Page 76 of Ashes

I walk along the side until I reach the seven-foot-high white gate that conceals the backyard from view. Standing in front of it, I stare at the lock that requires a passcode, and with shaky fingers, I punch in the code, 051460, his mother’s birthday. Sebastian is as predictable as always.

The light flickers from red to green, and I twist the handle, push the gate open, and slip inside the backyard. Walking toward the back door, I stay hidden in the shadows of the night, tiptoeing my way to the sliding glass back door.

Looking in, I don’t see any movement or anyone on the first floor, but better safe than sorry. Quietly, sliding the door open, I slip inside, quickly drawing the blinds and locking the door.

Knowing I made it in without getting caught brings a smirk to my lips and a sense of pride.

Upstairs, the floor creaks with movement, but I know this house well enough to know which room the noise is coming from. He’s in the bedroom, and I assume he has the door wide open as he always did.

Inhaling, I hold my breath as I run across the living room and unlock the front door, allowing my four guys access to the house that once meant everything to me.

It was my first real home. The first house I ever truly felt safe in until Seb ruined it for me. Destroyed my fantasy and sense of security.

This is the house where he killed me.

One by one, my guys easily fit through the door, smirks on their silent faces. When they’re all inside, I close the door with a silent click and lock it, then push the buttons on the touch screen panel beside the door to allow the windows to frost, shielding the outside from viewing inside.

We’re going to need privacy for what’s in store tonight.

The floor creaks above me again, then I hear footsteps, adrenaline shooting through my veins at the voice that follows. “Courtney, babe, is that you?” Sebastian calls from upstairs.

Pressing my finger to my lips, I shush my guys, urging them to keep quiet. Luckily, they do as I say, and all four take a seat in the living room, making themselves comfortable in my former home.

I hold my breath and stand at the bottom of the stairs, exhaling slowly as I say, “Honey, I’m home.” I can’t keep the amusement from my voice.

The footsteps falter. I clearly caught the bastard off guard. A few heartbeats later, the footsteps quicken until Seb’s face comes into view, standing at the top of the stairs.

He stands only a few feet away, looking the same as always. Soulless blue eyes, a nasty snarl, his mouth ready to spit pure venom. Looking at him now, I can’t believe I ever once thought he was the most handsome man I’d ever met.

He’s so different from Eli, King, Rowen, and Ace, and it’s hilarious.

Sebastian was the man who swept me off my feet the second I noticed his clean-cut Hollister boy country club look. As for my four savage men, they’re covered from head to toe in tattoos, and their appearance screams danger and would make anyone want to turn in the opposite direction and take off running. They hunt their prey and take whatever they want, and I’m the lucky one that got caught in their trap.

My men are stunning, and compared to them, everyone else is fucking basic.

Especially Hollister boy Sebastian. He’s nothing compared to them.

“You little fucking bitch,” Sebastian barks, shaking his head as his eyes roam over me. “I knew you’d come crawling back, begging for me to take you back. I never believed you were dead.” He laughs. “I never would’ve been that lucky. You never knew how to die, but I wonder if you’ll finally stay dead this time.” He takes the stairs slowly, getting closer to me.

“I don’t recall begging to come back and be your wife again.”

“You are still my wife, Lee. My dead wife, whom no one is looking for.” For the first time, I’m not afraid as I stand before him because I’m not the same person I was two years ago. I’m no longer that weak woman, plus I know that if he were to try anything, my men would get to him first.

They’re only standing down now because of respect for me. They know that I need this. That I deserve this.

God, I love them.

“I might be willing to take you back. Perhaps if you were to get down on your knees and beg, I might leave Courtney and allow you to come back.” The bastard smiles. He believes his words, and he’s actually considering it.

“The only begging she’s doing is begging for me to fuck her harder!” King calls out from the living room, followed by Ace’s laughter.

Sebastian’s trimmed eyebrows pull together in a scowl at the voices. Taking the final step down, he pushes me aside, turning into the living room, his face visibly paling at the sight of his unwelcome house guests making themselves comfortable.

Rowen is sitting on the arm of the couch while Ace is lying back on the cushions with his dirty boots on the material. King is standing close to me, while Eli is standing in front of the built-in shelves, looking over the hideous décor and crystal vases that Seb spent a fortune on when he went house shopping with his mother.

Who the hell does that? When you’re a newlywed, you’d typically go home shopping with your new spouse, but instead of taking me, Seb took his mommy, and they picked out everything in this house.

Fuck them both.

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