Chapter 43
My gaze drops to Journey's sleeping form again, laying with her legs across my lap and her head on Arrow’s lap. My chest tightens like rubber bands, squeezing the breaths from my lungs. We could have lost her.
Permanently, this time. No coming back from it.
After so many weeks of planning and knowing exactly where she was, it was hard to stay put and not storm the fucking island to get back what was ours. Shepp and Journey. The pieces of our family.
We felt every second of them being away in the unknown. A hole formed. Deep inside my soul, consuming me and filling me with the need to run to them. Get them back. And Arrow? I don’t know how he’s stayed grounded. Maybe it was the fight to get here. Or the search that kept his mind occupied.
Whatever it was, it was slowly fraying at the ends, about to snap the remaining threads of humanity he has left in him.
It won’t be until Journey wakes up and Shepp is back that he’ll fully calm the fuck down.
Soon.
Very, very soon.
Speaking of.
I pull my phone from my pocket, bringing up my cousin’s conversation from the previous night when she informed me of her plan.
Olivia
Journey is confirmed to be at the wedding. We’re moving in and securing the island while Shadow is away. He is showing his face, Jer.
Jericho
Wonderful. And you’ll keep me updated?
It’s been nothing but crickets since. Not a—hey, we found Sheppard alive and well, unless he managed to remove himself from the island before Olivia showed up. Very unlikely. It seemed there was no way of escaping without someone seeing them. It was too dangerous.
Me
We've gotten Journey back… Any word on Sheppard? Or the raid?
Olivia
Good.
Jericho
Only good? Are we playing the circle game again where I must guess whether or not you spoke with him?
Olivia
I can’t discuss the dealings of an ongoing investigation, dear cousin.
I can almost hear the snark in her voice. That’s her typical response when I’m eager to hear the information she has.
Olivia
Shepp looked good. We spoke. One of my agents was with him and took him back to land by boat… He was warned about where to go when he got there.
Jericho
Wonderful…
Olivia
What? That’s it? Where’s my thank you? I saved your ass. Again. Like always…
Jericho
You and I have two very different definitions of saving.
I snicker when the dots jump on the screen like she’s typing and then disappear again. Only to reappear again before her last message comes through.
Olivia
I wish my aunt never had you….
Jericho
The feelings are mutual. Although, I do thank you for your services. As always, Liv. You go above and beyond.
See? That’s growth. I can be polite when it’s necessary.
Olivia
Huh. He can say thank you. Interesting…
Jericho
Now, who is being the insulting one?
Olivia
For real. Stay low, Jer. Shit is hitting the fan everywhere. Shadow cashed checks he can’t seem to fund. You feel me? No, stupid shit. Stay at your little cabin with Journey…
Jericho
No promises.
I smirk, putting my phone away despite it vibrating in my hand with new notifications. Liv always needs to get the last word in. Not this time.
Arrow gently brushes his fingers through Journey’s hair, humming a low song to himself. I’ve always been curious as to what goes through his mind. Or what he’s truly feeling.
“It won’t be too long now,” he hums into her ear, gently kissing her temple.
Such a contrast from the torture he put Shadow through. He’s always gentle with Journey. Or as gentle as he can be. There will be times I’m sure he’ll slip up and accidentally hurt her. But that’s what Shepp and I are for. Right?
Speaking of…
"What's the status on Shepp?"
Arrow’s head snaps in my direction when the words leave my lips.
He grins. “Last I checked, he was about two hours away from us. Somehow, the big lug got off the island, don’t know how he managed that. And now…” His tongue pokes out when he retrieves his phone from his pocket and brings up the tracking screen. “I don’t know how the big fella managed it, but he’s an hour away now.”
He’s tougher than he looks. A man on a mission to get back to the woman he went to the ends of the earth to protect.
The world doesn’t see Shepp like our unit does—the sensitive man put through unimaginable things by his own flesh and blood. The outside world sees a giant man with scars on his face. They shake in their boots at his silence. It’s unnerving to the enemy. Having a man who stares deep into your soul without saying a word. He knows how to make them talk.
Some also see the non-confrontational man and think they can exploit his silence. He may be weary of blood and violence because of his upbringing, but he's as strong as a damn diamond. No matter the circumstances, if someone took Journey from him, he would devise a plan to find her, like the hopeless puppy dog he is.
