Page 184 of Gift from the Wing

Holy shit.

“No, Dec, you’re the liar. You’ve been lying for fourteen years about not eating Trex’s blackened berry pie on his birthday,” I say softly.

The slightest bit of shock crosses his features, but before he responds, I’m being lifted off his chest.

“Willow,” Codi and Trex say together.

Trex places me on my feet and passes me to Codi, who protectively pushes me behind him. If my men could see this, they’d be proud, but I just snort because where the fuck were they the last however long.

Peeking around Codi, I watch Dec scramble to his feet. His gaze bounces between Trex, Codi, and me in disbelief. I’m sure the defensive stances in front of me are throwing him all the way off since I’m such an evil person who’s trying to get his brother killed.

“Dec,” Trex says slowly, holding his hands up in front of him.

“This…this isn’t real.”

“Technically, no, it’s a dream, but it’s as real as we’ve got right now.”

A cool drip slides down my cheek, and I know good and fucking well I’m not crying right now, so I lift my fingers to wipe it away. When I see dark purple smeared across my hand, I mutter out a slew of curses,knowing it’s actually blood. I felt it earlier when I was leaning over Dec, but I thought it was sweat.

Guess I can do everything in this dream, except use my elements, magic, or make my legs work right.

My foul mouth draws everyone’s attention to me, and I raise my bloody middle finger to Dec as Codi steps closer to me.

“Well, shit. It doesn’t matter now that we’ve found him. He’s dead. We’re all dead,” he says frantically, turning to look at Trex, who also curses and bows his head.

“Why are you with her? How are you here?” Dec asks Trex, stunned.

Without answering, Trex pulls him into a hug, and I swear right before my eyes, the hate-filled gaze he’s held this whole time bleeds out of him. He sags in his brother’s arms, wrapping his own around him for stability.

“You’ve got it all wrong, Dec. I don’t even know what you believe, but when Willow told me you hated her from your first dream together, I didn’t want to believe it, but it’s a little obvious now. And you’re wrong,” Trex says gently as he pulls them apart and grips his shoulders.

He doesn’t give his brother a moment to say anything else before the word vomit of everything that’s happened since my kidnapping falls out. He doesn’t miss a beat, laying everything he can talk about out on the table for his brother to know and understand. I don’t show it outwardly, but I’m a little satisfied when Dec sends me a guilty look.

It’s short-lived, though, when his gaze turns to wonder at the mention of Codi.

“I’ve dreamed about you,” Dec says.

“I’ve heard,” Codi says, nodding awkwardly.

Dec doesn’t take any offense to the obvious nervousness lingering around Codi, and I assume since we’re in a dream not reality, the bond for them won’t snap in place. It doesn’t stop Dec from pulling him into a hug that shocks Codi, and I stumble back a few steps to give them some space.

They eventually break apart with one of those manly hug pats guys do, then Dec turns to me. “I didn’t know,” he whispers.

“Yeah, I know. But honestly, you would’ve thought being kept hostage by that psychopath would’ve made you think twice before believing anything he’s told you about me,” I say softly.

“It should’ve, but with the story he told about you destroying the compound, killing Max, and taking Trex, it was very believable. He told us that he was going to melt his brain if you didn’t return him, and that only you would be to blame.”

“Well, firstly, I didn’t kill Max, my father-in-law did, but the other stuff is all true, except it being my fault. He did try to melt his brain, and it was stopped,” I say firmly. “Is that why you came into my dream, or did he make you?”

“He—” Dec grunts, gripping his head, and I close my eyes in frustration.

Even in their sleep, they get no peace or reprieve from him.

“Are you and Xander still being kept together?” I ask, changing the subject of the Summum-Master.

“Yeah, we’re together.”

“Where are you guys? We’re coming for you. You tell us, and as soon as we wake from this, we’ll come,” Trex says, his words colored in determination.

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