Betrayal: Book 3 of the Guardians Saga

Ch. 12.2 Movie Marathon Time!

After painting one claw on each hand with golden glitter nail polish, Alex cuddled her pillow and closed her eyes, so Cale walked into the living room. He thought he would be undisturbed.

But Alex had never heard Cale pray out loud when he was on his own and she cracked open the bedroom door to watch him. His bent posture and hands gripped together so tightly that the knuckles strained white against the golden-green of his leather hide both intrigued and alarmed her.

She crept closer to overhear him, disgust with herself warring heatedly with curiosity in her churning belly.

Cale tried to whisper, but urgency made him louder than he realized. "Creator of all, thank you for my brothers and Alex that you have placed in my life. Equip me to love them with a fervency and patience like Your own. Help me desire their good above my own. Drive out my fear of loving so intensely and help me to help Gabe, Rile, and Alex, to be a good brother to them all."

Cale's wings opened and spread, covering his face.

Alex didn't know whether to hug him in sheer admiration or run away in shame that she had eavesdropped. Instead she crawled into bed and fell asleep.

*

It was late afternoon when Gabe climbed the steps to Alex's apartment. To his annoyance, Rile followed on his heels.

Gabe opened the door with his key and Rile almost bowled him over entering the apartment.

Cale jumped up from the couch where he had been reading his tablet, maneuvering between his two brothers before a fight erupted.

Rile sidled to the bedroom door and opened it before either brother could stop him.

"Afternoon, Alex," he said cheerfully as he stepped in.

Gabe and Cale crowded in as well.

"It's time for a movie marathon," Alex declared while sitting on her bed.

She handed Cale a credit card. "Grange gave me this for minor expenses. Please hand me your tablet and I'll register for a streaming movie service. Once it goes through, I'll show you how to queue up the movies.  Horror movies are forbidden, but comedies, action flicks, and sci-fi are fine."

"I want to pick movies too," Rile said.

"I need you for another mission. Please crawl under my bed and slice open the box spring by this post." She tapped the brass bedpost for emphasis. "You'll find my hidden cash and I want you to buy the obligatory junk food for a movie marathon."

Rile had slithered under the bed as soon as she had said 'hidden cash.' There was a sound of cloth ripping and Rile slid back out, hands full of cash.

"I'm not even going to ask where this came from," he said as he stuffed the bills into his pockets.

"I am," Gabe said.

"Cash advance from Grange," Alex said. "I used most of it on your cell phones and takeout food, but I always have hidden cash."

Cale handed Alex his tablet and she patted the bed next to her. "Watch and learn."

Before he could sit down however, Gabe said, "I want to learn as well."

"If he's learning, then so am I," Rile said. "I'll buy the junk food after."

Alex yawned. "You know what? I'm taking a nap now. When Rile returns with the food, we can have a snack and set up the movies. Goodnight and goodbye."

She snuggled under the covers, face down, and jammed the pillow over her head, her standard dismissal of the brothers.

Gabe huffed in frustration, but Cale tapped his arm and shook his head, face full of worry. After a long moment, Gabe nodded and his posture relaxed.