Page 122 of Wicked Ends
I helped her pull her sweater over her head and tossed it away.
“Shit,” Cole said.
I leaned back and took Ari in.
She had a cami top on, showing plenty of her arms and upper chest. They were cuts and bruises. Darkness spread through my chest. The room fell completely quiet. There was a scab on her collarbone that was too perfectly round to be anything other than a cigarette burn.
“Your brother did this?” My voice was tightly controlled, all the bodily discipline I’d honed over the years helping me remain completely still.
“It’s his natural-born talent,” Ari sighed and swayed to the side again.
I was there to catch her before she could go too far. She snuggled her head into my chest.
“Why didn’t you tell me, birthday girl?”
“It’s not your problem. I don’t want to use you to solve my problems.”
Her words filled a hole inside me that had burned for longer than I could remember.
I tucked her hair back behind her ear as she continued.
“Besides, I’m tired of being weak. I didn’t want you to see me like that. My whole life I was his victim, and I didn’t care who knewit… until you. I wanted to be someone else for you. I just wanted to be me… your birthday girl.” She turned her face to look up at me. “But you’re mad at me. I ruined everything.”
“No, I’m not, and you didn’t. I was an idiot, hardly anything new, but this time, I hurt you. I’ll make it up to you, beautiful, or die trying.”
Cole leaned forward. “Where did your brother go?”
Ari blinked, her pupils already becoming more responsive. Fortunately, it seemed like she hadn’t ingested a large amount of whatever drug Cole had given her, just enough to loosen her up. And it seemed to be wearing off quickly, thank fuck.
“I don’t know,” she whispered and turned to Cole. “But Marcus does.”
Everyone shifted their eyes to me. I raised an eyebrow at Ari.
“I do?”
She nodded and laid her head on my shoulder.
“I put the tracker from my bag in his boot.” Then she closed her eyes and fell soundly asleep.
I transferred her into my arms and stood carefully, then walked to the back bedroom and laid her on the bed where we’d first been together. Her face was soft in her sleep. I stood over her and stared at the dark marks on her skin. I would remember every single one. Her brother would answer for every single one.
After looking my fill, cataloging the hurts that I’d inflict on the soon-to-be-dead piece of shit who had been born of the same blood as Ari, I headed back to the bar.
Cole was talking to Gage and Maddox. They all glanced up as I approached. Cole took in the cut I had on. I couldn’t read his expression.
Gage chuckled. “Your girl has guts, and brains. I approve.”
“Great, now I can sleep well at night,” I deadpanned at my brother’s best friend, who rolled his eyes.
“So, you were taking the fall for this woman because…?” Maddox asked quietly.
“Because she’s mine. No one hurts her, no one even looks at her wrong. Drugging her water? If you didn’t already have a head injury, I’d give you one.” I glared at Cole.
“Calm down. She drank the water, we didn’t force it down her throat.”
I turned a lethal glare on Gage. “Tell me to calm down about drugging the woman I’m going to marry one more time. I fucking dare you.”
“Enough. Where’s the brother?” Cole asked.
