Page 100 of Mended Souls
“We don’t know,” Blaize said when she stepped back into the room. “She blew up the warehouse and vanished again. Everyone is looking for her until we have her location.”
Blaize grabbed my hand, pulling me into her. She knew it wouldn’t be a good idea if I touched Hunter right now. I sank into Blaize’s touch, wishing there was something I could do for Hunter, but I was useless right now. She needed to deal with this herself, but she was fucking stubborn.
“Hunter,” Drew started, “you need to stop. I can see the turmoil in your eyes…it’s like…”
“Drew, I am going to kick your ass. I’m fine. I am always fucking fine. If you would learn how to listen to me, then we wouldn’t have to deal with this shit,” she hissed. “You want to know why Everly knew? Because of your goddamn investigation. I don’t want Emily to come back. She died, dammit.”
Drew looked taken aback by Hunter’s outburst. I knew she was spiraling, and if she didn’t get the release she needed, she would crumble at rock bottom. “Hunter,” Blaize started. “Stop. Drew, go outside.”
Drew looked like he didn’t want to move, but eventually his feet carried him out. I watched the two of them. Blaize and Hunter had more than a friendship—they had a bond. Blaize saved Hunter from ruining her life, but in that, Hunter gained family she never had. Hunter knew Blaize could help her with this inner turmoil.
“Fuck,” Hunter seethed. “I didn’t mean that.”
“He knows. Just take a deep breath.”
“Blaize, if I don’t kill her, I’m going to do something I shouldn't. I can’t have her bring up memories because I got drunk and cried in her arms once. I’m such a fucking idiot.”
“You’re human,” I blurted. I didn’t feel like I had a reason to speak, but Hunter told me what happened to her, so she was getting my opinion. “You both hide your pain and deflect it, but it doesn’t go away. You saw what happened to me when I tried to hide mine. Everly is a bitch who didn’t deserve your vulnerability, Hunter.”
Hunter’s lip trembled. “She saw me broken, and now she’s using it.”
“Being broken doesn’t mean shit,” I contested. “So what? She knows what happened to you. You need to heal the part of yourself that was hurt, and then she won’t have that victory over you.”
“Kadence,” Blaize started, but I shook my head.
“No, Hunter you need to give Emily closure, because until you do, then she will still be a part of you. Sheisa part of you, but deflecting and trying to forget what happened can only work for so long.” I took a deep breath. “Drew is doing his own thing with the church and using you as the excuse. Drew wants to save people, but he is also trying to give Emily the justice you never got.”
“He’s going to get himself killed if he keeps it up,” Hunter murmured.
“Then talk to him and stop deflecting your pain. The two of you have to deal with your shared trauma better than you are now. Everly unfortunately jumpstarted it. Now talk to him,” I said as I took Blaize’s hand and walked out of the room. “Go and talk to your sister,” I told Drew.
When Drew was inside, I closed the door, catching a glimpse of Drew and Hunter embracing each other in a tight hug.
“You know she’s gonna want to punish you for that little speech?”
I shrugged. “When she can stop hiding her pain, then she can fuck me until I’m walking sideways as long as you’re okay with it.”
“It’s your choice, princess. I’m fine with anything you want to do as long as I am with you.”
“Now, tell me, how are you? The truth?” I asked her as I pulled her into my arms.
“I’m angry…and scared. I don’t want to lose you or have any of my people hurt.”
“Then do what you need to find her, but don’t lose yourself in the process,” I told her as I pressed my face into the nape of her neck. “I love you and I want you to come home to me.”
“Always.”
CHAPTER 77
BLAIZE
Two weeks passed since the warehouse explosion, and Everly was taunting me. The other territories were getting attacked, and I had angry men wanting answers I didn’t have. She wanted to ruin my livelihood by taking my control and my power. Everly was trying to recreate the night from five years ago.
Paranoia was something I was keen too since this shit started happening, but now it was electrified with the constant fear of losing Kadence. She wasn’t as scared as I was, but I knew what Everly would do to make me hurt. I couldn’t lose Kadence like I lost my wife. If Kadence died because of my sins, I wouldn’t survive this time. She saved the icy, dead organ in my heart and gave me a reason to live. Kadence Hayes made me feel alive.
I watched her sleep in my bed, her blue hair fanned out as she snuggled with my pillow. This woman was everything I desired and everything I missed. To think someone hurt her and made her think she wasn’t special…Kadence deserved everything, and when this was over, I would give her the life her parents never did, and love her the way no one ever could.
“You’re staring,” Kadence mumbled, pulling the pillow into her more. “And you’re not even in bed with me.” To provea point, she laid on her back, kicking the blanket off of her, revealing the gorgeous goddess she was. Kadence had me wrapped around her finger.
