Page 46 of Fatal Vengeance

Genevieve sits down beside me with a tired huff, dark circles under her eyes and her hair a mess like she tossed and turned in bed all night after Creed's episode. She leans her head on my shoulder, mumbling, “They’ll be okay. They’re coming back to you, don’t worry.”

I nod, even as a sick feeling takes root in my gut. Nothing about splitting up feels right to me, but Creed getting his medication is a priority. There’s no use surviving The Celestials only for him to continue his spiral and be lost to me.

“How’s that ex of yours?” I ask, changing the subject so I don’t drive myself mad by fixating on all the ways Creed and Griffin could be ambushed today.

Genevieve stiffens and then sits upright, shooting me a very sisterly glare. We still don’t know each other all that well, something I hope to change when our lives are less hectic, but there’s a comfortable ease between us. Almost like our souls recognize each other as kin and have chosen to embrace this weird new relationship before our minds have even gotten on board.

I don’t mind it at all.

“My ex is a cunt. Always has been,” she grumbles, tipping her head back to rest on the sofa.

I laugh and pat her thigh. “I’m sorry, but I’m dying to know more. You made me spill all my boy secrets, so consider this pay back. Why is your ex a cunt? And why date her in the first place if she’s always been like that?”

Genevieve’s head lolls to the side so she can narrow her eyes at me, but she humors me anyway. “She’s a cunt, but she also knows how to eat cunt like a goddamn pro,” she drawls dryly, completely serious.

I press my lips together, but the moment Genevieve giggles, I lose it too. We laugh like we have no worries, like we’re two normal sisters enjoying gossip, like we aren’t in danger of literally dying any day. It’s a nice moment, one I’ll cherish forever.

Sighing with a playful roll of my eyes, I say, “Well, in that case, I’m sorry for the breakup.”

Genevieve nudges me with her shoulder. “Nah, don’t be… She, uh, asked me to join her for dinner. I can’t go, of course, not while we’re dealing with all this shit,” she says, gesturing around to encapsulate our shitshow of a life. “But it was a much needed ego boost. Maybe when this Celestial shit is done and over with, I’ll take her up on the offer and see if she’s not so much of a bitch anymore.”

I take her hand in mind, lacing our fingers together and squeezing. “It’ll all be over soon. One way or another, The Celestials' reign of terror is going to end. Even if we have to shed some blood and end up in prison because of it, I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

Genevieve frowns at me, like I’ve killed the good mood, but then a sly smirk creeps over her face. “I’d break you out if it came to that. I only just got you in my life. No way would I let you rot behind bars when we have so much sister shit to do.” I smile, glad for that reassurance, but then she adds, “I think I’d leave the guys behind, though.”

I bark out a laugh, slapping my hand over my mouth to contain the truly unbecoming snort. “What’d they do to you?” I ask incredulously.

“Nothing. I wouldn’t leave them there forever, don’t worry. But don’t you think they all deserve a little punishment for the shitty way they treated you before they grew some balls and fell in love?”

I lean my head back with an airy laugh, and she copies the movement, both of us looking up at the plain white ceiling while I think. Yes, they all had a part in breaking my heart, some more than others, but that feels like centuries ago. Have I truly forgiven them? Yeah… I think I have. It’s hard to hold on to grudges and old hurt when I’m acutely aware that any moment with them could be our last. I just want to enjoy every day, every second I have with them, and make good with the time we get. What's the point of holding grudges when it doesn't make me happy anyway?

I say this to my sister, and the look she gives me makes me feel like a properly scolded little sister. Eyebrows raised, lips pursed, and a completely unimpressed look in her eyes.

“Don’t start,” I whine, sinking further into the couch, happy to just melt here until my guys get back.

Genevieve sighs dramatically, shaking her head and squeezing my hand once more. “Fine, fine. Be the bigger woman. Forgive and forget. I just thought we’d already talked about making Asher work for your forgiveness a little harder. I don’t see him in here kneeling at your feet, ready to do your bidding just to get back in your good graces. And he was very obviously in the bedroom with the rest of you the other day, so color me shocked when I heard all that moaning and bed creaking.”

My mouth pops open, but all I can manage is an undignified grunt. It takes several long moments before I can actually say, "Okay, well, that was a very… unexpected turn of events, but I'll have you know, Asher didn't get his dick in me."

Genevieve narrows her eyes at me playfully. "Oh no? So he just sat in the corner like a child in timeout and watched the rest of you have your fun?"

I breathe out a laugh, choosing not to share all the details about that fourway. It was so heat of the moment, I couldn't have stopped it if I tried. And when Asher ate Griffin's cum out of me? Yeah, I wouldn't have wanted to stop that for anything in the damn world.

That was most definitely one of the hottest moments of my life.

Just then, Asher strides into the living room from the bathroom down the hall, his hair still damp and deliciously disheveled from the shower. He sweeps his eyes over us, clearly seeing something mischievous in my sister’s expression, and then his brows furrow.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he asks, “What’s happened now? Why does it look like I’m in trouble? I haven’t even been in the fucking room.” He finishes with a small, tortured groan.

I bite my lip to contain my smile. He’s just too cute right now, looking like he’s actually worried about being on my shit list again. I shake my head to calm his concern, but Genevieve is apparently in the mood to stir shit today. Honestly, when is she not?

“I was just telling Prudence that you should be waiting on your knees at her feet, begging for scraps, in my very humble opinion,” she muses cockily, tilting her head at Asher in a way that shows her evil side. Well, not evil like our father, who thankfully passed on his red hair and not his sick ways. But evil like she’s happy to rile Asher up and watch him explode.

I can only imagine growing up with her. She’d scare all the boys away, I just know it.

Asher scoffs, but then looks at me, his emerald eyes intense and searching, and then he shrugs and walks over. He holds my gaze the entire time, even as he stops in front of me on the couch and sinks to his knees. My breath hitches as he palms my thighs, slowly pushing them apart to fit himself between them, and oh holy fucking hell, my mind instantly goes to the gutter.

This is so not appropriate to do in front of my freaking sister!

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