The car filled with silence. I stared out the passenger window, wondering where we were going, but honestly not caring. Anywhere besides where I’d been was fine by me.
“Well, you had to have done something different,” Sterling insisted, breaking our silence. “It didn’t just happen on its own.”
“I can’t think of anything.” It wasn’t a total lie. There wasn’t anything I could think of that I’d done differently. Well, besides the whole accepting what I was thing. Even though I knew that was the reason I was now free it seemed too cliche.
“Were his wishes different?” Sterling asked.
“Who? My last Charge?”
He nodded. “Yeah, were they different from others you’ve granted? Maybe that’s where the answer to your freedom can be found.”
“No, they were pretty typical. He wanted a Lamborghini, success, and to be married to the sexiest woman in the world.”
Sterling nodded in approval. “Nice. Not spectacular, but nice all the same.”
“Exactly, there was nothing unique about them.”
“What did that Eden chick say?” Sterling asked. “Wasn’t it something about freedom? Freedom in something?”
I shifted in my seat, suddenly uncomfortable. “Acceptance. She said there’s freedom in acceptance.” God, it sounded so stupid.
“And, she said it like it meant something to you. Did it?” He cast a quick glance my way.
It was clear he wasn’t going to let this go. “Yeah. It did.”
Embarrassment crept through me, twisting my stomach and causing my face to feel hot. I wasn’t sure why admitting this bothered me so much. Maybe it was because it made me feel like a fool. Like I’d had my head shoved too far up my ass to see something so simple.
Sterling slammed his palm against the steering wheel. A grin sprang onto his face. “That’s it! You must have somehow accepted yourself after granting that tool’s final wish, and that’s how you gained your freedom.”
“That’s what I’m thinking,” I said. “It was something he said that sent my mind down that path. I’d resisted what I was since day one, but my last Charge said something that shot that resistance out the window.”
“What was it?”
“That he thought I had the coolest job ever. He wished he could have it, but he’d already used his final wish.” I grinned as I scratched my neck. “He mentioned how I helped others by granting their wishes. I’ve never thought of it that way, so it took my mind down a different path—one that led to acceptance.”
“This all has me wondering if I’d accepted being stuck in crow form, would it have done anything for me? It’s an interesting theory,” Sterling said as he turned off the main highway and down a gravel road.
“Possibly,” I said. “Where are we going? Clearly you’ve figured out a safe place.”
Wherever it was, I wouldn’t be here long. I needed to figure out a way to get to Alayna. She was all I could think about.
“We’re heading somewhere I haven’t been in a while.”
Skepticism pooled through my lower stomach. “And, where is that?”
“My older brother’s.” Dread weighed his words down.
I gave a nervous chuckle. “You don’t sound thrilled to be headed there.”
“I’m not.”
I glanced at him and arched a brow. “Are the two of you not on good terms? Should we be going to his place?”
I kicked myself for having trusted him so blindly. My stomach knotted and I wondered if I shouldn’t have taken him up on his offer to get out of there. Maybe I should have left on foot and alone instead.
“It’s difficult to say. I guess it would depend on Lorenzo’s mood. He’s unpredictable.”
Unpredictable people weren’t necessarily bad, but they weren’t good either.
I frowned. “Okay.”
Sterling didn’t try to reassure me. Instead, he turned down another dirt road. This one sported massive potholes. He slowed his car to a snail’s pace as he inched down the road, cursing under his breath.
“I haven’t been home in a couple of years. I can’t believe he let the road get so damn bad,” he snapped after hitting a five-inch deep pothole. “Lorenzo probably had these made to keep people away.”
That seemed extreme, but then again, I didn’t know the guy.
“You never did tell me why you were tied to that stand by Dickhead and trapped in your crow form,” I said, hoping to get his mind off the damage being done to his car from the road and to learn something about him. Unease from the situation built in my gut.
Metal scraping against rock made both of us wince. My gaze shifted to the side mirror, checking to make sure we hadn’t left a piece of his car behind with that one. Nothing was there.
“We could always walk. You do know that, right?” I asked. “I have no problem with parking and walking the rest of the way to your brother’s place. I mean, as long as it’s not miles away still.”
“Not happening. We’re not walking. Lorenzo likes to booby trap stuff. He also has guards patrolling. There’s no way in hell I’m stepping foot outside of this vehicle until we’ve reached the house, and he’s come outside to greet us himself.”
Lorenzo sounded like he took his privacy seriously. I glanced out the passenger window, searching for the guards Sterling mentioned. There didn’t seem to be anything besides desert for miles.
Until I spotted a set of silver eyes through the night keeping pace beside us.
A second set became visible. And then a third. We were surrounded. It only took me a second longer to figure out by what.
Wolves—an entire pack of them.
“And, those would be Lorenzo’s guards, right on cue,” Sterling insisted. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, turning his knuckles white, and fear uncoiled in my gut. “I’m telling you right now, if you step foot outside this vehicle, they will have you pinned to the ground, ready to tear your throat out in two seconds flat.”
“Sounds like you’re speaking from personal experience.”
