“And it will take death to meet my goals—mydreams.”
He gives a single nod. “Gage”—he says my name, and it sounds like a song—“well done, my good and faithfulservant.”
He takes me into his arms, the loving arms of a Savior, of my Savior, and I see my life flash before my eyes once again, I see my death, and I see eternity unfurl before me, and I know it will all turn out just right. Despite the fire in Demetri’s belly, despite anyone or anything. I see how it was meant to be, and I sigh in agreement withit.
It iswell.
It is well with mysoul.
But Skyla is there, ever so in the forefront of my mind, and my heart aches with its undying affection for the girl I married. Our covenant has been severed far too soon, and it will be no more. Our marriage, with all of its joy and all of its sorrows, has dissolved like a vapor, like the fog that moved through the island I once calledhome.
If only I had known my hour was upon me, Skyla and I would never have left that bed last night. I’d still be there with my arms wrapped tight around her, unwilling to let go even in death. But this chasm is wide and deep, and no matter what happens as we move forward, one thing is certain—we can never goback.
Our love, our marriage, our perfect plans, they were as good as the flesh we stood in. They were ephemeral, on a steady course of entropy, breaking up before our eyes, fleeting far faster than we could have ever understood. All of my hopes, all of my dreams, have surrendered to this eternal abyss. I am no longer a participant in life, but an observer, another soul awaiting the great and wonderful marriage supper of the lamb. But Skyla lives. Her days march on without me, as will the boys. The pain is too much to bear. Even here in eternity it is too heavy, too burdensome, too hauntingly much for me to everaccept.
It all ended far too soon. Skyla. If I could only have one more moment with you in my arms, the boys cradled betweenus.
The sharp agony of the finality of it all sets in and my entire being aches withgrief.
I will always love you,Skyla.
Always.
You have my heart—forever.
Logan
All on itsown Paragon glows with an ethereal glory, but this night, this peculiar night, there is an otherworldly patina shining over us, sanctifying us, telling us that it is making everythingnew.
Coop, Wes, and I huddle together as we try to figure out how the hell to get Laken off of Raven’sEye.
Wesley and I stare one another down in Demetri’s backyard as if it were astandoff.
“Fine, I’ll take Coop.” He grunts out the words as the party rages around us. The fog has settled over Demetri’s grand estate, and both Lizbeth and Emma dance the boys around with blankets draped overthem.
I’ve spent the last half hour trying to convince this cheap knockoff of my nephew that Cooper needs to be a part of this. Nobody on this planet, not even Wesley, wants Laken back home and safe more than her husband. But Wesley, of course, doesn’t believe it to be true. In truth, it might be a toss-up. Wesley is hungry for her love. He is impatient at best with her decision to leave him for Cooper Flanders. And most of all, he is primal and dangerous on every single level. Wes acts first and thinks later, and that alone is why Laken is stuck on Raven’s Eye. Because Wesley himself invited the government to Paragon with open fuckingarms.
Coop slaps me over the back and offers an anemic smile. “Tell Gage I said goodbye. I have full confidence Laken will be home in a few short hours.” He looks to Wes with a shot of hatred in his eyes. “The home I share with her. Inmybed where shebelongs.”
Wes shakes his head as he starts for the woods, and Coop takes off withhim.
Skyla comes up, breathless, removing her glittering mask for the first time tonight. “We need to get this show on the road. The boys are starting to fall asleep, and Demetri is about ready to burp out his speech whether Gage is present or not. Speaking of my absentee husband, where is he? I’ve been texting him nonstop, but he’s not pickingup.”
“I was with him out front before I hunted down Wes. Maybe he’s still inside.” I wrap an arm around her shoulders, and her flesh trembles beneath me. “You’re ice cold. Take myjacket.”
“Thank you, but I feel fine. I just have this unsettling feeling.” Her diamond-colored eyes flit from left to right, anxious andsearching.
“You probably should.” I nod past her. “Demetri just took both the boys. Don’t worry.” I rub my hands over her bare shoulder, warming her. “I’ll findhim.”
Lizbeth struts over with her hands on her hips, her eyes shooting daggers at us. “Skyla Oliver! Get over here. Demetri says he’s cutting the cake in five whether the two of you show or not! You are being rude, younglady.”
“Rude?” Skyla chokes out the word. “Gage probably got lost in that maze Demetri calls a home. It’s that demon who’s beingrude.”
Lizbeth scoffs as if Demetri’s rudeness were an impossibility. “He who holds the gold makes the rules. You have fiveminutes.”
“I’ll find him.” I sigh at the sight of that behemothmansion.
“I’m coming with you.” Skyla speeds alongside me as we head in and pass Ingram. She pulls at his lapel, and he turns to her. “Have you seenGage?”
