Deception, p.29
Deception, page 29
He steps closer, his palm going around my throat and he kisses me. “It drives me insane that he’s all over you and inside you.”
“Sounds like a personal problem,” I sass back.
“One I’m going to take care of.” He nips at my bottom lip and then pulls back. “Get undressed. We’re showering.”
I don’t move, arching a brow at him. He remains still for all of three seconds before he loses patience and starts yanking off my clothes for me. A silly smile teases at my lips.
He’s eager to claim me like some sort of caveman.
Why does that make my heart trip all over itself?
“Does your dick even work anymore?” I ask, unable to keep from poking the bear. “Is there anything left for me after that mess you made?”
“My dick always works for you, smartass.”
The second we’re both naked, he grabs my wrist, hauling me into the bathroom. He might as well club me and drag me to his cave by my hair. The incoherent grunts of annoyance coming from him further add to this whole caveman scenario.
“I want you to smell like me,” he murmurs once we’re under the hot spray of the shower. “Only me.”
“It’ll only be temporary until one of your brothers gets a hold of me again.” I can’t help but taunt him. I’m powerful for once in my damn life. Like I’m holding all the winning cards and they’re just playing in my game.
He shoots me a withering glare that only serves to make me laugh. I find great satisfaction at the way he washes me from head to toe, making sure to clean my pussy extra well.
“My turn,” he growls.
I squeal at the abrupt way he picks me up and pushes my back against the tile wall. Clinging to his neck, I brace myself for his brutal intrusion.
Oh God is it brutal.
“And look, Laundry, my dick works just fine.”
He slams into my body, his thick, hard cock stretching my sore tissue. There’s no gentleness to this. It’s a pure claiming. Marking his territory. Leaving his scent. I’m still wet inside from Scout’s come, so Sparrow slides in and out easily. He sinks his teeth into the side of my neck as he fucks me like a wild man.
All I can do is hold on and go for the ride of my life.
And when he’s made sure to coat every inch inside me with his own orgasm, only then does he relax.
Later, when we’re naked in bed, tangled together on the brink of sleep, I allow myself to fantasize about a life where there isn’t a villainous father I’m hiding from. Just me, my three assholes, and my little sister.
It feels a lot like happiness.
A lot like home.
Chapter Eleven
Scout
There’s a hand on my face. And why is my chest wet? Heathen’s purring vibrates on my stomach, which doesn’t explain the hand or drool. Blindly, I reach up to find soft, fuzzy hair on a little head.
Della.
Something inside my chest tightens. Gently, I pull the hand from my face and reposition her arm so it’s tucked between us. I left both her and Heathen in my bed last night when I went to fuck Landry and then crashed on the couch after a quick shower. Sometime in the middle of the night, both the cat and the kid found their way to me.
My mind drifts to the things Landry told me—things her father did to her. If that’s not enough to make me want to murder the fucker, he’s also cruel to Della.
Cruel to a deaf six-year-old.
I’ve done a lot of shitty things in my life, but that seems like the absolute worst.
A knock on the door startles me. I’m not sure who could be visiting. I’m certain whoever it is needs to go away. The knock resounds again and I’m forced to take action. Slowly, I slide out from beneath the kid and the cat. I make a detour for my gun and hold it behind my back as I go to the front door.
A man.
A pacing man to be exact.
I can’t make out who it is through the peephole, but determine they don’t exactly appear to be a threat. When I open the door, I’m surprised to find Ty Constantine standing in the hallway.
“Hey,” I grunt in greeting. “What’s up?”
His eyes flare hot and his mouth curls into a vicious sneer. “That’s what you have to say to me right now? ‘What’s up?’ Are you fucking serious right now?”
He’s going to wake the kid if he keeps up his bitching. I shove the gun into the pocket of my sweats and step out of the apartment, closing the door behind me.
“What are you doing at my apartment at the ass crack of dawn?” I demand, crossing my arms over my chest. “And how the fuck did you find out where I live?”
