Page 51 of Midnight of Ashes
My words caught in my throat as my gaze met his. I couldn’t help but trace the gold pattern in his green irises. It was so different from Knox’s, but just as hypnotizing.
“Hayden—”
A phone rang out into the quiet night, and Easton dropped his hold on me as if he’d been burned. He took two giant steps back, each one a knife to the chest. I’d thought our talk tonight had brought us closer. Thought it had changed things. But apparently, I was wrong.
“Tell me you got him,” Cillian snarled into a cell phone.
There was silence as we all waited.
The muscles in Cillian’s jaw bowed and flexed. “Good. Don’t start slicing off fingers until I get there.”
I winced at the disgusting image but pushed that aside for more important information. “Was it Cáel? He’s okay?”
Cillian jerked his head in a nod. “He’s fine. But we need to see what we can get out of the Corbett enforcer.”
A wave of nausea rolled through me.
“I’ll stay with Hayden,” Knox volunteered.
“You don’t have to. I’ll be okay,” I assured them. The truth was, I needed a good cry. The buildup from the past twenty-four hours was too much to take. I needed to let it all go.
“No,” Cillian clipped. “One of us needs to stay with you.”
I snapped my mouth closed. There’d be no arguing with him in this state. He was too on edge.
Knox wrapped an arm around my shoulders and held me close. “Let’s get you inside.”
I looked at Cillian, Maddox, and Easton. “Be careful.”
There was a cold glint in Maddox’s typically warm eyes. “It’s not us who needs to worry.”
I turned toward the door at that. The past few weeks had already held too much cruelty. I didn’t want to think about any more.
Knox led me through the door and into the foyer. “Are you hungry?”
I shook my head. “I just want a shower and bed.”
That much was true, but I also needed a little distance from this overload.
“Okay.”
Knox guided me up the stairs and toward my bedroom. Once we were inside, I made a beeline for the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I kicked off the too-high heels and unzipped the gorgeous garment. I hung it on the hooks on the door and headed for the massive shower.
It was one of those with a marble bench and too many jets to count. But tonight, I opted for the normal spray. Stepping under the water, I let it course over me.
Memories flashed in my mind. Dexter cornering me. Hal’s threats. My fear for Cáel.
A sob tore free. Then another. They tripped over each other in a race for purchase.
My shoulders shook as my tears mixed with the water.
I didn’t hear the bathroom door, didn’t know a person was even here until the shower door opened. Knox slipped inside, his arms coming around me and holding me to him.
“Let it out. I’m here.”
I cried harder, and Knox lowered us to the shower bench, cradling me in his arms as warm water rained over us. He held on and didn’t let go. He didn’t try to get me to stop or tell me everything would be okay. Because it wasn’t. And that was the reality we all had to face.
I wasn’t sure how long he held me, but eventually, I had no more tears to cry.
