Page 30 of Sleeping with the Dark (The Righteous 3)
“I don’t think Trev would see it that way. I mean, the guy is pretty good at speaking his mind.”
“You don’t understand. He always puts me and my needs first. I was the troublemaker, the shit disturber, the one flirting with getting arrested and screwing with all the women. Trev has saved my ass more times than I can count. Shit, our last deployment. . . if it weren’t for him, I’d be face down in dirt begging to be shot just to end the pain.” Arek’s eyes were fixated on Trev’s still form.
“I thought I’d grown up and was past being self-centred, but the moment I was given the excuse to step back and let my brother take the reins, I didn’t hesitate in asking him.” Agony etched into every feature on Arek’s face.
“It didn’t even cross my mind that something terrible could happen.” Arek finally looked at him, and his eyes were like staring at a ghost. “How stupid is that?”
“I want to be angry with you and have someone other than that warehouse of dead men to be pissed at,” Cody said. Arek looked away, crossing his arms over his chest. “The thing is, if Trev didn’t want you to take time away or thought he needed your help, he would’ve asked.”
The pacing started up again. This time, he shook his head and was mumbling to himself. The soft thump of his boots was as rhythmic as a grandfather clock.
“You don’t get it. You just don’t get it.”
Rubbing at his eyes, Cody wanted to stand up and punch Arek until he sat his fucking ass down, but he needed to remain cool. Taking a deep breath, he tried again. “Arek, you may be right that this was a bad time to back away, but you have to stop beating yourself up. Trev would’ve filled you in if he needed to.”
“No, he wouldn’t. Trev is a number one—an alpha, a wolf. He protects his pack, and he doesn’t expect it to protect him. I need some air, call me if anything changes.”
“I’ll yell for you.”
Arek stormed out of the room, his normally stealthy boots banging loudly down the hallway. The front screen door banged signaling that he had indeed left the farmhouse. Almost instantly, the atmosphere changed. The buzz surrounding Arek followed him like a swarm of bees. He had no idea how his sister could stand being around that nervous energy all the time—then again, maybe it was her that calmed the wild.
His eyes fell on Trev. His form was way too still. The bright white bandages wrapping him were much like that of a mummy in one of those Egyptian coffin-things. Just the thought of a coffin sent a shiver racing down his spine.
“Come on, Trev. You need to fight.” He glanced at the door to make sure Arek hadn’t pulled his silent cat thing. “I don’t think your brother will do well if you die. I mean, I want you to pull through as well, even if it’s to order me out of your house again.” Cody smirked as he picked up Trev’s hand, linking their fingers together.
He stared at their laced fingers. Arek’s assessment of Trev did provide insight into Trev’s psyche and his icy disposition. He understood the concept of placing the welfare of someone you love above your own happiness and wellbeing, fuck, he’d done that for his own sister. Hadn’t he? It placed weight and responsibility on you that turned into a single-mindedness forcing you to do things you normally wouldn’t. He’d pushed everyone around him away, didn’t dare make any real connections or friends.
The little monitor unexpectedly began to beep faster as soft moans and incoherent words slipped from swollen lips.
A soft sheen had broken out on Trev’s brow. Standing, he felt Trev’s forehead with the back of his hand. “Trev, it’s okay, you’re okay. Arek and I are here.”
“Mel,” was the only coherent word Trev said before the monitor settled and Trev fell motionless once more.
It begged the question, who the hell was Mel?
Trev stood on the edge of a high cliff, and he stared out over the lush green trees and sparkling blue water below. The sun was warm on his skin. He looked up and closed his eyes, soaking in the golden light and the beauty and perfection of this place. He always wanted to live near the mountains, to retire and move to a place that had land to farm and a view like this one.
“Hey there, stranger.” Arms wrapped around his waist, and he smiled and turned in the hold to look down into the prettiest pair of green eyes he’d ever known. He’d missed these eyes. He missed that smile.
“Hey, yourself.” Trev didn’t hesitate, he cupped Mel’s cheeks and kissed the lips he knew so well. She smelt like sweet honey and sunshine. She smelt like home. He breathed her in and relaxed into the softness of her embrace. Reluctantly he drew back from the kiss and laid his forehead against hers, savoring the feel of her. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you more,” Mel said.
“You always did have to win.” Trev kissed the tip of her nose.
Mel smiled before she stepped back but entwined their fingers. “Of course, someone had to keep you in line.”
For the first time in a very long time, he felt relaxed. A warm sensation of peace flowed over his skin. “Am I dead? Is this heaven? If so, I don’t know how I got here, and I certainly do not deserve it after everything I’ve done.”
“No, you’re not dead, well at least not yet—you always were a stubborn one.”
Trev laughed at the teasing poke. Mel had always seen through him. “So you’re saying that I could still end up visiting the hot and roasty?”
“Oh please, we both know you’d end up negotiating your way out of that one. You were born with the silver tongue of the devil himself.”
He wrapped his arm around Mel’s shoulder as they laughed—just like old times. It was unbelievably peaceful here, wherever here was. The birds sang noisily in the trees as they wandered along the wide well-groomed trail that led toward the water’s edge.
“So, if I’m not dead…”
