Logan doesn’t look amused as he crouches over and breaks the balls. “You’re not getting an invite. Skyla and I are adhering to a no assholes policy. And since the two of you qualify, it’s a no-go. Solids,” he calls out as he hits one into the pocket.
“My kids will be there.” I’m up and my ball flops hard.
“And we will take excellent care of them. Isn’t it ironic that Skyla likes Wes far better than you now?”
“That says something.” I scowl at the ball and beam it right into the hole. Chloe and the baby come to mind. “Thanks for coming by the other night. Thank Skyla for me, too. She didn’t have to do that. And why did she do that?”
“She’s a good person. Unlike the witch you married, Skyla has a heart. Why did you marry the witch, anyway? What the hell happened to your heart?” He tosses it back to me with a short-lived smile.
“Why are you calling my wife a witch? I’ve forgiven Chloe for her sins, and I’m in love with her. She’s my family now, and make no mistake about it, she is fiercely loyal.” Lies, all of them, but for the sake of my eternal standing I go with it.
“Skyla was loyal, and look where that landed her. I’d hate to think where it will get Chloe. God forbid she ever turn on you.”
“Chloe is incapable of turning on me.”
“Why? Because the spell Candace cast is still going strong?”
“Because the spell I cast nightly is even stronger than that.” Another lie I’ve shed, and a smile curves on my lips because I don’t mind yanking Logan’s balls.
Logan thumps me on the side of the head with the pool stick in his hand, good and strong. “That’s from me.” He spears me in the chest with the tip and it feels as if he’s about to pluck my heart on it like a skewer. “That’s from Skyla.”
“Geez.” I grasp it with my hand and thrash it his way. “I might be in my new body, but I can still feel pain.”
“How about emotional pain? Because you sure as hell can dole it out.”
“Yes, well. Life is a bitch, isn’t it, Logan? A long time ago you did what you had to do for what you believed in. I’m just taking a page out of your book.”
“You took the wrong page.” He shakes his head as he sinks another ball into the pocket. “And yes, I did it for what I believed in, but I did it for love, Gage. For the love of my people—and for Skyla.” He steps in close, his angry eyes pinned to mine. “I love Skyla. I didn’t want to see the Fems putting her in an early grave. I thought with you she’d be safe.” His chest bounces with a dull laugh. “Boy, was I ever wrong. I fed her to the wolves. To the very Fem that was destined to destroy her and her people forever.”
“I didn’t hurt Skyla—physically.” My stomach knots up because I know damn well all that emotional damage has taken its toll.
“Nor will you.” He butts his shoulder into mine like a threat as he makes his way to Coop near the bar and they both dig a soda out of the mini fridge.
Wes heads my way, those forest green eyes pouring out their disdain for me. No matter which way I look these days, I’m getting hell from every side.
“What?” I bark out as I stab my pool stick in between my legs and lean on it.
“How’s the baby?” He glances to the floor a moment.
Wes is a good guy when he’s not downright wicked. He’s a damn good father, that’s for sure.
“Mal is doing great. Swing by tonight, spend some time with your daughter.”
Wes glances back to Logan and Coop before yanking me in by the shirt, the veins in his neck distended.
“I will swing by and spend time with my niece.” He gives me a firm shove. “Don’t ever say that again.” He swallows hard. “It’s too quiet.” He ticks his head toward the wall that divides us from Laken and Skyla. “On the warfront.”
I grab some cue chalk and screw it over the tip of my stick. “There is no war. We won last fall. Remember?” I hike a brow his way.
“You’re only fooling yourself if you think the enemy is going to let you stand proud, that shiny crown on your head, a throne for your treasonous ass.” A dull chuckle bounces from him. “You do realize complacency is a powerful aphrodisiac that’s taken down many a king. Don’t become one of them. Both of our eternal standings ride on it.”
Dudley comes to mind and my body breaks out into an instant sweat. I hate that in order to live I have to condemn him and his kind. It’s not right. Nobody deserves to be locked in damnation. Let the damned burn as they should, but leave the innocent beings out of it.
I glance to Wes. “This isn’t complacency.” I don’t bring up the Celestra I helped turn over to Raven’s Eye. I don’t like to think about them. “What you’ve failed to realize is the fact we’re right here, on Paragon, keeping an eye, an ear, and our souls on red alert. As much as it pains me, it’s damn brilliant we’re so intermeshed. I only wish…” I glance back to Logan and Coop who seem to be embroiled in a tactical conversation of their own.
“That Skyla didn’t think you were a pile of flaming crap?”
“Yes.” My eyes close for a moment. “Exactly that.”
