Page 158 of Deadfall

“Welcome home, Emersyn.”

Once she left, I walked around the room just touching things, convinced I was hallucinating all of this because really, what were the odds I’d found my father again? Once I’d run out of things to look at, I locked the door—because old habits die hard—and moved on to the bathroom. Like the bedroom, it was simple and clean, but looked expensive. I started the shower and waited for the water to heat up. I risked a peek at myself in the mirror. I was a bit battered still, but everyone in this house looked like they’d just gotten back from a war, so I didn’t feel out of place with my various cuts and scrapes.

I took my time in the shower and half-expected the water to run cold, but it never did. When I got out, I blowdried my hair and even moisturized. It was amazing what a little pampering could do because after I was done, I looked and smelled like a new woman.

The clothes Kaelin had set out were workout leggings, a sports bra and a t-shirt. I wished Seven was here to give me one of his sweatshirts. The thought hit me out of nowhere, and I choked on a breath. The idea that I might actually miss him was absurd after knowing him for such a short time, but I missed that dark, mischievous look in his eyes whenever he was about to say something cheeky. The fact that he was gone—not just gone, dead—made me feel like something was missing. Something that I hadn’t even gotten a real shot at experiencing, which somehow made it worse.

When there was nothing left to do, I hovered at the door. I put my hand on the knob and anxiety hit me. I could hear the hum of voices downstairs. This house was a hive of activity and all of a sudden I was nervous. I didn’t know these people. I didn’t know this house.

Before my thoughts could spiral, I opened the door and stepped out into the hall. I walked past the room next to mine to see the door open about a foot. Griffin sat on the edge of the bed, head in his hands. Something in my chest tugged until I found myself pushing open his door further. He lifted his head, and I saw a haunted look in his eyes before it disappeared in favor of what I can only describe as unguarded awe.

“I was going to head down…” I trailed off as he approached.

His proximity made my blood run hot, and my breath caught when he raised his hand and brushed a lock of my hair aside.

“You look beautiful,” he murmured.

I blushed. Hard. “Well, Mahoney didn’t exactly have a hair dryer I could use…” I said dryly.

He rumbled a reply, his eyes fixated on mine, and the tension between us thickened as his fingers lightly rubbed a strand of my hair between his fingers.

A knock on the half-open door caused us to jump apart like teenagers. My heart lurched into my throat, and I turned to see a man that sparked a vague memory I couldn’t place.

“Hey, Griff,” he said. “I just got in—North said I missed all the action earlier.”

“Hey, Knight,” Griffin embraced him, and his face lightened slightly. “Good to see you, man.”

Knight’s eyes jumped to mine and a gentle familiarity settled on his face. “Emersyn. Last time I saw you, you were this small.” He grinned and put his hand about three or four feet off the ground. “So, I don’t think you’ll remember me, but I’m an old friend of your father’s from our teams days.”

He held out his hand. “Trent Knight.”

That’s where I’d seen him before—a photo from the military in my dad’s office. I shook it with a tentative, polite smile. He looked back at Griffin and gripped his shoulder.

“Really glad you both are back home safe,” Knight said. “But, I really came up here to tell you Nyx has dinner ready.”

“I’m good,” Griffin said, but Knight shook his head.

“Afraid that’s not going to work. He said if either of you refused to come down I’m supposed to take drastic measures. North threatened nuclear war if we all didn’t sit down to eat together.”

“Is that a regular thing around here?” I asked.

Knight chuckled. “What? Family dinner? Hell no! Usually we’re all begging Nyx to cook for us, or raiding the fridge for leftovers.”

Knight headed toward the door. “Seriously though, he’s trying, and it’s cute so don’t blow this.” He looked one last time between the two of us and smirked. “Especially if this is going to be a thing. You need to get in the father’s good graces and all.”

Griffin flipped him off, but he just laughed his way down the hall.

75

GABRIEL

The last thing I wanted to do was sit down at a table with a bunch of people. But, when North issued an order, it was folly to disobey. It was as awkward as I imagined it would be. North sat at the head of the table with Kaelin on his right and Emersyn on his left. Next to Kaelin was Graham and Knight. On the other side, I sat next to Emersyn, and next to me was Atlas, with Nyx at the opposite end of the table.

Dishes were passed around and drinks poured. Atlas thrust a glass of whiskey into my hands. When I caught Emersyn eyeing the bread basket. I pulled it over to her without speaking, and I felt eyes on me. I looked up to see North had stopped what he was doing. I couldn’t read what was on his face, but there were certainly some thoughts going on that I needed to be careful of. He’d just gotten his daughter back, I didn’t need to encroach on that. But fuck, even I knew that wasn’t enough to keep me away from her.

“Isn’t this cozy,” Graham rumbled.

Kaelin elbowed him in the side. He grunted lightly, and his lip twitched as he loaded Kaelin’s plate with a BBQ chicken thigh.