Page 88 of Oblivion
“I know,” he nodded and sat down on the bed. “I didn’t want to acknowledge that, but I know you did your best.”
“And I didn’t run. Not this time. Because I thought we could fix it, you know,” I whimpered, unable to hold myself back. “I thought that if I repented enough, that if I showed how good I could be, he would finally be able to talk to me. I know I fucked up. I really do. I’m not pretending to be an angel, and I’m not saying that my mistakes were nothing compared to his, but it’s just…” I trailed off.
“It hurts,” Indigo said, understanding reflected in his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re feeling and I’m not going to pretend that I understand, but I’m asking you not to give up on him.”
“How?” I exclaimed. “He obviously gave up on me.”
“Storm, uh,” he scratched the back of his head and looked down at the bed. “He reacts badly to betrayals, no matter who it is. But he loves you, Ophelia,” Indigo looked at me. “And I think he’s just as lost in all of this, but he will come around.”
I contemplated his words, thinking about everything he just said, and I never doubted that Storm felt something for me, whatever that was, but sometimes love wasn’t enough. Sometimes other factors had more impact on two people and love simply wasn’t strong enough to withstand the tempest of life.
“I can’t promise you anything, Indigo, but,” I took a deep breath and slowly stood up, keeping Kaiser next to me. “I’ll try not to give up. Although, I’m not the only one that needs to try.”
He nodded. “I understand, and that’s all I’m asking. Just to have a bit more patience. He will come around.”
“Right,” I murmured, taking Kaiser’s leash from the nightstand and attaching it through the hoop in his collar. “I’m pretty sure you didn’t come here just to chat with me. You need something.”
“Yeah, uh, I came to pick you up, actually. The gathering is happening right now and—”
“He wants me there.”
“Yeah,” Indigo winced. “If you don’t want to, I will—”
“No,” I shook my head. “I’ll come there. I just need to take him out and I’ll be there. Give me half an hour.”
Indigo nodded and stood up, walking toward the door.
“Indigo,” I stopped him just as he reached there. “I will need to talk to you later on. Both you and Atlas. There’s something you should know, and whatever you want to do with that information is up to you, but I think you should know.”
“I don’t like the tone of your voice,” Indigo frowned, looking at me. “Is it bad?”
Nodding I rounded the bed, and came closer to him.
“It could be catastrophic if we are not careful.”
* * *
True to my word,half an hour later I strolled through the hallway leading toward the backyard, already cringing at the loud noises coming from the outside; music, people talking and yelling, and that one voice I wanted to avoid because I couldn’t bear to look at him.
But I told Indigo I would try to hold on. I would try to hold on to the hope that one day Storm and I would be able to find our way back to each other. Maybe it wasn’t today, maybe it wasn’t going to be tomorrow, but there was still hope. And as long as that one spark lived inside of me, I would be patient and wait.
He was worth the wait, and if I wanted this to turn into something more, something pure and beautiful, I had to stop my toxic thoughts and habits from pushing forward.
As soon as I stepped through the sliding door into the warm afternoon sun, it felt as if dozens of people turned to look at me. Some of them quickly averted their gazes, some lingered on me, following my every step, and as Storm spoke over the microphone, standing on a small stage, I felt proud seeing him there, leading all of them.
My eyes searched the crowd, looking for either Atlas or Zoe, and when I spotted them standing next to each other, right next to the barbeque on the other side of the backyard, I started walking toward them, avoiding the eyes of the crowd that started getting more and more interested in me. I had no doubt that most of them knew who I was, but while the chapter in Santa Monica never tried to harm me, I had no idea if the others would feel the same way, considering that my family did more harm than good in the past couple of years.
Storm talked about unity, strength and the current war against the Outlet and The Syndicate and I realized that I should have told him about Lazar and everything I’d found out. It was obvious that they all resented both of these organizations when the cheers and calls for revenge ensued through the crowd, and as I finally looked up, feeling his eyes on mine, I froze in the spot.
Warmth was long gone from those irises and the man I was looking at wasn’t Storm I knew, but the ruthless President of Sons of Hades. The person I knew didn’t seem so cold, so vicious, but the harsh lines on his face, the way he observed the crowd and drank me in showed a completely different side of Storm.
“They were after us for so long, and now it is time to destroy everything they love,” he announced while my blood ran cold as everybody else agreed with him.
I looked toward Atlas and Zoe, Atlas’s eyes widening when he spotted me. He started moving through the crowd, trying to reach me, but I was frozen in place as Storm continued talking.
“How are we going to do it?” Somebody asked from the crowd, but I couldn’t locate the source of the voice.
“Easy,” Storm’s hollow chuckle washed over us. “We have something they want.” He looked at me, that wicked smile spreading on his face. “She’s as pretty as she’s lethal and we will use her to get to them.”
