Page 74 of Hell Hath No Fury

“What…” she begins, then stops. Her lips quiver, and the anger fades from her eyes as she shakes her head. “No. I’m not.”

Raising my brows at her, I nod, then lift my chin toward Darius, who’s still staring out the window as if he’s in a car with strangers. She looks at me for a few long moments, then slowly turns her gaze on Darius. Her arms uncross, her hands suspended in front of her as the fight slowly evaporates, and then she places her hand on top of Darius’s, where he’s still rubbing his palms along the tops of his thighs.

He stops the nervous movement but doesn’t turn toward her, his blank expression still directed out the window. She squeezes his hand, leaning slightly into him as she whispers, “Darius?”

I can’t see Nettie’s face, but Agatha looks away just as Darius’s head turns, and the expression on his face as his eyes meet hers has me feeling better about my decision to be a giant fucking asshole.

He says nothing, but his eyes say everything that needs to be said. Agony. Despair. Love. Her breath catches, a quiet sob of anguish breaking free, and then she reaches for him, her hand just touching his face.

His eyes close as her fingertips stroke lightly along his brow. She leans in closely, her lips brushing his cheek as she murmurs, “I will never choose to leave you. Never.”

He grabs her hand with his, holding her fingers against his skin. His eyes open, the jagged edge of pain and uncertainty evident as their eyes lock. She reaches down with her free hand, unbuckles her seatbelt, then twists on the seat to face him fully, her legs hooking over his as she gets as close as possible in the tight space.

Gripping his head with both hands, she yanks him down, and his arm automatically comes around her, his hand squeezing her hip tightly. Nettie presses her face into his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair as she clutches at him. “Never. Never. Never.”

Sighing in relief, I turn away, only to find Agatha smiling at me. “Good job, sport.”

I give her a half-hearted smile. “Someone had to do it.”

“What gave her way?”

“What do you mean?”

“She was doing a fair job keeping Darius at arm’s length. What made you think she wasn’t content continuing in that manner?’

Now I do smile, motioning toward Nettie with my elbow as I say, “She’s still wearing that fucker’s shirt.”

Agatha glances at Nettie, eyes widening as she recognizes the T-shirt she handed her not too long ago. Meeting my eyes again, Agatha mutters, “How very observant of you.”

I shrug and wave her off. Darius and Nettie continue to speak quietly, their soft murmurs and the low rustle of clothing from their embrace oddly comforting as Mickey drives us slowly through the city streets.

Eventually, Nettie returns to her seat, buckling in, and pats me on the arm. I wave her off, too, and she nudges me with her shoulder affectionately before settling back in, her hand on Darius’s lap, gripping his hand tightly.

Wanting to change the subject, I face forward and ask, “So, what do we have for weapons?”

Mickey meets my gaze in his rear-view mirror, grinning broadly as he replies, “All of it.”

“You’re my hero, Mick,” I respond honestly, happy not to be entirely outnumbered and outgunned for once in our damn lives.

“Matt, you got eyes on the location?”

Matt nods, then replies, “Local authorities will be on a delayed response, and initial respondents will be of the cleanup variety.”

“How the fuck do you do that?” I ask.

“Do what?”

“How do you have all these people willing to do whatever you want at a moment’s notice?”

Matt turns to look at me, his smile exceedingly smug as he responds, “Decades of strategic planning, relationship building, and a fuck ton of IOUs at the ready.”

“I always knew there was a method to your anal-retentive boring bullshit,” Darius chimes in, already appearing more at ease.

“As if you have any business calling me boring,” Matt quips.

Darius smiles, the first genuine grin I’ve seen on him in what feels like eons, and I suddenly find myself staring out the window, hiding my grin.

Because we’re back, and this is it. The fucking moment.

---