CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Reid
The sun has finally set, and in the deep ebony night sky, the moon shines bright from my bedroom window. Today has been the longest day in history and it isn’t even over yet.
I run my fingers through the thick fur of my new canine companion.
After hearing what the other dogs have gone through, it made me feel bad that it didn’t work out better with Jack, Whiskey and Brandy.
No matter how much I tried, they didn’t obey or fit in.
They wandered so much, wasn’t friendly to the guests at the bed and breakfast, and each of them had a vendetta against the damn duck.
It wasn’t until I found them the last time, after they had been gone for three days, that I finally called it.
Despite what others think, I hadn’t made the decision lightly.
Jax won the argument we had been having for weeks over the damn dogs.
He didn’t think I had been serious about them and said I wasn’t ready for the responsibility.
He thought it was impulsive, reckless and selfish.
He was only half wrong about the impulsive remark.
My decision hadn’t been impulsive. I had thought on it.
It was the idea I built in my head about what it would be like to have them that had been impulsive, or na?ve.
Either way, I had been quick to think everything would be easy.
Having them had been like holding my niece, Rose, for the first time.
I had no idea what the fuck I was doing.
Mum had been right too. She said I didn’t have the dedication to pay them constant attention. I didn’t. And my brothers, the other halves of me, didn’t bother to try and feel sorry for me.
This though—Hunter lays his head on me—feels different. It feels right, like he’s the dog I was always meant to have. Even Summer agreed that we make a good pair.
Speaking of... I put down the pencil I had been using to draw in my sketch pad and pick up my phone.
I shoot off a text message to Summer. Despite my attempts to get her alone, it didn’t happen, and she drove out of the car park at the bed and breakfast so fucking easily. Not even a wave goodbye. Nothing. Nada.
REID: What are you wearing?
She must have been scrolling on her phone because two blue ticks appear on the bottom of the screen straight away.
SUMMER: How the fuck do you have my number, Reid?
I chuckle. She’s so fucking feisty when she’s annoyed. I can actually picture her pouting her lips.
REID: How did you know it was me?
SUMMER: Your ugly mug is your profile picture, dumbass. How did you get my number?
REID: When you went to the bog earlier. I was being productive with my time.
REID: So...
REID: What are you wearing?
SUMMER: Go away, Reid. I’m busy.
REID: I can get busy too. ;)
SUMMER: Then get busy somewhere else.
REID: I would rather get busy with you.
She doesn’t reply right away, and just when I think she may have blocked my number, my phone lights up with a new message.
SUMMER: Oh yeah, and what would you do?
My eyes widen as a smirk slips over my mouth. I had expected to get a rise out of her or have her rethink her decision not to invite me back to her house. I didn’t think she’d play along. I’ve never really had to do sexting before with a chick I like, and I’m surprisingly turned on.
REID: Well first, I would kiss you. Because I love your mouth. Fuck, you can kiss.
REID: And now I’m hard just thinking of your mouth.
REID: I would slide my lips down your body. You’d make those breathy sounds that you do when you’re trying to hold back your desire.
REID: I would then slide your knickers down.
SUMMER: Oh my fucking god, stop.
REID: Why? Too hot for you?
I can practically hear her moaning the words, pleading with me to stop when her body is begging for more.
Fuck, I want her. I want her so goddamn much.
I smirk at the phone. She must be getting herself off. God, I wish it was me. Her pussy is like a vice.
REID: Are you getting yourself off? Can you record it? If you’re not comfortable with recording yourself nude, I’m good with just a voice note.
SUMMER: No, I most certainly am not. And like hell would I ever do that. I am killing my cousin for messaging you.
REID: What?
REID: WTF is happening right now?
I sit up in bed, disturbing Hunter, who lets out a heavy, disgruntled sigh. “Sorry, bud, but this woman is crazy.”
He peers up at me with those big brown eyes, completely understanding me. “What, some chick drove you nuts too?”
He quietly barks, and I chuckle, loving the husky indoor bark he has.
Suddenly, he’s up on all fours, growling low in his throat at the door.
Seconds later, my brothers, Isaac and Luke, rush inside with the twins, Theo and Colton, right behind.
