His eyes illuminate a brilliant shade of fiery crimson as if someone just lit him up on the inside with a flashlight.
“Oh, for shit’s sake,” I hiss at him before he ever has a chance to tear into me. “You know those feds are circulating on the premises. There’s no way your Shelly has this many friends, and we both know Liam has been dead for the better half of two decades.” I swat him over the arm, and his eyes dim a notch.
“Duly noted. Do you know who else is circulating on the premises—and might I add, in more dubious places as well?”
I huff and roll my eyes. “Nice reference to my vagina, but it’s hardly a dubious place.”
“It will be when I’m through with it.”
I’d swat him again, but quite frankly, I’m running out of steam. “And to answer your question, I do know—the enemy. By the way, the enemy and Gage Oliver aren’t necessarily one in the same. Gage and I are about to upend everything the Factions, the Sectors, and the Fems have ever known.”
He moans as if I just plucked his wings off. “Do tell.”
“My mother isn’t a liar after all. Remember that stone she gifted me? With the number seven on it? She agreed to give Gage seven years as my official husband if he promises her seven years of peace.”
He glances to the stars without the effort of moving his head, and all I see from my vantage point are the whites of his eyes. “Skyla, she has no authority to sidestep doctrine. This isn’t earthly legalism we’re speaking of. It’s a binding covenant. The afterlife won’t see the likes of a nuptial outside of the marriage supper of the Lamb. You and your formerly betrothed are no more. You are a free agent, free to roam about the planet and enter into yet a third binding covenant with anyone you please.”
“You’re wrong.” I knife him with a steely gaze, and for some reason, that tender spot between my thighs tingles at the thought of having a verbal tussle with Marshall. Or perhaps it was the fact I challenged that ball of knowledge on his head that’s making me hot in all the right places. “Technically, Logan was dead when we married—and if I remember correctly, you performed the ceremony yourself. Ha!” I hike on my tiptoes to laugh in his face.
“Skyla.” He pinches his eyes closed a moment. “That was permissible. There were circumstances. He was coming back and allotted three days by proxy, eating away the final three days of the life he has now.”
“The life Gage Oliver selflessly sacrificed to give him!”
A crackle of lightning illuminates the sky like a defunct florescent light ready to blow, followed by a peal of thunder.
“All right”—I snarl up at the heavens—“my mother gifted him an entire spate of decades as if they were playing cards.” I guess that would make my mother a dealer in the casino of life. And I do believe she has every superpower available and in her arsenal when it comes to meeting Logan Oliver’s living breathing needs. “But that’s not the point. The point is that Gage is going to accept her offer.” My anger starts to percolate as my adrenaline spikes. “And after seven years melt by like cotton candy in a Paragon rainstorm, you will all see that Gage Oliver will extend that peace treaty until we’re both old and dead in the ground.” I pinch my dress at the knees and stomp my way past him. I’m so fighting mad, I see red.
“Skyla!” he calls without moving an inch to follow me because he’s stubborn that way. “I demand you come back here right this minute! We haven’t discussed Noster! Get back here, Skyla. I command you to halt and pivot in this direction at once.” I run up the porch, fighting the urge to give him the finger. “You’ll regret this!” And those are the last words I hear as I head into the house.
Whitehorse is just as elegant inside as it is outside this fine evening. Blue crystals dangle from the ceiling, dangling from just about everything, and the grand room is covered with electric blue twinkle lights. And as much as I’d like to give Logan the full credit, I have a sneaking suspicion Lexy Bakova had a decorating hand in tonight’s nuptial shenanigans.
The room is thick with people, and I can only guess they’ve taken Tad to the lab down below, the Wonderground as Lex calls it. I’ll admit it is cute. I spy Emily Morgan seated at the dining room table surrounded with enough paper to cover the planet and a band of anxious groupies. She lifts her head and makes eye contact with me before waving me over with that deathly bored expression. No way, no how. This is a prophecy-free evening, thank you very much.