We all are. Hopeless stalkers, begging for crumbs from her. We'll follow Journey into the fucking darkness with no armor. We'll fight to the ends of the earth for her. To be with her. Always for her.
Our entire existence is Journey.
Our veins bleed for her. Our souls yearn for her.
Everything about us beats for her. And only her.
She’s safe now, closing the deep chasm splitting me from the inside out. She’s safe. Warm. We will never again allow anyone to harm her.
This time, the person who hurt her is securely held in our soundproof basement. Oh, the plans I have for the monster writhing in the darkness. He won’t know what hit him.
Me. It’ll be me. I’ll take all my fury out on his face, forcing him to bleed for repentance.
I contemplate for several minutes whether I should tell Olivia about Shadow in my basement but think better of it. If I bring him up and say he's in our custody, Veritas will stick their nose in our business and try to take him to their deadly prison so they can have all the fun. And I can't have that. Shepp can't have that. He deserves to kill that motherfucker repeatedly until he's nothing more than a distant memory.
This is Shepp's vengeance.
Not mine. Or Journey’s, or Arrow’s.
Shepp’s.
And my father?
Well, he's all mine. But after learning what Journey has been through, she deserves some hits, too. We'll get these bastards if it's the last thing we do. They won't live to see another day and act on their evil plots.
My skin tingles with the thought of going after my father and bringing him down. Once and for all. Gabriel Viotto needs to fall to his knees. Blood will drain from his body, rendering him useless under my torture. His demise will be my greatest accomplishment before I grasp my future by the balls and take what was always mine.
My father’s position.
One thing at a time, though.
"What do you think Max and Nova are doing right now? Do you think they’re being typical lions? Taken care of?" Arrow’s face scrunches at the thought of his lions perishing under neglect.
"I'm sure Max and Nova are being attended to. My mother loves animals, after all." Or she did.
That was the whole point of my father building her a zoo on the property. To appease her and make her happy when she walked around with a frown, hopelessly peering out the windows and losing herself in her thoughts. I am startled by the thoughts racing through my mind. She left me when I was so young. The memories I have are fuzzy. But this one? It comes through so clearly; it’s like I’m standing beside her forlorn figure from the past.
I swallow hard. The memory of her stricken face, riddled with mysterious doubts and sadness, flashes through my memories. How long had I locked that memory away in my mind? I was forced to stay there by the cruel hand of my father. Every night when I mentioned Mommy coming back, he threw me into the darkened closet with alcohol on his breath. He’d snarl at me, saying I needed to learn my lessons.
After my mother left, he loved me less than before. It was never much to begin with. Gabriel Viotto only wanted a son to fulfill his throne.
And here I am, about to overthrow it with my allies.
But what about my mother, who has been missing for close to twenty years? Her sudden reemergence has my head spinning with possibilities. Sure, she could have dragged herself from Shadow’s prison once and for all, freeing herself and making it home. But Shadow didn’t exist twenty years ago.
Or did he?
Another question on the mile-long sheet of paper in my mind to ask him when I visit him in the basement.
A sudden twitch of Journey’s legs moving on my lap makes my mind return to the land of the living. I blink rapidly, taking in the scene I so quickly drifted away from. It doesn’t happen often, only when I’ve deprived myself of the sleep I desperately need.
Right now, though, the only thing I can occupy my mind with is the woman whose eyelids flutter. Her dark lashes slowly peel from her bottom lids until they're completely open, revealing her beautiful moss-green eyes hazy with sleep.
"Oh, Kitten! You're finally awake," Arrow murmurs, leaning down to kiss her cheek several times.
Journey's brows furrow as she takes in the pinewood ceiling. She blinks several times—no doubt trying to get her mind back from the sedation pulling her into a fog. I know we’ll lose our balls when she remembers what happened. Literally, she’s going to squeeze them so hard and show us no mercy. Well, maybe just Arrow. I had nothing to do with the sedation.
I’m innocent.
"We've brought you to a secure location," I say, easing my hand up and down her calf with reassurance. “For your safety and ours.” I don’t dare mention the friend we have waiting for us to chat with.
That’ll come later.
