Page 97 of Shadow

Dick.

Prick.

Same thing.

As are we.

I shoved the voice out of my head.

“Oh, cool.” Shadow brightened.

I frowned at him, teasing. “You like him more than me?”

He shrugged. “No. I like you equally. I just think Sirena will be happy to see him since he’s not around much lately.”

I nodded thoughtfully. He had a point. If it made her happy, then of course I wanted to do it.

Church’s phone buzzed on the nightstand, Stitches’s name on the screen for a video call. Feeling a little sassy, I answered the phone.

“Where’s Dante?” Stitches asked, rolling his eyes at me.

“My sweet prince of darkness is still curled up in my bed.” I rotated the phone so he could see Church curled up next to Sirena. “How are you this morning?” I turned the phone back to face me.

“He’ll kill you if you have his phone.”

“Meh.” I shrugged. “I think he likes me enough to keep me around. How’s paradise?”

“Miserable. Cady cried half the fucking night. Sin left and didn’t come back until about seven this morning. He’s being his typical grumpy, self-loathing pain in the ass.”

“Well, it’s his personality disorder. Can’t blame the guy in that respect. If our mental issues could be helped, do you think we’d still be on the long track here at Chapel Crest?”

“Good point. Tell Church to call me when he wakes. Ashes and I need a damn break. If he gets one, we want one too.”

“Fair play. I’ll let him know.”

“OK. See you later.”

I saluted him and disconnected the call before sliding in next to Church and posing beside him. I snapped the selfie and set it as his lock screen.

“He really is going to kill you,” Shadow mused, watching my antics.

“Nah, he’ll just be grateful I didn’t paint a smiley face on my balls and take a picture of those.” I returned his phone to the small table and relaxed against the pillows.

“Will everything work out?” Shadow’s voice came out small.

“Everything in life works out how it’s meant to,” I answered, staring at the ceiling.

“I don’t want to lose her,” he continued. “I love her, man. I-I think I could make her happy. I could make everyone happy.”

“Would you be happy? Because that’s what’s important,” I said. “If you’re miserable, then life will be miserable. Doesn’t matter how happy people are around you. Happiest starts within and all that. You’d be a watcher. Can you live with doing what they do?”

“I could. You know I could. I’m a monster, too.”

I looked over to see him tenderly stroking Sirena’s hair, his face full of pure adoration.

“You did well the other night. You didn’tblowit.”

“Man.” He shot me a sour look.

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