Page 95 of V for Vilified
My head still wasn’t totally on straight. I’d been focused on taking down the Organization for so long, and now it was here. I’d finally get my revenge. So why did it leave a bittersweet taste in my mouth? Did I know how to do any of this without being in constant danger?
“You doing okay?”
A humorless laugh left my mouth as I turned back to the window. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.”
“No, I’m not,” I whispered and peeked over my shoulder at her.
Her smile lost its luster. “I heard about Nigel.”
The burn was back in my throat, so I looked away. “Oh…”
Kate moved slowly to stand next to me. My ears tracked her pulse and movement all the way over, so it wasn’t a surprise when she touched my shoulder, but I still froze like it was. “I’m sorry, V.”
A tear escaped my eye, but I wiped it away. “Me too.”
Kate laid her head on my shoulder and wrapped an arm around my waist. For a half hour, she just held me. She didn’t say anything, didn’t spout empty words or try to make light of it or distract me with nonsense. She did the very thing I needed most. She held me close and was there for me, whatever I needed.
My phone erupted in another series of pings, and I finally laughed with feeling. “Bet that’s Cash.”
“That man is obsessed with you.” Kate scoffed and locked her arms under her chest. “Who am I kidding? They all are. Too bad it’s Watson time, my dear Sherlock.”
I grinned and padded over to my phone.
I was surprised to find the texts weren’t from Cash. Well, not all of them. I got one from everyone except Kris, Sungho, and Grams. Even Big sent one, though it just said “Test text, littlevampire. Phones are stupid,” with a weird emoji I had no idea how to interpret.
Ironically, most of the messages were from Aram. Guess it wasn’t only Cash who loved a good emoji. The Fae god was a fan, too. Another thing they had in common I couldn’t wait to tease my Fae Karen about.
The first few asked about how I liked my new digs—a phrase I never would’ve associated with another realm’s god—and the last two were a bit more insistent that if I didn’t answer, I was about to get raided in my new home. He pretended he was the spokesperson for the rest of them, but I’d seen enough of his head to know it was all him.
He wanted to see me. It’d been nearly three hours, and he proclaimed not even Grams could keep him from storming through to make sure I was okay. The dude was hilariously afraid of my grandmother. Lucille had obviously left a lasting impression on the poor guy’s knees.
I’d barely sent off my response before the doorbell rang.
Kate’s head whipped the direction of the front door and then back to me. “Damn. They don’t waste time at all.”
Snickering, I headed over and let the oversized menace in. Aram ducked his head, obnoxiously large and in charge, sporting an outfit that didn’t do more than act like a second skin. The doorway wasn’t big enough to accommodate his height. It nearly didn’t fit his musculature. He had to jigsaw puzzle his way into the foyer. But after he had, the visiting god stared down at me expectantly.
I pretended I didn’t know what he was thinking and made the giant wait for it. “I didn’t say you could come over.”
Aram’s expression clouded over. “But you didn’t say I couldn’t either, little mate.”
Kate sighed behind me. “My dude, desperation doesn’t look good on any man.” She gestured to all of him as if that’d explain everything. “Not even a god.” Her smile was pitying. “It’s lame.”
My friend was a goddamn joy, and I’d never let anyone tell me otherwise.
Aram brushed his hair back, hoping it’d hide his awkward discomfort. It didn’t. The powerful Nether Royal just got verbally bitch-slapped by a human, and I wouldn’t hesitate to remind him of it anytime he got cheeky.
“I only—” he started, uncharacteristically sheepish.
“It’s fine,” I finally relented, glancing at Kate over my shoulder. “Kate has to go check on Big, anyway.”
My girl didn’t even try to hide how eager my suggestion made her. She touched the bracelet on her wrist and nodded. “Yeah. He’s big and grumpy and tots not realm-broken. I probably should make sure he’s not causing a scene at any of the local bars like he did when he first got here.”
“Wait, what?” I asked before she scurried past us and stole Phillip’s car keys from the hook by the door.
“Ta-ta. Toodles. Love you. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” my bestie shouted on her way out.
