Revenge of a Queen (Black Hallows Book 2)

by G N Wright

  Chapter 17

  ELLE

  Ifeel myself waking and I immediately stretch out my arm to reach for Cassie, but all I find is cold sheets. Not unusual but it means something else has her attention, otherwise she would have woken me up. I keep my eyes closed, comfortable enough that I feel like I could fall back asleep when I hear them.

  “Nuh uh, Mommy never lies, it’s bad,” I smile with my eyes closed at her statement, she remembers everything I say. I don’t know another kid her age that has a memory like hers or speaks so well.

  “Well, that is not what happened, and you weren’t even there, I was,” Marcus’ voice hits me like a fucking Mack truck. WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK!?

  I snap my eyes open so fast that it takes a few seconds for my vision to unblur but sure enough there he is. He is sitting at Cassie's small table, looking ridiculously oversized in one of her tiny chairs while she sits on his knee like she belongs there. They are looking at an old photo album of mine, that has a ton of pictures of Marcus and I as kids and swapping stories about them. Cassie reciting them from hearing them during bedtime stories and Marcus reciting them from memory.

  I didn’t think my heart could get any fuller. Seeing Cassie with Asher is one of my favorite sights in all the world, they really do adore each other. I thought I would never match that, but seeing Cassie with Marcus, fuck, that hits me differently. Which is crazy right because I love Asher and Marcus, albeit, not in the same way, maybe that's why it feels so different. Asher is my friend, my family and Cassie's dad but in a way, Marcus is much more than that. He’s my first friend, first crush, first love, what I thought would be a forever kind of love. It sure felt like it, well until the Cassie bomb dropped. I thought we would never recover but now here he sits with his arms around her like he has been here every day of her life.

  Fuck, why is life so complicated? I sit up slowly but clearly not slow enough because as soon as I move both pairs of eyes hit me.

  “Mommyyy!” She screeches, as she struggles off Marcus’ huge lap to come racing towards me. She dives onto the bed and cuddles into my side.

  “Look, Mommy! It’s River, he came back, you said he wouldn’t, but he did, he came to play with me, tell me stories, and have tea parties,” the words tumble out her mouth, so fast and mispronounced, in her excitement and I can’t help but turn my gaze back to Marcus.

  He is staring at us both intently. I can tell immediately this thing with us is far from over, was it ever going to be over? How much longer can I keep him in the dark? Every time I push him away, he just comes back harder. Is it time for him to know the truth? He must want something otherwise he wouldn’t be here, would he? He said as much in the cemetery yesterday. Fuck, why is my life so complicated? Surely, this is not what an eighteen-year-old should be dealing with. What fucked up karma gods thought I was equipped enough to deal with all this shit?

  Cassie bounces off the bed and runs back over into Marcus' arms and he welcomes her. It's the most beautiful thing in the world, to see him accept her like that. It’s as beautiful as it is when I see her with Asher but with a twist of something that sends butterflies through me. Seeing my childhood crush, turned hot as fuck leader of the South Side Rebels interacting with my little girl should be a crime. Why does he have to be good at everything? My thoughts quickly go back to the alley on Friday night as I remember just how many things, he is good at and I start to blush, so I shut it down.

  I pull the covers back and stand up and watch as his gaze falls to my body taking me in, all the way down to my feet and back up, I shift my weight feeling awkward, as his gaze settles on my torso. At first, I can’t believe he would just openly stare at me like this but then it hits me what I am wearing. I went to bed in his hoodie, the same hoodie I came home in when I spent the night with him after the club. FUCK.

  I never gave it back and have been secretly sleeping in it most nights with his scent soothing me to sleep. Now here he is, catching me in the act. In the past, it wouldn’t be a big deal, I was always stealing his hoodies and never giving them back, but this isn’t the past, we aren’t those same kids. But from the look in his eye, can we be? He doesn’t look mad or awkward, in fact he looks happy, smug even and something else I can’t quite decipher.

  This situation is way past being awkward so I say the only thing I can think of to get us out of it “Breakfast?”

  He smiles like he can see what I am trying to do but he just nods and stands up taking Cassie in his arms effortlessly. Holy fuck. Forgive me father for I want to sin. I feel like tearing the hoodie from my now burning skin, but considering I only have panties on underneath, I highly doubt it would help the situation. Instead, I do what any normal awkward eighteen-year-old virgin would do, I run. I grab my sweats from where I threw them on the floor last night and flee the room, quickly, in the hopes he knows to follow and make my way down to the kitchen.

  Arthur spies me immediately from where he is already cooking breakfast. “Perfect timing, firecracker, this is almost done. Where's my little spitfire?” he asks but trails off as Marcus walks in behind me cradling Cass in his arms. Arthur’s eyebrows practically hit the roof before he quickly schools his expression, looking at me and then back to Marcus.

  He grabs a towel and wipes his hands before speaking as he walks round the counter, “Hey, it’s Marcus, right?” he starts, which is a stupid thing to say, considering he knows exactly who he is. I roll my eyes as he continues, “It’s great to finally meet you. Heard a lot about you, I’m Arthur.”

