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ChapterFour
KEATON
“We have security on standby with a car out front,” my father says as we climb the stairs of the Walkers’ mansion.
How many times did I take this same route to see Elsy before everything changed? How many times have I wanted to do it since that day? The answer is about the same because it’s too many to count. I’ve been training for tonight, but I feel the nervous energy coming off my mom and dad. They’re worried, and deep down, I am too. I just know that I have to take this next step, because if I don’t hold Elsy again, I’m not sure I have anything left to live for.
“He’s going to do fine,” my mother says as she squeezes my hand and smiles up at me. “You’ve got this, Keaton. Just breathe deep and remember why we’re here.”
To find my Elsy. When we got the invitation, I knew that we were out of time. I’ve spent years afraid of what I might do to her if I lost control, when being away from her has been the thing that’s kept me on edge. Tonight, I’m going to prove to myself and to Elsy that this can work and that our first kiss won’t be our last.
“We’re so glad you could make it.” The Walkers greet us like old friends, and I watch my mom exchange a long hug with Elsy’s mom. I hate that I’m the reason we’ve been so distant. “It's been too long since we’ve seen you, Keaton.”
“Studying abroad was time consuming,” I say, keeping my tone calm and pleasant while I scan the room for Elsy. “But I’m happy to be back. Permanently,” I add, and Mrs. Walker beams at my mom.
“Then hopefully we’ll be seeing more of you,” Mr. Walker says. He meets my eyes for a moment, and there’s a warning in them. Is he angry with me?
I guess I can’t blame him after leaving Elsy the way I did. I saw the images of her for weeks after she came to the house. She always looked like she hadn’t slept or had just finished crying. It tore my soul in half as I watched it happening and then couldn’t do anything about it. Back then, I was too volatile and being within a mile of her put her at risk. I couldn’t chance it, and so I stayed away.
“Why don’t we go get a drink?” my dad offers and leads me away from the Walkers.
“You know I can’t drink,” I mumble to him, and he grabs a water from the bar.
“I know. It was an excuse to give you a breath of air. I thought Walker might need it too.” He gives me water and squeezes my arm. “How are you feeling?”
I take a drink and then a deep breath. “So far so good.”
Scanning the crowd, I see a lot of people I recognize, but I don’t see Elsy yet. We stand there for a long time watching people pass by, and then I watch as a man with dark hair makes his way through the crowd over to us.
“Mr. Lone,” the stranger says, but he’s addressing my dad.
“That’s me.” My dad smiles pleasantly, but when the dark-haired man doesn’t return it, I see him tense. No one else would notice the subtlety of it, but I do. I notice more than most now.
“I’m Gray Malice. You might remember my father, John.”
My dad opens his mouth and then closes it again before clearing his throat and looking around. “Maybe we should talk in private.”
“I’m only here tonight to deliver a message,” he says, and I don’t like what’s happening here.
I step closer to my dad, feeling the need to protect him from this man who is clearly upset with him.
“Then deliver it and be gone.” My dad’s voice is low, but neither of us misses the order.
“Now that my father is dead, I’m the one in charge,” Malice says, and he leans closer to my dad. “And you won’t get away with it any longer.”
“That’s enough.” I cut between the two of them and push against Malice’s chest. He goes back a step, and for a moment I swear his eyes flash bright green, but then they dim to a dark hazel as he straightens his suit.
“The infamous Keaton back in society after all these years.” He smirks and then shakes his head. “I guess one accident wasn’t enough, was it, Nash?”
I feel the surge of anger flare in my body, and my heart begins to speed up. I can feel the heat taking over, and I’m not sure how I’m going to beat it back. My breathing increases, and I clench my fists at my side, begging my body to find control.
“See you soon.” Malice winks at my dad, and just when he’s about to walk away, I grab him by the front of his suit and pull him to me.
We’re evenly matched in size, and I can see directly into his eyes like this. Right now, there’s not an ounce of fear in them, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I wonder if he knows what happened to me.
“Careful, Keaton, you don’t want to make a scene.” His eyes glow bright green, and I feel a vibration in my hands.
“Key?”
