Torture (Terraway Book 3) Page 11

  “It’s fine. I know you were just worried. But I didn’t call about that. I called because I told Ezra about Bev.”

  “Oh, wow. Really? What’d you tell him?”

  “The time with the macaroni and cheese and breaking into the school for the night.”

  “Oh, man. I really hoped he’d go through with the wedding, too. I wanted him to take her off your hands. What happened? Your conscience get the better of you? Or did he see her trailer?”

  “Actually, Ezra’s right here. He wants you to confirm the macaroni story so he can talk to Bev about it.”

  “Hello, Oliver.”

  I almost could hear Ollie sitting up straighter on the other end. “Hello, Ezra, sir.”

  “No need for the formalities, son. I just want to know what I’m walking into. If I’ve been fleeced, I deserve to know. Mariang deserves to know.”

  I heard Ollie’s long exhale and knew he was preparing to dig into the muck we tried not to get too near. “Alright, what do you want to know? I mean, just showing up at her trailer will tell you enough.”

  “I want to know how it is October’s told me a completely different version of the woman I fell in love with.”

  “Alright.” Ollie spoke slowly, thinking through his response and ironing out the hurt he tried never to feel. “Bev’s a great performer when she wants something, so she pulls out all the stops. You’re rich, so she was on her A-game. Don’t feel bad, Ezra. You’re not the first guy to be totally fooled by her. You’re the first one I’ve felt bad was fooled, though. You’re a decent man. I actually look forward to our weekly phone calls.”

  “Thank you.”

  “If you’re going to break it off with her, make sure to tell her I ratted her out, not October. She gets physical when she’s mad, and I don’t want this to come back on my sister. Seriously, Ezra. I’m states away. I won’t be there when this blows up.”

  “Physical how?”

  I shook my head. “I can handle myself, Ollie. You know I don’t let her get a punch in anymore.”

  Ezra was horrified, but Ollie kept his cool. “Sure, but I don’t want her taking swings at you. You don’t handle it as well as you think you do. Even if she doesn’t land a punch, I see how it messes you up.”

  I rolled my eyes at Ollie’s worrying, but neither Von nor Ezra were in the mood for blowing Ollie off. “I didn’t call so you could scare Ezra. He’s already done enough to be cool to me. I called so he would know I wasn’t lying.”

  “Oh, right. Well, October doesn’t lie, especially not about that stuff. I can’t tell you how many times I came home to find her and Allie shivering in the corner under blankets because Bev didn’t pay the heating bills. She had enough money, but she spent it on her ‘treasures’, buying crap she didn’t need and forgetting about the people who depended on her to pay the heating bill. Allie and I worked after school to keep the heat on and buy groceries for the three of us. We decided we didn’t need electricity or water. We couldn’t get to the bathroom anyway, since Bev filled every inch up with garbage.”

  “Please tell me you’re joking,” Ezra begged, his voice hollow.

  Ollie’s voice lowered. “You ever see a three-year-old cry because there wasn’t any food that day? It changes you.”

  My hands were burning with the desire to scratch them. I didn’t like having my secrets spilled out all over for Von and Ezra to dissect at will, though I knew it was necessary to save Mariang from Bev. I took my arm from around Von and raked my nails down the backs of my hands, alternating from left to right which one needed punishing.

  “October, stop scratching,” Ollie said, as if he could see me. He knew me like the man who raised you should.

  “I love you, Ollie.” I tried to keep the emotion out of my eyes.

  “I love you, too. It’ll be okay. If you trust Ezra, then he’ll do the right thing. You’ve got a good gut about most people. I should’ve said something when we first met him, but I was being selfish and thinking only about how good this would be for you if he took Bev off your hands.”

  Ezra cleared his throat three times before he could speak. “Thank you for sorting that out. You’re always welcome in my home, son. Please stop by when you’re in town next.”

  “Thank you, sir. If you could send Danny to check on my sister after it all blows up with Bev, I’d appreciate it. If you tell Bev I ratted her out, she probably won’t go off on October, but you never know. Sometimes it’s just the nearest one who gets hit when Bev’s in a mood. I’m moving back home in two weeks, but I’ll worry until then.”