Despite the fact that I have a gun in my pocket that I’m sure he can see clear as day, he steps forward, a murderous expression on his face.
I’m pissed, too. Despite my best efforts, we’ve been found. It’s just Ty, who’s essentially harmless, but if he could find us, then anyone can. That shit makes me super fucking uneasy.
“You lied to me,” he hisses. “You fucking lied to me.”
He’s not making much sense. I mean, I know I lied to him, but how does he know I lied to him. My brow lifts and I stare him down until he speaks again. With Ty, it’s never too long without words. He has a lot to say. Always.
“You’re not Ford Mann.” He pokes me on the chest, just above my crossed arms. “You’re a fucking fraud.”
“It’s too early for this shit,” I grind out. “I haven’t had coffee yet.”
“Does it look like I give a fuck?” His face reddens with fury. “You lied to me about who you were and took advantage of me. It was you, wasn’t it? You took Landry?”
If Ty, the most oblivious idiot on the planet, has come to this conclusion, I wonder who else has figured it out. My blood boils at the thought of Alexander showing up here. I’d gladly use a bullet on that motherfucker.
“Oh, but our friendship was real,” I deadpan. “So I lied about my name? So what? You think I took the girl who friend-zoned you?”
“You fucking used me,” Ty complains, already losing some of his steam. “You used me and I don’t understand why. I thought you were my friend.” He starts pacing again. “What about the girl you were obsessed with? The married one? Was that just a ruse to take my girl instead?”
I unfold my arms and step toward him. “Not. Your. Girl.”
He blinks several times, like I’ve lost my mind. “She’s here? Landry is here?”
“Were you followed?”
“No. Now tell me where the hell Landry is.”
“She wanted you to save her and you took too long,” I grit out. “Someone had to be her hero.”
“You’re a psychopath,” he snaps.
“So I’ve been told.” I pat the gun in my pocket, reminding him I’m the psychopath with the gun. “Why are you here? How did you get my address?”
He lets loose a dark chuckle, ignoring my gun altogether. “I had this gut feeling something was up with you. Yesterday, instead of going to work, I went on a field trip. Followed you all over the city.”
So it was Ty watching me set fire to that building?
It could have been worse. Could have been Alexander or Winston. Ty is a situation I can manage. The other two…are slightly more difficult.
“Ty, Ty, Ty,” I chide. “I really wish you wouldn’t have followed me.”
“Stop being so flippant,” Ty growls. “You act like you don’t care. Like you’re untouchable. What’s your real name, man?”
“Come inside,” I instruct. “I’ll tell you everything.”
He narrows his eyes, studying me warily. “Why? So you can kidnap me too?”
“I can assure you, man, I would not kidnap you.” I smile at him. “Probably just kill you.”
His flinch is slight, but I see it. He’s still in hero mode, though, because he nods. “Take me to Landry. I need to see with my own two eyes she’s okay.”
“Are you sure you want to see her?” I ask. “She’s a little busy at the moment.”
“Take. Me. To. Her.”
I’ll give him an A for being ballsy. I’d pegged him for a bit of a pussy, but he’s showing a spine.
“Your funeral,” I tease with a taunting grin, ushering him inside.
He swallows hard before walking into the apartment. I close the door behind him and follow him into the living room. Della is still asleep, curled around Heathen who is tolerating her only because she’s not awake. The cat whips her tail back and forth, eyeing the newcomer with suspicion.
“You’re so fucked,” Ty mutters. “That’s Croft’s kid. When he finds out she’s here, he will destroy you.”
When he finds out.
Which means he hasn’t yet.
Ty’s at least a little loyal to our “friendship” that he’d confront me first before tattling on me. I can work with that.
“He won’t as long as you didn’t lead him right to us on your half-assed rescue mission. Come on.” I motion for him to follow me down the hallway. At Sparrow’s door, I don’t bother knocking. I twist the knob and push it open. “She’s here.”
