Page 31 of Fatal Vengeance

I’m trying to make a decision in my head, weighing the pros and cons of spilling my ugly truth. Just when I decide that Prudence should know, if for no other reason than to warn her before I completely lose it, the door swings open and Asher and Griffin stride in.

I could kill them.

Well, okay, not really. But maim? Yeah, I could do that.

“We brought some food,” Griffin says, rough and quiet. He’s been talking more and more lately, but even so, his voice has a distinctly unused quality to it. It suits him, though. Honestly, I can't even really remember what he sounded like before. He comes to the other side of the bed, sitting down with a tray in his hands, and Prudence immediately rolls over and sits up, pressing her sweet lips to his shoulder in a silent thank you.

The way he gazes down at her is so open and loving that I feel a bit like I’m intruding on their private moment. It’s a miracle that she got through his guarded exterior. After Griffin’s attack and rough recovery, I didn’t think I’d ever see him relax the way he does around our girl. She’s exactly what he needed. What we all needed.

While they murmur to each other, I push myself up to sit and Asher finds a place at the foot of the bed, facing me. Despite giving his car away — his most beloved possession — he hasn’t been in a foul mood, which is a huge fucking surprise. I expected bedlam, to be quite frank. But apparently that flashy vehicle wasn’t number one in Asher’s heart anymore.

As I look from my cousin to Griffin and Prudence, biting my lip to keep my knowing smile in place, I realize Asher’s got two people sitting in that place now. Fuck the car.

“What’s up?” I question my cousin, narrowing my eyes at the shifty way he keeps eyeing Prudence.

Asher stares at me for a moment, and I worry he can tell I’m right on the edge of sanity, but thankfully, he doesn’t say a word, so I think I’m safe. Instead, he tips his head back to look at the ceiling, his hand fisted in his lap, and mutters, “I’m tired of sleeping on the couch.”

I blink at him, a laugh bursting from me that draws Prudence and Griffin’s attention. Asher had snuck into bed two nights ago after drawing Prudence out of the shower, but last night he was back on the couch as if he didn't feel welcome. Stupid, if you ask me, but who knows what goes through my cousin's head?

While Prudence nibbles on the sliced fruit that Griffin brought in, I tell her, “Ember, baby, Asher’s feeling left out.”

She frowns around the apple she’s biting into, looking from me to Asher while she slowly chews and swallows. Asher gives me a very stern look that totally says, not fucking cool, dick. I shrug easily, glad for the distraction right now, even if it’s only temporary.

“What I’m trying to say,” Asher begins with a sigh, barely able to look at Prudence as he stumbles over himself. “What I’d like to ask is if I could— Uh, if there’s room for me in the bed? If you’re all okay with me joining you at night?”

Good god, he’s an embarrassment. What happened to the confident, cocky cousin I had to deal with on a regular basis when he was fucking Heather? Apparently, every ounce of his game has dried up right along with his balls.

Griffin breathes out a rough laugh, not saying anything but resting his hand on Asher’s knee.

I assume that’s his silent way of agreeing, so I nod with a dramatic sigh, gesturing toward Prudence. “I’m fine with it, but only if I always get Prudence cuddles. I don’t give a shit what you two do on the other side of the bed. Fuck each other all night, for all I care. Just keep your dicks away from me.”

Asher’s eyes are molten with irritation, but the second Prudence starts to giggle at me, his entire body relaxes and his eyes soften on her. It’s been too long since we’ve all heard that beautiful sound, and I have to say, I’m feeling pretty damn smug that I was the one to bring it out of her.

Finished with her snack for now and still smiling at my joke, Prudence crawls away from Griffin after kissing his cheek and then sidles up to Asher, who’s watching her with awe. She sits beside him, close enough that their bodies are molded together, and then drops her head to his shoulder. There’s familiarity in the act, and I kind of like that Asher’s finally weaseling his way into her heart too. It’s about fucking time he got his shit together.

“You were the one who took up the couch,” she murmurs to him, closing her eyes when he kisses her forehead. “Of course you’re welcome in the bed with the rest of us. I might actually sleep better knowing we’re all together and safe.”

The last of the awkward tension drains from my cousin. He wraps an arm around her, keeping her close while Griffin watches the pair like he’s about to start reciting love poems at them. I snort, earning a cheeky smile from Prudence.

Look at us, finding our way in this weird group dynamic. It’s almost enough to have me forgetting about the way my hands are trembling beneath the comforter.

Almost, but not quite. I’ll need to sort out some medication real fucking soon.

21

Prudence

It’s been three days since Annie’s head was left at my sister’s cabin door. Three days of guilt, three days of feeling ill, three days of fear and anger and this debilitating sense of helplessness.

On the fourth day, after Asher slept in bed with us, tucked on the far end next to Griffin, I finally feel ready to face my fears. I didn’t realize something was missing every night until I had all three guys surrounding me. Between the soft snores, the sleepy sighs, and all the freaking muscle, I felt more secure and protected than I ever have. Even though they were all dead asleep, I knew I was safe there.

It helped settle the storm in my brain that’s been lingering since packing my mom’s things and made worse by finding Annie’s head. I’m not back to one-hundred percent yet, but I’m on my way.

I wake up alone, the guys letting me sleep in, and the ache in my chest to be near them is what urges me to get out of bed, get dressed — bra and everything — and then wander out to the living room where everyone is having breakfast. I quickly look at the table where the box was sitting days ago, thankful that we’re not using that piece of furniture anymore. There’s no way I’d be able to eat a single bite if I had to sit there and think about Annie.

I'm so fucking sorry, Annie. I wish I had warned you in some way, got you to run with us.

“Hey, you’re up,” Genevieve points out gently, giving me a soft smile while the three guys turn to give me their undivided attention.

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