Chapter 10
CHAPTER
TEN
Ezra
My little rabbit took my challenge seriously.
We’ve fantasized about this for so long, it still doesn’t feel real that it’s actually happening. Our dreams have been filled with visions of Berlyn finding our gifts, fantasizing about us. But the way she has risen to the challenge?
It’s more than we ever could have even known to hope for.
She’s been so good for us, playing into our every move. Watching her back, making the smart decision, and yet still climbing into bed at the end of the night and fantasizing about the men behind the gifts we’ve left for her.
We’ve watched her lose herself to the fantasy that we’ve worked so hard and for so long to create for her. And yet, our girl is still so smart. So practical. She always pulls free of the fantasy and comes back to reality.
Maybe we should be mad at her for not instantly recognizing our efforts for her. Or for attempting to make it harder for us to reach her with all her schemes. But all I feel for our girl is pride. Pride and a thrill of taking this fantasy to the next level for her.
Always for her.
Our girl is a fighter, stronger than she knows. A side of her we’ve only ever gotten glimpses of in the last couple of years after we left our hometown. Even now, she shows that fire within her as she sees what we did last night for her.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Berlyn shouts and I chuckle, calling my brothers to join me.
Seeing this dichotomy in her personality has been the best part about watching her, the frustration equal to her amusement at our antics.
She flip flops between being scared, sometimes the panic rising so fast and violently I’m almost positive we took something too far before she calms as if it was never there.
From a hurricane to a placid lake in seconds.
While other times, like this morning, she stands tall and strong, ready to fight. To meet us blow for blow.
She slams her front door and proceeds to walk around her house, looking to see if anything else is different.
We didn’t have time to do much of anything else.
It took longer than it should have because Jude and Weston kept arguing and we had a meeting we needed to get to for this job I’m regretting ever agreeing to.
It was good money and an even better opportunity to prove ourselves with some of the world’s most elite.
However, I didn’t realize how many meetings and briefings we were going to have to be a part of when we agreed to be neutral security.
Maybe I should have been more prepared when dealing with some of the largest organizations in the States.
They’re the biggest clients we’ve ever had so it was too good to pass up, but it’s been taking us away from Berlyn too much for comfort. Especially now that things here are finally ramping up.
“You’ll never believe what he did,” Berlyn says and I look to find her with her phone pressed to her ear and laugh. Her friend has been an unexpected source of amusement through this. Quick as a whip too. If only Berlyn wasn’t so sure she was wrong.
“No,” she laughs, and Jude and West fall onto the couch, one on either side. “He set up my doorbell camera for me.”
We can’t hear what her friend says which is a shame based on the expression Berlyn makes. She’s waving her free hand around even though her friend can’t see her. “I don’t think that counts as confidence, Sum,” she argues. “Maybe delusion.”
West snorts and Jude grins. One thing we’ve learned for sure over the last few days is that with each passing day, her fear ebbs.
There are moments where it’s so real and raw, I worry we’ve ruined everything.
Worry West is going to go rogue in a way I can’t prepare for.
But each day that passes, those moments are less and the days she wakes up ready to spar with us grow more frequent.
More than scared, she’s grown exasperated.
“Of course there’s no footage of him,” she bemoans and it’s my turn to smirk.
It definitely was confidence that led us to setting up the very contraption she plans to use to catch us.
I knew I would easily be able to erase our presence from any of the footage.
In fact, I set it up to connect with one of our burner phones.
Just another tool to help us keep an eye on her.
“Yeah,” Berlyn sighs, looking over her shoulder as she sits on the couch. “The security system is all set to be put in today.” She checks her watch before nodding to herself. “They should be here soon. We’ll see if it actually keeps him out. My hopes aren’t high.”
I laugh with my brothers at her dry tone. “Maybe we should give her a few days, let her think it’s actually working,” Jude suggests and I like the idea. We’re going to be gone over the weekend anyways. We can lull her into a false sense of security before we fully launch into Phase Two.
We haven’t left any other notes for her, but I’d like to start giving her hints on who is behind this. See what other schemes she comes up with in her attempt to thwart us. What is she going to think when she figures it out?
