“Will you hurt me?” She finally voices her concern. Her tongue darts out, swiping along her lower lip, making it glisten with saliva, and I can’t help leaning in, allowing myself to taste her. The flavor of coffee is still on her, and I lick along the plump flesh, savoring her sweetness with the bitterness of the caffeine.
“I will.” My promise has her gasping. “But when I do hurt you, little raven, you’ll love it. You’ll beg me for more. Just like you pleaded with me to steal your virginity all those years ago.”
I watch her now, intrigued by the change in her. There was fear in her eyes when I found her, but now I look at her, and that’s been diminished. In its place is a fire so fierce I want to burn in her wreckage.
“Then take me to your house. I want to train with your men, because I need to make my father suffer for what he’s done. And I need to see Harper.”
I always knew Caia was strong. Resilient. And as she learns more about who she is, she’ll see that she was destined to walk beside me. I’ve spent four long years fighting my need for her, but her choice is to go with me. Since that’s the case, I know I’ll not be able to deny her when she begs for me again.
I won’t touch her until she asks for it. And I know, if she feels anything like I do, she will ask for it. For me. I nod. “Fine. Then you’ll train with me. You’ll play along with my rules because the men I’m about to take down along with your father are not stupid. This is your choice. Once you step foot on the Savage compound again, you cannot leave unless you’re...”
“Killed?”
I nod once more.
“Take me there.”
“Okay,” I agree. “Get some more sleep, then pack your shit. We’ll leave this evening. I have things to do first. We’ll come back for you in a few hours.” I turn and leave her in the bedroom. Finding River in the living room, I offer him a smile. “She’s agreed.”
His eyes widen as if he’s shocked, but I know he isn’t. He knew she would go with us. And deep down, I think he wants her too. We’ll fix this. One way or another.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CAIA
The car ride is silent. There’s nothing left to say because Drake has already warned me about what’s coming. I’ll be working alongside him to take down the assholes that have been clients of his father.
Lights shine through our car from River and Dante in the car behind us. They are illuminating Drake in the driver’s seat as we make our way to the Savage Mansion. With the light shining on him, I take note of his white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel but say nothing.
I focus on the road. Even though it’s dark, I notice the trees as we drive through the town, heading toward the mansion I left four years ago. When we pull up to the estate an hour later, I glance up at the place that will be my new home for the next few weeks, months. Who knows how long it will take for me to finally get the revenge I’ve been craving all this time. To finally drain my father of every drop of blood, to watch him breathe his last breath.
I follow Drake silently. The bag I packed with the clothes he bought me hangs from my left shoulder. River and Dante are flanking me, and I wonder if they’re worried I’m going to run away. Would I? No, I don’t think I could ever run from them, not when they saved me. But then again, Drake has hurt me before.
The memory of him choking me in the kitchen swirls together with the feeling of him taking me that night. I begged him for it, and his confidence is clear. He thinks I still want him. Sadly, it’s true. I can’t not want him.
“Follow me,” Drake orders me, then sets his blue gaze on his brother. “Call the team. I want them ready.” Dante nods and disappears down the hallway into the darkness of what I’m guessing is a living room.
“I’ll see you in the office once you’ve gotten our lovely guest settled.” River offers me a nod and makes his way into the bowels of the home in the opposite direction than Dante went.
“Come.” He doesn’t wait for me as he heads up the staircase that sweeps in a wide arc, taking us to the second level of the house. “Your sister is probably asleep, or in her room.” He talks to me but doesn’t glance my way. The thick, plush carpets make our footfalls silent in the enormous space.
He stops suddenly, causing me to crash into his back. The muscles tense when my palm lands on his shoulder. Stepping backward, I allow the space between us to calm my erratic heartbeat. The door we’re standing in front of is dark wood, and I’m certain my sister is on the other side.