  “Of course. Anything either of you need. Allie, as well.”

  Ezra ended the call and stared at the phone, willing it to have given him better news.

  I wished I had it for him.

  I wished I had it for me.

  17

  In This

  Ezra excused himself, running straight into Danny, Mason and Finn, who’d not gone downstairs as I’d thought, but eavesdropped on the entire conversation. “Gentleman, down to the kitchen with you. I’m sure Lynna’s got something you can eat to distract yourselves from the things you were not meant to hear.”

  The bathroom door closed, leaving me in Von’s arms in the warm water. I pulled away from him, standing in my soaking clothes between his legs. “I think I’m good now. Just totally tired. Is it cool if I crash in one of the rooms?”

  “I think it’s the only thing Ezra would be cool with. I can’t imagine him sending you home right now.” Von stood, and I realized how very naked he was in just his boxer briefs compared to my fully clothed body. “I’m going to rinse off. I’ve gone from freezing to sweating to freezing to sweating too many times to be able to seduce anyone tonight.”

  I sniggered, melting in his arms when he wrapped me in a hug as we stood in the tub while it drained. “Thanks for making a joke. Sorry you had to hear all of it. You win the friend of the year award for staying with me through it all while my body was freaking out.”

  “Does that come with prizes? I’m only in this for the prizes.”

  “As a matter of fact, it comes with a unicorn. All the magic you could ever want, packed inside one of the zoo’s least stocked animals.”

  He rubbed my back as he held me to him, and I felt a sense of peace envelope me like warm chocolate, making me sweet on Von in the privacy of the bathroom. “You forget that I chose this. But if you could add in the occasional, ‘Von, you’re so sexy,’ I wouldn’t be opposed.”

  “You think you’re sexy? Check out my new bathing suit.” I motioned to my sweater and jeans that were clinging to me and making me about nine kinds of uncomfortable.

  His voice went low and husky. “Oh, baby. Flash me a little wrist,” he teased.

  I indulged him, rolling up my sleeve in slow motion while he bit his lip in feigned lust. “Is that how you like it? Oh, you’re filthy!” I covered up my wrist to reclaim my dignity, my nose in the air and a smile on my lips.

  “That’s what you love about me, darling.” He pressed his lips to my smile, making sure it was a light peck, and nothing that would ruin our treasured friendship, or invoke the euphoria that really kissing an Omen would bring about. His smirk at my blush gave us back a little of our levity to bring us out of the funk that conversations about Bev always mired me in. He tugged lightly on my weighted sleeve. “How about I turn around and promise not to peek at anything that would stop my heart. You can leave your clothes in here and dry off before you get changed.”

  “Thanks. I didn’t want to ruin Ezra’s bathroom floor.”

  Von made a show of turning around and peeking a few times before he promised to keep his nose to the wall. “I could eat a horse right about now. Any chance you can choke something down?”

  I considered this. “Maybe, but only if it’s actual horse meat. I’m on a strict diet.”

  “Well, obviously. That’s why I suggested it.”

  I peeled my soaking sweater off and tugged my shirt over my head, accidental
ly whapping Von across the back with it. The simple act of raising my arms to undress was taxing. I hated that reaping made me such a wuss. “I know I should eat, and I think I can probably keep something down. I just can’t decide what’s more appealing – food or sleep.”

  “Food, and then sleep. Lynna’s the best cook in the world.”

  “It’s settled then. Eat until we zonk out.” I made quick work of peeling off my jeans and underwear, and stepping out of the tub to wrap myself in one of the toasty warm towels Ezra provided for us. I was shivering, and couldn’t tell if it was a normal cold or a reaping-related chill.

  “Mrs. Brady? Be a love and put these in the sink,” Von said after starting up the shower. He handed me my pile of clothes with his underwear on top through the side of the shower curtain. His fingers brushed mine, pulling a bit of the chill from me. He yanked the curtain so his head poked out the side while his body hid behind it. “Seriously? You’re cold again? Stubborn little bugger. Let me rinse off, and I’ll do some more pulling.”