Hopefully by then she will be fully immersed in the fantasy and let go of all her lingering doubts.
“I have an idea,” Weston murmurs but doesn’t expand as we wait for him to explain.
Jude reaches behind me and pulls West’s curls from the base of his neck, making West lift his chin. He darts his gaze to mine, confusion swirling in their blue depths.
“Can you explain?” I prompt before Jude takes it any further.
West chews on his lower lip as he weighs his words.
“Are you going rogue?” I prompt when he still can’t find the words. Jude raises his brows and gives me a look, releasing his grip on West’s curls and running his fingers through his hair in a soothing way instead.
“No,” West answers immediately. “I’m listening to your plan.”
“And?” Jude pushes.
West shrugs yet. “I don’t know yet.” He leans his head back, meeting Jude’s touches. “Something sweet maybe,” he says, sounding unsure. “Something to make her smile.”
I chuckle, finally understanding what he’s saying.
He’s going to win her over in every way possible.
Make every fantasy come true, not only the darkest ones.
We’ve focused on those because they’ve always been her favorites, but while we back off and let her feel secure, he can step in and fully win her over.
The perfect balance.
Exactly what our girl deserves.
“Can we help?” Jude asks, but when West doesn’t say anything, he only laughs. “Or were you planning on capitalizing while we’re gone?”
West smirks and nods, sinking back into the couch and leaning into Jude’s arms even as he pretends to shove him away.
“What’s the plan for the week?” Jude asks, turning his attention to me once they’ve settled down.
I click my tongue, pulling my phone out and checking our flights. West is staying back on this run because he had too many appointments at the shop. It made no sense to reschedule them for this last minute meeting we were asked to work. Especially when they were fine with only the two of us.
“We leave on the first flight tomorrow and we’ll be back Thursday night,” I explain, showing Jude the flight times on my phone. “Apparently this meeting is with only a few of the factions we’ve met so it won’t be as intense.”
Most of the meetings have been far more than what we signed up for. They’ve been a test in not only our character but also our poker faces. I may not have taken this job had I known what exactly was on the table for negotiations.
Then again, it would be impossible to walk away from getting in the good graces of the gangs that own the West Coast or the family that owns the East, let alone both of them at the same time. The Bleeding Roses even promised us an owed favor since this was so last minute.
That is better than gold.
“We have time tonight then?” Jude asks with a sly grin.
My brows furrow as I study him. Sure, technically we have time, but we also have a hundred things we should be doing to prepare for our trip. It’ll be one of our longer trips away from West. “What are you thinking?”
He shrugs in a way that does nothing to hide his excitement. “Berlyn is going with her friend to a haunted house.”
I click my tongue as I think about it. We shouldn’t. There’s a few other jobs I need to be getting a head start on, let alone the school work I’m going to be missing the rest of this week. Even West and Jude have things they should be doing. But…it’s too tempting to resist.
West on the other hand looks entirely unsure of the prospect. He’s never been a fan of any of the horror elements. His childhood gave him enough demons and ghosts to battle without adding new ones.
“I’ll hold your hand,” Jude promises, running a soothing caress down West’s arm as he leans into his side.
I wait, watching for West’s reaction, but he finally sighs. Even if he looks unsure, there’s a spark of excitement there too. The promise of seeing Berlyn is enough to make us agree to anything.
“Fuck it,” I agree. “Let’s do it.”
Weston sticks close to both me and Jude, his large frame pressing against us as he ensures he stays in the middle. It’s hard not to smile at the way he jumps and flinches with every little sound when we haven’t actually reached the haunted house yet.
Thank God Berlyn is not one of the horror thrill seekers and goes to those horror experiences where the scare actors can grab you, throw things at you, and put you in situations that really make you feel like you’re in danger.
This? A maze with scare actors jumping out? Even realistic as the set and costumes are, it’s the kind of adrenaline spike that comes from being surprised. Not true terror.
Weston can handle this even if he’s not thrilled about it. We don’t have to worry about him accidentally taking someone’s head off because they pushed him too far.