Fatal Vengeance: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Romance

29. Prudence

The morning went by in a rush, and I feel like I”m still trying to catch up. Creed never woke me during the night, both of us sleeping peacefully wrapped up in one another, with Asher and Griffin on either side of us like sentinels. I blinked my eyes open in the late morning alone in bed, though, and I cannot even express the kind of panic that had set in deep in my gut. Thankfully, I found my guys and Genevieve in the living room. Asher was on the phone while the others worked on cleaning up the wreckage from the night before, Creed wearing a sheepish and slightly embarrassed expression.

The next thing I knew, Asher said he got in contact with some doctor who could help, and Griffin and Creed were headed out the door with my sister”s car keys. It felt like I”d blinked and they were gone, and my stomach hasn”t settled since.

Creed and Griffin have been gone for two hours now, and I”m pretty sure my ass has left a permanent indent in the couch because I haven”t moved from my spot since the moment two pieces of my soul walked out the front door. All I can do is stare out the window like some sad puppy, and honestly, I”d call myself pathetic if I didn”t know Griffin and Creed feel the same about being separated.

It”s not right, not at a time like this when The Celestials could strike at any moment. It feels as if my heart is going to thud straight out of my chest while I wait for news. Just beat so hard that my ribs crack wide open. I’m jittery and on edge as I stare out the window, waiting for my sister’s car to reappear with my guys safe and sound inside it. Realistically, I know they”ll be gone all day. The doctor on Asher”s payroll or whatever is five hours away. It still doesn”t stop my delusional ass from waiting right here for their return.

I don’t feel right being apart from them. Which is ironic, since I was planning on running from them to save their lives. I don’t want to admit it to myself, but I’m so fucking glad they found out and put a stop to it before I could go through with that bullshit plan.

Why I thought sacrificing myself would protect my guys is beyond me. I’m calling it a momentary lapse in sanity. Because of course The Celestials would happily tear me to shreds and then still go after Creed, Griffin, and Asher as soon as they were finished with me. Of fucking course they would. They’re a sick, sadistic cult of people who pray to the goddamn moon, for fuck’s sake!

New low, Prudence.

Genevieve sits down beside me with a tired huff, dark circles under her eyes and her hair a mess like she tossed and turned in bed all night after Creed”s episode. She leans her head on my shoulder, mumbling, “They’ll be okay. They’re coming back to you, don’t worry.”

I nod, even as a sick feeling takes root in my gut. Nothing about splitting up feels right to me, but Creed getting his medication is a priority. There’s no use surviving The Celestials only for him to continue his spiral and be lost to me.

“How’s that ex of yours?” I ask, changing the subject so I don’t drive myself mad by fixating on all the ways Creed and Griffin could be ambushed today.

Genevieve stiffens and then sits upright, shooting me a very sisterly glare. We still don’t know each other all that well, something I hope to change when our lives are less hectic, but there’s a comfortable ease between us. Almost like our souls recognize each other as kin and have chosen to embrace this weird new relationship before our minds have even gotten on board.

I don’t mind it at all.

“My ex is a cunt. Always has been,” she grumbles, tipping her head back to rest on the sofa.

I laugh and pat her thigh. “I’m sorry, but I’m dying to know more. You made me spill all my boy secrets, so consider this pay back. Why is your ex a cunt? And why date her in the first place if she’s always been like that?”

Genevieve’s head lolls to the side so she can narrow her eyes at me, but she humors me anyway. “She’s a cunt, but she also knows how to eat cunt like a goddamn pro,” she drawls dryly, completely serious.

I press my lips together, but the moment Genevieve giggles, I lose it too. We laugh like we have no worries, like we’re two normal sisters enjoying gossip, like we aren’t in danger of literally dying any day. It’s a nice moment, one I’ll cherish forever.

Sighing with a playful roll of my eyes, I say, “Well, in that case, I’m sorry for the breakup.”

Genevieve nudges me with her shoulder. “Nah, don’t be… She, uh, asked me to join her for dinner. I can’t go, of course, not while we’re dealing with all this shit,” she says, gesturing around to encapsulate our shitshow of a life. “But it was a much needed ego boost. Maybe when this Celestial shit is done and over with, I’ll take her up on the offer and see if she’s not so much of a bitch anymore.”

