Chapter 17.2
“It works,” I breathe with relief, my body physically relaxing at the sound of the water hitting the tub with force.
After being made to sit in a torn dress drenched in another man’s blood, I’m ready to wash myself clean. Scrub his essence off me and never think about this night again. Or what I had to do to protect the people who mean the most to me.
Our next steps remain undetermined. But this shower? Fuck. It’ll be a small bandage on our time here.
Shepp smiles softly at me, nodding as he undresses completely and then holds out his hand. We enter the shower together, reminding me of when he painted my body. He showed me a side of him no one else gets to see. Not even Jericho and Arrow.
“This brings back memories,” I mumble as his big hands scrub at my flesh, working the blood off my skin and letting it float away with the water. “Only this time it's not paint…” I suck in a breath when he stalls his movements, and his eyes find mine.
There’s reassurance there, staring back at me—words he cannot speak and emotions he refuses to show. He’s staying strong. Holding on so he can comfort me through the hell I just walked through. Even though I want to remain strong and not let my tears or quivering lips out, it’s hard to hang on when I want to let it all go. I feel like kicking and screaming and crying my fucking eyes out until the pain no longer tears me apart. Before, in the past, I have ended someone's life. I tell myself that repeatedly. But it never gets easier. I’m not that person. Not really.
He nods a few times before returning to rubbing my skin raw for me with a clean washcloth. My muscles relax under his touch, and the warmth from the shower washes away the last few days. Taking it down the drain and erasing the evidence of my fucked up night.
Only for a second does his fingers leave my flesh. Then he’s cradling my chin and forcing me to look deep into his eyes. Oh, those ocean eyes full of wonder and concern peeking into my blackened soul and begging me to bear it all.
And so I do, with no more hesitation.
What’s the point?
“He made me fight for my life,” I choke out, rolling my lips together. Who knows what kinds of listening devices he has here? “All I could think about was you. He said he poisoned you, and if I didn't… If I didn’t fight, he’d kill you.” Shepp's thumb brushes along my bottom lip, gently silencing my thoughts. Silence fills the air as we stare into each other’s eyes. “Are you okay? What happened after I left?”
He shakes his head. ‘No poison.’
“No?” Relief slams through me. “But… What was it? I don’t understand.”
But I do. Somewhat. Shadow wanted me out of that cave. Alone. Vulnerable. He could only get me to do what he wanted by threatening the man I cared about within grasp. He manipulated me into the ring. Just like he manipulated the entire fight so I would win and that asshole would lose. But how did he know I’d use those weapons to defend myself? I could have been a scared little girl crying the entire time.
Does Shadow know more about what I went through with Gabriel?
It's a possibility.
‘I’m fine,’ he mouths forcefully, aching for me to believe his words. Not likely. I could tell him I'm fine, too, until I'm blue in the face, but that would be a damn lie.
“What happened after I left? How’d you get here?” I search his eyes as they soften.
‘Woke up here,’ he mouths. ‘Not sure if I passed out. Was waiting for you.’ I nod. 'Then I heard you in here...' he trails off, not adding the last part where I weakly puked my guts out.
I rest my forehead against his shoulder, sucking in breaths. Forget everything you went through tonight. Forget the life force that left that terrible man. He deserved everything that came to him. It's too bad I was the one to deliver it. Every soul I take weighs heavily on my mind, deepening my darkness. One day soon, if I'm not careful, I'll turn into the unstoppable machine my monster wanted me to be—a silent killer.
The water cascades down our bodies, continuously washing the blood from my flesh. Not that there's a lot more. But blood has a funny way of getting into the nooks and crannies. Believe me, I know. So many times, I've found blood where it shouldn't be, much to my monster's dismay. Never leave a mess, Little Snake. He’d say after slamming me back into my cage and locking the door with a sneer. I still remember how his beady eyes looked at me through the bars. Yeah, yeah. That's easier said than done.
“This entire thing is so fucked,” I whisper brokenly, attempting to keep all my emotions bottled inside. I never fathomed I'd be in a position like this—stuck on an island and responsible for keeping my loved ones alive.
It's a new kind of Hell I want to run away from.
'It is,' he mouths, forcing me to watch his lips move. 'Let me wash your hair.'
I nod in response, slowly lifting my head off his shoulder. Being in his arms and feeling his warmth surrounding me almost takes away all the morbid thoughts running through my mind. He's grounding me and keeping me sane.