Sparrow is spooning Landry from behind, both of them still asleep. She has a dark hickey on her neck. The sheet isn’t covering them, exposing all of their nakedness. Sparrow’s massive hand cups one of her breasts possessively, even in his sleep. Her face is serene, completely at peace with her bedmate.
“What the fuck?” he chokes out. “You have a twin brother? Landry is dating him?”
Dating.
Such a prissy little word.
What we’re doing is far beyond dating. We’re consuming her, owning her, making her ours. We’re a drug that’s entered her bloodstream and she’s too high from the way we feel to ever want to willingly withdraw from us.
Landry isn’t going anywhere.
Not now.
Not ever.
“If you must know the personal details, friend, we share her. Split her three ways.” I flash him a wicked grin. “She really likes getting fucked while my brother watches.”
“Who the fuck are you people?”
I shove at his chest, sending him stumbling back into the hallway. Closing the door behind me, I lead him to Sully’s room. Sully is sprawled out on his bed, tangled in his blanket.
“Triplets?”
“Mannford triplets. Look us up. We’re quite popular with the Constantines.”
His face pales. “What are you talking about?”
“Ask your cousin, Winston.” I smirk at him and then hobble my way into the kitchen to make coffee.
Ty is on my heels, hissing out a string of curse words under his breath. “I’m not asking Winston. Tell me what the hell is going on.”
After getting a pot started, I pull out a mug for myself and then hold one up for him. “Coffee?”
“Dude,” he snaps. “You’re insane. Focus for three seconds and tell me what’s going on.”
Ignoring his tantrum, I make us both a coffee. He glowers at me but accepts the coffee without argument. I lean my ass against the counter, inhaling the delicious aroma, take a scalding sip, and then sigh.
“The married woman I was after was Winston’s wife.”
“Ash?” He gapes at me. “Are you fucking serious?”
“Deadly.”
He bristles at that word choice. “Were you using me to get to Ash?”
“Oh, poor boy. I wasn’t using you for anything other than information. Which, by the way, you delivered.” I flash him a wolfish grin. “I’m sure my brother’s dick thanks you right now.”
Ty tenses, and for a second, I wonder if he’ll throw his coffee in my face. He doesn’t. Self-preservation on his part, that’s for sure.
“We were hired by our uncle to watch over your beloved Landry,” I explain. “And since we have history with your cousin, we were all happy to meddle.”
“Your uncle?”
“Bryant Morelli.”
His face blanches. “Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.”
“Scout Mannford. Pleased to meet you.” I offer my hand but he doesn’t take it. “Your cousin took Ash away from us. And this limp? He gave it to me. Ruined our lives.”
“I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation—”
“How can you be so sure? You aren’t exactly close to your cousin, are you?”
His lips press into a firm line. “No. I don’t know what happened. I mean, I attended their wedding and have seen Ash a few times, but we don’t talk about anything except her bird.”
Oh, how I miss her bird, Shrimp.
Heathen would love to play with little Shrimp. Too bad we can’t coordinate a playdate.
“Ash couldn’t handle our games and made her precious Prince Charming rescue her.”
“What games?”
“Ash was ours. She was our stepsister and we wanted her. But Winston swooped in and distracted her. Stole her. He had everything but he had to take the one thing we wanted.”
Ty’s eyes widen and his mouth gapes. “This is really fucked up, man.”
“She thought she could leave us, so we did everything we could to make her stay. Humiliated her, robbed her of every penny to her name, photographed her and exploited her any chance we got. All to prove a point.”
“That you’re all fucking insane?”
I flash him a sinister smile. “That she belonged to us.” My smile falls and anger pulsates through me. “But he laid claim too. And since he’s got more money than fucking God, he won the war between us. He didn’t stop there, though. He had to also take away our mother, our cars, our future. Hell, he nearly took away our ability to walk. Me and my brothers have been aching to make him pay ever since.”
