Tiny Dark Deeds: Chapter 20

Sloane

There were news vans and press outside of Ares’s house, but the security kept them back. There were people in suits stationed outside the wide property, and they waved Ares’s blue Hummer through the crowd.

“They haven’t left since everything went public,” Ares said, navigating. The shutters went off like popcorn, but with the dark tint of the Hummer’s windows, the press probably couldn’t see much.

Not that the fact stopped them.

They banged on Ares’s car, but like stated, the security kept them back. They called my name and his, and considering Ares had a wolf (his football namesake) painted on the front of his ride, I was sure all these people knew he was in here, local press or not.

There were so many, and easily twice the amount of news vans that’d been stationed outside of Dorian’s house recently. After the Mayberry scandal with his uncle had surfaced, his gated community had held a similar amount of attention.

But it was nothing like this.

This was insane, and thank God for the security. They kept the press away enough for Ares to navigate himself, my brother, and me inside. We’d all said goodbye to Thatcher, Wells, and Bow at Windsor House. They’d wanted to come too, of course. Especially Bow.

But like Ares had said, only a few people would be there today. The parents… his parents thought it’d be better that way.

Your parents.

Apparently, those plans included Dorian Prinze, who was there at the property when Ares pulled around back. Ares had to considering the media circus outside, and Dorian was stationed between two security personal, sitting on the steps of a back veranda, which gave views onto the property through wide windows. The dark prince got up, and the people actually sitting on the veranda did too. There was a man and a woman behind the glass, one blond, the other a deep brunette.

His parents.

They both came outside and joined their son, Dorian’s dad just as striking as his mom. Dorian may have had his mother’s eyes and softer features, but he had the angular jawline and strong disposition from no one else but his father. The two were like clones, the older version in a thick sweater with his arm around Dorian’s petite mother. She had a jacket on, warming her arms, and waved at the car when Ares shut it off.

Ares immediately got out, but when I started to, Bru pushed forward. He’d been in the back seat.

“Prinze is here?” he asked, frowning, and I forgot I hadn’t told him. Things had been moving quickly.

Unstrapping, I angled a look back. “He wanted to be here, and his parents are friends with Ramses and Brielle.”

I hadn’t been told what to call them yet, but I assumed their names. Mr. and Mrs. Mallick felt weird, all of this just another thing I had to wrap my head around.

“I get them wanting to be here.” Bru unstrapped too. He dropped his arms on the seats. “But it’s Prinze, and he lied to you.”

I knew he had, and I also knew we hadn’t talked about it. “I said it’s okay he’s here, all right?” And I didn’t want him arguing about this with me.

I was already arguing with myself about it.

The activity outside had ceased, and though Ares had gotten out of the car, he hadn’t gone to talk with anyone. He was too busy with his sight focused in the Hummer. His head tilted at me, and I waved him off. We were fine in here.

Again, that was so weird.

It would take some adjustments being under the protective eye of Legacy. Especially when another watchful gaze appeared at Ares’s right side. Dorian too was looking in here.

“Just as long as you’re fine with it,” Bru said, backing up and getting out. There was so much more I wanted to say to my brother, but I didn’t. I’d never gotten a chance to really go over anything with him before he’d left to take the bags down this afternoon. He needed to know he had control in this situation too and should always talk to me if he needed something. I really didn’t want him getting lost.

Promising myself I’d make sure that didn’t happen, I did get out, but not on my own. Security ended up opening the door for me, and I thanked the woman who got the door. Ares joined my side then. Dorian was in between his parents, a perfect mashup of their beauty and poise.

The dark prince was nervous. He kept wiping his hands on his jeans, but when no one said anything, he stepped forward.

“Dad, this is Bru and Sloane.” He gestured between us. He stopped on me. “I suppose you both already met my mom.”

He fidgeted again when his mom came forward and took my hand.

“I hope the drive was okay with all that madness,” she said, obviously referencing the press. After Bru and I got out of the car, Dorian’s dad dismissed the two members of security we had, so they could do another walk-through of the property just in case. I’d heard him. She placed her other hand on mine. “Hopefully some of that will die down soon.”

“Yeah, hopefully.”

She smiled at Bru. “And good to see you.”

