Chapter 17
Chapter
Seventeen
LIAM
More often than not, we’ve slept in the same bed as Darwin and Zephyr since I arrived. Even when we start out in my bed or Matty’s, we end up here at some point in the night. I’m not even sure why. Hell, I don’t remember moving at least half the time.
We haven’t shared another groupie. Matty hasn’t dragged me to watch again, either.
We’re both aware when Darwin and Zephyr go off to fuck or head into the shower in the morning to fuck themselves awake.
In the mornings, Matty is all about bringing me to our own shower for our own round of wake-up sex.
The thing is, I know something is brewing under the surface. I have an inkling of where it’s headed. Matty has made a couple comments, though he hasn’t initiated a conversation yet.
I know my lover. I know Matty inside and out. So I know without a doubt that he wants something more than sex with Darwin and Zephyr. Darwin more than Zephyr, I think, but that might be more about proximity and that Zephyr tends to be a little more aloof. Darwin is more of an open book.
It’s equally not difficult to see that both men are into Matty. Darwin appears to be more of a romantic interest, while Zephyr is possessive. He wants Matty away from me, but I’m not sure if he wants Matty for himself. He just doesn’t want me to have him.
There’s no need to ask why. Anyone who gets to know Matty no doubt grows a great deal of sympathy for him because I ruined his life. I did. Everyone knows that. I fucked up, and Matty is the one who unfairly pays the price.
I don’t disagree. I live with that truth every single day.
I live without Matty more days than I live with him.
I hate it with every breath I take. I’d give anything—everything—to change the situation.
If I could go back in time, I’d punch myself in the balls until I got my head out of my ass.
Matty was never going to be okay with what happens in No Face. Never.
It was my insistence that I share every single aspect of my life, to never have a single secret between us, that drove me forward.
I was bullheaded. I insisted that he could do it.
It was selfish. Looking back, I refused all the stupidly obvious cues that he was uncomfortable.
That he didn’t want to be a part of it, and worse, that he couldn’t handle what was ahead of him.
Yeah, I get it. I hate myself far more than Darwin or Zephyr could ever hate me.
I did this to the one person I love more than anything in this damn world, and I broke him.
My actions put his life at risk and sentenced him to exile.
Then, because I’m such a piece of shit, I abandon him often because seeing him so lifeless and haunted kills me.
Except… he’s not the same man I left a couple of months ago. There’s life in his eyes again. He smiles and laughs, and his personality has filled in once more. He didn’t do it on his own. I didn’t help him at all.
These two men are the sole reason he’s not fading away in the bowels of Dark Island. I’m not the least bit surprised that they both dislike me.
Matty laughs quietly, and I turn my attention from my dark thoughts. They’ll sit here and go round and round if I let them. Instead, I focus on Matty.
He’s my little spoon this morning, which he usually is. He’s facing Darwin and Zephyr. They’re almost always lying on top of one another. Who’s on top changes often. Today is Darwin on top of Zephyr. Matty’s fingers brush Zephyr’s hair from his eyes.
“You look like a rag doll,” Matty teases.
Zephyr huffs in frustration. “I know. I feel like a rag doll. Guess I should brave the chill and head into town for a haircut soon.”
“We can grab some food that’s not on our auto delivery list while we’re out,” Darwin says.
“Oh!” Matty says and pulls from my arms. He pushes his way onto Zephyr with Darwin, making both men laugh. His beaming smile doesn’t fail to make me smile too. “Liam can cut your hair. He cuts mine all the time.”
The entire room stills at the proposal. As if he suggested I put my nuts in his mouth or something. Zephyr looks at me wearily.
“You can cut hair?”
“He can,” Matty insists. “He’s cut mine since we were kids.”
“Full disclosure, his curls hide any fuck ups,” I say.
Matty grins and tugs on his hair. He’s never been a big fan of his curls, but everyone adores them. More often than not, when Matty is within Darwin’s and/or Zephyr’s reach, their hands are in Mattys’ hair. As are mine. I love his hair.
“Then we don’t have to go on the freezing water,” Matty says.
“You don’t have to go with me,” Zephyr says.
“You don’t even want to go,” Matty argues. “I promise Liam can do it. He’ll even do it for free.”
Not one of us is oblivious to the not-quite-so-subtle situation his insistence is suggesting. He wants a reason for Zephyr and me to have a moment together. I’m not sure what he thinks is going to happen, but it’s not going to work out like he thinks it is. I’m sure.
“Alright,” Zephyr says slowly. “If you don’t mind, I suppose you can cut my hair.”
