Page 53 of Oath
“No,” Voodoo said. “Firecracker, can you stay away from him up there?”
“Where do you want me to go? Hide in my room?” Because that wasn’t really fair.
“No,” Legend said. “Stay with me.” When Voodoo looked like he would object, Legend cut a hand through the air. “No, you back up Alphabet. I’m more likely to break his jaw if he keeps looking at Gracie like she’s his favorite snack.”
“He’s just doing it to fuck with you,” I told them and that snared both of their attention. At their semi-blank looks, I raised my hands. “I know when a man is interested. He just wants to yank your chain and he’s figured out that you will respond to his taunts if he uses me to do it.”
“I still want you to keep your distance,” Voodoo said. “And before you ask, yes, whatever we find out, you will also know and whatever we plan, you will also hear.”
Relief spilled through me at that. “Thank you.”
Voodoo cupped my face then dropped a kiss on my lips. “We’ll take care of things, Firecracker.”
It wasn’t quite a promise, but I’d take it. He headed up the stairs and Legend held out a hand to me. His battered and bruised hand. I was careful as I took it, I didn’t want to hurt him anymore than he already was. But he didn’t seem to care, pulling me into him and wrapping me up in a hug.
“We’re going to find Bones, Gracie,” Legend said. “I promise. We never leaveanyonebehind.”
Chapter
Fifteen
GRACE
Legend spread one large hand against my back, the weight of it offered comfort even as I rubbed my face against his shirt. The distinctly masculine scent of him was sweetened by a hint of maple and confectioner’s sugar.
“Were you baking?” When did he have time to do that?
“Not yet. I was debating setting things up for it, then broke it back down. We need to be ready to move.” There was an element of disappointment in his voice.
He flexed one arm around me as he rubbed a slow circle on my back. The warmth of his body enveloped me, and I leaned into him, trusting that he wouldn't let me fall. He didn't. He never did.
"Talk to me, Gracie. You look sad."
I turned his words over in my mind, trying to find the right way to express the turmoil inside me. "I'm not really sad," I started, my voice barely above a whisper. "I am, but—it's hard to explain."
He wrapped both arms around me again, his embrace turning possessive and protective. “Let's try it this way, then. What are you thinking about?”
The steady thump of his heart helped to ease some of the tension that had knotted itself inside me. "It's so normal outside," I said, my thoughts seemed almost as distant as my emotions.
The drive here had been intense, but also—not. It was weird. The new safe house was in a brand new, upscale subdivision. Made me kind of wonder if any of the other houses boasted a jail cell in the basement or if we were just lucky. The weirdest part had been seeing others outside their houses, kids playing, cars coming and going—life.
"People going to work, going to school, just—going about their lives. That feels like a million years ago to me. It's only been a few months, but even that feels a lot longer." I blew out a breath. “In the middle of all of this ‘oddness’ there’s this knowledge that Bones is missing. He could be hurt. He could be de—” No, I didn’t want to invite that thought. “And as terrible as that is, his being missing isn’t as weird as that normal life out there.”
He didn't say anything for a long moment, just held me, his presence alone a silent support. A part of me wanted to be one of those people out there, to return to normalcy. But I was never going to be normal again. How could I? After everything? At the same time, what was normal except the typical every day events?
So was this “normal” for Legend and the guys? Was this what they’d had to get used to over the years? Had they ever tried to change it? Did they want to? So many things I didn’t know. It made my head hurt almost as much as my heart.
The thought slipped into my mind, unwelcome but undeniable. Wouldn't even try to deny it. At the end of the day, they weren't normal. How could I want normal if they weren't a part of it?
"Gracie?" His voice was gentle, but there was an undercurrent of something else. Concern, maybe. Or something more.
I tilted my head back to look up at him, my eyes meeting his.
"Come with me for a little while?"
"Anywhere," I replied, the word slipping out before I could even think about it. He scooped me up, his movements swift and sure. "I can walk," I reminded him, even as he strode across the basement and toward the stairs.
"I know you can," he said, his voice a low rumble as he climbed them two at a time. "This is faster."
