“Consider it.” He rocks back on his heels while Ezrina and Nev remain staunchly quiet.
Skyla presses those crystal eyes into mine and we consider it from all angles without saying a word.
“It’s brilliant,” she whispers. “But we do it my way. No public slaughter. We hand-feed them to the feds. A select group, my choosing. Think on it. We still have time to solidify a plan. Something that screams it’s time to panic to the Factions. They’ll need us—our serum.”
Nevermore nods. “You’ll waste no time in asking the others to defect. We’ll have our numbers up once again.”
Skyla’s chest is palpitating as if she just ran a marathon. “What do I need to do to dethrone Gage?” She looks to her mother. “Whatever it is, I’ll do it.”
“It’s not that easy,” Candace admits. “The king would sooner slaughter everyone on this planet than allow you to rule again.”
Skyla grows dangerously pale as if she were asking the impossible, and she is.
She takes a deep breath as she looks to her mother.
“I accept the fact there will be casualties. But Celestra must rule. Already there is too much wickedness covering the planet. Gage has no intention on improving Faction relations. He’s fear mongered every last one of them into siding with him. What do I have to do to get my rightful place in the heavenlies, Mother? Tell me and I will do this.”
“Dear Skyla”—she lands a soft kiss to her daughter’s forehead—“when the time comes, you will know exactly what you must do. But first, we must protect your people.” She nods to Ezrina’s science project on acid. “And that’s exactly what you will do.”
Skyla and I contemplate everything that happened this afternoon long after we head home to the Landon house. I pull out a box of old army men and the boys and I have a mock war over the bed until Skyla says they need to go to sleep. The twin mattresses are right back in this tiny room, just giving us enough space to maneuver around, but the boys love it. Skyla loves it, too. And I don’t mind it one bit. Skyla and I head up to the butterfly room the old-fashioned way, crawling on in.
“I bet you’re missing that dude you knew who could teleport.”
She rolls her eyes as she takes off her sweatshirt and kicks off her sweats.
“I think we both miss him. Too bad he’s been zapped out of existence.” She pulls me under the comforter with her and we nestle in the jumble of blankets we’ve dragged up. “But I don’t want to talk about thatdude. I’m far more interested in this one.” She pulls me over her and I straddle her with my elbows.
“I’m glad to hear it because this dude is pretty interested in you, too.”
“Logan”—she whispers my name like a secret—“find out what it is we need to do to disable the enemy. I want my proverbial crown back. And I have never been good at sharing.”
My hand slips between her thighs. “Anything for you, my queen.”
And indeed, I give her everything.
20
Wesley
Who knew living up top, along with the rest of the plebs and wrecks of society that life has to offer, could bring me so much joy? Of course, with Laken, no matter where I am, underground, under a rock, it is pure, unadulterated joy.
“What do you think?” I ask as I bounce Charlie in my arms.
“I think it’s ridiculously amazing,” Laken bubbles with a laugh as she presses a kiss to my cheek. She’s holding baby Eli in her arms and we watch as Tobie runs wild on the newly laid front lawn of our estate. Living next door to the Harrisons hasn’t been nearly as regrettable as I thought it would be. Ellis and his powerhouse stoner parties only occur a few handful of times throughout the year, and as Laken has reminded me, we will most likely be guests.
“I think the sod and white picket fence are a nice touch.” Sod and a white picket fence that’s made of plastic no less have run me close to twelve grand. I swear, once a contractor of any kind hears you live behind the gates, they pull out a special pricing sheet just for you. And I had to bend over and take it because that’s the way it goes when people assume you have an endless supply of money.
“Of course, it is. I thought of it, remember?” she teases as her head rests on my chest a moment. “Did you ever think we’d be this deliriously happy? Three kids—and yes, Wes, I do consider Tobie and Eli my own—and another on the way?”
“That’s right.” I wrap an arm around her and Charlie and Eli squirm between us. Charlie’s hair is almost white blonde, her eyes pale denim like her mother’s, but there is an undeniable look-alike factor to Cooper Flanders and it makes my stomach turn each time I see it. Every day she morphs more into his likeness, and I question how much longer until this little genetic jig is up.
Thank God that baby in Laken’s belly is mine. Laken is mine. That’s all that matters. Ezrina confirmed Charlie’s paternity to Laken shortly after her birth, but it was under heavy swaying—some might say threats—by me. But that’s all water under the genetic bridge, or at least I’m hoping. God, I’m praying.
Eli, however, is my exact representation. Kresley is in love with him and so are Laken and me.
In a strange twist of events, I think Kresley has finally found someone to love more than me and it’s our beautiful son. Having her across the street has made life a hell of a lot easier. She doesn’t seem to mind living with the Olivers and Emma treats her like a second daughter. Some might even say she treats her better than she does Giselle.
“Hey, neighbor,” a chipper male voice shouts from behind and we turn to find Gage and Coop headed this way. And even though Gage lives across the street, it was Coop’s mocking voice who shouted the greeting. Figures.
