7. Trey
Trey
The house was silent while everyone still slept. As much as I enjoyed the feeling of my body curled around Ivy’s, the comfort of being safe and warm beneath the covers, there were things to do. Ivy hadn’t informed us of her plan. None of us knew what to expect at the church, watching her walk down the aisle. A piece of me had assumed she would marry Wells to keep everyone safe, and then we would have to rescue her from his clutches.
That wasn’t what had happened at all. Now we were living in a different city hidden away from view with Christmas less than two weeks away.
Dominic gave me his number before leaving the night before in case I needed something. Even though the sun wasn’t up, I wanted to discuss several things with him. I stepped out into the cool December air. It wasn’t precisely cold this far south, but the humidity made everything feel crisper.
I dialed the number I’d been given and waited. Dominic was the most reserved of the Three Kings and also the most intimidating in my mind. But after the past several weeks, the fucks I had to give were very few. When he answered with mild annoyance, I smiled to myself. “I need some things. We left Clearhaven in a bit of a hurry and weren’t informed of the plan ahead of time. You said if we needed help with anything, to call you.”
“Tell me what you need, and I’ll deliver it later today.”
I mulled over what to say to him. The computer that had been left at our new house... I wanted it. It had all of my program files on it. I’d been trying to decide what to do with the code that I had worked so hard on, and my best bet was finding someone willing to pay for it.
“I need my computer, Cam’s photography equipment, and some of the teenagers’ belongings. Also, maybe some clothes.” Ivy didn’t have anything to begin with. Niko had a small box of mementos from his mother hidden beneath his bed, but those could wait until we were safe. After everything had settled out, we could go home.
Or at least I had initially thought we could.
The man on the other end of the phone cleared his throat and sighed. “I was going to call you later in the day. I can’t... fulfill your request the way you want me to. What I can do is have a new computer delivered to the house along with a camera and clothes for everyone. I can send my shopper out for it this afternoon. She’ll be overjoyed at spending that much money on new wardrobes for everyone.”
Thoughts rapidly tumbled through my head. Had Dominic just dismissed me? What did he mean when he said he couldn’t fulfill my request the way I wanted him to? I placed my hand in my pocket, my fingers curling around the knife. “Explain.”
When he spoke, he sounded weary. “I hadn’t wanted to tell you this way. Are you sure that you can’t wait for a few hours? We can discuss everything over coffee.”
My patience was running thin from the conversation, and any part of me that was once intimidated by him was long forgotten. “Just tell me.”
“Fine. My sources informed me that after the wedding, someone set fire to the house you had purchased. By the time that the fire department responded, everything was gone. Also, all of your cars were reduced to cinders.”
It took a moment for what he said to make sense. Once the pieces came together, I swore under my breath. Sure, my code was backed up in cloud storage, and the house was insured, but that didn’t stop the anger from boiling inside me. They burned the home I had worked so hard to buy, the computer I had built myself, and all of Cam’s photographs.
Sometimes, it isn’t about what is but what could have been. They lit our hopes and dreams on fire. They torched the place where we felt safe, the first place where we had celebrated a holiday together as a family. And why? All because we wouldn’t back down? Because Ivy didn’t hand herself over without a fight?
That they had burned Niko’s car made anger bubble up inside of me. He had scraped together to fix it, piece by piece. It was one of the few possessions he had.
“Trey, don’t do anything rash. We can replace things, but we can’t replace people. Everyone is still safe.”
His words were valid, but felt empty after everything we had been through. “Yeah, I know.”
“So, make a list of what you need from me. Whatever it is, I’ll order it today and deliver it to you as soon as possible.”
I hung up the phone feeling exhausted and knowing I had to tell everyone else in the house the news. After seeing Ivy shoot Wells, something like arson shouldn’t bother me, but it did. Maybe it was because it felt too personal. It was almost like being kicked while you were down.
I made a pot of coffee while making a list for myself. There was no way I would replace the computer I had pieced together using Dominic’s money, even if he had technically offered to. He didn’t know what he was getting into. The Kings might have been more prosperous than gods, but pride kept me from asking. Instead, I listed mid-range parts that would hold me over until I could make the cash myself.
I also added some clothes and a camera to the list of things we needed. Cam would never ask for it. The three of us were too proud. Even living in a house owned by Ivy’s brother for however long felt wrong. Still, I jotted down everyone’s clothing sizes and waited.
One by one, people slowly woke up. The dark circles that lined their faces told me I wasn’t the only one feeling the effects of the past several days. We needed a break–a vacation away from the insanity of our lives. Maybe living in Strathmore for a while wasn’t such a bad idea.
When Ivy appeared, I tugged her into my lap and kissed her cheek. “How are you feeling, new girl?”
She gave me a weak smile, and I wrapped an arm around her waist. It was a simple gesture to tell her I was there, no matter what, and I wasn’t going anywhere. I had been willing to kill for her.
I cleared my throat to get everyone’s attention. “There’s good news and bad news. Which do you want first?”
Ivy grumbled, but I didn’t catch what she said. I raised an eyebrow, hoping she would repeat herself. Instead, she laid her head against my shoulder. “Good. I’ve had enough bad news for the next decade.”
Niko pushed the hair from his face and nodded. “Agreed. Tell us something good.”
“I’m making a list of everything we need for our new life. If there is something you want, let me know. I have everyone’s clothing sizes already. Dominic is ordering everything and will have it shipped to us as soon as possible.”
Maya piped up, her entire demeanor brightening. “Books? Can we ask for books?”
Sergei grinned at her before throwing a piece of toast in her direction. “What a nerd.”
It was meant in a teasing manner. The two sparred often, and I wasn’t sure if it was flirting or if it was because they had been raised together. Maya placed her hands on her hips and glared at Sergei. “All of you are boring except Katya.” She grimaced and glanced at Ivy. “No offense.”
“Books are fine,” I told her, hoping to change the direction of the conversation. “Send me a text with what you want.”
Cam pulled a cup from the cabinet and turned his back to the room. “What’s the bad news?”
My heart sank as I realized I had to tell them everything they owned was gone, and we had no place to call home. A lump formed in my throat, but I pushed past it. “Someone set the house on fire after the wedding. I don’t know if it was to send a message or lure us back, but either way, what’s done is done.”
No one said anything, but from everyone’s faces, the mood was as somber as it had been before the wedding. The Order continued to take pieces of our lives from us, and what could we do about it?
Later that day, after everyone sent me their lists, I forwarded them to Dominic. Several moments later, he texted me back.
Dominic: I know someone who might have all the computer parts on hand. Are you sure these are what you need?
Me: Yeah, just something so I can code. It’s what I do when I can’t sleep.
Dominic: What are you working on? A game?
I debated with myself about being honest, but finally, I just told him. I quickly summarized what the program did and how we used it.
Dominic: Are you in the market to sell it? That is, if it works how you claim.
Me: For how much?
Everyone has a price, a number for which they will sell their soul. I could always come up with another app or program, but at that moment, money was something that we could use. Ivy was no longer working at Frankie’s, I didn’t have any repair jobs, Niko wasn’t racing and had no car—not anymore. Neither did Caleb.
It wasn’t like we could go out on the economy to find something.
Dominic: I want to see how it works before I give you a number. I’ll make it worth your while, and I might even hire you while you’re here for a particular project.
And just like that, the problems from earlier in the morning didn’t seem so bad. Sometimes, all you needed was a glimmer of hope to hold on to—something to help you make it until the next day.