Revenge of a Queen (Black Hallows Book 2)

by G N Wright

  Marcus finds us first, he is still fully clothed, but I notice he has shaved and changed. I mildly wonder how. He slumps down into one of the loungers by the pool and locks his gaze with mine. My questioning stare must be obvious because he answers my unspoken question “I had a bag in the trunk of my car. I wasn't sure if I was leaving town or not,” he says simply with a shrug like it's nothing. Like it would have been okay for him to have just left again.

  “River,” I start, but I don’t know what to say. Would he really have left again? Would I have let him? Would it be better if he went? The truth is out there and still, I don’t know what to do. Who said being young is the best time of your life?

  I turn my attention back to Cassie and continue to hold her while she practices her paddle, but all the while I can’t help but think, what I would do if I lost him again. Would I survive it twice?

  Chapter 22

  MARCUS

  Desire. It’s a funny thing, isn’t it? How it can consume you, taking over your whole body until it’s the only thing you can feel. No matter what emotion I feel, when it comes to Ells, I always feel in excess. Too much, too long, too fucking hard. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is I fucking feel it.

  Love. Hate. Rage. Passion. Friendship. Desire.

  I have seen Elle King in a bikini at pretty much every stage of her life. From vacations when we were kids, to going to the swimming hole in middle school. I never really thought much about it, not even when we were fourteen and I was practically a fucking walking hard on. I mean of course I was hard; I was a young hormonal teen seeing a girl’s body for the first time.

  Now? Well, clearly, I am still a hormonal teenage boy because I can’t even see her body, and I am hard as fuck watching as she floats around the pool with Cassie. In a pool where she is in a bikini and wet. Apparently even the fact she is playing with her child isn’t enough to deter my cock right now.

  No, all I am thinking about is how the bikini must be clinging to her body as the water laps around her. How it would feel if I slid into the pool with her and swam to her until I could back her against the side of the pool and wrap her silky wet legs around my body. Drag my tongue across every droplet of water until she was wet only from my mouth.

  I swipe my hands across my face like that will help erase the images I am conjuring up in my head. Jesus fucking Christ, I am as hard as fucking steel. I should not be lusting over her, not when she is just being a mom. Especially not after what she just told me, but I can’t help it. The image of her riding my hand on Friday night and the taste of her when I sucked my fingers into my mouth are at the forefront of my mind right now.

  Jace finally comes back, dressed ready to swim. He and Lincoln went back home to grab some stuff so they could enjoy a swim with the girls. I could have done the same, but honestly there is too much pent-up energy running through me right now to be able to concentrate on anything. Even something as simple as swimming. He runs in from the direction we came earlier and cannon balls directly into the middle of the pool making the girls laugh. When he pops back up, he swims right over to them.

  I would never admit this out loud but sometimes I am jealous of Jace Conrad. You’d think him kissing my girl would be the thing that makes me jealous but it’s not. Okay that’s a lie, the fact he has had his lips on what is mine makes me want to punch his fucking face, but that’s not why. I am jealous of how he can handle himself, his coping mechanism. How he takes his heartache and pain and just mashes it all down and puts a smile on his face, like his world hasn’t fallen apart. It’s something I always wish would come easy to me.

  He grabs Cassie from Elle and launches her into the air before catching her again and dunking her back into the pool to her shoulders. Over and over, he does this and the giggles that pierce the air, pierce my heart at the same time. I can tell by the interaction and Elle’s smile, that they must have done this before.

  I spent the last few weeks getting drunk and high believing some stupid bullshit because I was too fucking hurt to see the truth. All the while I was missing out on this. Missing out on time spent with Elle, her daughter, my brothers, our family. I should have been here with them. The ache in my chest returns. Just as I rub my hand to it like I can stop it from hurting, Elle looks over and catches my eye. She looks back to Cassie and Jace, saying something I don’t hear, they both nod, and then she is looking back at me. She dips under the water and swims towards me until she hits the side.