  I pursed my lips, taking in Von’s unending team spirit. “I wonder at what point you’ll start resenting me for always being in your space.”

  Von leaned his head further out and pecked my cheek, the utter nudity of the situation making the simple sweetness feel far steamier than a kiss to my cheek otherwise would’ve been. “You forget I grew up with five brothers. Being around a beautiful woman all the time? Not as much a chore as you make it sound.”

  “But what about the Hot Nurse in Pink? You got her number and then had to hold my hand. I’m seriously going to cramp your game.”

  “I’m up for the challenge. This face, this body, plus my charm and accent? It was getting too easy. I’m in this, November. You don’t have to worry about me.”

  “Thanks,” I said as he disappeared behind the curtain again to rinse off. I got dressed in the black fleece pajama pants and pea green thermal shirt Ezra provided for me. The socks were fuzzy and had picked up a bit of heat from being in front of the vent. I brushed out my hair, handing Von a towel when he turned the water off. He came out with it wrapped around his waist, looking like, well exactly like a TV vampire might look with water dripping off his eyelashes and clothed in only a towel.

  18

  Joining the Family

  It felt like every time I paused chewing, another cannoli was shoved toward me. Lynna was an amazing cook, but after lasagna, carrots, garlic bread and soup, I was pretty much full. Add two cannolis to that, and I was ready to crash. I had Mason on my left and Von on my right, both of them sucking residual buildup from the excessive reaping while they ate an inhuman amount of food. It was a wonder Lynna could keep up with the demand.

  “Is there more garlic bread?” Mason asked.

  Finn blanched. “How can you still be hungry?”

  “Of course, dear.” Lynna filled his plate with more bread, giving his hand a tight squeeze before she went back to the kitchen.

  “Pulling a normal amount makes me starving, but as much as we did today? I can’t keep up. I swallow, and it’s like a drop in an ocean. I’m so hungry.”

  “Sorry, guys,” I said with a frown. I hadn’t thought about how my crusade to get it done ASAP would affect them. “Look on the bright side. We only have twenty-four more to do tomorrow. Then we can crash for a whole day. You can eat till you puke and sleep in as late as you want.”

  Von gave a noise of assent between mouthfuls, his hand on the inside of my knee as he ate. With Mason’s hand on my shoulder, the weighted feeling of never ever having a moment alone dawned on me afresh, sinking like a brick in my gut. I finished my cannoli with a heavy heart, knowing Ezra would drop the gavel on Bev in the next day or two. I wouldn’t have the space to deal with ruining the best thing that ever happened to her, or to handle any retaliation she threw at me.

  Finn, Danny, Mason and Ezra were talking shop about what to pack for the trip through Silo, Kabayo’s land, but I couldn’t have been further from paying attention. I was glad only Von and Mason seemed to notice when I pushed my chair back from the table and grabbed my plate to take it to the kitchen.

  I rinsed off my plate in the sink and put it in the dishwasher. Then I started in on the rest of the dishes, rinsing and stacking to lighten the massive load I’d unleashed on Lynna by overworking the guys. My body was still aching, but cleaning felt like a balm to my weary soul.

  I caught an earful when she came back into the kitchen from refilling Von’s plate yet again. “No! No, Lady October. You don’t do dishes here. Put those down and go back with the others.” Lynna’s wrinkled hands went to her face, fanning with too much anxiety over something so small. Her white bun atop her head was pulled tight, making her wide eyes seem even bigger when she was upset.

  “It’s no big deal. It’s my fault you’ve got so many dishes to do. Finn’s here because he’s curious about Omen duties. Plus I made Mason and Von work too much today. They each count for like, five grown men with how much they’re putting away.”

  “I won’t hear of it. Now you go on out there before Ezra sees you doing housework!”

