Page 93 of A Blackened Bond

“Fuck no!” barks Annex, jumping from the bed and walking toward us. “We already did that shit last night and wasted time I could have spent buried in Red. I’m not doing it again. Fuck Creeds orders!”

“I agree.” Ezra folds his arms, anger bleeding through his features. “It’s obvious what Creed’s doing, and we’re not playing along anymore.”

His words have me nodding, acknowledging Creed's attempts to keep us all busy lately. Smaller jobs like this one tonight would usually be handed off to our other contacts, but Creed was purposely keeping us busy.

I glance at Micai, a slight pink blush tinting her cheeks as her gaze meets mine.

Was he trying to keep Micai at a distance by giving us more work?

I sigh. I know my brother is worried about her. He didn’t like anything out of his control. And Micai was a variable he wasn’twilling to play with. Yet I could see he was also drawn to her as much as the rest of us. He was just better at controlling himself.

But it’s because of those feelings that he keeps pushing her away so coldly.

I don’t think evenhetruly understands his feelings for her. He’s never spent more than a night or two with a woman and has never kept them around for so much as a meal. He’s the most guarded of us all, having lost and been betrayed multiple times by the people he’s loved in the past. He doesn’t let others in without a fight.

Thankfully, Micai doesn’t seem like someone who would back down so easily. She might just be the one to kick some sense into him.

“It’s Erving. Creed wants us to check on him and determine why the information was off. Usually, Erving is always on point.” I sigh, flicking my gaze between Ezra and Annex. This would also be a fight, trying to get my brothers to work tonight and leave Micai.But I couldn’t blame them.

“Doesn’t matter,” Annex seethes, glaring at me. “Tell Creed to go himself.”

“You know he’s stressed with the plans for the Christmas eve party,” I argue. He had too much to organise and was the only one willing to do all of that shit for it. If it were any of us here, there wouldn’t be a party to begin with. However, Creed said we needed the new contacts for our overall goal.

“He needs to learn he can’t control everything around him. We’re not one of his pawns, Mal. We’re a family. He can’t keep acting like this. It’ll only push us all away,” Ezra adds, a tired look marring his features.

My brother had always been the closest to Creed, his second-in-command and Creed’s go-to. Although Creed’s behaviour lately and outer dislike of Micai, is driving a wedge between their once close relationship. And clearly taking a toll on Ezra.

“I get it.” I glance toward Micai as she watches us. “And agree. We can talk to him about it. But right now, we don’t want this poison in our territory. It won’t be good for anybody.”

“Another job?” Her soft voice floats into my ears as she creeps up behind Annex, his hand automatically wrapping around her as Ezra takes a step closer to them. “What kind of work do you all do anyway?”

They glance my way, their eyes boring into them. A want building there to tell her about the other side of our group. They didn’t want to keep secrets from her. And neither did I.

Annoyance and frustration take over their expressions as a beat of silence passes between us.

“Just boring crap,” Annex states, sighing as he pulls her into him, his eyes narrowed at me in a scowl. “We just have to visit an annoying chimp that gave us some shitty info.”

“Erving’s part fae and shifter, not a—” Ezra begins before Annex continues.

“He’s annoying as hell, is what he is,” Annex groans, dragging a hand dramatically down his face. “Always tapping away on that damn keyboard of his. The guy has more interest in those damn keys and screens than finishing a fucking sentence. Pisses me right off.”

Micai chuckles softly beside him before her lips part, a curiosity building in her gaze. “So you’re just meeting up with someone?”

“And just having a small talk,” I add, shifting her attention back toward me as my beast and I bristle from the attention.

“Okay.” She nods, a small smile stretching her cheeks. “Then you should go.” She peers over at Ezra and Annex before pulling away and heading toward the bed, throwing their clothes at them before putting on her own shoes.

Annex shakes his head, a stubborn expression taking over his features as he glares playfully at her. “No. I’m not leaving you again, I want—”

“Then it all works out.” Micai cuts him off, a mischievous grin stretching her plump lips as she stands up and grabs her hoody from the dresser. “Because I’m coming with you.”

Micai turns toward me, waiting for some kind of argument. But she wouldn’t get it from me.

My beast and I have accepted her entirely. Wewanther company and will take it any way we can get it. We’ll happily put up with Creed being grouchy and complaining for a few days if we can spend even an hour longer with her.

My grin widens with the surprised look taking over her features.

“We’ll take Ezra’s car. It has more space.” I look toward Ezra and Annex as their grins widen, their eyes flickering to each other before they throw their clothes on quickly. I turn around and head out of their dorm door. All of them soon follow behind me as we move together as one.

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