knotted it at his neck. “If you say so.” Although the words were soft, they held the weight of a lifetime of broken hopes.
After slipping the gown over my head and arranging the bodice around my mammoth twin peaks, I went to him and put my hand on his chest. “You know what a stretch the concept of faith is for me. I need you to believe we can make it through this.”
Liam stared a moment before claiming my mouth with his hot one. Desperate, almost pleading, for what, I didn’t know. “I’m sorry. I guess this whole mess is just shaking me a bit. My faith has taken a few hits over the last few decades, but it’s not completely dead. I might talk shit when I’m pissed, but I don’t think I really believe she’s abandoned us.” That he admitted being shaken warmed me even more than his kiss.
Arms clamped around his neck, I held him tight and let him hold me back, enjoying what would most likely be our last peaceful moment of the day. Maybe ever.
“Thank you. For telling me … stuff. And for the clothes.” I gave him one last peck before turning so he could zip me up. “This is actually pretty okay for a dress. I feel like I can move without anything falling out.”
Once he had me fastened in, he came around and faced me, gasping in mock shock. “You? Lila Gray? Like a dress?” He slipped his arms around my waist, palms pressing against my butt. “Who are you, sexy momma? And what have you done with my wife?”
“Oh, shut it.” I wiggled out of his grasp, my smile fading at the blow we were about to deal the races of the world. “Are you ready for this?” Because I’m not.
He must have been listening to my internal afterthought because he intertwined his fingers with mine, and said, “Yes, you are. They’ll listen. We’ll make them listen.”
• • •
Several bodies milled around Seven Gates when Liam and I stepped through. Gallagher wore a dark gray suit with a white shirt, staring into the rock face as if looking for the secrets of the universe there. Neve and Brígh wore matching light pink dresses in the same style as mine, with empire waists and halter-style bodices that tied behind their necks. Didn’t we look like the perky bunch of bridesmaids? I almost snorted. Cas and Andrew had donned black suits, in full guard mode. It had been a while since I’d seen Cas’ faithful sword, but there it was, strapped across his back, the golden handle poking through his plum hair.
“Whoa. Lookin’ good there, Lila,” Cas said, a grin breaking across his lips. “Almost as good as my little woman.” He winked and glanced toward Brígh.
“Pfft.” She waved him off, but the pink of her cheeks let me know just how much she enjoyed his comment.
“You’re not looking bad yourself.” I sidled up to him and bumped him with my hip. “You all set for this?”
“Of course he is!” Andrew snapped, his body rigid enough, it appeared as if his bones had fused. He swept the forest with a steely gaze. Dark bruises pooled beneath bloodshot eyes, and an angry red scar began at his ear and disappeared under his shirt. “We’ve got this.”
I moved around Neve to stand before Andrew, hoping I could figure out what had him so on edge. When I reached for him, he flinched.
Did it have something to do with his wounds? Did they still hurt? “I bet I can heal your scars. Maybe not the old ones, but the new—”
“No! Just … don’t.”
“Is this about—”
“It’s about nothing. You’re blocking my view of the woods. And stay out of my head. What’s mine is mine.”
There went my next idea. If I could have taken away some of his whatever-it-was, he might have been more reasonable. At a loss for what had him so riled, I said, “I’m sure you’re tired. Maybe you should—”
“I’m not staying behind!” Arms shaking, Andrew glared at me with heat that could have given me sunburn. “If you want to relieve me of duty, fine. But I will not … I couldn’t … dismiss me, or let
After slipping the gown over my head and arranging the bodice around my mammoth twin peaks, I went to him and put my hand on his chest. “You know what a stretch the concept of faith is for me. I need you to believe we can make it through this.”
Liam stared a moment before claiming my mouth with his hot one. Desperate, almost pleading, for what, I didn’t know. “I’m sorry. I guess this whole mess is just shaking me a bit. My faith has taken a few hits over the last few decades, but it’s not completely dead. I might talk shit when I’m pissed, but I don’t think I really believe she’s abandoned us.” That he admitted being shaken warmed me even more than his kiss.
Arms clamped around his neck, I held him tight and let him hold me back, enjoying what would most likely be our last peaceful moment of the day. Maybe ever.
“Thank you. For telling me … stuff. And for the clothes.” I gave him one last peck before turning so he could zip me up. “This is actually pretty okay for a dress. I feel like I can move without anything falling out.”
Once he had me fastened in, he came around and faced me, gasping in mock shock. “You? Lila Gray? Like a dress?” He slipped his arms around my waist, palms pressing against my butt. “Who are you, sexy momma? And what have you done with my wife?”
“Oh, shut it.” I wiggled out of his grasp, my smile fading at the blow we were about to deal the races of the world. “Are you ready for this?” Because I’m not.
He must have been listening to my internal afterthought because he intertwined his fingers with mine, and said, “Yes, you are. They’ll listen. We’ll make them listen.”
• • •
Several bodies milled around Seven Gates when Liam and I stepped through. Gallagher wore a dark gray suit with a white shirt, staring into the rock face as if looking for the secrets of the universe there. Neve and Brígh wore matching light pink dresses in the same style as mine, with empire waists and halter-style bodices that tied behind their necks. Didn’t we look like the perky bunch of bridesmaids? I almost snorted. Cas and Andrew had donned black suits, in full guard mode. It had been a while since I’d seen Cas’ faithful sword, but there it was, strapped across his back, the golden handle poking through his plum hair.
“Whoa. Lookin’ good there, Lila,” Cas said, a grin breaking across his lips. “Almost as good as my little woman.” He winked and glanced toward Brígh.
“Pfft.” She waved him off, but the pink of her cheeks let me know just how much she enjoyed his comment.
“You’re not looking bad yourself.” I sidled up to him and bumped him with my hip. “You all set for this?”
“Of course he is!” Andrew snapped, his body rigid enough, it appeared as if his bones had fused. He swept the forest with a steely gaze. Dark bruises pooled beneath bloodshot eyes, and an angry red scar began at his ear and disappeared under his shirt. “We’ve got this.”
I moved around Neve to stand before Andrew, hoping I could figure out what had him so on edge. When I reached for him, he flinched.
Did it have something to do with his wounds? Did they still hurt? “I bet I can heal your scars. Maybe not the old ones, but the new—”
“No! Just … don’t.”
“Is this about—”
“It’s about nothing. You’re blocking my view of the woods. And stay out of my head. What’s mine is mine.”
There went my next idea. If I could have taken away some of his whatever-it-was, he might have been more reasonable. At a loss for what had him so riled, I said, “I’m sure you’re tired. Maybe you should—”
“I’m not staying behind!” Arms shaking, Andrew glared at me with heat that could have given me sunburn. “If you want to relieve me of duty, fine. But I will not … I couldn’t … dismiss me, or let
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