A Flame Divine ♕

XLV. B R I B E

e v e r l y

Everly woke up to the sunlight glinting through the blinds, and when she rolled over to reach for Stellan, she just grasped soft white cotton. She sat up with a start.

"Stell?" she gasped, her heart beating fast, and he ran into the room from the bathroom.

"Hey, I'm here. What is it, baby?" he asked, sitting next to her and pulling her into a hug.

"Nothing, I... I was just scared you were gone," she whispered.

He shook his head. "Never."

Nodding against his chest, she looked up at him. "I'm still so scared my dad or his men are going to come back for me one day. Like, when I least expect it." It haunted her, even in her dreams.

Stellan's chest moved with a large lungful of air. He released it slowly, the breeze rustling her hair gently.

"We need a way to get them off our backs, both your dad and Vinnie's gang," he said somberly. "I just wish I knew how. I don't want this hanging over our heads forever."

Everly shifted and pulled her leg under her butt, sitting up straighter so she could look him in the eyes. "We have to do something." Tears filled her eyes and she closed them, taking a deep breath. "I can't live like this forever."

She felt Stellan take in another breath. Gently, he cupped her face and leaned in to kiss her softly. "I'm sorry I put you in this situation," he told her. "We'll find a way—together."

She shook her head as she returned his kiss. "Don't apologize. My dad put me in this situation long before I met you. You're the one who took me away from all of that." She thought for a moment. "Why don't we see if Merrik has any ideas?"

Stellan nodded. "He's probably downstairs by the smell of bacon and eggs," he said, and as if on cue, Everly's stomach grumbled.

Merrik and Carmen took turns cooking breakfast for the four of them each morning. Everly supposed it was in their nature, but she was thankful. She could probably burn water.

"Let's go get some breakfast, and we'll ask him." Stellan pecked her once more and threw back the covers.

Everly stretched her arms over her head and swung her legs over the side of the bed, pulling her robe on and tying it tightly around her waist.

"I didn't realize I lived at IHOP," Everly joked as she and Stellan entered the kitchen. She bumped Carmen with her hip and hopped up onto the barstool, grabbing a piece of bacon. "Mmm, crispy, just how I like it."

Merrik grinned. "Good morning to you too."

Swallowing the last bite of bacon, she winked at him. "Morning. Stellan has a question for you," she blurted, glancing at her boyfriend from the corner of her eye.

"Points for tact," Stellan grumbled. He sighed and slipped onto the stool beside her. Looking up at Merrik across the breakfast bar, he cleared his throat. "So, just looking for some brotherly advice here..." he began.

"This is a first," Merrik smirked, plopping a fried egg onto a plate and setting it before Everly. Her mouth watered.

"Yeah, yeah, don't let it go to your head," Stellan groaned. "I have a problem that needs fixing. We need my former gang, and Everly's dad to leave us alone."

"We don't want to constantly be watching our backs," Everly quipped, her mouth full of delicious fluffy egg.

Merrik cleared his throat as he leaned over the counter. "Well, brother, you've got a lot of money... why don't you just pay them off?"