Page 13 of Hunted Vengeance

Pressing my lips together, I dip my chin and wait for him to continue. “I told you about Colette, but I wasn’t sure how you’d take it.”

“You’ve got something on your mind. Please tell me what it is.”

He clears his throat, releasing his ankle from it being propped on his knee. Slowly, he stands before he makes his way over to the window in my office. I watch as he rocks back on his heels before he turns his head, and his eyes find mine.

“You didn’t give much of a fuck about her when she walked away. In fact, it was only when you received that annulment that you decided to do something or feel something about her. Is this only because someone else is going to have your toy, or is this real?”

I should be pissed that he’s saying those things, but I would be asking the same questions if the tables were turned, so I can’t blame him. Thinking about his question, I’m not even sure what the answer is myself.

Just a few hours ago, I was so ready to go to New York and get my wife back. But was I really focused on her when I sat down and worked for so long that now it’s too late to leave? Or did I waste the time on purpose?

“I don’t know,” I murmur. “It all seems… confusing.”

I’m fucking thirty years old and confused about a woman. I know I shouldn’t be at my age, but at the same time, we had half of our childhoods stolen from us, so it’s not like we’re all emotionally mature in any way whatsoever.

“Yeah,” he grunts. “I think so, too.”

I don’t know if he’s saying that in reference to me or about something else. He seems preoccupied himself, though I don’t ask him why. There’s no sense in it. He wouldn’t tell me anyway.

“Maybe I should just let it go,” I mutter. “Colette is so shy that even in the time we were married, I couldn’t tell you anything personal about her.”

Vaughn snorts, arching a brow as he looks over to me. “Nothing?” he asks. “Nothing personal at all?”

My lips twitch into a smirk. “I’m not talking physical here,” I point out.

He chuckles, his gaze searching mine before he clears his throat. “Merrick,” he grunts.

Shrugging a shoulder, I close my eyes and slowly reopen them. I’m not sure what the fuck to say at this point. He’s not wrong. I didn’t go after her. In fact, even though I missed her, I didn’t even think about going and getting her.

Why now?

Because someone else is going to have her, and like a selfish kid, she was mine first.

My toy.

I’m no better than her fucking father.

Chapter Five

MERRICK

I can feelthe stares from the rest of the men. They have unasked questions, and I haven’t provided any answers to a single one. I’m not sure what to say. They want to know where the fuck Colette is and why I haven’t gone to get her.

The truth of the matter is I’ve got too many questions about the situation myself. I’m not someone who typically rushes into any situation. None of us are. We’ve been put through hell in our lives, and every decision we make is normally extremely cautious.

My agreement to marry Colette was, without a doubt, done hastily. I didn’t think about every aspect of the promise. All I knew was that her father was dangerous and could have caused some problems for the others, for the men I consider my brothers.

I didn’t want my personal shit, my lack of control, to bleed onto the rest of the men.

As I’ve taken the time to think about the future, I realize that I don’t know her. I married her for self-preservation, or rather for the protection of my brothers. Truth be told, there has been enough shit in my life that I don’t really give a fuck what happens to me, but I do give a shit what happens to them.

I signed the fucking annulment papers and sent them back a few weeks ago, and I can’t even pretend I’m at peace with it. I’m not. Something is bothering me about the whole thing.

It’s not even the fact that Bellucci put her on the dark web for a marriage contract. That doesn’t bother me as much as it probably should. But these are the dark fringes of society, so going that deep doesn’t seem really off for me.

The fact that we were married, that her father pushed it, and then a few months later came and got her, that bothers me. I know he is always looking for what someone can give him. And I wasn’t going to give him anything other than a security system. But we were fucking married.

Not living together, not dating—married. Something that he forced my hand on, and then poof, now she’s gone. Maybe I should be thanking my lucky stars, but I can’t get it out of my head—something is wrong with this scenario, but I just can’t put my finger on it.

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