Page 170 of Lessons In Grey
February 22nd, 2022
It was almost midnight in the city, but it was the only time I had to call this morning.
“It’s pathetic and a waste of time that you keep calling them.”
I ignored Azrael as I headed outside.
We had found a little cottage on the top of a hill outside of Dublin. It was perfect for what we needed, which was a secluded place to rest.
Louis had brought us back to Ireland, which meant that something important was here and we were missing it. Azrael was getting increasingly irritated at the games Louis was playing, and I had to agree. I was shocked he hadn’t gone on a killing spree yet though, especially after Louis managed to slip from his grasp. It was difficult for him to control his anger, but thus far, I had togive him his props.
I stepped outside, the sun cresting over the mountains on the horizon. I called up Jeremy, looking out across the mountain range. It was beautiful here, but fuck, I’d give anything to be home, to be holding her. Nothing compared to the view of her eyes, to the sound of her voice.
“You should be calling her,” he stated quietly.
“She won’t answer me,” I reminded him, that familiar irritation bubbling. I missed her, and I understood her anger, but fuck, why couldn’t she just talk to me? “How is she? How was the visit?”
Jeremy sighed, shuffling sounding in the background. “He gave her some good advice and she disappeared into the bedroom. She never came back out.”
Malachi had a way of getting into people’s minds. Emily was vulnerable right now; he might have slipped in far easier than she had wanted.
“When did he leave?”
“A few hours ago. What are you two doing today?”
I turned back to the cottage, Azrael creating small bombs on the kitchen table. “We found a holding cell, a house they’re using to keep the people who betrayed him. Azrael wants to blow it up.”
“Blow it up? What would that accomplish?”
I sighed. “He’s angry, I’m giving it to him.” I turned back to the rolling hills. Beautiful and lush, an impossible green. Fuck, I wanted to talk to her. Even if we fought. Even if we screamed. I wanted to justhearher. I knew this would be hard, I didn’t blame her for the ill feelings. Talking about it and living through it were two completely different things and I had a feeling it wouldn’t go over well this first time, but there wasn’t anything I could do to change that.
After this, I would remain in the city, doing city-wide missions, nothing outside of the United States, at the very least. This was special, different. It was important. Once this was over, that would be it. No more out of country anything.
“Grey?”
My heart skipped a beat, despite the fact that it was Jeremy. She was rubbing off on them. Nobody called me Grey but her. “Yeah, still here.”
Jeremy released a breath. “I’m going to get her. I think she’ll talk to you this time.”
My breath caught, a nervousness taking over my entire being as I began to pace. Shit. This was it. I was going to finally hear from her again. Two months was far too long. If it were up to me, I’d have texted her, called her, visited her, every day. But we have been leaving a trail of enemies behind us every step of the way, and I couldn’t risk her. I couldn’t risk anyone knowing about her, not yet. Not while my entire focus was on Louis.
I heard Jeremy knock on her bedroom door. “Emily?” he called, his voice a whisper.
“What?” she asked, my heart slamming against my ribs. She didn’t even sound like she had been asleep. Had she just been laying in her bedroom alone? Had she been thinking about me? Had she been crying? Praying? Begging for me to come home?
“I’m coming, Snowflake, I promise. I’m coming home.”
“It’s Grey. He wants to talk to you.”
I felt like I was going to throw up.
“And he couldn’t call my phone?” she asked bitterly.
Guilt filled me. She wouldn’t have answered.
“You wouldn’t have answered,” Jeremy repeated my thoughts.
Emily was quiet for a long time. Too long.