Shepp eases my neck back, forcing my hair under the hot spray. Soft hums emanate from his throat as his fingers massage my scalp and work toward the ends of my hair. Meticulously making sure every strand gets worked over and cleaned.
A thick lump forms in my throat at his voice peeking through the simple melody. It’s a hint of what he can do but only has for me. Goosebumps spread across my flesh when he gently massages my scalp under the heat of the water. With Shepp, I don't feel vulnerable or fragile. I feel pampered and taken care of. With the food, the touches, his voice, and the paintings, he'll forever be by my side.
That's why I vow to do everything I can for him.
Starting by admitting everything that happened tonight. Beyond the fucking pit of terrors.
“I fought in a pit tonight. It was him or me: him or you and Sunshine. I chose you and my sister,” I whisper when his fingers stall their gentle touches. “Sunny was there, too. Right by your father’s side. After the fight, he took me to dinner.”
As I tell him everything about the dinner, that Sunshine is his sister, and who was there, I keep my voice low enough that the guards outside our room won’t hear a thing. The last thing I need is someone listening in on my confessions and thoughts. I know Shadow will use them to his advantage.
Shepp's lips gently land on mine when I'm done whispering my secrets. He holds me impossibly close, molding my front to his, working his fingers through the wet strands of my hair and keeping me there.
'You did what you had to do. Okay?' he mouths with pain twisting his facial features . 'No one will judge you for it. Not me. Not Jericho. Fuck, Arrow will probably hump you for forty hours straight.' He huffs slightly when my lips twist up into a smile.
"Hump me?" I murmur through a little laugh. “Probably more than that.”
The echo of his words bounces around in my brain. No matter the pain I inflicted on the man who deserved it, I did what I had to do. It’s a vicious fucking life to live. But that's just it. I had to keep going. If I didn't kill that man, someone else would have. And then, where would I be? In the caves? Slowly dying a miserable death without food, Shepp and my sister.
I did what I had to do. It’s time I own it.
Shepp levels me with a playful glare, not easing up on his grip. 'You know Arrow would do so many things to you if he got wind of you covered in blood.'
My fingers trail down his jaw, tracing up over the scar etched into his face. A scar he'll have to live with for the rest of his life because of the man who brought us here.
"We all have scars, don't we?" I murmur, furrowing my brows. "You. Me. Jericho. Arrow. This life..." I shake my head. I may not have been born and bred into the Mafia life as a child. But a new Journey was born in a pool of blood on the trailer floor of her mother's home after she murdered a man in a frenzy.
All to save her sister and save herself.
The new Journey West was taken from blood, put into the dark, starved, thrown around, and forced to complete tasks filled with death. The old me never could have fathomed it. And the new me? Well, she's going to take life by the balls and stop dwelling about the blood on her hands.
'We do,' Shepp mouths with a huff, resting his forehead against mine. ‘So many scars. Like this one.’ He takes my hand, forcing it to trace the large scar lining the right side of his face as he shudders and closes his eyes.
Leaning in, I take him against me, softly running my tongue over the seam of his lips, noting the hesitation within him. Desperately, he clings to me harder, pressing frantically against me before letting my tongue in to explore his mouth. A soft moan escapes through his throat, vibrating through his chest and finally puncturing through me. It sets me on edge. Making me want to forget everything about myself.
A new Journey is on the horizon.
"Fuck me," I whisper when his lips travel down my neck, lightly sucking my skin between his teeth and leaving his mark. "Help me forget about everything, Shepp. Your touch is the only touch I want to think about for now."
Not Shadow’s. Not the man who made me drop to my knees.
Just Shepp’s.
I swallow a moan at the look in Shepp’s eyes, glazing over without thought. His hardness pokes into my belly, jumping when my hand runs over the velvety tip. Gently, I run my thumb over his weeping slit, spreading the sticky pre-cum.
'If that's what you want,' he mouths, as slight groans seep between his lips.
"That's music to my ears, Shepp," I whisper, nipping his bottom lip. "Keep groaning. Keep making noise," I breathe, jerking him in my hand several times, reveling in the sounds coming from him.
He nods slowly, getting lost in the sensations of my hand on his cock.
"It's what I want," I moan softly, pecking his lips again. Desperate to feel every bit of him against me.
Without warning, he lifts me into his arms and slams my back against the cold shower wall. All the oxygen leaves my lungs as I cling to him, digging my nails into his shoulders, leaving crescent moon indentations on his flesh.
My mark.
'My Little Tempest,' he mouths, running his fingers over my lips as I watch his movements. 'You're a fucking storm.'
