Page 156 of Nyx

The crowd grows, as does the noise, and a loud bang to my left makes me jump.

My heart races, and it makes me wonder if this was a terrible idea all the way around.

I jolt when warm fingers run down my arm, my head spinning to my right to see Nyx standing there.

Pressure increases on my wrist, two of his fingers resting on my pulse point. The calm begins to warm me from the inside almost immediately, my eyes locked on his.

"It gets noisy in here," he says, his voice low enough that I'm sure I'm the only one who can hear him. "We can step out back."

I nod, reaching for him again when he moves his hand away, our fingers locking together as we leave the room.

He opens the door off the kitchen, guiding me out onto the patio. Only it isn't a patio. It's an oasis. There's a massive pool, and to the side, what looks like a pool house, but it's also bigger than any pool house I've ever seen.

The landscaping around the area is incredible, and the accommodations are quadruple that of what a regular house would have. I guess considering the number of people who are here, it all makes sense.

Flower-lined sidewalks lead to a handful of houses, and these must be the houses Emmalyn was talking about earlier.

"We can sit if you like," he says, pointing to a few loungers.

The pool glistens as the sun sets behind the houses, giving the area a very romantic feel.

He doesn't release my hand until I sit down, and then he takes a seat on the lounger right next to mine.

"The original guys live in those houses," he says, pointing to the beautiful homes. "I don't know what it looked like in the beginning, but the property is almost like a city now."

"It's beautiful back here," I say, my eyes roaming over every single flower.

The upkeep alone on this place must be insane, but I know, with the team of people they have and their willingness to help, they'd be quick tasks.

"Do they have maintenance and housekeeping come in?"

He laughs. "Not a chance. Understand that every Cerberus member was in the Marine Corps. It's a requirement. We're trained to be cleaned, but everyone just sort of pitches in to help."

"Like family," I whisper.

"Like family," he says as if he's just now realizing it.

Silence swarms around us, but I don't feel the urge to fill the gap, and he doesn't seem obligated either.

As the sun sets, lighting in and around the pool comes to life, making the area look magical and full of wonder.

We sit, just existing together in the cooling air, and I can't think of the last time I felt this relaxed and safe.

I pull in a deep breath and release it slowly, knowing that at least for tonight some of the weight holding me down has been lifted.

I roll my head on the lounger, looking in his direction.

His eyes are closed, A softness to his face that I've never seen before, and it makes me glad I agreed to stay.

He has spent so much time protecting me that I don't know that he's had any time to relax.

Chapter 39

Nyx

Knowing that she's here and safe, I think I slept better last night than I have in a very long time.

I was up before the sun, but that's not unusual for me.