Theo jumps on the bed beside me whilst Colton sits on the end with Isaac.
“Pass me the remote,” Luke demands.
I reach over to the nightstand and throw the remote in his direction, then turn to Isaac. “What is happening? Please tell me you aren’t in here to giggle over a porn romance movie again?”
Isaac snorts. “You thought it was cringy as fuck too.”
I roll my eyes. The movie in question was about a young virgin who gets seduced by her college professor, and somehow knew exactly what she was doing and looked like a porn star putting on an act. I had second-hand embarrassment just watching it.
“Wait, is that the one who got bent over the desk?” Colton asks.
“And was screaming she was going to come when he hadn’t even touched her? Yeah, that movie,” Isaac adds. “The only realistic thing about that entire sex scene was him coming all over her back after doing her from behind.”
“Word,” I chuckle. “If you don’t want to come in her, come on her.”
“Seriously?” Jaxon growls.
Isaac pales, glancing down at the phone in his hand. “Sorry, bro, forgot you were there.”
I pale, staring down at the phone, and then at Luke, who is still rewinding whatever show he has on.
Dread hits my stomach. Something has happened. Something bad.
“Watch,” Luke orders, hitting play.
On the steps of Kratos Properties and Investments stands Sebastian Black, his hair not as light as his father’s, but it’s close.
It’s the shape and colour of his eyes that gives the most resemblance.
And the arrogance and hatred they both carry like a shield.
Yet I can’t help but notice that whilst Sebastian looks like he’ll happily stab his best friend in the back, he doesn’t hold the same coldness and detachment his father does. His sister carries more of that.
“Turn it up,” Isaac whispers.
“Today, my family was hit once again by unlawful injustice. I stand here today to appeal the false accusations made against not only my sister, Katherine Black, but my father, Andrew Black. I can no longer stay silent. The Black family have been targeted by a family who, quite frankly, want what we have. The tales they have spread are fabricated, and the police department have fallen into their trap by once again arresting my sister, Katherine, without authenticating the documents shared with them. Just like the disgusting and heinous AI videos circling about my father, Andrew Black. They want him to look like he is running from the police, when the truth is, they were made to cover up the fact that this family have done something to my father. The last time I spoke with my father, he told me he was on his way to their home to plead once more for a ceasefire. They had already destroyed multiple factories we own. They’ve run off clients.
Nearly broke up a marriage of forty years.
He wanted the crimes to stop before someone got hurt.
That is the last time I spoke with him.”
“This is fucking bullshit,” I growl, the others grunting in agreement.
“Oh, wait for it,” Jaxon warns.
“And now an employee of Kratos Properties and Investments has fallen under this family’s spell.
Miss Adams, who has worked at our company for years now, has doctored documents at their request. We believe Miss Adams is in a relationship with a member from this family.
A full investigation is underway, but we ask that the public and our government don’t ignore the power play in process, and don’t write us off.
We may be privileged, but we have never used our wealth to get out of anything.
We also don’t want that to be used against us.
We are human too, and believe we should be given a fair trial.
There is more to this story than what is being written in the papers. ”
“Mrs Black, do you have anything you want to say?” a reporter fires off.
Timidly, Mrs Black walks closer to the podium, her mascara smudged as she dabs at the fake fucking tears on her cheeks. Oh, they are good. Really fucking good.
“At least they haven’t announced who ‘the family’ are,” I grumble.
“Oh, wait for it. She’s good. Really good,” Jaxon growls.
Mrs Black sniffles, her eyes watering. “I just want my husband back. These past few months have been a living nightmare. I don’t know if he’s okay or even alive.
If he were okay, he would have contacted me.
We’ve been together pretty much our whole lives.
We would never abandon each other. We’ve only ever been apart once before and it made us realise what we mean to each other. ”
“What about this family? Is there anything you can tell us about them? What started this rivalry?”
She dabs the corner of her eyes and pretends to hesitate, even though this entire speech is clearly rehearsed.
“I really don’t want to get into details. I trust the police to do the right thing.”
“Normal people would have said, I trust the police to find out the truth,” Theo snidely remarks.