“So, boys, you’ve got it all handled, yeah?” Reggie asks, sauntering into the room like she doesn’t have a care in the world. Or at least she wants us to think that. I can sense differently. Her aura is a grayish yellow, giving away the concern she’s trying to hide.
Mack rushes forward. “How is she?”
“She’s still out. Cole was going to clean her up and watch over her. I made sure the rest of the entrances were sealed shut for now.”
“And we’re just going to let the asshole who’s been a ginormous cock knob to her since day one care for Fate? He’s more likely to argue with her or piss her off than coddle her. And we all know my woman deserves some damn good coddling at the moment,” Thad grumbles.
My eyes narrow on him. “Don’t forget, he’s still the leader of this group, and we need to respect that.”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get your panties in a twist there, Knoxie boy. I get it.”
“Plus, they need some time to...work through their issues. Don’t you think?” Reggie asks.
Macklin nods. “She’s right, guys. Fate needs Cole’s mark to complete the bond.”
“Fine. We can be patient. Right, bro?” Levi asks his twin, placing his hand on Thad’s shoulder.
“I hate it when you all gang up on me,” Thad mutters.
“So, it’s settled. Let’s get the rest of this shit taken care of, and then we can all throw our feet up in the office while we wait. There’s a bottle of your favorite Macallan in there,” Reggie states, lifting her hands and flinging brooms through the air at Thad and Levi with a smirk.
“You had me at whiskey,” Levi quips and nudges his brother’s shoulder toward the ash pile left from their little spirit play toy earlier.
By the time the chamber is clean and the tile once again sparkling, we’re all exhausted. Mack leads the way to the office, and Levi heads straight for the bar to pour our drinks. Our resident nerd walks around the space, looking at items that haven’t been touched in over a century.
Reggie walks in and pauses when she spots Mack inspecting a fountain pen and stack of papers on the lone desk in the room. “That’s Fate’s desk. That letter in your hand, you left it there for her the last time you were in here.”
Mack looks astonished as he reverently runs his finger across the page. “We had something special planned for her.”
“You did,” Reggie agrees softly.
“What happened?”
Her despair hits me like a punch to the gut. “I don’t know. I wish I did.”
Levi walks over and hands out drinks, and the fact that Mack takes one says a lot about his emotional state. Along with women, he typically avoids alcohol since he says it impacts how quickly he can access information. We sink into the sofas with glasses of amber liquid in our hands. Reggie is staring off into the fire as if it can give her the answers to the questions we’ve all been asking.
“Think they’re still okay?” Macklin asks, his voice hesitant like he doesn’t want to ask but can’t help himself.
“They’re fine, Mack. Actually…” I trail off, sensing Fate is awake through our bond. She’s tired and sore, but the hints of desire tell me that she’s going to be just fine. “She’s awake. And I’m pretty sure Cole’s up now too.”
Mack jumps to his feet. “That’s great! Can we…”
Reggie cuts him off without even looking back. “Let’s give them their space, Mack.”
We all eye her a little warily for a moment. Her despair from earlier is growing, and if she doesn’t knock it off, I’m going to have to do something about it.
Glancing at Mack, I quickly reassure him. “I can tell you that they’re both feeling the effects of the fight, but they’re otherwise totally fine.”
His shoulders slump, and I feel like I just kicked his puppy.
“We feel your pain, Mack,” Levi says, holding his glass up in solidarity, and Thad clinks the glass with his own.
A moment later, the room starts to feel overly warm. Glancing around, I note the fire is still fairly small, definitely not big enough to give off the level of heat I’m suddenly experiencing. A trickle of sweat drips down the side of my face, and I swipe it away.
“Is anyone else in here getting warm?”
“Nope,” Thad responds.
Levi shakes his head.
Reggie mutters, “I wish.”
Mack looks at me quizzically. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, ” I mumble, though silently I question what the hell is going on. The emotion in the room, while high, isn’t anywhere near the peak of my limits, but this feels remarkably close to that dangerous line. Something powerful is brewing.
