Page 79 of Hooked on a Demon
Declan closes the door behind them and then clasps her hand in his as she follows the sound of voices to the kitchen. Rounding the corner, she spots her mom first, standing at the counter with a glass in her hand. Dad comes in from the dining room next, followed by Everest.
It’s like time stops for everyone. Not a breath is released or a sound made for what feels like minutes, despite being only seconds.
“Oh. Hell. No.” Everest turns on his heel and makes to leave the room the way he came in.
“Everest, honey. Come on,” Cora says, following him, while Amos exits the kitchen and goes down the hall that she and Declan came through, to try and head Everest off. “Hear them out.”
“No. I don’t listen to liars.”
“If my memory recalls, you’ve been known to tell a lie or two yourself, son,” she hears her father say.
“Dad, move out of the way, please.”
“No. You will stop acting like a child who had his ball taken away and listen to your sister and best friend. They deserve at least that.”
“But dad?—”
Amo’s voice is firm. “I said no. Now sit.” They both know that tone with him. It’s his no-nonsense voice, and he only pulls it out when he means it. Clearly, even at thirty-two, Everest still understands it, because as Eliana and Declan enter the living room, she sees him sulking his way over to the couch. He sits roughly, crossing his arms over his chest like a child being admonished.
Cora sits in one of the armchairs at the side, with Amos taking the one across from her and near the exit closest to the door, leaving the loveseat facing Everest open. Sitting opposite him feels more formal than she would have liked, but she’ll take what she can get.
“Well. Say what you need to say so I can get out of here,” Everest says, his words clipped.
Her tone is soft, not timid, but soft nonetheless, as she starts, “We know how you found out about Declan and me wasn’t the best.” He grunts. “But, you need to know we didn’t want to hurt you. Which was part of why we kept it to ourselves for as long as we did. I was coming off an abusive relationship and a career injury.” Everest perks up. His eyes widen, and his mouth parts ever so slightly, like he wants to say something, but she presses on, knowing she needs to get this out. “I was a mess. In many ways, I still am. It was a chance encounter that led to us coming together when my car was towed to Hellbent Motors. The attraction was pretty instant, and when we realized there might be something there, we wanted a chance to figure it out ourselves before it came under scrutiny from anyone else. So yes, we lied, and for that, we are truly sorry. But, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, I love you; however, you don’t get to have a say in who I or Declan choose to spend time with.”
Glancing at her mom, she catches Cora’s nod. Everest is silent for way too long, with the room starting to feel uncomfortable as the quiet grows. Declan fidgets beside her, and she squeezes his hand, trying to comfort him the way he’s done to her many times before.
Eventually, Everest clears his throat. “What do you mean by an abusive relationship?”
Her gaze flicks to her parents and then to Declan, each of them giving her a nod. Their support means everything. This story is never easy, but each time she shares it, a little bit is lifted off her shoulders. She swallows and goes into her history with Sam and all that happened after her injury. Everest interjects a couple of times to ask a question, but when she’s done, he’s fuming almost as much as Declan was when she told him.
“I’m sorry you had to experience all of that. And alone. I should have been there,” he says, his contained anger evident in his tone.
“There’s nothing you could have done. But I appreciate the sentiment. I’m telling you all of this because I want you to see how much Declan has helped me. He’s been there for me since we started seeing each other. When I have moments of panic or when I shut down, he’s been wonderful. Patient and understanding.” She turns and looks at Declan, squeezing his hand. “He’s shown me what it’s like when someone truly loves you.”
Declan brings her hand to his mouth and kisses it, sending goosebumps all over her body. “It’s true, Everest. I have never felt this way about anyone, and honestly, I didn’t think I ever would. When she told me about Sam, I wanted to tear the world apart looking for him. And when she said last night that he was at the theater, all I saw was rage?—”
Everest jumps up, steam practically billowing from his ears. “What do you mean?” he says through a clenched jaw. “He was at the theater?”
“I, um, saw him at the end of the show. He’s been trying to reach out to me, but I haven’t responded.”
“So the fucker shows up, to what, intimidate you?” Everest paces the living room. “Not on my fucking watch.” Turning to Declan, he points aggressively at him, “Use whatever powers you have and track the shithead down. We have a special message to deliver.”
Declan laughs, but stops when Everest glares at him. “That’s not quite how it works.”
“Surely your sister-in-law could find him.”
“She likely could, yes. But I’m not going to ask that of her.” Declan stands, letting go of Eliana’s hand, leaving her feeling temporarily unmoored in this emotional storm. His hands land on Everest’s shoulders, holding him in place. “As much as I would love to have a word with this so-called man,” he looks to Eliana, “I am not going to do something that she doesn’t want me to. Now, if he approaches her, well, that’s a completely different story.” He winks at her, and she winks back. Knowing he would protect her somehow makes the implicit violence on her behalf endearing.
“Now, Everest, honey. Do you think you can overcome your feelings about these two being together? Knowing everything that you do now.”
Declan joins her back on the loveseat, taking her hand. She smiles at him, knowing that whatever Everest may say, she has no intention of leaving this demon.
“Yeah. It’s fine.” Everest waves in their general direction as if trying to brush them away. “Don’t be all lovey-dovey around me. I don’t need to see or think about what you two do on your own time.”
“Everest!” Eliana says, tossing a pillow at him as a blush creeps up her neck. She doesn’t need anyone in her family to know she has any kind of adult relations, let alone with the person sitting next to her. Despite the embarrassment, she gets up and hugs him. “Thank you,” she whispers into his ear.
“I want you to be happy, even if it is with him.”
