Page 68 of What's Left of Me

“Don’t placate me, asshole.”

“Focus,” Angel barked.

“Sorry, Daddy,” I whispered.…I’d thought it was low enough, but the smack on the back of my head told me that he had in fact heard that.

“Someone’s coming out of the house.” Four pointed at the monitor.

“Zoom in, Mason.” I rolled my chair closer to the screen while Mason did as instructed. The man with the brothers gestured a lot as he spoke to them.

“Who is that?” JJ asked.

A gentle hand touched my arm and I looked down. Phoenix was staring at the men, wide-eyed. When his bottom lip trembled, I could tell he was terrified. There was only one person in this world right now that would scare him like that. I knew it had to be Amo. Of course, Phoenix would pick up on it quicker than anyone; he’d had his undivided attention for over three months. He could probably identify the man’s shadow.

At that moment the man—Amo—laughed, and his neck craning up gave us a good view. He had a covering obstructing the bottom part of his face. Mason was able to get really close, and we could see his blue eyes. Nothing was on his head, and like Phoenix had said, he had black hair.

“It’s him, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Phoenix’s voice was so low, I could barely hear it.

It was the second his body started shaking that I wheeled my chair in front of him, blocking his view.

“Phoenix, look at me, baby. See my eyes, hear my voice, feel my hands. You’re not there, you’re here, with me. He can’t get to you at all. None of us in this room would dare let him.”

His eyes began to tear, and I kissed his lips, swallowing his sob. His arms wrapped around my shoulders and I stood, lifting him with me. He buried his face into the crook of my neck, and I turned to Nick.

“Don’t lose any of them.”

“Go take care of him; we got this.”

I managed to get my door open, and I shut it with my foot. I carried Phoenix to my bed and as carefully as I could manage, I lay down. He remained attached to me like an octopus, and I didn’t dare move him.

His face was still hidden in my neck, and his breaths were shaky, but he wasn’t crying any longer. I rubbed soothing circles on his back, and soon he started to loosen his hold on me.

“He said no one would ever love me or hold me or want me.” His words were muffled, but I understood them.

“He’s wrong.”

“I hate how he makes me feel when I think about him, Noel. When I think it’s over, when I think he can’t get inside my head anymore, something pushes me into that dark place.” He lifted his head, and his expression broke my heart. “You’ve been the light for me since I was rescued, and I’m terrified he’ll find a way to shatter you too.”

“No.” I cradled his face in my hands. “He won’t break me, or anyone else. We found him, Phoenix, and his days are numbered. He won’t get his rebirth.”

“I’m scared.” A lone tear slid along his cheek.

“It’s okay to be scared. But soon you won’t have to be, baby. I promise.” I pulled him close and kissed him until I felt his body relax.

I turned us so his back was to the mattress and I could look at him.

“I need you, Noel.”

“You have me, Phoenix. Always.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Phoenix

Noel tookhis time removing my clothes, kissing my lips and every inch of skin he could taste. He never divested himself of his clothes and when I asked why, he said, “I want to show you that you’re perfect in every way, and that every part of you is beautiful.”

I melted into the mattress but arched back up when he swallowed my cock.

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