Page 50 of Wicked Vengeance

I still feel a little dazed when I walk back over to Alek, climbing into his lap and laying my head on his shoulder. He makes me feel so tiny– and cherished– when he wraps me up like I’m the most precious thing in the world.

“They’ve got this, Baby Girl. And I’ve got you.” Alek kisses the top of my head as I settle against him to watch Royal and Maddox work.

“You heard her, Maddie. Wake this fucker up.” Royal’s voice deepens with menace as they stalk toward Jackson like two grim reapers coming to claim his soul. A smile tilts my lips, and even in my exhaustion, I feel the exhilarating thrill when Jackson’s shrill scream rips through the shed, knowing without a doubt no one is coming to rescue him. This is his last night on earth.

It didn’t take much more for Jackson to squeal like a fucking pig when Royal and Maddox got ahold of him. I’d already marked him earlier, so I let my little psycho do the honors of completing my hunter’s ritual. Jackson is still hanging from the beams– with his severed cock in his mouth and his throat gaping– when we slip back inside the cottage to shower and update the others.

“I hate that the shower here isn’t big enough for the four of us– a design flaw, if you ask me,” I tease sleepily, yawning and stretching out my aching muscles as I stand in the doorway in my towel. There’s a particularly tender spot on the back of my neck that’s been bothering me, but that’s not surprising. All of the bandages on my back are in desperate need of a change, the adhesive barely hanging on with everything I’ve put them through the last several hours.

Royal stares back at me from the edge of the bed. He must still be salty that Maddox called dibs on showering with me before he could. We let Alek and Royal take their turns first to soften the blow, but I see it didn’t help much. Grumpy baby. “It’s a design flaw I’ll be rectifying ASAP,” he grumbles under his breath.

“Awe. Would you like to help me rebandage my back then, Mr. Grumpy Pants?” I ask, trying to hold back my smile when he jumps into action. It’s sweet, really. And not something I entirely understand yet, but these men falling all over themselves to take care of me isn’t something I’m used to. Yet, it still fills my stomach with butterflies and I’d be surprised if my eyes didn’t have hearts floating out of them.

“On the bed, Angel.” My thighs clench in response to his gravelly command. Damn it. These men might be the death of me– or my pussy. And I wouldn’t mind a bit.

“Yes, Sir,” I sass back sarcastically– because why not rile him up. I love it when he lets his dominance out to play. I haven’t been left unsatisfied yet. Well… other than the time he left me in a puddle on the kitchen island. On second thought, I better dial it down. But because I can’t help myself, I salute him like a soldier reporting for duty, letting my towel hit the floor, pooling around my bare feet. The sweat pants he threw on do absolutely nothing to hide his reaction.

“Careful,” He growls, adjusting the growing bulge like he’s giving it a pep talk. “I don’t want to spank you while you’re still healing.”

“Well, Sir. I quite enjoyed the last spanking you gave me…” I start, but think better of it and sigh regretfully as I climb onto the bed and lay on my stomach. “But you’re right. I still need time before I can handle your special brand of punishment.”

He trails his fingers up the back of my legs lightly, over the round globe of my bare ass before gently caressing the flesh in his big hands. “You misunderstand. I won’t spank you while you're recovering, but I won’t forget either. My ‘special brand of punishment’ will be waiting when you're ready. I do not forget so easily.”

And just like that, the sexual tension building between us and my thighs disappears, vaporizing into the air as his strong hands take the ointment from the nightstand and start applying it to my cuts. I watch him with rapt attention from the corner of my eye, taking in every emotion that flashes across his face as he focuses on getting the task done.

Rage at what’s been done to me.

Sympathy with every hiss of pain.

Relief with every sigh.

But there’s one emotion that remains no matter what.

“I love you, too,” he finally whispers when he’s done, putting the ointment back where he got it and tossing the bandage wrappers in the small trash can beside the bed.

“You don’t have to say it back just because I said it. I know this is fast– I understand if–”

“Stop talking,” he cuts me off with a growl, picking me up gently and sitting with his back to the headboard, arranging me to sit up between his legs. He picks up the comb beside us and starts detangling my wet locks. We sit like that until all the tangles are gone. He doesn’t speak until he starts braiding my hair. “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. But I am pissed. I wanted to be the one to say it first. You deserve that much. To be worshiped and shown love without conditions or pain. You deserve to know without a shadow of a doubt that you’re the only woman for me. To know that when you say those words, they are reciprocated unequivocally. I wanted to show you all the things you deserve with my actions first.”

“Royal,” I breathe, swiping a tear from my cheek as I turn in his lap., cupping his cheeks to see his face. “Your actions have done nothing but show me exactly how you feel. You saved me– twice now. And you saved my daughter. I said it first because… I don’t know. There are so many feelings exploding inside of me right now. Anger, rage, hatred, murder…and love. I just needed to get it out of my body, and I needed you to know how I felt. I still don’t understand this thing between us, but I believe in it. I want it. I want you. All of you. And I needed you to know I love you.”

“Thank you, Angel.” Royal wraps his completed braid around his hand, pulling it tightly at the base, but gentle as he descends, capturing my lips with the same intensity. “Now, doctor’s orders. Rest.”

He pulls us down, laying me on his chest to avoid aggravating the bandages covering my back. My eyes drift closed– or try to, but stupid anxiety starts to creep back in. Slowly, my breathing picks up, and my body feels restless. I try to ignore my racing thoughts, shoving them back down into the lock box that must be broken.

“What’s wrong?” Royal asks, his hand cradling the back of my head to his chest. Of course he can tell I’m fucking losing it.

“Where are Maddie and Alek? Shouldn’t they be back by now? Is something wrong?” My questions fly as fast as they race through my mind– right out of my mouth.

“They went outside to update the guys, preparing them for our plans tomorrow. They should be back very soon, Angel.” He says, and I frantically nod against him. Somewhere, deep down, I understand what he’s saying, but I can’t seem to figure out how to convince my anxiety to take a chill pill and shut the fuck up. I barely make out what Royal is saying over the rushing in my ears. “Breathe, Raena. Tell me what you need?”

“Alek. Get Alek, please,” I gasp, trying to control my breathing but failing. I don’t know why, but I just know I need the big teddy bear to calm me down. Royal snatches his phone from the nightstand lightning fast, and within a few seconds, Alek’s voice fills the room.

“What’s wrong?”

“Get in here. Now!” Royal demands before hanging up and tossing the phone down beside us. He sits back up, pulling me into his lap, trying to soothe me. “He’s coming, Angel. Just breathe, please.”

His concern melts my heart, making the panic ease just a fraction as he holds me tight and breathes with me until the door swings open, revealing my giant teddy who looks like he crushes skulls for funsies. Don’t ask me why his imposing size and violent aura calms me, but it does. I can’t explain it.

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