by Sarah Bailey
“I want to chase you… and when I catch up to you, I want you to fight me and pretend you don’t want it even though we’ll both know you do.”
Ash didn’t say anything for a long moment. Her hand on my back tightened.
“You mean… you want to pretend you’re forcing me.”
“I know it’s fucked up, little star. I know I shouldn’t want to. It’s not as though I’d really force anyone against their will. Not ever.”
“Shh.” She stroked my back. “Shh, I know you wouldn’t. I know you’d never do that.” Then she began to thrust back against me, her hips arching up and asking for more. “It’d just be pretend… like we were playing a game.”
“Yes,” I groaned, thrusting deeper as she contracted around my cock.
“And you want me to tell you I don’t want it… that I don’t want you to fuck me.”
Her nails dug into my back, which only made me fuck her harder.
“Fuck yes, little star. I want you to fight me.”
My hand slid between us, finding her little bud and stroking it.
“And beg you to stop.”
I pressed my face into her skin, breathing her in as flames licked up my spine. I was so fucking close already.
“And tell me you don’t want me.”
“Oh god, Ror.”
“Fuck.”
She cried out, her body trembling with the force of her climax and I couldn’t help letting go. It was everything. I’d never once had such… vanilla sex before, but with Ash it felt special. It felt like we were making love and that was a completely new concept to me. A beautiful concept I couldn’t get enough of with her.
When we’d both come down and cleaned up, crawling back into bed together, she stroked my chest and held me close.
“I think I’d be okay with trying that with you… if you really wanted it.”
“Really?”
I was surprised she’d even be okay with it, though talking about it had seemed to turn her on.
“Yeah, Ror. I trust you… you must know that by now.”
I kissed her hair and stroked my fingers through it. This girl really was my whole fucking world. Her acceptance gave me so much peace.
“Okay, little star… I want that… I really want that.”
Only with her though. I’d only want it with her because she could take it. She could take everything I gave her. She’d shown me that.
“Then we will.”
Now I had plans to make because taking her out of the house was dangerous and Quinn would probably kill me. I didn’t care. I just wanted her. Her and this. And I couldn’t fucking wait.
Chapter 28
When I told Quinn I wanted to see Viktor and Isabella this morning, he’d been surprised. Especially considering we knew a rose would be delivered to the Syndicate with my name on it. It was simply a waiting game. And one I didn’t feel like playing.
After last night with Rory, I knew I had to end this shit once and for all. If we wanted to move forward together as a quintet, then we needed to get rid of the threat keeping me chained to this house. How could I ever be free to go on a trip with Rory whenever we wanted? How could I be free to do anything? It was beginning to get ridiculous. How could we really start our lives with this hanging over our heads?
I was fed up of having Frank chasing me down. Fed up of his games and controlling behaviour. He didn’t get to pull this shit with me any longer. I didn’t think it was possible to hate him more than I already did. I despised the man with every breath I took. He was pure evil and needed putting down.
Quinn told me it was okay if I invited them here considering Viktor was already aware of where we lived. He wasn’t quite sure about my mother and neither was I, but we were going to take that risk.
So I sat twiddling my thumbs whilst I waited, having spoken to Viktor earlier. He cleared his schedule for me, something I hadn’t been anticipating. I told the boys I wanted to do this alone and they respected that. They had things to get on with anyway. Like planning how exactly to deal with Frank.
When the doorbell rang, I jumped up and practically ran to the door. Viktor and Isabella stood on the doorstep with André behind them. I stepped back to let them in, “Hi.”
Viktor stepped in first and I couldn’t help embracing him even as my mother stared at us.
“Kotik.”
“Dad.”
He felt so safe and warm which was crazy considering the first time I met him, I’d been terrified. But here he was. My dad. Treating me the way a father should. Respecting my decisions and caring for my needs.
I grinned when I pulled away, leading him towards the living room. Glancing behind me, I watched my mother stepped in and André closed the door behind them. She looked distinctly put out I hadn’t acknowledged her, but right now, my attention was on my dad who I was still getting to know. Being around him felt right and gave me a warm feeling in my chest. Like I was always meant to have him in my life.
“Can I get you something to drink?”
“André and I will have coffee, black.”
I nodded and let go of his arm as we reached the living room.
“Please make yourselves comfortable.”
I left them to it and went into the kitchen to sort out drinks. I’d just put the kettle on when Xav wandered in.
“Angel.”
I was promptly lifted up off the ground and pressed into a bear hug. He kissed my hair.
“You smell good.”
“I should hope so,” I muttered.
He chuckled and put me down, cupping my face and giving me a kiss.
“Are they here?”
“Uhuh, hence drinks. Got to keep up with my perfect hostess skills.”
He snorted, dropping his hand from my face to my waist.
“And here Quinn thought you wouldn’t want to be our little wifey.”
I scowled.
Excuse me? Wifey? Is he joking?
“Oh yeah? You want me to be the perfect little housewife. Cooking all your meals, entertaining your guests and warming your bed, huh?”
