Page 6 of Graves & Griggs
“Hello?”
“Remember that favor you owe me? I’m calling to collect.”
Chapter Two
Vincent
Avoice I haven’t heard in six years echoes through my ears, capturing my attention in an instant.
“Remember that favor you owe me? I’m calling to collect.”
Zayden Graves and the favor that’s been looming over my head all this time. I’ve often wondered what it would be, what he would come up with as repayment for saving my life. For the devil himself showing compassion and kindness. I always knew it wasn’t for nothing, that whatever favor he could command would be hell, and may even rescind that gift of life he gave me. It’s like he said so many years ago, though. It’s not like I really have a choice.
“What is it? The favor?” I ask, sitting further up in bed as I slip away from Skyla and walk towards the hall, so I don’t wake her. Wesley immediately takes advantage of the space as Ronan is on her other side. Liam and Asher are in their room—probably sound asleep if the noises at two in the morning were anything to go off.
Everyone has their own room in the house, and the sleeping arrangements vary by the day. Sometimes Liam and Asher have the night alone; sometimes they’re with Skyla. Sometimes Wesley and Ronan spend time alone. The constant is that I’m neverwithout Skyla. It doesn’t matter if I’m even in the bed—I’ll sleep on the goddamn floor—but I refuse to not be in the same room as her. It’s worked out over our last six years of marriage, and the others have come to accept it. That’s what life in a relationship like ours looks like: when five men all have the same wife, you make compromises. Or should I saytheymake compromises. I’m non-negotiable.
Moving through the hall of our cabin, I’m careful to keep my voice low near Seraphina’s room. She’s just getting over a cold, and I don’t want to wake her or the boys. We come out here every year the week before Christmas. It became a tradition after that first Christmas spent with Skyla.
“I’ll update you in person. We’ll be at your cabin in approximately eight hours.”
The blood in my veins goes cold. Graves is coming here? To the cabin? With my family? Absolutely not.
“You can’t?—”
“C’mon, Ryder. Get your shoes on, baby. We need to hurry!” a woman’s panicked voice sounds in the background.
I frown. Graves is with someone? He has a kid? I’m only assuming, but I could never picture the unstable hitman having a family, apart from his brother. My eyes move to the bay window, which showcases the couple of inches of new snow that’s fallen overnight.
“My kids are here, Graves. Whatever you need can’t involve them. I’ll meet you somewhere else,” I say.
“Mykids are here. They need protection,” he says through what sounds like clenched teeth.
“I’ll get them out of here and then?—”
“No one leaves. I’m gonna need you and all your brother husbands.”
I wrinkle my face at that. Brother husbands? What the fuck?
“You’ve been watching me,” I say flatly.
I hear rustling in the background before a bag is zippedshut.
“Of course. Eight hours, be ready to work. Oh, and put some fucking clothes on,” he says before hanging the phone up.
I look down at myself, realizing I didn’t get dressed when I slipped out of bed, then whip my head around the house. What the fuck? Does he have this shit bugged?
I take the stairs two at a time, banging on Asher and Liam’s door before slipping back into Skyla’s room.
Ronan and Wesley slowly lift their heads as Skyla stirs. Asher and Liam stroll leisurely into the bedroom, wiping the sleep from their eyes as Liam yawns.
“If you want me to suck you off, Vinny, you gotta let me wake up first.”
I scoff as Asher shoves Liam’s shoulder.
“We have a serious fucking problem,” I say, earning alert gazes from everyone in the room.
“Wait, they’re coming here? Like right now?” Asher asks.
