Chapter 21

TWENTY-ONE

WILLEM

"I can't believe you convinced me to do this." I walked beside my brothers out into a dark forest on the Island. It was farther away from Dunn Farms, and this distance away made the place feel eerie.

"You know what they say . . ." a wide smile spread across Brian's face, "to get over someone, you have to get under some?—"

Archer smacked him across the back of his head, cutting off his words. " Watch it. "

Brian ducked his head and rubbed at where he'd been hit. "I was going to say get under some stars and watch some horror movies."

Archer pursed his lips and gave him the sad eye. "Boy, just wait until some girl rips your heart out."

"Is this how that is done then?" Bash walked stiffly on my other side. "If you watch the bloody death of enemies, then you will get over your romantic troubles?"

We all paused and looked at him.

His brow furrowed in confusion. He shook his head. "No, that can't be correct. It's never done so for me."

My jaw dropped, but I snapped it shut. I didn't have it in me to engage that conversation with Bash right now. Usually, I preferred to forget my new brother was a stone-cold assassin.

" You know, sometimes you're terrifying ," Jethro whispered.

"Thank you." Bash smiled a genuine huge smile.

Archer cleared his throat and pointed to a small clearing in the woods. "I think that's where we're supposed to be."

We made our way through the trees and into the clearing where they had blankets set up. Lawn chairs were spread throughout the clearing. Everything was set up to face the large projection screen.

Archer motioned to a larger blanket at the back. "Carter set out a bigger blanket for us over there."

Caleb and Connor walked up from the other side of the clearing carrying baskets of what I knew would be delicious snacks. They stopped at our blanket and sat the baskets down. Caleb plopped down and stretched out like a starfish.

Connor put his hands on his hips. "It's been a minute since all the Bow boys have been together."

I knew he wasn't accusing me, just stating the facts, but I felt the guilt all the same. "Yeah, I suppose I could've been around more."

But I'd spent all my time traveling for work, mostly in other parts of the realm far from Megelle Island. At the time, I thought it was to grow my career, which was definitely true, but it was also a distraction—a way for me to nurse my wounds in solitude without witnesses.

Archer clapped me on the shoulder. "Not like I was around much either."

"Yeah, you two suck so bad." Brian chuckled. "As long as we all know who the problem children are . . ."

We all dropped down on the blanket and dug into the baskets. Other people began to fill in, claiming chairs and blankets for themselves. There were mostly couples, and my brothers seemed oblivious to that fact, but given the events of the last few days, I was painfully aware. I was tired of feeling like crap and tired of thinking of nothing but Indi. She had consumed my mind, body, and soul. I couldn't even conjure up a conversation with Andi, and she was the one person who had a prayer of pulling me out of this black hole I was sliding into.

Daniel stepped out from within the trees and my whole body tensed. My heart stopped. I braced myself . . . and then she walked out behind him. It was my nightmare unfolding right in front of me. I just couldn't catch a break. Having a spot all the way in the back meant Indi didn't see me. But it also meant she was in full view with nowhere for me to turn to not see her while watching the movie. They took a seat on one of the blankets front and center so I had a perfect view of her perfect pink hair.

I couldn't take any of this anymore. I needed to get out of here. I couldn't sit here for a whole movie marathon with her in my line of sight with her boyfriend. The only thing keeping me in place and not running for the hills was my brothers. Connor had just pointed out how long it'd been since we all hung out like this. Just a casual hang. Bailing on them now would be wrong. I just had to suffer through it. It must've been plain on my face because Archer followed my gaze. Indi sat right next to Daniel, their shoulders rubbing together, and when he spoke to her, she threw her head back and laughed.

Archer turned back to me and leaned in closer. "Just go."

I flinched. "What?"

"I can see it in your face." Archer nodded his head toward the forest.

This was a particular kind of torture. I didn't want to be here anymore. I needed to get out. I thought that coming home would be a good idea, but it turned out to be the worst idea of all.

" Daniel, stop it! " Indi yelled with a giggle.

We all jumped, then looked up to where Daniel was playfully tossing popcorn at Indi.

He grinned and threw some more. "Just think, you'll be finding snacks for days." He tossed a whole handful, and it went down her sweater.

She snort-laughed and shoved his shoulder.

My stomach rolled.

"We get it, Lemon Drop." Brian nodded.

"Do we?" Bash looked at the rest of the group. "I'm not sure we do."

Archer placed his hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "We do."

Bash raised his eyebrows and nodded. "Right, then we do."

"I just . . ." I looked back at Indi. "I just need a second to breathe. I'll be back."

"Not tonight." Caleb waved his hands at me. "Shoo fly. We'll be here when you're ready."

Raw, hot emotions formed as a lump in my throat. I swallowed through it. "Guys?—"

"Willem, what are you still doing here?" Connor reached into the basket and pulled out a small brown bag and handed it to me. "Here, this will help."

"Thanks, guys."

Without another word, I ran away from that nightmare I'd surely be haunted by. I didn't tap into my vampire side often, so running at full speed sent the world flying by in a blur. I needed a time out, just long enough to get my shit together and put this crap with Indi to an end. Before I knew it, I was back home and throwing some of my things in a duffel bag. If I was going to get my shit together, I needed to do it away from her and away from here. There was a train into New York in less than an hour, and I would damn sure be on it.