“What? No! That’s not what I meant. Fuck, angel, I don’t think of you like that. Besides, E’s already taken up one of those roles.”
“So what, you want him to be your wife now? Are you two going to get married and play the stereotypical husband and wife roles?”
He stared at me in disbelief. I bit my lip, trying to hold back a smile. When he saw it, he pointed at my mouth.
“You cheeky little…”
“Serves you right for being a sexist pig.”
I flounced away from him, preparing the cafetiere and mugs.
“Wait, how is what I said sexist? I just meant you’re our girl forever… not like you can marry us all or anything like that.”
I stiffened. It hadn’t even crossed my mind. So instead of acknowledging it, I decided to go on the offensive. He was right. I couldn’t marry them and the thought made my heart sink a little.
“But you could marry E if you wanted.”
I glanced at him. His brow was furrowed.
“No, I can’t. It wouldn’t be right when we’re all together. I don’t need a stupid piece of paper telling me we’re bound. We already know that in our hearts.”
My chest contracted hard. What he said was right. We didn’t need a ceremony or a legal document saying we were together. Not when we’d already committed to be together no matter what.
“I didn’t think my life would end up like this,” I said quietly.
“Like how, angel?”
“With not one but four soulmates.”
Xav walked over and wrapped an arm around me from behind, pressing a kiss to my cheek.
“Is that how you feel?”
I nodded, trying not to let tears well in my eyes.
“Angel…”
“Don’t, you’ll get me all emotional.”
He held me tighter
. Would ther ever be a time when I didn’t need Xav and his hugs? His freely given affection and care? I didn’t think so.
“I love you,” he whispered in my ear.
“Love you too, tesoro.”
He gave me one last squeeze before pulling away as the kettle boiled.
“I’ll stop distracting you. Only came in to get E a drink since he’s all sweaty from working out.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Not that kind of workout, angel. Get your mind out of the gutter.”
I grinned and poured the boiling water into the cafetiere and then some into a mug as I preferred tea.
“What’s a girl to think when her two men like to get sweaty together? Also, you and sex go hand in hand.”
He poured some water from the Brita filter in the fridge into a glass.
“Mmm, true, but he really was out for a run, not getting a pounding from me.”
I bit my lip trying not to think too hard about that. And especially not about how hot Eric looked with sweat dripping down his abs.
Down girl! I swear Xav and his sex-crazed mind was rubbing off on me.
I finished up with the drinks as Xav walked out, winking at me on the way. My mind was still in the gutter and I had to sort it out.
Popping the mugs on a tray, I carried it into the living room. Viktor was sitting on the sofa with Isabella whilst André had taken up residence in the corner of the room. I set the tray down on the coffee table and handed out the mugs. I knew my mother liked her coffee with milk and sugar.
I took a seat in one of the armchairs and stared at her over the rim of my mug.
“Ashleigh.”
“Mother… I’ve told you a hundred times, it’s Ash. Everyone calls me Ash.”
Her brow furrowed.
“So this is where you’ve been? You never told me if they’ve been treating you well. Where are they?”
I almost rolled my eyes. What was with the twenty questions?
“Yes, yes and they’re working.”
She didn’t need to know I’d asked them to stay away.
“And you’re really…”
“Really what, Mother? Sleeping with all four of them? Yes.”
“Do you really have to be so crude?”
I dared not look at Viktor considering what I’d said but sometimes Isabella riled me up the wrong way.
“Not sure how I could’ve said it more politely. It’s not like I told you I’m fucking them. Oh wait, I just did…”
Her face fell. I knew I was acting like a brat and I resolved to cut it out. I heard a slight cough from my right. Glancing over, I caught André almost snorting out his coffee and trying to hide the smile on his face.
“Sorry, that was inappropriate. Let me start again. Yes, I am in a relationship with the four of them and yes, they have been treating me well. I have my own room and I want for nothing.”
Well, the only thing I wanted was the freedom to leave this house without the fear of Frank getting to me.
“As long as they’re good to you… not that I understand why you… it doesn’t matter. I’m here to support you, not school you on your life choices.”
That was probably the first time she’d ever not given me hell for something she disapproved of. And she definitely disapproved of my relationship with the boys. I could tell from the look in her eyes. Didn’t need her or anyone else’s approval to be with them, anyway.
“We are not here to discuss Ash’s relationships,” Viktor interjected.
My eyes fell on him. He gave me a smile which I was relieved about as I didn’t want to give him a bad impression of me. Perhaps he realised how much Isabella frustrated me.
“No, we’re here to talk about Frank.”
“I don’t know what he’s going to do next if that’s what you want to know,” Isabella said.
It wasn’t. I already knew. That’s when the doorbell went again. I didn’t move to get it as I knew one of the boys would.
“Why did you leave him? After all these years, why now?”
“I left for you. To protect you. If he finds out I lied to him about you, then I’d be in danger too.”