  She puts her hands on the side and uses the force to pull herself from the water. My eyes immediately lock onto her tits. Her perfect, fucking magnificent tits. I don’t allow my gaze to linger too long and I drop my stare as she pushes out and stands. I am ready to take in the rest of her body until my eyes drop to her stomach and I freeze. The arousal I felt is doused in cold water when I take in the multiple scars on her abdomen. Some faded but there are two prominent ones that stand out against her otherwise perfect skin.

  I feel sick. My skin is on fire, my heart rate increasing, and my stomach churning. My hands grip my thighs so tight; I think I could draw blood even through the fabric of my fucking jeans.

  Taken. Beaten. Raped.

  Those words float around my head on repeat and still my mind can’t contemplate the horrors she must have endured. Why? Where? For how long? Fuck. I need to get out of here. Find that fucker and bleed him dry.

  I stand from the lounger so fast that my legs push it back and I scramble to stay standing. The anger pushes through me in a way I have never felt before. I can’t do this. I am going to break my promises before the day is even out. Don’t retaliate. That is what she asked of me because she knew. She fucking knew her skin bore the marks of his sick and twisted crimes.

  He is going to fucking die. I am going to torture him until he begs me to stop. I will not feel better until his body is cold and dead, at my fucking feet. Even then, I doubt I will feel anything other than this fucking fury.

  Fuck. I never thought I would see the day where I would understand Asher fucking Donovan. He changed after Elle left, and I always just put it down to him being quiet and reserved. I thought people were exaggerating when they said he was deadly. Now I get it. That night changed him. That night made him. That dark stare, that fierce protectiveness of Ells, it all stems back to that night.

  I turn and flee the room quickly pushing through the doors and smack right into Lincoln. The rage is consuming me so much, I didn’t even see him. I can barely breathe. He grabs me by the shoulder and forces my face to his so he can lock eyes with me. He observes the look in my eyes and then moves his gaze over my shoulder. I see him do a quick once over and then look back to me.

  “Don’t be reckless, brother, not anymore. She needs you strong and by her side,” he squeezes my shoulder before pulling me into a quick hug and smacking me on the back. He moves around me and pushes through the doors I just fled through.

  I hear the doors again and take a deep breath again before turning around. It takes everything in me to try keep my emotions in check. When I turn, I find Elle with a towel wrapped around her, and immediately feel like a fucking prick for making her feel like she needs to cover up. She thinks I fled because of her body, I did but not in the way she thinks. I didn’t run because of her body; I ran because of what he did to her body. She gestures to a room off to the side of where we are standing, and I follow behind her until we enter, and she closes the door behind us and leans on it.

  She speaks before I even get the chance, “Look, Marcus,” the way she says my name cuts through me, whenever I’m not River I know I’m not going to like what she is about to say. “I understand if this changes things for you,” I frown not sure where she is going with this. “I don’t have any expectations of you. My life is messy and complicated, and it won’t be easy, so if you need an out, then no hard feelings. You will always be my best friend.”

  WHAT THE FUCK! My heart is beating so fucking hard I hear it pounding in my ears. Pound. Pound. Pound.

 
Is that what she wants? Have I read this whole situation wrong?

  I am frozen and not really sure what to say, “Is that what you want?” I ask and even I can hear desperate confusion in my tone.

  “It doesn’t matter what I want,” she answers immediately before she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before opening them and taking a step towards me, clutching at the towel around her. That fucking towel, like she needs a barrier between us, like there haven’t been enough fucking barriers that we’ve had to break through. I want to rip it from her body and burn it. Tell her to never fucking hide anything from me ever again. Peel back every layer she has built around her heart until I can grasp it in my hands and keep it forever.

  “Ells,” I start, but she cuts me off.