My feet wisely pivot in the opposite direction, and I bump into a couple of scantily clad bodies just as I’m about to enter the kitchen. I can’t help but wrinkle my nose in disgust. These two, I’ll freely admit, are not cute. Lexy and Chloe share a laugh before acknowledging my presence—as if I care. The only thing I want to do is find Tad before his homing beacon leads the US marshals right down to Ezrina’s mad lair. She’s got Gage’s old head in a box, for shit’s sake. It still jars me when I see it. I pleaded with her to get rid of it, but she all but gave me the finger. It’s her favorite toy, much like it was Chloe’s.
“Messenger”—Lexy pulls me by the arm—“maybe you can help us settle a dispute. Chloe here thinks a nursery should never be on the same floor as the parents’ bedroom, and I say it should be right next door. Logan, of course, has a couple of cribs in our bedroom already, but no offense, I hate the style you chose. I’m looking into an acrylic aquarium-style enclosure myself.”
My God, the delusions are running rampant tonight. What the hell was in that champagne, anyway? Let me guess, good old Dominique came through and Melissa finally managed to refine that love potion she’s been working on for months—only it’s backfired spectacularly. If that’s true, Rev might just propose by midnight and Mia will explode about a minute later.
“Let’s see.” I tap my cheek, eager to have about ten seconds’ worth of caustic fun. “What Chloe really believes is that the mother shouldn’t even be in the same dimension as her child, so I’m pretty sure that discredits any advice she’s eager to give you. And secondly, Logan’s bedroom is his own, and you will never”—my mouth rounds out as the words clot up in my throat. “You might want to wait until you’re in your fifth month. Logan’s been known to open his wallet nice and wide at that point. It’s sort of a lovable panic.” My heart swells up like a water balloon threatening to burst, and all I want to do is cry at the thought of Logan and Lexi procreating—putting their babies, whose names will all start with an L undoubtedly—into acrylic enclosures as if this were a zoo. My entire life is starting to feel like a zoo, a circus, and ironically, my terror of clowns is beginning to fester again like an old wound that refuses to heal. I can’t help it. I’m stressed, bordering on depressed, and I’m not even sure why anymore. I mean, everything seems to be going my way—right?
“Say”—Lexy cocks her head—“don’t you still have that house behind the gates? Why don’t you take the cribs over there? That way he’ll miss them, and I can supply one of our own.”
Chloe’s lips pull back into an obnoxious grin. “Skyla will never live there, not when she can get her jollies off watching Demetri hammer her mother.”
“I am not getting my jollies off,” I spit it out quick and angry. Funny how I didn’t bother to protest the fact Demetri and Mom were nailing shut the casket on Mom and Tad’s marriage while nailing each other. Please. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure that out. Speaking of imbeciles, I need to check on Tad.
I start to take off, then backtrack. “Stay available.” I glare over at Chloe. “If all goes well, you’ll be headed to Raven’s Eye to pick up Wesley’s other baby mama.” I take a few steps into the crowd, but Chloe yanks me back.
Her eyes are wild, her expression blank. You can practically smell the fear emanating from her, and it’s delicious. “I thought Emerson was going? It only makes sense, Skyla. Think about it. She has to go back in the box. You need me here. You know you do. We’re practically at war.”
“I don’t need you, Chloe.” I get in close, my breath pouring over her wretched face
. “I will never need you because there will be no war. Gage is pledging peace for the next seven years and counting.”
Her eyes enlarge a notch as if not even she were expecting that news.
“That’s right,” I hiss. “So be ready. I don’t really care if you’re willing. Besides, Emerson will need all the help she can get. And while they’re doing whatever it is they do to people—you’ll help Kresley get back to Paragon safe. You’ll bring her here to Ezrina’s lab. Both she and Laken are with child. The last thing I need is for Kresley to pull some silly stunt and try to live out her days as the original. She’s a stark raving mad lunatic just like you. The two of you should get along great.” I try to free myself from her grip, but her fingernails dig deep into my flesh, pressing over my bone as if she were trying to hoist me back to safety from the wrong side of Devil’s Peak.
“I’ll find out who slaughtered your husband and why. I’ll throw the little shit that’s haunting you in as a bonus. I’ll get her identity and her mission statement,” she seethes the words through gritted teeth. Her fear of Raven’s Eye is palpable. As much as I’m enjoying this, I can’t help but pause and mull over the offer.