Sterling tossed me a grin. “I am. Trust me, you don’t want to screw with those guys. Lorenzo pays them well for their services.”
I glanced in the side mirror again, counting how many sets of silvery eyes I could see. Three. Or was that four? Was there the same amount on the other side of the vehicle?
Why did Lorenzo need so much protection?
“I was sleeping with Sapphire, one of Greed’s women. In his bed. While he was away on a business trip. He wasn’t supposed to be back for a few more days but decided to return early. He caught us getting ready to do the dirty and forced me into my crow. Then, he secured me to that damn golden stand. I’ve been there for about a week or two. Who knows, time moves excruciatingly slow when you’re tied to something in a not fun way.”
I laughed. This guy was nuts.
“What’s so funny?” Sterling asked, casting me a sideways glance.
“You’re one dumb SOB.” I chuckled.
“Yeah, yeah. We all make mistakes.” He shrugged and continued down the shitty dirt road flanked by wolves. We didn’t have to drive much farther before a massive house came into view. “And, here we are. Home sweet home.”
I stared up at it. It was three stories tall and seemed to go on forever. I’d never seen such a large house.
Sterling came to a stop in front of the gigantic steps and cut the engine on his car. He didn’t move to open his door, though.
“Like I said, I’m not stepping foot outside this vehicle until Lorenzo comes outside to greet us,” he insisted.
The wolves circled the car. I decided I wouldn’t be stepping out until they were called off by Lorenzo either.
“He’s enjoying this,” Sterling seethed as time ticked away. He shifted to glance through the windshield at a new angle and flipped off the house. “Fuck you, Lorenzo. Come call off your damn dogs.”
One of the wolves growled loudly and then bumped into the side of Sterling’s car. I kne
w it was in response to his jab at saying they were dogs instead of wolves. Probably not a smart idea.
Granted, this was the guy who’d been okay with sleeping with a Sin Demon’s woman. He clearly wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed to begin with.
“Okay, okay. Sorry. Back off the car,” Sterling shouted as he tossed his hands in the air, surrendering to the wolf.
Movement from the front of the house captured my attention. A tall guy who Sterling resembled started down the front steps as he lit a cigar. They shared the same dark hair, olive complexion, and angular features. He said something, but I wasn’t able to make out his words. When the wolves moved to him, I knew he’d been speaking to them.
“It’s safe to come out now, little brother,” Lorenzo insisted. He took a puff from his cigar. Smoke swirled through the night around him, giving him an even more ominous vibe. He screamed power and authority. “You and your friend.” His eyes locked with mine through the windshield and my heart rate accelerated.
“Let’s go,” Sterling said. He reached for the handle of his door. “I’ll do the talking. At least until Lorenzo asks you to speak.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
I popped open the passenger door and stepped out, hoping Sterling’s mouth didn’t get me killed. Lorenzo looked dangerous. Why had Sterling thought he would help us? Better yet, why hadn’t he been home in forever?
My stomach twisted. I probably shouldn’t have left Dickhead’s lair with this guy, I should have tried to make it out of Sin City on my own. At least then I’d be on my way to Alayna instead of feeling as though I was about to be eaten by wolves any second.
Lorenzo’s eyes locked with me, and I wondered if he could feel my fear. Was he the same type of shifter as Sterling, a crow? I assumed that was how the crow lineage worked, that it was passed down, but I truthfully had no freaking clue.
Shit. I was in over my head. By a long shot.
Chapter Six
Sterling took a step forward. “Hello, brother.” Even though I was human, I was still able to pick up on the nervousness lingering in his tone. I hoped he knew what he was doing by coming here. “Long time no see. How have things been?”
“Tell me what you want. Why have you brought someone I don’t know to my home in the middle of the night?” Lorenzo asked in a deep voice.
“Well, you see, well… that’s a funny story actually.” Sterling shuffled his feet in the gravel of the driveway while he scratched the back of his neck. “One hell of a funny story, but there is a happy ending.”
Lorenzo took another puff from his cigar. “I’m not in the mood for humor. Give me the barest details.”
The wolf closest to him growled, showing his teeth, and Sterling stiffened beside me. I swallowed hard. This guy didn’t have much patience, it seemed. Not even for family.
“Okay. Well, this guy right here used to be a genie,” Sterling said as he slapped me on the back. “Now he’s human.”
Lorenzo shifted his gaze to me. Ice traveled up my spine as I stared into his dark eyes. “Interesting,” he said, his eyes never wavering from mine. “How did you manage that?”
“Acceptance,” I said, deciding to go right to the truth. He didn’t seem like the type who enjoyed anything but.
Lorenzo exhaled a wreath of smoke. It swirled around his face before dissipating into the night. “Acceptance?”
I licked my lips. “Yes. I was given a message from someone that said there’s freedom in acceptance. Long story short, I ended up finally accepting what I was after granting a new Charge’s third wish. Somehow I was brought back to my Sin Demon. Not long after, someone named Eden came for him. She trapped him in a box.”
Was that too much information, or was it the right amount? Lorenzo was hard to read.
