Chapter 56 #2
Tink pulled back, smiling. “I am going to need an extremely detailed report. You know that, right?”
I laughed. “I do.”
“Good.”
It was then that I realized Caden hadn’t walked toward the elevator. He’d stopped halfway across the parking garage. Tink and I caught up with him. “Where are we going?”
“To a place where Tanner handles certain…unpleasantries.”
This is the first I’m hearing of such a thing. I glanced at Tink, and he shrugged. “There is such a place?”
Caden nodded. “Only a few know of it. I’m surprised my brother didn’t tell you.”
Tink snorted as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. “He knows I abhor violence unless it’s violence I’m causing.”
I frowned at him as we reached a nondescript white door.
Caden placed his thumb against the keypad, and above, the red light turned green.
The door unlocked, and he pushed it open.
We stepped into a white hallway, and I could already hear Tanner speaking.
There were also other voices I couldn’t make out. Caden turned to me, extending his hand.
My gaze dipped to his palm and then rose to his. He…he wanted to hold my hand? It was such a simple gesture that wouldn’t mean much to others, but it would be huge.
He was the King.
To the others who were here, I was just some human. They didn’t know what I was or what he’d done. Him holding my hand was a statement, and obviously, I hadn’t the chance to talk to Tanner or Faye or Kalen. They would be so confused.
But I placed my hand in his, and my heart did a back handspring when he curled his fingers around mine, squeezing.
“You guys are so adorable,” Tink said, tugging the hair I’d thrown up into a messy bun.
“You are,” Caden said. “Especially when you blush.”
“I’m not blushing.” I watched Tink walk ahead, his long-legged pace taking him around the corner of the hall.
“Your face is the shade of a rose,” he told me.
“It is not.” I could feel my cheeks heat even more. “We need to focus on what’s important.”
“I am.”
I glanced up at him and felt a little unsteady as my gaze met his. “Benji and finding out where they’re getting the Devil’s Breath is important.”
“It is. But you’re more important to me. You will always be the most important thing.”
“You…” I swallowed, closing my eyes. “I wish we had time for me to tell and show you how perfect I think you are.”
“I’m not perfect.” He touched my cheek. “But I don’t have a problem with you showing me later how much you think I’m perfect.”
Heat simmered in my veins. I planned on doing just that after I told him what needed to be shared.
But by the time we reached the end of the hall, I’d filed all of that away. What we were about to deal with needed our full attention.
The first person I saw when we turned the corner was Ren.
Dressed in black, he leaned against the plain white wall, his back to us, ankles crossed.
Tink was beside him. Fabian behind him, his blond hair draped over broad shoulders.
He was the first to see us, his expression somber, and then there was a slight widening of his pale eyes.
Ren looked over his shoulder. “I was wondering when you were finally going…”
Either he trailed off, or I just didn’t hear what he said because my gaze had been snagged by those remaining in the hall. Faye and Kalen stood with Tanner. There was an older male fae, as well, his silvery skin pale. He’d been pacing while Faye spoke to him quietly.
Maybe it was my imagination, but everyone seemed to stop and notice our joined hands. The message Caden was sending out had been received. We were together.
It was Kalen I zeroed in on because one side of his lips curved up a moment before he bowed slightly. “My King.”
There was a flurry of the other fae beginning to do the same, but Caden stopped them with a slice of his hand through the air. “Is he in there?” He nodded at another nondescript door.
Stepping forward, Tanner cleared his throat. He looked shaken, and seeing Caden and I together had to be a part of it. He was likely seeing the crumbling of his entire Court, right in front of him. I wanted to tell him that it was okay, but now truly wasn’t the time.
And time always seemed strange like that, because minutes kept ticking by, and they were never the right ones.
“Yes.” Tanner sent a quick glance at me. “He’s restrained.”
“How is he?” Caden asked.
It was the man with Faye who spoke. “He is… He is not well.” His voice cracked. “My King, he is not well at all.”
Caden’s hand slipped from mine as he stepped forward, placing his hand on the man’s shoulder. “How is your wife, Balour?”
“Luce believes she will heal, but…” Balour looked away, lips pressed in a thin line. “I don’t know who is in that room. He looks like my son. Sounds like him. But it is not Benji.”
“I am sorry,” Caden spoke, his voice low. “We will find who is responsible. They will pay.”
“Thank you.” The poor man struggled to take a breath as he looked at the closed door. “Is there any hope for him?
“If there is, we will find it,” Caden said. I hoped there was something to be optimistic about, but I doubted there was.
Tanner had inched closer, his voice low. “I…I didn’t expect to see you here, Brighton.”
“I didn’t expect to be here either,” I admitted, having no idea what else I could say other than, “We need to talk later.”
“Yes, we do.” He nodded, watching Caden as Benji’s father turned, slowly walking away. My heart hurt for Balour.
Before I could respond to Tanner, Caden turned. “I want to speak with him.”
“Of course.” Tanner moved to open the door. “Do you want Kalen or Faye to join you? Or Prince Fabian?”
“Brighton will join me.”
It took everything in me not to smile because doing so seemed wildly inappropriate given the circumstances.
Tanner looked as if he’d swallowed something that made him ill. “Of course.”
“I would like to be a part of this,” Faye said, lifting her chin. “He is my cousin.”
Caden studied her for a moment and then nodded. Relief didn’t flicker across her face. Steely determination lined her features.
Across from me, Ren pushed off the wall. “Be careful, he’s a biter.”
“Noted.” Caden strode forward, stopping in front of me. “Ready?”
“I am.”
“Okay.” Then he lowered his head, and his lips met mine.
Caden kissed me, right there in front of everyone, hammering home the point that we were together.
The shock of Caden kissing me in front of everyone gave way to the all-too-brief burst of warmth and pleasure, of rightness.
He was mine.
And I was his.