The pit was louder than usual and somehow brighter it seemed as I waited on my tables. My ankles ached, tender and sore, and I couldn’t recall rolling one, but maybe I had and just didn’t notice.
Before coming here, I’d visited Dolores at the new apartment Scorpios had setup for her and she told me that Beau had pulled a few strings so they would accommodate her. She didn’t say a word about my shocked expression and only smiled. The man continued to surprise me.
Months had passed since our fight after Molly’s visit. I didn’t mention wanting more again after that discussion because I had everything I wanted. I didn’t want to scare him off with talking about a relationship. I knew he needed time and I would give him that. I was a patient person. I knew, like a wild wolf, if he was cornered, he’d attack.
I had been like that.
Except, my default reaction had always been to run.
But now, with Beau, I wanted to stay. It wasn’t a fling to me, he wasn’t a pit stop. He was the final stop.
I had no reason to be at the Pit, but to be close to Beau and he found it best that we stay close, day and night. We trained together, worked together, and slept together.
As I made my way to the bar, I caught Danny standing at the end of the hallway, watching me. He tipped his chin at me, but I kept walking. I wasn’t giving him the time of day.
I had been struggling to ask Beau if he would ever look for another career or if he’d move somewhere else, but I was afraid I’d offend him. The Pit was part of this new life he’d chosen for himself. I didn’t know how tightly he held on to that though. To me, he seemed like a changed man. A reformed man. He was so close to being free, of being happy, but he didn’t want to see it. He didn’t want to believe it. He wanted to stay in the shadows and in the past.
If Danny and his entourage were still selling low-class demons, I didn’t see it. Perhaps he had learned to be more discrete. It didn’t sit well with me, but for now, I was stuck.
When I made it to the bar, black dots filtered my vision and I gripped the counter.
“You okay?” Jackson asked, a heavy dark brow rose in concern.
I swallowed thickly and smiled at him. “Just lightheaded.” I waved him off. “Four rounds of whisky and rum, please.”
He studied me but poured four drinks and placed them on my tray.
I moved through the room, squeezing in-between the crowds. Sweat dribbled down the side of my face and I wiped it off. Maybe I was just tired…
I placed the tray down and handed the drinks to each of the men. When they tried to talk to me, I smiled and kept walking.
A heat washed over me, and I fanned my face. Too hot. Sweat continued to roll down my face and my vision blurred again.
Black dots took over my eyes and I swayed, searching for a surface to catch. It happened every so often the last few months, but now it was happening more often.
Hands gripped my sides, preventing me from collapsing. “I got you.”
Jackson, still holding underneath my armpits, guided me behind the bar and made me sit on a box.
“Put your head between your legs,” he ordered. He wasn’t asking me, he was telling me.
“I’m fine,” I said, but let my head drop between my shaking legs. “Maybe I didn’t eat enough.”
But I knew that was a lie. I’d been eating well, better than ever before. All thanks to Beau and his manic way of making sure I ingested the standard three meals a day.
“Do you think…”
I didn’t need to hear the rest. I shook my head violently. “No. No. I’m definitely not. He’s careful.”
Too careful. The last thing he would ever want is to get me pregnant.
Pregnancy sadly was too tainted for Beau. I never thought much of having children, but sometimes when I lay in his arms, listening to his husky breathing, I imagined having a baby with him.
Not anytime soon, but one day.
Just like he promised, maybe one day we could be in a committed relationship and maybe one day have a family.
I doubted I would be the best mother. I didn’t have much experience growing up with a family. I looked after myself. Looking after another human being, one as defenseless and fragile as a baby? I wasn’t sure I could do it.
“I’m okay,” I said after another minute, lifting my head to glare at him.
He put his hands on his hips and returned the glower. “You almost passed out.”
“I think it’s just too hot in here,” I said, waving a hand in front of my face. I reached for a water bottle behind the counter and unscrewed it, gulping it down.
I had felt tired the last few weeks, but never hot.
I gripped my knees, pushing them to my chest, feeling even more nauseous.
“Your shift’s almost up,” Jackson told me.
“Is she okay?” Fiona asked, rushing to sit beside me. It was now crammed behind the counter, but I felt her pat my forehead, testing if I had a fever. “You’re a little bit hot.”
I shrugged, still too focused on my thoughts. “I’m okay.” I looked at my watch, seeing it was almost midnight and Beau would be waiting for me outside. He liked to walk me home and I liked burying myself into his warmth and hiding away from the cool wind and snow.
I stood, Fiona and Jackson both reaching out as my legs wobbled. I gripped the counter, steadied myself and grinned at them. “Seriously, you guys need to relax,” I said laughing, but the sound was strained.
Jackson scowled and turned back to his work.
“I’ll walk you out,” Fiona said and took my arm. I gathered my wool coat and tied the belt tight. Fiona threw her jacket on but didn’t bother doing it up and followed me outside. “Do you need me to call you a taxi?”
I shook my head, stopping, watching the snowflakes flutter downward, covering the cement sidewalks.
“Beau’s coming to walk me home,” I said, enjoying for once the coolness of the air against my flaming skin.
Fiona smiled. “I never thought I’d see it.”
I frowned at her. “See what?”
Her eyes brightened. “The beast fall.”
A shiver ran down my spine and I breathed out slowly, my breath visible in the cool night air.
Her smile widened as she looked at something behind me and when I turned to see what she was looking at, all my muscles in my body relaxed.
“Feel better,” I heard her say, but I didn’t look back to watch her leave.
I watched Beau, standing in the dark and snow, snowflakes coating his black hair. I walked slowly over to him, unable to look away, unable to break the intense eye contact between us.
I breathed out again once I reached him, tilting my head back to see his dark eyes.
I smiled and when he didn’t return it, my stomach twisted. “What’s wrong?”
“You need to go home,” he said. “Scorpios is being attacked right now. I’m going over.”
“What?” My eyes bulged, and I gripped his wrist. “I’m coming with you.”
He shook his head, a muscle in his jaw feathering. “It’s Ares. Someone must have leaked them the pass code to get in.”
“I can help you,” I fought.
He glared and stepped closer, towering over me. “My mother is in there. And…” He paused, gritting his teeth. “And Molly’s there. Pregnant. I need to protect her for my brother. I can’t protect both of you.”
“You don’t need to protect me,” I snapped. “I can help you. I can help you get her out of there. I promise.”
His jaw clenched, and he glanced away, staring at darkness, but the darkness inside of him. “Fine. You get in and out. We find Molly and my family and get her out.” He reached into his coat pocket and handed me a knife. It glimmered in the streetlight glow.
I nodded and took it, reaching out to squeeze his free hand.
If Ares conquered Scorpios…what would that mean for us? For Beau?