We’re more than secure here. Our cabin is small but fucking mighty. It's just the way we built it. Intending to hide away here when things get to be too much in Briar Cove. Call us cowards all you want; it was survive here or die there.
We could get attacked by an army, and no one could penetrate through these walls. Even if they did, the secret tunnels we've dug over the years would give us the means to escape unharmed. No one will ever find out about this place, anyway. It's out in the middle of nowhere in the mountains, many miles away from civilization.
If it was up to me. We'd stay here for eternity, raising a family and being one under this roof. But as it stands, a war is brewing. Sooner rather than later, we'll have to jump in and toss our hats into the ring to fight this battle.
And we'll win.
"Secure location?" she rasps, clearing her throat multiple times.
"Perhaps you should get her some water?" I raise a brow at Arrow, who frowns at me, obviously not wanting to leave Journey's side. But this situation is his fault, and it's better for his well-being to remove himself before she remembers the needle he put in her neck. All in the name of keeping her safe. The moment that memory pops up, she'll have a few choice words for him. Hopefully, she'll leave some scratches as well.
"I'll get my Kitten whatever she needs," he hums, getting to his feet with hesitation.
"Water," she croaks with a nod, turning slightly pale at the movement.
"Little Chaos? Are you..." My heart drops when Journey's eyes widen. A small gag comes from the back of her throat, and she heaves where she sits. Her fingers curl around her lips as she jumps up from the couch on unsteady feet, swaying with every frantic step, looking for a place to empty her stomach. I quickly usher her to the garbage can in the corner of the kitchen ten steps away and hold back her hair, just in time for her to unleash into the trash can.
"Weird," Arrow says, cocking his head. "It's never had that effect."
No. Indeed, it hasn't. Sure, after waking up from his favorite drug of choice, the person should feel slightly groggy. The after-symptoms only last ten minutes before the rage of what Arrow has done takes over and holds you hostage. Then, it's murder plots. I can only speak for myself, though. He's done this so many times it's almost an invasion of our privacy. Including the damn tracker he put in my ass cheek without my permission, which came in handy. So, I can’t quite reprimand him for that.
Not yet at least.
Journey gags again, heaving another time before her entire body slumps. She pants, barely able to stand when she straightens herself up. I take her in my arms, gently letting her get herself under control.
"All better?" I murmur in her ear.
"No," she grunts, touching her stomach again.
"Must be a side effect," Arrow hums, gently wiping Journey's mouth with a paper towel and then tossing it into the trash.
"A side effect?" Journey groans, leaning her head back against my shoulder.
Everything inside me settles at once. The turmoil. The time of being ripped apart from each other. Finally. I have her here against my chest. The feel of her skin against mine. She's home. In my arms. By my fucking side. And I'll never let her leave again. She's not allowed. I'll handcuff her to me like I did before. Only this time, my beautiful bride will never get free. Even if she needs to take a shower or use the restroom. I'm prepared to be a fucking parasite attached to her hip.
"Never mind." Arrow whistles to himself, trying to seem innocent.
The bastard never could, though.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Journey grumbles, squeezing her eyes shut and licking her lips. All the color she attempted to regain escapes her flesh again, turning her gray. Sweat trickles on her brows that furrow. She sucks in a breath. One, two, and three times, attempting to ward off the sloshing of her stomach.
"How about some water, Kitten? It'll help," Arrow's voice dips low and soothing as he holds up a glass with a straw.
"Slowly. Your stomach won't be able to take too much," I hum in her ear as I soak in her essence. Being so close to her after knowing where she was for so long and not being able to act on my urges to swim to her, has me fucking rattled.
And Jericho fucking Viotto doesn't get rattled.
I guess when you take away his obsession, he does.
Journey sucks it down slowly, panting as the sedative slowly wears off. I can see the moment the lights click on in her brain. Anger roars to life in her eyes when she throws them open, glaring in Arrow's direction.
He gives her a blinding smile while plying her with enough water to sink a fucking boat.
"Knock it off," I grunt, pushing the glass of water away.
"One of these days, Arrow," she murmurs, squeezing her eyes shut again. "One of these goddamn days, I'm going to..." she trails off, putting her fist to her lips. The sounds escaping from her stomach have my own wanting to empty.
Sympathy vomits. I think that's what they might call it.
