When Remy puts the SUV in park, he says, “I don’t know what just happened, but it got kind of weird in here, right?” His tone is light as he passes his gaze around the cab.
“Percy said we acted like her agreeing was a death sentence,” Felix tattles.
I huff and get out of the car. “See what you started?” I scold the mink on my shoulder.
My dear witch, I didn’t start anything. I just brought it to their attention. You are the keystone, and they needed a reminder.With those parting words, Percy scampers down my leg and disappears behind the house.
“I’m going to put chiggers in your nest,” Remy yells after Percy’s retreating form. His eyes seek me out when he’s done threatening my familiar. “The demented little death spawn would probably find a way to make them attack me.”
Of that I have no doubt. Percy is as sneaky as he is ruthless. “Is he right though?” I ask, getting to the point. I’m not going to dance around this.
“About saying we think finishing the bond is a death sentence? Hexes, no!” Gray exclaims.
“I think we’re all just a little freaked out it was that easy,” Felix adds.
“We’re waiting for the other shoe to drop,” Remy explains.
“I don’t think it’s been easy,” I reply, telling them all the truth. “I’ve been scared of it not happening, scared of going through with it.” I toss my hands in the air. “I just want us to be us. I want to wake up with Felix’s glasses on the nightstand and Remy’s dirty clothes on the floor and for Gray to bitch about it.” I point to each of them in turn. “But I don’t want to think I trapped you for the next eighty years.”
“Eighty? Set your sights a little higher, doll.”
“You are not trapping us, and truth be fucking told, I would be perfectly okay with trapping your ass with us.” Gray crosses his arms over his chest, daring me to prove him wrong.
“I would have already done it if I were able to when you were in my circle,” Felix confesses softly while looking up at me through his dark lashes. “But you started this, and you need to be the one to finish it.”
“There’s no going back,” I warn again. “This is until death, maybe even after.”
“We don’t need convincing.” Remy takes a step closer, crowding me. He’s always been the one with all the confidence, and why shouldn’t he be? He’s gorgeous, endearing, and has a python for a cock.
I start to crack a smile at my thoughts, and he grins in return without even knowing why I’m smiling. “I’ll leave my dirty shit on the floor every day,” he promises and leans down to kiss me.
Gray groans. “Let’s get what we need before I have to renegotiate the terms.”
It’s been years since I’ve actually thought about the binding spell and what we used or started to use.What if I forget something?
I must utter those words out loud, because Felix answers, “I still have everything.”
“Wait, like the original things we used?” I don’t know why this would surprise me, but it does. When I left the circle that night, I never went back. Him having everything is proof they stuck around a lot longer, or at least visited the site again.
“Yeah, I collected everything. I didn’t want any of it to get damaged, since I knew we’d finish the spell at some point. I wasn’t expecting it to take this long to convince you though.” Felix grins at me while walking backwards toward the house.
The slight taunt said in jest may have hurt a few days ago, but it doesn’t now. Is that because we all finally moved on from the mistakes of our past, or because I know we’ll be rectifying them soon?
Either way, I don’t care. I’m past wanting to place blame, even on myself. I want to embrace what we will be, not what could have been.
Gray wraps his arm around my neck and tips his head against mine. I feel a sigh shudder through his entire body, and I realize he’s absorbing my emotions. This is what he asked of me—confidence in our bond, in them.
I wrap my arm around his back as Felix spins around and starts to jog toward the house. Not to be left out of any kind of physical contact, Remy scoots in close to my other side, and I reach for his hand.
Felix is out the door in under two minutes. He has a large satchel over his shoulder and a confident stride as he approaches us. “Got it.” He pants slightly, as if he was rushing. His green eyes are a little wild behind his glasses as he looks us over.
I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I no longer know the way to our spot. When we used to come here, there was a trail in the woods, but I don’t know where that is since the house they built is mucking up my senses. “Lead the way.”
Remy chuckles darkly, and I know I’ve been caught. “Little Miss I Know Where I’m Going can’t remember how to get there?”
I give him a little jab with his own elbow as I push my arm into his. “I had to learn where it was, you guys were always screwing around and leaving me.”
Remy lowers his head and his voice. “Because we always liked finding you.”
