Page 44

“Blithe!”

I run and run; I don’t think I’ve ever ran so damn fast. I don’t stop until I’m close enough to jump, and jump I do until I’m cocooned in familiar, safe and comfy arms and he squeezes my lungs hard enough to pop them right out.

“Hi my little devil.”

His voice is gruff in my ears. Tears prick at the corner of my eyes, and I squeeze him tighter on a sob.

“Fuck, I didn’t know if you were dead or alive. I tried not to think about it.”

I say and he flicks the side of my head with his big finger. “Ow, what was that for?”

“Watch your mouth. And for taking so long.”

“You’re crushing me,” I croak.

Chuckling he sets me down, he’s seriously a giant because I refuse to believe that I’m just small.

“I got a gift for you but behave.”

I light up and nod licking my lips. “What is it?”

I can hardly contain my happiness. My heart is so full I could die right now, satisfied that I finally did something right.

He grins. “You’ll see.”

Blithe is tall as can be. His large muscles make me look like a mouse. He’s someone most would steer clear of but he’s the biggest teddy bear alive.

His gaze flicks up and pauses, then his lips part. I don’t have to turn around to know he’s laid eyes on Ressyn Hue. They were best friends since the litter box or whatever, until they fell in love.

Though his experience doesn’t align with my own, I keep quiet and step aside so he can have a better view. As I watch his eyes presumably roam over Res, I realize there’s absolutely no way I could stomach telling him what happened to me during my time with the Hues. It would break him, and in turn me.

“What are you waiting for Sunshine?”

He calls, smirking. From the stories and secrets he’s told me, I understood the nickname. But now I can’t even fathom how he came up with it.

I can see them approaching from my peripheral and my shoulders tighten. I don’t want to be anywhere near them. They all treated me like shit my last week working at Shadows, while Creek stood by and did nothing to stop it. Even thinking about it has me burning in shame over what I did to deserve it. My fucked up brain not comprehending that I didn’t after so many years of being subjected to abuse.

B pulls Ressyn into his arms and I look away as they rekindle. I don’t know what they say and I don’t care. Now that I’ve got B back by my side I can locate Marcus, end this once and for all and go home.

The room has mostly cleared. Rex’s guys picking off the last of the gold acolytes. A sigh escapes me as I watch on. There’s so much power in this room and the sight is enough to bring me to my knees if I let it.

I was never behind these walls specifically, but the old compound was so similar the place makes my skin crawl.

Rex offers me a smile that’s almost sad, from where he stands a few feet away. It confuses me, but I don’t have time to check in with him. I hear B say my name, pulling me back into the conversation. “You guys met Har right?”

He asks, throwing an arm around my shoulders and pulling me in close.

They each look at me with an expression I can’t read before nodding.

His next question is for me, and it breaks my heart. Rips it in two all over again. “What did you think? They’re great right?”

He smiles at me when I look up into his hopeful eyes. Eyes I’d never dream of crushing.

I can see Res shift uncomfortably next to his brothers. He opens his mouth to speak-probably to spout how awful the lot of them had been to me-but I beat him to it. “Yeah, just like you said.”

Even putting on the best smile I can manage, I still feel how tight it is.

Shaide clears his throat the action clearly out of discomfort. “So, what now?”

He asks and B smiles at me. It’s an evil smile that widens my eyes.

“Ready for your surprise my little devil?”

Blithe holds out his hand and I take it.

I keep pace with him as we speed walk out of the room that resembled the cafe at the old compound. After we’ve walked seemingly forever, he pulls me against the wall and peaks around the corner before locking eyes with me.

“Me and you.”

B says. The words flood me with so much love and safety I forget how bad I’m aching right now. I probably shouldn’t have skipped my pain meds today.

“Me and you.” I repeat.

After a deep breath he says the words I’ve been waiting for since the day Blithe told me to run and take Anya far away until we could find our way back to him. “He’s behind the door around this corner.”