26. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Liam

My Zippo weighs heavily in my palm. My finger is hot on the lid. The impulse to flick it open, to light it, is ingrained into my bones.

It settled there after the flames the same Zippo brought ate up half of my cheek. When I decided I would control the pain, the fear, my past. That I wouldn’t let it control me.

Playing with fire soothes me. Pacifies me.

The flame is an extension of my body. But at the present moment, I have to hide it. No one’s supposed to see me in this dark alley, watching Rex. The flame would give me away.

The place is empty. Nothing’s happening, really.

I’m not needed here.

For one, this is Damien’s aggressor. This revenge is his. And he had his share of it today. My friend stood, I imagine, exactly where I am. Made a stop here after work to witness Rex losing his shit.

On the drive home, he called me, sounding pleased as fuck.

“We got under his skin,” he said, laughing. “I’d say I feel bad for the barista he threw a mug at. Except I don’t.”

Then there’s the matter of him calling his cop buddies. He hasn’t. Our investigators assure us of that fact. The one who tails Rex until eleven at night reported back that he only called his father’s psychiatrist. And no, he didn’t know why his dad wasn’t picking up.

We do. We have an investigator looking out after their home. Her parents are fine. They just overslept.

Back to Rex. So, no, other than not knowing, he also didn’t feel like dropping by and check if he was alive or dead. A neighbor should help. Quinlan should’ve helped.

“She’s on vacation, doesn’t care about them.” Those were his words before he hung up.

His half-sister was kidnapped, and the bastard felt justified in blaming her. In throwing her under the bus.

Hearing him shouldn’t have surprised us. It did. It fucking did.

All those times he supposedly looked after her. The obsessive way he needed her near him. He was more than controlling her. He was using her.

While he gets to lead his miserable life in relative peace, his sister stresses over everything. Works her ass off at home, during Uber rides when her parents go long without picking up or attending their sessions.

She loves them, naturally. We thought that was what it was all about.

Nope. She has no one else to lean on.

Well, now she does. She has us.

And Damien has me to keep watch. To be here instead of home.

Right here.

Ray isn’t an issue. Quinlan’s email pacified her. She’s in her apartment, toasting with her boyfriend. Happy about landing her new job.

The inside source that’ll help take Rome’s parents down is fast asleep. Hasn’t tried reaching out and selling his information to anyone else. We’re good on that front too. We paid him handsomely for that, and he’s keeping his word.

With everything else settled, I’m here, spying on Rex. I’m suspicious and cautious of him. Of his compliancy.

This wasn’t supposed to happen, me going rogue. Cracks in the plan could lead to one of us slipping up. But I’m not actually doing anything. I’m watching.

One of us should be here, and I decided that person is me. Damien deserves this night at home. With Quinlan. He’s owed an ounce of peace for once in his goddamn life.

My hand rises to my cheek, fingertips brushing over the burn scar. The texture is nothing like Quinlan’s skin. Hers is soft and silky. Smoother than anything I’ve ever touched.

Mine’s the opposite. The mangled skin is nothing but ridges, bumps, and taut scar tissue.

The fire caught on quickly to Mom’s clothes in the locked closet. The panic made it so I was frozen for long minutes. It didn’t help that no one heard my screams.

I close my eyes. Sometimes the scar is sensitive beneath my fingertips. That’s not the case when Quinlan strokes my skin. I’m back to being the kid I was before Aria barged into my life.

My eyes snap open. I’m here to watch over Rex, not to imagine my little flame holding me in her palm.

There it is. The anger. He unleashes his frustration at the café’s staff. His face twists in anger as he yells at them.

Maybe once they close for the day, he’ll go to the police station. It’s possible. I have to make sure he doesn’t, that he heads straight home from here.

Doesn’t bother me that I’m away from Quinlan. Doesn’t bother me at all that I can’t inhale the clean scent of her hair. The shampoo we got her that smells nothing like ashes and fire. Not being able to touch her or stare at her while she sleeps, that doesn’t bother me either.

I’m on a mission. I—

Fuck me. Who am I kidding?

My instincts scream to light a fire. My heart aches to be around Quinlan. Curl my body around her in bed.

Of course it bothers me that I’m away from her.

I’ll be with her. I’ll visit her at night.

I might even play. She’s so beautiful while she sleeps.

There’ll be time.

Rex slams a coaster too hard. It crashes on the floor. And my phone buzzes in my pocket.

