Page 15 of Lethal

“It was my first clue how much I mean to you. I can’t wait for it to scar. A reminder of how much you love me.” Our noses brush, the tension between us growing thicker.

“I never said that.”

“Yeah, you did. Your actions said it all. I love you too, Raven.” His hand holds the back of my head, anticipating me wanting to put some distance between us.

After a moment, the fight leaves my body. How can I lie to myself or him after everything he said? “I love you too.” And I do. In our own special fucked up way.

Chapter 8

Raven

My resolve to not give in to anything physical with Cole is put to the test. Our moment of sharing something so deeply personal has things between us simmering more than it ever has before.

Thankfully, Vander saves me from myself. I have plans for torturing Cole. Is it fair to leave our confession unsealed with a kiss? Who the fuck cares. He left and I won’t let him get away with one measly conversation like it magically fixes everything. He needs to feel a fraction of the torment I did.

Before our lips can meet, I’m hoisted from the water and into Vander’s arms. Much like Cole did to him not long ago. “Fuck no! You don’t get any of that until we say so.” His statement is supported by Jasper and Grayson coming up on either side of him. The three of them crowding in on me.

Yep. I can count on them to help me with my plan.

Cole whips around, the water rushing out in a wave at the movement. His muscles bunch together, ready to jump into a fight, but his temper quickly dampens when he sees the men holding me. I’m sure Cole can tell he won’t win in an argument, but it doesn’t stop him from glaring at them.

“Was it worth it?” Jasper asks Cole, his tone icy cold. I glance at Jasper, and it suddenly occurs to me… I’m not the only one Cole needs to grovel with. He’ll need to seek forgiveness from more than me. I wasn’t the only one affected by it, the rest of them were too.

Cole takes a deep breath, and as he releases it, I watch the anger leave him. He knows he doesn’t have any room to resent my men for his actions. He moves to the edge of the pool and lifts his body out. It’s not nearly as attractive as when Jasper did it earlier. I should have at least taken his shirt off so I could enjoy the view while we were in the water.

Grayson hands a towel to Vander, who immediately wraps it around me, covering my bare chest. The sensation of the material is slightly uncomfortable. Fuck. It didn’t take long for me to get a sunburn. Vander will pay for this.

The towel in Grayson’s other hand lands squarely in Cole’s face. He gratefully uses it to dry himself off as much as he can without taking his clothes off.

“No, it wasn’t,” he finally answers.

“Want to try things again?” Jasper continues. “Properly this time?”

“I do. But I’d prefer to do it after a quick shower, and if you wouldn’t mind, on the jet.” Exhaustion seems to descend on Cole like everything is catching up to him all at once. I’m sure he hasn’t stopped for three days straight and that weighs on a person’s mental state. Even someone as dead inside as Cole and I. He even goes so far as to favor the leg I didn’t shoot.

“Sounds like you’re assuming we’ll say yes to helping you,” Grayson says. It’s clear the three of them are on the same page.

“You’re right. I am. But I want to do this properly. Which I can’t do when I’m wasting time.“ Some of that same sense of urgency he had when he left in the first place creeps up on him.

“You don’t call all that in the pool a waste of your precious time?” Vander throws in, accusation dripping from every word. Probably still pissy that Cole cut off our greeting. I am too, for that matter.

Cole’s gaze meets mine, a fierce resolve hidden in his piercing green depths. “Absolutely not.”

At least the man has his priorities right. I better always come first. Even if it’s to his sister being used as a sex slave. I’ve never claimed to be a good person either. Selfish to the core.

“We can go to the jet, but we aren’t taking off until we’re satisfied with your apology,” Jasper says, speaking for the group. “The house is scrubbed and the cars are loaded. Let’s go.”

It seems so anticlimactic. I came here in such a frenzy to hunt Cole down. To force him into not leaving me, and then things took such an unexpected turn. I ended up killing a man with Jasper and spending time beside the pool relaxing with margaritas.

But honestly, things turned out better than I could’ve expected. I needed the break from what my life has turned into. Cole coming to me instead was the right call. I’m not sure things would have ended so well if I had continued my hunt. I probably would’ve killed him. Which would have been a shame.

Grayson puts a pair of shoes on the ground for me, and I slip them on, glancing over my shoulder to find Jasper picking up my hat, sunglasses, and phone in one hand, and the margarita glass in the other.

Vander closes the passenger entry door, securing it for the flight. The attendant who was here on the last flight I took is conveniently missing. Which is a good thing because I would’ve ended up killing her. And the pilots have sequestered themselves in the cockpit with stern orders to remain there until Cole gives them further instructions.

Warm arms wrap around me from behind, and Vander presses a kiss to the crook of my neck. “I vote next time we kill him,” he murmurs in my ear. “Three days was too long. Never again, never fucking again.”

I watch as Cole enters the back bedroom, making his way to the bathroom to take a shower. Too bad he hasn’t suffered enough, or else I’d join him.

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