My West. My West is back. This… I need this… I need you. Fuck, do I need you.
I wanted to tell him, but he was too busy making me feel like I was his only one. The only girl in this entire world that he needed and wanted. He put me back together, piece by piece, with his kisses. Repairing the part of my heart that had broken when faced with the knowledge Mason had murdered my mother. West made me feel whole again.
I love you, West Greer. I don’t think my heart ever stopped, even when I couldn’t remember you.
When he finally released me, he smiled, and I couldn’t help grinning back.
“West…”
“If you two have quite finished, we need to talk about this,” came Drake’s voice from behind us.
West straightened and looked behind him at Drake.
“Oh, I’m sorry, did you want a turn?”
His eyes went pointedly to Drake’s crotch as I pushed myself up on my elbows. Drake glared at him and turned away slightly, trying to hide the fact the sight of all the blood had aroused him. All of us could see and were very aware of his particular… kinks.
“You can kiss me too… if you want,” I said, giving him a wink.
I was still caught up in the kiss with West and my stabby-fest. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, making me reckless. And I sure as fuck wanted to push Drake’s buttons because of it.
For a second, I thought he might tell me to turn over so he could spank me in punishment for giving him attitude.
“Come here.” His voice came out low, gravelly, and commanding all at the same time. “Now.”
I scrambled off the table, West stepping back to give me room. The moment I got within two feet of Drake, he had me by the arm and dragged me closer. He leant down, his indigo eyes full of suppressed desire.
“You are such a little brat,” he murmured.
“Yes, Daddy.”
He stopped right before his mouth met mine. I’d said it quietly so no one else could hear me. It’s not like I had a daddy kink but knowing it would piss Drake off was the only reason I said it.
“What the fuck did you just say to me?”
“You heard me.”
“You’ll be the death of me, little wisp.”
He gripped my hair in his fist, then he kissed me in that savage way of his, completely heedless of the fact he was doing it in front of the others. The grip he had on my hair made my scalp burn, but I didn’t care. He was punishing me for my remark.
When he released me, he nuzzled my face.
“I’m going to thoroughly redden your pert little arse when we get home,” he murmured, “and I’m going to fuck it afterwards, you hear me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Brat.”
“You love it.”
He stroked my cheek.
“You’re lucky I do,” he whispered, finally admitting it for the first time.
I pressed my mouth to his before smearing the blood I’d left on him across his cheek. He let out a little growl in response, then pulled away and looked over at Mason.
“That is a mess we didn’t need, little wisp.”
“He killed my mother.”
Drake straightened and looked between West and Prescott.
“Which one of you told her?”
“Me,” West replied with a shrug.
He stood next to Prescott whilst Drake was mauling my mouth. I wanted to press myself against West and never leave his side. He’d finally allowed me to kiss him and it had been everything. And this stubborn man in front of me had given me a real kiss too, like I’d wanted from him earlier. I was on cloud nine, even if I’d just killed a man in cold blood.
Drake turned his attention back to me.
“We’ll talk about that later. Right now, we need to clean this shit up. It’s lucky he put in wooden floors. Francis, go get the car from where we left it. Prescott, you can take this one to clean herself up whilst West and I deal with Mason since we’ve already got his fucking blood on us.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to help?”
He looked at me for a long moment.
“No, you can help Francis and Prescott with the stuff in Mason’s office.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“The stuff in his office?”
Drake stroked my cheek with his fingers.
“Yes. We’re taking it with us to look through at home. There’s too much there for us to deal with right now and from what Francis and I have seen… well, let’s just say it’s rather useful.”
I wasn’t sure what Mason could have that would be useful, but I was going to take Drake’s word for it.
“Strip out of that first. We’ll need to make sure we destroy all the evidence.”
Francis moved towards the front door whilst Prescott went over to the kitchen and started looking in the cupboards. I imagined it was for Mason’s cleaning supplies.
I let out a sigh and started removing my clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor. When I was bare, I wiped my feet down to make sure I wasn’t trailing blood everywhere, then moved towards the hallway. Prescott had piled a bunch of things on the kitchen counter for Drake and West. He followed me to the bathroom and flipped on the shower for me.
“Are you okay, little lamb?” he asked, stroking my arm to get my attention.
I had to think about it for a moment. I’d killed another person. Last time, I’d fallen apart over it. Somehow, this time, it was different. There were no feelings of regret or remorse. I merely felt a sense of peace washing over me.
Wherever you are now, Mum, I hope you’re happy. I avenged your death. And even if that puts a black mark on my soul, I don’t care. It was worth it.
I looked up at Prescott and gave him a smile.
“I’m good… I’m glad he’s dead. And I don’t feel bad about it.”
Then I stepped into the shower and let it wash away the evidence of the slaughter I’d left in my wake.
Nine
Drake
What a fucking shitshow. The past fucking week had been one, but what we’d just had to clean up was even more so. That wasn’t even the end of it. Scarlett had set in motion a tidal wave of fuckery none of us could run from. She’d cast the first stone by killing Mason. And now the consequences would come galloping in like a fucking storm with hellfire in its wake.
Yet… I wasn’t angry at her for it. In fact, I was proud of the way she’d handled herself. She hadn’t hesitated this time, according to West. She’d asked for his knife to kill Mason with. When Francis and I had heard screaming, we’d run into the living area to find her stabbing the guy to death with calm fury written all over her face. Scarlett knew exactly what she was doing. She wanted him to die. Needed it. How could I ever begrudge her revenge on the man who’d helped steal her from her life? Who’d murdered her mother to cover up her kidnapping. Who had done nothing but lust after her since she was a teenager. There was no redeeming a man like Mason Jones.