𝐒𝐲𝐧 ┃𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

88. 𝑅𝑢𝑛

Paris

I poured myself a cup of coffee and drank it straight, not even bothering to sit down or enjoy it. I just needed the damn energy. Syn woke up at the crack of fucking dawn every single morning- barreling down the stairs like a piston and knocking on my door, waking me up from the sleep I barely got.

I was dead already so sleeping was an option, but it was an option that I missed having to myself. I wanted to cuss him out every time he did it but I couldn't bring myself to, especially when I knew his reason for doing it. If he was out and Queen was sleeping, that left her vulnerable. It probably eased some of his nerves knowing that I was awake and watching over things. But fuck I deserved a day off and today was that for me.

After Queen left, I closed my eyes and fell into oblivion. I slept like a fucking baby. I let myself enjoy it for about two hours before getting up and working out before I took a shower.

I was leaving the steamy bathroom when I heard the doorbell ring. I paused, all my nerves standing on ten. Syn and Queen would've used a portal to get back into the house but nobody had ever used the doorbell. Except me, but that was only because I'm respectful and didn't want to freak Queen out while she was alone by storming into the cabin.

Knowing her now though, she probably would've killed me the second I took a step inside. So I guess my urge to be as non-threatening as possible was my subconscious attempting to save myself.

With a sigh, I held the towel around my waist with one hand and grabbed the gun under my pillow with my other. I walked down the stairs as the doorbell rang once again and I rolled my eyes. Patience was definitely a rare virtue.

I took silent steps toward the door and looked into the peephole, my gun trained on the man outside. He wore a floral button-up, a bouquet of roses in his hands as he shifted on each foot. He was nervous. I would've ignored him and thought he had the wrong house until I heard him knock and call out "Queen!"

With that, I swung the door open—keeping my handle on the gun aimed at him from behind the door. I plastered a grin on my face and watched as a flash of anger passed his eyes. It was quick, but it was my job to notice those quick ticks that people desperately tried to hide.

"Hi, how may I help you?"

His eyes took me in, falling on the towel around my waist as he frowned. "Who are you?"

"Paris."

"I...umm." He stuck his hand out. "Nice to meet you, Paris."

I looked at his hand before looking back at him. I didn't shake hands, people were disgusting. There was no way I could've known what he had done with his hands and instead of letting myself do it and wonder all day, I just didn't.

He dropped his hand when he noticed I had no intention of shaking it. I could tell he was unnerved by the smile still on my face as he tucked his hand back into his pocket.

"Aiden." He nodded.

"Aiden," I said, my eyes glancing around the secluded forest around us. His car was nowhere to be seen and he looked way too polished to have been trekking through these woods. "How can I help you, Aiden?"

"I'm looking for Queen," he said. "She told me to meet her here."

"Queen," I whispered, stretching her name on my tongue. "I'm not sure I know who that is...are you sure you have the right house?"

"I mean it is the only place within a two-mile radius so I'd hope so." He rubbed the back of his neck. "This is where she told me to come. I'll just call her."