  “No, Marcus, I get it I do. There are plenty of girls out there who don’t come with all this baggage and a scarred body,” she says, gesturing to herself, her voice getting smaller and quieter with each word. Nothing like my usual strong and confident little King.

  Oh no, not today, baby.

  I move quickly, until she is pushed back against the door and my body is covering hers. Not a bit of space between us. Her gaze locked on my chest.

  “Baby look at me,” I whisper and wait until she gives in and looks up. “There is only one girl in this world who is perfect for me and I am looking right at her. She shouldn’t want me, I for sure, don’t fucking deserve her, but god, do I fucking want her. I want her more than my next fucking breath,” a tear rolls down her cheek and I move my hands to cup her face swiping the tear at the same time. “You are my missing piece, Ells, I just don’t work without you.”

  “But I’m not whole anymore Riv. I’m broken and bruised. Used,” she whispers, her voice breaking and the pain in her tone fucking guts me. How can she see herself like that? She tries to tear her gaze away from mine and push me back, but I fight against her.

  “Then I am going to fucking put you back together, baby,” I grit out, gripping her neck and pulling her forehead against mine. “Build you up until you are whole again because we won’t let them win. They don’t get to fucking ruin you, ruin us. They are insignificant in our lives, little King. A blip on the radar. Me and you baby, me and you are going to change this fucking world. For you, for her, for us. Because you are it for me, Elle King, always have been, always will be. I love you.”

  We are so close that our lips brush as I pour my heart out to her and lay it all on the line. I can’t believe I just let those three words fall from my lips. I didn’t even realize how fucking true they are until right this second. I love her, I am in fucking love with her. I mean I knew I had feelings for her, I always have, whether it be love, hate, friendship, fucking lust. They all tangled together in a complicated web of secrets and lies, of her being my everything, then my nothing. She came back to this town and back to my life and made it impossible to ignore her. Not like I could have ever forgotten her. Elle King is a stain on my soul that can’t be erased.

  “I love you too,” she whispers back and the taste of her breath mixing with mine at her confession will be something I remember for eternity. Etched onto my black fucking heart.

  Four words. Four beautiful words and I can fucking breathe again. For the first time in three fucking years, I can breathe without being in pain. Like I am alive and have something to fucking live for. I step back and rip the towel from her body, and she gasps.

  “That is the last time you hide from me, Ells. From now on every secret you have is also mine, every tear, every pain, every fucking thought” I push back into her, “You share with me, okay?”

  “Okay,” she says.

  I drop my gaze and take in every scar allowing my fingers to trail my gaze and her breathing is heavy.

  “These scars they tell your story, our story, don’t ever fucking hide them, not from me,” I say before my hands move to her hips and I grip her tight, “I will return every single one of these ten-fold,” I grit through my teeth. “I will bleed out every fucking person who has ever hurt you until there is no one left but us, our family.”

  I don’t give her a chance to respond before I press my lips to hers, kissing her without restraint and regret. Pouring every fucking emotion I can into it. Hoping she feels it all. My love, my pain, my fucking grief. It all belongs to her.

  This is our love story. It isn’t a fairytale or happily ever after. It’s fucking messy and painful. The good, the bad, and the fucking ugly. Love isn’t enough, not for us. No. We need more. We need friendship, family, loyalty, and the blood of every person who has dared to hurt us. And I want it all. Every single part of it. And I want it all for her.

  I pull back and lock our gazes once again. No more words needed. I interlock her fingers with mine and pull her away from the door so we can get out and head back to the pool. She uses her other hand to grip onto the arm that is holding her hand and I have never felt more powerful. The King of the South Side finally has his Queen. Now it’s time to fight for our fucking Kingdom.

  Chapter 23

  JACE

  Three months ago, I would have woken up hungover with my dick being sucked. That’s how my Sundays normally went. One girl, two, three? It didn’t matter as long as it ended with me coming down their throats. It was just the standard way to end my weekend. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would spend it playing with a two-year-old. Even more than that, never would I have thought that it would be exactly where I wanted to be.

