My eyes jet to that glass box sitting on the table with Gage Oliver’s old head floating in a vat of blue keeping solution. Those blue eyes I once worshipped stare back at me, vacant and soulless. How I miss the way they would lovingly gaze into mine. And ironically, the new unimproved version of my ex-husband is also vacant and soulless.
“Gage said I should come and see you,” I whisper, forcing myself to look back at Ezrina.
It’s as if Gage’s primal apex has the power to hypnotize me whenever I’m around. Without thinking, I take off my jacket and toss it over the glass box. I don’t want my boys seeing their father like this. If they’ve noticed it before they haven’t said a word, but I’m taking Gage’s power to terrorize my children away from him while they’re around.
Ezrina and Nev exchange a look just as the boys run in with little Alice, her fiery red hair neatly set in twin French braids. The sound of women arguing grows stronger as Michelle and Lexy head this way.
“Logan?” Lex howls his name like a reprimand before the two of them barrel into the room. Lex’s short copper hair looks mused, her shirt askew. Michelle looks red with rage. “Tell this stupid bitch you really did love me.”
Michelle scoffs. “Don’t bother, Logan. Everyone knows you’ve only ever had eyes for Skyla.” She turns to Lex with rage emanating from her bloodshot eyes. “They’re together now in the event you haven’t gotten the memo. Oh, that’s right. You did. That’s exactly why you’re going after my husband!”
Lex gets right in Michelle’s face, and both Nev and Logan inch forward in the event things get physical. “Then why was your husband shoving his tongue down my throat last night?”
Michelle digs her claws into Lexy’s hair, and Nev and Logan quickly break up the impromptu salon session.
Michelle takes off screaming up the stairs, and Lex shouts something about closing up the shop tonight when she’s done throwing a fit. I take it there might be some regret between the two of them that they ever went into business together.
“Let go, Logan.” Lex shakes herself free as she turns his way, panting. “You could have at least stood up for me. You know what we had was special! When Skyla wouldn’t even give you the time of day, I was there for you!”
I rack my brain trying to remember an instant when I wouldn’t give Logan the time of day—all I can gather is that there were moments when I was angry toward Logan. But by and large we’ve stuck together through thick and thin, and we’re together now and that’s all that matters.
Logan raises his hands as if he were a common street criminal. “I’m sorry, Lex. You know I wish you nothing but happiness.”
“Ugh. This shit again?” a familiar whorish voice grunts from behind and we turn to find Gage and Chloe staining the entry.
“I think I’m the one who should be saying that.” I glower at the unhappy couple. “What do you want?”
Chloe smirks as she pets her protruding belly. “Gage insisted we come to see your reaction.”
Gage shakes his head, his eyes widening with horror. “That’s not what I said.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes. “But that’s what you meant.” I look to the monster beside him. “I believe you, Chloe. Because you don’t mix words. You have an unpleasant way of cutting right to the chase.”
I’m pretty sure pigs are flying because I just took Chloe’s side over that of Gage Oliver’s. Even though they’re both basically my enemy. Ironic. My two biggest nemeses have united to form a super-nemesis if you will. And, in the mother of all ironies, I need to live under the same roof as them in order to see my children.
Chloe strides over and shoves Lex on the shoulder as she walks on by. “Stop trying to sleep with Liam. Don’t be a skank.” She heads over to Holden and Serena and freezes solid, her hand clutching at her throat. Her face turns purple, her tongue protrudes from her teeth, fat and anaphylactic looking.
“Finally, some action,” I mutter to myself.
“Holden?” Gage barks and Holden takes Serena by the hand before they ditch farther into the labyrinth underneath Whitehorse.
“Nice,” I muse. “I see you’ve threatened Holden sufficiently to free your bride of any discomfort.” Actually, it was me he threatened with the custody of the boys.
Chloe continues to gag and Nev is generous to offer her a bottle of water.
Marshall steps up and glowers at Gage—come to think of it, it’s the look he always gave Gage, but today it seems particularly menacing.
“What gives you the right to be here?” Marshall growls.
The right? Why do I get the feeling Marshall and Gage are on the same page?
I look to Logan and shake my head. “What’s going on?” I step over to my favorite secretive Sector. “Chloe mentioned they came to see my reaction. What exactly am I going to be reacting to?”
A sly grin glides up his cheek, just one side, and it makes him look that much more devious.
His demeanor shifts on a dime as he looks to Logan. “You,” he growls it out with something just this side of ferocity. “Stand next to the woman you love.” His jaw clenches, those molten red eyes of his look as if they’re about to boil over.
“Marshall?” I do a quick survey of the room. Michelle is back, Lex is glowering my way, Nat’s even staggered in, the boys, and Alice are busy digging through a toybox in the corner, while Nev and Ezrina have wrapped their arms around one another—a move I have yet been privy to witness and I can’t help but think they look as if they’re bracing themselves.
