Page 33 of Fatal Vengeance

Asher glosses over the worst of the details, but he tells us how his dad kept notes on all of it, like some sick fuck. How could he have stood by and let an innocent woman suffer so greatly? And after all these years, how could he have had the stomach to try to do the same thing to that poor woman’s daughter, to me?

When Asher mentions it was Creed's mom who helped mine escape, and that's why he suspects his father had Creed's parents killed, it's almost as if all the oxygen in the room has been sucked right out. Creed lost his parents because his mom turned out to be a decent person? He lost out on a normal, happy childhood because she saw a woman in need and chose to help her?

As irrational as it is, I feel like this is yet another thing that's entirely my fault. My mom found out she was pregnant, and Creed's mom helped her escape because of it. Because of me.

How will he stand to even look at me now, knowing if I hadn't been created, his parents might still be alive?

I feel fucking sick thinking about it.

Creed’s gone still beneath me, the slight trembling of his hands locked around my waist the only movement. I wrench my eyes from Asher’s agonized ones and look at Griffin instead. He’s leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, his hands laced together between his knees, and the expression on his face — blue eyes filled to the brim with sympathy, lips in a deep frown — has me wanting to scream.

Seconds, maybe minutes, creep by and nobody says a word. Asher and Griffin are waiting on me, Creed is shattering, and Genevieve is staring at me with watery eyes that look so much like mine. I try to process everything, but my mind is just too… loud. I want to cry and scream and break things, but I also want to sink back into bed and melt away until I’m nothing ever again, and that thought scares me.

I won’t let this pull me down to that dark place again. That near death in the bathtub was enough for me. No, if I’m going to die, I’m going out fucking swinging. I’m going to get justice for my mom — and now Creed's parents too — even if I have to bloody my hands beyond recognition to do it.

My chest gets tight, my throat raw while the silence stretches on. I need air. Standing abruptly, pulling away from Creed when he reaches for me, I look at my sister and blurt out, “I’d like to go for a walk. Come with me?”

She nods, pushing up from the couch without a moment’s hesitation, but the three guys do too.

I hold up a hand, looking into each of their eyes. Luscious green, arctic blue, and swirling whiskey brown. I can’t look into any of those eyes without breaking, so I quickly wrench my gaze away and mumble, “Please, just… I just want my sister.”

“Prudence, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Griffin murmurs right as Ash gives me an incredulous look and snaps, “I’m not letting you two wander around alone.”

I sigh, feeling so utterly weak and defeated and raw that I don’t even have it in me to argue with him. Thankfully, Genevieve takes up the mantle, coming around the coffee table so she can stand beside me as she gives Asher her most withering glare. She points a finger at his stupidly broad chest. “You should have told her about this the second you found out. How dare you keep these kinds of secrets from her, when all she went to that fucking poisonous college for was to find out the truth about her mom. You fucked up, Asher, so yes, you are going to let us take a goddamn walk without you three bodyguards crowding us.” She hooks her arm in mine, walking us toward the door. “Make yourselves fucking useful and cook us lunch.”

“Genevieve,” Asher growls, following us to the door.

I roll my eyes, digging my heels in and turning to him. The raw fear in his emerald eyes is the only thing that keeps me from screaming at him. He’s scared. Of my reaction to this news. Of us getting jumped outside. Of the entire world falling down around us before he can make things right.

I don’t have an answer to give him right now, though. I can’t smile and tell him I’m fine, that we’re all going to be okay, or that our deaths aren’t waiting for us out there. Sure, The Celestials could be hiding in the trees with another head to drop off, for all I know, so maybe heading out alone isn’t my smartest decision. With a nod to Asher to tell him I understand, I look past him and into the hollow honeyed eyes of his cousin, hold my hand out, and say, “Creed?”

He blinks through the emotion still hounding him as he strides forward without a moment's hesitation. He moves with such purpose, it’s as if right beside me is exactly where he needs to be, even knowing what we do now about why his parents died. He doesn't look at me with even an ounce of hatred, and something settles in my chest at that. He's still mine. Once I’m sandwiched between him and Genevieve, Creed’s hand locked tightly in mine, I say, “We won’t be gone long, and we’ll be safe. You got those security upgrades for a reason, remember?”

Asher rakes a hand through his dark hair, looking so conflicted about letting me go or putting a stop to this. Griffin comes up beside him, a hand on Asher’s shoulder, and whispers something to him. Whatever he says has Asher’s worry easing a bit, and he very reluctantly grits out, “Fine. Fuck. Take your walk, but I swear to fucking god, Prudence, if you don’t come back to me, if—“ He stops so suddenly it’s as if the horror of his next words have stuck in his throat.

I give him a sad, knowing smile, nodding and tucking my hair behind my ear. “I know. It’s okay, Asher.”

“I’ll bring her straight to you when we get back,” Creed promises.

I don’t say anything, waving off Asher and Griffin as Genevieve guides me through the door. The moment the cool breeze hits me, I suck in a deep lungful of fresh air and some of the chaos in my head eases. This is what I needed. After an aimless walk in nature, letting my mind wander while my legs push me forward, I’ll feel better. At least, I hope I will.

But I know right now that I won’t be able to take much more. I’m at my breaking point. Something’s gotta give before my mind fractures just like my mom’s did.

22

Prudence

We walk in silence for a while, my sister and Creed giving me time to sort through my thoughts. Either that or they're both lost in their own messy heads. Finally, though, after we've circled the perimeter of the property, sticking close to the tree line, I sigh and breathe out, "What an absolute shit show my life has turned out to be."

Genevieve snorts, rolling her lips together to contain the laughter. I shoot her a mock wounded look, which only gets her laughing harder. Even Creed, who is definitely not okay after Asher's revelations, chimes in with a deep chuckle, which earns him an elbow to the stomach.

"I'm sorry," my sister says once she's calmed herself down, tugging on my arm that's still hooked in hers, effectively pulling me closer into her side. "Believe me, there's nothing funny about the mess you're in. It's just… I mean, what a gross understatement. Prudence, your life isn't a shit show. It's a raging dumpster fire with an endless supply of gasoline to fuel it, and it's currently careening down a steep mountain at very high speeds." She flicks me a sympathetic smile, which does not make me feel better, adding softly, "But don't worry. If I've learned anything from watching these three cavemen around you, it's that they won't let you crash. Your guys will find a way to put that fire out and brace you for impact, and then they'll patch you back up until you're bound in bubble wrap and protected for the rest of your life."

I roll my eyes, blushing at her use of the words my guys. I mean, Creed and Griffin, absolutely. But Asher? Is he mine yet? We've been in a very weird bubble since the night he found he shivering in the shower. No more bitter barbs thrown between us, no hateful glares. Where this will lead us, though, I just don't know.

"Gee, Genevieve, thanks. That makes me feel loads better," I gripe under my breath, trying not to think about how wrecked everything is. The Celestials were like a grenade, blowing up my entire life, and now I feel like I'm scrambling to tape the pieces together again, all the while the threat of their next explosion riding me hard.

Again, Creed laughs, though it doesn't sound as wild and carefree as it usually does. When I glance at him, he looks away, like he's hiding the pain still lingering in his eyes. I wish he wouldn't, because I so desperately want to hold him until he feels whole again, but if he doesn't want to address it right now, then I'll respect that.

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