Bru took her hand, shaking it. At this point, Dorian’s dad waited, patient, with his son by his side. A smile graced his dad’s lips during the exchange, and when his wife introduced him, he offered his hand as well.

“Nice to meet you, Bru,” his dad said before his gaze fell on me.

“Royal, this is Sloane,” December said, her hand cuffing around his arm. She leaned in. “Ares’s twin.”

“Definitely can see that.” Royal directed a look between the Legacy boys, his lips turned down at them both. “And you kids missed that how?”

I’d give them credit that it wasn’t obvious. I mean, we weren’t identical, but if the fact had been put out there, people definitely wouldn’t be surprised to know.

Hindsight was twenty-twenty, I guess. At least, in their case. The boys ended up shrugging, and when Royal offered his hand, I took it.

“Nice to meet you, Sloane,” he said, his shake short, polite. He definitely didn’t linger, and that might have been for my sake. These people all probably thought I’d run if given the chance.

You had before.

My gaze fell on the dark prince. In fact, he hadn’t looked at anyone but me since I’d arrived.

December was hugging Ares, her hands on his face when she came away. I’d heard during breakfast she was his godmom, and that made sense if Ramses was her best friend.

“Where’s Mom and Dad?” Ares asked, and December returned to Royal’s side. Royal put his arm around her, hugging her close, and I realized I’d never really seen exchanges like that growing up. Marilyn had died when I’d been so young.

“Inside. Brielle was pacing so…” December studied Royal, whose smile was tight, pleasant but tight nonetheless. She placed her hand on his chest. “Ramses thought it’d be a good idea for her to get a hot tea. Take a break. He took her inside to make one for her, and we told them we’d come get them both when Bru and Sloane got here.”

Ares had mentioned sweet things his dad did for his mom before.

They sound so nice.

The guilt did sit heavy that I’d run from them. In running from everything else and everyone else, they’d gotten caught in the crossfire.

December faced Dorian. “Baby, can you go get them?”

Dorian started to, but Ares cut in.

“Let me go,” he said before glancing at me. “Will you be okay?”

“She’s with us, honey. She’ll be fine,” December said, and once Ares got that, he took two veranda stairs at a time up to the house. I hadn’t been to the back of the house aside from the garage, and it was crazy. The large home kissed the sky, the home’s gardens and widespread landscape so lovely back here.

Of course, security strode through it. People with their fingers to their earpieces who smiled pleasantly at us over hedges. That was all my fault, all this because of me.

Chaos.

Forcing my breath to steady, I swallowed and stayed close to Bru.

“Maybe we should get our bags,” he said to me, but Royal lifted a hand.

“We can take care of that. Son?” Royal waved Dorian after him, and though Dorian went, he took a beat. He was always taking a beat and looking at me while he did.

And why did my breath stop?

It did, and it steadied nearly immediately after. Like one subtle acknowledgment from him was enough to remind me of something, and no matter how much I ran from it, I couldn’t deny it. He was here.

And he was here for me.

He and his father came back from the trunk with Bru’s and my bags, and though Royal reunited with December, Dorian took my empty side. He said nothing, just standing there, but when that veranda door opened and three people came out of it, I grabbed his arm. I grabbed my brother’s hand too, but…

I squeezed the solid muscle, shaking when Ares arrived with two people behind him. The three were making their way down the steps, and for some reason, I couldn’t let go of the dark prince.

“Don’t be scared,” he whispered, and our gazes clashed, eyes locked. He hooked his arm, allowing the death grip I had on him to stay. He smiled slow. “They’re more nervous than you.”

I couldn’t breathe again, swallowing, and suddenly, we were moving. Dorian was moving me closer to the three people making their way down the stairs. I didn’t let go of him, nor did I let go of Bru.

Bru squeezed my hand, and he may have noticed my hand on Dorian too. If he had, he didn’t say anything, and the only thing I was certain of was two facts. One was that Ares Mallick looked exactly like his dad and mom.

And I did too.

Ramses was tall and even more so than his football-playing son, his hair a wash of thick curls that were rich in dark color. They were way tamer than his son’s and a lot shorter, his shoulders broader, but the two definitely had similar features. Ramses had his hands on Brielle’s shoulders, the woman wearing a sweater dress under an ivory trench coat. She looked so official, the mayor. Her honey-gold complexion was only slightly fairer than Ramses’s, and I wondered about their ethnicities.

