Page 85 of The Gift
“Lux? Nah, he’s going to hell already. And when it is his time to face the devil, he does it with a full heart. He might do bad shit, but Lux loves his family and provides for them however he can.”
“By killing people?”
“Love knows no bounds,” he bops my nose in the process, “People do what they need to make sure those we do love are safe and provided for.”
I wave him on, making him grin. But it’s that or I start swooning. And there will be a time for that, but right now, I’m looking for a little more of a physical reminder of our connection than an emotional one.
“What else?”
“Ashton has gone to meet with the alphas from last night after the omega that we thought was taken showed up.”
“Well, that’s great news!”
“It is. We’re trying to talk her into going to the wellness centre, along with her kids so we can get her checked out. Get this, she’s crazy stubborn and determined to live life on her terms. Sound familiar?”
I shake my head, feigning innocence. Of course, he doesn’t buy it for a second.
“And then he’s got a quick catch up with the detectives who attended your break and enter and the team handling the letters and photos you received. The cleaner was super sus at Exposé and he wants them to go through the footage of your complex and see if we can spot him or that crew. On his way to us, he has a telephone appointment with the other detectives and the Exposé legal team regarding the stalker and photos. He’s over it, we don’t need to worry.”
“Okay.” I shrug.
“And last but not least, Henley is trying to reach out to the packs that have omegas from the project, and also some of the alphas that recently found their omegas to see how much truth is in what Regalo hinted at. If Hen can’t get you to yield, Bails, you won’t go into full heat. If you don’t drop into full heat, you won’t be able to take our knots, you won’t accept our bites.”
“I’m already responding to you all.”
“Kind of. You could say we make you fucking horny as hell because we’re hot as fuck. Bails, you’ve been doing what you’ve been doing for a while. The chemicals leaving are one thing, but there’s also your omega side that needs to come out, and she’s been hiding for a while. You are definitely in the first phase of heat, but we need that to progress more.”
“My cramps?”
“Are a sign she’s there and getting ready, but it’s not a sure thing if she doesn’t feel safe.”
“I feel safe with you all.”
“We know. We’ve still got a way to go, that’s all I want you to understand. But you have to keep in mind that if there’s a block or something stopping you from really accepting us, it’s because of what he did to you. And look, maybe we should be talking about the Regalo Project more than we are…”
“I don’t want that yet, Koda.”
“We know, Bails. And we keep telling you the same, your way, your time.”
I stare at him and without meaning to, I go against what I said. “I don’t want to even think that I could have been one of the Evies, shit I can barely say that word, but it matches up, doesn’t it?”
“Or you were the youngest snatched off the street to be changed.”
“Or that.”
He bites his jaw, clamping it shut, but I see the answer on his face. I walk straight into his chest and he squeezes me so tight I can barely breathe.
“I’m going to fucking kill him,” I whisper under my breath.
“He’s a dead man walking, Bails. And he’ll suffer a slow painful death. We can piss on his grave whenever you like.”
I laugh at the last part, because, seriously, what else can you do?
I’ve spent years building myself up and have actively chosen how to deal with my past, because it is mine to own. I might not deal with it like other people would, but I can and do admit I’ve got ghosts. What I do with those ghosts is up to me; call it stubborn, determined, or short sighted, but the thing is, it’s my trauma so I know what works for me and I can cope how I want. And that same blinkered stubbornness is how I look at my future and my life; I’m going to keep doing it my way. I don’t need to do it any other way. I’ll fucking deal how I want and when I want.
“Enough end of the world talk. If Henley can’t…”
“Bails, you might think you’re the most stubborn person on earth, but Henley could eat you for breakfast. I mean, that kind of sounds wrong, he’d eat you anytime,” he flicks his eyebrows up before getting all serious again, “He’ll find a way.”
