Page 50 of Beautiful Forever
The wind whips through the foyer when I open the front door…
And close it behind me without looking back.
Twenty-Five
Christmas Eve
The picturesque landscapeof the Shenandoah Valley in winter is right out of a Thomas Kinkade painting, but I can’t enjoy the snow-capped scenery of Dilliwyll just yet.
It started snowing as soon as I crossed the Pennsylvania-Maryland state line. Not too much to make the roads treacherous, but enough to make me take it easy and pay attention. After ten hours in the car, my ass is numb. Maybe I should’ve accepted Syn’s offer to fly down with them, but the thought of being couped up in a small jet with Hendrix for over three hours was a big hell no.
“You sure?” I ask Pyotr, keeping my eyes on the road.
“Unfortunately.”
Fuck.
It’s been months since the Society gala when we cleaned house. Why now?
“We’re tight with one of the MC clubs in Richmond. Diesel is their Prez, and he owes me one. He can have some of his men down there in an hour.”
“Diesel? Seriously?”
“You know how they are with their call signs.”
“Actually, I don’t.” My dashboard navigation indicates a left turn ahead. Glancing in my rearview mirror, I don’t indicate when I sharply veer onto the dirt road that will take me to the farm. “I’ll call you later.”
“Make sure to stand under the mistletoe with your wife.”
I groan my annoyance. He loves to bring that up every chance he gets. “I’d like to keep my head and the rest of me intact.”
“But you want to,” he says, making kissing noises.
“You’re a jackass, you know that, right?”
“I’myourjackass.”
I slow my speed, my eyes fixed on the rearview mirror. The farmhouse is about a half mile up ahead. “I’ll get back to you once I get to the house.” Pressing the button on my steering wheel, I disconnect our call and hit the voice command. “Call Tristan.”
It takes several rings before a voice answers. And it’s not Tristan’s.
Constantine’s gravelly tone comes over the speakers. “He’s busy.”
“I don’t care. Go get him. Now.”
He hangs up on me.
Motherfucker.
I press the answer button on the dash screen when Tristan’s name pops up seconds later.
“Syn has been asking when you’d get here. Where are you?”
“Did you bring your gun with you?”
“No. Why?”
Opening the center console, I push down to open the hidden panel and pull out the pistol I keep in there. Attaching the silencer to the end, I ask, “Does Dierdre have a shotgun or a rifle?”
