Chapter 8
Jonah’s hand covered mine, not for comfort, which I would’ve welcomed, but to stop my frantic polishing of the silver chain.
“It was clean an hour ago.” His voice was soft.
Did I look as close to falling apart as I felt?
It had taken me half the morning to find the necklace.
Panic closed my throat, and desperation made my fingers fumble as I sifted through the grass and dust. It would’ve been a laughable visage for anyone watching.
The great playboy of Greenich Bay was reduced to his knees, scrambling around the roadside for a discarded gift.
The guards I’d taken with me were anything but amused. They shifted on their feet and shared narrow-eyed, silent conversations. It didn’t take a genius to know what the scowls they sent in my direction, even now, meant.
“Shouldn’t you be patrolling?” Jonah bit out at the closest pair when their gazes narrowed again.
They melted away down the running track, muttering under their breath.
“Is it just me, or are we being treated like pariahs?” Beck’s boots crunched under leaves as he approached.
My shoulders rose, and I whirled on him. “Whose fault is that?”
Wasn’t being in nature supposed to be relaxing?
The slight wind and the scent of pine and piles of mulch did nothing for the serrated edge of unease inside me.
I clutched the chain in my hand until the metal bit into my skin.
Jonah looked out over the dark glass of the lake, tracking the path of a mother duck and her five babies.
Beck kicked at a tawny, crumbled leaf. “So I get the blame for the Orazio guards hating the three of us?”
Strictly speaking, Adelaide was the reason our men were mutinying.
She’d left the meeting with Ellington and Lyra with an expression that chilled me.
The truth about Lyra swept through the ranks of men until every single one of them greeted us with a glare.
They didn’t follow orders without a disgruntled under-their-breath reply.
I didn’t mind. It helped me with the self-flagellation I was indulging in.
“If we hadn’t listened to you—” I cut off my sharp reply, knowing it was useless.
But Beck latched onto my fight, turning its sharp edge back on me with an icy grin.
“You’re grown men. It was your choice to listen to me and not Lyra. If you think this absolves you of guilt, I hate to inform you how wrong you are.”
Never had Beck’s face looked as punchable as it did now.
Jonah clamped his hand around my bicep, as if anticipating my thoughts. “Don’t let him provoke you.”
“But, Jonah,” I whined. Yes, whined, sue me.
I never pretended to be an emotionally grown person, as proven right now while I tamped down the urge to stomp my foot.
“How is your family? Jenny?” Jonah distracted me from the black-hearted ghoul loitering next to us.
I leaned against him with a sigh. His hold around my bicep gentled, but didn’t release. I’d found scarce little comfort in the past week, since the truth about Lyra spilled out. But the warmth of his fingers and chest was welcome.
“They’re fine. Badgering me to visit more often.” I cracked a grin.
Safe because Lyra protected them for me.
And how had I repaid her? Guilt crashed like my foot pressed on the accelerator.
My heart sickened with heaviness. Each thump felt like a bruise.
Of course, I’d called Carol as soon as I could, trying to glean whether they’d experienced anything strange over the past few months.
But how do you probe people for information they have no knowledge of?
I couldn’t come out and ask them if strangers followed them, or if they’d noticed anyone parked out the front of their house.
“Beatrice?”
“Same.” Jonah’s smile faltered. “I made an excuse about checking her fire alarm to get inside her house. There were cameras all over.”
I covered his fingers, offering some silent warmth.
Jonah pulled his hand away with a grimace.
My stomach gave a strange twist. As if my life needed more complications, I had to add an aborted bi-awakening to my list of failings.
If Beck weren’t looming so close, I might have prodded Jonah about our too-short, explosive make-out.
Was there a right time to say you wanted a repeat, without the drunken haze this time?
“Next time, let me come with you.”
“Deal, and you can return the favor.” The steel of his gaze warmed.
“That’s a big step.” I grinned. “Like meeting the parents, but my real ones this time.”
I’d mentioned Tony and his family after Jenny crashed my papa’s funeral.
