Damnable Grace (Hades Hangmen, #5)

by Tillie Cole

“I remember that day,” Zane said. “You do?” “I remember the moment the shot was taken.”

I stared at the picture, as did Zane. I reached into the pocket of my cut and pulled out what I wanted him to have. When I looked at Zane, he was already watc...

“Ain’t sure if you’d want them.” I felt the cold metal in my hands. “It’s a fucked-up situation we got. And ain’t sure if you’d want anything of his like this. I just won...

I nodded and dropped the dog tags into his hands. The kid had me fucking choked up. His eyes watered as he ran his fingers over Dev’s name and number. “I’m . . . I’m proud of him, you know?” He ignored the tear that rolled down his face. “I’m proud of what ...

“I’m proud of you both.” He lifted his eyes to mine. “I get it didn’t end well. But . . . but Claire told me how proud Mom was of you both, you and Dad. And I remember her saying that what you were doing was important. That you were both brave.” “He’d be proud of you too, you...

“And you got me now. I ain’t your dad, but I’m your uncle, and I’m here ...

“I ain’t had much time to speak to you over the past few weeks.” I took two shot glasses from my cut and poured out the Jack. I handed one to Ash. “But I’m gonna tell you what my brother said to me when I got my first kill.” Ash raised his eyebrows. “It gets easier,” I said, hearing fucking Dev’s voice in my head. “From this moment on, it becomes second nature and don’t bother you as much. I promise.”

“I know.” Ash lowered his eyes. “You do?” He shrugged. “Flame sat me down afterwards and talked to me.” He gestured to the bourbon. “He gave me a shot too.” He smirked. “Told me you did the same to him when he got his first kill.” “I did.” I remembered.

“He reminds me of you sometimes. I think . . . I think in some ways he models himself on you.” I was shocked, fucking rooted to the spot. “You mean a lot to him.” “He means a lot ...

“Speaking of, I’m getting some plans drawn up to get another bedroom in my cabin. Then you can come back home.” He’d been staying with Flame since Sapphira had moved in. Ash went silent, then looked away. “What?” “AK . . . Flame has asked me to move in with him and Maddie.” My eyebrows shot up in su...

“You good with it?” “Yeah,” he said with a sigh. “I want to. Since I’ve been staying there . . . he’s been good with me. Different. I . . . Better than I cou...

“Well, fuck, kid,” I said. “AK?” he said. “I . . . I just wanna say thanks. For everything you’ve done since . . . you know, I came here. I . . .” He rocked on his feet. “You’re my brother too. Like Flame. A...

I swore these fucking teenagers were gonna give me a fucking heart attack. Turning me int...

“Get here, fucker.” I pulled him into my chest and kissed his head. “You need anything from me, I’m right next door. You’re welcome anytime. Doesn’t work out wit...

“She needs to be with her mom anyway,” Ash said. “Sapphira.” I nodded, knowing it was true. Little bitch was jaded at the world, a fucking hermit. “We ever gonna get to see her?” Ash asked. “We all wanna see what she looks like. Speak to her. Never got a chanc...

“Maybe today. Bitch is real shy, kid.” Ash nodded. I held out my shot. “Well, kid. Here’s to you saving my...

“We’d better go rescue Zane ...

Some of the brothers had returned from their hike to the waterfall. Styx and Ky had started the grill. They all looked g...

“You’ll look out for him, yeah?” I said when I saw Zane’s eyes widen at something Vike had said. “Yeah. I like him.” Ash put the shot glass on a ...

“He’d make a good prospect too,” Ash said as he walked away. I met his black eyes. He was smirking. “Just saying.”

Ash walked over to Zane, and the two of them made their way to the target range. I followed behind. Another kid to teach how to shoot.

Two hours later, when night had fallen and the fire was lit, I sat down on a chair. Zane, Ash and Slash were across the pit, drinking beer and shooting the shit. I watch...

