Redemption (19 page)

“You aren’t going to hustle me, are
you?”

“I’m sorry?”

“This isn’t one of those instances where you
say you can’t play then clear the table?”

I release a scratchy laugh.

The side of his mouth tilts slightly.

I shake my head. “Honestly, no.”

He nods. “All right then, ladies choice,
stripes or solids?”

“Stripes.”

“I’ll rack.”

“Where’s McKenna?” I ask, leaning on the
table and watch him. I really don’t want to get into it with her
because I’m hanging out with her boyfriend.

Keegan offers me a knowing look. “She
accompanied Asher to the meeting. We wanted to be sure there were
no additional issues with the council and they allowed his return.”
His voice is even.

“Smart.” I think the last time I was this
intimidated was when I first met Asher.

“Ladies first.” He places the white cue ball
in front of me.

I break. Nothing hits a pocket. We’re quiet
for the first couple of shots before I speak.

“You like pool?”
Riveting Eve. Just,
amazing dialogue
.

“I enjoy the strategy of it,” he answers
while sinking in a red ball into the corner pocket.

“Where did you learn to play?” I question,
again missing my shot.

“My dad. It was something he and I did, just
the two of us. I loved spending time with him without Callan or
Asher hovering.” His blue eyes shift to the window in longing.

“My aunt and I used to paddle board
together,” I offer, unsure of why.

Keegan shifts his focus back to me then
presents a sad smile. “It’s nice to have one-on-one time with
people you love. It makes those memories of them even more
special.”

“I might not be the right person to talk to
about that. The people I love tend to disappoint.”

This time, I sink a striped ball in the side
pocket, but forgot to call it before I sank in.

“It’s my opinion, the people we love tend to
disappoint us the most in life. It’s inevitable.”

“Why do you suppose that is?” I exhale.

Keegan contemplates for a moment. “Maybe
because we invest so much time into loving them, that when they do
let us down, it hurts more.”

“Insightful.”

He offers me a slight smirk before
positioning himself to hit another ball into a pocket.

“Do you miss your dad?” I ask, trying to get
to know Keegan more.

The tall gargoyle deadpans, “Every single
day, Eve.”

I nod. “It must have been hard being so
young and having your parents taken from you. I can’t imagine
raising two brothers, let alone adding McKenna and Abby to the
mix.”

Keegan gets two more balls in. “Life is
hard. You take things as they come and make the best of them.
Family is what is important. The rest is just circumstance.”

“Do you believe in fate?” I ask quietly,
twisting the chalk on the tip of my cue stick.

Keegan looks up before standing tall and
placing his stick on the billiard table. He walks over to me,
sighs, and crosses his large arms over his taut chest before
leaning casually against the table. In this stance, he reminds me
so much of Asher.

“Sometimes, Eve, it’s hard to see that the
path placed in front of us is what we are meant to follow in order
to become what we are supposed to be.” His tone is sincere.

“Kinda feels like a prison sentence.” The
statement comes out like a snip.

“It might seem like a sentence, but once
embraced, the future can be a wonderful thing,” he offers with a
stern look.

I close my eyes before reopening them and
locking onto his intense ones. “What if someone fails at becoming
what they are meant to be?”

Keegan nods in understanding before moving
his hands from his chest and placing them on either side of his
body on the pool table. “When we were little, Asher and I were
really competitive. I mean, grossly so. We’re alpha, so it was easy
for us to try to be better than the other. Typical brother stuff.
Callan though, he was the baby. We used to treat him like glass,”
he snickers. “Asher and I would do everything for him. The kid
couldn’t even eat a candy bar without one of us breaking pieces off
and feeding it to him.”

“Sounds like typical older brothers,” I
say.

“When we came into our gargoyle wings, my
dad used to take the three of us out to learn to fly. Asher and I,
of course, did it right away, mainly so we could brag about who
flew first. Callan though, he would freak. He would always say,
what if I fall? To which, our father would always answer, but what
if you fly? I think that scared him even more.” He chuckles
quietly.

