Chapter 27: Scarlet

27

SCARLET

I stepped into the shower, the warm water cascading over my skin. Julian had offered to help, but I needed this moment alone, and he'd left me alone in the bathroom. As I stood there, the events of the afternoon replayed in my mind, the images of Angelo burned into my brain, of his gouged out eyes, the knife wounds littering his body.

His stillness.

I stared down at the red that mixed with the water running down my body. The blood. Angelo's blood. It swirled around my feet, turning the water a pale pink before disappearing down the drain. I watched it go, mesmerized by how easily something so significant could vanish.

My hands trembled as I reached for the shampoo. The scent of lavender filled the air, a stark contrast to the metallic smell of blood that had clung to me moments ago. I worked the lather through my hair, trying to focus on the simple task rather than the weight of what I'd witnessed.

I was a part of their world now. Not just a captive or a plaything, but a witness to their darkest deeds. And I hadn't run. I hadn't screamed. I stood there, feeling... what? Fascination? Pride? Relief?

The water ran clear now, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something had irreversibly changed. I wasn't just Scarlet anymore, the psycho who'd burned down her cheating fiancé's bar. I was Scarlet, the woman who'd watched a man die and felt... calm.

I leaned my forehead against the cool tile, letting the water beat down on my back. What did this make me? An accomplice? A monster?

I still couldn't wrap my head around what had happened afterwards. How Tyrone had kissed me with such raw need and fucked me right there, on the hood of the car, along with his brothers. His driver had still been in there, but that hadn't meant shit to any of them.

I touched the bruise blooming on my breast, the imprint of Cristian's teeth still there. They'd been wild, primal beasts in that moment, fucking me senseless. Not a single one of them bothered by the bloody corpse of Angelo behind them. It was as if they wanted his body to bear witness to how important I was to them, why he'd been condemned.

I closed my eyes, drawing in a shaky breath.

What bothered me even more than that was how I felt, how I'd felt while they'd had their way with me.

It was something so wretched and wrong yet fucking incredible, and I'd found myself enjoying it despite everything.

I was just as much of a fucking monster as they were.

"Fuck," I breathed as I shook my head.

These men, these monsters, had seeped into my life like a poison, altering my very existence even more, plunging me into situations I couldn't have fathomed. They had shown me a world where murder and bloodshed reigned supreme, and now, they were wrapping me up in theirdarkness. I was being twisted and warped to bleed into their world, to become one with it.

I rinsed my hair, my mind a jumbled mess. I made sure there was no trace of blood on me before I stepped out of the shower, grateful that Julian had brought some spare clothes in with me. Along with a panty liner, since my bleeding had become mere spotting now.

I stepped out of the bathroom, running my fingers through my wet hair, when I heard yelling from downstairs. I frowned, a shudder rippling through me at the venomous tone of Tyrone's voice, and yet, I still made my way down to investigate. Noms had always said my curiosity would be the death of me.

The scene that greeted me made my stomach churn. Tyrone had Cristian pinned to the table, his muscular arms straining as he held his brother down. Tyrone's face was contorted with a rage I'd never seen before. Cristian, for his part, wasn't putting up much of a fight, which was unusual. Julian sat in a chair to the side, his shoulders slumped and his gaze fixed on the floor. He looked utterly distressed, but didn't say or word or even look at his brothers. The air crackled with tension, and I found myself frozen in place, unsure whether to flee or try to defuse the situation.

What the hell was going on? What had Cristian done?

"What's going on?" I asked, my voice wavering.

Tyrone's head snapped towards me, his eyes blazing. "Why don't you tell her, Cristian?" he snarled.

My frown deepened as I looked at Cristian uneasily. "Tell me what?"

Cristian shoved Tyrone off him and looked at me, his gaze conflicted, which made my stomach sink. "You deserve a kid, Scarlet," he stated, although his eyes flicked to Tyrone, like he expected him to lash out.

"Um, okay," I replied, thoroughly confused.

