Page 90 of Ravaged Saints

“Yeah, I think they would too.” He squeezes my hand gently before standing. “Thanks, Aspen. It’s been a while since I had a heart-to-heart with anyone.”

“Anytime, Ryker.” I let his hand slip away as he stands up, but before he heads inside, he pauses, turning back to me. “Can I ask you something else?”

“Of course.”

“That guy that—” He stops, his eyes softening. “How did you escape him?”

My breathing hitches, and I catch Knox and Dante watching me.

“I killed him,” I say bluntly.

Ryker’s eyes widen before a grin spreads across his face. “Good girl.”

He turns and heads inside. I glance to the side and catch Knox and Dante staring, and I chuckle softly. “If you guys want to know more, you better come closer. I’m not shouting this.”

They exchange a look before making their way over. Dante sits next to me where Ryker had been, while Knox stands in front of me with that strong and commanding pose he does every time, and it drives me insane. There’s something possessive in the way he holds himself.

I clear my throat and shift on the seat, trying to ground myself. I don’t like talking about this, but I think it’s time they know the entire truth. “Cash,” I begin, taking a deep breath, as his name feels like poison on my lips. “He was the leader of the place we lived in.” My words tremble as I speak, and Dante’s fingers brush mine before he gently grips my hand. I offer him a soft smile, the warmth in his touch grounding me.

“You don’t have to tell us, Aspen; it’s okay, really,” he murmurs.

“I want to.” I force a small laugh, nerves bubbling to the surface. “Let’s call it… therapy.”

I take a deep breath, trying to stop my words from failing me. “My dad died of a heart attack, and my older brother, well, according to Cash, he died during a hunting trip. But honestly?” My tone drops. “I think Cash killed him to get to me. My brother told me he didn’t feel safe. We were planning to leave, but…”

Knox crosses his arms over his chest, his jaw tightening and vein pulsing in his neck, but he doesn’t interrupt, so I push on, shaking slightly, but the faster I get this out, the better!

“Not even a week after my brother died, Cash ordered his men to take me to his room, and as soon as the door closed, he threw me against a wall so hard I blacked out. When I came to—” My throat tightens, my breathing grows shallow, and my hands curl into fists. Knox kneels in front of me, cupping my face with his warm hands.

“We know, pet,” he murmurs calmy but I can see the rage in his eyes. Dante’s hand moves to my back, and he slowly rubs over my shirt, and I close my eyes while taking a deep breath.

I finally nod and gather the courage to continue. “He told me I was his.” I whisper. “So, the next day, while the men were at dinner, I had one of the other women give him a message, saying I wanted him… in my bedroom. When he came and sat down, I went behind him and slit his throat. I locked the door and ran out. Thankfully they didn’t have all of this to keep us locked inside.” I try to joke, but tears spill down my cheeks. Knox brushes them away with his thumb, his touch tender despite the storm brewing in his eyes.

“You’re a fucking warrior, Aspen,” Knox growls with anger and pride.

“I ran for days, maybe weeks, before they finally gave up after they ran into another group,” I straighten, trying to regain control of my emotions.

“And you’ve been on your own since then?” Dante asks, his hand still resting on my lower back, his warmth anchoring me.

“Four years, I think,” I admit, shrugging slightly. “I went from town to town, living in the forest, doing whatever I had to do to survive—” My gaze flicks between them, the tension heavy. “Until I ended up in your trap.” I chuckle softly, waving my hand between them.

“You were the best damn thing we ever caught,” Knox says with a smirk and a wink, but his eyes betray him; they are filled with shadows.

I know they’re worried, but for the first time in a long time, I feel safe, and it’s all because of them.

“Your turn,” I say, letting my eyes roam over both of them, and Knox stands, his posture even more tense now, his black shirt pulling at the seams as he rolls his shoulders.

“What do you mean?” His words fall low, the cold, commanding edge creeping back into his tone, his gaze sharpening as the tension thickens.

“I’d love to know more about you guys,” I say softly, batting my lashes in a playful attempt to coax something out of them.

Dante glances at Knox, who gives a faint shake of his head, but Dante takes a deep breath. “We used to be in a special unit. Our captain was Knox’s training officer, and when a new unit was needed for undercover missions, he chose Knox as the leader. Knox agreed with the condition that he could pick his team.”

I nod, leaning in as my curiosity grows. It makes sense now; they weren’t just regular soldiers.

Knox exhales, his hands resting on the pockets of his cargo pants. “I met Max years before, during a mission. We stayed in touch. He was in the British special forces, so when the time came, I called him and asked him to join. Max had already known Dante for years. They served together in a joint force in Canada.”

“And Ryker?” I ask.

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