I picture a younger, even more adorable
Callan. “Eventually though, he did it?”

“He did. One day, Abby was visiting and we
were all practicing. Callan was sulking, per usual. She sat next to
him, took his hand, leaned in, and whispered, I believe in
you.”

I release a choked laugh. “That’s all it
took?”

Keegan’s eyes twinkle. “It would be a nice
story if it were. My baby brother made Abby promise to kiss him if
he did it. She promised. He flew. They kissed.” The side of his
mouth tilts. “There might have even been tongue. I’m not sure.”

My smile grows as I lean next to Keegan on
the table. “Ewe.”

Keegan’s face goes serious. “Sometimes, Eve,
it takes only one person to believe in us. Support us. Stand by us.
No matter what, to set us on our chosen path and fulfill what we
were born to do.”

I nod in understanding. “McKenna is that
person for you?”

“She stands beside me and never lets me
fall. Whenever I question myself, or my motives, she reminds me
that failure is not an option. Kenna’s tough, because she has to
be. For me.”

I inhale and place my stick on the table.
“Do you think Asher is that person for me?”

He releases a deep breath. “Asher is a loyal
protector, as well as a phenomenal being and brother. He’s going to
make an excellent king. Our race will be lucky to have him on their
side. Anyone really is fortunate to have Asher in his or her
corner. However, his role in your fate is still up for debate in my
book. It would seem that his chosen path and yours are entwined.
You’re both tethered to this story. He needs you to fulfill his
assignment, in order to take his place amongst our people. You need
him to bring redemption to those who need it.”

I stare at the wall in front of me. “What
about love?” It comes out as a quiet question.

“No, I don’t think you have a place in one
another’s lives. I don’t mean to sound cruel, Eve, but love for one
another cannot be. This is not a fairytale. It’s real life,” he
says.

My stomach drops at his words. “Why is it
that you are so against Asher and I being together? What have I
done to earn your dislike and mistrust?”

Keegan sighs and crosses his ankles. “Eve,
it’s not that I do not like you. To be honest, you’re simply a new
toy to Asher. A distraction so he doesn’t have to deal with his
birthright to be king. He’s hid it well over the years, but he’s
always been hesitant to step into our father’s position. You’re the
perfect excuse for him to not become what he is destined to be. On
the flip side of the coin, you’re using him to divert you from the
ascension, which you are unsure about fulfilling. You’re both like
scared children, exploiting one another so neither of you has to
face what their chosen path is.”

I blink the sting in my eyes away. “What
makes you think I don’t love him and he me?”

Keegan’s expression falters before he places
his stoic mask back on. “Eve, you can’t possible love someone that
you don’t really know.”

“I do know him,” I assure.

“You think you’re familiar with us, but
you’ve only seen the surface of what this family is and what we do
to protect. Those layers run deep, entire life cycles of history
and loyalties. You can’t begin to understand because you have not
been there.” His voice is gentle but unwavering.

“That’s unfair, Keegan. You can’t protect
this family from everything,” I offer.

“I’m a protector, Eve. Make no mistake. In
my world, family comes first. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way
when I suddenly became the leader of this clan after my parents’
disappearance. I don’t have the luxury of brooding about life like
Asher, or having a friendly demeanor as Callan does. We all have
our roles. Mine is keeping this clan together and everyone on their
fated paths.” The warning is released amongst a kind tone.

I straighten my shoulders and lift my chin.
“So, I’ll always be the outsider to you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“You are the only thing I can’t protect him
from.” His voice is so quiet, I barely register it.

“I won’t hurt him,” I promise weakly.

“You already have.”

“How so?”

“Asher’s position with the council is in
question, he’s broken his oaths to his people, and the throne, at
the moment, is in jeopardy because he’s too focused on his heart to
fulfill his assignment properly and step into his role as king,”
Keegan lists off.

“What if I’m his fate and the other pieces
you are presenting as his chosen path are false?”

“That line of thought will get him killed,
Eve,” Keegan warns sternly.

