Page 56 of Pretty Black

Lowe hesitated before he nodded. “Yea, he’s here for a couple of days.”

“Get out of here. I’ll handle it.” River said, glancing at his boyfriend, probably for backup. I knew he was probably sick of me for as much as I crawled between them, but he was always so generous about sharing River’s time. It had endeared him to me. River deserved the love of a lifetime, and I was pretty sure he’d found it in Emory.

Lowe locked eyes with Caspian and shook his head before ducking around me to leave.

“Can you just not?” River said with the most venom I’d heard from him.

“Can you mind your fucking business?” Cas snarled back.

“What is this about?” Emory asked, looking at me.

“Stupid shit.” I felt bad that he was coming into this in the middle of us falling apart.

Emory pulled me into a totally unexpected hug. I didn’t know what to do at first. We’d gotten to know each other while he was traveling with River, but he’d never been touchy-feely with me. I leaned into him, taking the comfort. My body craving it. I exhaled, my nervous system finally crashing, allowing me to breathe.

“I’ve got you. Okay?” Emory muttered against me. “You’re safe.”

“If no one is going to tell me, we’re going to go,” River said to Cas.

“Thank you,” I said back softly.

River’s kindness kept me alive, and I’d never be able to repay him, and I felt bad leaning into his arms again while missing Caspian. This seemed to be the theme of my life.

EIGHTEEN

PRESENT DAY

Caspian Locke

“Iwant to cut a piece of Alexander off for every minute of Iris’ time he takes from me.” We smoked a couple of bowls, and my headspace had only gotten worse.

I kept replying in my mind Iris saying he couldn’t promise me forever. It made every minute feel precious. Every moment to be held on to.

Iris felt like a summer breeze. Nothing I could bottle.

I didn’t know how to come to terms with any of my own grief, and being in the middle of processing the last forty-eight hours while being prevented from seeing him felt like I’d found a new level of hell.

“You seem like you’re doing as bad as Iris.” Alister took a seat next to me.

“I’m struggling,” I admitted.

“You don’t have to tell me, but I’m going to assume it was bad two nights ago.”

I gave him a sad smile. “Yes.”

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “We have to get rid of Alexander. I don’t know how much more any of us can handle, let alone Iris.”

“Not the hell he’s sure to put us through if this is the beginning.”

“More reasons to kill him,” Kingsley said from someplace behind us.

Alister laughed. “Please don’t go to jail. I’d miss you.”

“I’m going to send my brother. I’ll be fine,” Kingsley said, and I didn’t need to see his face to hear the grin coming through his tone.

“As long as you don’t get charged with accessory crap,” Alister shot him a glare over his shoulder.

“Are you suggesting I’d snitch?” Aspen came and sat in front of us on the floor.

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