RIPTIDE (Shadows book 1.1)

FUNERAL AND NEW FACES

'Love is a forever kind of thing. It never ends, even in death.' ~ Rafiq Aydin

The others followed Vaughn into the living room. Hope had a man in a headlock, despite being nearly a foot shorter than him. Her silver eyes were glaring at him while he tapped her hand with a smile.

"You are so dead, Tino" she snarled at him.

"Daggers, let me go." the man wheezed. He was turning red from the lack of oxygen and if she kept this up, he would pass out.

Azil crept up behind them, and wrapped an arm around Hope. "Let him go, روح" he whispered softly. She sighed as she let him go and he crumpled to the floor.

Azil picked her up, gave the man a kick and walked over to them.

"A headlock, Daggers, really?" the man asked he stood up and dusted his clothes off. His raven black hair was messy from all the hazzle, the baby blue blazer he wore was a little ruffled, the same pendant that hung around nearly everyone's neck was hanging around his neck. A simple platinum band with a single sapphire sat on his ring finger. He was dressed in a plain white tshirt and a black jeans. His emerald green eyes flashed with annoyance when she merely shrugged at him.

"You got married. You got married without thinking." she growled at him while shuffling around in Azil's arms to get comfortable. She winced a little when her eyes landed on the bruises forming around his neck.

"Where is she?" she asked.

"Outside. I didn't want to scare her away with you." the man replied as he walked out.

"Who is that?" Rueben asked as soon as the man was out of earshot.

"That's Santino Verda. He's family." she replied as she snuggled into Azil. Azil chuckled as he dropped her onto the couch.

"Sentinel" she whined.

"Hush, I'm going to wake Ajax." he said.

Santino came back in, this time followed by a woman in her early twenties. Her pale blue eyes darted around the room anxiously as she clutched his hand. Her honey blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail. She was dressed in a purple shirt and white pants.

"Santino." Ajax breathed out as he walked into the living room. He broke into a run and barreled into Santino. He hugged him. There was no hesitance or awkwardness in the hug. This was pure affection and love from one brother to another. His body shook as all the bottled up grief came out in the form of tears.

Santino wrapped his arms around the latter, letting go of her hand. Ajax cried for the brother he lost. So much pent up grief and anger, and yet he held it all in. Santino didn't let go till the cries subsided into occasional hiccups.

"You good?" he questioned as he let go. Ajax hummed in response. He felt another pair of hands hugging him.

Hope's heart broke as she heard his cries. As much as he appeared strong and composed, here he was, her big brother, breaking down in the hall. She had no idea how she could help him. She had done so much that indirectly hurt him and yet he never held it against her. So she waited till his cries stopped before she went and hugged him.

"Lils, what are you doing?" Ajax asked as he returned the hug.

"Hugging you." she mumbled into is chest. She was nearly 5'5 and yet he was a foot taller than her. The men in her family were giants compared to her short 5'5.

"Why are you hugging me now?" he asked. She sighed. 'Can't he just accept the damn hug?' she grumbled inwardly.

"Cause you love them." she whispered. He hummed and she felt it when his lips curved into gentle smile. He picked her up and walked towards the couch, dropping her off, he walked away towards the stairs.