Page 121 of Echoes of War

“The Compound is going dark,” I said, leaving him in my wake as I stalked out the door to find Riley.

I burst into Riley and Alexiares’ home, Alexiares hot on my tail. I smiled at the familiarity of it, Riley’s wooden crafts decorating the place from the furniture to the paintings hanging up thatwe’d done as a family each Christmas. Plants adorned the entire wall leading up the steps, and I took in the freshness of it mixed with his earthy scent. It felt like home here, same as when I was at Prescott’s. My own rooms hadn’t been home in a while, not since Jax.

Abel shot up from the couch, a knife flying from his palm before his eyes even opened. I ducked just in time. It pierced the clay pot of Riley’s favorite Pothos, shattering on the ground.

“Crap, you guys scared me! I could have killed you. Knock next time,” Abel said, clutching his chest, bending over for some air.

“I live here,” Alexiares grumbled. “You sleep on the couch, you knock.”

Squeaking came from Riley’s room. I sprinted up the steps, ready to put up a fight for whoever dared put their hands on my brother in his own home.

“I wouldn’t go in there if I were you!” Abel yelled after me.

Muffled cries slid from under Riley’s door. Alexiares’ hand pressed in on my shoulder, trying to hold me back but I shook him off.

Kicking the door open, I barged in, fists blazing with fire as I scanned the room. Riley hopped off his bed, light brown skin rushed to pull up the sheets on his bed. My eyes narrowed, recognizing the woman beneath them.

“What the fuck. Urgh, my eyes,” I screeched, the flames in my hands dimming, using them instead to block out the vision of Riley’s booty buck naked body before me.

Riley chuckled, “Then close them.”

“Nice, man,” Alexiares chided, offering him a dap of his hand before wincing, realizing what he’d probably touched.

“You can open your eyes now,” Riley said. “I have pants on.”

I grabbed at my stomach. “I think I’m gonnabe sick.”

“Gee, thanks,” Yasmin said from the bed, reaching for one of Riley’s shirts on the ground. “Not that I expected you to be the slightest bit tactful,” she mumbled.

Scoffing, I closed in on her, ready to smack the words from her mouth. I wasn’t in the fucking mood for an attitude. “Wanna say that again? Louder this time, with your chest, I couldn’t quite hear you the first time.”

To her credit, she hopped to her feet, ready to go toe to toe. Riley stepped in between us, grabbing my arm and dragging me into the hallway. Alexiares wisely stayed behind, instead choosing to engage in what sounded like awkward small talk to Riley’s booty call.

“Seriously, Riley,” I spat. “We’re a few hours out from dying and you choose to spend your time withher.”

“Hername is Yasmin, and don’t talk about her that way, Maia. You barely know her,” he said in a hushed but soft tone.

I scoffed, “Oh, and you do? She’s your dead friend’s girlfriend, Riley, not to mention she fucking hates me. What are you doing with her?”

“I love her,” he explained timidly. “A lot has changed since you left. Yasmin doesn’t hate you. I think we can both admit she has every right to be angry with you for what happened. Just because I was easy to forgive, doesn’t mean everyone else is required to do the same.”

Focusing on calming my breaths, I backtracked on the first part of his sentence. “Love?” I questioned, “Riley, are you sure it’s not you know … just grief and lust confusing you. I practically forced you to take a day to yourself after Mohammed, and you haven’t taken time off since. Everything’s been moving so fast. You should heal. You aren’t thinking rationally. I mean, come on …”

Selfishly, I felt a little replaced. It wasn’t fair to him, but in my absence, he’d simply filled the gap with another.

He read my mind, pulling me into a hug, my head resting against his warm brown skin. His heart beat steadily in my ear, calming me as I listened to his voice echo in his chest. “No one can replace you, Amaia. It’s you and me against the world. That doesn’t mean we shut everyone else out. Since Jax died, I realized there are no guarantees in this life. We have to live in the moment. Wecandie tomorrow, which is exactly why if we feel something, we gotta act on it because you never know when someone can be taken from you. You aren’t fooling me. You aren’t upset about what you saw in there; it’s deeper than that.”

I turned my head to peer up at him, knowing he was about to read me for filth.

He continued, “Jax would want you to be happy. I watched you beat yourself up over Xavier and never give yourself to Jax completely. You always kept that distance between you two until it became true. So here’s the hard truth, it wasn’t for a lack of Jax trying. Don’t do this again, open your heart. Mohammed loved Yasmin—he’d want to see her happy. Jax would want the same for you.”

“When did this become about me?” I teased, letting his advice sink into my heart and mind.

“Besides the obvious, the guy tortured someone because he loves you. He’s been beating himself up about it since the moment those pliers yeeted out that guy’s teeth … Plus, Reina talksa lot.” We laughed at that, because of course that’s what she focused on when filling him in on our trip. “Now what was so important that you charged into my room at full speed?”

I took a step back, dread pulling me back to our cold reality and the reason I’d come here anyway. “It’s Operation Midnight Veil, Riley.”

“What?” he gasped. “Are you sure?”

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