Chapter 28

This is not how either of us expected her to handle this day. Both of us expected her to be emotional and more than a little broken to find out her truth. We wouldn’t have thought less of her for that type of reaction. I think most women would break down with the information Natalia has gotten today. Yet she’s not any woman. She’s ours. Even when we found out she was cutting herself, we still knew this strength and resilience were inside of her the entire time. Cutting didn’t make her weak. We don’t like it and won’t allow it, but we also don’t judge her for it. She did what she had to in order to survive. But it’s our job to help her find other ways to release that pain. We will never stop her from expressing herself, but only if she does it safely.

Our newest guy, Brandon, comes running in with a bat and tries to hand it to him, but I narrow my gaze at him. “Hand it to Natalia.”

He does not know who she is but obviously can figure out that it’s not the chained up woman. Brandon gives her the bat and flashes me a weary look and walks out of the room. He has worked for us for about four months, but nobody that works for us has ever seen a woman handing out punishments. They also don’t know what these people did to gain entry to our warehouse. They don’t need to know her story. Unless she tells it, no one outside of our family will ever know.

Natalia rubs the length of the bat as she smiles at Nicole. “This is probably gonna sting.”

I knew she had strength in her, but this crazy side surprises me. No, it delights me. Now there’s no doubt. She’s perfect for us.

Pretty little psycho.

Clearly she wants to do this, but I wonder if she’ll be able to swing the bat. Wanting to hurt someone and being able to actually do it are two very different things. Turning around, she glances back at us like she was making sure she wouldn’t accidentally hit us. She smiles slightly. “Stay back.”

Fuck. Natalia taking control like this is the hottest thing I’ve ever gotten to witness. She turns back to Nicole, who is trembling uncontrollably. Natalia pulls the bat back and swings it, hitting her left knee. I’m not sure which is louder, the crunching sound of bones or the blood-curdling screams Nicole yells out.

Our sweet girl pulls the bat back again before striking her other knee. But she doesn’t stop. All her anger has been bottled up for years. It’s as if someone unscrewed the cap and it’s all coming rushing out like lava in a volcano.

Natalia stands in front of Nicole who continues to cry and whimper endlessly, our girl looks like the sexiest executioner as she raises the bat over her head, my brother and I watch with our full attention as Natalia says what will be the last words Nicole ever hears, “Fuck you.”

The bat comes crashing down on her head. Blood and bits of her brain fly in different directions. Natalia drops the weapon at her feet and falls to the floor with a gut wrenching sob.

Drake says to me, “Get her showered and home. I’ll have Brandon grab some clothes for her. I’ll take care of the rest here and be there when I’m done.”

I walk over to her and bend down, lifting her into my arms. I tell her the plan, and she looks up at Drake. “You aren’t coming with us?”

He shakes his head. “Not right now, Pretty Girl. I’m going to take care of things here, but then I’ll be home. What you need right now is Dante. He will take care of you.”

There’s an unspoken understanding between us I hadn’t even realized existed until now. This is what Drake meant when he said I had her heart, although I don’t completely agree because she has feelings for him as well. Although I can now clearly see that we both offer her different things. I think she needs both of us. I carry her off to the shower and set her on the counter. She stares at me with concern, and when I ask what’s wrong, her response stuns me, nearly speechless.

“Do you see me differently now?”

I gaze at her in confusion. “What?”

Helping her out of her clothes, she speaks quietly, barely above a whisper, “I murdered her. I’m not the sweet girl you thought I was. Do you see me differently now?”

Lifting her so she’s standing, I kneel before her, and undo her jeans before pulling them down her legs along with her panties.

Natalia, you”re still my sunshine, the greatest thing ever to enter my life, and you”ll always be my perfect sweet girl.

Once she’s naked, I rise to my full height, grab her chin gently, as I stare at her bloody face. “She deserved it. They all do. Do not waste any energy on feeling guilty. She took so much from you and doesn’t get to take anymore.”

Moving away from her, I turn the water on, and once I have the water right, I tell her to step inside the shower. She does, and I get undressed so I can join her.

Natalia

I quickly scrubmy face and neck because the stench of Nicole’s blood on my skin isn’t something I want around. Dante steps in behind me and wraps his arms around me, pulling me tight against his chest, “I’m proud of you, Sunshine.”

Turning around to face him, I laugh lightly, “You’re proud of me for killing someone?”

He narrows his gaze and says, “No. I’m proud of you for taking control of your life. I’m proud of you for destroying a person who would have kept hurting you until she took her final breath.”

Nothing has turned out like I expected. Not with the brothers and definitely not with the people I thought were my family. Somehow it feels right, and that terrifies me.

Dragging my fingers up his chest, I do something far scarier than ending Nicole”s life.

“Are you going to let me go now?”

He stares at me with a heated expression for what feels like an eternity before asking, “Is that what you want? Is that what you dream about? Being free of us?”

I shake my head no because it’s the last thing I want. “I never wanted this. You both forced it on me with no thought of what it would mean for me. I should want to be free of you, but I don’t. Lately I live every day wondering if today will be the day you tire of me and walk away.”

He grabs my ass and lifts me effortlessly before slamming into me. “I’ll never be tired of you. I’ll never let you go. Not even if you beg me to.”

I wrap my arms around his neck as he thrusts into me. Our wet skin sticks together as he grips my ass in a tight hold. I say the words I’ve never said to anyone, “Dante. I love you.”

He paused with wide eyes before slamming my back against the shower wall. “Fuck. Sunshine. Jesus.”

Taking my lips in an aggressive kiss, he continues fucking me like it’s the first time. Sex with Dante and Drake is never bad. But it feels different this time, like it’s more than sex. His gaze connects with mine and he demands, “Say it again.”

Wrapping my legs tight around his waist, I speak my truth. “I love you. Dante, I love you.”

He closes his eyes tight as if he’s in pain. “I love you too, Natalia.”

“Dante,” I moan when he pulls out of me most of the way and slams back inside my pussy repeatedly.

“Come for me, baby.”

My body pulses around him as I tremble. Consumed by an orgasm, I dig my nails into his back, completely lost in him. And it”s perfect as I feel him come inside me. The only thing missing is his brother. I should be ashamed of myself, but I’m not. Finally, I can admit the truth to myself. I want both of them, and I only hope that Drake still wants me. I don’t want either of them to walk away. If either of them didn’t want me, it’d leave a gaping hole in my chest. One that I’m not sure would ever heal.