Jonah misconstrued the situation with the disheveled, underage girl on my doorstep.
I had to tell him the truth, that I might have a reputation of loving and leaving hundreds of women, but they were all willing and, most importantly, adults.
It tickled me to learn Jonah had someone similar in his life, and the idea of him befriending his elderly neighbor through their love of plants was so Jonah it made me laugh.
“Fair warning, Beatrice didn’t approve of Lyra, so she’ll probably hate you too.”
I laughed. “Challenge accepted. I’ll have you know that all parents except my own have found my charm irresistible.”
Jonah’s lips turned down, and his gaze drifted to the empty running path.
Lyra was down there somewhere, jogging out her hatred of us, hopefully.
It probably wasn’t smart to attempt a meeting in public like this.
But she’d ignored every request we’d sent her, and I was pretty sure she’d blocked us.
There was a slim chance that endorphins from her run might soften her rightful anger.
“Interesting,” Beck chuffed.
I flinched. When had he moved so close?
“What?” Jonah snapped at the infuriating man.
“This.”
Beck swung his hand between Jonah and me. His eyebrows rose above his dark locks. I stiffened, grappling with a flood of heated anger. I clenched the necklace in my hand and scowled at him. Before Jonah could refute our nonexistent relationship, I interjected.
“We could have worked together, Chief. But you were never on board with sharing, were you? How did that work out for you? Now, none of us has Lyra. You can go back to being who you were before she loved you, a cold little killing machine.”
Beck made a noise and turned away, but only for a moment. His hand shot out and wrapped around my neck. The sudden movement scared the ducks from the lake bank and into deeper water.
“Say that again,” Beck said through clenched teeth.
“Which part?” I wheezed. “That you’re a selfish asshole, or that now you’re a lonely, selfish asshole?”
Jonah locked a thick arm around Beck’s neck and wrenched him back.
“Let go.”
Beck let out a feral, choked growl. Underneath his layer of ice was a man set on fire. My stomach twinged with understanding. Flames licked my insides until they charred, and I tasted ash with every breath.
The ruins of our future held the same shape. I wanted to blame Beck for what I’d done and the choices I made, but I couldn’t make him carry the burden. I hurt Lyra, and that was my mistake. One I’d spend the rest of my life trying to repay.
“Did you think we would give up? That you could have her all to yourself?” I taunted Beck as his grip tightened.
His eyes rolled. “Yes.”
I laughed, and my knees buckled underneath me. Tears made my vision blurry, but I couldn’t stop the hysterical sound. Beck’s fingers loosened for a moment as he lost his balance.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” A dark-haired, nimble shape thrust herself between us.
I stumbled back as Lyra plucked her earbuds from her ear and glared at us. Her athleisure wear had dark patches of sweat, and a bead dripped off her flared nostrils. She shoved an elbow in my stomach, and I halved myself with a groan.
“Lyra, I need to talk to you,” Beck fought for air.
“Yeah?” She planted her hands on her hips. “I need you to erase me from your memory.”
I rubbed my neck and pulled myself upright. Now was when I hit her with my best smile, and she wouldn’t be able to say no to me. I flashed my teeth, and she rolled her eyes.
Okay, plan B? I shot Jonah a bewildered look.
“Wait,” he whirled in front of Lyra as she tried to leave. “We wanted to apologize and thank you.”
Lyra let out a heavy sigh. A guard walked over, the one we ordered to trail her. He passed her a towel. She thanked him with a smile and buried her face for a moment.
“Show off,” I grumbled at the guard, dismissing him.
I should have thought of that. Ah, but I had something! I unfurled the necklace and held it out to Lyra.
“Here, you left this in the dirt outside Greenich Bay. I thought you might want it back.”
Lyra stepped closer until her breath puffed against my chin. I would have enjoyed the moment more if her eyes weren’t narrowed like lasers. She reached out and tapped the diamond, making it sway. Dappled light caught the gem, and it glistened.
