I glance over my shoulder where Gage and Logan stand, pale-faced and stunned. The slight look of anger rings my husband’s eyes as he locks his gaze withmine.
The beginning of the end. I nod hisway.
It sounds incrediblyfitting.
Gage
There have beenmany battles I’ve fought in my short, spirited tenure on this planet, and I’ve fought every single one of those for Skyla. In her name, for her people, for our love, and now for our children. There have been victories, and there have been losses. I’m not entirely sure how to quantify the latest war I’ve landed myself in, but I guarantee I will emerge the victor. Skyla and her people will prosper, and my boys will be safe, secure, and most of all, well on the side of good and not evil. I’m not entirely sure how Demetri Edinger, my genetic supplier, the designer of my being, passes himself off as an angel of light, but this war he’s waging, these lunatic ideals he’s hell-bent on passing along to the rest of humanity, has me eroding on the inside. His words have become my affliction, his ideals the necrotic growth that’s eroding me from theinside.
Logan and I survey the disaster that was once Ellis’ greatest feat. His New Year’s bash has turned to a pile of shit, and the clock is nowhere near midnight. A few of the partygoers have staggered inside only to emerge back out after being chased into the night by Ellishimself.
“Let’s get her home.” Logan pats my back, and we head over to Skyla. When she walked into the room tonight, she illuminated the darkness like the brightest star. Skyla chose to wear the exact dress she wore to our vow renewal last September. I’d like to think that was a peace offering, a beacon of hope of things to come. The potential symbolism wasn’t lost on me. But then, I’m desperate and refusing to believe the fact she didn’t have anything else to wear. With all of my heart I want to believe that Skyla is on the cusp of forgiveness, that a sit-down between the two of us, an honest to God heart-to-heart is just on the horizon. I can’t stand the idea of the clock striking midnight and her anger still percolating against me. I need Skyla and her love. I need all of her approval just to navigate the rocky bottom that I’ve landed on. Skyla needs me, too, doesn’tshe?
“I’ll give you a ride.” I land an arm over her shoulder, soft as cotton. It made my stomach turn to see Dudley doing this exact same thing just a few minutes prior. He’s chomping at the bit to have her, and I know damn well a desperate Sector is a dangerousone.
“Laken is taking me.” Skyla zips into Cooper Flander’s waiting car like she was fleeing a poltergeist, and they take off before I can refute the idea. I don’t mind her taking off with Laken and Coop. It’s Chloe and Dudley I’d have issueswith.
I pat Logan on the shoulder. “You okay?” He’s still holding the back of his neck while staring at the carnage. I know him. He’s ten steps ahead, trying to piece together how this madness fits into the grand scheme of our lives. The prophecy might not have affected Logan directly, but anything that touches Skyla and me affects him directly. Most likely the same goes forChloe.
He breaks free from his trance. “I’m fine. I’m going to head in and help Ellis out. Something tells me he can use a clear head right about now.” His brows pinch at the center. Logan has that pained look in his eyes that he gets so often these days when he looks at me as if I’ve caused the pain to begin with. I know I have. And I also know that he loves me. I’m so sick of bringing pain to those I love the most. Just the thought sends a toxic level of grief right into the pit of my gut. “Why don’t you head home and kiss your boys goodnight?”
“Now that’s a great idea.” If my parents weren’t there, I would have given that great idea pause. As much as I miss the boys, as badly as I want to hold them and land a kiss to each of their tender foreheads, I want Skyla to know that I’m still working with her. I’m giving her time, but I think we both know I’m on the losing end of the hourglass. That ridiculous rock with my personal number monogramed on the back of it comes to mind. That number. I shake it out of my head. “I’ll see you soon.” I pull him in and give a tight squeeze. “Happy New Year, buddy. I hope it’s everything you want it tobe.”
“It will be,” he assures. Logan pulls back and catches my gaze. “You have the power to control your own destiny, Gage. Do not buy into the bullshit anyone tries to feedyou.”
Anyone is a long list of complicated people and entities—my father, Candace herself, my crooked-minded brother, and now Emily has joined that long and wickedroster.
“I am who I am.” A part of me knows there are no truer words. “I will accomplish all that I set out to do for those that I love and no one else. I promise you this. No one and nothing will ever take my heart away from those that I love and all that I believe to betrue.”
And with those words, I let the night eat away at my shadow as I evaporate intonothing.