"Would you like to sit?" I question, gently running my hands over her body, almost in disbelief that she's finally back where she belongs. At my fucking side.
"You aren't the first person to say that to me," Arrow chuckles, pecking her cheek with a quick kiss. She swipes at him with a grunt but misses when he darts back.
“Next time,” he quips with a wink.
"Let's get you on the couch, Little Chaos. Then we can plot Arrow's demise." I smirk at him when he flips me off.
"No. No sitting. I need..." she stalls again. Deep, guttural gurgles burst to life in her stomach like it's trying to process all the water Arrow gave her and is denying access. "What the hell did you do to me?" she whines, reeling forward until her face hovers over the same garbage can. I gently bring her hair back, holding tightly to it.
"I'm innocent," Arrow says, putting his hands up.
Worry seems to take him over when he nibbles his lip, watching as she gags again into the trash can.
"Are you truly ever that?" I quip, rubbing her back soothingly.
"I'm not wasting another second here," Journey declares into the garbage can, still holding the water down despite her gags. "Shepp is out there. He's on the island, and I need him back here."
"Ah, Kitten. He's on his way." Arrow confidently leans against the countertop with a knowing grin.
"On his way?" she asks skeptically, furrowing her brows. "What do you..." She stiffens completely, forgetting about the sickness holding her back when Arrow holds up his phone. Four dots show on the screen, blinking rapidly back at her with names assigned to each dot representing us. "What?" Her brows furrow more when she takes the phone and examines the screen. She pinches her fingers over it, zooming in and out on each dot. Finally, she settles on the dot farthest away. Shepp.
"That's us," Arrow says, puffing out his chest. "Each of us has a tracker. So, I know where we are at all times. It's kind of my thing." Besides stalking and entering Journey's room while taking pictures of her. Yeah, it's totally his thing.
Journey glares up at him. He smiles more. One day, Arrow will get what's coming to him.
"Don't look at me like that, Kitten. I might have to kidnap you to the bedroom and reacquaint myself with your body again. Can I eat you for lunch instead?" Arrow grunts when I slap him in the back of the head. Instantly, he loses his smile, huffing as he rubs the sore spot. "Spoil sport," he grumbles.
"Can someone explain where the hell I am?" Journey asks, looking down at the phone and shaking her head. "If this is me..." she trails off, pointing at the little red dot. "Then we're..."
"In the middle of nowhere," I confirm, smoothing her wild locks. Before discussing our next steps, she needs a nice hot shower, another set of clean clothes, and a large meal. "We're at our safe house."
Hell, even three days of non-stop fucking and cuddling sounds better than going to wage war against my father and his brainless minions.
"Safe house," she mutters, eyeing the cabin skeptically.
I don't blame her. She's been in an unknown location for a while now, trapped on an island with nowhere to go. Now, she's finally free from their rule and with us.
"No one will find us here, Little Chaos. This may look like a simple cabin, but we've put a lot of work into this place, making it the perfect safe house. If anyone tries to come here and fight us, we have escape routes through the basement."
"Oh, and a torture room!" Arrow says with glee, rubbing his hands together. "With a special guest," he stage-whispers.
"A special guest?" she asks, rubbing at her head. "Fuck. Why am I so woozy? I don't have time for this. So many things need to be done. Shepp..." Her eyes drift back to the phone, watching the little red dot with a hopeless expression. "He separated us on purpose so I wouldn't run. He locked us in the caves."
"That happened to be under the ocean?" I question, eager to learn about where she was kept and how. Not only because it's her, but also because my mother, too, said she was locked tight in some caves for so many years. Or was she? Who knows? I don’t trust anyone besides the people in this room and Shepp.
That’s it. No more. No less.
Journey shrugs. "I'm not sure. I woke up there with Sunshine and Shepp." She shakes her head, squeezing her eyes shut like the memories harm her. "And... They left us in a cave. The darkness. No food." She shudders in my arms, and her stomach sounds like it is turning again, grumbling out loud and protesting the water Arrow forced her to drink.
"Listen, we don't have to discuss it right now. We can wait." For her sake, at least. I don't want to overwhelm her too quickly and harm her more. I'm sure she's been through a lot. I've seen the bloodied picture of her at the dining table with Shadow. And whatever else he may have put her through. I'm far from being patient, but right now, the only thing that matters is my goddamn wife.