  I couldn’t help the much-needed smile that played at the corners of my mouth at her fretting. “What’s Ezra going to say about me pitching in? Does he really think I’m so useless that I can’t load a dishwasher?”

  Ezra strolled in, his shoulders rolled back and his empty glass in his hand. “Useless? Of course not. But your job is to be the Death Omen. Save your strength for tomorrow. You’re my guest. I don’t ask guests to do their own dishes.” He took out a bottle of wine and refilled his goblet, making Lynna that much more high-strung now that two people were doing things she should have been tending to.

  “Hello, I’m sleeping here. I’m your daughter. That hardly makes me a guest exempt from chores.”

  Ezra’s hand was on my shoulder in the next breath. “You are my daughter. It’s good to hear you say it.”

  I chuckled, waving off his earnest expression. “Alright, alright. I’ll feel better about freeloading if I do something to help out.” I finished filling the dishwasher, scrubbed my hands three times, and then turned to find both him and Lynna watching me with resigned expressions. “I think I’m going to turn in, if that’s alright.”

  “Of course.”

  Lynna went back out to the dining room to replenish the no doubt depleted supply of lasagna, leaving Ezra and I in the kitchen. “Ezra?”

  “Yes, dear?”

  I had a hard time looking at him; he was just too nice a guy. “I’m real sorry for everything. For what it’s worth, I like you. I don’t want to take something away if it makes you happy. I feel like I did the wrong thing upstairs, telling you all that.”

  Ezra put his wine glass down on the counter. “On the contrary. You treated me like a family member. You looked out for my interests, even when they conflicted with your own. You told me the truth, which is more than most people do for me.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest, bewildered. “You can’t be this nice a guy.”

  Ezra chortled at my skepticism. “Play poker with me sometime. You’ll see my vindictive side.”

  “Deal me in next time you play.” I couldn’t help but share in a portion of his welcoming smile. He was so genuine; it made no sense. “Did Mariang have a good day off?”

  “She did. Danny and I took her to a museum today. She never gets to do things like that anymore. Thanks to you, she got to see some art, went shopping with Danny and had a meal where she ate her fill, and Danny didn’t eat for four. You did a good thing for her. Don’t think it goes unnoticed.” He extended his hand to me.

  No matter how honest I’d been with him upstairs, I didn’t want to tip my hand to the crazy so soon after being brought into the fold. Though there were germs aplenty, I muscled through and shook his hand. “It’s no trouble.”

  Ezra winced at the contact. “You’re still icy.” He gripped my hand tighter when I tried to pull away. “While I appreciate what you did for Mariang, don’t
think that you can keep up this pace. I’ll not sacrifice one daughter for another.”

  I tilted my head to the side, sizing up his sincerity. “I think we both know you would, but for my sake, I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  19

  The Price of Murder

  I’d gone to sleep by myself in the guest bedroom I’d been given, and woke to Von sliding in beside me sometime in the middle of the night. “Oy! You’re a popsicle.” He took my hands and tucked them under his shirt, wrapping his arm around me to give me a steady pull while he massaged my shoulder. I hadn’t realized how cold I was, but it felt like they’d turned the thermostat down by at least seven degrees.

  “I’m f-fine. Just tired.”

  He took his phone from off the bedside stand and swiped through until he found the person he needed. “Danny? Get up here and send Mason. Does Ezra have an electric blanket? She’s stone cold again.” He ended the call and tore off his sweater, shoving the hoodie over my head. He tucked my messy bun inside the hood and kissed my nose. “Clever girl. Make yourself into a human ice cube in order to get me naked. Didn’t you know? All you had to do was ask.”

  “Rats! That was funny. All I can think of is something about you thinking you have a hot body, and me giving you the cold shoulder. Give me a m-minute. I’ll think up something better.”

  “I’ll be on the very edge of my seat. Come closer, love. There you go,” he said as I wrapped my arms around him. His leg hooked over mine, drawing me so close, it felt like we were one body. “I really need to get laid. All this cuddling’s no good for me. You’re turning me into a nice guy, and that isn’t the man you fell in love with.”