Her head swivels at that last confession. “No shit?”
“Shit.” I feel the guys eyes on me as they watch our interaction, and I wonder if they can feel the chemistry radiating off us like I can.
“Who’s your favorite figure?”
“Klaus from theUmbrella Academy.”
She stops walking and jerks my arm, turning me to look down at her. “Garrison. It is a crime that you’ve kept this locked up from me. Are you telling me, we could have been binge watching this show together this whole time?”
“I didn’t know you cared to know.” I shrug, which makes her frown.
“Well, I’m fixing that now. I definitely care to know, Garrison.” She squeezes my hand and the sensation jolts straight to my dick. “If we ever get out of here, I demand a binge-watching session.”
We start walking again, the mountains getting closer, but still a ways off. The path is lined with gnarled looking trees on either side that create long shadows across the trail.
“So why Klaus?”
I think on my answer, before confessing. “I think I admire his carefree approach to life. He’s so full of fun in a way that I can’t relate to. I’ve always been expected to act a certain way, and I guess I grew accustomed to that lifestyle, but sometimes I secretly hope to break free from it. Klaus’s character gives me a glimpse of that, I guess.”
“Living within the confines of someone else’s expectations is the quickest way to crush your own soul.” She says with a knowing nod.
“I don’t know how much of my soul is left at this point.” I say in almost a whisper, rubbing at my chest. Does someone who’s been possessed by a demon for years, walk away with their soul intact?
“I think there’s plenty left, if you only want to embrace it.” She lets go of my hand and walks to the front of our line. “We should hurry before my father sends his minions to come looking for us.”
I watch as her ass sways from side to side with each step. Our interaction did nothing to quell this crush I’ve held in secret. Instead, it’s inflamed the ember of my feelings into a blazing inferno. I’d been telling myself that she didn’t care for me, to move on from the idea of ever getting a chance to be with her. I swallow hard, still sensing a whisper of her touch on my skin. She does care to know more about me, and that knowledge, that hope has me believing that just maybe she won’t shy away from me. She might be the one who could handle all of me, like no one else has ever been able to.
CHAPTER27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
PIERCE
SONG: FALLING BY TREVOR DANIEL
The onyx-colored path winds narrowly against a sloped jagged cliff. It’s just wide enough for my feet to stand side by side without plummeting to my death. Who knew Hell would have its own fucked up version of the Yellow-Brick Road? We’ve been walking for hours, with no clear idea of how long we have to go or if the alarm has been raised on our escape. We keep a punishing pace to get as much distance between us as possible. My lungs burn with the exertion. My time in the dungeons has depleted me of my strength and I feel its effects as we continue to climb.
Even though I’m still in the Underworld, it’s better than being strung up for torture. I revel in the feeing of freedom. My heart feels lighter with every step away from the castle. I never want to end up there again after all they put me through. Emmet’s foot slips ahead of me sending a cluster of rocks down the side. My breath catches in my chest as he struggles to find his footing. Walker steadies him by grabbing onto his hips.
“Thanks, man.”
“No problem.” Walker’s gruff voice replies tightly.
“You guys good?” Salem asks from the front without slowing down. The sight of her makes my fucking heart sing. To be breathing the same air as her is everything I could ask for. I push myself to keep up so I don’t end up straggling behind, but I can already tell it’s taking all my energy to keep one foot in front of the other. I chance a glance up to see how much further we have to go. This incline is killer.
Garrison grumbles something unintelligible that makes her let out a snort laugh. The sound is both a balm and a knife to my heart. It’s a fucking miracle that I’m even here right now, but so much time has passed that I don’t know where I fit in with everyone anymore. I feel a touch out of step, and it churns my gut.
I’d only seen glimpses of their lives these last few months. Stolen moments when they’d pass in front of the mirror, out of reach. It was like watching a tv show that I was only allowed to see five minutes of for each episode. Seeing their grief. Seeing them mourn. And then seeing them slowly pick up the pieces, moving on without me. But never the full story. So much has happened since I last saw them all. I don’t even feel like the same person anymore after what I’ve been put through.
I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t see the rock right in front of me, before it’s too late. My ankle twists as it comes down on the obstruction. I feel myself careen to the side, heading directly for the edge, the rocks below making my vision swim.At least I got to see Salem one last time, I think right before callused hands grip me around my flailing forearm.
“I got you.” Walker growls out, his veins in his neck strained from the effort of trying to hoist me up. Sweat drips down his reddened face onto mine as my fingers from my other hand grip at the path, coming away with chunks of rock. I try again to get a hold of the mountain. My legs swinging out as my feet find purchase against the side.
“Help me pull him up!” Walker yells as I catch Salem’s looking at me in horror, moving her hands as if she’s trying to use her magic to bring me up, but it doesn’t work. Walker’s sweaty hands begin to slip, losing his grip around my arm. My bones strain, feeling like my joint will pop out of its socket at any moment.
Emmet reaches down for me, his knees barely fitting sideways on the path. “Grab my hand!”
I don’t have a choice but to trust the man whose betrayal led to me being stuck down here and tortured. My hand finds his and he works in tandem with Walker to pull me up.
