Chapter 4

Cronos

By the time I get back to my place it's a little after midnight. I needed to get out of here earlier and clear my fucking head, seeing her brought back memories and feelings I thought I had long since buried but it turns out, I was fucking wrong. Leaning against the door jam, I just stand here and stare at her sleeping on the bed I've never used. She's left the bathroom light on, which is a clear sign she's afraid of the dark. She chose the wrong person to run to because I am the fucking shadows. I normally fall asleep in my chair in front of the fire, but most nights I spend outside in my swing so I can stare up at the stars.

I thought I would never see Amelia again after the day I left her in Chicago. I had come to terms with the fact I was destined to never open my heart to another. I vowed after I lost Aida that I would never allow another person to have me at their mercy again. Turns out I was full of shit because I was powerless to stop my own heart from claiming Amelia. She didn't need to do anything, she was just herself, but the time we spent away together bonded us in a way neither of us expected and I can vouch for the fact that neither of us meant to end up in bed together, but I couldn't regret it because she fit me perfectly.

I lost Aida years ago and the loss of her still burns deeply inside me, I've never been able to let her go fully. Hand on the fucking bible, I never once prayed for the pain of her loss to lessen because that was my penance for loving her when I had no fucking right. She was too perfect for this world. Much like Amelia, I have struggled with accepting my place in my family because of the loss of Aida. Artemis still blames himself for her death and I guess a part of me does blame him for it too, but I know why he never completed that trial and I understand it, but it doesn't mean I agree with his choices.

She rolls over, pulling me from my thoughts. The blanket falls away, the sight of her sleeping in one of my shirts has my brows raising. It's not the fact she's wearing my shirt that has me shook, it's the sight of the bump. My legs carrying me across the room without consent. I stand over her, just staring down at the growing bump, and a pang of longing hits me in the chest.

That should have been my baby in there!

I push the thought away, not wanting to dwell on it. I've never wanted to be a father. I never exactly had a great example of one and I know for a fact I would never do a good job raising a kid. I would fuck that kid up beyond repair so it's better not to curse the world with another mini me. But then out of nowhere an image of me and Amelia sitting out on the back porch watching a dark-haired, green-eyed little girl running across the lawn slams into me with such force, I stumble back a step knocking into the dresser. She jolts awake and screams as she scurries to the other side of the bed.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do it, I'll clean it. I swear!" I can see her trembling, tears are gathered in her eyes, but what surprises me most is how her motherly instincts have already kicked in. Rather than shielding herself she has her arms wrapped around her stomach, protecting her child without thought. It takes her a second to realize it's me standing in here with her before the tension drains out of her weary bones and she slumps forward, taking some deep breaths.

"He beat you, didn't he?" Her head snaps up, her mouth parts but no words come out. I don't need to hear the words, I can see it in her eyes.

That cunt hurt her!

I clench my fists at my sides and try with all my might to tamper my anger and remind myself that she isn't mine to care for, isn't my family to avenge. She isn't my anything, but my mind and body can't seem to agree because in the next second I'm flying out of the room and heading for the coat closet near the front door to retrieve my guns. I yank the door open with enough force that it breaks one of the hinges. I reach forward to grab my case but Amelia is there pulling me back. I shake her off, not paying her any mind as I pull the two black cases out. I haven't needed to use these things since I moved here. I always carry my Glock—force of habit—but I've never needed to use it.

"Cronos, please." I ignore her as I slam the cases on the counter and press my thumb on the scanner to unlock them. The moment the first case is open I move on to the next one but when the lock clicks open, I freeze at the sound of a gun cocking. I slowly turn my head to see her standing there with my Smith and Wesson 9mm aimed at my chest. Her hands are shaking. "Please, just… stop?—"

"Stop what?" I roar. She flinches and takes an involuntary step backward as she shakes her head. "Look at you, Amelia. You're a fucking shell of your old self. You preached to me for months about never being controlled by your family and wanting freedom and now look at you!" I regret the words the moment they fly out of my mouth, but it doesn't mean they aren't true. She's lost weight and looks like a strong gust of wind would blow her away.

Her bottom lip trembles as the first tear falls. She angrily swipes it away but still doesn't lower her gun. "You don't know shit!" she screams.

"And whose fucking fault is that?" I snap, making pain flash in her eyes before she masks it.

"Is this what this is? You want to go back to Chicago and murder in my name because you got your feelings hurt?"

I grind my teeth and clench my hands into fists so I don't reach out and wrap one around her neck. She may not say it out loud, but I can tell a move like that wouldn't be seen as me trying to subdue her, she would think I was trying to hurt her like he clearly did.

"Are you worried about my feelings or the fact you would be grateful that I killed the cocksucker that hurt you and knocked you up?" Her jaw unhinges but I'm not done. Ignoring the gun, I press in closer until the muzzle is pressed against my chest. She takes a step back but I follow her until she is backed against the wall with nowhere to go. "Wasn't it you who preached to me about safe sex and making sure to always wear a condom and yet here you are, pregnant by some motherfucker that you're clearly on the run from."

