lot.”
He laughed. “I don’t know how this can mean a lot to you. Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? I’m the one seeking answers, but you’re the one offering yourself up on a plate for them. I owe you the world for what you’ve already done for me.”
Looking into his eyes, I could see the hurt written all over them. I could see how appreciative he was and it almost made the tears well up.
“Well, I better be off. Sharice will be wondering where the hell I am.”
I thought about her being pregnant and felt empathy for her. “Of course. She must be waiting for you. She needs you now, Simon. You have a child on the way.”
I saw the bright smile and it made one break out on my face. Just that one little gesture had me forgetting my own troubles for a split second.
Taking the steps down to the pavement, Simon nodded. “I’ll be in touch.” And with a wave, he was gone. Time to face the music inside my flat. I didn’t know whether I welcomed it or not.
Shutting the door behind me, I made my way into the room only to find Michael and Simeon eating my pizza with the biggest, cheesiest grins on their faces.
“Hold up a sec. Are you eating my pizza?”
Simeon just smiled and, with a mouthful of pizza, said, “Oh, come on, Cassie. There’s plenty to go around. Come, sit.”
Smiling, I walked over to the table and took a seat. Michael grabbed a slice and placed it on a plate for me.
“You taste,” he murmured between bites. “The best pizza, remember?”
Nodding, I picked up the pizza and thought about tasting what smelled so good. I took one bite and closed my eyes, savouring the flavours bursting in my mouth. I could taste cheese, herbs, tomatoes, sausage, ham—all just zooming its way to the back of my throat. My god, I wanted this. You didn’t appreciate how much you missed these moments until they were suddenly taken from you. I had nothing but hospital food for the past week.
“Wow, watching you is almost perverted.”
I turned toward Simeon and saw his cheeky smile. The one that didn’t belong to him. I couldn’t help it, though. I had to smile back.
“Sorry. I suppose I missed it. Michael, you’re right. This pizza is the best I’ve ever tasted.”
He raised his slice up in salute. “See. I told you.”
As we sat eating, I pondered the uneasy feeling I had in my stomach. Here I was, sitting with both Michael and Simeon, yet there was no animosity. When Michael and Stephen were together, they were constantly at each other’s throats. I understood why, but I couldn’t help feeling immensely sorry for Stephen. He was the outcast—the dark one. I just wished they could see what I saw. Stephen deserved to have this level of intimacy with his brother. It broke my heart to think he hadn’t had that for a very long time.
I shook my head, not wanting to think about it anymore. What was done, was done. Stephen was where he belonged and I hoped he was finally at peace, finally happy.
“So, what happens now?”
My question halted their chewing. “What do you mean?” Michael frowned.
“Does this mean the danger is finally over? I don’t understand how everything can go back to normal now, just like that.”
Simeon placed the remainder of his pizza on his plate. “Well, they’ve all struck now, so I should imagine they’ll go underground for a while. You will still be watched over, just not with the intensity of the last time.”
Frowning, I couldn’t fathom that. “Don’t you think that’s rather dangerous?”
Wiping his hands, Simeon leaned back, regarding me. “What do you mean?”
“Well, if they think that’s what you’ll do, won’t they think it will be the best time to strike? Now that all your guards are down?”
Michael looked at me with a smile. Turning his head to Simeon, you could tell he was eagerly awaiting his answer.
“I don’t think—”
“I’m not sure this has been thought through.”
Michael laughed heartily. Frowning, I
He laughed. “I don’t know how this can mean a lot to you. Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? I’m the one seeking answers, but you’re the one offering yourself up on a plate for them. I owe you the world for what you’ve already done for me.”
Looking into his eyes, I could see the hurt written all over them. I could see how appreciative he was and it almost made the tears well up.
“Well, I better be off. Sharice will be wondering where the hell I am.”
I thought about her being pregnant and felt empathy for her. “Of course. She must be waiting for you. She needs you now, Simon. You have a child on the way.”
I saw the bright smile and it made one break out on my face. Just that one little gesture had me forgetting my own troubles for a split second.
Taking the steps down to the pavement, Simon nodded. “I’ll be in touch.” And with a wave, he was gone. Time to face the music inside my flat. I didn’t know whether I welcomed it or not.
Shutting the door behind me, I made my way into the room only to find Michael and Simeon eating my pizza with the biggest, cheesiest grins on their faces.
“Hold up a sec. Are you eating my pizza?”
Simeon just smiled and, with a mouthful of pizza, said, “Oh, come on, Cassie. There’s plenty to go around. Come, sit.”
Smiling, I walked over to the table and took a seat. Michael grabbed a slice and placed it on a plate for me.
“You taste,” he murmured between bites. “The best pizza, remember?”
Nodding, I picked up the pizza and thought about tasting what smelled so good. I took one bite and closed my eyes, savouring the flavours bursting in my mouth. I could taste cheese, herbs, tomatoes, sausage, ham—all just zooming its way to the back of my throat. My god, I wanted this. You didn’t appreciate how much you missed these moments until they were suddenly taken from you. I had nothing but hospital food for the past week.
“Wow, watching you is almost perverted.”
I turned toward Simeon and saw his cheeky smile. The one that didn’t belong to him. I couldn’t help it, though. I had to smile back.
“Sorry. I suppose I missed it. Michael, you’re right. This pizza is the best I’ve ever tasted.”
He raised his slice up in salute. “See. I told you.”
As we sat eating, I pondered the uneasy feeling I had in my stomach. Here I was, sitting with both Michael and Simeon, yet there was no animosity. When Michael and Stephen were together, they were constantly at each other’s throats. I understood why, but I couldn’t help feeling immensely sorry for Stephen. He was the outcast—the dark one. I just wished they could see what I saw. Stephen deserved to have this level of intimacy with his brother. It broke my heart to think he hadn’t had that for a very long time.
I shook my head, not wanting to think about it anymore. What was done, was done. Stephen was where he belonged and I hoped he was finally at peace, finally happy.
“So, what happens now?”
My question halted their chewing. “What do you mean?” Michael frowned.
“Does this mean the danger is finally over? I don’t understand how everything can go back to normal now, just like that.”
Simeon placed the remainder of his pizza on his plate. “Well, they’ve all struck now, so I should imagine they’ll go underground for a while. You will still be watched over, just not with the intensity of the last time.”
Frowning, I couldn’t fathom that. “Don’t you think that’s rather dangerous?”
Wiping his hands, Simeon leaned back, regarding me. “What do you mean?”
“Well, if they think that’s what you’ll do, won’t they think it will be the best time to strike? Now that all your guards are down?”
Michael looked at me with a smile. Turning his head to Simeon, you could tell he was eagerly awaiting his answer.
“I don’t think—”
“I’m not sure this has been thought through.”
Michael laughed heartily. Frowning, I
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