Page 73 of Dancing With Death

Istareupattheceiling, letting the music roll over me as it speaks to me. It’s a beautiful song that has my heart breaking before putting it back together.

When it cuts off, I sit up with a smile. “That was beautiful, Wren. I’ve missed your music.”

“It’s nothing special,” she says, ducking her head.

I roll my eyes, but she’s always been like this. She’s never looked more at home than she does when she has a violin in her hands. She was a rising star when she met Michael, but he didn’t want her working, so she gave it up.

It was only the first of many things he took away from her, but it was the hardest for her to lose. I was shocked when she told me she was giving it up. She always used music to express her feelings when they felt too big.

When she started writing her own music, it blew me away. Her pieces always make me feel something—whether that’s joy, anger, happiness, or even sorrow. It’s a beautiful journey.

Then she just stopped playing.

I don’t know what made her pick it back up again in the last few weeks, but I’m ecstatic. Not only do I enjoy listening to her play, but it makes me forget everything going on in my life right now.

That’s not to say my life is bad. It’s really not. I have four mates who love me, two besties who would do anything for me, and my twin who would destroy the worlds for me. I shouldn’t be complaining. It’s just hard not to.

If Cassian and Wraith have been fighting, they’ve been doing a really good job of hiding it from me. They’re protecting me from something they know I hate, and I’m not sure how to feel about it. On the one hand, I hate that they feel like they have to hide anything from me. On the other hand, it’s so nice not to have to worry about a fistfight breaking out over dinner.

Plus, the two of them have been getting…closer. As in, I walked in on them fucking just yesterday.

They didn’t notice me at first, and I totally perved on them. It was hot as hell, and I’m not even sorry I watched them. When they did notice me, they invited me to join them, but I didn’t. It was really freaking hard, but I walked away and left them to their moment.

That’s one of the things I love most about the family we’re building. Not everything is about me. They all love me, but they love each other too. Cassian, Wraith, and Donovan are rebuilding a relationship they thought they lost a long time ago, and I couldn’t be happier.

I just wish that Brenden had that too. If Nex was with us, he would.

Ugh. I don’t want to think about him right now.

Forcing myself to focus on my sister, I wrinkle my nose. “You can pretend it isn’t a big deal all you want, but you’re fucking amazing. You never should’ve given up the violin. I hate him for that, too.”

“As if you need another reason to hate him.” Wren gives me a half smile as she puts her violin away. “He might have been the one to suggest it, but I was more than willing to give it up. Just like everything else in our relationship. I gave up everything, while he gave up nothing. I don’t know how I became that woman. Mom raised us better than that.”

“No, Mom raised us to be what and who we wanted. You thought you wanted to be the picture-perfect wife for the asshole you married.” I grind my teeth, feeling like I’m defending what he did and hating it. “You wanted to make him happy. He’s the one who took advantage of that. The good news is he won’t be a problem for much longer, and he’s already not your problem anymore. You can be whoever you want to be in your afterlife.”

She shrugs. “As long as I’m also a reaper, you mean?”

I make a face. “Technically, yes, but I have an in with the boss. If you hate it, then I’m sure Wraith can find you a position at the academy. I bet you’d make a great teacher.”

“I don’t know if that’s what I want either,” she says slowly. “I feel like there’s so little I can do or choose for myself. Michael took that from me, too. Being here kind of feels like being married to Michael again—even if Wraith has the best of intentions, unlike my bastard husband.”

“I’m sorry, Wren. I’d give anything to go back and save you from being killed.”

She snorts. “But not to go back and save yourself.”

I shake my head, as this is a conversation we’ve had more than once, and it always goes the same.

“Nope. I wouldn’t give up meeting my mates. Plus, I like being a reaper.” I roll on my side to face her as she joins me on her bed.

There are only two weeks left until her final, and when she asked if I wanted to hang out, I jumped at the chance to get out of the house. I love my mates, but after my breakdown, they’ve been kind of up my ass.

If I thought we were having a lot of sex before, it’s nothing compared to now. It’s partially because that’s the only time Wraith and Cassian can carry on a conversation that doesn’t leave either of them angry, frustrated, or hurt. I also think they’re trying to distract me, but there’s only so much sex a girl can have.

Once again, I know I shouldn’t complain, but if I wasn’t a supernatural with enhanced healing, my cunt would be bruised. Or torn. Or something.

I have now learned that there is such a thing as too much sex. Not that I’ll admit it to my mates. With my luck, they’d just fuck me more.

I sound like a whiny bitch, and I know it. That’s probably why I haven’t been complaining to my besties or my sister.

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