Chapter Two #2
As if my thoughts had summoned him, Spade eased the door open, his violet gaze apprehensive until he locked onto me.
His shoulders slumped under his leather jacket so incrementally I wouldn’t have noticed it if I wasn’t already analyzing every shift in his body language.
It was the only way I could ascertain the truth behind the mask he insisted on donning.
“Sugar,” he said almost reverently, like reality and his nightmares were blending so seamlessly he couldn’t recall which was the truth without devouring every inch of me with his darkening gaze.
Reluctantly, he pulled his attention from me, a hint of violent delight sparking in his violet orbs before being snuffed out again with grief. “We should get the Demons together; the Barones are making moves.”
“Let’s get ready then.” I tapped Sophia’s arm for her to shift her weight off me, but she only looked over her shoulder with a brow lifted, pinning me with an incredulous look that each of my guys shared.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Merrick growled, his arm clasped around my shoulders as though he could keep me planted in the bed. Well, normally he probably could, but with the gunshot wound still healing, I could deftly get out of his hold—if only Sophia wasn’t keeping me pinned in place.
“You asked me to help lead the Demons while you’re out of commission,” I said. “I need to get out of bed to do that.”
Merrick’s eyes narrowed on me, promising all the punishment once he’s better. He was lucky I liked the sort of consequences I could see brewing behind those darkening hazel orbs.
Did I mention how much I loathed bed rest? Being beside this man and not being able to do anything more than cuddle was pure torture.
“You only just got the all clear from the doctor.” Kellan frowned.
I rolled my eyes at his insistence. “Yes, I know what the doctor said; I was there. And don’t think I missed the fact that he told you my private medical information.”
Pink warmed Kellan’s cheeks, but he didn’t back down. “I don’t think taking on the Barones was his idea of taking it easy.”
“What moves are the Barones making?” I swatted Sophia again, but she still didn’t move. Traitor.
“They’ve been lying low the last week, but I was finally able to catch one of them and squeeze the information out of him.” Spade’s gaze glittered with excitement, as if he were fondly reminiscing about the torture needed to get those details.
Fury quickly sobered him. “They’ve planned his funeral for tomorrow afternoon at the church in East Haven.”
Spade refused to utter Tommaso’s name ever since I woke up. I had no doubt if the cockroach had still lived, Spade would’ve devoted every second of his life toward shredding him apart, piece by piece.
A shiver ran up my spine. I had to be there. I had to make sure he hadn’t made it out of the fire somehow.
“Well then, I have a few ideas that align with taking it easy.” I grinned, my pulse quickening. “Besides, it would be rude of me to not pay my respects to my dearly departed fiancé, wouldn’t it?”
I fluttered my lashes and feigned as much innocence as I could, but I almost choked on the last few words. Thinking of him that way caused bile to rise in my throat.
“Of course you do.” Kellan chuckled, and Merrick grunted in agreement.
A crease formed between Spade’s brows. I knew he wanted to keep me safe, but it warred with his desire to unleash hell itself on those bastards at my side.
“You’ve always encouraged me to embrace my power and take my revenge any way I can.
” My tone was soft, but Spade still flinched as though I’d physically struck him with an accusation.
“I need to do this, just as much as I had to take care of Tommaso myself. But this time, I want you by my side. I want them to know exactly who they’re dealing with and that this war is far from over. ”
Spade’s chest deflated slightly as he nodded, his eyes gloomy and downcast, refusing to meet my gaze.
I had to get through to him, but we had less than a day to plan our attack, and knowing Angelo, he’d probably already have a few men staking out the church after what happened at the engagement dinner.
“If you’re going, then I’m coming too,” Merrick said and shifted to put his bowl of soup down.
“Nope, you still have to rest, doctor’s orders.
” I pecked his cheek with a chaste kiss and swiftly dodged him when he tried to turn and deepen the kiss.
A giggle slipped from my lips as I wiggled out from Sophia, who thankfully let me get up with only a half-hearted grumble this time.
“No trying to distract me into staying with you. I’ve made up my mind. ”
I took my time getting out of bed, gingerly putting weight onto my injured leg.
It was healing well, but there was still a twinge of pain every time I put weight on it.
I’d have to hide it tomorrow for my plan to work, but it was easier now than it had been before the treatments with the physiotherapist last week.
“Giana,” Merrick growled, clearly not missing the way I kept my weight on my good leg.
“Don’t Giana me,” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “I have to get out of bed, otherwise the muscles will weaken. Don’t tell me you know more than the physiotherapist and the doctor.”
“We’ll watch out for her,” Kellan assured him. I grumbled under my breath at the thought that I had to be babysat, but secretly, I loved the way they protected me. As long as I still got to be part of the action, I could handle their hovering.
Despite my insistence on being at the center of this fight, the vision of the flames devouring the furniture, inching closer and closer to my nearly unconscious form, caused a sliver of concern in my heart.
I could tell the memory still replayed through Kellan’s mind with the way his eyes softened.
He always had an uncanny way of reading my mind, like my expressions were an open book, revealing the thoughts within to him alone.
“We don’t have much time if we want to make an explosive entrance.” I winked at them and blew a kiss Merrick’s way before merrily skipping to the door. Well, it was actually more of a hobble, but I’d never admit that out loud.
Spade caught my arm before I could make it out to the hallway, his delight glinting in his violet eyes like lightning flashing through purple storm clouds, but his jaw ticked, clearly not missing the unease in my steps. “I can’t wait to see what you have in store for them, sugar.”
His eyes closed as he sucked in a breath; his fear and excitement merged into a tornado in his head, each fighting for dominance. “Stick close to me, please?”
I could tell that his request was as much for me as it was for him, so I nodded and pressed my lips to his. “Always.”
Some of the ice melted at the declaration, his dazzling grin almost eliciting a sob in my throat. I quickly blinked back the moisture begging to pool in my eyes, and flashed him a beaming smile in return.
We wouldn’t let the Barones win, not in the fight for this town, nor with the war that raged within our souls after our near-death experiences. I refused to let Tommaso or his actions haunt another of my precious moments with my men, my family—the only true one I’d ever known.
Tommaso was dead, and now it was time to lay him to rest—hopefully right alongside his father.