“Yeah. She’s better. Now realize she wasn’t addicted to drink or smack. She was addicted to forgetting all the shit in her life. Forgetting the fact she had a daughter she was banned from.”

“She’s ginger.” Vike smirked. “What?” he said when I raised my brows. “We gingers are a fucking unique species. Nails. We’re all fucking nails. Made from pure Viking stock.”

“And you sure do have a thing for us. Needing me in your life, then Phebe. Shit, brother, if you were that hard-up for freckles I would have let you see my anaconda years ago.” “I’ve already seen it a million times . . . not by choice.” I shook my head. “And every fucking time you were impressed.”

Vike elbowed me in the side. “Look about,” he said and pointed to Lil’ Ash. Ash was frozen, beer suspended in the air, as he watched Sapphira walk past him and sit next to Lilah and Grace.

I shook my head, groaning, when Zane and Slash tried to pull his attention. But his huge fucking black eyes wouldn’t get the fuck off Saff.

She clearly saw it too, as she looked up, gave him a small fucking stunning ghost of a smile, then ducked her head again. Ash looked as if he wanted to go over and speak to her, but...

“Ash just got a huge fucking boner for Saff,” Vike shouted. Then he jumped from his seat. “Gotta go and rip into...

Vike rushed to Ash, who was still staring at Saff, like his eyes were glu...

“Ash! Me and you need to talk about a new development, fuc...

Vike sat down next to Ash, and I saw the kid cover his face in embarrassment when Vike threw his arm around his n...

Stunning. Beautiful. Mine. And fucking free.

I drank my beer as the song played out. Then I looked down to the mat at my feet. Two pairs of boots still sat there, shined to perfection, on either side. As I looked over the backyard, seeing my brothers chilling, seeing Zane laughing and happy, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. “We’re okay, Dev,” I whispered so only he could hear. I swallowed and felt a smile come onto my lips. “We’re all gonna be fucking okay.”

“Wrench,” Flame said from beside his bike. I took the wrench from the tool box and handed it to him. Flame didn’t look up. He didn’t speak, just kept working on his Harley. We’d worked on mine all morning, now we had moved onto Flame’s as the night came in. Most nights after school and most weekends we did this.

And I fucking loved it. I loved just being with him. Loved being in his house. Loved eating with him and Madds. Loved sitting with him. I knew he’d never speak to me like AK did, but that was okay. He was Flame. And fuck, he tried harder with me day after day. I saw it. Maddie’s smiles confirmed it.

The minute she said Sapphira’s name my stomach tightened and the room fucking skyrocketed in temperature. Sapphira. Only seen her once at AK’s lodge. Fuck, she was the prettiest bitch I’d ever seen. And she’d smiled at me. A fucking beautiful smile.

I never spoke to her. Had never spoken to her. But I still couldn’t get her dark eyes and blond hair from my head. She was there every time I closed my eyes. Hell, she was there every minute I was awake.

As much as AK loved me, he was hella protective of Sapphira, like she was his own daughter, one no one fucked with or risk the wrath of his fist. And I was pretty sure he would threaten to cut off my dick if he knew how I felt about her.

I knew she’d been put through hell like Madds had been in that cult and through Meister.

I knew she was younger than me by two years, was damaged. But I’d thought about her pretty much everyday since the lodge, and I couldn’t fucking stop if I tried. I had tried. ...

“My name’s Lil’ Ash. Or Ash. I never got to tell you that at the lodge.” I didn’t think she’d respond. I didn’t think she’d speak. But she looked up at me through her long lashes and, shocking the fuck out of me, whispered, “Ash.” I thought I saw her li...

Then she fucking smashed through any barriers I had left when she lifted her head, meeting my eyes and said softly, “I am Sa...

And I smiled. I smiled and flicked my smoke to the ground. I stepped forward, wondering if she’d run. She didn’t. So I stepped further forward, and forwar...