Ash simply turns back and urges me to carry on walking, even though I can feel waves of anger radiating off his taut body.
The mansion is a blur as we hurriedly walk through it, my heels clacking on the marble floors. I can’t help the sigh of relief that leaves my lips as we step outside, pausing to breathe in the frosty Colorado air, a sigh of relief leaving my lips even though the freezing night air has my teeth chattering within moments.
“Here,” I hear Kai say from behind me, and I’m suddenly engulfed in his woods after the rain scent as his suit jacket falls over my shoulders, still deliciously warm from his body.
“Thanks,” I reply gratefully, a shiver of a different kind skittering over my skin as he places a gentle kiss on my cheek.
“Let’s go,” Ash commands, his tone hard. I know, like the rest of us, he just wants to get out of here as much as I do, plus is more than likely worried about leaving Loki behind. “Jax, I’m driving. Lilly’s up front.”
“You staking your claim already,brother?” Jax snarls, stepping up into Ash’s face, glaring down at him. Ash grinds his teeth together so hard I’m surprised that they don’t crack.
“That wasn’t a request,” he growls out. “Give me your damn keys, and get in the fucking truck.”
They stare at each other for several moments, huge chests heaving, and a spark of guilt flashes in my chest. I don’t want to come between them, to disrupt their bond.
“Hey,” I say, stepping closer, placing a hand on Jax’s forearm which is vibrating with tension. “Not here. Let’s just get back, okay? Then you can go all caveman and throw me over your shoulder.” The last part earns a small twitch from Jax’s lips, a relieved smile falling from mine.
With a final growl, he tosses the keys at Ash, who deftly catches them, as he walks towards his truck, parked where we left it on the drive. Kai follows, jogging to catch up.
“Come on then, Princess,” Ash says with a sigh, taking hold of my hand and leading us towards the vehicle.
A chilly breeze slips through Kai’s jacket, and looking up into a starless sky, I can’t help the feeling that this is just the start of something that will change us all irrevocably.
* * *
LOKI
I sit there, surrounded by these people, monstrous shadows dancing around them in the candlelight, half drunk champagne glasses littering the table. I’m glad the others have left, especially Lilly.
God, how am I going to tell her?
“And if I refuse?” I ask, looking up into the eyes of a wolf, the devil himself, Julian Vanderbilt. He smiles his demon grin, all straight teeth and black lies.
“Then Ash may find himself a widower not long after his wedding day,” he casually throws out, eyes hungry for any reaction I show.
However, I’ve learnt their lessons well, my cool façade not cracking as I stare right back at him. Inside is a different story, my heart rips apart, knowing that with what I must do to keep her safe, I will break her apart, too.
“And anyway, it’s not such a bad deal, son,” my cuntstain of a dad pipes in, and I turn to glare at him, showing exactly what I think of him. I smirk when he swallows hard. Good. Let him be scared of me.
I don’t bother to reply, turning back to the master puppeteer himself, and giving a brief nod, I seal my fate.
Forgive me, Pretty Girl.
* * *
LILLY
The next few weeks pass by, tension rife within all of us. When we got back the night after dinner at the Vanderbilt’s, Ash, Jax, Kai, and I sat down and talked the whole thing over. Turns out that Ash had found out mere moments before we arrived, Kai, too.
But as Ash pointed out more than once, he had no choice. Julian and the others, bar Jax’s mum, are all monsters with pitch-black souls. If Ash had refused to propose, they were going to dispose of me just like Julian had told me at dinner, whispering death threats in my ear like sweet nothings.
Jax relented with a growl, then threw me over his shoulder like the caveman that he is and took delight in making me scream his name over, and over, and over again whilst the Vanderbilt ring sat twinkling on my finger.Fucking brute.
Loki didn’t join us in the night as he usually does, and hasn’t since, although Jax and Ash have been keeping me more than occupied at night. In fact, I’ve barely seen Loki since the dinner, and a dark premonition fills my stomach. I know there is something going on. I know that it isn’t good, and the feeling leaves me sick to my stomach constantly, and off my food with worry.
It doesn’t help that Kai is also a little absent and looks exhausted, dark circles ringing his eyes, lines marring his forehead. Seems that his darkness has returned since that night, too.
Things feel like they’re spiralling out of control, and I’m helpless to stop it.