Chapter 16: Cristian

16

CRISTIAN

I watched Scarlet's chest rise and fall as she slept on the couch, Kenny curled up against her side. The day had flown by in a haze of board games and takeout, a strange normalcy settling over us all. Even Julian seemed more relaxed than usual, his usual sharp edges softened by the easy camaraderie we'd fallen into.

"She's out cold," I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.

Tyrone glanced up from his phone, his dark eyes flicking between me and Scarlet. "Let her rest."

I snorted. Was he expecting me to do something to her? No, watching her sleep, it filled me with something I couldn't place.

I couldn't deny the warmth that spread through my chest as I looked at her. She'd fought us tooth and nail from the start, yet here she was, comfortable enough to fall asleep in our presence. It was... nice. Domestic, even. A far cry from the chaos that usually defined our lives .

I remembered how she'd laughed earlier, her head thrown back, eyes crinkled at the corners. For a moment, I'd seen a glimpse of the woman she might have been without all the trauma weighing her down. It made me want to protect her, to keep that light in her eyes burning bright. Strange, because another part of me wanted to snuff it out, to break her and bend her to my whim. It was like there was a battle between two sides of myself.

"You're staring," Julian pointed out from where he was playing a handheld console. A moment of rest for him after the entire kidnapping fiasco. My shoulder ached, reminding me of the bullet I'd taken, and I touched the patch covering my sewn up wound.

I tore my gaze away from Scarlet, meeting my brother's knowing look. "So what if I am?"

He shrugged, but I could see the concern in his eyes. "You like her a lot, huh?"

"Yes. She's fire and ice, everything one could want," I murmured, my eyes drifting back to Scarlet despite my best efforts. The contradiction of her nature fascinated me, drew me in like a moth to a flame. She was unpredictable, dangerous, and utterly captivating.

"Be careful," Julian said as he focused back on his game, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the console. I could hear the unspoken warning in his voice, the concern that perhaps I was getting in too deep. But careful had never been my strong suit, especially not when it came to things I desired. And I desired Scarlet with an intensity that both thrilled and terrified me.

I wanted to snap at him, to tell him to mind his own fucking business. But I knew he was right. Scarlet wasn't ours to keep. She'd be gone in a few weeks, back to her life, leaving us behind like a bad dream .

The thought made my chest ache in a way I hadn't felt since Tessa. I pushed it down, burying it under layers of anger and indifference. It was safer that way. Easier.

But as I looked at Scarlet again, peaceful in sleep, I knew it was already too late. She'd wormed her way under my skin, and I was fucked.

When her term came to an end, I knew I wasn't going to be able to stick to our agreement. It'd piss my brothers off, but I wanted her, and I always got what I wanted, one way or another.

I watched as Scarlet's eyes fluttered open, her gaze darting around the room before settling on me, where I sat across from her. The confusion in her eyes was almost endearing. Had I been watching her sleep? maybe, but I wouldn't admit it.

We'd sorted out a few things while she slept, made some calls, and come to an agreement. Something special for her, though she might not see it that way at first.

"Rise and shine, kitten," I murmured, a smirk playing on my lips. "We've got plans."

Tyrone had suggested a movie night, and Julian ordered pizza before popping on a new movie for us. It was all so fucking normal, it almost made me laugh. But I played along, settling onto the couch and pulling Scarlet close as she woke up fully. We'd let her sleep for hours, knowing that the entire mess she'd endured alongside Julian would have drained her. Even he'd passed out at one point, and Tyrone and I had chatted about our plans for the Russo family. How we were going to burn the entire family down. We just needed to do it right, make sure we didn't cause too much commotion and upset the other families. They'd understand why we'd have done it, and hopefully never defy us like the Russos for fear of meeting the same fate.

She tensed immediately as I drew her close, her body rigid against mine. I could feel the distrust radiating off her in waves. It was understandable, given our history, but it still stung a bit after I'd done everything to save her.

"Relax," I whispered, my lips brushing her ear. "Just enjoy the movie."

As the movie started, I felt her slowly start to unwind. Her shoulders dropped, and her breathing evened out. She wasn't completely at ease, but it was progress.

I couldn't help but wonder what was going through her head. Did she think this was some kind of trick? A new form of torture? Or was she starting to see us as something more than her captors?

