Page 46 of Twisted Truths (The Sunburnt Hearts #4)

Chapter Thirty-Five

NASH

A buzzing sound pulls me from my slumber the next morning. Hadley mumbles something in her sleep, snuggling closer to me. I press my lips to her temple as I reach for my phone and squint at the screen.

Clay.

Christ, my agent is terrible at working out time zones. Figures he’d call when I’ve only had a couple hours sleep.

I hesitate, but I need to talk to him, so I slide my thumb across the screen and answer, keeping my voice low so I don’t wake her.

“Give me a second.”

I ease out of bed carefully, smiling softly as Hadley curls herself tighter in the sheets.

My heart aches as I think about how I tried to push her away.

I may have only known her a couple of weeks, but she has this calming essence about her that quiets the noise in my head in a way nothing ever has.

Mum always spoke about how people come into your lives when you need them, and when it comes to Hadley, those words couldn’t be more true .

With a final glance at her, I step into the hallway, rubbing a tired hand over my face as Clay’s voice comes through, bright and too damn energetic for how early it is here.

“How’s my favourite Aussie ball player going?”

“Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you?” I say with a chuckle before stifling a yawn.

His tone turns serious. “All jokes aside, man, how are you coping with everything?”

I consider brushing him off with the standard I’m fine , but after everything I’ve been through, he’ll see straight through it. Letting out a sigh, I go with, “Taking it one day at a time.”

He’s quiet for a beat, and I imagine him leaning back in his desk chair, his hands steepled in front of him as he nods. “We’re here for you in whatever capacity you need us.”

A lump forms in my throat at the sincerity in his voice. “Thanks, appreciate it. You’ve already done so much, and I don’t know how I’m going to repay you.”

“You can repay us on the court. Are you still on track to fly out next week? Need me to make any arrangements?”

“Yeah. I am. Tickets are booked.” I pause, glancing at my bedroom door. “I’m going to need a bigger apartment.”

There’s another beat of silence, followed by laughter. “Damn, Nash. Bigger apartment? Don’t tell me you’re bringing someone special with you?”

I lean against the wall and rub the back of my neck. “Something like that.”

“Oho, okay. I’ll get the ball rolling and send you through a few listings to look over. You just say the word if you need anything else. Seriously, Nash, you’ve worked your arse off for this. Everyone’s ready to see you step out in the big leagues. The Shamrocks have high hopes for you.”

I nod, even though he can’t see me. “Yeah.”

“I mean it,” he adds. “You’re going to do good things. I’ll be in touch about the apartment. Call me if you need anything. I mean it.”

“Thanks, Clay.”

We hang up, and I stand there, phone in my hand, staring at the floor.

I’ve dreamed of this since I was a kid. Playing in the NBA, walking into the Garden wearing a jersey with my name on the back, proving I belong there. I’ve bled for that dream.

My eyes drift towards my bedroom again, where I spent hours upon hours as a kid shooting imaginary buzzer-beaters against my wall, pretending the crowd was on their feet and my name was echoing through the rafters.

It was always the dream, but now it’s about more than just me. It’s about giving Franklin a future, making the ones I lost proud, and proving that even through all the darkness, I still made it.

I hear Mum’s voice telling me to chase what sets my soul on fire. It used to be only basketball. Now, there’s a girl who makes my heart race just as fast as when I’m burning down the court.

While I want nothing more than to go back and crawl into bed with a certain gorgeous red head, the smell of coffee has me walking in the opposite direction.

I find Gabriel sitting at the kitchen bench, a notebook spread out in front of him.

He’s drawing. No, mapping. I hover over his shoulder, taking in the sharp lines, angular structures, and clusters of buildings surrounded by what looks like forest and fencing.

The Sunfire Circle property.

“Impressive,” I state, rounding the island to make myself a cup of coffee.

“Thanks. I always wanted to study architecture.” He doesn’t look up, focused on his task .

Leaning up against the bench across from him, I can’t help but ask. “Why did you stay?”

Gabriel’s pencil falters, and he drags his gaze up to meet mine. His expression is hollow—not empty, but tired in a way that goes bone deep. I know, because I feel the same way.

“I thought I could change things from the inside. After Ezekial died, my parents unravelled. My mother went searching for meaning in every book, every ceremony, every line of prophecy she could get her hands on, and my father followed her into it like a man chasing his last thread of hope.”

He swallows hard, the pencil rolling from his fingers onto the table.

