Page 173 of Seizing Control: Part Two

Their sweetness is my undoing. I climb out of the monstrosity that they’re trying to pass off as a bed and duck into my ensuite bathroom. I takes me a moment to find the bag I’m looking for, but once I do, my relief is instant. Retrieving the two bottles from the toiletry kit that I hid them in months ago, I pop off the lids, then I spray them all over the t-shirt I’ve chosen for sleeping. Ducking my nose inside the collar, I inhale until all I can smell is Lazarus and Slash mixed together.

It’s not enough, so I repeat the process with my pillow and the comforter.

By the time I’m done, my entire bedroom is filled with their combined scent.

I pull the covers over my head and lose myself in a cocoon of spiced amber, cardamom, and labdanum. My tiredness finally catches up with me, and I fall into a sleep so deep that I don’t hear a thing until Garrett’s cries over the monitor wake me up at sunrise.

Out of habit, I reach for my phone to check the time.

As I uncurl my fingers, something drops onto the floor.

I climb out of bed to retrieve it.

My heart skips a beat when I find a new charm.

It’s a gold bident with sapphire tips.

Clutching the pendant tight, I thread my arm through my robe and tie the sash with jerky movements. After threading the charm representing Hades onto my bracelet, I see how early it is. It’s just before five. If the increasing ferocity of Garrett’s wailing is an accurate indication this is the beginning of my day.

When I notice that Nadia has replied, I open our thread with trepidation.

NADIA: I didn’t give him the letter, Anna

NADIA: He found it when he was pawing around in your underwear drawer a few months ago

NADIA: I did help him design the bed

NADIA: ‘Cause I’m ride or die *and* I understand the importance of a good night’s sleep ;)

“I am going to kill you,” I promise the photo attached to Nadia’s contact card. The temper that has lain dormant since Garrett unexpectedly arrived begins to flare back to life. Rage coils in my stomach as I envision how I’ll wipe the smugness off my best friend’s face permanently. “With nothing but my bare hands and a piano string.”

The rhetorical threat does nothing to calm me down.

In fact, my temper reaches fever pitch when I discover the note telling me to take the elevator next time that was left on my bedside table. It’s signed ‘With eternal love and infinite care, the men giving you the time and space you requested’.

“Those bossy, arrogant...” Trailing off, I search for the correct level of profanity to express how furious I am at their overstep. “Know-it-all, lying... bastards! They couldn’t even last one night—” I let out a scream of frustration. “—One fucking night.”

When I my son adds his voice to my outrage, I angrily snatch the monitor from my nightstand, jam my phone into my pocket, and spin on my heel. My jaw aches from clenching my teeth and every stomp I take toward the door separating my room from Garrett’s hurt. Unfortunately, stamping my feet is the only outlet I have for my temper right now. Motherhood calls, so I am unable to give in to my initial inclination to storm around the corner and confront the two arseholes in serious need of a knee to the balls.

Pulling myself together as I pick up my crying son to soothe him, I am able to smile.

Because I might have to save my reaction until after breakfast, but I can take comfort in the fact that it will be glorious when it arrives. With help from Nadia’s meddling, my husband and his resurrected sidekick have finally poked the bear one too many times.

It’s clear they are expecting a strong response from me.

Which is why I’m going to give them the exact opposite.

30

LAZARUS

The perfunctory rap of my knuckles against the door is loud in the early morning quiet.

“On a scale of one to nuclear, how pissed do ya think she’s gonna be?” Slash asks while we wait to be admitted to Lily’s home. “I’m goin’ with nuclear.”

Instead of answering him, I scowl at the painted wood keeping me separated from my woman and our kids. It’s five minutes to eight. I’m riddle with impatience. Teetering on the edge of insanity. I barely slept last night, too busy envisioning storming across the backyard, into Lily’s house, and climbing into bed with her. This situation is untenable, which means the whining man next to me better be right that this plan of his will work.

If it doesn’t I’ll be forced to take matters into my own hands...

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