“And I’m here to see Ezrina.”
I take a moment to stare into my father’s cold, dead eyes.
“What do you want with her?” It’s an honest question. My father doesn’t come around knocking on someone’s door unless he very much wants something.
“I’ve come to ask a favor of a private nature. I’m sure you understand.”
“Of course. I’m the enemy, and you’re not talking. I’ve got news for you, Pops. She’s the enemy, too.”
I give a quick knock before heading on in and bypassing the small harem Logan has taking up in his living room. Downstairs, the lab is pristine and sanitary, white as an avalanche. And I find Ezrina dropping Gage’s decapitated head back into a clear box filled with blue keeping solution.
“Bath time?” I give a curious nod her way.
Ezrina looks up, her paper-white face glowing against that slash of red across her lips.
“Your brother took us captive for a time. Destroyer.”
Coop strides up, a look of annoyance on his face. “Someone shoved Gage’s head in the freezer to preserve it. Was it you?” There’s an accusing edge to his voice, and I do my best to ignore it.
“No. But I might have if I had the chance. It’s a nice little reminder of what happens when my father decides to have his way.” I glance over at Demetri, and an easy smile glides over my lips.
Demetri’s chest puffs up, and that devilish gleam takes over his eyes as he nods to Ezrina and to Nev who’s standing behind her.
“Ezrina”—Demetri strums her name out like a command—“might I have a word with you?”
Nevermore puffs his chest out twice as wide. “Not unless I’m right there with her.”
“Very well.” Demetri leads them into the room to our left where the resurrection magic happens, or at least it used to.
“Coop.” I hitch my head to the side and he follows me over a few feet. I give a quick glance around. “Where’s Logan?”
“Upstairs with the baby.” His expression dims. “What do you want? Need to add to your soliloquy? Thought of a fun comeback?”
I study him for a moment. “I talked to Gage.” My hardened expression lets him know exactly what we we’re talking about, and his eyes round out for a moment.
“Okay.” He shrugs. “So what? Laken came to me on her own. It was nothing I did and everything you did.”
“Fair enough. But I never expected you to lie down and die.”
His lips purse as he examines me. “And I certainly don’t expect you to roll over anytime soon.”
“I’m fresh out of people to blackmail.” My eyes stay trained on his, and it takes a lot of restraint not to rip his throat out. “You played dirty to get Laken. You know all about the hellish scenario Gage and I are up against.” I shrug. “How’d you find out?”
His lips twitch as if he couldn’t decide if he wanted to tell me or not.
“Coop, you do realize that if Skyla finds out, it will be game over for Celestra. Gage isn’t going to relent. No matter what she says, Skyla doesn’t have it in her to be separated from him.”
He lifts a brow. “Or Dudley? Or her mother?” There’s a chord of amusement in his voice, and something about it scares the hell out of me.
“You are not allowed to be the wild card. You, Cooper Flanders, were born to play it straight. Yes, you fought for Laken. You resorted to blackmail. But I don’t think for a minute you’re foolish enough to unleash the beast and tell Skyla the truth. You hate the Fems. You want me to burn in Hell for all eternity. Let it go.” A part of me can’t believe the words as they leave my lips. But I’m not saying them for me. I’m saying them for Laken, and what she wholeheartedly believes in. And if I’m being truthful, I’m starting to believe it, too. Gage and I were trashing humanity to get our damn way. Maybe I could do a little good while I’m still in existence.
“Why aren’t you afraid?” Coop folds his arms across his chest, squinting over at me as if he were trying to read me like a book.
“Gage sold me out at every turn. He’s the one that ripped Laken from my arms, not you.”
He shakes his head “It’s never you, is it, Wes? It must be nice to constantly point the finger at someone else and never take the blame yourself.”
“Does Laken know? Is she privy to the dirty details? Does she know you were blackmailing Gage to get an all-access pass?”