“You sure? You’re looking a bit flushed and are acting a little...shifty.”
“It’s just…”
The sensation floods me then. This isn’t your typical kind of warmth. This heat is created when two people who share a deep bond start to become physically intimate. I’ve felt something like this before, but nowhere near as strong. With all of the fiery emotions between Cole and Fate, it’s a wonder I haven’t spontaneously combusted already. I flush for a different reason this time, trying to block out a bulk of the feelings before I’m coming in my pants again. Don’t need a repeat of that any time soon.
Fuucckk!
“Knox? What is it?” Mack asks.
Suddenly, we’re all hit with an intense blast of power that knocks us all back into our seats. Reggie ends up halfway across the room.
Levi’s hand is holding his drink in the air, making sure he doesn’t spill a drop of the precious liquid. “What the fuck was that?”
“Fuck if I know,” Thad mutters, tossing back the last of his whiskey.
“Knox, what do you feel?” Macklin asks.
Sending my senses out, I suddenly know exactly what’s happening and can feel the tension and relief and desire that’s flooding the bedroom where Cole and Fate are holed up. “Um…” Fucking smooth, Knox!
All four sets of eyes turn to look at me.
Mack’s nervously wringing his hands now. “Is it Fate? Is she okay?”
Trying again, I clear my throat. “I’m not sure.”
Macklin’s eyes narrow on me, and his finger points in my direction. “You’re lying.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can tell you’re lying. Something inside me is…” He pauses, looking around the room. “Something is different. I can’t pinpoint it, but I can feel it. Thad, tell me something. Let me see if I can figure out if it’s true or a lie.”
Thad’s eyebrows shoot up. “Aren’t we a little old for two truths and a lie?”
“Just fucking do it!” I growl.
“Fine. Calm down, bro. Okay. Let’s see.” He rubs his chin between his thumb and forefinger before coming up with what is sure to be a doozy. “Fate, Levi, and I got it on while we were out on that ghost call. Right in the front living room. Clothes hanging from the curtains. Sweat dripping down our bodies. Our dicks sliding in and out of each…”
“Okay...that’s enough,” Mack says, holding his hand out like that alone will stop the huge taint biscuit who’s smirking on the opposite sofa. “That’s a lie. Right?”
“Shit, bro! How did you know? I mean, it could’ve happened, but my wankstain of a brother put a halt to it.”
Levi punches him in the shoulder.
“You know a client’s living room is not the time or the place, dipshit.”
“Fucking cockblock,” Thad mutters.
Macklin interrupts their bickering. “I’m not really sure how I know. It’s like that blast leveled up my powers. I can sort of...glean information from you and determine if what you say is true or not. Now tell me something else. Let’s try it again.”
Levi starts before Thad has a chance. “Fate shocked the shit out of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile driver.”
That earns him the side-eye from Thad.
“That’s….the truth,” Mack blurts out.
“
Bro,” Thad barks, “I thought we weren’t going to talk about that.”
“Too late,” I chirp. “We’ll discuss that little morsel when Cole returns.”
“Ah hell,” Thad grumbles.
“Your turn, Reg,” Mack claps excitedly, earning a glare from the spirit.
“Fine. I’ll play your stupid little game. I’m the one behind Fate’s death and disappearance.”
She says it with a straight face, and it’s our turn to glare at her.
“Mack?” I hiss.
He studies her for a moment, his head tilting to the side like it might help him think better.
“That one’s not quite as easy as the others. Mostly it seems like a lie, but there are hints of truth woven in. Maybe this new power isn’t as reliable as I was thinking it was.”
“Did you have something to do with what happened to Fate?” Thad snaps at Reggie.
Placing her hands on her hips, she stares him down. “She’s my best friend. What do you think, you big oaf?”
Ignoring the silent glaring contest now taking place, Mack’s disappointed eyes find mine again. “Guess I’ll need to work out the kinks. What about you, Knox? Feel any different?”
