Page 43 of Midnight of Ashes
“No,” I answered quickly. “I just want to go home with my bond.”
“I’m not sure that horde is a safe place for you,” Nolan said smugly. “Not if you’ve almost been killed twice.”
Shit. Shit. Shit. Of course, I’d backed myself into a corner. I swallowed hard. “The only reason I’m alive now is because of that horde. They make me feel safe and cared for. I’m not going to trade that for all the jewels and fancy cars and houses in the world.”
Fionn tapped a finger against his glass. “Interesting.”
Mona sighed. “I really wanted to see what she could get out of them. I do love that game of poker.”
Fionn crossed to her, sliding his arm through Mona’s. “Why don’t you and I head to Monaco after this? I can fuel up the jet, and we can hit the tables.”
Mona grinned at him. “I like the way you think.”
“Excuse me,” Nolan growled. “This is a serious matter.”
Mona waved him off. “Give it up, Nols. She wants to stay with her ragtag group. Let her. We got our payouts.”
Redness crept up Nolan’s throat. “For now.” And with that, he stalked out of the room.
Fionn sighed. “So dramatic.”
Arthur checked his expensive watch. “How much longer do we need to stay?”
Mona flicked her gaze to an antique grandfather clock. “An hour, tops.”
Arthur grumbled but headed out the door.
“Shall we return?” Mona asked me.
I swallowed hard. “I’m just going to run to the restroom.”
“Of course,” she said, tugging Fionn toward the door.
I followed them out, finding a bathroom across the hall. I slipped inside, locking the door behind me. Only then did I begin to tremble. I’d been holding back the fear all night long, but I finally let it flow.
Stumbling back to sit on a bench in the corner, I let my head fall into my hands. Images flashed through my mind of each of the hordes, of the council, but most of all, the Corbetts. The dead look in Hal’s eyes, the way Dexter’s voice had made my skin crawl.
Pressure built behind my eyes. I just wanted this over with. I wanted to go home.
Home.
The mountain mansion really was starting to feel that way. My safe space with people who made me protected.
Taking a deep breath, I stood. I’d keep fighting these battles. For them.
Smoothing the wrinkles out of my dress, I headed out of the restroom. I hadn’t made it two steps before someone shoved me into an alcove.
“Stop playing games, you little bitch.”
22
HAYDEN
The alcove had shadows swirling around us as I shoved at the large form’s chest.
Dexter Corbett just laughed, low and ugly. “Sorry, bana-phrionnsa. You’re just a little too tiny.”
My knee came up on instinct, thanks to a self-defense class we’d had as part of gym in high school.