I heard the front door open, voices filtering down the hall before it shut again. Then there were footsteps and Quinn appeared in the doorway. I was about to ask what he was doing when I saw what he had in his hand. I swallowed hard. His dark eyes were full of emotions. My heart snapped. He slowly walked into the room and stopped by my chair, ignoring everyone else. Then he held out the single white rose. I took it, turning it over in my hands as I found the note attached to it.
Ashleigh Vittoria Russo.
Seeing it made me feel numb. He really had put me on the list. He’d sent the message loud and clear. Frank Russo wanted me dead and he’d see to it himself.
I rose from the chair and placed the rose on the coffee table for Viktor and Isabella to see.
“This is why you’re here,” I managed to say. “This is why I wanted you to come… because of this.”
Chapter 29
The room went deadly silent. I could see all the range of emotions flittering across Ash’s features. I wanted to take it away for her. Take away that pain she’d be feeling at seeing the rose. She’d cried her eyes out when it’d been roses for us, but now, she just stared at it.
“Little girl,” I said quietly.
She looked up at me and I saw it. The agony. So I put a hand out to her and she came willingly, burying her face against my chest, clutching my shirt in her fists. I stroked her hair as I pulled my phone out, sending a text to my group chat with the boys. I didn’t have time to go searching for them. Not when she needed me.
“I won’t let him hurt you,” I murmured. “He’s never getting to you.”
Viktor leant forward and picked up the rose, running his fingers over the note. His eyes went dark like Ash’s did when she was angry. I could see so much of both Viktor and Isabella in Ash now we were all in the same room together.
“Svoloch,” he muttered under his breath.
Then he handed it to Isabella. The blood drained from her face when she looked at the note.
“He’d really… I… Oh god.”
She put a hand to her mouth before placing the rose back on the coffee table and looking at it like it would hurt her somehow. That thing hurt Ash more than anyone else. Her name was on it. Her blood would run if Frank ever got his hands on her. Just like ours would if he got to me and the boys. That’s why we had to do something about this shit once and for all.
It didn’t take long for them to arrive in the room. Eric looked like he was fresh out the shower, Xav was scowling and Rory’s eyes were dark. Ash was still holding onto me so hadn’t noticed we were all here. Much to my surprise, it was Rory who came over first and put his hand on Ash’s shoulder, leaning down and pressing mouth to her ear.
“We’re here, little star, now and forever,” he whispered.
“Ror,” she whimpered, shuddering against me.
“You need me?”
“Always.”
He looked up at me as if asking permission to take her off my hands. As much as I didn’t want to let her go, I had to deal with this shit.
“Go with Rory, little girl.”
He gently pulled her away and took her over to the armchair she’d been sitting in, allowing her to curl up in his lap. Even I had to admit Xav had a point about the way Ash and Rory were together.
Xav and Eric came further into the room, leaning up against Rory’s usual place by the bookcase. I walked around the coffee table, facing Viktor and Isabella.
“This is the fifth and final rose we’ve received. We knew it was coming. Russo wants us gone. All of us.” I stared hard at Isabella. “I realise it’s hard for you to trust me now, but I do have your daughter’s best interests at heart. All of us do. We’re not going to let him hurt her, but we do need to end him. And I think the only way that’s going to happen
is if we draw him out.”
Isabella looked up at me, her blue eyes wide.
“Are you suggesting we use my daughter as bait?”
My smile was grim.
“You said you wanted to protect Ash. I’m suggesting we use everything in our arsenal. I don’t know if any of the families will side with him and we can’t risk him declaring war. We’ve tried everything to bring him down, from disrupting his financial chain, taking Ash and others, but nothing has worked. You should know just how powerful your husband is.”
There seemed no point in keeping secrets any longer. I could see Ash’s point last night. Isabella had done what she could to protect Ash. So I had to trust she’d keep doing that. Now she’d left Frank and declared her allegiance to her daughter, I could use her as an asset regardless of my personal feelings towards the woman.
“This is a personal vendetta for all of us. Our lives have been permanently marked by Russo and his empire. The only way this ends is if he’s gone for good.”
“You mean to kill him?”
I nodded. Isabella glanced at Ash who was now sitting up in Rory’s lap, listening to me intently. Her blue eyes were hard and her face full of determination. My little girl knew it had to be this way. We had no other choice.
“Cut off the head of the snake and the empire falls.”
“What about the aftermath? Surely someone else will rise to take his place? His brother hates he was ousted as heir by Ashle… Ash. Gianni is weak compared to Frank. He wouldn’t know how to lead the family. He can barely tie his own shoelaces.”
Ash snorted.
“You think I haven’t thought of that? The wolves will circle the minute Frank dies. They’ll eat up the Russo family and someone else will rise, but it won’t be Gianni. It’ll be whoever claims Russo’s territory. And quite frankly, I don’t care who it is. All I give a fuck about is ending this shit and getting on with our lives. We’re getting out when this is over. No more wars with the families. No more interfering. We’ll be done.”
“And you really think they’ll leave you alone?”