“Don’t think so,” I say, getting up and heading to the bar in the corner. “Feelings all within normal parameters. Auras are still there with normal intensity, though now that you mention it, after that little blast, you’ve all gained a silver band around the inner portion of your auras. Much like the one our little ghost has. So yeah, just your average empath stuff here.”
Thad walks up beside me and grips my shoulder with one hand while he holds his other hand out toward me for a refill. “It's okay to be average, Knoxie boy. We can’t all be awesome.”
He laughs like he’s the funniest thing to happen since Jo Koy.
When our eyes meet, I feel my power surge in a way it’s never done before.
Thad’s face gets serious, then his eyes well up and tears spill over. Before I can figure out what’s happening, he’s sobbing like a baby, throwing himself into my arms and holding on tight. I reluctantly wrap my arms around him, awkwardly patting his back.
“What the fuck just happened?” Levi asks.
Not sure what’s more odd, the fact that he doesn’t seem the least bit worried about his twin or that he’s got a hint of a smirk on his face.
“I honestly have no idea. He was laughing, and I just wanted to shut him right the fuck up.”
Mack quickly gets to his feet, rushing over to us. Meanwhile, Thad is still sobbing in my arms.
“You just changed his emotions. You thought it, and it happened.”
“I...I guess I did briefly think to myself that I wanted to make the big fucker cry, but I didn’t want him to turn into a blubbering mess!”
“Well, maybe accuracy will come with practice.”
“Fuck! How do I fix him?”
“Why fix him? I kind of like him like this,” Reggie mutters.
“Imagine him calm and relaxed?” Mack shrugs.
“Super helpful, mate.”
My hands are still patting the back of the giant man in front of me, but I close my eyes and imagine Thad calming down and getting just a little bit sleepy. I mean, it would be kind of nice to have him out of the way for a minute.
The crying slowly stops, and he stands, wiping his face with the back of his hand.
“Hey, Knox. ‘Sup, bro?”
“Uh...nothing. Why don’t you go have a seat next to Levi?”
Thad’s face turns until he eyes his twin, gives the head nod that is in every man’s silent vocabulary, then walks over and drops back into his seat.
Levi’s eyes are as round as saucers when they meet mine. “Bro! What the fuck? That was epic!”
Mack claps his hands together. “We’ve all leveled up. Levi. What have you got?”
He looks at us warily as we both move closer.
“Well...uh...I’m not sure.”
“Feel down deep inside yourself, in that place your power resides. It should feel different than it usually does,” Mack spouts off, suddenly the expert in the crazy that has enveloped us all.
We watch as Levi’s face scrunches up. He honestly looks constipated rather than powerful.
“Wait. I can feel it. It does feel different. There’s this warmth and brightness to it I’ve never experienced before.”
“Try to use that. Let’s see what happens,” Mack says excitedly. Dude really does cream his pants over a good mystery.
Levi closes his eyes, and suddenly the room is flooded with a bright light.
Covering my eyes with one arm, I shout, “Ok, shut it off...or pull it back in...or whatever the fuck. I don’t want to be permanently blinded.”
I peek out from behind my sleeve and see the room slowly returning to its normal state.
“That is totally badass!” Levi exclaims.
“Yay! You’re a giant flashlight,” Reggie deadpans, earning her a glare from Levi this time.
“So we can safely assume that if you have light, Thad has something with darkness as he’s your opposite.” Mack is pacing back and forth, muttering to himself. “But wait, what caused it? Do you think Fate and Cole were affected as well? Are they okay?”
My eyes meet Levi’s, and he must see exactly what I’m struggling to hide. “Oh, I think they’re just fine. Right, Knox?”
Perceptive bastard!
“Um. Yeah. They’re completely fine. More than fine, actually.”
“Then what the fuck is going on?” Thad asks around a yawn.
I look at Mack, and his eyes go wide.
“Oh!” His cheeks steadily grow pink.
