Page 91 of Destroy (Deadly Hearts 2)

ChapterForty

Ruby

Pulling up in my driveway back in Prestbury, I freeze. I tap my thigh where I was injured when we rescued Ramsey, but that is the only part of me that is moving.

“Come,” Ramsey says, taking my hand. “We’ve got you.”

I meet his gaze and with a shaky smile, I nod. “Yes. I’m okay.”

Ramsey helps me rise and I climb out of the van, planting my feet on the driveway. Being back here is…sobering. But I can’t let it slow me down. I put my right foot in front of the left and walk towards the front door. Aidan brings in the bags, while Declan opens the front door. I step inside and shiver.

“It’s cold,” I murmur.

“I’ll put the heating on,” David murmurs and crosses over to the thermostat. I rub my arms and wait while Ramsey fires up the electric faux flame fire in the fancy fireplace that came with the house. I have maybe used it once or twice, but seeing it flicker to life, is soothing and comforting.

I feel my soul healing from the tear that was ripped into it by the memories of leaving here and the state I was in.

“Ruby,” Declan says, coming to stand next to me.

“I’m okay,” I murmur and turn to him. “I need to do something. Can you all follow me, please?”

“Not you, eejit,” Declan mutters to Aidan, who had also stepped forward.

I giggle and my somber mood has passed for now. Leading the men into the bedroom, I hastily open the nightstand drawer and pull out my pretty new knives. I feel a million times better just holding them in my hand. Passing the rainbow-colored switchblade to Layton, I turn and lift my tee to bare my back to him.

“You need to add one more,” I say, my gaze finding Cillian’s.

He raises an eyebrow at me, but then goes pale when Layton flicks out the blade.

“You sure, sweetheart?” he asks.

“Cillian?” I ask. “You’re not planning on going anywhere, are you?”

“No,” he says carefully, but not out of hesitation, more shock at what is obviously going on here.

“Then do it,” I say to Layton.

He rests one hand lightly on my shoulder and then presses the tip of the blade against my skin. I brace myself for the sting and hiss when he digs it into my back.

“No!” Cillian shouts out. “Stop!”

Throwing him a death stare that he decides now is the time to back out of this, he shakes his head. “No, I love you, Ruby. Honestly, I do, but this is…”

“What she wants,” Layton says and turns me around.

Cillian’s intake of breath signifies the fact that Layton has already finished carving a ‘C’ into my flesh. “Christ,” he mutters.

“Do you like it or not?” I snap at him.

“I do,” he breathes out, running his finger lightly over the scratch, smearing my blood.

“Here,” Layton says and hands him a washcloth that he retrieved from the bathroom.

Cillian accepts it and dabs at the wells of blood. “I’ve gone hard,” he mutters in my ear.

Smiling, I turn back around and pull my top down. The material roughly scrapes across the scratch, but it’s a pleasant pain.

“Come with me,” Declan says, holding out his hand and leading me back the way we came. “I’ve got something for you.”

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