Page 61 of Brutal Bond

Unlike the rest of the police in this town, he saw us—all of us devils—for exactly what we are. He was missing one piece that would have taken us all down.

It’s ultimately what led to him being condemned to an eternity below my future home. After what he did to Harper, I would have put him there with or without the help of Grant, Samuel, and Will. Their eagerness to help grew exponentially when they learned how close he was to exposing us.

I’m not naïve enough to believe their intentions were pure, and that they did it for me. I know this with certainty because none of us are built like that. Self-preservation above all else.

Only now, I’m not just protecting myself. I value Harper’s life as much as my own.

Same as Samuel with Cora.

And I’m pretty sure with Grant and Abigail as well.

Refolding the paper, I set it back onto the counter and order Harper’s drink. With the packed crowd, it takes a little longer than usual, but I’m back in the car and on my way home within minutes.

“Harper,” I call as I walk through the door. When she doesn’t answer, I begin wandering through the house looking for her. A splash comes from outside, and I am surprised to find her in the pool. A little angry, even, as I set her latte on the patio table. “What are you doing?”

Her doctors have been adamant about rest and relaxation as she recuperates. Exercise—or anything strenuous—has been off-limits since I brought her home.

“All my tests looked good yesterday.” she smirks. “Doctor Vaughler said I could resume my normal activities, just that I needed to ease back into them.”

I can ease her back in.

CHAPTER

FORTY-SEVEN

HARPER

Hearing that my pussy is no longer off limits, I can’t quite tell if Eddie is eager to fuck me or angry that I didn’t tell him sooner.

Even if I did just find out ten minutes ago.

Reaching to his waist, his fingers work swiftly to undo the buckle of his belt.

Eager…

Definitely eager.

He kicks off his shoes as he pulls his shirt over his head.

Fuck he looks good.

Pushing his pants and boxers down his thighs, he kicks them from his feet before diving into the pool. He swims the length to me completely underwater. When he reaches me, he undoes the strings of my bikini bottoms. As they sink to the depths of the pool, his tongue licks along my pussy before he surfaces. The single touch tingles through my body like electricity.

The Eddie who has doted on me and treated me like a princess for the past couple of weeks has been great.

And exactly what I needed.

But there are no words to describe how I have missed the sadistic man who gets off on marking my body. The one who knows how to swing a paddle so hard it burns while setting my entire fucking body on fire.

That’s the Eddie I need now.

Breaking the surface, tiny droplets splatter over my face as he slides his fingers through his sopping wet hair to push it away from his face. Beads of water continue to trickle down his face as reaches down to grab my thighs. As he lifts me up to him, I eagerly wrap my legs around his waist.

“I’ve missed the feel of my hands marking your skin,” he growls against my neck as he roughly palms my ass. He squeezes hard—blissfully hard—causing me to wince at his short nails dimpling my skin. They dig deeper, slowly pressing through my flesh as he kisses and bites my shoulder.

His cock twitches between me, teasing and tapping at my entrance, and I move my hips, trying to take him inside me.

Needing him inside me.

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