Page 65 of Shadow & Stars
I really missed being able to do that, proper jealous of the guy. I’d stolen and hotwired plenty of cars in my time for various job-related reasons—some of the vehicles super luxurious.
I got in the back with my followers, happy to know I could take a seat. Michelle jumped into the passenger side, and Eric took off like a boy racer, spinning the car, tearing through the streets.
My kind of guy.
The dragon flew overhead, spewing fire into the street we were about to turn onto. Eric slammed on the brakes, pulling off a three-sixty turn. Hit the pedal and tore off as fire rushed after us.
“Bloody hell!” he bellowed, making a sharp left turn.
My insides were rattled, but my awe was bright. “Nice.”
He upped his speed, tearing across a roundabout, speeding up a hill. A cavalcade of ADU trucks came down the hill in the opposite direction as if manifesting from thin air.
“We should be with them,” Michelle said, turning to watch them speed past.
And the world needed her to be here. I felt zero guilt in pulling her away from this mess. Doing this got us our futures back.
I hope…
Man, I was banking a lot on everything slotting back into place. I mean, what did I really know? How dare I make any sort of calls?
Because I dare. End of.
Eric powered on, the sounds of violence thundering behind us. I didn’t look back, guilt deciding to gnaw at me now. Because it was my fault. I’d failed to stop Butterfly. Falling under his influence didn’t matter to me. Losing to him did. I should’ve done better to fight him, been a lot stronger. The Shadow operated on a different level. Beyond failure with an awesome record of getting shit done.
But you’re different now…
In this moment, I didn’t want to be different. I wanted to be the disconnected Roman Gold.
If he ever existed…
He did, albeit weakly. He held up his walls, did his duty, played his part in an empty life. Apart from the love for his grandma, finding solace in that circle of pure happiness which collapsed over a year ago when he lost her.
Gone now. Whatever happened next, I would never get her back. And I had to work through that, to get myself to a new place. Grief’s roots were deep and impossible to pull. Yeah, they could be forced into dormancy. I looked forward to that time. But no matter what, there would always be a hole inside me for my grandma. Impossible to fill, yet not impossible to live with.
Man, I really wanted to try eating life, to smash into the second chance Xavier gave me. This Roman wanted to evolve.Iwanted to rebuild myself with bricks of love and hope.
I’ll make this right.
Fresh fuel hit my inner fires. I sat straighter, the good fight an inferno.
I’ve got this.
I’ve fucking got this.
Eric hit an A road, passing more ADU units. Road signs pointed to the junction for the M1 motorway. Using the southbound lane, we’d soon be in London.
I took the time to think, watching the road lights go by. It was quieter here compared to the carnage we’d left behind.
For now.
Something strange drifted into my mind. A sensation like moving, or even slipping out of myself. No. Not out, butbetweenmyself.
Huh?
20
XAVIER