I take her hand in mind, lacing our fingers together and squeezing. “It’ll all be over soon. One way or another, The Celestials” reign of terror is going to end. Even if we have to shed some blood and end up in prison because of it, I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

Genevieve frowns at me, like I’ve killed the good mood, but then a sly smirk creeps over her face. “I’d break you out if it came to that. I only just got you in my life. No way would I let you rot behind bars when we have so much sister shit to do.” I smile, glad for that reassurance, but then she adds, “I think I’d leave the guys behind, though.”

I bark out a laugh, slapping my hand over my mouth to contain the truly unbecoming snort. “What’d they do to you?” I ask incredulously.

“Nothing. I wouldn’t leave them there forever, don’t worry. But don’t you think they all deserve a little punishment for the shitty way they treated you before they grew some balls and fell in love?”

I lean my head back with an airy laugh, and she copies the movement, both of us looking up at the plain white ceiling while I think. Yes, they all had a part in breaking my heart, some more than others, but that feels like centuries ago. Have I truly forgiven them? Yeah… I think I have. It’s hard to hold on to grudges and old hurt when I’m acutely aware that any moment with them could be our last. I just want to enjoy every day, every second I have with them, and make good with the time we get. What”s the point of holding grudges when it doesn”t make me happy anyway?

I say this to my sister, and the look she gives me makes me feel like a properly scolded little sister. Eyebrows raised, lips pursed, and a completely unimpressed look in her eyes.

“Don’t start,” I whine, sinking further into the couch, happy to just melt here until my guys get back.

Genevieve sighs dramatically, shaking her head and squeezing my hand once more. “Fine, fine. Be the bigger woman. Forgive and forget. I just thought we’d already talked about making Asher work for your forgiveness a little harder. I don’t see him in here kneeling at your feet, ready to do your bidding just to get back in your good graces. And he was very obviously in the bedroom with the rest of you the other day, so color me shocked when I heard all that moaning and bed creaking.”

My mouth pops open, but all I can manage is an undignified grunt. It takes several long moments before I can actually say, ”Okay, well, that was a very… unexpected turn of events, but I”ll have you know, Asher didn”t get his dick in me.”

Genevieve narrows her eyes at me playfully. ”Oh no? So he just sat in the corner like a child in timeout and watched the rest of you have your fun?”

I breathe out a laugh, choosing not to share all the details about that fourway. It was so heat of the moment, I couldn”t have stopped it if I tried. And when Asher ate Griffin”s cum out of me? Yeah, I wouldn”t have wanted to stop that for anything in the damn world.

That was most definitely one of the hottest moments of my life.

Just then, Asher strides into the living room from the bathroom down the hall, his hair still damp and deliciously disheveled from the shower. He sweeps his eyes over us, clearly seeing something mischievous in my sister’s expression, and then his brows furrow.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he asks, “What’s happened now? Why does it look like I’m in trouble? I haven’t even been in the fucking room.” He finishes with a small, tortured groan.

I bite my lip to contain my smile. He’s just too cute right now, looking like he’s actually worried about being on my shit list again. I shake my head to calm his concern, but Genevieve is apparently in the mood to stir shit today. Honestly, when is she not?

“I was just telling Prudence that you should be waiting on your knees at her feet, begging for scraps, in my very humble opinion,” she muses cockily, tilting her head at Asher in a way that shows her evil side. Well, not evil like our father, who thankfully passed on his red hair and not his sick ways. But evil like she’s happy to rile Asher up and watch him explode.

I can only imagine growing up with her. She’d scare all the boys away, I just know it.

Asher scoffs, but then looks at me, his emerald eyes intense and searching, and then he shrugs and walks over. He holds my gaze the entire time, even as he stops in front of me on the couch and sinks to his knees. My breath hitches as he palms my thighs, slowly pushing them apart to fit himself between them, and oh holy fucking hell, my mind instantly goes to the gutter.

This is so not appropriate to do in front of my freaking sister!