  Marcus looks at me quickly before offering his hand to Arthur. “Good to meet you too,” he replies, gruffly.

  “Grandpaaaa, pancakes!” Cassie interrupts them, as she squeals and they both smile.

  “Of course, I made pancakes for my best girl,” he says, going to take her from Marcus, but she snuggles back into him. I’m not the only one shocked, but I am the first to smile.

  “I thought after twenty-five years of marriage I was your best girl?” Helen jokes as she enters the kitchen.

  She drops a kiss to my head as she passes where I’m now sitting at the counter and goes straight to Marcus and Cassie.

  “I’m so happy to officially meet you, sweetheart. Elle never stopped talking about you,” she says, and I feel myself turning red. She is playing the part of embarrassing Mom, perfectly.

  “I’m so sorry about your father, he really was one of a kind,” she adds, and I catch the slight flinch from him before he represses it and offers her a nod and a smile.

  “Breakfast is ready,” Arthur interrupts. I guide Marcus over to the dining table as Arthur and Helen carry plates over and we all take a seat. Cassie refuses to leave Marcus' lap, so he is left to eat around her.

  To say breakfast is awkward, would be an understatement. For once, I’m grateful for the ramblings of a toddler. Cassie saves us all from getting into anything too deep as she talks about her love for Olaf from Frozen. To his credit, Marcus listens intently, as if what she is saying is the most fascinating thing in the world, it only makes me love him more. Fuck, I am so screwed.

  Once we have finished eating, it’s clear the tension didn’t go unnoticed as Arthur begins to clear the plates, Helen leans over to Cassie.

  “How about you and I take a trip to the park?” She says, and the squeal Cassie releases answers the question before she does and for the first time, she tries to eagerly leave Marcus’ arms.

  “Yesssss!” She screeches.

  “Okay, well come on let's go get dressed,” and I smile at her gratefully for stepping in.

  Cassie begins to run out of the room before she slams to a halt and turns around to run back to Marcus.

  “Will you come play again?” She asks him sweetly and I tense.

  He looks to me ever so slightly before concentrating on her fully, “You bet,” he says, simply and she smiles at him and holds out her hand.

  “Pinky promise?” she asks, and I see his shock. He didn’t know I continued our tradition with her, but
he doesn’t hesitate to curl his large, little finger around her tiny one as he repeats the words back to her. She turns away and flees the room without looking back and I stare after her knowing that I have no choice but to let him in.

  The only person in the world I won’t hurt is that little girl and keeping Marcus in the dark will do that. He needs to know the truth. As if he has direct access to my thoughts he speaks.

  “I need the truth, Ells,” he says softly, but with conviction and I nod, swinging my gaze back to him.

  “I know, River, I know.”

  Chapter 18

  ELLE

  Iagreed to give him the truth, but I needed to shower first. We walked back to the main house in silence. Once there, I led him to the basement that houses the indoor pool, games room, theater, den, and gym where Ash and I usually work out. I told him to wait for me and to call Linc and Jace, he wanted to argue but I asked him to trust me. While getting ready I also text Ash to come over. If I am going to do this, then I need to do it right and it involves him, Jace, and Linc now too.

  By the time I have showered and dressed in something that doesn’t belong to Marcus, I make my way back to the den, where all three Rebels and Ash are waiting for me. The tension is so thick I don’t even think my knife could cut through it, and trust me, it’s a sharp knife.

  I take a deep breath and enter the room fully and all four gazes hit mine. I’m not surprised Ash is the first to speak. “Hells Bells, you don’t have to do this,” he says, standing and striding over to me. I’m not the only one that catches Marcus’ snort. I ignore him, in this moment in favor of Ash as I reach out and pull him into a hug.

  “Yeah, Ash, I do,” I whisper to him quietly before I pull back and offer him what I hope is a reassuring nod and smile.

  I turn and make my way over to the sofas the guys are currently occupying and take a seat on the vacant one. Marcus and the guys sit across from me and Asher joins me by my side. My heart is beating out of my chest. I can barely take a breath, but I know I must do this.

  I breathe as deeply as I can manage before I start locking my gaze on Marcus who is already staring at me with an unwavering glare.

  “First, I need you to promise two things,” I say, mimicking what I said to Lincoln not too long ago and I see the smile tug on Linc’s lips out of the corner of my eye, clearly, he is thinking the same thing.

  “Okay,” Marcus replies, without missing a beat.

  “First, what you learn here today can never leave this room, that also needs to include what you already know in regard to Zack and Cassie,” I say, and I’m amazed that I even manage to get the words out, and he just nods so I continue.

  “Second, you can’t do anything about it.”

  “What?” he laughs slightly, like I am joking.

  “You can’t do anything about what you learn, you can’t retaliate,” I say firmly.

  “Why would I retaliate?” he asks, through gritted teeth, swinging his gaze to Asher and then back to me.

  “Just promise me, River,” I plead with him because I need that from him more than anything right now.

  He sees the look on my face and looks to his brothers at his side, to Ash, and then back to me. He takes a deep breath and then says, “I promise, Ells.”

  I take one last deep inhale into my lungs and let Ash put his hand in mine. Taking the strength that he is offering before I let another person into my darkest secret.

