Chapter Nine
Asher
Iwake up upside down at the foot of the bed, somehow the only one who isn’t holding or touching Skyla. What the fuck?
A soft cry sounds through the baby monitor in Brooks’s room, and of course none of the other fuckers wake up. Except Sky. Her eyes gently open like she’s a princess coming out of a deep sleep. Climbing out of bed, I shake my head at her, then press a kiss to her forehead.
“I’ve got him, princess,” I say.
She gives me a soft smile and a nod before relaxing back into the bed. Such a fucking princess, but she’s my princess.
I move to the dresser, grab a pair of sweats out and decide to hell with a shirt as I make my way to Brooks’s room.
As I’m rubbing my eyes, I find him crying in his bed.
He gets these terrible nightmares, and we can’t figure out why.
We’ve taken him to the doctor, and even a psychologist at Ronan’s insistence, which I thought was a little much since he’s only two.
Still, this seems to be a weekly occurrence for him, hence why we still have the baby monitor set up for him.
“Hey, bud,” I say as I softly shake him awake.
His crying softens as he looks up at me. “Bad dream, Daddy.”
I nod. “Do you want to try to go back to sleep?”
He shakes his head. “Cartoons.”
I can’t help but let a dry laugh out at that. Cartoons it is, then.
I lift him into my arms, letting out a yawn as I walk towards the living room. I grab the remote off the kitchen island and press a button. The light from the TV illuminates the living room and the body sitting on the couch.
“Jesus!” I snap, my heart pounding with adrenaline. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust, then I see that it’s Blake sitting on the couch.
She turns to face me, an apologetic half-smile on her face as she speaks. “Sorry. I didn’t think anyone would be up this early.”
“Nightmare,” I say as I lift Brooks a little higher on my hip.
Blake nods like she knows the feeling all too well before she goes back to staring at the wall.
“Cartoon! Cartoon!” Brooks says, snagging my attention. I quickly put on his favorite show and walk over to the couch.
Brooks takes a seat front and center while Blake sits off to the right and I sit to the left. He’s quickly engrossed in his show, and I sit there for a few moments before speaking.
“Sounds like your guys will be leaving soon.”
She doesn’t respond for a moment, then she nods.
“Vincent is going with them too, to help or whatever. He’s good. You shouldn’t worry.”
Blake’s head slowly turns to me, and now I’m able to fully see the haunted look in her eyes.
The fear. The pain. Like she too knows nightmares, perhaps greater than any of us.
Or maybe she’s living her worst one now.
“Dom and Zay are too. They’re the best, and it still might not be enough to bring them home safe. ”
I don’t have any comforting words, nor do I try to offer any because she’s right.
From the light research Dominic did last night, these Four Horsemen dudes seem like nothing to fuck with.
Vincent talked about Zayden Graves like he was the Grim Reaper himself, and the way Zayden Graves talks about the Four Horsemen… yeah, I see why she’s concerned.
We stay quiet for half the episode before she speaks again.
“You’re the group’s leader, aren’t you?”
I can’t help but scoff. Not sure how I feel about being the group’s leader. Also not sure how I feel about my marriage being referred to as a group. I do lead the Brethren. I oversee dozens of businesses that are incorporated into our society, but…
“Not really. If anything, Skyla is the leader. We’re all happy to exist in her world.”
A soft chuckle escapes her as she nods. “That’s how the guys talk about me too. The world doesn’t normally look at relationships like ours with fondness, but it’s nice to meet other people who—”
“Don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks?” I fill in.
She nods. “Exactly.”
Another heavy silence passes between us before she turns to face me fully.
“So, no one will tell me what you all actually do. I assume you’re not a mercenary like Griggs.”
“Definitely not,” I scoff. “We’re members of a… group. A community.”
“Like a cult?” Blake asks.
“No,” I snap defensively. “A… society.”
“Like a secret one?”
I give her a flat look before lifting an eyebrow. “If I answered that question, it wouldn’t be much of a secret, would it?”
She lifts her hands in surrender. “Fair enough. I thought my family lived the most mysterious lifestyle, but this place…” she says as she looks around the cabin. “I think you have us beat.”
I shrug as I look down to see Brooks is now passed out, his head on my lap and a small puddle of drool forming on my sweats.
A creak from the other side of the room has me turning my head to find Zayden, Dominic and Vincent, dressed in all black like they’ve decided to play spies. Both of the Graves brothers are staring at me with murderous rage.
“Asher, where the fuck are your clothes?” Vincent asks.
I look at him like an idiot because what kind of stupid fucking question is that?
Until I look down to see that Brooks is more in my lap than I thought, and from their angle, they probably can’t see anything below my bare chest. Quickly, I scooch Brooks off my lap and jump to my feet, holding my hands in the air so one of these psycho fucks doesn’t shoot me dead in my own house.
“Brooks was crying, so I got him up, and she was out here.”
Blake turns to face them, looking at the knife in Zayden’s hand that I’m only now seeing.
“Drop it,” she says, much like how you would tell a dog to drop something he shouldn’t have.
Zayden doesn’t look at her; his eyes are set on mine. Are they nuts? They think that I want their wife? When I have my own and a boyfriend I’m also in love with?
To be fair, I guess if the roles were reversed, someone would already have a bullet hole in their head. Still, all these murder plots are putting everyone on edge and a little too stabby for my taste.
“Zayden,” Blake says once more in that same tone.
It’s like just his name on her lips is enough to shake him from whatever darkness had captured him. He drops the knife to the floor dramatically, looking to her as if he’s awaiting his next instruction.
“We’re heading out. Expect us back tonight at the latest,” Dominic says.
Blake nods. “We’ll be okay. You two stay safe.”
She stands and slides an arm around each of their necks. They both wrap their arms around her as she murmurs something to them. They speak to her as well, but I don’t attempt to eavesdrop as I walk towards Vincent.
“You good?” I ask.
He nods.
“Are you sure you don’t want any backup? Just in case?” I ask as my eyes drift to the Graves brothers, still more than wary of their intentions.
Vincent shrugs. “It’s just a job. In and out.”
“Okay.” I clap my hand on his shoulder. “Stay safe. Skyla barely survived your last death.”
Vincent scoffs, shaking his head before nodding as he heads out the door, the Graves twins following closely behind.