“The Bones Brotherhood,” Aspen says, swallowing away the lump in her throat.
Unfortunately, almost everyone here has had a run-in with them, me included.
I got too close because I was bored, and it cost me everything.
I won’t make that mistake again.
After everyone has had their say, the crowd disperses, and all who’re left are Xavier and Orion, staring at me from a corner as if they can’t believe their own eyes. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t move even a killer like me.
I was angry for so long. I kept everyone at arm’s length, and I forgot how it could feel to just let someone in. Maybe I should just …
“Xavier, Orion ... thank you,” I say, and I truly mean every word.
I don’t know how they did it, but I’m sure they convinced Atreus to help me, and for that I’m grateful.
Orion’s eyes begin to water, and he sniffles as I approach, while Xavier tries his best to contain himself.
Whimpering, whimsical boys of mine.
Xavier
“Why is she thanking them?For what?” Heath asks, frowning.
“Clueless as always,” Cecelia says, chuckling.
But I ignore them flat-out as the only person who truly matters to me is finally safe and free again.
Orion sniffles like an idiot, and he wipes his snot and tears away before she’s near us. “No need to thank us. I was just so worried about you. What if you never got out again? I would’vediedwithout you.”
She suddenly grabs him by the neck and pulls him in for a big hug, along with a vigorous rub over the hair, and it’s got people around us laughing.
“Don’t be so dramatic. I would’ve escaped, don’t fucking worry.”
“My perfect hair!” Orion yelps.
“Write about how horrible I was to you in that little book of yours,” she says, winking. “Speaking of which … have you written another poem for me or not?”
He blushes, his voice finally not so dreary anymore. “Yes, yes, of course. I have plenty, but I’ll write some more once we get home.”
Sunny turns her attention toward me, and I’m at a loss of words. I thought I’d never see her again, not without bars and infinite space between us. But here she is before me, in the flesh. I can smell her scent. Watch the devious sparkle return to her eyes. Feel her skin as her fingers graze my arm, and I come undone.
But my rage, God my rage for these people, the system, it’s unending.
“Please … don’t ever make me ever watch you suffer like that again,” I say, swallowing. “I would’ve fucking killed them all to get to you.”
“I know,” she says.
My hands fist, and my lips part, ready to curse everyone here for what they put her through, but the second a single syllable leaves my mouth, she grabs my throat with those sharp nails and slams her lips onto mine.
In full frontal view of everyone here.
Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.
My cheeks cannot grow any redder as my eyes land on my family, whose shocked faces embarrass the fuck out of me while they begin to gasp.
But her lips drown out any noise in my head, to ignore the voices telling me to pull away because of what anyone might think, and just let her kiss me.
Just let her.
