"Thank you," Grace shouted over the loud engine.
"Coober Pedy is known for their dugouts. Find you one of those underground homes to stay in, and you should be safe for quite a while," Tate added. I pinched my mouth closed, not wanting to confirm that it was already our plan. The fewer people who knew our location, the better. Grace squeezed my hand as we flew, and every bump we hit had her crawling into my lap. Nix was in the back row, staring stoically out the window, with his eyes glaring in disapproval. I knew that this wasn't the best plan, but at least we were together.
When we boarded the plane, Nix secluded himself. I wanted to ask what was running through his mind, but didn’t know how to bring it up. He looked stuck between a rock and a hard place, struggling with his need to protect us both and his guilt for bringing us into this mess. I didn’t know how to make him understand that we’d go to hell and back for him.
Oh fuck. We? Since when did I start thinking of this as we?
"You okay?" I asked Grace as she nuzzled my chest.
"Not really. I could go for a spa day. Think they have spas where we are going?" she asked, her voice teasing. Grace liked to pretend to like the finer things in life, but I knew she played along to appease her brother. She accepted whatever scraps of affection he gave her, and Gavriel only knew how to toss his baby sister luxury items and designer handbags. I suppose it was easier than actually talking. Grace put on a brave face, but she didn’t actually care about any of that. I'd seen her painting her toes electric blue on her patio and looking happy and free—better than any SoHo spa. Not to mention, I’d followed her to quite a few thrift shops over the years.
"I'm sure they have a Four Seasons," I played along. "I'll give you a foot massage once we land."
"I can do that," Nix interrupted. "I can take care of her, too, you know."
Was that what was bothering him? I knew that it was a close call earlier. He was probably feeling about as helpless as I was. Taking care of Grace Moretti had become a hobby of mine. I wasn’t sure what changed things, but running for our lives made me see her in an entirely new light. Having Nix here drastically changed our dynamic, but caring for her was in my blood, my existence.
"Maybe I don't need to be taken care of," Grace said before pulling away from me and turning to face Nix on the back row. "I don't want a martyr or a protector or someone who's going to push me away for my safety. I want a partner in everything. I want someone who'll hold my hand while knowing how fucking capable I am. Don't get pissed at Alessandro just because he did what you've been neglecting to do since you left. Don't get mad at us for finding one another while you were hiding like a coward."
"Enough," I snapped. She hadn't seen how broken Nix was. She didn't wipe his tears or take in the lost expression in his eyes. I supported her, and a lot of what she said was right, but I wouldn't let her bully him.
Grace shied further away from me and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Damn, girl," Tate said from her seat up front. "Preach. Can't stand it when men want to act like we're hopeless little puppies."
I ignored John's sister. "Nix did what he thought was best," I interrupted. "You're allowed to be frustrated, but you also need to understand that, regardless of what happened in the past, we are a team now. We all take care of one another. We all stand together against this. We won't all be strong at the same time."
"So now we're in this together?" Nix snapped. "I don't need you defending me, Alessandro. I can handle it."
"But you shouldn't have to," I insisted.
Grace chewed on her bottom lip. “I’m sorry, Nix,” she said. “I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
“And I didn’t mean for you to get dragged into this,” Nix replied with a wave of his hand. "Grace was almost captured today because of my involvement with the Ringleaders. And it's a huge kick in the balls to see her coming to you for comfort. I want to be the hero for fucking once. I thought if I pushed her away, she’d be safe. I used to be so fucking strong. I was confident. Capable. Now I’m just...nothing."
“That’s not true—” Grace spoke.
“I am. The man you fell in love with is gone, Grace. Who the hell are you even fighting for?”
“You,” she promised. “Whatever version of you exists, I want. You don’t have to be strong for all of us.”
“I just want to feel like myself again,” Nix replied before turning fully to look out the window, ignoring us.
We all went silent, aside from Tate, who was humming some nineties boy band music.
How would we ever be normal again? How could we survive this faceless enemy if we couldn't get on the same page? A sense of determination bolstered me. I realized and accepted my role in our group all at once. Nix wasn't the wedge between Grace and me, it was my fear about a group relationship that was driving all of us apart. Once we were settled, I'd stop holding back. It was time to be the glue.
Chapter Seventeen
Nix
There was only one motel in the entire town, and I was pretty sure we were the only residents. We walked up to the building, covered in dirt. Grace was limping by the time we finally made it there, and if she weren't so damn stubborn, I would've held her over my shoulder and carried her for the entire mile-long walk.
Our room was covered in dust. I didn't want
