The Ripple Effect (Rhiannon's Law #3)(49)

Disco weighed the words, countered with a curt nod, and wrapped an arm around me. He didn’t lift me to his chest, and I wanted to kiss him for knowing after everything that had happened I would want to walk to our room instead of being carried.

The family parted and made way. Goose tried to say something as we approached, but I remained silent when our eyes met. He had never been good at hiding his feelings, so it was easy to read his guilt. Paine took the lead as we slowly made our way upstairs. I was a teensy bit wobbly from the blood loss and lack of sleep, but I knew my body would stabilize soon. I just needed a hot shower and a serious power nap to recharge and pull myself together.

As well as one more, very important thing.

When we made it to the room, I paused in front of Paine. “We’re going to need time alone.” When he didn’t get my message, starting to walk past me, I put a hand on his chest and glanced at Disco. “Not the three of us.”

“You’re hurt.” I could tell he wanted to stay. He didn’t budge from his spot in the room’s entrance.

“I’m already on the mend.” I touched the spot on my head and showed him the drying blood. “See?”

“We need to formulate a plan,” Paine stalled. “Over half the day is gone. We don’t have a lot of time to strategize.”

“Soon,” I said. “I want to talk to Dis—” I quickly corrected myself, “I need to speak to Gabriel.” From this moment forward, until we were all safe, the nickname couldn’t be uttered. “We need time alone.”

“Oh.”

I could see the envy in Paine’s gaze. He had always been intuitive, able to read so easily between the lines. Even if Disco didn’t know what I intended, Paine did. It wasn’t the first time I was glad he didn’t have memories of our time together, and it wouldn’t be the last. He might want more than friendship but his loyalty to Disco was absolute. The Paine of the future had initiated more from me due to the fact Disco was dead. If he had lived, I was certain Paine would have kept his distance—no matter how difficult it was for him.

“I’ll be in my room,” he said quietly. “Come for me when you’re ready.”

The door closed, and I moved away from the man at my side. It felt too good to be so close to Disco, and I had to do something before I could tell him what I needed to say.

“He’s right, we have to talk,” Disco murmured. “I have—”

I stopped him by holding up my hand, resisting the temptation to place my fingers over his full lips. “I’m going to get a shower. Then we’ll discuss everything.”

He didn’t like it, I knew. Space was something he didn’t want to give me when I was in trouble. In the past, when he felt me withdraw emotionally, he forced me back to reality. Before things had gone to shit, I loved that about him. He refused to let me hide from him or myself.

I felt his eyes following me as I walked to the bathroom.

“Don’t take long,” he warned, his throaty baritone dipping an octave. “It’s important we have a plan.”


“I won’t,” I called over my shoulder, entering the bathroom.

I closed the door behind me, leaning on the wood. Removing the blood and grime from the alley fight was part of the reason I’d decided to hurry into the other room. However, there was an even more important reason I’d rushed from Disco’s side, something that couldn’t wait. I surveyed the bathroom. There weren’t many good hiding spots for the knife, so I went to the counter under the sink. After I found a place to wedge Sucker—between a row of towels and a large bottle of shampoo—I quickly stripped away my clothing.

My fingers were useless, the material slipping from my grasp, making the task so much harder than it needed to be. Was I really going to do this? Would I end one battle before another started?

It didn’t take long to decide that, yes, I would risk everything.

Who knew what horrors waited for me tonight. Things I would never be able to forget. Revenald already had too much information about me and Disco. The chasm that existed between us would only give him more ammunition, an easy way to keep us apart.

Divided we were less. Together we would be strong.

I didn’t dawdle when I stepped inside the steaming shower. One good scrub and a quick wash of my hair was all that was necessary. My heart was racing as I stepped out of the shower, patted myself off, towel dried my hair and wrapped the dampened cloth around my body.

Due to the steam on the glass, I couldn’t see myself in the mirror. I combed my fingers through my hair until I could no longer detect any tangles, hoping that I managed to look decent, trying to calm the frantic beating of my heart. Champagne fizzles tickled my stomach, making me warm all over as a faint buzz filled my ears.

This is it. No more waiting.

The heavy fog from the shower followed me into the bedroom when I opened the door. Disco was seated on the edge of the bed. His blond head was down, his hands cradling his face. He looked broken, defeated, and absolutely gutted. My anger returned. Revenald could hurt me, but I wouldn’t be his only victim. It took my breath away when I fully grasped the gravity of the situation and realized that, because of me, Disco would be hurt as well.

“I helped Sonja send Baxter to the other side today,” I said and he slowly lifted his head. “The entire thing was horrible. They were so sad.”