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“What happened?”
“Killer, you’re a blonde bombshell with a fucking killer body and the most delectable tits known to mankind.”
“I’m not following?”
“Baby, my cock is rock hard so I need a cold shower… again.” She throws her head back and laughs as I head for the adjoining bathroom. Just as I pass through the threshold, she calls out to me, I peer over my shoulder and quirk a brow.
“I love you, Gage Murdoch.” My heart soars inside my chest hearing those words from her.
“I love you too, Anya-soon-to-be-Murdoch.” Her eyes widen to the size of saucers. I leave her to stew on that while handlemybusiness in the shower.
Rook
I should have felt free being on the plane heading back to New York. I didn’t.
I should have felt happiness when we pulled into the driveway and seen the girls standing there waiting for us with open arms. I didn’t.
I should feel some sense of nostalgia or belonging standing in the middle of my old room. I don’t feel anything.
I look around the photos that litter the tops of my dressers, my walls, my desk but the person I see in those isn’t me—not anymore. His brown eyes hold laughter, freedom, love—mine hold none. His brown hair is styled perfectly with not a hair out of place—mine is long and messy. He looks like he spends hours a day at the gym and takes pride in himself and his appearance. I struggled to even shower and change before the flight, not caring what I look like. My door opens without a knock sounding, I don’t even bother turning around because I know it’s him.
“Hey, dude, we’re gonna order in some takeout and hang out in the living room. You should come join us.” It pains me to hear the longing in his voice but I can’t appease him by plastering a fake smile on my face and acting like I didn’t go through hell. I shake my head, I haven’t spoken a word to anyone, I’m too scared. “Rook–”
“Do you mind if I try?” I tense at the sound of Anya’s voice, out of everyone here she is the one who knew what was happening. She saw me at my lowest fucking point and what I did… willingly all because I was too much of a bitch to risk being punished again.
“Uh, yeah, okay. If you change your mind, brother, you know where to find us.” I nod, still not bothering to turn around and acknowledge him. When I hear the door click, I stiffen further when I feel her draw near. She doesn’t stop until she stands in front of me. I keep my gaze focused over her head, not wanting to look at her face and see the similarities to Ivan.
“I just want you to know, I have not uttered a word to anyone about what happened.” That draws my attention. I stare down at her making sure to keep all emotion off my face. “What you went through…” I narrow my eyes in warning, she swallows and nods, understanding not to go there or risk me losing it. “Ivan is alive and he is yours to kill… when you are ready.” This isn’t news to me, Knight already told me. She releases a long exhale, nods curtly and heads for the door, but pauses. “I just thought you should know, I had all the girls released and sent home or to rehab. Andreas and I set up a shelter for them. We will never let what happened to them or… you happen to anyone else.” She opens the door and the sound of Bishop’s booming voice draws both our attention. I slowly follow her from the room, but instead of racing down the stairs like she does, I stay in the shadows and peer over the railing. Bishop and the others stand in a united line facing off against someone who I can’t see.
“How the fuck did she get in here?” King asks.
“Luka!” Bishop calls for his right-hand man again, who comes rushing into the foyer looking panicked.
“Yes, boss?”
“Want to tell me how the fuck a skinny little girl made it past my security and got into my house?” Luka opens his mouth but no words come out, he moves in closer and his face pales.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Clare?” Everyone down there exchanges curious looks before staring at Luka waiting for an explanation.
“Come on, you didn’t call or text for weeks and all you say is chasing down a missing brother.” I grip the railing and grit my teeth in anger as she so carelessly says that. “I got worried, so I flew out here to see if you were alive and to get a peek at the missing brother.” My brothers and the girls snicker, while Luka turns a bright shade of red.
“Fucking hell, Clare, get your shit. You’ll be on the next plane back to OKC tonight.” He grips her arm and starts to drag her toward the front door. I move out of the shadows trying to get a better look at her. As if she can sense me she looks straight up and her bright green eyes clash with mine. Her long brown hair is tied into a high ponytail. She is skinny and fragile looking, I can see faint bruises on her arms. Anger soars inside me seeing those marks on her skin. I take another step and knock a vase off its perch, drawing everyone’s attention to me. Luka pauses. I don’t pay any of them any attention as I focus on the girl who stares directly back at me. Recognition shines in her eyes, my eyes widen at the same time hers do.
“Rook?” she breathes my name and it fucking cracks something inside me hearing my name from her lips.
“How the fuck do you know him, Clare?” Luka demands, she just shakes her head and moves away from everyone heading up the stairs toward me without ever breaking eye contact. She stops a few feet away, running her gaze over me in a way that makes me think she is checking for injury. I scoff, Clare doesn’t care about anyone but herself, I learned that the hard way.
“I didn’t know it was you. I’m so sorry, Rook.” When she reaches for me, I pull away and glare at her. Hurt clouds her features and it has my anger soaring to new heights. I haven’t seen her in years and now, after all this time she shows up randomly at my house and somehow knows Luka.
“Don’t ever touch me again.” Gasps sound out from downstairs at hearing me speak for the first time in weeks. My voice is coarse and raspy from not being used for months, but it feels good to finally break my silence, even if it is to tell the girl who broke my world apart to fuck off. “You lost that right the night you ran from me and killed my kid.”
