“What’s going on?” Alex asks, crossing his arms like he’s ready to fight someone.
“We’re going out,” Zeke answers for me, then meets my gaze. “Are we suiting up?”
“No suits,” I command. “Do it like you guys used to. No fancy shit. No HEMTs. Just you four, okay? Whatever route he wants, whatever victim he wants, for as long as he wants. You lethimmakeeverychoice, got it?”
“Got it,” they all answer without hesitation and burst into action. Zeke and Alex practically leap into their rooms to get dressed, and Carter follows me as I make my way back towards our bedroom. He’s already wearing his jeans and a white T-shirt, looking like he hasn’t slept at all in at least a day.
“You weren’t asleep?” I ask. He shakes his head slightly, clearly battling his own emotions. During my party the other day, I noticed he and Ser were distant again. He hasn’t been the same since they last saw each other, and while I know it’s not my business, it’s obvious that he’s distraught over her. “What’s going on with you and Ser?”
“It’s nothing, just arguing,” he deters.
“About?”
“Don’t you think you should ask her?”
“I have, and she won’t talk to me about it.” I shrug my shoulders as we stop in front of our door. “I know it’s not my business, but I know her better than anyone, and she cares for you, Carter.”
“Just drop it, Ash,” he snarls and starts down the stairs, avoiding the conversation. Serena is getting a hard kick to the ass next time I see her, but right now, their relationship problems have to wait. Right now, my husband needs to go on a murder spree, and that needsallof Carter’s attention.
When I walk back into our bedroom, relief punches me in the throat. Damien stands beside the bed, fully dressed and tying his boot laces. His back is to me, thankfully. I don’t want to tear his focus away from getting ready. So, I keep my momentum and walk into the closet, diving into exactly what we need. Zeke wanted to hide it with everything else, but I knew we would need to keep his things separate. Yes, he has a thousand guns and knives, it seems like, but they’re notthese.Theseare familiar, and I know he’ll want them tonight.
I take the lid off the box and walk out, catching his eyes the moment he looks up. He’s sitting on the bed now beside my pillow, calmer than he was before. My steps falter when I look at him, caught off guard by his beauty, but I push forward, letting the muscle in my chest guide me. His brows furrow when I stand between his legs and lower the box for him to look inside. My heart continues to pound, nervous of what he’ll think when he sees his weapons.
“Zeke cleaned them,” I reassure him. “They should be all ready to go.” He stares at them wondrously, almost as if he was afraid that he’d never have them again. I don’t want to push, but I’m starting to think he’s backing down. The conflict that was swirling in his eyes is still there, but he doesn’t look as clouded anymore. He takes the box in his hands and then sets it down on the bed before pulling me even closer, turning me into putty. I sink into him and run my hand through his hair as he presses his lips to my stomach. “Are you almost ready?”
“Almost.” He stands and kisses me in one fluid motion, pressing his lips to mine in a soft, yet intense touch. He pullsback just enough to look me in the eyes again. “I love you,” he whispers.
I hold his face in my hands, making sure he can see the seriousness behind my words.
“I love you, too.” After a swift kiss to the tip of his nose, I grab his weapons for him and hook them on his belt, attaching them easily, as if they haven’t been out of place for two months.
Once I know they’re not falling off, I grab his hand and start to lead him downstairs with confident steps. Every inch we move feels like we’re closer to a goal line, finally walking in the right direction. I could be leading him to a darker space, and this confidence might be a lie, but we’ll navigate it together, like we should have been this entire time. Zeke and Alex are waiting by the garage door, all dressed up and ready to go. Alex is as stoic as ever, while my brother looks like he’s going to jump out of his own skin.
“Alright! Let’s do this shit!” Zeke skips to grab the door handle—actuallyskips like a damn kid waiting to go to the park. Damien smirks and shakes his head as he turns to face me, either already getting geared up or regretting his decision by Zeke’s reaction alone. I match his grin anyway, just happy to see one form on his lips.
“Promise me you’ll stay right here?” His tone is soft, but he makes his needs clear.
“I promise.” My heart flutters as he kisses the top of my head, and then I let go of his hand, allowing him to walk away. I’m not as nervous as I thought I would be. Some of my anxiety is still there, but this moment is more definite. It’s confident. There’s something about watching him leave for the first time in weeks that actually settles my worry instead of intensifying it. That is, until the door closes and our little gymnast starts doing somersaults in my belly. I rub against my stomach without muchthought, more so talking to myself than her. “Don’t worry, baby girl. Daddy’s going to be fine. He just needs some control back.”
Chapter 17
Damien
DScreams and shouts blare around me like alarms, even though they’re the joyful kind. Flashing lights dance across my vision, and the cool air is seeping into my bones. I had completely forgotten about the Fall Festival. It used to be one of our busiest times of the year, but life outside of our home has seemed so irrelevant until now. I can only imagine the confusion that spread through DH when Alex called off the public safety operation for tonight, but he was careful not to let me hear any argument.
Especially from Satori.
Zeke is having a field day. He’s eating a corn dog while we’re propped up against one of the ring toss tents, acting like this is just some normal night for us. I keep checking my phone, hoping to see a message from Ashia. The unfamiliar area is stirring the thoughts in my head, making my paranoia even worse. She’s at home with Victoria and Dr. Von, and Carter is in the room right off the garage. She’s not alone, but this feels like a mistake—atrap. I almost think the voices did this on purpose, just to lure me away, but Ashia seemed so confident in me. I can’t back down. The moment acceptance dawned on her face, elation and relief filled my chest.
I thought the car ride was going to kill me. My eyes were glued to the back of the passenger seat until we arrived, and I all but burst through the doors the moment Alex cut the car off. Now that I’m on my own two feet again, and have been for a while, I’ve been a little steadier. I feel so damn weak. We all used to speed down the road with music pouring out of the windows, and this time, I couldn’t even look outside.
“How long is this damn thing running ‘til?” Alex asks, obviously bored. A part of me hates him for it. He’s standing around like this is any normal Saturday for him, and I’m stuck trying to keep my shit together.
“Until midnight, since it’s the last night. So, you’ve only got a couple of hours left,” Carter says in our earpieces.
“Has the rest of the festival been this uneventful?” Zeke asks Alex with a mouthful of half-chewed food. I can’t help but laugh as Alex rolls his eyes and snarls his lip in revulsion.
“Apparently. There haven’t been many reports from out here.” He shrugs his shoulders to try and deflect, but there’s an annoyance that creeps into his eyes.
