Souls Unfractured (Hades Hangmen, #3)(7)

I heard the quiet sound of Mae rushing to Styx, whispering something I could not hear, but I had one intention, and one intention only.

The smell of oil and leather hit me first, then something I could not make out, something distinctly Flame. Now only a hairsbreadth away from Flame, my eyes to the ground, a silence had descended on the group.

Clasping my hands together to maintain my composure, I lifted my head. This close, I realized I had missed him with a devastating intensity. I realized, that not once had I felt this safe since he had been gone.

Flame swallowed hard and watched me. My heart fluttered when I admitted to myself that I liked the way he watched me. I liked that, when I was near, the pained expression he always wore fell away.

Steeling my fraying nerves, I whispered, “Thank you.” I inhaled a quick breath to steady my shaking voice, dropped my eyes from his penetrating stare, and added, “Thank you. Thank you for saving my life.”

The heavy silence felt as though it was choking me. I could hear the breeze, the night birds in the trees, and then I heard a quick exhale of breath. Raising my eyes again, I saw Flame’s lips part, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

Gritting his teeth, his inked gums reading ‘PAIN’ came into full view. Flame edged forward until his close presence stole my composure. I blinked in rapid succession trying to brace for what he may do.

Flame’s heavy muscles tensed. His hand began to rise. My body became rigid, thinking he was going to touch me. My instinct was to pull away, to step back and refuse contact. But as I looked upon his tired face, I could not help but keep still.

Flame’s hand trembled as he tried to reach for my face, but as it hovered only inches away it stopped, hanging suspended in the air. Flame’s eyes glassed over. Then with a pent up exhale, he withdrew his hand and stumbled back.

Whipping my head to my right, Mae was staring at me, her mouth parted in shock. Styx was glaring, eyes narrowed. My skin instantly set on fire, my cheeks blazing with embarrassment.

Stepping back, I headed toward the cabin, desperate to escape the attention. Mae rushed beside me. Just as I was about to gain the sanctuary of the house, I heard, “Maddie…” whispered in a guttural, sad voice.

I immediately halted. I glanced over my shoulder to see Flame standing a few steps before his brothers. He looked at me with such sorrowful eyes that I feared my heart would crack right down the center.

There was such longing in his expression, as though he was desperate for me to say something. Anything.

Forcing a smile, I tucked my hair behind my ear, and whispered, “Good night, Flame. I… I am happy you have returned.” In my head I added, “to me,” but that would never be said aloud.





Chapter Three


Flame



I watched her go until the door of the Prez’s cabin clicked shut. I didn’t move. I just stared at the wooden door, feeling a huge f*cking pit in my stomach.

Lifting my hand, I looked down at my rigid fingers. They looked just like everyone else’s, but they didn’t work the same. Because other people could touch someone else. They could’ve put their hand on her face after she’d said thank you. They could’ve felt her skin. They could’ve maybe made her feel better.

But then the frustration filled my heart, and I thought, Your touch is poison. You’ll hurt her.

Bending my fingers, I curled them into a fist and heat boiled my blood. I hated it: I hated that I couldn’t touch her. I hated that when she looked up at me with those green eyes, I couldn’t f*cking speak.

I didn’t know how to speak to her. I just knew I couldn’t. Because I was wrong in the head. Because I wasn’t like everyone else. Because people said I was a f*cking freak. All my life they’d told me I was born wrong.

“Flame?” Turning my head, AK and Viking were stood beside Prez. Styx nudged his head at me. Vike then glanced to Styx and back at me. “Come here, brother.”

Glancing at the shut door one more time, I dropped my head and walked back to Prez. Styx watched me the whole way, my lips moving as I counted my steps under my breath. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…”

I reached Styx at eight. Nine, ten, eleven… On eleven I looked up. My head twitched under his hard glare. Curling my fingers into my palm, my nails dug into flesh, enjoying the sharp bite.

Styx shook his head and signed, “Don’t know what the f*ck that was all about with Madds, not sure I want to.” He looked up to AK and Vike, but my eyes never left him. Turning back to me, he signed, “I get you have some f*cked up obsession with her, that’s your friggin’ deal. But if, or when, you hurt her, you hurt Mae; and that shit ain’t gonna fly.”

My teeth ground so hard you could hear it out loud. Shaking my head, I hissed, “I’ll never hurt Maddie. Never.”

Styx didn’t say shit for a while, then nodded his head, backing up toward his cabin. My eyes followed him all the way, when he signed, “Glad to have you back, brother. Wasn’t the same with you gone. Life was pretty f*cking tame.”

I relaxed my hands. Styx entered his cabin, leaving me stood with Vike and AK.

AK ran his hand down his face. “Let’s head home.”

But I didn’t want to leave. I needed to stand outside of Maddie’s window. I needed to keep her safe.