"We can't, though. Shadow..."
"That's our special guest, Kitten."
Journey's eyes fly open, assessing Arrow as he puffs out his chest with pride. "I hogtied him myself. He put up a nasty fight. Wanted to shoot me, too. Which is rude. But I got him all tucked away and tied to a chair. Just waiting for old Sheppy Boy to make it here, then we'll have a real welcoming party." Venom spews from his lips with every word he says, amping himself up more and more for a fight that won’t happen for hours.
Not until Shepp returns and not before he’s ready to face his monster.
"For now, let's get you cleaned up and fed," I murmur, trailing my fingers up and down her upper arms. "How about a nice hot bath?"
Journey sighs, nodding her head. "Yeah. I guess that sounds fine." There's a bite to her voice. I can tell she's not satisfied with my solutions to stay put and not go after anyone. "Do you really have Shadow in the basement?"
"Yes." Arrow grins, stepping up to her. He cups her cheeks, strumming his thumb along her bottom lip. "We'll take care of the trash later."
"But you recognize him, right?" she asks, swallowing hard.
"Shepp's sperm donor," I state without emotions because the things I want that man to endure are Hell on Earth.
She nods, licking her lips, nodding with hesitation. There’s something there in the back of her eyes. Worry, maybe? For whom, though? I’m not quite sure. Perhaps it’s for Shepp whenever he arrives. But she knows better than anyone that Shepp can face the monster head-on.
Arrow tilts his head, looking into her eyes. He must sense it, too.
"Let's get you into the tub," I say, holding her hand and guiding her toward the restroom. “We have a spectacular bathroom built just for this sort of occasion.” More like with her in mind. When we built this place, she was the center of it all. Did we do it to keep us safe in case shit went sideways? Of course. But she was always on our minds, especially when we built the bathroom with a tub built for four.
Our destiny was always this. Her. Us. Our future together. Even war was on the horizon. Someone was bound to challenge my father for his position, taking what they wanted right out from under him.
Only, I thought it would be us.
"Oh, yes. We'll scrub your body clean, Kitten." Arrow winks with a deep chuckle. "With our dicks."
Have I smacked my best friend lately? Yes. Perhaps he needs another reminder that my dear wife has been under an unimaginable amount of stress after being kidnapped and drugged.
I narrow my eyes at him, catching his gaze. He grins more, humming the same tune under his breath. Bastard.
My grip tightens when we walk through the doorway of the only bedroom in the nine-hundred-square-foot cabin. Our bedroom at home in the mansion is large, sleek, and modern. But here? Here, we let all our comfort wants out and played with the designs until all three of us agreed. Comfort over looks. Warmth over modern.
We built our cabin to be the home we always wanted, filled with the love we all needed dearly.
Our cabin in the woods boasts a warm and inviting bedroom, filled with a large king-sized bed and antique dressers we scrounged from the shops ten miles away in the nearest town. A heavenly warmth radiates from every inch of the room, from the bedside lamp brightly glowing and illuminating the dark shadows to the plush rug beneath our feet cushioning our footsteps. But the grandest thing we built is the stone fireplace, roaring with warmth from behind us. It has everything we need. Financially, we could live here forever on our secret bank accounts filled with money we’ve stashed away since we recognized the dangers my father posed.
Journey stops in a daze, taking in the ample space with a slack mouth. Her gaze eventually finds the dying flames dancing on the embers of the logs we added hours before.
"When did you guys get this?" she asks curiously, taking in the room again. “God, you even have a cabin-like quilt,” she murmurs, stepping toward the bed and running her fingers over the patchwork quilt we purchased at the shop.
“And my skulls! Don’t forget my trophies.” Arrow’s chest puffs out with pride when he brings her focus to the three human skulls on the mantle above the fire.
“Skulls…” Journey trails off, attempting to ward off the disgust begging to be seen.
I’ll give it to her. She does well containing the twist of her lips when Arrow picks up one skull, moving its hinged jaw as if it were speaking directly to her.
“Have no fear, Kitten Dear,” he mocks in a twisted voice, jostling the skull around.
