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It wasn't the worst idea, so I pointed it up, and as soon as the black light hit the spot right over the safe, four numbers lit up, shining like a beacon of hope.
While I was in the middle of memorizing them, the lights went on, and the numbers disappeared. “Hey! I was-”
“I have it memorized. Put these numbers in.” His short clipped tone had me rolling my eyes, but I complied. I got down as he said, “9, 2, 4, 1.”
As soon as I rolled the one into place, the safe clicked. I turned the handle and cracked the small door open. Right there was thesecond key. I scooped it up, grinning from ear to ear as I showed it to the others.
Falcon might not be smiling on the outside, but his eyes couldn't hide that shine of appreciation. He was secretly enjoying this little hunt, even if he had to deal with the rest of us. Ax whooped, Avery clapped, and Cosmo simply smirked.
“All right. Three more. Let's go,” Falcon barked before he turned, but I could’ve sworn he nodded at me. Almost like he was telling me I did a good job, and that . . . was infuriating but also made my heart squeeze.
I might not get along with these guys all the time, but they might not be so bad, either.
Chapter 7
I need to focus.Just focus on finding the fucking clues and getting us the fuck out of here.
I wasn't an idiot, I knew why Rayla was doing this. I could see it on her face every time one of us would say something that made the other upset. I had dedicated the past six months to learning as much as I could about my mate, and one thing was for sure, she hated it when we didn't work as one functioning unit.
It wasn't the fighting she was upset about. No. She was used to that just by being in this world we lived in, one that was mainly made of strong men and females who would poke and jab at each other to show their power or superiority over the other . . . or some other useless notion like that. It only bothered her whenwe poked at each other's issues, pains, or problems that she got irritated.
I could see her holding herself back, seeing if we would work it out on our own, but that never happened. The only time we had a semblance of teamwork was when we all bedded Rayla together. I don't think she understood that, at this point, we all had the same goal, the same want. We all wanted to see her scream, cry, and tremble with pleasure. That's it. That's all we wanted, all that bonded us. It was like everything else was pushed into the background, not as important as what we were doing, but that didn't really work outside the bedroom.
“I can't even find the damn safe . . .fucking thing . . . pissing me off . . . ” Ax was grumbling as he was stomping around, growing more and more agitated. I caught him glancing at Avery and Lex, holding their keys with triumph splashed across their faces. Yes, I too could feel the rising pressure inside of me, telling me if those two idiots got a key, then I should’ve already had mine by now. It was a matter of principle.
“Keep searching. If they found theirs, we just need to search harder,” I called out, trying to ease both our minds. I was already on edge because of everything that happened with Lex. I tried to calm myself down with logic.
He didn't grow up like the rest of us. He didn't know where his place was at a young age. Didn’t have direction other than his sadistic uncle pushing him toward his own faulty agenda. He lived life differently than us . . . harder.
An intrusive thought slithered into my brain.He's the lucky one. His uncle may be a dick, but he didn't face the pressures of having a live parent. One who ignored you as a child. Left you to rot in his own room over the death of his wife.
I took a breath, surprised by the aggravated tone in my head. What the fuck was I thinking? That was old shit, something I let go of years ago. Why was this bothering me now?
I thought I’d already let go of all those wasted childish feelings, cutting off those silly little desires for love and appreciation from my father a long time ago. It was ridiculous and so unlike me.
I rolled my eyes up to the ceiling, jaw tightened, as a thought crossed my mind about how he looked when he realized how truly little his uncle cared for him. Another useless feeling, sympathy.
The only one who ever broke through my uncaring iron mind, consumed with logic and strategy, was my stunning mate, Rayla. She was the crazy to my sane. The direct opposite of me that had somehow lured me to the darkside and opened up a side of me I never really explored. The only person who had made me feel wanted since my mother passed.
My finger traced along the handle of my gun as I thought of Rayla and smiled. She knew that words filled with emotions and sentiments meant little to me. The only thing that made me feel whole was using my intelligence to be useful. To the Syndicate, to my inventions, to my mate.
She was the only one who reminded me daily, with threats of death, how valuable she thought my weaponry skills were, how talented she thought I was. She was desperate for magical weapons made by my hands, and my hands only. Seeing my worth and telling me often how integral my work and brain were. All the gifts, jewels, and money in the world couldn’t replace her thirst for tools made by me. Those were her words, not mine.
Breathing deeply, I inspected my area again. The long velvet chaise I already checked, the silk-covered lamps that produced no clues, and the center coffee table that had an old newspaper opened to the entertainment page.
At first, I thought that page must hold a message and all I needed was the key to decipher it, but I have already tried twenty different ways with no results. My eyes landed on the chessboard in the corner.
I had dismissed this early on. I tried to move the board, but it wouldn't budge, glued to the table. That made me think it was important, so I checked all around the table and found nothing. Next, I tried to move a few pieces, but they were immovable, glued in their spots. It was useless.
I still have yet to find the damn safe, and it was driving me half mad. Where the fuck was it? I glanced down at Lex’s hatchet job on the floor, contemplating. If it's nowhere that I can see it, then it must be where I can’t see it.
With my hands raised and my gaze focused, I let my fire magic come forward. Fire flickered in my hand as I was deciding whereI was going to hit first when I heard a shriek. “What the hell are you doing?!” Avery quickly ran in front of me, blocking the spot I was going to light up first. “You can't use your fire here! This whole place is covered in wood! I don't want to be encased in a coffin of fire. Burnt fairy isnota good look for me.” He huffed as he kept his eye on my blazing hand.
Lex appeared out of the shadows with his trademark jackal of a smile. “I agree with the pretty boy. I don't think lighting this place up is the way to go.”
An ugly feeling rose within me, something I had not felt since I was a kid alone in a big house with dead ghosts and a father who had succumbed to his own despair. My lips curled as I sneered out, “So you can find your safe under the floorboards, but I can't? How typical of you, Lex. Always thinking you're the only one.”
His face fell as his eyes focused on me, his whole body grew rigid, gearing up for a fight. If that's what he wanted, I was ready. I wouldn't bow down to this fool who thought he was the one who had it the worst, the only one with pain.
