Page 48 of We Will Rise

I sigh and put down the paintbrush. I’ve never been a particularly handy man, but fuck is painting a room harder than it looks. I thought it would just be slapping on a couple of coats and it would be all good, but I was wrong, really fucking wrong.

To the point I’ve been mocked mercilessly for the state of the sage paint on the feature wall by Kovu and Kaos, so here I am painting it again.

“He’s already been to Sterling, and I have to assume he’s been to Knight as well, although we haven’t heard from Christopher.”

“What do you want us to do?” Noah asks.

“Go to the meet, see what he has to say and report back.”

“You got it.”

“Oh, and Noah?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for not being an asshole.”

He lets out a rough laugh. “It’s in our best interest to remain in the Syndicate for as long as possible. It’s in all our best interests honestly, but greedy people will always think the grass is greener on the other side, even when the other side could mean war for us all.”

“Keep us updated.”

“Will do.”

He ends the call, and I drop my phone onto the small table I’m using to hold the paint. I’m covered in the stuff, and if Meredith sees how much I’ve managed to get on my clothes, she’s probably going to hand me my ass.

I step back and look at my handiwork. It does look better than before, but we’ll have to see how it is once it dries because I thought it was great last time until those assholes I call family came in and tore it apart.

I look around the room, and a small smile tugs at my lips. This isn’t a big gesture by any means, but I know it’ll mean a lot to Camilla, and therefore it’s all worth it. Even the paint.

Picking my phone back up, I type out a quick message to the group chat to let them know Noah just called.

Bishop: Davenport finally contacted the Thornes. I told Noah to go to the meet and see what they have to say.

Kovu: Can we kill them yet?

Camilla: Maybe let’s not talk about killing people through text.

Camilla: But also, can we?

Crew: Not yet.

Kaos: It would solve all our problems…

Crew: Except for the ones we don’t know about yet. Stick to the plan.

Bishop: When will you all be home?

Camilla: I’m just checking in with Luca, and then I’ll be on my way to the compound.

Bishop: Who’s with you?

Camilla: Just me, myself and I.

Bishop: What the fuck? What part of you’re not to go anywhere without one of us didn’t you understand?

Camilla: Apparently all of it. *laugh emoji*

Crew: Stop being a brat.

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