“I always believed that if the prophecy child was born … that would be it. Some kind of spiritual rebalance. A sign everything would be okay. I thought it was symbolic, and they would move on. I didn’t know they planned to use the child as some sort of …

sacrifice or catalyst. I didn’t know what they were really planning until now. ”

The silence stretches between us.

Gabriel runs a hand through his hair and shakes his head.

“If I’d known, I would have burned the place down myself.

I am so fucking sorry for getting Zara caught up in all of this.

I honestly thought I was doing the right thing for everyone.

She needed somewhere she felt safe, and if her child happened to be born at the right time, my parents would get their miracle and go back to being my parents, not these crazy lunatics. ”

For a second, I stare at him, watching the regret eat at him from the inside.

“And your brothers?” I ask. “Where do they stand in all this?”

“They don’t know,” he says firmly. “They’ve been raised in it, sure, but they’re not like our parents. They’re just doing what it takes to keep our family together. Like I was. ”

I let his words sit for a minute, trying to decide whether I believe him.

For the first time, I really feel for the guy. Gabriel’s not the villain here—not in this part of the story. He’s a product of the same madness we’re trying to protect Franklin from.

Still, sympathy doesn’t stop the clock.

“We’ve got four or five days if we’re lucky,” I say. “And if we’re getting Franklin out of there safely, we’re going to need every second of it.”

Gabriel nods slowly. “Then let’s get to work.”

By the time Hadley wakes, the sun is rising. Her footsteps are soft as she enters, her hair messy, and one of my old T-shirts hanging off her shoulder. She blinks sleep from her eyes and offers me a small, sleepy smile.

“Hey,” she says, her voice rough from sleep.

“Morning,” I say, pushing back my chair and holding my arms out for her to step into. My body instantly relaxes at her touch, and I press my lips to the crook of her neck. “Did you sleep okay?”

“Yeah,” she says softly. “You didn’t come to bed?”

“I did, but my agent called an hour ago. I couldn’t sleep after.”

She pulls back slightly to look at me. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” I assure her, resting my forehead against hers.

Her hands drift to the locket around her neck as she her gaze drifts between me and Gabriel before landing on the drawings in front of us .

“What’s all this?”

“A plan.”

I scowl at him, still not happy at putting Hadley in danger, though I know taking her with us makes sense. One, because leaving her behind makes her vulnerable, and two, she and Gabriel know the layout of the property, while I don’t.

Doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Hadley extricates herself from me and circles the bench to make herself a coffee. After taking her first sip, she levels her gaze on us. “Okay, let’s hear it.”

Gabriel flips a couple of pages in his notebook and pushes it across to Hadley.

She studies it for a moment, her eyes widening.

“The Firelight Ceremony?”

“It’s three days from now,” he confirms. “Sunset, two nights before the full moon.”

She glances at me before returning her focus to Gabriel. “Franklin turns three months old on the full moon?”

He nods. “It’s actually terrifying how every piece of the prophecy is falling into place with his birth.”

My brows narrow at the slight awe in his tone. “He’s an innocent child who had no control over when or where he was born,” I snap, “not a fucking divine being.”

“I know,” he rushes to appease me. “I’m not buying into it, simply making an observation.”

A feeling of trepidation washes over me. Is trusting him a mistake? How do I know he’s not going to sacrifice me alongside my nephew? He did mention something about having the blood of a living relative, or some shit like that.

“Nash…” Hadley’s voice pulls me from my thoughts, and it’s like she knew what I was thinking. “We’re on the same team. None of us wants Franklin used in this way. He’s a little boy who didn’t ask for any of this. ”

“I hate that he’s even caught up in it,” I choke out, hating the way my voice cracks.

“Trust me,” Gabriel says quietly. “It’s one of my biggest regrets.”

“We’re not playing the blame game,” Hadley insists. “Zara made her choices. As did Tanner Crawley, when he assaulted her. You were only trying to do what you thought was right when you offered to help her. No one knew what was going to happen.”

“Let’s just figure out how we’re getting him out of there,” I mutter, tapping the notebook. “This plan needs to be fool proof.”

“Agreed.”

“So, what is this Firelight Ceremony?” I ask.

“It’s a cleansing rite,” Gabriel explains. “It’s meant to purify the body, spirit, and sacred grounds—a spiritual detox, if you will. A release of darkness and negative energy. The whole community gathers for it in the chapel. It’s actually the perfect distraction for us to get in and take him.”