Page 39 of Gravehouse

I place my mug down on the table in front of me.

“Ready for…” I ask, trying to think of all the things I may have forgotten since being so wrapped up in this mess.

Leon groans. “I fucking knew you’d forget. It’s La Journée du Nous.”

Shit.

I fly to my feet. “I forgot!”

La Journée du Nous is a family tradition Nonna created after mine and Leon’s first massive fight. A promise we all made that it didn’t matter where we were, who we were with, when that day came, we all dropped everything and flew to whatever destination she chose.

“Yeah,” Leon growls, too tired to be completely annoyed with me.

Will Asher even let me out?

“She’s choosing home this year,” he adds, as if that’s going to make it any different.

Désamour.

“We’re flying out tomorrow.” Leon pauses. “You canleave, right?”

Words catch my tongue. “I’ll figure it out.”

“Ivy…” he warns, and I know a Leon lecture is about to drop if I don’t hang up.

Pressure coils me tight. “I said I’d figure it out!”

Silence.

Leon has always been the one who sees through me without needing to dig. He’s always just… known. And right now, heknowsI have no idea if Asher will let me walk out of here.

“Tell her I’m coming,” I force out through gritted teeth.

He scoffs. “I’m telling her nothing until you’re on a plane.”

The line cuts and I pull the phone from my ear, staring at Leon’s contact photo, a blurry shot of him mid-laugh from two summers ago.

Asher hasn’t moved from the swing, and I don’t have to turn to know he’s looking right at me.

“Important?”

It’s a simple question for a not-so-simple answer. I have no idea what to say right now and considering one wrong word might fucking ruin any chance of him saying yes, I flash a smile instead.

“Maybe. I just need to—” My thumb jerks over my shoulder before I’m dashing for the door and heading inside. Warm air hits my skin as I quicken my pace down the hall and into my room.

A small overnight bag sits on the bottom shelf of my closet, and I waste zero time tossing it onto the bed. My hand dives between the mattress and the frame, moving around until I find my gun.

I haven’t been to Désamour since we left. It’s home. It always has and always will be home. I should be excited to go back, since the opportunity has never come up, but all I’m left feeling is…

Nausea.

Asher’s voice cracks from the doorway. “And—where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

I freeze, Desert Eagle swinging off one finger.

Atlas appears behind him, hands raised as if to stop whatever war is about to erupt, only to do a double take on what I’m holding.

His brows jump. “No offense, but you shouldn’t be allowed weapons anymore.” He turns to his brother. “Tell her she’s not allowed weapons anymore.”