Fourth a Lie (Goddess Isles, #4)

by Winters, Pepper

  And the shitty thing was? I felt so much worse than I looked.

  I still had so much to do, so many fights to win, and all my body was fit for was a crematorium and century-long siesta.

  I sighed.

  Fuck.

  For all my improvements in the lab, I hadn’t figured out how to make a reset button. A way to remove all trauma and leave the body fit and able.

  Only time could do that.

  Rest and nutrition.

  All things I did not have.

  Drake would’ve finished in Euphoria by now.

  Jealousy would be free from the hallucination.

  I hadn’t forgotten what I owed her, nor could I stop the worry that she might not have survived another dose of elixir. After witnessing first-hand what’d happened to Eleanor, the guilt to help Jessica was a ruthless ruler.

  If Drake was on his own, I would happily send him to death with a knife to his throat. But if he had guards...well, I’ll deal with that later.

  Gritting my teeth, I focused on the first-aid kit. Nothing I did would fix my rapidly fading system. Tritec still existed in my blood. It’d given me enough endurance to satisfy my elixir-drunk woman.

  But now...now I felt the payment it demanded.

  My body was sluggish. My mind not as crisp. My pain sharper than before.

  I needed this to be over so I could attempt to avoid the rapidly encroaching end on my future. Heart attack, stroke, or coma.

  Was I prepared to pay those terms? Had I earned enough time and strength to keep Eleanor safe?

  The answer?

  No, not yet.

  I still had work to do, and I had to do it now.

  Taking a handful of painkillers, I shot them back with a glass of freshwater from the tap, then took another fistful back to the bedroom. Pika flew after me, landing on the scrunched pillow next to Eleanor. She remained on her side where she’d passed out.

  Her lips were parted and red from my kisses. Her cheeks pink with sex, but the rest of her remained white from exhaustion and suffocation.

  She needed to sleep.

  She needed to be safe.

  Once again, neither of those things were available.

  Pika nibbled on her hair, twittering and chirping as if he could sing her a lullaby and choreograph her dreams. My heart hurt just as much as my leg as I ducked to my haunches.

  Swallowing my grunt of pain, I put the glass on the bedside table and cupped her icy cheek. Waking her up would almost be impossible, but I had to try.

  I needed her help, just for a little longer. “Eleanor...take this.” Pushing the pills into her mouth, I moved until I could sit her up a little. She mumbled something and tried to slip back onto the sheets, but I poured a mouthful of water into her, holding her chin until she swallowed.

  Her throat worked, slipping the tablets into her stomach.

  “Good girl.” I kissed her head and let her collapse to her side again.

  At least her system would have fortification while she slept. Hopefully, she’d wake with her pain dulled.

  She really needed nutrition too. We both did.

  We needed food and water and an island where we could be utterly alone.

  But just like everything else...that would have to wait.

  I swayed on my feet as I drank the rest of the water and abandoned the glass. I’d never been this tired or so useless. It would be so fucking easy to lie next to her...just for ten minutes.

  To close my eyes and—

  Stop it.

  I shook my head, chasing away the insidious pull of sleep.

  Drake.

  Deal with him, then you can sleep wherever you drop.

  Quickly pulling on the clothes and draping Eleanor in an oversized canary yellow shirt, I sucked in a breath.

  Last night had been my awakening. Today was my atonement.

  Just a little longer...

  A new fever made everything ache as I bent over the bed and scooped Eleanor into my arms.

  Pika squawked and, just for a second, I didn’t know if I’d have the strength to pull her up.

  Fucking hell, come on!

  My back tensed. My biceps clenched.

  Anger at my weakness granted enough power to haul her from the sheets and into my embrace.

  I wobbled.

  I tripped backward.

  I grunted as fresh pain from my leg ricocheted through my system.

  Ignore it.

  Hoisting Eleanor higher, I turned and stumbled toward the exit.

  Pika chirped and chased after me with a worried huff.

  He flew beside me as I carried Eleanor down the sandy pathways of an island that I no longer loved. His feathers whispered encouragement; his tiny parrot friendship keeping me awake, keeping me going, keeping me alive...for now.

  * * * * *

  I entered Euphoria’s playroom and slammed to a stop.

  I hadn’t encountered anyone on my journey here.

  Eleanor had slept soundly in my arms, Pika had fluttered beside me, and I’d focused on putting one foot in front of the other, steadily closing the distance on the final Sinclair battle.

  I didn’t bother being sneaky or trying to remain hidden on my journey. Drake had made it known that I knew things he wanted and I was not to be killed.

  Hurt? Yes.

  Killed? No.

  And in reality, I was hurt enough.

  I wouldn’t prove to be too much of a risk unless someone threatened Eleanor.

  Groaning with exhaustion, I jostled Eleanor higher into my arms and surveyed the aftermath carnage of Drake and Jealousy’s BDSM fantasy.

  They lay in the middle of Euphoria’s bare and barren playroom. Drake lay on his back, one leg cocked and the other straight. His stomach was concave, the bullet graze and knife stab visible thanks to his bandages falling off, his cock flaccid and well-used.

  Jealousy lay away from him, curled in a tiny ball as if she could become invisible. Her nakedness was white and as terrifying as Eleanor’s, decorated with bruises and handprints.

  Both she and Drake were out cold.

