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Fear of being in the dark, alone, and away from Emery is my personal hell.
He leans back until he’s sitting on his heels. Shoulders slacked and the loveliest, broken smile across his lips. “I’m a dead man anyways, Em.” His voice is low and raspy, tearing my heart out as he winces, dragging the knife over the stone floor and bringing it to his throat. “I loved you completely. In a way we never got to fully explore together. You were the sunlight over a frozen lake. The whisper of happiness I got to know. I love you, Em… I love you. Now, look away,”
“We’re not finished quite yet, love.”
“Being an officer in the Dark Forces was my dream for a long time. I don’t remember if it was what I wanted at first, but it became the dream that kept me going. Past all the killings and all the downfalls. It was the only goal that kept me from putting a bullet in my head.” His tone is light and makes an ache grow in my heart. He flicks those lovely sage eyes at me and lets them study my features before he continues, “Then you came along.”
“When he ordered me to not only kill my team, but you, it wasn’t even a question. No command or promised riches could ever make me pull that trigger. The me before I met you would’ve greedily killed them all just for a chance to rise further up, but you changed me, Em.” He leans in my direction and rests his head against mine. “Your love could change even the darkest of hearts. I think that’s why Reed isn’t a master of all evil,”
And your heart wasn’t that dark.” His shoulders bounce jovially. “You’ve always had night vision, I swear.”
All the sadness sheds from my heavy shoulders, and a dream that I thought was unattainable seeps into me like sunlight breaking through a dreary storm, because I know I’m going home. I look at Emery, holding her soft gaze. I’m finally home.
One year since we cut out all the traitors in our lives and built our real family. A family of criminals, murderers, and master manipulators. But family nonetheless.
I only wish Cameron’s leg healed better. He has a bit of a limp now since his tendon healed a little off, but I find that the stolen cane only makes him sexier, an expression of our power, especially in his expensive suits, black and gold rings, and his weekly mid-fade haircut that keeps his MORI tattoo visible.
“To prevent the death pills and the injections from slipping out into the world, wouldn’t you? To stop the horrors that we both know are likely to leak into the military and in the underworld if you don’t.”
“Because, my dear Emery, I have my eyes set on something else entirely. You were always the best fitted to run your family’s legacy. You’re someone I can trust. I wanted your family’s power from the moment I met you. Don’t pretend you don’t know, that’s why I trust you so much. You’ve watched me all along. Burning my family’s mansion down to get into your home. Doing everything your father wanted even if it meant killing a few people I wasn’t ready to dispose of yet.”
“There were times I got worried you might not make it, Em. But happy accidents kept you here.” His eyes shifted to Cameron.
“I’ll remain on the inside of the Dark Forces, where I can pull strings as I need to, and you’ll be my underworld partner on the outside.
Reed assured me that the general believes us all to be dead and isn’t looking for us, but we won’t risk it. All it would take is him to see one of us to know the truth. It’s why we reside primarily in London and Paris. We own entire buildings, thanks to my late father. Cameron and I will never want for anything. Neither will my dear friends.
He never told us exactly what it is that he does in the Dark Forces. I’m not sure I want to know.
“Cheers to being the bad guys.”
“Oh baby, look how wet you were all through dinner. You should’ve let me take care of you then. I don’t like it when you ache for me and I can’t ravage you in the moment,”
I have a favorite piece coming up. My breath hitches when they show it. Two broken soldiers, literally broken, their faces are all bone around the mouth and jaw, making it look like our masks from the Under. They are holding each other, as they descend into the underworld. Boney hands grab them, trying to tear them away from one another to no avail. I named this piece Mori & Morphine, but because we need to remain hidden to the Dark Forces, I left it untitled for the show.
“I thought it was adorable that you tried to sell it. Em, no one will ever take anything that even so much as resembles us ever again.”