  What is it they say? A Sunday well spent brings a week of content. Well, I can’t think of a better way to spend my Sunday than with my brothers, by my side, and the two girls who have stolen our hearts. Albeit in different ways but getting to be part of Elle and Cassie’s family day really is something special.

  Now instead of being sandwiched between two girls, begging for another round with the playboy rebel, I sit around a dinner table having a true family dinner for the first time in, well, for the first time ever. I have had dinner at the Roytons’ a few times now, but never like this, never with everyone I care about in one room. Those other dinners were usually just Elle, Linc, Cassie, and I, the others either absent, busy, or giving us privacy. Now, the table is full. Lincoln is sitting to my right and Cassie to my left, Elle is next to her and then Marcus, Helen, Arthur, and Zack. The only person missing really is Asher and fuck me, at this point it’s weird him not being here. I have gotten quite used to the little psycho and I know I’m not the only one.

  Arthur is telling the story of how he and Helen met, and it has us all laughing as we listen. It’s clear they are still as in love now as they were when they met. It’s rare to see a love like that, pure and untainted. Watching them with Zack and Elle, hell even the three of us Rebels, it’s clear how much love they have to give.

  Cassie giggles along with us, even though she probably doesn’t really understand what is being said, who knows? Kids are a mystery. I find myself watching her constantly, afraid I will miss something magical. I have this fierce instinct in me, to protect her and her mother. I won’t let anything happen to them.

  “Mommy, do you love River like Grandpa loves Grandma?” Cassie interrupts Arthur. Elle chokes on her food. I burst out laughing at the face she makes, I’m usually the one who causes her to look like that. Who knew the kid could do it too? I move to fist bump her, but she just stares at it, hmm looks like we will have to work on that one kid.

  Everyone at the table pauses like they want the answer just as much as she does. I know they have talked some stuff out and I saw them holding hands around the pool today, but I haven’t had the chance to grill them about whether they are finally a fucking couple.

  Elle looks at Marcus before she looks back at Cassie and pushes a hair behind her ear that has escaped her tiny ponytail.

  “Yeah, baby, I do,” she smiles softly, and I don't miss the blush rising up her neck at her admission, or the smiles from the rest of her family.

  I see Cassie think about it for a while and just
when everyone else is about to start getting back to eating she finally responds, “I love him too, Mommy.”

  She lets those five words settle into the air and goes back to her dinner, like it was nothing. I look to Marcus and see him frozen, fork half in the air, his gaze locked on Cassie. I know how hard things must have been for him recently. I’m sure there are many things he wondered about Elle King over the years while he was pining for her. I may not have known anything about Elle but that doesn’t mean I don’t know pining when I see it.

  Marcus was always an impenetrable force. Nobody could ever get too close. Not even me and Lincoln. He may have let us into his life, had our backs and shit but there was always a part of himself that he held back. It was the same with girls, never showing interest in anyone. Sober or drunk, it was only ever to get his dick wet. He wouldn’t kiss any of them, never went back for seconds, and probably couldn’t even name the last girl he fucked before Elle showed up. It’s like he knew, knew that she would eventually come back here, back to him.

  He just never thought she would bring someone else with her. I’m sure he always wondered if she would have met someone else, fallen in love. I just doubt it ever crossed his mind that the someone she loved would be her child. The last few weeks have changed the course of his life forever, it isn’t just him and Elle anymore. It’s about accepting her as who she is now, who she has become, and that includes her daughter. If they make a go of things with each other, then it isn’t just their hearts they have to worry about but hers too. And a heart so small should never be broken.

  Since she came back, I have seen a whole new side to my brother. She changes him for the better and the worse. He is calm in a way but also never more reckless, possessive, protective, jealous, loving. So many things that only come out when Elle King is near. It’s like he was a padlock, and she was the key, they only work together.