Page 224 of Redeemed

“Greg.”

“Shit,” Xan mutters. “That’s convenient.”

“Up to you if you want to use it,” I tell Colton. “It could potentially put my mom and Aurora in more danger, so all I ask is that you think about it carefully.”

Colton nods. “Like I’ve said before, I’m not doing this until I know we’ll come out on top. I’m not risking anyone’s safety. I can’t.”

The floor in the living room creaks, and all three of us freeze. I swear under my breath and march around the corner to find exactly what I expect.

Haven.

Her eyes widen with fear when I grab her arm and haul her into the kitchen.

“I’m sorry,” she blurts. “It just sounded like something was wrong, and I was worried, and—”

Colton’s expression turns cautious and maybe a touch desperate. “Haven, you can’t tell anyone about this.”

I’m surprised he doesn’t say it with any resentment. This is exactly how Haven betrayed us freshman year. She accidentally found out something she shouldn’t have, we told her not to tell anyone, and then she did.

“Please,” Colton rasps. “You don’t understand what this means—what it’ll change. You can’t breathe awordof this conversation to anyone.”

“I promise I won’t.” She hesitates, her gaze moving between all three of us. “I mean it this time.”

He relaxes. “Thank you.”

That’s it? We’re just going to trust her?

I can’t find it in myself to voice the questions out loud. Iwantto trust Haven, and with the way she’s been looking at us lately, I think we can. Maybe she’s learned her lesson.

“You still need punished, though,” Xander says nonchalantly.

“Punished?” Haven asks, her voice wavering.

“We told you this conversation wasn’t going to include you, yet you eavesdropped anyway. You actually think you’re gonna get away with that?” I laugh. “Not a chance.”

Haven makes an uneasy sound and steps back. “It’s been a really long day, though. I—”

“Not tonight.” Xander pulls her in and kisses her temple. “I’m dead tired. But soon, doll. Very soon.”

Haven

I’msoworkedupabout when I’ll receive my punishment that it dulls the sadness of knowing Athelia is gone now. I said goodbye to her right before we left for Christmas break, and she has no plans on returning.

Wes and Cal text me about her, and Kellan calls me, but I ignore them. I don’t want to accidentally give anything away, and Idefinitelydon’t want them to take out their hurt on me.

Not that Colt, Xan, and Luc would let them.

December passes, and we celebrate the new year by ourselves. Xander has started making me wear butt plugs to “make things easier on me.” When I told him “easy” would be simply not fucking my ass, the dickhead laughed.

A week into January, Lucas and Xander capture me while I’m getting a glass of water in the kitchen. Lucas hauls me over his shoulder and starts walking toward the stairs.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?! I was in the middle of something.” I squirm, trying to get down, and it earns me a stinging slap to my ass. “Ow!”

“Behave,” Lucas says, “or this punishment is about to get ten times worse.”

With a gasp, I go still. There was a tiny part of me that was hoping they’d forgotten about this. The rest of me, though, is oddly eager for it.

In the loft, Lucas sets me on my feet. Xander cages me against him from behind, and I become hyper-aware of all the places my body is touching theirs.

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