“Asher,” I breathe out in warning, because I’m so not down for the dirty promise in his eyes. I may like an audience, but only when it’s one of my guys. Not anyone else, and sure as fuck not my sister.

Asher smirks as he settles in his spot on the ground, his hands still on my thighs and burning through my pants, his touch scorching hot. “What’s wrong, pet? I thought I was supposed to beg for scraps?”

My cheeks burn with a mortified blush, which is only intensified when Genevieve tosses her head back with a cackle. She claps her hands, practically wheezing, “Pet? Okay, I’m calling it. I don’t want to know any more about my sister’s kinky shit.” She shoots me a look, almost like she impressed by this turn of events, which is really not helping my flaming cheek situation, and then she pushes up off the couch and heads for her bedroom. Before she walks down the hall, she stops and adds, “You know, Asher, I expected you to throw a bitch fit, but you surprised me. I guess you’re not totally a lost cause. Just don’t hurt my sister again, or I”ll be forced to disembowel you. I know a guy who could teach me.” And then she’s gone, leaving me sitting stiffly on the couch with Asher kneeling between my fucking knees.

I clear my throat once I hear her bedroom door shut, murmuring, “You can get up now.”

He skims his palms up higher, stopping right before his thumbs reach the apex of my thighs. “You sure?”

No.

“Yes,” I breathe. We may have finally gotten over the intimacy hurdle the other night, but that was in a group setting and we didn”t go all the way. Having Asher on his own? I don”t know if I”ll survive all the dark promises I see glittering in his eyes right now. Something to test another time. Soon, just not now.

Asher squeezes my thighs possessively before slowly standing, licking his lips as if he wishes he could taste what he was just so very close to, and my insides liquefy. Focus, Prudence. Stop thinking about his perfect lips. Sitting beside me on the couch, a much safer position, he shoots me this cocky, panty-melting grin, like he”s just so damn proud of himself.

I huff out a breath, trying to clear my mind. “I hate you so much.”

Asher laughs, deep and delicious, tossing his arm over my shoulders and urging me to lean into his side. “No you don’t. I’m not sure you ever really did. Strongly disliked, sure. But hate? Nah, I don”t think so,” he counters like a smug asshole.

Part of me wants to slam my fist into his dick just to set the record straight. Yes, I did hate him. I fucking loathed Asher. Until… I didn’t. But I don’t want to get into our messy past. Maybe we can fight it out another time. In, um, private. Today, though, while two pieces of my heart are so far from me, I don’t want to argue. I just want to melt into Asher and stare out the window until Creed and Griffin are back and safe with me.

“Tell me they’re going to be okay,” I whisper as I shift a little and get more comfortable, leaning my head on Asher’s shoulder and sighing as he rubs my arm mindlessly.

“They’ll be fine, Prudence. Don’t worry about them, okay? Creed is on high alert, even with his— um, you know, his current state. And Griffin has enough silent fury to down an army bare-handed. They’ll come back to you,” Asher reassures me, his voice soft and gentle, which is strange coming from him after so long hearing his bitter, icy tone. Strange, but not unpleasant.

”They’ll come back to us,” I correct, poking his stomach, which is rock fucking hard. Asher breathes out a chuckle, but doesn’t say anything, so I continue, ”Can we talk about you and Griffin?”

I don’t know what I expect. Maybe this’ll be a touchy subject. Maybe Asher will recoil and tell me it’s none of my business. I stiffen as soon as the words are out of my mouth, regretting bringing it up. I should have waited and spoken to Griffin instead.

But Asher doesn’t lash out. He doesn’t make some harsh remark and storm off. There isn’t a hint of my bully anywhere in this man as he peers down at me with a filthy smirk that’s only dimmed a bit by the slight blush climbing up his cheeks.

“What exactly do you want to talk about regarding my relationship with Griffin?” he muses easily, and I find myself relaxing in relief, curling closer into his strong body.

