Page 105 of A Blackened Bond

“What did it say on the note?” I ask as my tarts pop up, freshly cooked and ready to eat.

I pop them onto a plate as my brother replies, “It didn’t.”

“Exactly.” I roll my eyes, taking a seat by the counter. “So how the fuck would I know. She’s with Mal anyway, so they’ll be fine.”

He nods as I bite into my breakfast, knowing our silent brother would protect her like we would.

We had both noticed a change in him. His eyes watched her more intently, edging closer to her when he was around and staying with us longer than before.

Since the night of the attack, he had a different look to him when he was around her.

A grin pulls at my lips as I chew my chocolate pop tart. Another one down…Only one more to go.

Unfortunately, he was the hardest one in the group. More stubborn and downright stupid as well. Always acting like a complete prick to our Red and trying to push her away.

Creed was too blinded by his own fear to see the potential future for all of us in front of him.

“I was thinking…” Ez calls, a serious look coating his face as he turns my way. “Micai…she’s even stronger than I thought. I never want her to face danger and would aim to always keep her safe, but she’s not the soft damsel-in-distress-type that wants to be saved or protected…She’s more like us than I realised.”

I nod, eating the last bite of my pop tart and wondering where my brother was heading with this.

“Last night, she handled those three by herself and easily protected Erving. She obviously has skill.”

Of course, she does. She was our little ninja.Oh, right. They didn’t know that yet. A small grin stretches my lips before I quickly school it.

That was a surprise for another day.

“I think she might be more of an asset to theother sideof our group as well.” He meets my gaze, his turquoise eyes entirely focused. “So, I think we need to seriously talk to Creed about her joining us, and I don’t just mean me and you. Cause that’s a given.” He brushes a hand down his neck, a tired sigh leaving my brother’s lips as he realises the fight we’ll have on our hands with Creed.

We want Red to join us, which means showing her every facet of our little business and organisation we have set up over the past few years. We would have to open up to her on a completely different level and share our dark secrets and our plans for the future.

But it was an easy decision for me. I was already all in with Red.

She already has every part of me stored away with her, so what was a little more?

I wouldn’t keep secrets from her, and that meant with our little group now, too. Every dark and bloody skeleton would be laid out and bare for her, and she could decide what to do with it.

The Infernal Four.The little kiddy-shit name the plebs at the academy called us. But little did they know. We go much deeper and have much more extensive and darker plans than any of them realise. And Creed is beyond invested in them.Almost obsessed.

Convincing him to let Red join our group would be as difficult as making him realise his feelings for her.

But if I had to fight tooth and nail for her, I would.

Creed will eventually realise that we made the right decision. For now, he just needs a little scooting—or maybe a hard shove would be better.

I nod to Ezra. “You know I’m all in, Ez. I’ll do just about anything for Red. I’ve said she’s ours, and I meant that in every sense of the word. She’s a part of our family now, and family doesn’t keep secrets…well, at least not ours.”

Ezra grins, shaking his head. “We’ll have to talk to Creed about it and—”

“Talk to me about what?” Creed saunters in, sweat dripping down his face before he wipes it away with his little baby towel. Probably coming in from his usual morning workout. The ass woke up religiously at six or seven every morning and worked out for hours. He evenenjoyedthat shit.

The only morning workout I want is with Red between the sheets, with her moaning my name.

“About last night and Micai—” Ez starts, but Creed cuts him off.

“Just break it down briefly.” A bored look cuts across Creed’s face as he walks over to the fridge, grabbing a cold bottle of water and downing it in one go. Rude asshole.

Ez sighs, glancing my way before turning back toward Creed. “Erving’s place was attacked last night while we were there.”

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