AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Without missing a beat or waiting for a response, Mom hooked her arm through mine and hauled me back in the direction she’d come.
“What happened to her hand?” I asked once we were a safe distance, and I could finally unhook my death from her death grip.
“Hmm?” Mom asked, waving at someone across the room.
“Her hand.”
Mom’s large, brown eyes blinked up at me full of innocence I definitely didn’t believe. “Poor thing caught it in a locker at the club. Broke every bone. Terrible, really. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like she’s learned her lesson about touching my sons. Oh! Look, there’s Louisa and Morpheus. I wonder if Sasha came with them. I should go say hi.”
Releasing me, she disappeared in the direction of the Trevils, leaving me standing in the middle of the crowd gaping after her.
“Where is she going now?” My father came to stand in the place my mother just vacated, blue eyes watching his wife’s retreating back.
“She spotted the Trevils,” I said, following his gaze to where my mother now stood laughing with Louisa, a stunning womanwith platinum waves framing feature crafted for the silver screen. She had the grace and beauty of someone who should have been making a living breaking men’s hearts, not killing them in their sleep. Next to her, a commanding force of almost seven feet, Morpheus towered over his wife in his dark suit and puncturing black eyes. His wild mane of dreadlocks was twisted up into a hefty knot at the back of his head, giving him added height.
As a kid Sasha’s father used to terrify me, which I supposed was the point; the man was a paid assassin, but as an adult, I’d grown to like him.
My father sighed. “I don’t know why she needs me here when she keeps disappearing every time I turn around.”
I laughed before I could stop myself. “There’s still time to escape. Say the word and I’ll get the car.”
His mouth quirked. “Don’t tempt me.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to beg to leave. No one else was trying to get any closer to me, yet the fact that I was surrounded from all sides, crowded and confined was making my heart race. The suit was making my skin itch, and I could feel myself beginning to sweat.
“I sent you a text about that item Abilene requested,” I breathed, fighting not to fidget with the noose around my throat. “I didn’t hear back.”
Father glanced at me. “I’m putting the paperwork together. It’s going to take some time. The item in question hasn’t been seen or heard from in years.” His pale eyes looked over me. “Are you alright?”
I began to nod but the air was too thick and heavy. It stank of overpriced perfume and sweat, and food. I had to grit my teeth to keep from gasping like a fish desperate for water.
“Breath in through your nose, exhale through your mouth,” he guided me softly, positioning himself carefully in front of meas if we were having a private conversation. “Clear your thoughts and count your exhales.”
It was easier said than done when there were so many people everywhere, so many eyes watching, waiting to see me fail. I couldn’t look weak. I couldn’t let them see my hands shake.
“Hey.”
Someone touched my shoulder and my restraint snapped. I lashed out, ready to knock the person onto their ass.
“Darius.” My father caught my arm. “Why don’t you go take a minute with your brother?”
Edmund stood at my shoulder, eyes wide, but silent. He didn’t try to touch me again but motioned with a nod of his head for me to follow him. I did because being there in the airtight box with all those faces and music was going to drive me insane.
He brought me to a study off the main hallway. The door closed behind us with a click and I exhaled for what felt like the first time. I stood in the middle of the space, pulling in every drop of the lemon scented furniture polish clinging to the air.
“Fuck, I hate parties,” I muttered, rubbing an unsteady palm back through my hair, not surprised to feel the sweat on my brow.
“No, you hate the people,” Edmund corrected, pressing a glass of amber liquid into my hand. “There’s too many all over the place and they always want to touch you. It’s so weird.”
Despite the jittering in my stomach, I laughed at the deadpan annoyance on my brother’s face. “You’re not wrong.”
I downed the drink, relishing the burn as it pooled in my gut. Edmund gave me the second one in his hand I’d assumed was for him. I didn’t ask questions when tossing that one back, too.
“Thanks,” I hissed through my teeth.
He bobbed his head and took both tumblers from my much steadier grip. “Feel better?”
It was my turn to nod. “I don’t know what happened.”