“Erm. How about that bath?” Journey asks wearily, staring at Arrow before shaking her head.
“Aw, Kitten. Come on! He’s fun! And you’ll never believe the story of how he got here.” Oh, I’m sure she’ll believe every word that comes out of his mouth. Right down to the gritty details of how Arrow had fun hunting three humans in the woods surrounding our cabin for their treasonous crimes against the family.
More specifically, against his father.
Our cabin isn’t just a safe house for us to unwind in. It’s a place of interrogation when need be. Or a hunting lodge. All for our use only. No one in the family knows this place exists. They think we take them to a warehouse on the outskirts of town used by everyone.
“I’ll take your word for it, Arrow,” she says softly, patting him on the shoulder with a soft smile.
He instantly relaxes, leaning in to kiss her cheek gently. “Maybe later, Kitten,” he murmurs uncharacteristically against her flesh.
"To answer your earlier question, this was Shepp's idea," I hum, eyeing the pine walls, remembering when we drew up a plan to escape our lives. Or have an escape when the time came. But it became more than that to the three of us.
This is ours. Only ours.
"There was a lot of talk for a few months about overthrowing my father and taking his throne..."
"It put us in danger. Jer is his only heir. And Shepp and I are the accessories he's trained to kill and protect our bestie."
"If things ever went sideways, we wanted a place to go where no one had a clue where we were. So, we can regroup and come up with a counterattack."
"Like now," Arrow grumbles with a frown.
"What is happening in Briar Cove?" Journey asks, furrowing her brows. "Did your dad..."
"Last I saw, he was in my mother's clutches," I say through clenched teeth, trying to shake the memory of my mother and father from my mind.
The last time I saw them, they were forcing me into a marriage with Chloe Satin. Who would have rather swallowed glass than marry me. No. She wasn’t into me. Not at all. She was into Leighton. The way they were cuddled up at the initiation ball has my hackles rising once again. Their lovey-dovey smiles and touches. There’s a spark between them—something hidden from the rest of the Family. Now, I'd investigate why if I could get closer to either of them.
But as it stands. I’m in the middle of nowhere, and they’re still in Briar Cove, fighting the good fight. At least, I think they are.
"Your mother?" Journey asks with weary eyes when we enter the bathroom just a few steps from our bedroom.
The rustic and warm aura continues throughout the bathroom, creating an inviting room to unwind. I heave a breath, taking in the hints of lavender and vanilla spilling through the air. Instantly, my muscles relax, forgetting all the worries I once carried when I walked into this room.
I guess it’s doing as intended. Relaxing our weary bodies.
Journey leans against the double vanity. Wide-eyed and slack-jawed again, eyeing the room in awe. The soft lights of the room beam off her porcelain and bruised skin, making my fingers slightly curl.
“This is the most beautiful bathroom I’ve ever fucking seen,” she mumbles, more to herself than anyone.
My fingers caress the softness of her cheeks, bringing her gaze to mine. “I’ll never let anyone harm you. Ever the fuck again,” I whisper, swallowing the rage seething inside me.
“Promise?” A sheen glazes over her eyes, and she blinks rapidly, trying to dispel the tears she doesn’t want me to see.
“Cross my heart and hope to die,” I promise with a tight smile, trailing my fingers down her front. “Now, why don’t we get into the tub and soak the afternoon away? Once Shepp returns, we’ll regroup and figure out what we’re going to do.”
“I know what we’re going to do,” she says, raising her chin until I see the determination sparkling in her moss-green eyes.
“Oh, yeah?” Arrow asks, coming to her other side with his shirt off. “Turn.” Journey doesn’t even question it when she turns her back to him, and he gently pulls her shirt over her head. “Tell me in full detail, Kitten. I want to know what’s going through your brain.” I watch with envy as his fingers trail over her sides.
“We’re going to fuck my monster up.” Her nostril flares when Arrow gently caresses her breast, kneading it like dough in his hands.
“More,” Arrow whispers in her ear, trailing kisses down her neck and onto her bare shoulder.
I swallow hard, removing my clothes until the three of us stand there completely naked, giving me a full view of her marred flesh.
“Why don’t we get into the water?” I gesture to the tub filled with hot water.