“I’m not trained at all,” I disclose. “Just so you know.”
Zephyr nods. “Understood.”
“Great,” Matty says. “Come on. Get up.” He pulls back and moves Darwin’s arm to get him off Zephyr.
Darwin sighs. “Guess I’ll go start breakfast.”
Zephyr watches him climb out of bed and get dressed.
Their eyes meet again before Darwin leans in and kisses Matty’s forehead.
Something passes between them before Darwin leans further onto the bed to kiss Zephyr.
It’s not usually so domestic. I’m not sure exactly what it means right now.
They almost always kiss Matty’s forehead but rarely each other.
Darwin doesn’t look at me as he leaves the room. I think Matty’s hanging around to ensure that I cut Zephyr’s hair.
After another teasing push from Matty, Zephyr sighs dramatically and rolls out of bed.
He doesn’t bother to get dressed, so we’re looking at a naked man.
Cock slightly hard. Rock-hard glutes. Toned back.
Thick thighs and biceps. I once heard him say that he spends most of his days at the gym when he’s working.
With a tablet or laptop in hand, he works out as he does whatever investigating he’s taken on.
I don’t think he does so because he’s a gym rat. Actually, I think he’s bored.
Matty watches Zephyr until he disappears into the bathroom. Then his eyes turn to mine. I use my thumb to wipe pretend drool from the corner of his mouth. He grins. “Go cut his hair.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him he’s not going to force some bonding between us, but I don’t. When Matty decides he’s ready to talk, then I’ll tell him as much. For now, I’ll entertain him.
Without a word, I sit up and kiss Matty’s pretty lips before following Zephyr into the bathroom. He’s wrapped in a towel, sitting on a stool with his hair dripping wet. There are scissors, a comb, and an electric hair trimmer on the counter. His eyes meet mine in the mirror.
Matty follows me until he’s standing in the doorway. He grins and watches long enough to make sure we’re doing as he wants us to before announcing that he’s going to help Darwin make breakfast.
That leaves me alone with Zephyr.
“Not awkward at all,” I mutter.
He doesn’t respond. I pick up the comb and brush through his hair. “How much do you want off?”
“Do you really know how to cut hair?” he asks skeptically.
“I’ve been cutting Matty’s since we were teenagers, but again, his curls hide any fuck ups. I don’t think I necessarily mess it up much, but I have the assurance that his curls will still curl and no one will see if one side of his head is crooked, and the other isn’t.”
“Just do whatever.” He reaches for the front of his hair. “All this has to go.”
“That’s clear. Thanks.”
We’re silent nearly the entire time I cut his hair.
I’m far more nervous than even the first few times I cut Matty’s hair.
Zephyr already dislikes me. Screwing up his hair isn’t going to help the situation.
When I’m finished cleaning up the back and sides with the electric cutters, I brush his shoulders off with a towel.
“Good? Need it shorter somewhere?”
He’d been facing the mirror the entire time anyway, but he stands and turns his head in both directions as he runs his hands through his hair. “Nope. This is fine. Thanks.”
I nod. “Sure. No problem.”
Turning to leave, I nearly run straight into my wild-eyed fiancé. Darwin is on his heels. “There’s a guy on the shore. Right where the other boats were. He just pulled up. He shouldn’t be here, Zeph. You have to get rid of him.”
Zephyr grips Matty’s shoulders. “Take a breath, doll.” Matty does as he’s told. “Good. Go get something warm on, okay? Meet us in the hall.”
“He’s coming?” I ask.
“Of course,” Darwin says. “Not only is he the only one who sees or talks to the ghosts, but he’s far more courageous than you believe him to be.”
His tone is hard and doesn’t invite discussion. He takes Matty’s hand and gently tugs him along with him. Matty nods and follows. I’m… surprised to see that he does calm down. The wild look in his eyes settles. He’s still afraid, but he’s not crippled by it.
I give Zephyr more consideration.
“I’m not waiting for you, so if you’re coming with us, you have two minutes to get dressed,” Zephyr says as he walks into his closet.
The disadvantage of my room being upstairs is that I don’t have time.
Instead, I’m stuck wearing what I’m wearing, which isn’t warm in the least. It is what it is, though.
I step into the hall and wait in the middle of the three bedroom doors.
A triangle. I’m not the one who should be standing in the middle of it. That’s Matty’s spot.
Almost simultaneously, all three men step into the hall, and we head to the stairs together.
“What can you tell us, Matty?” Zephyr asks.
