Cataclysm (Four Horsemen #4)(99)

“Mmm, you have mellowed him out a lot. We’re all very grateful for it.”

I leant my head against his shoulder as he pushed open the door to the penthouse. We made our way to the playroom, stopping to get extra blankets on the way. I busied myself making up the space for the five of us, whilst the others went to get ready for bed. When I was done, I wandered into Drake’s bedroom, as it was closest to the playroom, to brush my teeth. He was leaving the bathroom when I entered. My eyes roamed over his bare chest. There was no question about it. This man was a god. And I loved him for it.

“Do you really not want to spend the night with us?” I asked when he paused to stroke his fingers down my arm.

“It’s not that. You know I have trouble sleeping.”

I stepped closer before wrapping myself around him, my fingers tracing a line down his spine.

“That’s why you have me,” I whispered into his chest, “I make it better.”

He chuckled.

“I won’t deny that, little wisp.”

When I pulled away, he pressed a kiss to my lips and left me to finish getting ready for bed. I brushed my teeth and pulled my dress off, leaving me bare. I walked back into the playroom to find all four of them already on the bed. Their eyes went to me, darkening when they realised I wasn’t wearing anything.

“Sleeping only. I’m exhausted and you’ve already had your fun with me tonight,” I said as I crawled on the bed and nestled myself between West and Francis. Prescott was next to West and Drake next to Francis.

Prescott leant over and gave me a kiss goodnight. Then they tucked me under the covers and one of them turned out the light. I snuggled up to West, pressing my face into his chest whilst Francis curled himself around my back, pressing a kiss to my cheek. I let out a contented sigh and rubbed my thumb across my ring. A part of me felt more secure knowing we were all together like this. We devoted ourselves to each other tonight after committing what could only be described as a massacre.

It’s over now. You don’t have to be afraid any longer. You can heal in peace with them.

The thought had me relaxing deeper into the embrace of my men and drifting off into oblivion. I was finally safe and free to choose my life. And I’d chosen to live it with them.





Forty Four


Scarlett





My feet practically dragged along the damn lobby as I made my way across it towards the lifts. The whole day had been exhausting. I wanted to curl up in a ball and fall asleep. Who would have thought you’d get grilled so much for being a missing person. The victim of a kidnapping. Although, I supposed, given the circumstances of my captor’s death, I kind of had to give it to the police for being thorough.

I rode up in the lift, leaning against the mirrored wall, and closed my eyes. Three days ago, we’d set fire to Stuart’s estate, having killed everyone inside. Today, I’d turned up at a police station near the estate looking worse for wear with a story about how I’d escaped during the fire.

In order to get my life back on track, I had to deal with the whole being a missing person business. I’d spun them a story about me being held against my will for ten years, missing out the fact I knew exactly how and why Stuart had taken me. They didn’t need to know I’d forgotten everything all that time. There was no one around who could tell them otherwise. Anyone who could was either dead or had left the country. We’d made it possible for the chef, Gio, to disappear and start a new life in exchange for keeping his mouth shut.

The police had little choice but to take what I’d told them at face value. There was nothing to prove my story otherwise. We’d made sure of that when we’d burnt down the estate.

When I got up to the penthouse, I went straight upstairs and took a shower, washing away the hours I’d spent in an interview room. Drying and dressing, I made my way up to the roof where I knew the boys were. They’d finished work for the day an hour ago, and they weren’t anywhere else in the penthouse.

I found them in Drake’s glass structure, talking and drinking. They all fell silent as I entered. Drake put his hand out to me. I went and curled up in his lap. He was in his favourite armchair. He petted my hair and let me bury my face in his neck.

“How was it?” he asked a minute later.

“Shit.”

He rubbed my back and kissed the top of my head.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. They just asked me so many questions. It was exhausting going over everything, but it’s okay. At least I’m no longer considered missing. Means I can go on with my life, you know. I don’t have to worry about being on their records or anything else.”

I sighed, rubbing my face against his skin.

“It got tense when they started asking me where I would go, what with Mum being dead, but then this lady officer came in and told them she would take it from here. She drove me home without any questions being asked. Like she’d been told to get me out of there when they’d finished questioning me.”

I turned my face up to his so I could meet his eyes.

“It’s a relief it’s over even if it was a lot to deal with.”

“You did so well, my good girl.”

My heart fluttered at his praise. He knew when I needed it and gave it freely. I would always be Drake’s brat, but right now, I wasn’t in the mood to push his buttons. All I wanted was to breathe him in. To let him comfort me and help me feel more at ease.