The thought both thrilled and made me uneasy. I wanted her to trust us, to feel safe with us, which was fucking bizarre considering everything. I was a contradicting mess of a person, and I knew it was throwing her for a loop. I couldn't explain to her how my mind worked, it was fucked up, but as she accepted her place in my arms, settling in for the movie, I couldn't help but think on something that had been niggling at the back of my mind. Something I wanted to do to her later on, when we were alone.

Something that could change everything.

I watched as Scarlet downed another glass of wine, her cheeks flushed and eyes bright. The movie credits rolled, but my attention was fixed on her. She'd loosened up considerably over the course of the evening, her laughter coming easier, her body less tense against mine. We'd paused for some time when pizza had arrived, laughing and drinking altogether while we ate, the tension from everything having faded into nothing. And then we'd continued the movie like everything was peachy, like lives hadn't been hanging in the balance early that morning.

Tyrone's phone buzzed, breaking the conversation Julian was having with Scarlet about the movie now that it had ended.

Tyrone answered with a curt, "Yeah?" After a moment, he nodded. "Perfect. I'll be there." He hung up, his expression unreadable.

Scarlet yawned, stretching her back and arms as she rose from her position between Julian and I. "Where do I sleep?" she asked, her words slightly slurred.

Tyrone's eyes met mine, then Julian's. "You can still have the bed in my room," he said. "I've got things to do tonight." The look we shared spoke volumes. Something was going down, and Tyrone would be out late. I knew it had to do with what we discussed, and my blood burned with anticipation.

I couldn't resist the opportunity. "You can sleep with me if you want," I offered, a sly grin spreading across my face.

Scarlet scoffed, rolling her eyes dramatically. "As if," she muttered, but I caught the hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Maybe it was the obscene amount of wine from today, but I chuckled.

"Suit yourself, kitten," I shrugged, standing up and stretching. "But in that case, I'll carry you to your room."

I swept Scarlet into my arms, her giggles filling the air as I carried her towards her room. The wine had clearly gone to her head, loosening her tongue and lowering her guard. I was enjoying this other side of her, this carefree, relaxed version of her .

"You're handsome for a psycho," she slurred, her blue eyes twinkling.

I chuckled, tightening my grip on her. "And you're beautiful for a pain in my ass."

As I kicked open the door to her room, I felt a shift inside me. The usual urge to dominate, to take what I wanted, was there, but it was muted. Scarlet had let her walls down, made herself vulnerable, and for once, I didn't want to exploit that.

But another desire, darker and more insidious, crept into my mind. A way to make her mine, truly and irrevocably. It was wicked, wrong on so many levels, but the twisted part of me knew it was right.

I laid her gently on the bed, my hand lingering on her cheek. She nuzzled into my touch, a soft smile on her lips. I brushed a strand of hair from her face before moving to rise.

"Stay," she mumbled, reaching for my hand.

I pulled away, my heart racing. "Of course, just let me get you water."

As I turned to leave, my mind was made up. Scarlet was going to be mine, one way or another. There was no stopping that now. The plan forming in my head was cruel, but it would ensure she'd never leave us. Never leave me.

I closed the door behind me, leaning against it for a moment. Tomorrow, everything would change. I pushed off for my room, my blood burning with excitement. She wouldn't like it, but it was what had to be done.

In my room, I dug through my lockbox under my bed, finding the small bottle of pills. My brothers wouldn't approve, but this wasn't their decision. It was mine alone.

I returned with the water and a tiny white tablet nestled in my palm. "Here," I said, offering it to her. "It'll ease your hangover tomorrow."

Scarlet hesitated for a split second before accepting, and my gut twisted at her trust in this moment. Trust that was misplaced, but I didn't think too heavily on it. This was necessary, the right call. She popped the pill in her mouth and washed it down, then curled up under the blanket.

"Thank you," she whispered, her blue eyes hazy with alcohol and fatigue.

"What for?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"For being human today," she murmured, "in your own twisted way."

Her words hit me harder than I expected, and I swallowed down the sudden dryness in my mouth. "No need to thank me."

Scarlet reached out, her soft hand touching my face. A gentle smile played on her lips before her eyes fluttered shut.

I watched her drift off, my mind racing. Yes, she was perfect - broken in her own dark way, just like me. She was the one. My mind was made up; there was no going back now.

As her breathing evened out, I knew the drug would keep her under for hours. It was time to set my plan in motion.