"A storm?" I breathe when the tip of his cock slides through my slit, mercilessly teasing me until I’m aching for him to slam into me and fucking take me over. Possess me. Fucking use me until my mind can’t form coherent thoughts.
'A storm,' he confirms, pushing inside me with a soft groan. Our chests heave when he slowly trails himself in and out . 'I watched you for so long. Taking care of you. Feeding you because your mom...' He shakes his head. I pulse around him at his confession, earning a slight, cocky smirk I never expected to see from him.
"No one has ever cared that much," I breathe as chills roll down my spine, and I want to scream in pleasure at the top of my lungs. Shepp must sense I'm about to slip up when he slams inside me again and covers my mouth with his lips. We're a frenzy of thrusts, soft moans, and nails digging into flesh. He shudders after a few more seconds, spilling himself deep inside me.
'You'll never have to worry again. We'll always provide for you,' he mouths earnestly, forcing me to stare into his eyes as his cock twitches inside me . 'Never again, Little Tempest.'
"Even if you all are a little psycho," I quip, leaning my forehead against his.
'That, too,' he mouths, gently pulling out of me with a sigh . 'Let's get you cleaned up again and get out of here.’
"Then we can sleep," I mutter, attempting to stand on my jelly legs. The warmth of the water soothes our skin again, washing away the evidence of our tryst. "I've missed a bed so much," I groan when he massages my shoulders, truly pampering me before the water turns cold and he shuts it off.
Shepp smiles at me softly when he offers me his hand, and we step out of the shower together onto the mat, catching the water dripping from our skin. He lifts a fluffy white towel from a rack above the toilet and holds it open until I step into it. With gentle hands, he dries every inch of me before drying himself off with a separate towel. Once completely dried, we wrap them around us, covering our bodies.
I've missed a bed, a shower, and all the other things I've taken for granted. Food. Shelter. Fuck. Who would have thought I'd miss my trailer with the creaking floors, suspect ceilings, and minimal food supplies?
But I’ve missed this the most—the intimacy and closeness I had with the three of them and the stability of a home. But not just any home. You see, my home doesn’t have four walls. My home has three psychos who will do anything and everything for me.
They’re my light in the darkness. My home.
"How exactly did you get into my house back then?" I ask, tilting my head.
He grins, drying the short strands of his hair, and then wraps the towel around his waist. 'I made a key,' he mouths with a shrug, like it’s no big deal that he broke into my home and fed me when I couldn’t do it myself.
"That's not weird at all." I quip with a smile. "Thank you, Shepp. You took care of me when I couldn’t do it myself.” Emotions clog my throat at his dedication through the years. He’s always looked after me, and I didn’t have a damn clue.
He’s my literal hero in a red cape, saving the day. Even now. He’s the rock I lean on while processing all my bullshit.
And I’m his.
The soft click of the lock and swoosh of our hotel room door opening and closing has the hairs on my neck standing on end. My gaze whips to Shepp, who stiffly stares through the bathroom door with narrowed eyes.
"You hear that?" I whisper, attempting to keep my voice low.
Shepp nods in confirmation and cradles my cheeks in his palms. 'Whoever is out there. They won't get through me, okay?' he mouths.
I nod. "Don't be a hero," I whisper, taking a deep breath.
'I'm not a hero, Little Tempest. I'm the villain.'
"You’ll never be the villain in my story," I whisper, shaking my head in his grasp. "You are my hero. Today. Tomorrow. Forever." His face completely softens when he kisses me, sealing his lips over mine one last time.
'Then, let's face the monster waiting for us,' he mouths, gripping me tightly. 'No matter what....' He leaves those words suspended in the air for me to understand that he'd do anything for me right now . 'You've sacrificed yourself enough.' Before I can respond, he grabs my hand and forces me behind him as he opens the door.
Silence fills the space as we stand before the man I never wanted to see again. I force myself not to blush when his eyes take in our towel-covered bodies. But he seems satisfied with whatever he sees and sneers at us.
“Well, well.” Shadow grins, standing by our window. “How was it? Good?”
Shepp’s hand squeezes mine at the sight of his father. Three times. It's his reassurance that he's here with me, despite the fear taking him over.
“Why are you here now?” I ask, stepping slightly in front of Shepp.
Because fuck this guy. I can only imagine how rough it is to see your abusive father after so many years of being dead and buried.
“Just wanted to let you know that I have some insight. Someone is attempting to stake out the island on a boat.”