“No. Kresley belongs to me. She may not technically be one of my people, but that innocent child she’s harboring is very much under my charge. It doesn’t matter to me if its mother has gone rogue. You’ll bring Kres back safe.” My heart thumps with defeat for a moment before ticking back to life like a bomb. “And then you’ll do as you offered. Don’t you forget—you belong to me too, Chloe. And you will most certainly do as I say.” I free myself and fly through the kitchen like a slingshot on my way to the pantry, closing the door as I head down the stairs.
Ellis comes at me in the other direction and does a little dance blocking my path for a moment.
“Where’s your main man?” His lids hang heavy, eyes red and glossy. That’s just Ellis having an Ellis kind of day.
“If you mean Gage, he’s taking his mother back home.” I lean in, giddy to spill the juicy details. Ellis often gets the brunt end of Emma’s rage. It’s something we have in common, so I know he’ll appreciate this little tidbit. “She was tanked, toasted, three sheets to the wind, sauced. Emma couldn’t even hold her head up anymore.” Okay, so that last one was a bit of an exaggeration. “And she embarrassed herself wildly.”
“No effing way,” he brays out each word with a laugh. “Sorry I missed the show. It’s good to know she likes to knock ’em back at weddings. I guess I’ll catch act two when you and Oliver get hitched.”
I launch into a spontaneous hug. “God, I love you, Ellis. Just when I think the entire world is against Gage and me, you go and say something like that.”
“I guess he’ll be at the wedding, too. Logan’s best man and all.”
I’m quick to push him away and scowl. “Out of my way.”
He scoots over a notch. “Before I forget. I’ve been meaning to run a business proposition by Gage. I figure I’m in with Drake—and Ethan, too. He hopped on the pot bandwagon as soon as that green started making some real green. Heck, I’m shredding Benjamins left and right with the bowling alley and the gym—Logan’s benefiting from that. I figure I should do Gage a solid. Gotta help my bros support their hos, if you know what I mean.”
I’m still glaring at him. With Ellis you never know when to stop. “You have absolutely zero clue how sexist you sound. You do realize you could go into business with a woman—say me.” My God, let it be me. Who knew Ellis and Drake would be the front-runners for success in our graduating class—tax evasion be damned. I wouldn’t mind a little of the Midas touch myself. “What are you cooking up this time?”
He sheds that adorable grin, and I can’t seem to stay mad at him. His cheeks are filled with stubble, and his sandy hair is a little messy. Ellis is basically the human version of everyone’s favorite old gym shoes.
“I got two words for you, Messenger. Roach coach.”
I suck in a quick breath. “A food truck!”
“That’s right. And I’m talking tacos, baby. There’s nothing like a little authentic street tacos. Paragon is going to lose its effing mind. We’ll start with two trucks, and I bet we’ll be up to twenty in a year.”
“I don’t know. Food can be tricky. Especially raw food.” It would figure the one deal Ellis is willing to make with me has the capability to kill the masses. “Are you any good at cooking beef?”
“Sure I am. I just keep the damn thing over a flame until it stops moving.”
“Wow. Moving.” My stomach does a heavy roll at the thought. “Well, I will certainly give it some heavy consideration.” I wave as I traipse down the next few steps and spot Mia and Logan having a lively conversation. She’s got a sleepy Nathan dangling from her hip and my heart aches just to hold him, run my fingers through his silky dark hair, and bury a kiss in each dimple. I have the same physical ache with Gage but for entirely different reasons. But for right now, I’m going to dive-bomb Nathan with kisses until he surrenders that husky laugh. Tad and his death rash will simply have to wait.
“Oh, and Messenger?” Ellis calls from the top, and I take a few steps his way. “Word on the street is Noster is getting nervous. They want reinforcements, protection of some kind.”
“Protection?” An acid bomb goes off in my stomach. I’d ask from what, but I think I know. “They feel threatened.” God. Of course, they do. They’re sitting on a gold mine, and there’s a greedy bastard named Wesley just waiting to jump their claim.
“I’ll talk to Logan about it.”
“Cool. Let me know if I’m needed. I heard the news. It feels good to be sitting on top of the world again.” He shoots me with his fingers before darting back through the pantry.
