“And once we’re in,” Haley said, “we take back our city. Fuck yeah, Desario.”
“Storm the castle, so to speak,” Darius said. “Excellent. I’m told I own a club in Blackmoon Bay. And a rather nice car.”
“I can attest to that,” Gray said, her cheeks darkening in a way that set a flare of jealousy straight into my chest.
Really? In Beaumont’s car?
I grabbed my drink, drowning the flood of images that thought unleashed. It’s not that I was jealous she’d been with him.
It was that she still could be with him. He may not remember everything about their relationship, but he could still touch her.
My heart burned with a now-familiar ache, but I shoved it way down. Regret had no place at this table. We were so close to figuring this shit out. Close to taking back what was ours.
“I think,” Emilio said, reaching for the bottle of whiskey once again, “we’ve got ourselves a plan. A damn good one. And that calls for another round.”
Everyone cheered and banged on the table, laughter exploding like fireworks once again. And for a minute I closed my eyes and soaked up all the warmth and let myself believe this was home. That we were all part of a big, crazy, obnoxious family celebrating a holiday dinner that we’d make last all week.
It’s almost enough to ease the pain of our reality.
“Personally, I think it calls for a group hug,” Haley said, rising from her chair and waving everyone close. “Come on, guys. You too, grumpy demon over there. Bring it in.”
She was talking about me. I got up and joined the knot of people that’d formed at the head of the table, never losing sight of Gray.
I stood as close as I dared. I caught a hint of her scent, a touch of her sweater brushing along my forearm as I reached in to hug Ash. But all I could think about was touching her. Holding her in my arms. Pressing my lips to her forehead and promising her that everything would work out. That we’d be okay, just like always.
I couldn’t do that, though. Couldn’t even graze her skin without burning her. It was the ultimate fucking punishment.
And after everything we’d been through together, all the shit we’d somehow come out on top of, this would be the thing that would finally break me.
The others let out another collective cheer, the celebration kicking back into high gear as more hugs and more booze got passed around, and I grabbed a jacket and one of the hounds and slipped out the back door unnoticed, out into the snow-globe night where I could temporarily lose myself in the backwoods, breathe in the icy-fresh air, and—for a little while, anyway—pretend I wasn’t dying inside.
Twenty-Three
GRAY
The morning after our insane feast, the hounds and I found Elena in the kitchen at dawn, cracking dozens of eggs into a huge bowl. The sun was giving us a rare show, the snow finally letting up a bit, and the light streamed in through the kitchen windows, illuminating her like an angel.
After everything Emilio had told me about what they’d gone through—about what Elena had lost—it was hard to look at her without getting choked up.
“I know I look good from the back,” she called over her shoulder. “But damn, girl. Take a picture or something.”
I laughed, the knot of emotion loosening. She’d probably scented me long before I’d even approached. It was hard enough to sneak up on a regular shifter, never mind a cop shifter.
“Girl, did you even go to bed last night?” I asked.
“I did. But I was wide awake an hour ago, so I put on the coffee and got to cooking.”
“Again?”
“Honestly?” Elena laughed. “I love cooking. Besides, it’s easier than doing dishes.”
I glanced around the kitchen, taking in the mountains of dishes piled up on the countertops, plates and mugs practically spilling out of the dishwasher. Other than Reva, we’d all gotten a little tipsy last night, caught up in celebrating Emilio’s recovery and enjoying a little fun before tackling the challenges ahead.
“You want some help?” I asked her.
She looked at Sunshine and Sparkle, panting and excited, and then at me, taking in my puffy coat, snow boots, and the huge, fur-lined hat I’d found that made me look like a Russian soldier. “Looks like you three already have plans.”
“I promised them a walk in the woods this morning.” I scratched behind Sparkle’s ears, and she let out a little yelp of pleasure. “But I can be back in fifteen minutes to chop or wash or whatever.”