“When Greed disappeared, I was set free too. He had me trapped in my shifter form.” The way Sterling said this seemed to imply he was planning to use his brief entrapment as the excuse for why he’d been away so long, but the look on Lorenzo’s face said he wasn’t buying it. “No telling where the box took him, but I don’t think he’s going to be a problem for anyone anymore,” Sterling said. “Which is part of the reason why we’re here. We need help, Lo.”
If the nickname Sterling used bothered Lorenzo, he didn’t let on. Nothing in his expression changed. Not even his hauntingly intense stare.
“With what? It seems as though you figured out a way to get rid of your problem.” Lorenzo flicked the ashes of his cigar onto the gravel driveway, his eyes shifting to Sterling.
“Sort of. However, getting rid of one problem inadvertently created another. The underworld will be after us now. You and I both know that. They’re gonna want answers about what happened to Greed. My head will be on the chopping block, same as his, since I was there,” Sterling insisted as he squeezed my shoulder.
“Why did you come to me?” Lorenzo asked. “What about this situation made you think to come home?”
Bad blood seemed to ooze between the two. I swallowed hard.
“Because we’re family. Blood runs thicker than water. Also, you owe me.” Sterling’s last words came out in a shaky whisper, but they shocked me to the core.
My heart grew sluggish as I waited for Lorenzo to respond.
“I do not owe you, little brother. No matter what you believe, the happenings of that night were because of your actions. Not mine,” Lorenzo said in a low voice. “Things were not what they seemed. You let your bad judgment and short temper get the best of you, as I have said.”
I arched a brow. I’d been right about the bad blood between them.
Sterling made a scoffing noise. He looked as though he was about to say something asshole-ish, so I nudged him in the ribs. When he glanced at me, he was pulled back to the here and now. To why we were here.
“I’m asking for your help,” Sterling said. He swallowed hard, and for the first time, I realized how difficult it was for him to be here. Whatever happened between them must have been bad. Also, it was clear that Sterling wouldn’t have come to Lorenzo for help if he didn’t think we truly needed it. We were in deeper shit than I’d given us credit for, it seemed. “Not to dig up the past.”
The corner of Lorenzo’s mouth twisted up. “Come inside, little brother. Let’s figure out just how much of my help you need.” He shifted his attention to me. “As for you, while I may not know you, I am willing to offer my help. Getting rid of Greed, whether intentional or not, helped me in ways I do not intend to specify.”
I didn’t understand how my getting rid of Greed helped him, but I wasn’t about to ask. Details didn’t seem like something you could pry out of this guy without one of your bones being broken as payment. Maybe not by him, but definitely by one of his guards.
“Let’s head inside for a drink, shall we?” Lorenzo asked. “We will drink. We will eat. And tomorrow, we will figure out how to ensure both of your safety.” Lorenzo started up the stone steps to his house.
“Thank you,” I said even before Sterling could. He glared at me, making it known that he didn’t take kindly to me beating him to the punch.
“Yeah, thanks, Lo.”
Lorenzo said nothing as he continued up the steps. I started to follow him but paused when I noticed the wolves still present. They weren’t following Lorenzo, but instead remained where they were. Sterling took the lead on the steps, flipping the largest of the wolves off as he passed him. The wolf snapped and growled, sending Sterling bolting up the next few steps faster than the others. I nearly laughed, but then remembered I had to walk past them too. With my hands in my pockets, I started up the steps. There was no way I would be staying out here with the wolves alone. Their eyes were on me, but I didn’t glance their way. Instead, I kept my gaze straight ahead as I took the stairs at a steady pace.
I didn’t exhale the breath I’d been holding until I entered the house.
The petite blonde Lorenzo had serving our drinks handed me my third whiskey on the rocks. I took it from her, unable
to dim the goofy grin on my face. Being human again allowed alcohol to affect me the way it should.
And I liked it.
“Thanks,” I said to her, the word dragging.
“You, my friend,” Lorenzo said, catching my attention, “are definitely enjoying the taste of whiskey on your tongue. I gather it’s been a while?”
“You gather correctly, sir.” I took a long swig and then lifted the glass in a toast. “To you, Lorenzo, for inviting me into your beautifully massive home, the alcohol, and your help, thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome.” Lorenzo shifted his attention to Sterling. “The woman who came for Greed, you’re certain her name was Eden?”
“Yeah,” Sterling insisted. He leaned back in the black leather armchair he sat in, and sipped from his glass of whiskey. “Do you know her?”
“I know of her. She’s… interesting to say the least. If she has in fact captured Greed as the two of you claim, then I have no doubt she’ll soon be in possession of other Sin Demons soon enough.” Something in the way he spoke and the smirk on his face let me know he was satisfied with Eden gathering Sin Demons.
This was sobering. Why did Lorenzo want all the Sin Demons out of the way? And what was this Eden chick up to? Why did she want to capture Sin Demons inside that box of hers anyway? What was it for?
“I’ve never heard of her, myself,” Sterling insisted.
“Most haven’t,” Lorenzo said as he swirled the ice in his drink.
Greed Page 4