Page 207 of Crucible
“For what?”
“Because right now, she’s still considered missing,” I tell Seth. “Without proof that his niece is dead, Marston Georgecan’t inherit her fortune. It will be years before she’s declared deceased.”
“And apparently, the greedy bastard couldn’t wait that long.”
Until now, I hadn’t truly thought about what Aurelia was giving up when she chose us. But now the answer is staring me down like a ravenous void ready to consume me with guilt.
Everything.
She’d given up everything. Her life, career, and wealth—even her very existence. The least we can do is give her everything in return—starting with our loyalty and honesty.
“We should tell Aurelia,” I decide.
Thorin snorts, and when I raise my brows at him for acting like a salty bitch, he returns an equally withering look of his own. “You don’t think that scheming wench didn’t already know her uncle would send someone looking for her?”
That gives me pause while needles of apprehension prick at my skin. Great…now I’m as bad as Thorin. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying…what if she’s been lying to us and biding her time? Getting us to think she’s really falling for us so we’d let our guard down.”
“Thorin, come on. Do you realize how crazy that sounds? Aurelia is many things, but she isn’t manipulative. Don’t do this shit. Not now. Don’t let your paranoia ruin a good thing. A fuckinggreatthing. Aurelia isn’t your mom. She’s not going to break her word.”
“Right.”
“Wrong.” Seth pushes away from the railing and shoves Thorin back. The surprised look Thorin gives him is almost comical. “Sunshine told me she loves me. She wouldn’t have said it if she didn’t mean it.” Thorin just stares back at him. “And she loves you too, Thor. She hasn’t said it yet, but she feels it.You just have to stop being so…” Seth searches for a kinder word than what he’s probably thinking and settles on. “You.”
“Oh, is that all?”
“Enough of this shit. Go see her, Thor.”
“What?”
“You’re spiraling. Go see her right now. Touch her. Hold her. And then look into her eyes and tell yourself that she isn’t yours. That she isn’t mine. And that she isn’t Seth’s. I fucking dare you.” When the stubborn ass doesn’t move from the spot where he’s standing, I shake my head. If Thorin can’t get past that voice in his head that says Aurelia can’t be trusted—that she is his past come back to haunt him, we’re doomed. “Fine. If you can’t do that, do yourself a favor and get the hell out of my sight before I fuck you up.”
SETH | EKEZ
“The promise that it ends is what makes life beautiful.”
I’m careful not to react as I sweep up the glass, wood chips, and other debris on the floor of Zeke’s bedroom. Well, I guess it’s Aurelia’s now since she laid claim to it and suckered us into clearing it out to make room for her.
“You wrote this, didn’t you?”
I can feel her eyes on me as I continue sweeping. “What makes you say that?”
“Fine, Cura. Keep your secrets. Will you at least tell me what happened in here?”
Thorin is in and out of the room, hauling the ruined furniture out, but every time he returns, he lingers, waiting for Aurelia to acknowledge him before tucking his tail and leaving when she ignores him.
It’s been a few days since Sheriff Kelly and the death squad came knocking, and Sunshine’s been giving him the cold shoulder ever since. It’s not that he doesn’t deserve it. He does. But it’s better for everyone when Aurelia is happy with all of us.
Khalil is busy outside building a bed for our girl—one that’s bigger and fancier than his, per her demand.
“Which time?” I muse as I finish sweeping and cringe when I look around. Fortunately, I don’t have to imagine what Aurelia must have thought when she saw it.
“It looks like someone let a wild animal loose in here,” she mutters.
I crack a strained smile as I dump the full dustpan into the trash. “That would be Bane. And a little of me.”
“Why would he do this?”
