Page 128 of My Revenant
I believed him.
With Archer missing, there was chaos among the Strays, all of whom had unfortunately ended up in Dex’s kitchen. No one had heard from their gang leader. Dex had dozens of missed calls when he switched his phone back on, but none of them were from Archer. Apparently, Henrik had also been impossible to get a hold of.
There were two missing twins, and a whole fucking lot of chaos.
I’d wanted to be in the room as they discussed everything, but the group—particularly Reaper—hadn’t at all been pleased by my presence there. Dex promised me he’d update me on everything when he’d pulled me aside and asked me to wait in his bedroom for him.
So here I was, trying not to throw things at the wall while I waited around like a pet. Anxiety swirled around inside me. Fear that one of them could verify Archer’s whereabouts that day and they’d know he hadn’t done it. And maybe that should have been the biggest fear I had, but it wasn’t.
If Archer was out of the picture, the Strays would need a new leader, and the fact that they were all in Dex’s kitchen right now, and that they’d been calling him for everything leading up to this, it was pretty fucking obvious who that would be.
I didn’t want to share him—not with the Strays or anyone else. I wanted him to be mine and mine alone. I wanted to be his priority, and as long as the Strays existed, I wouldn’t be. He’d chosen them over me before, and if he officially became their leader, it would only happen more. I hated it, hated them for needing him. Why couldn’t it be someone else? Why did he have to always take care of them and let them rely on him?
By the time I heard the front door opening and closing, various bikes roaring to life and speeding away, it was well into the night, and I was fucking pissed.
The stairs creaked under footsteps, and Dex opened the door quietly, his eyes finding mine. “I thought you might be asleep.”
I glared at him. “Really?”
“No.” He smiled softly. “But you should be. It’s late.”
“What happened down there?”
Dex sighed. “No one’s heard from Archer or knows where he might be.”
“We already knew that.”
“No one’s been able to get in contact with Henrik either.”
I stared at him, waiting for him to continue and prompting him when he didn’t. “What’s happening, Dex? Who’s taking Archer’s place?”
His jaw clenched, and my fears were confirmed. “Me. Just for now. Just until we figure out something more permanent.”
I laughed, but there was no humor in it. “As if. Something more permanent, come on, Dex. You don’t really expect me to believe that, do you? You’re it. They all need you, and you let them. This is just it now, isn’t it?”
“Just for now, Rabbit.” He crossed the room, hands finding mine. I pulled away from him, but he grabbed me again, pulled me into him, his arms trapping me in. “Just for now, I promise. Just give me a little time to sort this out, and I’ll set Raven up to take over. Then I’ll be done with it all.”
I pulled back to look into his eyes, to search for the truth in his words. “You… you’re going to step away from it? From them?”
Dex nodded. “I had nothing but them for a very long time, baby. They were the closest thing to a family I’d ever known. But they aren’t anymore. Because now I have you. And you’re the only home I’ll ever need.”
His words broke through the shield of rage I was holding between us and punctured the heart of my fear. “You… you really mean that? You’d give it all up for me?”
“Of course I would, Rabbit. And I will. Just give me a little bit of time. Can you do that?”
He wasn’t choosing them. He was choosing me. My arms wrapped around him as I pulled him closer, burying my face in the curve of his neck. “You’re my home too,” I whispered into his skin.
Just a little more time and he’d be mine completely, and I’d be his, and we wouldn’t have to worry about anything but each other.
I sought his lips and found them eager. Promises passed between us in the form of kisses before we were on his bed, pulling at each other’s clothes, tasting each other’s skin. Until he was inside me and we were as close as we could be. Until he was home within my body and I wished I could keep him there always.
forty-six
Dex - Past
THE DEVIL’S HOME.
Jonah stirred but didn’t wake as my phone vibrated on the nightstand. I pulled away from him gently, already missing the heat and warmth of his body as I grabbed the device and shuffled out of bed. I’d meant what I told him—he was all that mattered. As soon as I knew the Strays would be okay without me, I was out.
