“You ready for tonight?” He murmurs, his eyes darting to Ella’s door as though he can’t help himself. My stomach flips,knowing exactly how he feels, but I ignore the call to her. It’s not my place.
It's his.
And Madd’s and Gages and fuck....
Probably Hunter’s, if the way they stare at each other is anything to go by.
Christ, she really is collecting an entire harem of men, isn’t she?
A clap to my shoulder jars me from my thoughts, and I look up, finding Stone’s penetrative gaze. His brow arches at my silence then dips as a look of understanding washes over him. Damn observant bastard.
Coughing into my fist, I bob my head. “Ready as always,” I murmur, pulling open my jacket to show him my weapons. “You?”
He squeezes my shoulder, then releases it with a scoff. “More ready than you, obviously.” Now, I’m the one looking at him in question as he dips into his pocket and produces a small velvet box.
My face splits into the first real smile in what feels like days, fuck maybe longer, as I gesture to the floor. “Wow, I can’t say I never suspected, but today seems like as good of a time as any.” Chuckling, I cross my arms. “You’re all dressed up and dapper. Well, go on. I expect nothing but a full proposal.”
He shoves me away but laughs quietly at my idiocy. It makes something in my chest loosen. Things have been so serious and so painful around here lately. And I know I’ve caused just as much of that pain as I’ve tried to heal it, but tonight’s supposed to be a good thing.
As if the world is agreeing with me, Ella’s laughter permeates the hall, spilling through her cracked bedroom door. Stone and I both fall into silence as if to absorb the melodic sound. It’s cut off with some kind of quiet rumble from Gage, followed by a gasp.
I choke on my saliva as images of what exactly he did to cause the sound bleed through my brain like a plague, each one more imaginative than the last.
“Fucking hell,” Stone murmurs, rolling his eyes. “We’re going to be late if he starts that shit right now.”
Swallowing thickly, I say nothing.
“Here.” He reaches for my arms, and I watch as he silently attaches two cuff links that are monogrammed. I squint, seeing letters that have my heart clenching.
I.H.
Isabella Hudson.
“These are the trackers we discussed. They’re linked to a program I installed on each of our phones, as well as the hard drive here at home and the backup at The Den. Completely undetectable, unscannable, practically invisible. They can stand up to fifty pounds of pressure and are fully waterproof.”
“How far will they track?”
He grins, pride rightfully shining in his eyes. “Across the entire Bay, up north about twenty miles, same south and across the Valley to the west.”
I spin one around, studying it, as he slides the box back into his pocket. Such a tiny thing with so much intelligence. It’s like Stone in a golden trinket. I smirk. “And Ella?”
He nods, inching closer to her door. “In all of her jewelry.”
I grunt, my brows dipping. “Should have put the chip in her ass,” I murmur, turning my back towards the elevator as I step away from him. From them.
Stone laughs, his head falling back with the force of it. “Right. I’d like to see you try that shit on her.”
My eyes dart to her door again, unable to help myself. If I was one of them, in her good graces, in her heart, I would. I’d stop at nothing to make sure she’s okay and safe.
As it is, I’m doing all I can from the sidelines. Why else would I be forcing myself to stay away from her? She’s not safe with us, with me, in our world. She never will be. But they’ve all decided, and now, there’s nothing to do but our best.
“Nyxon,” Stone calls as my back reaches the elevator. Christ, I keep doing shit without even realizing it. I need to get my head on straight before tonight. I jerk my chin at him. He hesitates, a stern mask slipping in place. “All you have to do is say the words, man. Just tell her.”
A wave of pure terror washes over me. I know what he’s insinuating. He thinks I need to tell Isabella about my past, my sister, and my mom. About the trafficking jobs I’ve been on. The horrors I’ve seen.
I see no point. All it’ll do is hurt the both of us and likely make her hate me even more, especially after finally revealing her past.
Maybe I should do it after all. It’ll make the decision to part ways easier.
