Page 88 of The Echo of Forever

Ourresources made me smile.

“You saying we a team?”

“I am your wife. And I don’t appreciate being used, almost dying, and losing memories I wish I hadn’t. As my husband, you have to help avenge my grievances, right?”

She was laying it on thick, and I was willingly falling for it. Anything for my forever.

“Yeah, baby. That’s right.”

I was no good when it came to her wants and needs.

“It’s time to take your rightful place, Demetrius,” Lucien bellowed. “You may have rejected, but your mother never rejected her birthright, only postponed it to try for a normal life. Now she’s ready to take what belongs to her and is requesting her oldest son’s assistance.”

I moved Forever from in front of me and walked up on him.

“There’s always more to the story. What is it I can do for the women I haven’t laid eyes on in fourteen years?”

He smiled, and for the first time in the year or so I’ve known him, it reached his eyes.

Deciding to look into my mother’s whereabouts was one thing; being used by her, another.

“To unite Everwood,” he revealed. “They need a figure the rejectors trust and an initiate with a legitimate claim to the collective power. Your union will bring the people together, but only after all threats have been eliminated.”

I was at a loss for words.

“And if we refuse?” Forever asked, even though we’d just agreed to go through with their initial request.

“Then you walk away…” Lucien shrugged. “But the protection I’ve extended ends the moment you deny the request and leave these grounds.”

“We ain’t making no decisions on the spot,” I said, taking Forever’s hand in mine. “My wife and I are going to call it a night and take a day to discuss. Is that permitted? Or would my uncle and mother prefer we take these demands disguised as opportunities at face value?”

He knew I didn’t give a fuck about their protection. And something told me, they knew not to push me too far.

“I need a response in twenty-four hours…” He gestured toward the path behind him. “It will lead you to an exit.”

I guided Forever out quietly, my mind working through all possible scenarios. First, I’d have to clue Oliver and Solei in on our mother’s secret; continuing to leave them in the dark would be a mistake. Introducing Forever to the rest of the Cannons and moving us onto the compound for the added protection would follow. No matter what, I couldn’t rely on anybody to keep her safe but me.

“Are you having second thoughts about your reckless wife?” she asked as we cleared the path that opened into a residential area.

I cut my eyes at her after I led us into the safe zone and shot a text off for pickup. We’d been inside for five hours and hadn’t felt like it.

“I’ve never had a second thought about us ever,” I said, pulling her into my arms. “Do you remember more or just that conversation?”

She wrapped her arms around me, and I pressed her head against my chest.

“Felt more like deja vu than anything,” she murmured. “Nothing else came with it.”

I massaged behind her ears until our ride stopped at the curb to retrieve us.

Tonight had really put shit in perspective for me.

All in all, I was a selfish ass nigga who only cared about the love of his life. Every decision was made with Forever in mind.

Not Oliver.

Solei.

Or even my fucking grandmother swayed me in this way.