“I left it there for a reason. Because the person who gave it to me destroyed me, and I wanted to forget ever loving him.”
I almost lost my hold on the chain, especially as Jonah gave me a pitying look.
“I’ll suggest something better. Don’t forget your love, but make me earn it again. Put me in a dark hole for a week.” My arm burned as I held the necklace out.
Lyra crossed her arms over her chest. “Do you know why I hate small spaces?”
Jonah and I shook our heads while Beck lost a little color. He turned away, as if he couldn’t stand the fiery rage in her gaze.
“Men murdered my mom for a drug debt, and then they put me in the ground with her as she bled out. It was the reason I joined The Unseen, you know. I wanted to make sure I never felt that helpless again. Do you remember that, Beck?”
He dipped his chin. “How could I forget? But that’s the past. I want to talk about the future. How can I make it right?”
Lyra jabbed a finger into his chest. “There is only one question I want the answer to from you.”
“Anything.”
“Do you remember who ordered her death from The Unseen?” She jabbed again.
There was a car crash in the force she used with one finger. Beck’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open. Lyra let out a soft, bitter laugh.
“Bet you thought I’d never find out the truth, huh?”
Beck slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her flush against his chest.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Lyra wriggled in his hold and let out a pant of frustration. I drifted over to Jonah’s side, drawn by his solid strength. The necklace chain bit into my skin. Even I knew better than to interrupt this moment. They fought each other. Lyra tried to escape, and Beck clung to her.
“Who is the liar now?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Beck clenched his jaw.
Lyra searched his gaze, and whatever she saw there made her bottom lip tremble.
“The Unseen killed her. To corner me into joining.”
Beck shook his head. “No.”
“It’s true. I’ll send you the proof. Ellington was right about everything by the way. It’s all over the financial records.”
“Forged,” Beck said through gritted teeth.
Lyra smiled, like a dog baring its teeth in warning. She planted her hands on either side of Beck’s face, pulled her head back and slammed it into his nose. Beck cursed, let go of Lyra and bent over.
“I kept a copy of Angelo Amato’s records. Do you think he forged those as well?” Lyra panted.
“Are you turned on right now?” I whispered to Jonah.
He didn’t reply, except to whack the back of my head.
Beck looked up, eyes wild, dripping with blood, and the air of a man about to snap. He pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers.
“I didn’t know, Lyra. I might be heartless, but I love you.”
“Do you hear yourself? You can’t love and be heartless. It’s an oxymoron.” Lyra slapped her thighs. “On that note, why are you even here? I thought you hated me.”
Jonah grabbed my hand and stole the necklace. He held it out to her, a peace offering.
“We made the biggest mistake of our lives by hurting you, and all we want is a chance to make it right. Can we go somewhere and talk?”
Lyra shook her head, laughing at the wispy clouds in the sky. She picked the towel up from the ground. I couldn’t stop looking at her. This was who she’d been hiding, along with her identity. A strength we couldn’t break even though we didn’t want to.
“I don’t have time for this. I’m going to destroy The Unseen, and this is nothing compared to my revenge.”
My heart twinged with sharp pain. I didn’t blame her for writing us off. She strode away, pushing past Jonah’s outstretched hand.
“Don’t leave me.” Beck’s voice followed her, lethal and quiet.
Her back straightened. “You left me first.”
We watched her go in silence. My throat felt burned as I swallowed hard. I didn’t think Lyra would forgive us, but I was delusional enough to believe my charm would’ve had more effect.
Beck swiped his arm over the blood, smearing it even further. “You know what we have to do next, don’t you?”
“Excuse me?” Jonah rubbed the back of his neck.
“If we really want to win Lyra back.”
I raised my eyebrows as Beck extended his palm.
“Truce?”
“I’m not shaking your hand, it’s literally covered in blood,” I grimaced.
“What do we have to do?” Jonah slapped the necklace into my palm.
“We have to help her get revenge. The Unseen has no idea what it’s unleashed.”