“It’s Chokecherry. They say it’s the same symbol on the boat. But… they’re not moving deeper into the trees. They pulled their little boat into the trees, and now they’ve stopped.”
“Just one?” Darwin asks.
“Yes.”
“What about offshore?” Zephyr asks.
Matty doesn’t answer. He’s never spoken directly to the dead. He won’t ask them questions. He won’t answer theirs. The most he’ll do is repeat what he’s told.
“They don’t know,” Matty says after a minute.
“If they’re staying on the shore, that’s suggestive that someone is watching,” Darwin says.
“In broad daylight,” I note.
We stop in the hall and bundle up in the winter boots and clothes inside the closet.
I watch as Darwin holds a jacket open for Matty to slip into while Zephyr pulls a hat down over his ears.
I’m strangely touched by it. They’re taking care of him.
While I was gone, wallowing in my self-deprecation for what I’ve done to the man I love, others are taking care of him.
Showing him more love and consideration than I was.
Darwin hands Zephyr and me No Face masks, and I watch as Matty stiffens, eyes widening, breath locked in his chest. Zephyr grips Matty’s chin and holds up the mask.
“Who’s on the island who would wear this?” he asks quietly.
Matty swallows. “You. Darwin.” He pauses and glances in my direction. “Liam.”
“Very good. So when all you see is the mask but not our faces, who’s under it?”
Matty shivers. “You, Darwin, or Liam,” he whispers.
“Would we ever hurt you, Matty?” His thumb brushes softly over Matty’s lip.
Matty shakes his head a little. “No.”
“We’ll protect you, and no one, with or without a mask, will hurt you. Right?”
A smile touches Matty’s lips. “Yes.”
“That’s my doll,” Zephyr praises with a smile. He kisses Matty’s forehead. “Okay. You ready to lead the way?”
Matty’s resolve is settled. He nods in determination and turns toward the door. Not going to lie. I’m a little flabbergasted. I’ve never seen Matty brave like this.
Darwin grabs a handful of knives, and Zephyr drapes a long length of rope over his shoulder as we follow Matty’s lead.
“What’s the plan?” I ask as I trail them. I feel like I’m on uneven ground. I never imagined for one second that Matty could do this. Not even this. Hearing the recounts is one thing. But seeing Matty lead them to the issue, knowing the person he leads us to is going to die?
“I’m going to hang him right there,” Zephyr says. “Inside the trees, far enough that no one will see him offshore. Close enough that he can’t be missed. Since they keep parking in the same spot, it seems like a good warning.”
“It’ll also negate their claims that they’re looking for someone,” Darwin says. “Their body will be right there, so if they move beyond it, they’ve already disproven their lie.”
“That’s dangerous,” I note. “Anyone could stumble across it.”
“Not before we get rid of it before they can return with a search warrant,” Zephyr says.
This seems like an unnecessary risk. Even so, I don’t argue any further. This is the third time Chokecherry has decided to trespass on private property.
Matty stops and points. “There,” he whispers.
“You can move somewhere you can’t see,” Darwin tells him. “Okay?”
Matty nods and does exactly that. He moves to a wide tree and crouches down facing the direction we’re headed. He’ll see anyone approach, but he won’t see us hang this man. With masks on, we head to the person who shouldn’t be here.
He’s not young. Forties or fifties, maybe. He’s graying all the same. He’s also waiting for us.
“They know I’m here,” the man says. “They’re watching me. Waiting for my return.”
“He’s lying,” Matty calls.
The man’s eyes widen as he looks for Matty’s disembodied voice. I nearly grin under my mask as I watch fear blossom on his face.
“You have thirty seconds to turn around, or you die,” Zephyr says. “This is your only chance. Your only warning. I’m tired of having to dispose of you fuckers who think you’re entitled enough to step foot on our island uninvited.”
“You can’t,” the man says. “People will see.”
“Do you see any people here?” Darwin asks.
The guy uses his thumb to gesture over his shoulder. “My buddies are—”
“He’s lying. He’s all alone. No one knows he’s here,” Matty calls.
The guy shivers. The truth of Matty’s words is written all over his face.
“You have ten seconds left,” I inform him. “Do you choose to live and tell your club to back off, or do you want to die on Dark Island today?”
“Y-you won’t kill me,” he stammers, though he takes several unsteady steps backwards.
“Time’s up,” Darwin says, brandishing a knife. Zephyr begins tying a noose as Darwin and I close in on the man, who tries to run toward the shore while screaming. Stupid, really. It’s winter. There’s no one on the water. No one on the shore. No one to hear him.
No one to witness his death except the dead.