“Someone?” I ask, swallowing hard as my hopes get raised further. Could it be them? Finally, coming to save me from this hellhole. “Hmm, yes. Come look,” Shadow says cockily, pulling back the curtains.
The sun lingers on the horizon, painting the blue sky pink and orange as it descends, but that’s not what catches my eye. In the distance, a fireball explodes on the water, lighting up the surrounding area.
“What did you do?” I whisper, staring with furrowed brows.
Was it Arrow and Jericho? Or was it a random ship he’s burning away to prove a point to us?
“Anyone who comes for you. Anyone who thinks they can save you will have a nice surprise. There’s no way off this island. I have weapons that can destroy them before they can even step foot on my land. Because that’s what this island is—Shadows. They’d be trespassing, and I can use deadly force.” With a grin, he watches the burning boat as the fire completely consumes it near the rocks. “I’m curious, though. How’d they even know where to look?”
“No clue. Maybe they know more about you than you think,” I quip, swallowing the lump in my throat when his hardened eyes glare through me.
“Do they? Because no one knows who the fuck I am,” he growls, balling his fingers into fists.
"Except Elias. Why does he get special privileges?" I raise a brow, unable to hold my tongue against him.
“And you. And him.” Shadow points a finger to the two of us with a malicious grin, making an uneasy feeling bubble in my stomach.
Why is us knowing who he is setting off alarm bells in my mind?
“Elias is loyal to a fault. You two have no choice. Besides, soon enough, everyone will know who Shadow is.” He grins at that, losing the anger written on his face. “The reveal is coming.” He straightens his shirt with pride, sending my stomach into knots again.
Something fucky is afoot, and I can’t figure out what it is. Well, besides being on this fucking island and stuck in some fancy hotel.
No choice. Right. He thinks he has us over a barrel, which is fine. He can keep thinking that. I learned not to antagonize the monster standing before me a long time ago. Well, mostly. I still have my moments of defiance. Like right now. I can’t seem to hold my tongue, and I’m way too curious to find out his intentions.
“Right,” I agree with a nod.
“And when I send you out next weekend for your mission, you’ll be good little spies.” He tilts his head, examining us. “Or your sister gets married off to the first man I see.” There it is. There’s the threat I’ve been waiting for. Do this, or your sister gets it.
I try not to let his words affect me as much as they do—my poor sister. I can’t believe she agreed to that. But what better motivation to keep me in line? Sure, my sister couldn’t have lived without her medications before. But the thought of her marrying an older man on this monster’s orders has my stomach twisting into knots.
“Shepp, too,” Shadow offers with a smirk when I turn rigid. “You think there aren’t any women out there I could offer him up to? A Russian socialite with connections to the Bratva and an Italian princess is currently on the market. Maybe I could strengthen my ties to the Bratva and the Italians by offering my children on a silver platter. You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” He narrows his eyes at me.
Is that why he allowed Shepp to be here when he wasn't supposed to be? Because he’s useful to him for alliance reasons now? I can’t wrap my head around this arranged marriage stuff, and then I remember I was in one, too.
My mother signed my life away to Gabriel Viotto, and it was all because of money. Money that Gabriel has undoubtedly gotten his fingers on already. Everything I had hoped for—for Sunny and me—is gone. That was going to be our ticket out.
“Is that why he’s here, then? So, you can use him?”
Shadow scoffs, turning from the window as the fiery remnants of the boat in the distance sink to the bottom of the ocean. I’m barely holding myself above water right now at the thought of Jericho and Arrow somewhere else. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to come here without looking at the island first, right? They wouldn’t come here half-cocked and ready to storm the shores? No. That’s not Jericho’s M.O. He seems to have everything under control and is always two steps ahead of the game.
That’s the tiny life jacket I’m hanging onto, anyway, clinging to it for dear life before I'm drowning.
“He wasn’t supposed to be here at all. But then my insider found him sniffing around, and you became a two-for-one deal.” Shadow smirks. “But it all works out. I can find something useful for him and you. You’ve already proved yourself to me in the pits.”
I want to say because he rigged it. I wouldn't have survived if a certain someone hadn't put that bug in Brian's ear. But I hold my tongue. He could have me back in there before I can catch my breath.
“So, you’re going to marry him off, too?” I ask, gripping Shepp’s hand tighter.
