Page 88 of Lessons In Grey
“The city block and building, but not the number. I suppose that’s up to your digression whether you want to give it to me or not.”
I thought about it. “No. The less people know about it, the better.”
“What will you do about her stepbrother?” he asked, unoffended by the information I was keeping from him.
Malachi was good in that sense. He didn’t take it as us not trusting him, in fact, he trusted us enough to know that certain things were needed to be kept from him in order for this to work. In the same way, he kept things from us, and we trusted that he only did it for our benefit.
Killing Jordan was the first option, and I wanted to. I wantedto kill him with everything in me. “Maybe I’ll play some games first.” He liked to play games with her. Cause her psychological and physical damage. I could do the same, only I was far better at it than he was.
“I pegged Azrael as the gameplayer, not you,” he said in that voice that told me it was a warning and the worry of a father.
He didn’t want me falling off the deep end, and I wouldn’t. I had control. More control than the other three, and after the high I just experienced, I was in a better place to consider my options rather than just outright killing him.
Today had started out terribly, but it was ending on a good note.
“Would you like me to pull Matthew off?” he asked when I didn’t respond.
I considered his words carefully. “No,” I finally decided. “You always taught us to trust our gut.”
“One of our first lessons.”
I nodded, straightening. “I feel like something is coming, and I’m not going to be able to be around all the time, so keep him on her for now.”
“Okay, that’s not a problem. Matthew’s in the middle of this amazing book, Lord of the Rings, have you ever heard of it? Fantastic writing, and the imagery? Oh, to die for.”
I rolled my eyes. “He’s in his 30’s and just now reading the Lord of the Rings? Where has he been living? Under a rock?”
Malachi chuckled. “He’s a good man.”
“Good men read Lord of the Rings before they hit true adulthood. Ridiculous,” I muttered. “Of course, I’ve read it,” I answered his previous question. “Goodnight, Malachi, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Stay safe and protect that beautiful woman of yours at all costs. You have my blessing.” Click.
I had his blessing.
It had taken him a while before he had given his blessing toJack and Rae. A few months. Maybe half a year, I couldn’t really remember, their relationship was a whirlwind of mystery and intrigue, of murder and chaos, love and twisted memories. I was still shocked they had held it together for so long, but I was proud of where they were now. Just over two years of being together now, traveling. It was beautiful.
With a sigh, I turned back to the door, taking a step towards it only for my phone to ding.
Eris:You’ll regret ever stepping foot
in this city.
I rolled my eyes and tossed my phone onto the table, picking up Emily’s from the floor and setting it next to mine before heading for the room. He had been spewing the same shit for a month now. I’d regret killing Jyce. No, what I was regretting was dealing with an asshole like him. All bark, no bite. It didn’t matter anyway, I’d deal with him soon enough. Right now, I wanted to drown.
If it had been any one of my brothers that had been gutted like a fish all over a stripper stage, I would have found and killed those responsible the day of.
I quietly pushed open the door, finding Emily curled up in the bed, snoring softly, the bruises from our time together already appearing across her neck.
I walked over to her, brushing away the hair from her face, taking in her perfect, beautiful features, her soft pink lips. Fuck, I needed to taste them again, but she was exhausted. She had had a long day physically and emotionally. Tomorrow morning, she would feel the pain of what Jordan had done to her and what I had done to her. Tomorrow she may go back up to the highest of all highs, and when she fell back down, I would be here, always.
I grazed my fingers over those beautiful little marks on her neck, my cock twitching once again at the claim I had made. “These are the only bruises you will ever have again. I promise.” I leaned over and kissed her head. “We’re halfway out of the dark, Snowflake.”
22
Emily
November 4th, 2021