But Laken. She is determined to never be mine again, and it’s far more than I can ever bear to think about. I would do anything to have her smile my way once again and mean it. I would do anything to trade the wordsI’m so disappointed in you—and turn them into something sublime—like the words,I am so proud. That is what my itching ears yearn to hear from Laken. At best, the most she will ever give me again are words in any capacity.
Laken, what have I done to us? We had it all. Heaven on earth.
I glance to Gage and a red-hot rage infiltrates my bones.
I pull him in hard until we’re nose to nose. “You did this. You and your threats. You knew you had me by the balls. You had no problem throwing my relationship with Laken under the bus to savewhat?” I howl in his face. “You could have had her. You could have had Skyla and the Barricade. Everything was yours for the taking. You were never that bright.” I let go without any fanfare. I’m not embedding his back into the wall. I’m not spitting in his face or decking him. I’m going low, and I’m yanking hard and fast.
“I’m done,” I pant the words out. “I’m leaving the Barricade. You sink with your ship because I know that is what you are determined to do, but you will do it without me. You cost me everything, and now I’m going to make sure you rot in hell right along with me.” His eyes widen a notch in terror, and I relish the moment. “That’s right. I’m breaking faith with the Barricade. I’m siding with Celestra.” I take off and roar, “See you in hell, brother.”
32
Logan
Holy hell.
Chloe laughs as she steps up with the party at the Harrisons’ still raging around us like a building inferno. Surely, this night has hit its crescendo. It could not get worse—or perhaps better if it tried.
“Oh, Gage.” Chloe shakes her head at him, her rage refining itself, straining itself through her thirst for vengeance until it’s at its purest form. “We are off to a good start already. Good luck surviving a day without Wes or me to back you. Find a rock—better yet, find a casket to crawl into. You are a spineless, spineless creature that nobody on earth wants anything to do with. The Factions have all but turned on you. There is no hope for you. Do us all a favor and go back to paradise where you belong. But you won’t. And for that I’m grateful. You’ll be much easier to eviscerate when you’re at an arm’s length. And I will do exactly that. Just you wait and see.”
She takes off with Brody in her wake, and I look to Gage to assess the damage.
Dudley scoffs. “Entertainment at its finest.” He bows to Skyla. “Ms. Messenger, I look forward to seeing you in the morrow along with the little goats. Thanks to the new developments, it appears we have much to discuss.” His head turns hard to the right with his ear cocked just enough as if he were listening to something the rest of us aren’t privy to. “Mind yourself, my love. Wickedness abounds this fine evening.”
He steps her way and lands a lingering kiss over her lips, and just as I’m about to pull him off and send him back to paradise himself, he evaporates to nothing, right here in the open as if our people didn’t have enough shit to worry about these days.
Skyla’s phone buzzes in her hand. “Logan, I’ll be right back. Laken needs me next door.”
Bree links arms with her. “I’ll go with you. I may not care for Laken in general, but I’m all for her leaving that scumbag.”
Ellis takes off in their direction. “I need to find G before she hears what an asshole her brother is from someone else.”
The crowd around us disperses, and it’s just Liam, Gage, and me. Family—enemies all in one.
Liam takes a breath and expels it slowly. “My parents died at the hands of the Countenance.” He tips his head toward Gage. “And you stepped into the Counts 2.0 without so much as blinking.” He shakes his head. “No way. Wes is wrong. You are not stupid in any capacity. Something sinister is dragging you into the muck and mire, and you are relentless in following along.” He wipes his face down with his hand. “I’m going to talk to Barron, break all of this to him and Emma.”
“No”—Gage raises a hand, weak with protest—“let me.”
“You don’t get that privilege.” Liam swallows his emotions down. “You’ve done enough.” He stalks off, and our corner of the room grows cold.
“And then there were two.” Gage glares my way. “Let me have it. Sucker punch me if you can. I dare you to try.”
“You won’t get that from me. I figure you have your reasons. You weren’t unfaithful to Skyla—you just wanted her to assume you were. Believe it or not, that feels like a pinhole of light in what’s been a very dark cave we plummeted into exactly one year ago. And believe me when I say I still don’t know what the hell to make of it.”
“Good. I plan on keeping it that way. Look, I’m not hanging around, so if you’ve got something else to say, get it out. And if you don’t, I’m out the door.”
“Yes.” I jam the palm of my hand into his gut to keep him from going anywhere. “I do have something I want to say. You are in a shitload of trouble, and I’m not talking with the Justice Alliance, that kangaroo court that has let you off the chain for the last twelve months. I’m talking about the fact Celestra has walloped your ass effectively overnight. Do the right thing, Gage. Step away from the Barricade. If you fall, the Fems fall and this entire nightmare is over. Take off your crooked crown and give Skyla her standing back. Jump off the crazy train. Do it for your kids, if not for anyone else.”
“My kids,” he mutters to himself and glances around the room with a renewed urgency. “Damn right, I’m doing it for my kids. To hell with Wesley. He’s not taking me anywhere with him.”
Gage takes off in a fury like a man on a mission. Dear God, help us all.
I head next door and help Coop load Laken’s things into his truck and mine. It takes over an hour to square away the kids’ things alone, but we get it all done.
Skyla comes over to me as I seal the tailgate of my truck.
She offers a pained smile. “Laken is going to need somewhere for the kids to sleep tonight. I’ve got two spare playpens still in their boxes at Whitehorse in the garage.”
“I’ll get them.” I dot her lips with a kiss. “Why don’t you go with Coop and Laken and help her get settled. It’s only a few minutes out of the way. I won’t be long.” I look deep into her eyes as they shimmer like diamonds in the night. “Things are shaping up for Celestra. We’ve got this, Skyla. Everything is turning around for us. Gage will come around, too. I’m sure of it.”
