Page 94 of Wicked Scorn
He recovers first, shaking his head with a laugh that seems to echo unnaturally in the silence. “Oh, what the fuck,” he mutters, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Every time I suggest we burn shit down, I’m the problem. Little Miss Muffet here does it, and now we’re all ‘yay fire friends.’ This is bullshit.” He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a silver lighter and flicking it open with a flourish. The small flame dances.
Both Graham and I just deadpan stare at him. I cannot with his bullshit right now. Everything is always a fucking comedy show.
“Lucky for you guys,” he says, waving the lighter theatrically, “I’ve got my trusty lighter and enough gasoline in the generator outside to light this place up like Burning Man. Good job, you little guardian devil. Thank you for this gift of setting this motherfucker up.”
“Well, she’s definitely one of us now,” Graham says.
“Fuck yeah, she is. I need to get her home, though.”
“Go,” he orders. “We’ll handle this.” His tone leaves no room for argument.
I turn to walk away, leaving my brothers to take care of the library and everything in it when Oakley peeks over my shoulder.
“Everything, Penn,” she repeats, stronger this time, her conviction searing through her fear. “Ashes can’t tell tales.”
Graham laughs, the sound devoid of any humor. “She’s not wrong.”
“Damn baby Blackwood! You just made my dick hard with that one.” I’m going to kill him. What’s it called when you kill your own sibling? Fratricide. I’m definitely doing that shit.
Chapter 37
Oakley
The moment we cross the threshold of Blackwood manor, I can feel the energy around us shift. The world outside fades away, leaving only Rem and me. No words are needed as he carries me down the hallway, the warmth from his touch seeping into my very core. I’m nuzzled into him, not really caring what his plan is for tonight. I just need him.
“No one is ever going to take you from me,” Jeremiah murmurs, his voice a soothing balm to my frayed nerves as he opens our bathroom door. Suddenly, I’m worried that I’m going to be left alone with my thoughts. Even if Jeremiah is in the next room, it’s not close enough. I need to be able to see him and feel him.
“Are you staying?” I whisper, unable to hide the trembling in my voice. He reads mind, shaking his head as he sets me down on the bathroom counter and leaning in to kiss me more roughly than I expected.
“I’m not leaving you alone. Ever, Oakley. I hope you understand that I’m so fucking serious. We’ll cleanup together.” I instantly relax at his words. I thought maybe he’d want to shower separately to wash the blood off, lord knows he loves his showers. I watch him turn on the water and roughly dump way too much body wash into the stream. I guess my pretty boy likes bubbles, which makes me giggle. He turns to look at me, his eyes serious and brooding, a scowl fixed on his handsome face. I don’t have the words to explain how funny it is to me that this man who killed not one, but two men for me tonight is drawing me a bubble bath and I suspect it’s not only for me.
I watch as Jeremiah undresses, his gaze never leaving mine. His eyes are half-lidded, a clear indication that he’s got more on his mind than relaxing. I can practically see the adrenaline pumping through his body, his shoulders stiff like he’s holding himself back from ravaging me right here.
Jeremiah approaches me, and my eyes roam his gorgeously sculpted body as he takes his hoodie off of me roughly. He wastes no time caressing me as his hands slide over my shoulders before he lets me hop down. I’m clad only in my panties, but he doesn’t leer or ogle. Instead, he meets my gaze, steady and unwavering, a silent promise of safety etched within those green depths.
“Ready?” he asks softly, extending a hand to guide me into the bathtub.
“Ready,” I reply, taking his hand and allowing him to help me ease into the warm water. As I sink deeper, every muscle in my body relaxes, surrendering to the comforting embrace of the bath. My eyelids flutter shut, and I can’t help but let out a contented sigh.
“Feeling better?” Jeremiah inquires, genuine concern lacing his voice as he gets in behind me and wrapping his arms around me.
“Much,” I admit, opening my eyes to find him watching me with a tender smile. “I didn’t realize how much I needed this.”
“I didn’t realize how much I needed you, until I didn’t have you,” he murmurs against my neck, pressing kisses there as he rubs his hands up my thighs and then over my belly. His hand rests there against the flat of my stomach. “I would have been a fucking menace if something had happened to you tonight. Bunny. Every person on this fucking planet would have had hell to pay.”
“Not to point out the obvious,” I begin with a little laugh, “but you did kill two people for me tonight. That’s kind of a menace, right?”
“Bunny,” he replies softly, his eyes darkening with emotion that I can’t quite place. Love, affection, but something even further I’m not sure I’ve ever seen before. “I would have killed them all. Every. Single. Fucking. One.”
The intensity of his words sends a shiver down my spine. I can feel my pulse quicken as our eyes lock, desire simmering just beneath the surface. The air between us grows heavy.
“Pretty boy,” I breathe, leaning closer to him, turning around in his arms.
“Yes?” he murmurs, his voice husky with longing.
“I love you so much.”
“Keep saying that and you’re not leaving this room until I’ve put a baby in you,” he whispers, his hands finding my shoulders. I’d argue with him, tell him that we’re too young, but his fingers dig into the knots and tension, eliciting a moan from me as I surrender to the pleasure. I’m on the pill and we both know it, but with the way he’s acted tonight, I wouldn’t be surprised if he took down my birth control next. “I’m trying to be a gentleman. You’ve been through too much tonight. Youneed to relax, and I have a hard time controlling myself around you. I tell myself I need to be gentle, and then…” he trails off with a groan.