“So it is a relationship, then? I wasn’t sure if you two were just…”

“Just fucking?” Asher finishes for me. I nod. He shrugs a little beneath me, my head lifting with the movement. “I don’t think I’m capable of just with him. Griffin is my best friend, aside from Creed, but being my cousin, that was a built-in friendship that we didn’t have much choice in. But Griffin? He had a choice. He could have walked away from me many times over the years. When I acted out because my dad beat the shit out of me, when I was an asshole teenager with an attitude too big to control, when I became a puppet for those sick fucks and tried to hurt you because I was told to.” His voice softens over that last part, regret thick in the low tone. Neither of us comments on it, though, so he adds, ”I’ve been out of control in my life too many times, getting pulled in directions I couldn’t come back from. But even when I wasn’t truly myself, when I was the very worst version of the man I should have been, Griffin stood by me. So, no, there isn’t any just fucking when it comes to us.”

I smile softly, tracing the swoop neck of his soft gray t-shirt. “You love him.” It’s not a question, but a statement because it’s so obvious from the almost awed way he speaks about Griffin.

Asher drops his cheek to the top of my head, nodding a bit and whispering, “So do you.”

Butterflies take flight in my stomach, a mix of the best feelings and the worst. Is this the moment when Asher tells me Griffin will have to choose?

I love Griffin so much. He’s just as integral to my well-being as Creed is. I can’t imagine trying to live without him. It’s be like walking through life without my soul, just an empty shell with organs and a useless heart keeping me going.

Asher kisses the top of my head, murmuring, “Take a breath, Prudence. Whatever you’re worrying that gorgeous mind about, quit it.”

Lady balls, Prudence. Grow them.

“I was just wondering how you felt? About me being with Griffin? While you’re also with Griffin?” The other day when we”d all been together, it was just so spur of the moment. A punishment and a claiming. But none of us have spoken about it since. What if Asher regrets it or doesn”t want to share a man as amazing and kind-hearted as Griffin?

“What do you mean?” Asher asks, as if he really can”t fathom what I”d be concerned about.

“Like, well, does it bother you?” There’s an annoying high pitch in my voice that exposes my worries, but I try to ignore it.

Asher leans back and tips my chin up with his finger, his eyes flicking between mine while a truly obscene smile tugs up his lips. “No, pet. It doesn’t bother me. In fact,” he starts, his voice dripping with pure fucking sex. “I can think of some amazing ways to show you both how okay I am with this dynamic.”

Annnd there my mind goes, right back to the gutter.

“Stop it, I”m trying to be serious,” I breathe out through a laugh, smacking his stomach with the back of my hand.

Asher catches my wrist, bringing my hand up to his lips and kissing my knuckles. “Fine, I’ll table this discussion for now. But as soon as Griffin and Creed are back, I think he’d be very interested to know what”s had you blushing so furiously for me,” he rasps, soft and sensual. He skims a finger over my cheek. ”So fucking pretty, pet. I love this color on you. I”ll be doing whatever I can to put this blush on your face every day.”

What. Is. Happening?

If you told me a few months ago that Asher would turn into a flirtatious, cheeky fuck instead of my biggest tormentor, I”d have laughed so hard my lungs would collapse. Yet, here we are. And goddamn, I can already tell I”m in trouble here because of that mouth of his.

”I think I need some water.” I stand from the couch, missing Asher”s heat immediately. But if I don”t put some space between us right now, we”ll end up fucking on my sister”s couch, and then we”d miss it if Griffin and Creed called for help. No, as much as my body wants Asher, my heart is aching and even the best dicking down won”t fix it until I have everyone I love under one roof again.

Asher laughs under his breath as I leave him and head into the kitchen. I roll my eyes, which he doesn”t see from behind me, but then I get an idea and smirk. Pausing to look back at him over my shoulder, I say, ”Asher?”

”Yes, pet?”

I trail my eyes down his taut body, practically purring, ”When the day comes that I”m sandwiched between you and Griffin…” I trail off with a wicked, filthy smile.

Asher”s eyes flare with heat and he leans forward with his elbows on his knees, a matching smile on his face. ”Tell me, baby.”

I tilt my head and bite my lip. ”Do you think you”ll feel him in my pussy while you”re buried in my ass?”

Asher sputters out something between a choke and a shocked laugh, and I mentally high-five myself before leaving him to those delicious thoughts. I really do need that water. A cold, cold glass to put out the fire building beneath my skin.

Hurry home, guys, so we can put these filthy ideas to the test.