“Party pooper,” Arrow quips, kissing her cheek one last time before he steps back. “Let’s snuggle in the water.” With that, he takes her hand, leading her to the tub, where he gets in first and then pulls her in with him. She chuckles with a throaty laugh and nestles her back to his front, closing her eyes.
“You never answered my question about your mother,” Journey hums as I enter the tub and sit opposite them. With a sigh, my back slides down the cool porcelain, balancing the heat of the water.
"It seems she's come back from wherever she fucked off to. Unfortunately, I don't think she returned because she was finally free." I shake my head. "She swore up and down Shadow had snatched her and held her captive this entire time."
"But you don't believe her?" she whispers.
I blow out a breath. “I don't know at this point." Her return has flipped my entire life upside down.
I don’t know who or what to believe. The entire thing is one messed-up plot twist, and I'm not ready to wrap my mind around it.
"Would you like me to wash your hair?" I rasp, attempting to take my over-active mind away from the darkness it’s trying to unravel. Between my wife’s injuries, my best friend who is still MIA, and my parents’ fucked-upness, I’m having a hard time staying in the present with a sound mind.
She nods her approval, sitting up to sit face-to-face with me. “Please.” A vulnerability she rarely shows anyone sits on the edge of her voice, aching to be free. She swallows hard, moving her frizzy curls so they’re at her back.
“Anything for you,” I murmur, moving forward to cup her cheeks again. The warmth of the water rests between us when I lean in, placing a small kiss on her chapped lips. “Absolutely anything.”
I’ve made several vows in my life. Pledging myself to the family twice over now with the pledge I’d fight until the end, spill blood, and die for the cause. But this vow is the most important one—besides my marriage vow.
I’d do anything for her to keep her safe and unharmed.
Arrow gently washes her back, scrubbing her skin in gentle circles. "Are you hungry, Kitten? We have plenty of goodies in the cabinets that will last us a month.”
"Soup and crackers would be good," she sighs, leaning back as my fingers massage her scalp. I gently spray hot water over her hair, wetting it completely with the sprayer attached to the tub. "You said Shepp was on his way?" She peeks an eye open when I gently massage shampoo into her curly locks.
"He should be here shortly."
“Not too long now, Kitten,” Arrow hums appreciatively.
She nods. "I wonder how he got away. It was..." She shakes her head, twisting her expression. "We would have left sooner, but my sister was there, too. And the rocks. We couldn’t have…” Her raspy voice cracks with every word she speaks, emotions flaring deep inside her.
"Hmm. And where is she now?" I ask with curiosity.
She would not have gone to the wedding without Sunshine being in a secure location.
"Mikhail Antonov took my sister before I could say goodbye.”
Fuck.
My movements stop. Did she say Mikhail Antonov? The prince of the fucking Bratva. Russian through and through. His father is the most ruthless mobster in Florida, practically owning the entire fucking state from his headquarters in Miami.
Fuck.
"The Bratva?" I question as levelly as I can muster.
Journey immediately tenses up, looking between the two of us for answers.
"Those crazy motherfuckers have your sister. God damn. How did..." I shoot Arrow a pointed look, and he zips his lips and widens his eyes.
Way to be subtle, you fucking prick. If she thinks her sister is in any sort of goddamn danger, she’ll run out of here and straight to Miami.
"What can you tell me about them?" she asks hurriedly, looking between us. "Please. He married her. He... He seemed genuine about it, though. I..."
My thoughts fall back to the little Antonov. The only time we greeted each other was long ago. He was stiff. Guarded. Even for a child way younger than me.
"I, unfortunately, know little about them. They did business with my father. Or attempted to. But it didn't work out. They left to go back to their territory on the ports of Miami, and we never heard from them again. Although the Bratva likes to make connections throughout the US, they never again asked my father for anything. Or any Viotto, for that matter." I rub my chin, thinking of the implications of Journey's confession.
"Shadow killed his father right before my eyes. Sunny and Mikhail were in a marriage contract, but before they left, they were married. They were supposed to be at the wedding, but he took her away before I could say goodbye."
"We'll find your sister. No matter what." My nostrils flare until Journey's gaze meets mine again. "What is it?"
She licks her lips. "Mikhail vowed to aid you in whatever fight that's coming. He said that, for her, he'd side with us and let us use his army."
