Page 4 of Graves & Griggs
“Owe you what?” he asks cautiously.
A wicked grin crosses my face. “Anything. A favor to be called in at anytime, anywhere, for anything. No questions asked.”
He seems to think it over before he looks to me.
“I’m assuming this is non-negotiable.”
I nod. “See what I said? Potential. We’ll be in touch, Griggs. Whenever the mood strikes,” I say as I begin moving to the door.
Before I step out, though, I pause.
“Oh, and if you wouldn’t mind taking out your boss, that would be great. I’ve already reported the job complete and have been compensated. I don’t need your little group coming after me for revenge.”
“You mean the Brethren?” he asks.
I shrug. “Whatever you guys want to call yourselves.”
Chapter One
Zayden
6 Years Later
“You worry too much,” I say with a shake of my head.
“You don’t worry enough,” Dominic snaps, walking around to stand in front of me.
I shake my head and begin walking away when Dominic clutches my arm, pulling me back to face him.
“I’m serious, Zay. We have to come up with a plan.”
I shrug him off and shake my head. “It’s fine. We’ve taken precautions. The house is locked down. Our phones are back in Seattle. We’re at a safe house for Christ’s sake. What more do you want to do?”
“More! Our family is worth too much to leave anything to chance.”
I look away from him and out to my angel on the beach. She’s building sandcastles with Aries and Ryder. Well, she’s building them with Ryder, and Aries is stomping them to pieces. I watch as Ryder leaps for him, tackling him to the ground before putting him into a headlock. We’ve been training the boys since they couldwalk, practically. Not to be killers but fighters. To hold their own, to protect themselves and their future brothers and sisters. Whenever it is Blake will let us have more, that is.
The twins’ birth was really traumatic for her. Aries flipped at the last minute, and they had to do an emergency C-section. She lost a lot of blood. I almost burned the goddamn hospital down while we waited to hear if our reason for life was alive and well or gone.
Her recovery was the worst part, though.
She was hit with some serious postpartum depression that took her to a dark place. I was worried I’d never see light in my angel’s eyes again. But we made it out the other side together, and she’s the best mother, the best woman. We love our family, but it’s no secret Dominic and I have been craving to add to it. As many as she’ll allow us to have. Even I know better than to push her on it, though. It was… dark. She has to want it, and so we have to be patient.
The boys are six now. Growing up so fucking fast and absolute terrors. Ryder is quieter, steadier, but when his temper goes, it’s a fucking force. Aries is more reckless. He’s the act-first-and-think-later kid. I’m not saying he’s a carbon copy of me at that age, but… yeah, he’s me and then some.
They both got Blake’s blonde hair, and both inherited Dominic’s brown eyes. I refuse to believe that means he fathered them because we know it was obviously me. To be fair, one of my angel’s eyes is brown too, so it’s anyone’s guess.
I feel myself smiling at them, my chest filled with so much peace and love I swear to God it’s gonna burst. Turning to face my brother, I nod in agreement.
“What’s the plan?”
“First, we need to establish where their resources begin and end. This isn’t just anyone—this is the Four Horsemen. They’re nasty sons of bitches. Why you took it on to begin with is beyond me.”
“Not helping,” I gnash at him as guilt eats away at me.
Mainly because he’s right. We always swore we’d never get into bed with the Four Horsemen. They’re nasty pieces of shit that Dominic and I met when Maxim adopted us. Two brothers and their two best friends. We went one way, and they went another, but while Dominic and I are organized, methodical, they’re… reckless. I’ve seen Desmond go as far as to eat his kill afterwards, too high off the buzz of it all and just crazy enough to not let a single qualm get in his way. He makes me look like the goddamn Easter bunny.
The thought of them getting within even fifty feet of my family sends a chill down my spine. I’m not scared of anything or anyone, but seeing as I just killed Desmond and Dennis’ sister—by mistake I’ll add—yeah, they’re out for our heads.
