Page 48 of Exile

I fail to hide my grin as his eyes check the corners of the room, omitting the usual red light.

Theo stalks forward, grabbing Whittingham's arm and violently pulling him forward before slamming him back down into the chair. "When Grey's finished with you, I'm going to drag your bleeding useless carcass downstairs and fry your mind so much that you forget your own name."

"Don't touch me!" Whittingham yells, slapping his hand away. "I'll have you all arrested, you delinquents."

"Big word for a little man," Grey laughs. "Did you learn that from your friend, Alexander?"

At the mention of his father, Damon stiffens next to me. I reach out and grasp his hand, threading our fingers. The act doesn't go unnoticed by Whittingham, a look of disgust crossing his face as he spots my ring.

"We'll prove that this marriage is illegal. This is only temporary."

I lean forward, patting the top of Teddy's head as I hold eye contact with him. "I'm not next, Arthur. You are. And don't even think about coming after my guys." Pausing, I reach down and collect the paperwork from under her gray neck, tossing it in his face. "And when you're in here, taking your last breath, we're going to kill your good buddy Alexander and send you both to Hell where you belong."

Chapter 18

Avery

"Just do it," I mumble, peering at Theo with one eye closed.

His lips twitch into a smirk, hand paused like he's waiting for me to change my mind.

I won't though. I'm determined to prove him wrong.

"Last chance," he warns. "Are you sure you can handle it?"

"Give me some credit."

Theo shakes his head, clearly amused as he lowers the needle to the sensitive skin. We're doing the other side of my ribcage today, but sadly, there's no Grey to distract me from the incoming pain.

I remind myself that this is our therapy and that I'm doing this because it'sromantic.Sure, it's probably not as romantic as severed fingers in flowers or homemade shivs, but at least I'm being original and not stealing their ideas.

After we nearly lost Damon, it dawned on me that I'm alive because of him. Even when I hated him—or thought I did—I was always safe because of his protective scheming.

The night I spent with him at the hospital, I barely slept. I became fixated on watching him sleep, counting his breaths. It was terrifying wondering if his heart would just suddenlystop or his poor excuse for a father would stroll in and stab us both in our sleep.

The monitor next to the bed had been my safe haven, showing me visual proof that he was alive. As long as his heart kept beating, that was all that was important in that moment.

Alyssa had periodically snuck into the room to check vitals and when I asked her for a favor, part of me expected her to laugh. But she didn't even flinch at the idea.

Let's just hope Theo has a steady hand.

"How much are we doing?" he asks, glancing down at the piece of paper in his lap.

"Two or three inches," I answer, letting out a deep, controlled exhale.

"So, just the tip?"

I start laughing, making him pause with an annoyed scowl. The needle is dangerously close to my skin but it's not my fault that the great quiet Theo is ripping out dick jokes while tattooing me.

"Oh, stop giving me that look," I scold playfully. "You started it."

He places his hand firmly on my torso, pinning me down. We're in the library again, using the table as a makeshift bed. Damon and Grey are off doing Cirque duties, and I figured there was no time like the present to organize a… present.

"This will resemble a flatline or a heart attack if you don't stay still," he grumbles, strumming his fingers along my skin.

"Well don't threaten me withjust the tip."

Theo's lips twitch, fighting against a smile. He doesn't respond, waiting until I'm completely still before pressing the ink covered needle into my skin.