Page 46 of Sparks of Insanity
Blaze stepped further into the room, looking so deadly and unnerving for someone a few inches shorter than me, and smaller in build than me. I had a feeling those advantages wouldn’t gain me more than a second in a fight with him.
“You think you’re like us? What, just because you’re feeling a bit out of sorts lately? You’re not unhinged like me, or like my dads. You’re not hiding a body count, and willing to do whatever it takes to protect the ones you love, even if that protection hurts them. You’re not the one who’ll kill anyone who even looks at his woman, or baby. You’re not the one who-”
I rolled my eyes, faking courage I really didn’t possess.
“Okay okay, I get it. You’re the tough guy, and I’m just some pussy. Fine.Whatever. Getting tired of hearing your voice, Blaze.”
I should have died for that, but he laughed, shaking his head as he turned and headed for the door, his parting shot spoken as he left.
“You’re not so bad, Former Teach. Pity you’re a bit of a wuss though.”
The uncomfortable drive to this ‘house’ we’d be staying in took maybe an hour, but it was a nice place. It was definitely nicer than the place we’d been in, but now it would be my prison, rather than somewhere I could leave at any time. Being locked in there with Ember was really the only saving grace.
“What do you mean we don’t get a fucking key? Why not?”
Gray turned those savage blue eyes on me, and practically snarled his response.
“Because I don’t fucking like you, that’s why.”
“Gray. Look, we said you get a month, but that’s a month under our fucking thumbs. We will know where you are every damn minute. Em, let me show you around,” Dory said, leading her out of the room, while Gray stayed behind with me, because clearly I wasn’t getting the tour.
“Look, Gray, I-”
“Nothing you say will change what I think of you, prick. You’ll always be the fucker who deflowered my little girl. The fact that you tell it like she begged you to stop, just makes me all the more determined to gut you like a fish, and watch you bleed out. But then you see, I kinda want to see your skin crack and peel as you burn to death too, so it’s a catch twenty-two for me. So many options, so little life in you.”
Disturbing fucker. Still the fire fantasy made sense, since all their kids had fire names. Obviously it was Gray’s influence, wasn’t it?
“I tried not to hurt her, Gray. Whatever else you think of me, I tried so fucking hard.”
He stepped closer, his fists clenched at his sides.
“I know you think you’re saying the right things, but you’re not. I get that I’m not a good guy either, but I’m a guy who’d do anything to keep my family safe. You’re a predator. You’re a threat to them, and whether you’re still a better, more decent guy than me or not, I don’t give a fuck. One word from my daughter, and I’ll make sure you suffer. Trust me when I say I can’t fucking wait.”
“Dad!” Em was back and putting herself between us. What a man I was, standing behind an eighteen year old girl, while she faced off against my enemy. Jesus. Did I really think I had a future with this family, when this is how I felt about her dads?
“You’ll be going now then?” I asked irritably, wondering why the fuck they were still lingering.
“Ground rules first, fuckhead.”
Dory rolled his eyes, pointing to the front door and windows.
“Impenetrable. Don’t even try. If you damage this place, I’ll beat your ass. My daughter stays happy, and gets happier. You fuck that up, and Gray gets to have his fun. Weekly check-ins will be at a time we choose, and you won’t know when it’s coming. If we don’t get to talk to our daughter, without you hovering over her shoulder, we cut this short. If she’s in any way injured, or upset, or doesn’t seem like she’s in a better place than she is right now, we cutyoushort. Any questions?” Well, that about covers it, right?
“Yeah, when are you both leaving?”
They both chuckled, but it wasn’t a pleasant sound.
“Food delivery is on its way, as are art supplies, as soon as we’ve taken delivery, we’re gone. You two might want to get your stuff up to your rooms or whatever.”
Great. Those deliveries can’t come soon enough for me.
27
Ember
By the time wewere alone again, it was early evening, and we were both exhausted. It’d been a pretty eventful day. My dads had left a new phone with me, courtesy of one of the many deliveries they brought in, and then they left, locking us securely inside the house.
It reminded me of our old house that Blaze now lives in with Anneka, because it was super modern, very devoid of personal touches, and very high tech. The doors were coded and locked, and the windows were made of that unbreakable stuff my dads like so much.
