Page 142 of Demise

“Deal?”

I nod. “Deal.”

Chapter Forty Four

Skyla

I’m standing outside Rachel’s shop, looking inside with men literally flanking my every angle. I’m not sure if it’s out of protection or so I’m not seen here. Maybe both. Either way, it’s a little much. Together, the guys and I make our way into the shop until we are practically crowding the intimate space. Liam, being the goldfish he is, immediately walks over to the crystals, checking out all of the sparkling, shiny things, while Wesley picks up one of the jars, reading the label curiously.

Rachel comes from the back, a smile on her face that quickly dies as she notices the guys. All as one, they circle me once more.

“Skyla, when I told you to leave your husband at home, that included his friends.”

“Where she goes, we go,” Ronan answers.

She lifts an eyebrow to him, her mouth flattened into an unimpressed line as her eyes rake over each guy assessingly.

“They are with me,” I say to Rachel. “They are my...” I trail off as Rachel nods once.

“Friends?”

“Yeah,” I say, rolling with it.

“Mhmmm,” she says, her eyes settling on Vincent.

I don’t see auras, or feel them, whatever Rachel does, but even I can tell Vincent is giving off bad vibes. It’s not because he’s a bad person, he’s just in ultimate protection mode. He can’t help it.

“Is it okay that they stay?” I ask. “Please?”

Rachel opens her mouth before letting out a displeasing sigh.

“I don’t have enough sage for this,” she mutters under her breath as she lights two smudge sticks like the one she gave me and begins waving it around the room, lingering around Vincent and Asher for the longest before nodding.

“Did it come in?” I ask Rachel, hoping to diffuse the tension.

“Did what come in?” Asher questions.

“Rachel told me she had something coming in that she thought I needed.”

“Yes,” she says. “It’s in the back. Come with me.”

I step forward, as do the guys, when she holds a hand up.

“Not you all. You,” she says, pointing to Liam. “You may come.”

He points at himself, earning irritated glares from all of the guys as he steps up beside me.

“Why him?” Asher challenges like the petulant child he is.

Rachel shoots him an irritated look.

“Because you all carry a toxic energy that is fucking suffocating. He is the only one who has a pure aura. Your heart must not do well with your circumstances,” she says as her eyes move to Liam with a pitying frown.

She has no idea.

Liam being Liam, though, eases the tension and grins.

“Did you hear that? Perfect aura,” he teases to the guys, who all flip him off as one.

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