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"We knew you and Sunshine needed time together, and we're more than capable of taking some of the load off your plate, but we also want to know your thoughts with our plan." Waiting for him to think it over, I knew he'd agree because we'd moved in similar fashions before.
"It's the only way to make sure she stays secure and safe. The people hunting her don't have access to her contacts still. She's too new for them to know. Taking her back to the city where we'll have Augustus's army to help sounds wise with how ours just got cleaned out." Losing fifteen good fighters, we knew we'd have to host a wake in their honor, supporting the families for the rest of their lives to help lift the burden of their loss.
"So we're in agreement then?" I questioned the two others. With all of us nodding, we'd be forcing Sunshine to separate from our sides, but she'd have Costas with her to help ease the shift in this dynamic.
seventy-seven
Millie
"What are you saying?" I crossed my arms as I stood across from them in Tony's office. Through the wild events of last night, I kept trying to hold myself together, but I found I'd only been anchored while with Costas near the fire. Being used so openly, so raw in our emotions, helped me sort my thoughts. Even though I hadn't been awake for my raping, I knew it happened, and that fucked with my mind even more. Not being able to recall the violation kept haunting my thoughts like a broken record stuck on repeat of the nightmare.
"It's no longer safe for you to be near us," Draven exhaled sharply like it pained him to say it. His forlorn stare admitted what he couldn't speak out loud.
"But-but I just got back. We're barely back together!" I argued as tears began to gather in my eyes. I thought I'd cried them all out, but today kept testing my limits when it came to my emotions.
"This wasn't an easy choice for us, either, Emilia." Tony tucked his hands in his pockets. "But it's not forever. It's just until we eliminate the threats standing against us."
"All the more reason for me to stay at your side!" I pleaded for them to rethink their choice. "We're better together..."
"If you are close, you will forever be the target they seek," Draven jumped in. His eyes took a darker turn, steadying the brute that sought to come out.
Heaving, my chest felt like it might collapse within itself. Every time my back straightened a little more, I could feel where the tree bark dug into me only hours ago. "But you promised we'd never separate. You promised we'd stay together."
"And we are together!" he fought back, showing me every emotion his monster tried to hide from me. The ferocity of his affections directed at me. "You are my Sunshine, Millie! You were a gift I've no doubt my mother sent me to remind me that lights like you still exist. You are everything that keeps me going, even when that means putting distance between us to protect you."
"I should have a say! I'm a partner too." Letting my eyes scan between the three of them, even if I did, I knew I'd been outvoted.
"We're sending Costas with you while Draven and I go hunting." Tony acted like that would appease me enough. "Even if you were to stay here, we'd be gone. We're not waiting around for them to come this time, so we're leaving too. Why don't you take this time to go visit your father?"
Using something I wanted more than anything against me, I knew why he did it. I could see the logic in their plans, but I didn't want to part for a duration of time without knowing when I'd see them again. Costas cleared his throat. "I'll be bringing my mother with us too. Now that her name is in their ears, they'll never stop bringing her into this."
"I'm so sorry," I begged him to forgive me.
"She wouldn't have it any other way," he politely told me. "I plan to keep you all under the same roof to keep an eye on you at the same time."
"Then we'll stay with my dad," I added. "If we have to go back and be away from each other, we'll go to the one place I feel safest. Kasey will too." Mentioning my best friend, the men winced. She'd been sedated for sleep, but she began to slumber with tears in her eyes. Her heart still too heavy after losing Rocco. Even though she hadn't told me she caught feelings, she mentioned being exclusive, and for her, that was as close as she'd get.
"Would you like to arrange that?" Tony asked me. Nodding my head, I knew he'd be thrilled to see me come home, but he wouldn't like the current state of my body or my mind.
"I'll set up our stay, but I expect phone calls and updates as often as possible."
"Always," Tony agreed.
Tutting from my lips, I found that word to stir up more ill feelings about this plan. "Always my ass."
"Always means forever, Sunshine, and forever means longer than our temporary separation." Draven kissed my temple, keeping me close to breathe me in. I caught a whiff of his sandalwood scent in our close proximity. "We will come for you once it's safe. You are ours. You will only ever be ours."
"Then learn to belong to me too." Kissing his cheek, I left the room to go pack and call my dad.
***
Our flight felt hollow. Kasey kept to herself. When she refused the wine from the attendant, she told me she'd rather feel her suffering for another day. Whiskers sat on her lap as the kittens slept in their box on the seat next to me. My best friend needed a comfort she wouldn’t allow me to be, so my cat snuck his way in. The emotional depth of losing Rocco couldn't be compared to the guys forcing me to leave their side, but I hadn't been a peach either. How could I be when they were about to go after people who'd rather see them dead?
With Costas by my side, I felt like their odds went down. The man knew how to fight and execute every mission. It made me feel fine on our end, but he would've favored their end better right now. Though, with his mother joining us, I couldn't help but wonder if his choice had something to do with her.
"You're thinking too much," Costas whispered from the driver’s seat, steering us into the city I once belonged in. After living on a small island with less traffic, the blaring horns and angry people didn't feel like home anymore.
"Am I that easy to read?"
