Chapter 21 Time for a Motherfucking Reckoning, I Tell Ya
Time for a Motherfucking Reckoning,
I Tell Ya
Even though our lovemaking was—justly—interrupted, Griffin’s reverent kisses and touch were sufficient to erase much of the night’s earlier traumas. I emerged from the shower emboldened, my courage replenished, ready to face the dead body stinking up my bedroom.
Or so I thought.
So fully was I convinced that I had this that I didn’t even take a moment to steel myself for the sight before striding confidently from the en suite bathroom while towel-drying my hair.
The sight of Magnum’s corpse, though sprawled precisely where I expected it to be, proved to be like a slap to the face, a crack hard enough to make my ears ring and my eyes sting with pricking tears.
There, mere feet away from me, beside the bed where I let go of all my defenses to be vulnerable and sleep, lay incontrovertible evidence that a literal psychopath had come here to exert his will over me, one way or another.
His flaccid dick resting against his thigh was disturbing proof of all that he’d meant to steal from me: not just my consent and the sacredness of my body, but also my decision whether or not to grow life within my womb.
If he’d gotten his desire, to him I would have become no more significant than an incubator for his latest science experiment.
The fetus wouldn’t have been my child; he wouldn’t have viewed him or her as precious at all.
I wouldn’t have become a mother, ready or not for the role.
I would have become an unwilling perpetrator of a jillionaire’s terrors.
I would have contributed to an awful cycle, subjecting another life to what my friends and I had so far endured, if not much worse.
Layla’s hand landed on my bare shoulder above the towel at the same time as Griffin’s.
Her eyes were big as they studied me.
That she didn’t rib me or Griff for getting it on, and made no additional mention of Pound Town, could only mean that I was wearing my shock on the outside.
My eyes smarting, I smiled shakily.
Griffin rubbed reassuring circles along one shoulder while Layla chuffed in disbelief.
I sucked in a deep, nurturing inhale. My eyes, all on their own, roved away from my best friend to Magnum, my thoughts once again careening along the course he’d tried to set for me.
she said with a glance over me at Griffin.
When she steered me toward my walk-in closet, I let her.
she said.
Brady added.
Layla nodded.
I muttered.
Layla chirruped.
I asked while I reached for a crop top with a built-in shelf bra.
Brady said.
Griffin said with a growl.
Hunt announced.
My heart thudded. I hurried to yank on curve-hugging, tight jeans with tears in the knees and thighs and grabbed a slouchy long-sleeve that hung off a shoulder.
I felt Griffin’s stare following my movements when I lowered myself to the bed beside Bobo, Brady and Hunt purposefully facing my back to the corpse. I joined the guys in running a hand along Bobo’s fur, soothing him awake.
While Bobo snuffled and turned his head, his eyes still shut, Layla opened my bedroom door to peek out and give a listen.
she told us. She snorted with a superiority that wasn’t necessarily earned when she was consistently the first to protest when our jogs ran long.
Bobo’s pink tongue pushed adorably in and out of his mouth, until finally his eyes popped open with a loud snort.
I said while my friends spoke over one another to greet him as well.
Hunt was saying while Griffin and Layla settled to either side of me on the bed.
Sprawled on his back—his favorite sleeping position—Bobo cycled his legs a few times before trying to flip over onto his stomach. Midturn, he wobbled, and crashed onto Brady’s folded leg.
Brady’s hands shot out to steady him. “Whoa.”
Bobo sank half on top of him, half on the bed. Griffin’s and Layla’s bodies formed a wall that blocked my pittie’s view of the dead man.
Bobo licked his lips, opened and closed his mouth a few times, before coughing.
Hunt jumped up. he said and quickly placed the bowl I kept for Bobo beside his doggie bed on the floor on my own bed, something that was definitely against my rules.
But damn if I didn’t understand exactly how awful it felt to wake up after being drugged. I was always parched.
Bobo lapped up the water until he licked the bottom of the bowl, making a sloppy, wet mess of my comforter at the center of our impromptu circle. None of us cared. As for my bedding, I planned to burn it all, including the mattress.
At last satiated, Bobo circled his tongue around his snout and looked at me.
My worry for him softened into a smile.
I looked at my friends before breaking the news.
Bobo’s ears perked in alarm.
Bobo stood, though his legs shook.
Hunt ran hands along his body, trying to settle him.
I kissed him on the forehead. I pointed toward the floor behind me.
Griffin and Layla leaned in opposite directions so he could see around me.
Bobo’s ears stood straighter, his tail pointed menacingly, and a growl rumbled deep in his chest.
Hunt asked of Magnum.
Bobo growled harder.
Layla’s brow scrunched.
I lowered my face for another kiss to his head.
Hunt said.
Bobo emphasized with incessant growling. He looked at me.
Bobo whined.
My friends glanced from him to me.
Layla said.
I barely breathed.
My thought fizzled out.
Brady asked, pointing at each of them.
Bobo answered, affixing an accusatory glower on the body on the floor and growling some more.
Layla asked.
I sat back, leaning into my hands while Brady whistled.
he said.
I finally murmured.
Brady asked.
Again, that was all I had.
Layla breathed, twirling the colorful feathers in her hair. She sucked in a gasp.
the rest of us demanded at the same time.
—she pinched the flesh of her arm around the outline of a tattoo in progress—
Appropriately horrified at the prospect, she gaped at us. She grimaced.
I wanted to know. In truth, I really, really needed to know. But I didn’t want to be the one to ask the damn question.
Eventually, Hunt did.
Bobo tipped his head to one side in question.
Bobo sucked in a horrified breath, yanked his chin into his neck, and winced like he was sucking on the sourest of all lemons.
Layla tossed back her head and let out a loud whoosh of an exhale.
Brady said with a rocking shudder.
Griffin scooted closer, his hand resting on my thigh.
he asked. He pointed at dead Magnum.
Bobo shook his head.
Griffin said.
Hunt commented, flicking the dangling turquoise of his silver earring.
Brady arched his brow before glancing at his sister.
Layla said right away, popping up from my bed just to kick Magnum’s foot with her sneaker.
I, however, never again wanted to touch another part of that man’s body—not any of his bodies. Not even to slice him open for answers.
Griffin told them with a meaningful and pointed look at me.