We just stare at one another in
understanding before I give up. The sound of the doors opening
startles us both as Asher and McKenna walk in. Our focus darts to
them. McKenna prowls over and stands between Keegan’s legs as he
wraps himself around her.

“Thanks for bringing him home, tas ámotas,”
Keegan mumbles into her neck.

“Always do, ágra-lem,” McKenna confirms in
garish and plants a light kiss on his mouth.

Asher just stands and smiles at me, taking
me in.
God, I love his smile.
Keegan’s words float through
my head and my eyes drop to the ground before I clear my
throat.

“Thanks for the game. Good night.” I stand
and walk around Asher to the door.

Just as I reach Asher’s side, his hand darts
out, grabbing my arm and ending my escape. Not wanting to look him
in the eyes, I focus on where his hand is touching my arm, burning
it. I inhale, trying to ignore the way his touch makes me feel.

After composing myself, I lift my gaze and
see his face covered in concern. His eyebrows are pulled together,
forming that line in the middle. I offer a weak smile and gently
take my arm out of his hold.

“Good night, Eve,” Keegan offers. I leave
the tension room
and head up to my room.

I walk in and see Gage sitting on my bed. I
frown and study him.

“Stalking me?” I question.

He smirks. “We, are going out, love.”

“We? As in?” I draw out.

“You and me.”

“Ah, and where would we be going
exactly?”

“To a bar, and before you ask, no, we are
not heading to Katana. I’m taking you to a college dive bar. One
with peanut shells on the floor and stupid young college students
who don’t understand the meaning of restraint, it’s a rite of
passage.” His eyes light with excitement.

“And when we get to this rite of passage,
what are we going to do there?” I ask.

“Once there, we are going to do shots of
tequila until you fall flat on your face and/or, puke. Whichever
comes first, love.”

My eyebrow arches in question. “Why are we
doing this?”

“You’re in college. You should do normal
things like get shit faced when you need stress relief. Christ, I
need stress relief just from hanging out with this clan,” he
explains.

“I see.”

“So, love, should I wait until you change
and primp or are you ready?”

“You do realize I am only eighteen?”

He just rolls his eyes at me like I’m a cute
puppy. “Meet me at the car in ten minutes,” he orders, walking
around me and out the door.

I just stare at the place Gage was sitting
as Keegan’s words float through my head. A night of normal college
behavior actually sounds really good. I stare at my closet and ten
minutes later, Gage and I are on our way into the city, fake id in
hand.

***

The bad-boy gargoyle was absolutely right.
After five tequila shots, I feel amazing. My stress is nowhere in
sight. I blink hard. Apparently my vision is nowhere in sight
either, because everything is blurring and spinning a bit.

After flirting with girl number four
thousand, Gage turns back to me, pushing another lime my way, along
with a shot glass filled with liquid bliss.

“Ready, love? This is the one that will
bring you to your happy place,” he mutters and clinks our glasses
together.

I watch him take his then follow suit. The
burn is no longer present as the alcohol dribbles down my throat,
followed by the sour taste of lime.

“You know what I like about you, Gage?” I
say, maybe slurring.
Am I slurring?
I giggle at the thought
while pushing my empty shot glass filled with lime peel
forward.

“What’s that, love?” The right side of his
mouth tilts in a seductive smile.

I turn toward him and uncross my
jean-covered legs. “You’re fun. Asher…is no fun. You are like
sunshine, and life. He…he is all darkness, and brooding, and blah.”
I slur again.
Am I drunk?
Why are my lips numb? I pop them
together, trying to regain feeling.

Gage just watches me with amusement and
lights his cigarette.
Wait, can he do that in here?
His eyes
slide down my body, landing on my knee-high, black leather,
five-inch heeled boots, pulling me out of my thought process.

“Nice shoes,” he says, rubbing his bottom
lip with his thumb.

“See! The way you just said that to me, in a
smoldering voice, is so hot!” I exclaim loudly. “Asher would be
all, why are you wearing such high heels? You’ll kill
yourself.”

He snorts. “Love, I’m sitting right here. No
need to raise your voice at me.”