I guess I wondered about mine.

Air intake became harsh again, the woman so lovely. Her brown-black hair was bumped under and rested on one of her shoulders. She had silver hair, but just a strip of it on one side, which seriously made her look like a superhero. I recalled having that thought before when I’d initially met her at school, but that meeting had been different. I hadn’t known I’d met her at the time.

My mom.

“Sloane and Bru, this is Ramses and Brielle.” December introduced us, and I noticed her voice had changed. It was thick with emotion, and when I glanced at her, I noticed a sheen coated her eyes. She blinked it away quickly before facing the Mallicks. “Ramses, this is Sloane and her brother Bru. Brielle, I know you met at least Sloane.”

She had, but again, it’d been different.

We looked at each other, and I could tell we were both studying the other. Had she known then? At least, some part of her?

Neither of us said anything in the moment, maybe too shocked to. I didn’t know why she didn’t say anything, but I’d been in complete dismay. I noticed one of Ramses’s hands leave his wife’s shoulders in our silence, and he directed it toward my brother.

“Bru,” he said, and I was happy for that buffer. It was like I couldn’t make my mouth work, and it was possible Brielle had the same problem. Ramses smiled at Bru. “Welcome to our home.”

He placed his other hand on top of my brother’s, and his voice cracked. It was only slight, but I noticed. It was also enough to cause Brielle to place her fingers to her lips and December to squeeze her husband’s arm.

“Thank you for having me,” Bru said before shaking Brielle’s hand too. She said something similar to what Ramses said. Her voice didn’t crack, but it sounded raspy.

I was still frozen before her, before them both, and a hand came over mine. It gripped the hand on his arm, and a reassuring squeeze followed.

“They’re more nervous than you.”

I couldn’t see Dorian. I couldn’t look at Dorian, but I knew he was there.

It proved to be enough.

I was able to let go of him and my brother to approach Ramses and Brielle, and I recognized so many of my own features between them. Especially Brielle. She was older, but each sweeping angle of her defining features I definitely recognized in the mirror, her nose button-tipped and her lips like two soft strokes of a paintbrush. She wore a red lipstick, and whenever I did, I looked exactly like that.

“You and I have met, Sloane,” she said, nodding. “Though, of course, I didn’t know. I…” She glanced back at her husband, her fingers touching her mouth again. She shook her head before facing me. “I’m happy you’re here, and that you felt safe enough to come.”

I did feel safe. I felt overwhelmed, but safe. My throat constricted. “I’m sorry I ran.”

“Oh, honey.” She took my hand, and I thought I’d die. A wave of emotion crashed over me, and I held onto her. We held onto each other, and I think we both needed to in that moment. She squeezed my hand. “We’re sorry. We’re all sorry. We hadn’t been thinking about you or your brother, and had we been, things probably would have been different.”

They shouldn’t blame themselves for me. Me running wasn’t their fault and something I still had to deal with. I wanted to run now.

I’m chaos.

I closed my eyes, trying not to shed tears. I was a fucking mess.

“You’ve done nothing wrong, sweetheart,” Ramses said, and out of the two, he appeared to wear his emotions the most. At least, in the moment. He was blinking a lot, and though he kept everything in like me, his struggle was clear. He placed his hand on top of mine and Brielle’s, and when he grabbed Ares, I thought I would cry.

Ramses hooked an arm around his son, my… brother. Ares had his arms braced, but when his dad grabbed him, Ares pushed an arm around him. Ramses pressed his mouth to Ares’s head. “We’re all going to be okay, all right?” Ramses said, then glanced at Bruno. He smiled at him. “All of us. We are all going to be okay and get through this.”

Bru nodded at Ramses, and when Bruno breathed out a harsh breath, I knew this was difficult for him too. Ramses waved him into the circle. He welcomed him.

So kind.

The words of a dark prince touched me again, one that wasn’t so far away. Because in this circle, his parents touched Ramses and Brielle, their hands on their backs, but their son went another place. Dorian had one hand on Ares.

But the other was on me.