Pru stops me before I head out the door. Just isn’t in the hotel so I wonder quickly why Pru halts my continuation.
“I know you heard us,” he mentions, the danger in his tone reminds me they’re not safe. They never were. Much like Ridge, they’re a danger to me and everyone else.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” I hurry to defend. I’m a shit liar, but not as bad as the others.
His grip tightens over my biceps, his fingers digging in. “There are things you don’t know about us, Ross. While you may have grown up with us, a lot can change in a decade. We’re not soft or nice, don’t test us.”
I nod placidly, not knowing what else to say or do to satisfy his suspicion. I’d heard every word and there’s not a single ounce of doubt that I have about telling the others.
Yeah, our trust is lacking a foundation, but they’ve always protected Colt. This information might just save her life.
Once we’re on the road, Just puts on music and immediately early 2000s emo music fills my ears. It’s not news we’re all born in the wrong generation music-wise but that doesn’t stop our appreciation of it.
Tapping my fingers to the music, wanting to rage with Underoath and scream out at the injustices of living in general, knowing that nothing in life is promised or certain, I bang my head.
Pru screams with the music, his rage and obvious pain effervescent to my ears. Just taps the steering wheel and we continue at this pace for hours. By the time we’ve stopped, it’s in the middle of nowhere.
There’s two vehicles, black sedans, and nothing else. We’re in the middle of the desert. Cacti and red rocks are all that entertain us while we pull up.
Once we’re parked, the silence falls like a tumbling of boulders from the sky. It’s deafening and dangerous. It’s almost as if the lack of words is the answer to all the questions I have never asked.
“Ready?” Pru asks. He pulls out a handgun, cocking it, and putting it back under his shirt. Just does something similar while I sit and twiddle my thumbs.
Let’s hope they don’t want me dead.
Opening the doors, they both get out and I follow soon after. They head to the back for their bags and I just wait for their move.
They said Lux wants to meet up with us, but he doesn’t know I heard that earlier. For the most part, I’m not worried. The most pain Lux would ever offer me is unrequited love, and I’d rather die than continue to experience it.
We head for the vehicles, our feet crunching on the gravel. A man steps out of one of the cars and for some reason, he seems familiar.
I can’t exactly place why, but he does.
He’s tall, his face holding an arrogance that’s earned from experience. His hands and neck are the only visible skin but they’re completely covered in tattoos. Much like me, he’s a rebel. The smugness on his face catches me off guard, but I don’t allow it to bother me.
I’m in his court and since I’m blind to most things Vestige related, my fear is unwarranted. Death doesn’t scare me, living does.
When we’re mere feet away, the back door opens and then jumps out my girl. Our girl, if I’m honest. She rushes to me, not stopping at the twins. I don’t have enough time to prepare for her to jump into my arms and barely keep us from falling to the ground.
“Rossy!” Her voice sounds emotional, thick with worry. I kiss her cheek, holding it there, missing the way her sweet citrusy scent mingles through my nose like an aphrodisiac.
“I’ve missed you, Corpse,” I rasp, my own emotions taking over. She doesn’t let me go, holding me as deftly as I hold her. When she pulls back to peer at me, she brings our lips together and I swear my breathing catches at the way our mouths meet.
She controls every movement, taking every ounce of stress away and replacing it with her kind of soothing touch.
“I was so scared. Don’t do that ever again,” she hisses after breaking the kiss. I can hear her whimpers before seeing the tears. My lips meet each one. Tasting the sorrow she offers is the sweetest gift.
“I’m not leaving your side, I promise.” Carrying her with me, I only just realize a conversation has been had since I’d been sucked into Colt’s presence.
The way she koala hugs me brings me so much peace. It’s crazy to have a touch love language and be without human touch for days on end.
“We need to head back,” the man mentions.
Colt pouts before dropping to her feet. “Dad, this is Rossy. Rossy, this is my dad, Mortem.” Mortem, as she called him, eyes me skeptically.
I’m sure I’d have been on the other side of this look many times if any of the girls I’d fucked meant anything to me. But Colt’s the first person I’ve been more than bedmates with, and it’s weird to be on the receiving end of a caring father.
Can’t relate.
“Nice to meet you,” I mutter. He doesn’t share the sentiment and gets into the passenger side of the vehicle.
Colt guides me to the back, holding my hand along the way. “I’ve missed you,” she notes before we get inside.
Inside there’s several people.
Lux, Bridger in the passenger side, and Ten in the back. The twins must’ve gotten into the other vehicle with Colt’s dad. I look at him, hoping to convey all the things I wanted to say when we’d split last time. It’s now that I realize he’s probably felt so guilty.
He nods and says I’m sorry.
“So, we’ve got a lot of shit to discuss,” Lux muses.
“Where are we going?” I question, unsure of it myself. Colt squeezes my hand, kissing my neck in an affectionate gesture.
I don’t know how she knows I need the contact, but I appreciate it.
“We’re heading home,” she finally says as everyone watches her for guidance. Something happened while I was away.
Something big.
But for some reason, I can’t put my finger on it.
“We can’t trust the twins,” I finally mention.
We all collectively glance at each other. “Why not?” Again, it’s Colt who asks. The control she has, the power she holds right now, it’s palpable, making me question what the fuck she’s been up to… what they’ve all been up to.
“I’d been pretending to sleep and they were having a conversation about killing someone.”
Bridger chuckles darkly.
“Don’t mind him,” Lux grumbles. “He’s a sociopath.”
“Shut up, Len. I’m laughing because you all act like they’re the only ones who have taken a life.”