Page 43 of Stone Seduction
Finn’s key, Luke entrusting it to me.
I don’t deserve your trust…
Dane’s lightness brought me down from a ferocious height. A friendly slap in the face to knock some sense into me.
I folded my arms, slowly getting a grip on myself. “What am I doing?”
“Living the life of a man with a beating heart.” His forehead creased. “That sounded a lot more profound in my head. Anyway, the point is, you’re riding your emotions. I’d have lost my shit. But you didn’t. That’s a win. That’s how far you’ve come, bro.” He winked. “Proud of you.”
I smiled, eyes back on the lighthouse. “I just needed a moment.”
“And I’ll let you have it now I know you’re safe.” His G-phone sang. “Carissa. I’ll deal with her.” He moved away, taking the call.
I tuned him out, striding toward the front door with the diamond-shaped window.
Man, I’d come so far, done the work to be a better gargoyle. This shit shouldn’t get to me. I knew that. But I also understood what it meant to be triggered, to be dragged back to a painful place against my will.
At the same time, I wanted better for myself and the people around me. Especially Luke. What would happen to him if I crossed the violent line again? Marked to me while I served a grueling sentence. Yeah, so great for him. Really, really great.
Dane returned, his boots crunching on the ground. “She’s fine. Told her you’re good.” He let out a long breath. “Blimey.”
“I like the zen me best,” I said out loud. “I like the responsible Asher, the one who…” I trailed off, shoulders sagging.
“Don’t blame yourself for this,” Dane responded. “Dickheads like Seth are great at pushing buttons. You’re doing great.”
Wallowing wasn’t my jam, but sometimes I dipped a toe in. Just for a few beats until I dusted myself off and faced the world with a spring in my step again.
“Thanks, buddy. It means a lot.”
“Good. It should.” He threw an arm around me, totally comfortable with my nakedness despite his earlier comment. “I’ve always got your back.”
“Likewise.”
“We’ll stay here for as long as you need.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome, bro.”
“We should be getting back,” I said, rolling my shoulders. “I’m done with being naked.”
Dane nodded. “Your balls are retreating from the cold. Poor things.”
I punched him playfully on the shoulder.
As we flexed our wings, ready to get back on track, the ground quaked so hard Luke’s car alarm went off.
What in the name of the stone gods?
The peninsula shook, the waves churning aggressively. Seagulls panicked, calling out their annoyance as they circled above us. The eyes of the lighthouse’s gargoyle statue flared in green warning.
Monsters?
We lifted off the ground, getting a better scope of the situation as the quaking died off. I listened to the car alarms wailing in the town, and a cacophony of animated human voices.
From what I could make out, there wasn’t any damage, no smoke billowing from a collapsed building or anything. In the east, the terror house still shimmered with its emerald glow, bright even in the daylight.
“Let’s—”