Rome.

Strange. We’re days from laying the fatal blow on his father’s company. Ruin him and his mother. He’s supposed to be working on the final papers to send to the news reporter.

Rome never lets anyone interrupt him while he’s busy handling sensitive documents.

But this isn’t a voice call. It’s a video call, and that could only mean one thing. He’s with Quinlan. Possibly naked. Maybe railed by the two of them.

My cock throbs. My feet carry me deeper into the dark alley. Back, back, back until no one can see me. I’ll follow up with Rex later. By the looks of it, they have another thirty minutes to close.

I go even deeper, to the back street where my SUV waits. I slip inside the car, my finger swipe across the screen.

“Rome?”

This isn’t my friend’s face on the screen.

She’s there. Taking up every inch of the frame.

Spread eagle on her bed. Naked and bound to the frame.

Her eyes glare at me, accusing. Her lips are swollen. Patches of her skin are black and blue.

Her cunt. Fuck me, her cunt is red and soaked.

I’m a living wire. A bright flame.

My hand grips the phone so tight it could crack.

No more Rex. No more tight, pink scar. None of these bullshit memories of being left locked in the closet while listening to Aria making out with her boyfriend or laughing on the phone.

No darkness. No desperate, agonizing need to see something. Anything.

There’s Quinlan. No one and nothing else.

How pretty is she when she screams. When she struggles against her restraints.

“Are you actually recording this?” she snarls. Rome must use the camera at the back of the phone. Quinlan has no idea I’m watching.

Her chest rises and falls with each harsh breath. “You can’t do this to me, you freak.”

You’re so beautiful, though. Such a perfect captive. A contained little flame.

“We aren’t recording you, darling. It’s a video call,” Damien speaks from somewhere behind the camera, his voice light. He’s genuinely happy. “Couldn’t let you go to sleep when you haven’t said goodnight to Liam. It would be rude.”

While he talks, he moves into the frame. He sits on the edge of the bed near Quinlan’s face, his hand cupping her cheek. For the shortest second, she melts into him. Leans into his touch.

She shakes the uncontrollable reaction off fast, snapping her gaze to the camera. “Liam, they went behind your back. They fucked me.”

“Such a clever one.” My thumb strokes the screen, caressing the spot where her face is. “Trying to make me jealous? Or are you begging me to come home to save you?”

“Yes.” Her growl is too goddamn cute. “Both.”

Damien shares my sentiment, leaning in to kiss her forehead. It’s the gentlest he’s ever been with anyone. He covers his emotion as fast as Quinlan hid hers. Straightens his spine, his expression cocky.

He’ll get used to this. To being soft. If only for her.

“Don’t waste your breath, little flame.” This is my way of being affectionate. This is as much as I can give her. Taunting her. Talking to her. “We’re together in this. The four of us. I’m not, nor will I ever be jealous. And you will always be owned by us. All three of us. Nothing you can do to fight it.”

Rome and Damien are my chosen family. They didn’t leave my bedside while I healed at the hospital. Didn’t cringe when the doctors removed the bandages. My friends were there, supporting me.

The skin on my cheek heats. Remembering those days hurts. It ruins this perfect moment. This perfect view of silk tying Quinlan’s perfect body to the bed.

Where she’ll be waiting for me until I’m back home.

“Fuck you,” she spits, eyes aimed at a spot behind the screen. At Rome. “You have no right to do this to me.”

“Yes, we do,” Rome deadpans.

“You’re here for a reason.” Damien’s words are harsh, though he’s smirking. “Or have you forgotten what you said to us?”

“You’re insane.”

“Liam.” He ignores her, turning to the camera. To me. “She thinks that after we’re done with Rex, she’s getting out of here. Said another, nicer man will have her.”

“Never going to happen.” My answer is clipped, each word coming off like a flick of a Zippo. A snap. “There will be no one else.”

“Liam, please.” Her eyes aren’t watery. They’re furious. “I’ll stay.”

“I’ll consider it. Now.” Softer voice. She deserves it, even if she’s entertaining the idea of us ever being over. “What about the goodnight you owe me?”

“I’m bound to the fucking bed.” The bed frame doesn’t budge, despite Quinlan’s best efforts to rattle it. “This is all the goodnight you’re going to get.”

My heart squeezes at the sadness seeping into her voice. The corners of her eyes crinkle. She’s torn, scared of what we might do to her. Doesn’t trust us enough to know we won’t throw her like yesterday’s trash in a few weeks.