“He has no say in it,” Shadow quips, stepping up to me with a sneer. “Do as I say. You all live. Sunny gets to live. Fight me, and I will fight back. Kill everyone you love. You thought the pit was rough? Wait until you get an opponent who wants to fight you, little girl! You think you can walk through this life without receiving the consequences of your actions. Well, I’ve got another thing coming for you.” His grin is so cruel that I want to shrivel up and die.
But I don’t. If there’s anything the pits taught me, it was to raise my chin and fight the fucking battle head-on. No matter the consequences.
I lift my chin. Despite the terror shaking my bones, I stare him in the eye. If he wants me to play the girl who will follow all his rules, I’ll let him think I am. That’s the best I can do for now. I can’t fight him. Not physically. He’s bigger than me. And so are the assholes in the rings. The only thing I can do is pretend. Pretend I’m following his word to keep Shepp and Sunny safe. And myself, too. Until the time comes we can all run away.
“Whatever you say.” I give him a sharp nod. “Whatever you need me to do.”
Shadow’s eyes peer up and down Shepp’s bare chest, lingering on the long wound over his heart. The one that matches mine. The symbol of our loyalties to the Viotto family.
“There are clothes on the way for both of you. I can’t have my heir wandering the halls naked. Or my prized fighter. Next weekend we will attend the wedding. I expect you all to be on your best behavior and hope you enjoy your stay at Shadow Island.”
There’s a threat there, lingering in his unsaid words. I could throw you back into the pits and send Shepp away. So, be good.
He grins widely and then saunters out of the room, slamming the door closed and leaving my heart pumping wildly in my chest.
I deflate immediately, blowing out a breath. Well, for only a second. Why the hell would Shepp and I get any peace on this godforsaken island?
The door of our hotel room bursts open again, revealing Darrell, the lovely guard from before. His dark brows furrow when he takes us in, standing around in our towels. Shepp steps in front of me, folding his arms over his chest and blocking Darrell’s view of me.
Darrell huffs, “Your clothes.” He sets them on the bed indifferently, immediately turning his back to us.
"So kind of you," I quip, keeping my distance from him.
He grunts in response, muscles tensing when he takes a step away. "I will lock the doors again until morning." Yeah, we know. Thanks for the reminder, Grumpy Pants. You’ve proven yourself to be so informative.
"No escaping. We know," I say through gritted teeth.
There's just something about Darrell that sets my teeth on edge and makes my hand twitchy. If I had those knives from the fight, I'd have him on the ground, gagged, and stabbed before he could cry to his mommy. Not that he looks like the crying type with his large muscles and broad body. But still. He gets on my damn nerves, mainly when he sticks his nose in the air and saunters out the door with nothing else to say. Sure enough, the lock clicking into place reverberates through our fancy new prison.
"What kind of hotel do you think this used to be?" I ask, staring at the pile of clothes with a wrinkled nose. "Can you poison fabric?" I wouldn't put it past Darrell to drop poison into our clothes and watch as we slowly die on the floor of this place. Silent jerkbag.
Shepp's eyes scan the room, and he shrugs. 'Seems like a typical hotel room to me.'
My back stiffens. "You don't think there are cameras in here, do you?" I murmur as his eyes scan the area again.
'Could be,' he mouths . 'Let's dress in the bathroom.' With that, he takes the pile of clothes, and we go into the bathroom to get dressed in the sweatpants and sweatshirts provided for us.
"At least it's comfortable," I sigh, when we finally fall into bed, lying face to face.
'We'll get out of here,' he mouths as his warm breaths hit my flesh.
"How?" My breath hitches. "We're trapped here."
His fingers glide over my jaw again, tracing circles over my flesh. 'Tomorrow. The door will be unlocked. Right?’ I nod in response because that's what Darrell said before. We're locked in for the night and have a curfew, but we'll be able to get out of here in the morning . 'Then tomorrow, we look around. See the sights and make a plan.'
A plan. God. Stress lifts off my heavy chest for the first time in what feels like forever. Finally, we won’t be flailing in the abyss of being stuck. We have something to look forward to—a light at the end of our shitty tunnel.
"It's a plan."
With that, I snuggle into Shepp's side, pressing myself into him. It's like the nights we suffered in the cold cave, barely able to sleep comfortably. Only this time, we have the luxury of a bed and a toilet a few steps away. We're not in the clear, but we seem to be moving up in the world—one step at a damn time.
I wish this would be over already and I was back with Sunshine, keeping her safe at the mansion filled with Shepp’s cooking, Jericho’s violin, and Arrow’s laughter. With that pleasant thought, I fall into a deep sleep.