Noster rings out in my mind like a gong whose deep melodic cry won’t stop resonating. It’s not a secret that I’m in over my head. How in the hell am I going to send out reinforcements? Don’t they know they are the reinforcements?
I bounce back over to Mia and Logan, and they stop their conversation abruptly.
“Please, carry on,” I say, trying to snatch Nathan from Mia’s arm, but she swiftly spins him out of my grasp.
“No, you don’t,” she chides. “Mom texted and said she and Demetri are ditching out early. They’re waiting for me to bring him up.”
“I bet they’re ditching out early.” I lean in and press a kiss over the back of Nathan’s head just as those bright blue eyes seal shut. “What about Tad? Or has Mom conveniently forgotten all about her official plus one?”
Logan lands his palm over the small of my back, and it feels warm, intimate. “Tell them I’ll make sure he gets home safe.”
Mia clucks her tongue at me. “For your information, Mom wanted to stay. She tried to find Tad on her own, but Demetri said it was best to get the kids home. Misty was having a meltdown and so was Barron.”
“So what were you doing down here?” Suddenly I’m not as interested in my mother’s bedroom shenanigans anymore. I’m a bit suspicious why my kid sister is standing somewhere I’m pretty sure she has no interest in being.
“Logan texted me.” Her brows raise an inch, and she looks every bit mischievous. I should know, I’ve seen the same look on my own face a time or two.
“About?” I look from her to him, and they share an amicable smile.
“You’ll find out.” Mia leans in and kisses my cheek. She pulls back with a starry-eyed look. “Boy, Skyla—a girl can only wish a guy could love her the way guys love you.”
My heart sinks, and it becomes crystal clear Logan was filling her ear on all that she-belongs-to-me crap. Not that it’s crap. God, no. It’s just—I’d hate for him to paint me as an adulterer. And for the record, I do not feel like I’m cheating on Logan when I’m bedding down Gage. My heart pinches like maybe I do just a little, but I choose to ignore that.
“You have Gabriel,” I remind her. “He must be crazy about you.” Personally, I have never seen evidence of this. Rev, however, basically c
hanged his identity for her—from the wolf in the woods to the wolf of Wall Street. I’m really starting to root for Rev in all this. But for the love of all things holy and right, bring back the leather jacket and chains. At least with that I didn’t feel the need to suggest he buy a personality or discuss stock options with him. His new persona is plastic and fake, but in the end it reeks of true love.
“Please.” She jostles Nathan on her hip until she has a better grip on him. He’s almost half her size, and I can’t stop marveling at that. “Gabriel is about as romantic as a doorpost. He thinks pointing to his crotch is a romantic gesture.” She makes a face, and I gather she doesn’t agree with him.
“You picked him.” I shrug and cringe because I’m sure in the annals of sister history there were a ton of better comebacks I could have chosen from.
“I sure did,” she sings as she heads up the stairs. “And I’m keeping him, too! I can’t wait to be Mrs. Mia Armistead!”
“Oh goody, I can’t wait either.” I lack all the right enthusiasm as I shrug over at Logan. “I get points for trying, right?”
“Right.” He presses a kiss to my cheek, and my discomfort level rises another notch. First, the hand on the back, then the kiss? In high school that would have been grounds for breaking up with him for ignoring me, but I’m a married woman now—just not married to him. Or apparently anyone else.
I frown at the citrine-eyed god before me. “What was that powwow about? And don’t say Tad. Neither of you is all that concerned for his safety.”
“Can’t tell you. It’s top secret.”
“Fine, have it your way. Speaking of top secret, Ellis says Noster feels—”
“Shhh.” He carefully lands a finger to my lips, effectively blocking any other words from bubbling from my throat. “Not tonight. No Faction business from this moment forward.”
“But”—I try to step away, but he steps right along with me, leading us farther into the darkened corridor to our left—“fine, but I have to see Tad, and I have to talk to Ezrina and Nev about hiding the markers. We need to get this on paper and bury it in Tenebrous or something. Ezrina can’t be the only person with this sacred knowledge or it’s bound to put a bounty on her head.”