“No way! She’s fucking the asshole first?” Thad groans, his eyes closing as he slumps further into the sofa.
Levi smacks him upside the head. Reggie tries too, but her hand sails right through.
“Hey! What the fuck, bro?”
“Could you be any more crude?” Mack says with a roll of his eyes.
“I mean, I could. Yeah.” Thad shrugs. “But I’m a little tired at the moment.”
Ignoring him, Mack says, “Well then. They’re obviously okay, so we should just...let them be for a few hours.”
“Sounds like a plan to me. Maybe I can play around with this light thing a little.”
“Don’t you dare! My eyes are still recovering.” I shudder dramatically, but the bastard just chuckles.
“We could always play two truths and a lie,” Mack suggests softly, a hopeful look on his face.
“Seriously, mate?” It’s my turn to groan.
“I mean, I want to practice my new ability. Practice makes perfect, right?”
“Fuck! Fine. But it doesn’t leave this room, understood?”
Macklin simply nods.
Levi drains his glass. “Count us in, after I get us refills.”
Thad just yawns.
“Someone’s gotta keep you all in line, so I’m in too,” Reggie says, settling herself on the floor in front of the fireplace.
I glance at the clock and decide to give the lovebirds a few hours. If they’re not out here by then, I’m going in after them. Can’t let the asshole have all the fun, after all.
I woke up in Cole’s arms. Let me repeat that just in case the ramifications of that statement haven’t hit home. I woke up in Cole’s arms. Crazy, right? The asshole sure does like to cuddle. I know, color me surprised too.
Never in a million years would I have thought that this could be real life. Oh, sure, my body wanted the insufferable man, but my brain wasn’t sold on the idea. Something about almost dying...again...changed that. Softened us both up to the reality of all of those complicated feelings swirling around inside of us - like a kid on a merry-go-round that’s had one too many sweets, but as soon as the spinning stops and he vomits it all up, he feels so much lighter.
Cole and I are that kid. Now we’re free of the mess that was holding us down. I know. I’m so awesomely dignified, it’s no wonder the Ga
teway chose me. Cue eye roll.
Things can only get better from here. Right?
Turning, I watch my alpha cover that amazing chest with a black shirt he found in the massive closet. Apparently old me was a little bit OCD. All of the clothes were organized by guy, then by color. Shoes were organized by style and then, you guessed it, color. Accessories put away in alphabetical order by type. She was apparently a very well organized woman or, as I have started to refer to her, a total psycho. I swear, some days I wonder if the guys found the wrong girl.
He notices me perving on him from my comfy perch on the side of the bed, my arms braced behind me and my legs swinging off the side, and gets that smirk on his face that does lovely things to my lady bits.
“Knock that off, love, or we’ll never make it out of this room.”
“Hmm...I mean, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, would it?”
“It would if the others come crashing through the door to check on you.”
“I repeat, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, would it?”
He just chuckles, walking over to me and wrapping those big arms of his around me as he pulls me up against him.
“I’m not sure how this used to work between all of us, but in this life, I’m not so sure I’m willing to share my time with you.”
Resting my arms over his shoulders, my hands play with his hair as I study those blue eyes of his. His sudden possessiveness has me biting my lower lip, all the ways we could take advantage of our alone time playing on a continuous reel inside my mind.
He pulls my body harder into his, all of our important parts lining up, his hard to my soft, and I can’t stop the moan that escapes my lips.
Trailing his lips along my neck, he whispers in my ear, “I can see those naughty gears turning,” he pauses, dragging his tongue around the rim of my ear, “but we really do need to check on the others. I need an update.”
With that, he gives me a quick kiss on the lips and sets me on my feet before walking toward the bedroom door.
I stand there, hot, bothered, and confused about what the hell just happened. Along with the fact that I can actually feel the concern radiating off him. I’m staring at him for all of two seconds before a big, dramatic pout appears on my face.
A Fate Unknown: A PNR, Why Choose Novel (The Ghost Girl Series Book 1) Page 23