I gasp stumbling back, shocking robbing me of all my senses.
“Do not pity him, Kat,” Drake warns, and I draw my gaze to his. “He’s the filth of this world and would have been the one to break your body in for far darker sexual depravities than any woman should have to suffer. His death is on me. Not you.”
“You don’t carry this blame alone, Drake. I won’t allow it. If anything, we share this. You want all of me, then I take all of you.” His face turns grim much like Sylan’s does.
I turn my focus to Grey who stands over Marcus’ right-hand man. Blood drips from his mouth and what little air he’s pulling in hurts like a mother.
I turn to Sylan. “And Marcus?” I ask but I can’t feel much sympathy for the man.
Sylan has the barrel of his gun aimed at the man’s head who is huffing and puffing.
Sylan moves so fast my eyes don’t catch the movement or the sound of the bullet until afterward. Marcus howls and I see him clutching his knee. “Now you won’t be able to sneak up on innocent young women or kidnap them. Fucking scum. I should put a bullet between your eyes and be rid of you.”
I push to my feet and walk over to Sylan, and I slip my hand into his, interlacing our fingers. Sylan turns and leads us out of my apartment, leaving Marcus with Grey and Drake.
Two rounds go off and I hear screams ricochet off the walls.
“They didn’t kill him, just evened the odds for when the local thugs find him.” I shiver with the implications of his words.
“Fate will have to handle that outcome.”
Seconds later Grey and Drake join us, roughed up, looking a little bruised but strong.
Drake and Grey take the front seat while Sylan and I slip into the back. Sylan has me on his lap, and I’m right back where I was an hour ago—in his arms—and I have a feeling this won’t change anytime soon.
I lean into him and nuzzle my nose against his neck. “I’m so sorry, everyone. I put all of us at risk over material things. I have my memories of my mother and that’s enough. I can’t live with the idea that something could happen to any of you.”
Drake turns in his seat and takes my hand and we sit like that in a long silence as Grey steers the car out onto the interstate.
I take Sylan’s hand in my other and notice the bruising already forming. “I’ll never ask you for anything again that will put your family at risk.”
“We are your family now too.”
Who knew so few words could mean more to me than all the gold and money in the world?
“Thank you,” I whisper, awestruck, and their smile tells me they understand all too well what I am feeling. I turn to Sylan, and he brushes his lips over mine. “I’m sorry. I mean what I say.”
“You can apologize thoroughly later. Once we get home and check over every inch of your body to make sure you’re okay.”
I perk up and lean in to whisper, “Does that mean another shower? But this time I want that kind of shower.”
My words have the effect I’m going for and he pulls me closer with a growl, the exquisite hunger in his eyes all the answer I need.