Page 34 of Graves & Griggs
“Siren, talk to me,” he practically begged.
“Some guy was following us at the mall. He got pictures of us. I… I don’t know. He’s dead now, I guess. We’re going to meet Wesley.”
“The mall? What the fuck are you doing at the mall? Is my family with you?” Zayden practically snarled.
“Blake is,” she said softly.
I closed my eyes, letting out a ragged breath. We stayed on the line the entire time until Wesley and the body were in their vehicle, and we made it to the cabin in twenty minutes. Normally, I fucking hate reckless drivers, but in that moment, Vincent couldn’t slam his foot far enough to the floor.
Zayden and Vincent battled to burst through the door first, one going for Wesley while the other went for Ronan. Both got several good hits in on them before they were pried off by the others. I, however, took my time as I stepped into that room. I needed to, or I was going to fucking lose it.
I am composed, I am collected. Not right now, though. Right now, I feel as out of control as I imagine Zayden feels daily. I’m fearful to even touch my wife or children, unsure of what the raging beast inside me will do with all of this… anger.
Clenching my fists by my side, I verbally annihilate everyone in the room until they’re dust beneath my feet.
“We asked for your aid, a request that should have been granted without hesitation, yet you all deem it appropriate to put the love of our lives in danger? The mother to our children? Tell me, are you so arrogant that you thought you could stand toe to toe with anyone who dares cross you or so ignorant that you didn’t believe us when we warned of very real danger awaiting an opportunity?” I snarl as I look between Ronan and Wesley.
Wesley speaks up, definite shame in his tone. “The girls wanted to get some Christmas presents for your sons. They’ve been stuck in the house. They just wanted?—”
“I don’t give a fuck what they wanted! Be reckless with your wife all you want, but if you so much as put a single hair on Blake’s head in danger, I will break every goddamn bone in your body with a tiny hammer and then I will fucking kill you!”
Zayden’s hand comes to rest on my shoulder, his way of attempting to rein me in, but it’s useless. This rage inside me is anall-consuming fiery blaze that I have no way to put out. No desire to either.
“Dom, calm down,” Blake says, but I cut her a look so feral, she sinks back into the couch and swallows, looking properly chastised.
“You will not tell me to calm down! You fucking know better! You knew better, goddamnit! You?—”
A fist drives into the side of my face, forcing me to the ground. When I blink away the stars, Zayden is grasping my shirt, pressing his nose to my own as he snarls, “Do not swear at my wife! You will apologize. NOW!”
I feel the prick of cold metal and only now register that Zayden has a knife pressed to my neck with his other hand. I’m sure the others are bewildered at the sight before them. Surely, none of them would ever contemplate harming one another. Maybe Griggs, but other than that… Zayden and I… we’re different, though. We were raised different; we grew up different. The difference is that I love my brother dearly; he’s my other half. He’s the only blood family I have, but the truth is the same for both of us. If it came down to our wife and children’s protection and our lives, we would both gladly gut the other with little to no remorse.
I look to Blake, struggling to utter a single word of remorse when I feel no such thing. She was careless with her life, careless with our hearts. She knows better. Just because these boys let Skyla prance around like a spoiled princess doesn’t mean that our wife doesn’t know better. It’s not like the five-foot-nothing privileged little girl poses any physical or emotional threat. So I cannot for the life of me understand why my level-headed, rational wife would do something so monumentally stupid.
Slowly, Blake stands and walks towards us before reaching out and touching Zayden’s hand. In an instant, he drops the knife, allowing it to clatter against the floor. It’s as if Blake’s skin against his is Zayden’s very own reset button. He completely shuts down for her, becoming wholly subservient to her every desire.
Once Zayden releases me, Blake comes to kneel before me, lowering her head as she speaks.
“I’m sorry.”
My temper slowly recedes, though not completely, as I slip my hand beneath her chin, tilting her face to look upon mine.
“Come.”
Wordlessly, she obeys as we both stand. Our hands intertwine as we weave through the large crowd. When we make it to the stairs, I hear the soft sound of Ryder giggling while Aries shouts. They’re playing some kind of game. They’re safe. They’re okay. That’s what matters.
It's not the end, though.
I walk into our temporary room, close the door behind us and lock it, then flick the bedroom light on.
“How many?” Blake asks.
She knows what will happen next; she’s expected it because over time we’ve found it’s what I need. I need to regain balance. I need my composure back. I need the darkness out of me, and I need it out now.
“As many as it takes,” I say as I roll my sleeves up to my elbows.
Blake nods, moving to the end of the bed before peeling down her pants and panties and bending herself over the bed. I take a moment, admiring the sight of my beautiful wife. Her cunt is poking out in a way that has my cock twitching, her ass like a juicy peach ripe for the picking. This isn’t sexual, though, not in this moment.
I step towards her, my hand rubbing against the smooth skin before I pull back, clapping down against her in a way that has her back bowing. She attempts to muffle her scream, but on the second and third spank, she’s unable to do so. With each strike against her ass, the knot in my chest loosens. Her skin becomes hot beneath my touch, and I crave each strike like I crave my next breath.
