Cataclysm (Four Horsemen #4)(67)

After a few minutes ticked by, she let out a little choking sound.

“Frankie.”

I cupped her face, brushing under her eye with my thumb.

“What do you need?”

“I…”

“Should I get Drake and West in here? And Pres?”

She nodded, pressing her face into my palm. I held it there until she relaxed and then pulled it back to grab my phone from my pocket. I sent them a group text, warning them of the circumstances they’d find us in. Not like they hadn’t seen me bind her before, but her being suspended from my ceiling was different. This wasn’t for sexual gratification. Shibari was an art form and provided mental relaxation as well as stimulation. It was the part that initially attracted me. When I was tying the knots, it calmed me. I went into a different space. It was similar for the model, the feeling of being constricted provided safety and security. Not to mention the ropes looked beautiful on a body.

I pressed a kiss to Scarlett’s face after I’d dumped my phone on the bed. She strained for more, so I gave her my lips, allowing ours to mould together as I cupped her face.

“I love you,” I whispered against her mouth.

“Love you too,” she murmured back before seeking my tongue with hers.

I vaguely heard the bedroom door open, too focused on giving Scarlett what she needed. The pad of footsteps had me pulling back and stroking her cheek. When I finally turned to look at the three men standing at the end of the bed, Scarlett let out a soft sigh.

Prescott was the first to kneel on my bed and reach for Scarlett, stroking her hair, which she’d French braided. I moved back slightly to allow the other two access to her. West came around to look into her eyes whilst Drake knelt on her other side, stroking his hand along her bare thigh. None of them questioned what was happening or why she needed this.

She smiled when she saw West. He didn’t say a word, just touched her face to let her know he was right there. The silence spoke volumes. None of us wanted her to feel unsafe with us when she was at her most vulnerable, tied up and suspended from the bar above my bed. Her emotions on full display after her heart bled.

Another tear spilt from her eye. West leant down and licked it away, making her let out a shuddering breath. He cleaned her tears with his tongue. She shifted in her bindings. Drake held her steady as I put my hand on her calf.

The four of us waited when West pulled back. We didn’t want to rush her. Her breathing evened out after a few minutes. Then she looked at me.

“Let me down, please.”

I sprang into action, getting the others to hold her whilst I undid the bindings connecting her to the pole. Then we settled her on the bed, all kneeling around her as she lay there on her front, her hands still tied behind her.

“Do you want me to release you?”

She nodded, resting her cheek on the covers. I did as she asked, unbinding all the ropes from her body. The indents all over her skin calmed me. They were a symbol of our connection to each other. The safety she felt with me. Scarlett had let herself be at her most vulnerable with me and the others today.

She sat up and looked between us.

“I forgot to say hi.”

Raising up on her knees, she grabbed a hold of the back of Drake’s head and kissed him. He stroked her side but didn’t move to touch her further.

“Welcome home, little wisp,” he told her when they drew apart.

She practically pounced on West next, almost knocking him over. He didn’t seem to mind when she kissed him, wrapping her arms tight around his body. His hand went to hair, stroking the braid. She pulled back to look into his eyes.

“My beautiful little Scar.”

Her fingertips went to his mouth, stroking along his lips as if memorising them. Like she needed to trace the words he said. The two of them silently communicated for a long minute, then she moved closer to me. The way she looked at me spoke volumes.

I moved back against the headboard, settling myself against the pillows. She curled up in my lap, letting me hold her and stroke her skin. Drake and West took places next to me whilst Prescott put his head on her thigh as he sat between my spread legs.

It was reaffirming our bond with each other. Being without her had been as hard for me, West and Drake, as it had been for Scarlett. We were still settling into our relationship. We’d only just established we wanted a future with each other. None of us wanted out. It was more than fate and destiny. It had everything to do with who we were as people. Who we were as a family.

“Fletch wants to see me tomorrow for lunch,” Drake said, breaking the silence as he settled a hand on Scarlett’s shoulder.

“Do you want to go?” she asked, turning her head to look at him.

“No.”

“What if I went with you?”

He contemplated it for a moment before letting out a sigh and leaning his chin on her shoulder.

“You offering to hold my hand?”

“No, well… yes, but I meant going as your partner to support you.”

We’d spent the past couple of days removing all the fucking trackers on our cars, making sure our security was increased further and acknowledging no matter what we did, Stuart was coming for us. We’d finalised the plan between us. It was a question of enacting it. Drake wanted Scarlett home before we did anything. She was just as much in this as we were. It was all together or nothing.