Ty swallows, his hand slightly shaking. He sets the coffee down on the counter. “You’re telling me all this even though I’m a Constantine. Aren’t you afraid I’m going to tell?”
“Nah, man,” I say with a shrug. “Your hands are tied.”
“How so?”
“You aided in getting me—a Morelli for all intents and purposes—information that led to Landry’s escape. Your assistance in helping the wrong side won’t be taken as a little oopsie and easily forgiven. Trust me. Your cousin will do what he can to destroy you too. Maybe not as bad as he did us, but rest assured, he will disown you, strip you of any connections you have because of your last name, and make sure that you’re not tied to one cent of his money.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah, fuck,” I agree. “Plus, if you tattle, to anyone for that matter, they’ll show up here and take those two girls right back to their monstrous father. Do you think he’s the forgiving type or do you think he’s also like your douchebag cousin?”
He scrubs a palm over his face, his blue eyes wild with indecision. “She doesn’t look unhappy here,” he admits. “But you’re not exactly someone safe. I mean, this is seriously fucked up.”
I take a long swallow of coffee before setting it on the counter. My eyes bore into his. Shoving my hand into my pocket, I produce the gun and set it next to my coffee.
“I will shoot anyone, and I do mean anyone”—I pause so he understands that means him too—“who tries to take Landry away. We only thought we wanted Ash. With Landry, we know we want her. Indefinitely.”
“You won’t hurt her.”
“Oh, I’ll hurt her, but she’ll enjoy it. The good kind of hurt.”
“That’s supposed to reassure me?”
“You don’t have a choice.” I gesture with my hand for him to leave. “Time to go, friend. I’m no longer feeling very hospitable.”
He shakes his head, his eyes darting back and forth. “You can’t hide out forever, man. You said it yourself. My cousin is too powerful. If you think he’s forgotten all about you and your brothers’ transgressions, you’re an idiot. He’s teamed up with Alexander already. After you three fall off the grid at the same time the Croft girls do, how long do you think it’ll be before he puts two and two together? You know he still keeps tabs on you guys. If I were him, I would.”
Hell, I would, too.
The uneasiness is back.
He’s right. We can’t hide forever, though that’s absolutely my wish. Winston is too smart for that.
“What do you propose, then?”
“Fuck if I know.” He runs his fingers through his hair, messing it all up. “A public appearance? To show all is well?”
I mull over his words for a second and then nod. “Find something public. We’ll send Sparrow. He’s like you and your people.”
“And what exactly am I like?”
“A spoiled prince in an expensive suit.” I give Ty a two-fingered salute. “Bye, little Constantine prince.”
Chapter Twelve
Landry
Anxiety claws at my throat and infects my every thought. Ever since I learned Ty dropped by this morning, and Scout told him everything, my mind has been a mess.
What if he tells my dad?
I have to believe he wouldn’t. Ty is my friend. He was going to help me escape until Scout hijacked our whole plan, injecting himself into the equation instead.
Still, I’m worried and I can’t stop.
If I was smart, I would leave. Sneak out the front door when the guys are all asleep, carrying Della far, far away from here.
And then what?
Get stopped by the first cop I see only for them to haul me back home, depositing us both back into the hands of a monster?
I shudder at that thought. At least here, even while feeling like a sitting duck, I’m somewhat protected. The Mannford triplets are shockingly obsessed with me. It’s unnatural and unhealthy, yet it’s my biggest and most powerful shield against my father.
Scout doesn’t seem to be worried at all about Ty or my father. He’s been going about his day today like his story this morning didn’t shake the ground I walk on. Sully’s concern has been for me while Sparrow has been pacing around endlessly.
“You’re exhausting me,” Scout says with a yawn. “Sit down already.”
Sparrow shoots him an incredulous glare. I’m with Sparrow on this one.
“Why aren’t you worried?” Sparrow demands. “Ty showed up here. Here. At our fucking apartment, man. How can you sit there and be so chill about this?”