"You'd make a good mom. You protect those you love. You're a fighter. You'll be perfect," he added, his words tumbling out in a rush.

I glanced at Julian and Tyrone, hoping for some clarity. "I'm still confused," I admitted.

Julian sighed and leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands together and staring hard at me, his jaw ticking. "Tell her what you did, Cristian."

Cristian stared at me, a strange, wild look in his eye. The silence stretched, thick and uncomfortable.

Finally, Tyrone spat out the words. "He took your Mirena out, Scar. The other night when we rescued you and you got drunk, he drugged you and pulled it out."

My heart plummeted. I stared at Cristian in horror. How could he do such a thing? The night I thought we'd connected on some deeper level, where I'd see such a shift in him. "He did what?"

Then the realization hit me, and panic and sickness curled in my gut. They'd all been finishing inside me. My mind reeled, trying to process the violation, the betrayal. Cristian had done the unthinkable, even after he knew the pain I'd endured over losing my daughter. He'd gone behind my back, and, judging by the reaction of them, his brothers as well. He'd done something so foolish, destroyed any trust we'd started to build.

"I... I..." I stammered, unable to form coherent thoughts, my heart pounding hard, the air getting thinner. My vision swam as I stumbled towards the nearest surface, the kitchen island in this case, and Julian was on his feet and by my side in an instant, steadying me .

"Breathe," he said gently, but I yanked away from him, the hurt and pain rising up inside me.

I was stupid to think anything had changed here, that they felt anything towards me. Cristian had done something so unbelievably wrong, even for him.

"Don't touch me," I hissed as I leaned on the island for support, trying to steady my frantic heart. It felt like it wanted to burst free of my ribcage, and I held my chest, grinding my teeth as I willed it to settle.

Now was not the time to have a panic attack.

My eyes flicked around wildly, trying to make sense of everything. The room seemed to spin, and I felt like I was drowning in air.

"Everything's going to be okay, kitten. We're going to take care of you," Cristian promised as Tyrone let out an exasperated sigh.

"Do you need to sit?" Julian asked, but his voice sounded distant, muffled, as if I were underwater.

My chest constricted, each breath a struggle. My heart raced, pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. Sweat beaded on my forehead and the back of my neck, while my hands trembled uncontrollably. I gripped the edge of the island harder, my knuckles turning white as I tried to anchor myself, my ears ringing.

The room tilted and swayed, making me dizzy and disoriented. Black spots danced at the edges of my vision. I tried to focus, to ground myself, but everything felt surreal, like I was trapped in this moment, the panic flooding my senses. My throat felt tight, closed off, as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.

"Sit," Julian's voice sliced through as his hand landed on my shoulder, and he guided me to the nearest chair. "Breathe. "

"What's happening?" Cristian asked, concern filling his tone.

"She's panicking, looks like an anxiety attack," Julian stated as he stood before me. "Kenny," he called, clicking his tongue to summon him.

Kenny was quick to join us, and he sat Kenny in my lap, my trembling fingers slipping through his fur as I tried to focus on him.

"You're okay, Scarlet. We'll figure all of this out," Julian said gently as he moved behind my chair, resting his hands on my shoulders and gently massaging the tension from them.

My body was still shaking, but I sucked in more deep breaths, closing my eyes as I focused on Kenny's weight on my lap, on the warmth of his body and the softness of his fur.

Moments dragged by until I had regained some composure, but a numbness was making itself known as I finally opened my eyes.

I stared at Cristian, unable to comprehend what I was even feeling. The shock, betrayal, and violation swirled together, making me uneasy to my core. He stared back at me, his eyes awash with a range of emotions, none of which I cared for right now after what he'd done.

"How could you?" I hissed, clutching Kenny close as my lower lip trembled, the tears threatening to break free. He didn't say a word as he stared back at me, lost for a response, his jaw clenching. I moved my gaze to Tyrone, who was looking at me like I was a bomb about to go off. Maybe I was.

What the fuck was I supposed to do?