For a price, I have no doubt. What could the Bratva possibly want with us? Something I’m sure I’ll have to discuss with the leader of the Bratva now. So, what’s one more associate in the fight to end my father’s reign?
"So. If we have the Bratva and the Blue Spider Gang in our pocket. I suppose a meeting of sorts is in order." I rub my chin with a sigh.
That’s a lot of powerful people to have in one room.
"I'll text Elias and attempt to set something up. But as for Mikhail, we'll find his contact information somehow. We have to..."
"I need to speak to Sunshine," Journey urges. "They left so quickly that I didn't get to speak to her or say goodbye." Again.
She didn’t get to say goodbye again. It’s something that’s happened to her repeatedly throughout her life now. I’ll make sure she never has to experience it again.
It’s written on her saddened face. It's something I've rarely seen from her. Sure, I've wiped away her tears and consoled her. But she's always bounced back and made a full recovery. This time, though. This has shaken her to the core. Perhaps it's whatever she endured at Shadow's island. I have no doubt about that. I'll peel it out of her slowly and give her time to realize she's no longer in danger. Well, not as much danger with us. Despite being hunted for who we are and having my father after us.
"Little Chaos, I promise you this. We'll get you in contact with your sister, even if we have to track down the Miami address and go there ourselves. The Antonov family doesn't make promises easily." That is something I know for a fact from experience. "We'll get her back. I promise."
She nods. Not saying another word as we continue to wash her.
It's surreal to have her back in front of our eyes. Even though she was gone for a short time, having her away was the worst possible thing I could have experienced. Hell, having all my brothers away from me was torture.
"Let's get you dressed, Kitten. I have the perfect outfit." He smiles, helping her stand.
Water drips off their naked bodies, and although we're both hard as rocks, we don't push her buttons.
Arrow wraps a towel around her, drying every inch of her flesh. I take a towel to her hair, gently scrunching her curls until they're no longer dripping.
"Here ya go, Kitten." Arrow holds up a sleep tank top and a small pair of shorts with a grin. "It'll keep you nice and cool."
She narrows her eyes. "I want warmth. Not sexy," she grumbles, swiping the top and shorts from Arrow's hold and throwing them onto the bed. "Sweatpants? T-shirt?"
Arrow pouts at her choices but digs in the bottom dresser drawer while humming a tune. "You're lucky I love you, Kitten."
My eyes widen at his words when he gets to work on her unmoving body, putting a fresh pair of panties and a sports bra on her.
"You love me?" She takes the words right out of my mouth. “You…” Her brows scrunch.
Arrow is not the type of person who admits his love. If he can even feel it. He's the type of person to possess her. Stalk her. Take pictures of her. The genuine feeling of love, though? Not something I expected. He's vowed to her before and told her he'd kill for her. That's the type of love he gives out. Actions. Obsessions.
"Um, duh," he says with a shrug. "Why wouldn't I?" He steps back after putting his large t-shirt over her head and admires her outfit with a pleased grin.
"I didn't think..."
He waves a hand. "I love you, Kitten. My heart is your heart. I'll take down the enemy for you. Jump in front of a bullet for you. Anything to keep you breathing. My love may be slightly different, but it's all the same." He wiggles his eyebrows when he cups her cheeks, suddenly falling serious. "Don't doubt what I would do for you."
"I...." She licks her lips, staring him up and down.
"It's okay, Kitten. I know you have a hard time expressing those feelings. You don't have to say it. Besides, I need to feed and cuddle you, and then we can bathe in Shadow's blood together." He grins, tugging her hand for her to follow him, and walks out of the bedroom.
My obsession with Journey has become something greater than that. It's become love—an unfathomable feeling I never thought I'd get to experience, either. For so long, I've hidden myself from people, putting on a mask in front of the masses. My mother disappeared. My father hid behind alcohol and anger, never showing any affection.
The only people I've ever considered loving were the two men who became my brothers. My second-in-command and my protector. Sheppard and Arrow. Then, I was handed the picture of the girl I was obsessed with but forced away from.
Now, I'm almost positive I've fallen down the deep, dark rabbit hole of love.
I love Journey West.
A loud knock at the front door interrupts my musings, and Arrow grins brightly.
"I think that's for you, Kitten."