“Ellis, those kids belong toGage.”
“Gage,you—what’s the difference? You and I both know you’ve got a ménage situation going with the two of them. Those kids are as good asyours.”
I hate it when Ellis is right about anything. Not the ménage part—that’s twisted. But those boys feel every bit mine as they do toGage.
“Get on with your point.” I’ve always had a very hard limit of how much Harrison I can handle in one day, and we just skidded across that line atménage.
The thought of Skyla and me going at it while Gage supervises thumps through my mind, and I squeeze my eyes shut. DamnEllis.
“The point is”—Ellis barrels on with it—“we get a bulldozer over here and level the shit out of this place. I’m thinking a total rebuild is inorder.”
“What’s this?” Liam slaps his hand over my shoulder and pulls me in. “Dude, who did you fuck, and how fast can I get her number?” He offers a congratulatory pat to my arm. “You’re glowing.” The greasy grin of his fades. “Do I want to knowwhy?”
I am glowing—literally, and have been ever since that lightning bolt kissed myforehead.
I’m about to tell Liam all about that peep show I was privy to that involved our nephew and his nefarious future, but Ellis holds up ahand.
“He’s glowing because we’re about to reduce this place to matchsticks. I’m talking bring on the gasoline. This bowling alley is about to turn into the biggest bonfire the island has everseen.”
Liam scours me with his concern. Staring at my brother is like looking in a mirror, usually one that scowls and drools after girls, so for once it warms me to see him pouring out his worry forme.
“What the hell’s gotten into you, kid?” He smacks the back of my head with his palm. Liam was always more of a big brother to me in the head-thumping sense than Barron was—that’s because I still see Barron as my adoptive uncle—father. He is in many ways justthat.
“I’ve gotten into him.” Ellis thumps the back of Liam’s head as if eager to get in on the brotherly action. “We’re turning this place into something people actually want to patronize. We’re revamping the kiddie zone and thinking bigger and better. We’re getting a liquor license and dumping the pizza oven for a five-star chef. What do youthink?”
Liam will be the first to protest. He spent his youth haunting thisplace.
“I’m sold.” He slaps Ellis five, and I’mdumbfounded.
“You’re sold? He’s not talking a renovation, Liam. He wants to raze the entire structure. The bones that our father built—that he designed with our mother—will be fornot.”
Liam glances around as if assessing the gravity of my words. “Don’t be such a dramaticpussy.”
“Yeah, Logan.” Ellis smacks me over the arm. “Stop being such a damnpussy.”
Liam winces. “I think change would be good. We can make it modern, make it our own. Whether we like it or not, change is something that’s good for us. And in this case, it might actually breathe a little financial life into theplace.”
Ellis has already implemented his fair share of ideas into the bowling alley, and as much as I hate to admit it, all of them were winners. But it still wasn’t enough to push us over that magical black line—not for long atleast.
“And there’s a ton of land here.” Ellis shakes his head at me as if this were somehow my fault. “You’re swimming in prime Paragon real estate. I say we pull the bowling alley to the street and put the parking out back. Or hell, let’s build a whole other structure nextdoor.”
Liam gives Ellis a shove in the chest, and personally I’m relieved he’s finally come to his senses. “Agym!”
Shit.
Ellis lets out an ear-piercing whoop that echoes throughout the empty facility like dynamite. “That’s what I’m effing talking about! Finally, an Oliver who speaks my language.” They head over to the table, brimming with erratic thoughts and irrational ideas—all of which spell out the Paragon Bowling Alley’s doom—and all of which happen to be pretty damn good ideas even if I don’t want to admitit.
My heart sinks as I cast a mournful look around the place. The bowling alley as I know it is sitting on the wrong end of the hourglass. I can feel it. Liam is right. Whether or not we like it, sometimes, change is good for us. The wordsometimesis my own addition to his newest catchphrase—and Liam is full of them as of late. But Skyla embracing Chloe back into her life is anything but good. Skyla and Gage at odds over anything at all isn’t a good thing, let alone warring over which angelic being will rule the ethereal roost. I’d say let the Fems and Sectors duke it out, but it’s too late forthat.
A jag of lightning brightens the world outside our windows as if the sun itself came down to kiss us, and both Ellis and Liam howl like a couple of wolves. Then the thunder starts in, a low demonic growl with the volume set to high, and it mellows them right back downagain.
A familiar face stains the entry, tall and brooding, eyes the color of a new dawn that we may never be privy to seeagain.
“Gage.” I head over and pull him into a partial embrace. It’s been a week since Christmas, and I’ve steered clear of both him andSkyla.
“How’s she doing?” he whispers it low like a secret, but the disruption taking place between Skyla and Gage has been anything but a secret on Paragon. Once Lexy got wind of their marital discord, she ran with it like the wind. And just like the wind, there’s not a damn place on this island that it hasn’t touched. Not that too many people are concerned with Skyla’s love life—outside of the Factions and a few classmates from West. In short, I think Lexy just seems to enjoy annoying the hell out ofSkyla.
“I have no clue, man. Give her a call.” I sock him hard on the arm. I want it to hurt. I want to wake him the hell up so he can see what’s happened and then figure out how to fix this pile of shit Demetri landed us in. “I have no intention of becoming the middleman.” There. I saidit.