  “Greg Donovan is Cassie's biological father.”

  Six words hang in the air like poison.

  He laughs looking confused, “I’m sorry what? Is this your idea of a joke? He’s like five years older than us,” he swings his gaze back around to all of the boys. “Are you guys fucking with me? Because that really isn’t fucking funny,” he asks again, as he brings his eyes back to mine and when he does his smile disappears.

  He sees it then, the truth. I know he knows what I am trying to say but he must hear it. I need him to hear the words from me. I need to get it out there and strip away all the lies and lay everything on the table. The only other person in this room who knows the story I am about to tell is Asher. All three Rebels are going to get the truth today.

  “Greg Donovan took me from the woods that day. He drugged me, beat me, and then raped me. Elliot knew. They were planning to sell me. They had some sort of deal with my parents that went south and the collateral damage to be paid, was me. My parents agreed,” I pause briefly to take a breath and Ash squeezes my hand so tight I think he might break a finger. I know he is reliving that night all over again with me. “Asher overheard his father talking about me and followed him to where they were keeping me. He went to your father to ask for help. They both got me out of there and I left town with Zack, just wanting to forget everything.”

  I speak with such a monotone voice that is void from any emotion because I won’t allow myself to break again for them. Asher is deathly silent beside me, Jace and Linc both look distraught at hearing the full story. Marcus is frozen as he absorbs my words. My heart is hammering hard in my chest, but I ignore it and push on, “Except, I couldn’t forget when I was carrying a reminder with me.”

  He closes his eyes and starts shaking his head like he can rid himself of the images I have painted for him. If only life were that easy. I don’t know how we are going to be after this, but it was time for the lies to stop.

  “Michael died because he chose to save me. Elliot murdered him for making a move against him. I’ll never be able to put into words how sorry I am. It’s my fault, I’m so sorry.”

  As soon as I say the word sorry his eyes snap open and focus right on me. “Sorry?” He chokes out in barely a whisper before he jumps up and throws himself to his knees in front of me, clasping my hands in his. “Sorry,” he repeats again, in anger, “Ells, don’t let me ever hear you say that shit ever again.”

  He takes my face in his hands as he cups both my cheeks. He wipes away a tear I’d let drop and leans in until our foreheads touch. We remain like that until he pulls back and it's only then I realize the others have left the room and only the two of us remain.

  He takes a deep breath, I can hear when it catches in his throat, the emotions of what I have just revealed flow through him. I can see the moment when the anger takes over, his eyes become wild and black and I know he is just thinking of all the ways he wants to burn the world for me, for us. I won’t let them take him from me again. I reach over and grip his face in my hands until his eyes collide with mine again.

  I force every bit of love I feel for him into that look and I open my mouth to speak but he silences me with a punishing kiss that steals my breath. He pulls me off the sofa until my legs go around his torso and he grips me so tight, it’s like he never wants to let me go. I feel safe, loved, at home. When he pulls back, we are both breathing heavily, lost in each other, as he leans in and plants one more soft kiss against my lips.

  “These lips are mine, baby,” he says, as he leans in again and pulls my bottom lip between his and sucks. “You’re mine, don’t ever let me catch them on anyone else again,” he adds, before he nips at me unexpectedly.

  “And are you mine?” I ask, with a whisper.

  He laughs, “Ells, I have been yours since the day we met,” he says, with a pained grin. He reaches out and strokes a hair behind my ear before he adds, “we just got separated for a while as you ran and I was lost, but I won’t let that happen again. If you’re here, I’m here, if you run again then I will be right by your side, it will be you and me baby, and that beautiful little girl.”

  I pull back from him and he frowns but I push my hand between us and hold it out to him, “Pinky promise?” I ask, and his frown changes instantly.

  “Pinky promise,” he replies, and for once everything in my world feels right.

  Chapter 19

  MARCUS

  “Greg Donovan is Cassie's biological father.”

  Six words that just bounce around my head on repeat. Six words that are some
thing I had thought of but dismissed as being unimaginable. Six words that have just blew my fucking world apart. Six words that are going to change the course of my life forever.

  I won’t ever forget them or the way she said them. With no emotion and with complete and utter finality. Something she has had over three years to know and become accustomed to. How can she do that? Have no emotion about what they did to her.

  I think about the fourteen-year-old girl who was my best friend. My sweet, innocent, little King who would get mad at me if I even killed a spider. What they must have done to her. Did they hold her down? Did it happen more than once? Did she scream?

  I fight with everything I have, to stop the vomit from clawing its way up my throat, as I try my hardest to focus on Elle and only Elle. She is the only thing that matters, but all I can see is images of what they no doubt did to her. So many emotions flood my body, I’m hard pressed to narrow it down to a single one, I don’t know what to feel. That’s a lie, I do. I feel rage. Pure unfiltered fired up rage. They took her, hurt her, fucking raped her, and to make everything worse than that, they fucking got away with it.

  Just like every other crime they commit. Their criminal roster is so fucking long it would take days to recite. Yet have they had any punishment? Of course not because if your wallet is deep enough then people will look the other way.