Tears cascade down her cheeks unchecked. Having had enough of her little display of power, I snatch the gun out of her hands, then push in closer until I'm flush against her. A gasp escapes her and the hint of fear I see in her eyes angers me but I refuse to backdown. She isn't this scared little meek woman, she is a fireball and if she plans to survive in this fucked up world she's going to have to dig down deep and find that version of herself again, because no one else can do that for her.

"I didn't know," she says barely above a whisper.

I keep my face blank of all emotion as I grip her chin and force her head up so she has to look me in the eyes. "Know what?"

A whoosh of air escapes her. "I never changed my stance on safe sex. He poked holes in the condom. He wanted me pregnant." I'm smart enough to read between the lines and know there is more to it than what she is saying but before I can push her further, my phone rings. There is only one person who would call this late. I pull it out of my pocket without taking my eyes off Amelia as I answer and bring it to my ear.

"What?"

"Sally Johnson just passed," Becky says.

"I'm on it," I bite out.

"Cronos?"

"What Becky?" Amelia's eyes widen at the sound of my receptionist's name. I fight the smirk from breaking free when I see that green-eyed monster enter her gaze, finally, some other emotion instead of fear!

"Reggie is distraught over the loss of his wife so… be nice." She ends the call before I can bite her head off. She fucking knows I hate dealing with grieving spouses. Normally on jobs like this one she will meet me there to deal with that while I tend to the body, but since she is out of state preparing for her wedding, I'm stuck doing this shit on my own!

"I gotta go," I grit out as I shove my phone back in my pocket, relock the cases and stash them back in the closet.

"Oh, so you had me pinned to a wall a second ago and now you're about to leave to go see your booty call?" I shut the closet door as best I can, then slowly turn to face Amelia who looks like she is about to do bodily harm to Becky.

"Grow up, Meelz." Her face reddens in anger. "You and I both know if I wanted you pinned to that wall, you wouldn't say no because you love it when I take control so you don't have to think." Before I can get my mouth to shut the fuck up more words pour out. "I guess being a thug for hire taught me about being a brute as well, huh?" Shame colors her cheeks as I pass by to grab some fresh clothes from my room. I hear her stomping down the hallway after me and sigh quietly knowing the tiny thing I thought of as an angel is about to turn into the she-devil. Amelia has the worst fucking temper and it's no surprise considering her who her father is. King also has a short fuse. I pull a pair of black jeans out of the dresser as she enters the room.

"You don't get to pass fucking judgment on me then leave!" I slam the drawer closed and spin around to face her. She looks wild and crazed and this is the version of her that I fucking frothed at, even now my cock is growing hard at the sight of the fire in her eyes. Her temper matches my own. Shit, it could probably rival mine.

"Why the fuck not? You did. You checked out on me weeks before I finally gave in and left. I fucking left because that is what you wanted and now here you are, trying to fuck up what I built because you were too fucking stubborn to see what was right fucking in front of you!" I don't realize I'm yelling until I have to clear my throat.

"What the fuck did you want me to do?"

"Fuck off with that bullshit, Amelia!" I snarl as I push my sweats down my legs. Her eyes immediately drop to the bulge in my briefs. Her throat bobs as she swallows, I don't have time for her shit or this argument, I pull my jeans on and yank my shirt over my head and the moment a strangled gasp escapes her I realize my fucking error.

Fuck!

"Grizz—"

"Shut up, Amelia."

"Fuck you! That's my name across your abs!" she snaps back. I pull another shirt out of the drawer and pull it over my head before brushing past her and rushing out of the cabin. What I don't expect is for her to follow me. I grip the door handle of my truck and open it only for it to be ripped out of my grasp and shoved backward. I glare down at the little shit as she stands there blocking my door. "Why do you have Kingsley tattooed across your abs, Cronos?"

I scrub a hand down my face, utterly spent after spending a small fucking amount of time with her! She was always like this, a dog to a bone whenever she wanted information. I try a different approach needing to get the fuck out of here so I can get to the morgue and grab the hearse, before heading to Reggie's to collect Sally. Because it's such a small town I am the undertaker and the medical examiner, I love what I do.

"Amelia, I don't have time for your meltdown right now. Go inside, get some sleep and I'll be back as soon as I get Sally set up."

"Who the fuck is Sally? What happened to Becky?" she sneers.

"Jesus fucking Christ, woman! Becky is my receptionist and Sally is the dead body I have to collect. Now can you fucking move so I can go do my goddamn job?"

Her face falls. "The books…" she whispers.

"Yes. I read those fucking books because it's my job, now for the love of my barely there fucking sanity, move !" She steps aside without another word allowing me to escape. I climb inside my truck and don't glance back at her as I drive away. Unlike my twin, I won't chase after Amelia if she decides to run while I'm out. I tried that once, I listened to him and put my pride aside and went after her but that didn't turn out well for me.