Page 12 of Fatal Vengeance

10

Prudence

I wake in a bed far too small for all the bodies in it. I’m trapped between Creed and Griffin, a position I would normally blush like a virgin over, but there’s nothing sexual about it. After practically baring our souls and damages to Genevieve last night, we all went to bed with a heavy dread weighing us down. Asher stayed out on the couch, my sister stumbled drunkenly into her room, and my two guys didn’t even say a word as they ushered me into the guest bedroom and worked together to peel my jeans off and tuck me into the middle of the queen sized mattress. Once I was settled, they both got in close and placed a hand on me like they couldn’t bear even an inch between us.

I’d never slept so peacefully in my entire life.

I take a moment to stare at Creed’s face as he sleeps. He’s on his back with an arm flung over his eyes, his other arm underneath me like a pillow. He’s gorgeous in a deadly kind of way, his good looks so sharp and cutting that I worry my eyes will bleed if I admire him too much longer. I smile softly and press a kiss to his cheek, and then I turn over and do the same for Griffin. Neither of them wakes when I press my lips to them; I know they’re both so tired. Of running, of being scared, and of fighting for the right to simply live.

Griffin said he’ll do whatever he can to ensure my life is peaceful and happy once this is all over, and I take a moment to offer a silent promise back to him. To all of them. Even with my mom gone, I’m not going to stop. I know too much about the vile things The Celestials do, and I’ve fallen in love with their defective junior members. We're all in danger of painful, bloody deaths, and that's just not acceptable. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure these men are safe for the rest of their lives.

After I take a beat to get my bearings and figure out our next moves.

I slip out of bed quietly, careful not to jostle either of them. I have to press my lips together to hold in my totally inappropriate giggle when I look at Creed and Griffin in bed. They’re both so fucking adorable — and ridiculously sexy, even in sleep — and I wish I had my phone to snap a picture. I would have cherished that image forever.

It’s early enough that I worry Genevieve might still be sleeping off all that wine, but I need to speak with her. Woman to woman, sister to sister. Fuck, that’ll take some getting used to. Last night was an info dump of massive proportions, so I’m hoping for the chance to talk privately this morning and see how she’s fairing with everything she learned. Finding out your dad is a sick rapist in a murderous cult is hard. I would know, I’ve lived through that shit.

I make it halfway down the hall in search of Genevieve when Asher comes out of the bathroom. My feet literally grow roots. I can’t move. He's sinfully hot and I really hate that I even let myself admit that.

His eyes lock on me and he stills too, his gaze dropping down my body. I blush scarlet, cursing myself for walking out like this. I didn’t want to pull on my jeans from yesterday and my bag with all my clothes never made it to the room last night, so I just slipped on Griffin’s shirt instead. It wasn’t weird when I assumed I’d see my sister, the thing hangs down almost to my knees, but now that I’m staring at Asher, I feel wildly exposed. Again. He really has a way of bringing that feeling out in me.

His hair is wet and his skin is still a bit pink, so he must have just taken a scalding shower, but unlike me, he’s fully dressed. I ignore the way a small part of me wishes he walked out in a towel.

“Morning,” I mumble, finally forcing my feet to keep walking. I have to pass him to get to Genevieve’s room, and honestly, nothing sounds worse than that right now. I’m tired, grumpy, and unbelievably horny all of the sudden. For no particular reason at all... Nope.

Asher grunts out what I’m guessing is meant to be a greeting, stepping back a bit to give me room to pass by. Small mercies. He’s not in the mood to verbally eviscerate me today. Maybe this truce thing will hold?

“Do you not own pants? Is Creed just shredding them off of you every night and ruining every pair you own?” he grumbles just as I’m passing him.

I roll my eyes. Spoke too soon.

Turning to him with a tight smile, I snark back, “If this is your way of asking about my sex life, you should just quit while you’re ahead.”

He arches a brow at me, his green eyes alight with the fight. Like he loves it. Craves it even, and damn if that doesn't spark some sick excitement inside me too.

“And why is that, pet?” drawls, his voice low and dangerous.

I smirk, cross my arms over my chest. “Because making you jealous over the things Griffin does to me is not my intention. But if you really need to know, his tongue is a gift straight from—“

“I know all about his tongue,” he says cockily, cutting me off. With a dark grin that has no business giving me butterflies, he adds, “I imagine I’ve experienced his particular talents more than you have, actually. I'd be happy to swap stories, if you're curious.”

My mouth dries up. I’m nearly gasping and desperate for a cold shower. Do not think about them together, Prudence. All of those muscles, male groans, and rough hands have no place in your imagination. Don’t you fucking dare. I lick my lips, ignoring Asher’s raspy laugh as he watches me do it, and then I change the topic before I can further embarrass myself.

“What was that in the car yesterday?” I question firmly, trying to stay quiet so I don’t wake the whole house. It’s a small, two-bedroom cabin, and I imagine the walls are thin. “About supporting me if I needed you to.”

Asher shrugs and pushes a hand through his drying hair, leaving it all messed up and sexy. “The truth, Prudence.”

I narrow my eyes at him, putting a hand on my hip as I raise my other and start ticking off my fingers for each of his crimes. “You bullied me for months. You tried to break me, and almost succeeded. You told me you’d collar me like a fucking dog until I learned my place. So what? You call a truce and suddenly you're a new man? And I’m just supposed to take you at your word?”

The dry look he gives me is almost enough to have me shriveling up in my place. “You’re not stupid; don’t pretend you are,” he drawls.

"And you’re not nice. Don’t act like it. Don’t say things just to… I don’t even know what your point was. Just don’t waste your breath on things you don’t mean. We don’t like each other and that’s… it's just fine."

He licks his lips, tugging the bottom one into his mouth like he’s biting back whatever words rush into his mind. With a deep breath, he eventually says, “Don’t take me at my word. That would be foolish of you. Words don’t mean shit. Take me at my actions, Prudence, and let me prove myself to you. I’m not going to promise not to be an asshole, because we both know that I am and always will be, but I’m done trying to shatter you. I’m done going against you and fighting my every instinct I have when it comes to you… Trust me in that and let me show you that I mean it.”

The sincerity in his voice gives me pause, the way he sounds just a little broken as he begs me to listen. Creed’s words come rushing back to me then, about our broken pieces fitting together perfectly. I don’t know if that’s true with Asher, or if I even want to find out, but it’s enough to have some of the fight draining out of me.

My shoulders deflate as I look at him with vulnerable eyes, willing him to tell me the truth here. I can handle a lot, I think I’ve proven that, but I can’t deal with any more lies. “What’s changed then? And don’t feed me some bullshit about saving me from The Celestials, because if you make me out to be some weak damsel in distress who needs your saving, I swear to god, Asher, I will castrate you.”

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