Page 38 of Room Six

Danika turns around and Rune hands him a glass of bourbon.

He downs it, grabs his guns and slides them into their holsters under his arms. We might not have enemies in New Orleans but eleven months of fighting makes it hard just to set your weapons down and walk away.

“Ah, fuck.”

Rune tosses his tuxedo jacket aside and strips off the bow tie and shirt. “I need a new patch, Oliver.”

I help him out and point out to Danika that he needs a little help too, but he waves me off. Dirk circles smear under all our eyes. Knife wounds, bruises and bullet holes riddle our bodies. Some we got weeks ago, some are fresh. But none of us care about the pain. It hurts more being away from Magnolia.

Danika throws back a double. “I can’t help but wonder if Raja was wrong or lying to us. She could have had our child. We could be fathers.”

“Or not. I see no reason for Raja to lie.”

I press the pads of my thumbs into my eyes to help ward off the impending headache. We’ve had this conversation close to a hundred times. “Me too, brother. Tonight all our questions will get answered.”

I visibly see Danika take air into his lungs like the thought of seeing our sweet Magnolia fills him with life.

Rune leaves for the back of the plane and comes back with a black bag. Fresh blood from a different wound stains his clean shirt this time. Fuck it. I give up on trying to keep us looking half civilized. We’ll change again in the car.

Rune tosses the bag at his feet, and I look inside. “What’s this? Lube and an anal plug, extra guns.” I dig a little more. “Fuck. What the hell is this?”

Rune’s smile would scare a sinner straight. “Rope. In case she resists and I hope she does.” Rune didn’t like the idea of her leaving Seattle and has thought up ten different ways to make her pay for running. I think she'll love every damn one of them, but only if she can get past her anger for us. Or I could be kidding myself. She may feel nothing at all for any of us.

It was hard keeping his ass in line and not running off the Big Easy with her. But he’s loyal and held his ground. We all did when going to her would have been the easy way out.

We leave the plane and slide into a rental SUV, bag in hand. Rune’s thinking isn’t far off base. She’s going to be riled up to see us. We can’t walk in and expect her to fall at our feet. If anything, she will try to castrate us in front of everyone. “Did you pack handcuffs and a gag?”

“Mmhmm.”

“What else did you find in there?” Danika eyes the bag in the rearview.

“Condoms, but why after what happened between the four of us already?”

Rune angles his head around to pin me with a hard glare. “Are you going to analyze everything? If you must know, what if she didn’t get pregnant? What if she doesn’t want our baby anymore? What if she won’t take us without them? Can we trust what Raja said?”

Danika’s head is already shaking. “Let's go catch our runaway girl and find out for ourselves.”

“She did dare us.”

Eight

Magnolia

Out here among the stars, the scent of honeysuckle and rain clings to the autumn air. Its scent curls around me and promises to provide the evening a dramatic backdrop of rolling thunder.

As it grows darker, the events of the evening will start soon. Large French doors hinge wide open to let in the beauty of willow trees playing in the light breeze. In an hour's time, rain will wet the gardens and everyone will be inside losing themselves to love and lust.

It is breathtaking. Magical even. If such a thing exists.

This time last year I was in Seattle preparing for a night of glittered covered dancers. Unknown to me I would share an encounter with three daring strangers that led me to believe magic was real. Now I know the truth. It’s created with light dimmers, lots of booze and the euphoria of orgasms. Two are based on chemicals and the other by the power of fairy lights.

Nothing magical about it.

“Magnolia, there you are, beautiful. Tonight is simply magnificent. I knew you were just as sick as I am.”

A dear friend in a midnight purple mask glides across the ballroom and joins me out in Club Sin’s gardens. Nothing can hide those signature blue eyes that run deep in her family. The rebel mafia princess wraps me in her arms. We met while she was tied to the bed and looking to kill her three stubborn godfathers. She definitely had a good reason to, considering they’d tied her to the bed in Room Seven and had a night of punishment planned. That was two months ago.

It took years for her to make a move on her feelings which was a long time to bottle up emotions. Something I understand and what made us fast friends. Everything worked out okay for her and though it hurts to see others find their happily ever after when my heart aches so deeply, I’m truly happy for her.

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