peachy glow. The boys are asleep in their seats, already in their PJs—thankfully, the nursery upstairs is well-equipped to greet them. And thanks to modern technology, Gage turned the heater on through an app on his phone before we ever left the Landon house so we will be warm as toast as soon as our feet walk through the door—that beautiful oversizedreddoor that I love so much. The outside of the structure was completely redone. Gone are the haunted eyes, the dilapidated everything, and in its place a white, perfectly framed box with upper French doors and railings, and just above that a gorgeous round window gifting moonlight into theattic.
“Come on.” Gage taps me gently on the knee. “Just you andme.”
We head out, and I race him up the porch with a laugh caught in mythroat.
“Oh no, you don’t.” He scoops me into his arms and opens the door. “Skyla”—Gage looks down into my eyes with a softness that only true love can bring—“I couldn’t let Logan outdo me.” He winces. “I had Lex come by this afternoon and paint something around the frame just foryou.”
“You did!” I give his chest a light scratch as I look up and spy the elegant navy font that creates a banner over thedoorframe.
“It saysAlways and forever, you will be mine. You have all of my heart. Our love iseternal.”
“Wow,” I marvel as a dull laugh aches in my chest. “Gage Oliver!” I sniff back tears, trying to stave them off for just one more moment. “I could not have said it better myself.” I reach up and wipe a tear from my husband’s eye and he smiles, those honeyed dimples digging in just for me. “You are my everything. Right now, always, and forever, you will be mine. You have all of my heart. Our loveiseternal.” I pull him in, and his mouth crashes over mine with a kiss that is sweet and indulgent. Gage walks us over the threshold to our official new home, on this, the official first night we will spend in ittogether.
We work diligently getting the boys to their beds, the smell of the fresh new carpet enlivens the air in their room, and it energizes me. Gage and I speed to our new bedroom—a cavernous space with a bed the size of a swimming pool, a bathroom the size of our last bedroom, and a glorious walk-in closet that I will never have enough clothes tofill.
“There’s one more thing,” Gage says, reeling me in by the waist. That pained smile reprises itself on his face as he winces. “There’s also one other area I couldn’t let Logan top me—but, in my defense, it was my idea to begin with. Come on.” He grabs me by the hand, and I’m breathless as I follow him into the hall. Gage carefully pulls down a set of hideaway stairs that lead to theattic.
“You first.” He helps me up, and I climb into the waiting black hole. The small round window near the top lets in a hint of moonlight, but it’s not until I land inside do I note the glass has been covered with acurtain.
“Is this my escape hatch in the event the boys try to tie meup?”
