“I have a very good explanation,” Skyla starts, but Barron holds up a hand, unable to look her way. The brunt of his rage is very much pinned on Gage at themoment.
“Did you give the green light to this circus?” His voice pitches as white plumes burst from hismouth.
“Shit,” Gage says it under his breath as he makes his way over. His face is covered in a thin layer of dirt, and it makes his eyes siren out ten times brighter than before. “Look, I’ve got everything undercontrol.”
“You must be kidding me,” Barron barks so loud half the newly awakened dead stagger on over. “Do you see the unfortunate state of these people? They belong in caskets. They belongunderParagon soil, not on it! If word gets out that I’ve dug up half the bodies in my possession, I’ll lose my license, my house, and never mind my sanity.” He growls over toward Skyla, “I’ve already lost that.” Barron stalks over to the side of the morgue and starts the hoserunning.
“Great minds,” I muse. “I was just about to do the same thing. I’d better go helpout.”
“No, wait.” Gage stops me. “I’d better do it.” He looks to Skyla with that forlorn expression he wears whenever she’s around. “A few more trips and everyone will be settled at the house. As soon as I clean this place up, I’ll help you get theboys.”
She offers a silent nod, and Gage jogs off to clean up themess.
“He’s good at that,” Imuse.
“At what?” Skyla doesn’t take her eyes off him. I know this separation is killing her just thesame.
“At cleaning up messes. That’s all he was doing, Skyla—cleaning up amess.”
“I know,” she says it quiet, with a touch of defeat in hervoice.
“So, are you ready to hear him out?” Here it is, the moment Gage has been waiting months for. All Skyla needs to do is understand his motives and she’ll see he never betrayed her—not in the way she thinks hedid.
“Not tonight.” She heads over to Drake and Ethan, and they cuss up a storm at the prospect of vomit-covered passengers. They’re still knee-deep in transports, and it looks as if they’re ready to throw in the vomit-coveredtowel.
“Dude.” Drake gets in my face. “I don’t see you offering these assholes a ride. Do you know the last few trips they puked their guts up in the back of the van? Brielle is going to shit a brick when she sees I need to recarpet theceiling.”
“Tell you what.” I fish the keys to my truck out and hand them over. “Pile as many as you like in the back. No pukers in the cab. And why don’t you buy Brielle a new car for the hell of it? Trust me, you’ll be thanking me when you see how happy it makes her.” If I know one thing about Bree, it’s that she loves new things. And if I know one thing about Drake, it’s that he likes to get laid by his wife. It sounds like a win-win to me. Besides, Drake and Bree are rolling in it. Drake has amassed more wealth in the last year alone to qualify him for the Forbes 500. Bree isn’t doing so bad either with that nail polish line Ezrina helped her hone. If someone would have told me that two people who I graduated high school with would strike it rich right off the bat, I would never have pegged it to be this particular dynamicduo.
“Good thinking.” He stalks off, and I help him and Ethan load up the last of the formerlydead.
Ethan nods over to Skyla, and she heads on over. “What’s the deal?” He waves a hand at the truck full of dead men and women anxious to get this next, most likely disastrous, part of their new lives underway. “You throw a party and don’t bother inviting Em and me?” He shakes his head indisgust.
“Be thankful.” Skyla averts her eyes with measured drama. “It looks like a bad case of foodpoisoning.”
I’m almost amused that Ethan bought the excuse. Gage told both Drake and Ethan we were having a graveyard bash and needed help transporting the guests. He said our valet took off. If byvalethe meant hearse, then yes, those took off yearsago.
“Did you cook?” Ethan looks affronted at the idea, and Skyla gives a sorrowful nod. “Damn straight they got sick. You need to get this shit catered. This is too many people to be slaving over a stove for. You got kids now. You’re not Wonder Woman.” He takes off, and we watch as their taillights wash the cemetery in a bloodbath ofred.
“You are Wonder Woman.” I wrap an arm around her shoulders as Barron and Gage comeup.
“I want you all off the property.” Barron’s eyes widen as he observers something from over my shoulder. “Good God and take it withyou!”
We turn to find Kate staggering over, her head dangling by her waist as she grips it by the hair. Her mouth is moving, her eyes blinking frenetically—it’s enough to make a grown man vomit, and Barron heads over to the bushes and does justthat.
Chloe comes up from behind and tosses Kate’s scarf over her disembodied head. “I’m taking off. Don’t worry about a thing. This reanimation-fest will be our little secret.” She offers a dark smile to Skyla that reeks of wickedness. Skyla has to see through this bullshit. “Wes is too busy with that little brat to notice anything anyway. He says he’s hired some hot little nanny to replace Ezrina, now that she’s down for the count.” She glances at her fingernails as if the thought of her own child reminded her of the fact she’s in need of a manicure. And what’s with calling your own kid a brat? I’m pretty sure that moniker is reserved for non-relations, or at least it should be. “I’ll catch you losers later,” she says it with a wink and a smile before looking to me. “Can’t wait to don my legwarmers and neon heels for that party you’re throwing.” She spots Gage, and her arms stretch wide as if gunning for a hug. “I’ll be sure to save the sexiest dance foryou.”
Skyla reaches over and knocks her in the forehead with the palm of her hand. “Good night,Chloe.”
And just like that, Chloe Bishop blinks out of this plane and into theTransfer.
“I wondered how you did that.” Gage smiles down at her, and they share a quick laugh, but Skyla stops short as if startling back to reality—a reality where laughing with Gage simply isn’tpermitted.
Barron offers us a curt nod. “I’ll be staying the remainder of the day.” He looks out at the cemetery as the sun comes up over the hillside. “Fielding phone calls, undoubtedly. I’ll be closing the grounds for repairs for the rest of the week.” He stalks offinside.
Ethan brings my truck back and takes off in his own car before I can thankhim.
“That’s my ride.” I help navigate Kate over to the passenger’sside.