* * *
For a moment,I pause from my journey. The closet in the bedroom I share with Skyla is where I’m all but programed to go, but I hesitate and opt for the front door. Yes, my parents are up there with the boys, but a part of me demanded I go formal and I can’t figure outwhy.
The Landon house is lit up like a pumpkin at Halloween. Laughter and music seep from inside as the entire wooden structure vibrates from the party going on. My blood boils a minute. Who in their right mind is having a party? Drake and Ethan were both at Ellis’, weren’t they? Wait—this can’t be the little get-together Lizbeth mentioned, couldit?
I ring the doorbell, but the raucous music inside swallows up any hope of someone answering. I didn’t drive tonight so I don’t have a key. I’ve been teleporting freely ever since Skyla put me in the doghouse. But I’d much rather travel at a snail’s pace, bogged down with car seats and diaper bags, making two and three trips to and from the house. It might be an ordeal to go anywhere with the twins, but it’s our ordeal. A beautifulordeal.
I give a stiff knock, and when no one bothers to open, I do a brief glance around and teleport myself right into thefoyer.
“Son.” Demetri appears before me with a mildly stunned redheaded woman by his side. Come to think of it, she looks more amused than she ever does shocked at what she’s just witnessed. “Do practice discretion. There are a myriad of far more discreet locales to materialize. Our people are in peril these days, you know.” He brings a glass to his lips and wraps a smile around the edge before taking a sip of the bubbling liquid. I glance past him at the sea of people at or above the age of my parents, and I’ll admit I’m a bit impressed with the way they have the houserocking.
“I’ll consider that.” He’s right. Discretion is the name of the game. And every last part of me hates it when he’s right, but I’m suddenly understanding the urge to teleport in this exact location rather than the closet upstairs. I’d bet every dirty dollar I don’t have that it was Demetri who was prompting me to do just that. He smelled me outside that door like the hellhound he is and all but summoned me. That will teach me to respond to any geographical urgesagain.
“Who’s the friend?” I glance to the older redhead in a tight black dress, tits hanging out like twin pale moons. I’m surprised to see how beautiful she is. She’s about his age, which puts her in the running, I suppose, and oddly this makes me feel bad for Lizbeth. Her longtime crush on my father spans back to the time they were both living in L.A. Of course, Demetri was simply stalking her then—waiting for the right to claim her. It’s a wonder why he ever let Tad marry her to begin with. And now my interest into their bizarre love triangle ispiqued.
“Dominique Winters.” She extends a delicate hand, and I shake it. Cold,bony, yet firm. Her features are textbook villain, sharp, dark brows that peak without warrant. Hard features and a blood red smile that looks more like a curse than anything born of kindness. “You must be the prince that rescued my daughter from a certain death in the freezer.” Her lips turn down at the corners as if she might besick.
“Yes.” I straighten at the memory. So that’s who she is. “In fact, I saw your daughter tonight.” More of her daughter than necessary. “She seems quite healthy, and in a great mood. It’s good to see she’s moving on.” And God, those moves. I’m still traumatized from the private lap dance she thrust uponme.
“We’ll be suing the hospital, of course.” Her tone is matter-of-fact, and a chill runs up my spine at what she might say next. The morgue isn’t doing that great. One swift lawsuit to the ass and Mom and Dad will have to bury their finances in one of those empty plots in the back. They own the cemetery, too, which has always proven to be the big winner as far as businesses in their repertoire, but it’s as dead as a corpse as far as profits stand. It’s amazing what people are willing to pay to send their loved one off in style, but my father has never believed in price-gouging the grieving, so even in that they are not wealthy—not by anybody’s means. “For you though, I have a reward.” Her lips expand, revealing an entire mouthful of knife-sharp teeth, each one a pointed canine, and I glance to my father for explanation, but he’s as unmoved as that ridiculous grin on his face he can’t seem to shake. And back the hell up. Did I just seamlessly consider him my father? That has toend.
“A reward won’t be necessary,” I quickly assure her. A part of me wonders, though, what’s the going rate for a daughter brought back to life. Not that I had anything to do with her miraculous rousing from the dead. I doubt the poor thing wasn’t dead to begin with. She’s right to sue the living shit out of the hospital. I almost shoved her in the fridge and called it a night. Come to think of it, if the refrigeration unit weren’t busted, I wouldn’t have been there atall.
Demetri’s brows peak and he offers a slight nod as if letting me know I’m ontosomething.
Bastard.Do not read my mind. You are not welcomehere.