“She’s tired.” My eyebrows lower on my forehead. “That goodnight is enough for me. Let her sleep.”

“You’re not coming?”

“Later.”

“Bedtime, little captive.” Damien pulls the covers over her.

“Any last words before we turn the lights out?” Rome sits next to Damien, his large palm resting possessively on her cheek.

Quinlan’s gray gaze switches into that of reverence in an instant. She leans into him, same as she had with Damien.

“I hate you.” Quinlan’s whisper suggests she doesn’t hate us at all.

“Tell you what, Q.” The command in my voice has her blinking, focusing back on me. “I’ll be home sooner than I planned. I’ll come check on you.”

Creases appear on her smooth forehead. “Check on me?”

“Check whether you’re still hellbent on leaving us.” At the underlying threat I issue, Quinlan’s bottom lip juts out. She’s too wiped out to be angry. Too wrapped up in my friends’ touches to fight. “You could be, and that’ll be okay. In that case, I’ll leave the ropes on. Play with you. Or you could think it through. Decide you’re better off with us. Then you’ll be free of the binds.”

Quinlan opens her mouth to talk back. Her accusations are right there, on the tip of her tongue.

She’ll say I’m being cruel and unreasonable. She’ll tell me that having three men blackmail her into being their captive wasn’t and will never be her idea of a happily ever after.

She’ll be lying to herself and us.

I watched her last night while we took turns on her. While we unraveled her for us. Every mimic, every gesture.

She wants us. Her heart knows it. Her pussy does.

It’s her head that hasn’t caught up.

Yet.

“Quiet,” Rome warns. “Liam said to think about it, and that’s what you’re going to do.”

“Fuck y—”

He’s not having it, refusing to let her argue. Two of his fingers push into her mouth and she bites him.

“Careful, sweetheart. Your teeth…” he groans, shoving deeper, getting off on the pain. “Or maybe you’re asking me to fuck your pussy? Or is it Damien’s cock you’re begging for?”

“No, she’s just being a brat.” Damien strokes her hair, his mouth pressed to her temple. “Why don’t you just give in? Aren’t you tired? Don’t you want to sleep?”

She shivers, and ever-so-slowly, her lips close. She’s sucking on Rome’s fingers. Using him to pacify herself.

“Good girl.” Rome’s fingers disappear in her mouth, and he stills. He lets her suck them. Lets her relax. “That’s it. You’re so good. Suck my fingers. Make yourself feel good.”

She’s doing exactly that. Letting go.

Her emotions have been locked behind a mask for years. For Rex’s benefit. For her parents. Her clients.

No one’s ever given her the space to just be herself. It’s a lot. I get it.

That’s why we’re here. We’re obsessed with her smiles, her sadness, her fight. We’re after all of it.

We’re getting all of it.

She’ll learn to give it to us. To stop this another man nonsense.

With us, Quinlan will kick and scream and curse. She’ll draw blood. Be as feral as she’d like.

The three of us will be there no matter what. She has no idea how badly we need her to be just that. Herself.

“You can scream, little flame. Would you like that?” She hears the smile in my voice. And what’s that I see? A smile in return? A small one, but it’s there. A smile around Rome’s fingers. “Hate us, that’s okay too. We’ll have you either way. We’ll take care of you, always. There will be no other man after us. There will be no after us , period.”

Quinlan bobs her head, her eyes droopy.

I mean to say a lot more.

We’ll cherish you until there’s no more air in our lungs. Worship you until our hearts stop beating.

We will spend forever loving you.

Rome saves me from turning into an emotional mess.

They’re coddling her enough for a woman who’s been punished.

She’ll thank us by the time we’re done. When there are no more secrets between us.

He pulls out his fingers. My dick strains in my pants at the sight of the thin strip of saliva stretching from his fingertips to her lips.

I’ll taste it soon. Real fucking soon.

“Darling.” Damien’s voice is strained. “Be a good girl and tell Liam goodnight. Then we’ll let you sleep.”

She hums. “Good night, Liam.”

She means it. Fuck, she does. We made her better.

My scar burns, but this isn’t pain I’m feeling. It’s the ghost of her touch. Her searching fingers on my mangled skin.

“Good night, little flame.”

I’m too raw, too emotional to stay on the line a second longer.

I end the call, start the car and head watch over Rex until he closes. Then I’ll head home. I’ll go to her.