  It would be too fucking easy to stroll over, grab a sword from the prop cupboards full of cavemen furs and highland weapons, and run it straight through his heart.

  What would I fucking give to have a gun stowed in this room? To have armed myself to the fucking teeth for this eventuality. Instead, I’d left the weapon concealment to my hired guards—all who’d been murdered.

  A noise dragged my gaze to the left.

  Shit.

  Killing Drake wouldn’t be as simple with company.

  My heart chugged as three men stood from their temporary resting area nestled against the wall by the bathrooms. They’d dragged the velour chairs from the guests’ waiting area and made themselves at home. The reek of cigarette smoke and evidence of midnight snacks littered my pristine villa.

  They moved in unison, two raising guns while one snickered and looked me up and down. “Look what the parrot dragged in.” Their eyes followed Pika as he zipped around Euphoria, swooping to Drake to bite his nose.

  I tensed, but Drake didn’t wake up.

  Pika squeaked with pride and soared into the rafters, picking a perch to watch yet more drama unfold.

  Eleanor grew heavy in my arms as the three men came forward. A blond with a bulbous nose snapped, “Where the fuck have you been?”

  I shrugged, marching as firmly as I could toward them. “Dealing with business.”

  I’d been able to buy off three of these bastards. If I had more liquid cash, I could attempt to do the same. Unfortunately, five million was all I carried, and I was shit out of luck for such an easy overthrow.

  Regardless, I tried anyway. “I’ll give you a million each if you leave. I’ll wire you the money the moment I kill that cocksucker over there.”

  The bald one muttered, “I’ll give you a bullet if you try to low-ball us again.”

  “Fine.” My arms ached under Eleanor’s weight. “What
’s your number?”

  “We want what he’s promised.” The blond smirked. “This place.”

  “It’s no longer operational.”

  “Says who?”

  “Says me.”

  The short one of the bunch chuckled. “We’ll see about that when he wakes up.”

  I looked over at Drake, loathing him all over again for ever touching Jealousy. I had no ownership over her apart from her paid servitude, but I liked her as a friend, and I’d seen things between her and Cal these past few weeks that hadn’t been there before.

  She didn’t deserve to be Drake’s goddess last night.

  She didn’t deserve anything that I’d done to her.

  Guilt swamped me, and my temper rattled.

  Fuck it.

  I was done bartering.

  I’d just do what I’d come here to do and be done with it.

  Ignoring the mercenaries, I marched toward Drake and Jealousy.

  “Oi, where the fuck do you think you’re going?” The blond followed me with his gun trained on my head.

  “Providing aftercare.” I bared my teeth. “Not that you’d understand what that is.”

  “Like hell you are. You’re going back in your cage. Her too.” He pointed the gun at Eleanor, coming close enough to nudge her cheek with the muzzle.

  I lost it.

  Finding strength hidden in broken muscles, I held her tight against me with one arm and lashed out to fist around his throat with the other. I squeezed, fighting through failure until his eyes flared with worry, and he held up the gun to my temple. “Let...me...go.” He coughed, trying to get free. “I’ll shoot.”

  “No, you won’t ’cause you need me alive.” I squeezed harder as his two friends rushed to save him. “This is what’s going to happen so listen closely.” I pressed against his larynx with fingers unforgiving in their message even with a gun in my face. “I am going to take care of my girls. I’m taking them to Campbell—the doctor who is the only reason you’re here. He’s going to treat them. Alone. While I’m doing that, you can decide if you want to accept my offer of cash and leave with your life or if you’re staying and serving Drake until the end. Either way, I’m done with this shit.”

  I pushed him away, shaking out the pressure in my hand. “Drake has been a pain in my ass for three decades. I won’t lie and say I wouldn’t happily kill him right now if you accepted my deal, but if you don’t, I don’t fucking care. I’ve waited a long time for our feud to be over...I can wait a little longer.”

  The guy scowled. “Why do you think we’re gonna let you wander around as if you own the joint?”

  “I do own the fucking joint!” I snarled. “And you mean nothing to me. You can’t kill me because Drake needs what I know, and you can’t kill my goddesses because if you do, I will tear you motherfucking apart. Your only choice is to stand there like good little puppets and wait until your master wakes up. Or...allow me to kill him, and you can walk away with a payday. Either way, I’m providing aftercare.”

  Glowering at the three of them, I continued my path until I stood over Jealousy.

  She looked even worse up close.

  Shit.

  How the fuck was I supposed to take two girls to the infirmary when I could barely walk under my own weight?

  Eleanor squirmed as I bent over and gently placed her next to Jealousy. With my hands free, I checked Jealousy’s pulse.

  It was weak and erratic, her lips tinged blue and her skin clammy.

  Ripping off my shirt, I slipped it around her frail form. “It’s okay, Jess. I’ve got you.”

  Her lips twitched as I stroked her cheek.

  The men surrounded me, their guns by their sides and eyes wide with disbelief that they permitted me to do my own thing instead of shooing me back into a cage.

  That was the thing with authority. Display it correctly, own it completely, and weaker men slipped into line.

  Electricity shot over my body as Eleanor opened her eyes, activating our bond as she blinked away her fatigue. She winced and tried to sit up, shaking her head. “Sully...”

  No matter where we were or what we were doing, our chemistry and connection would never fail to reach into my chest and electrocute my heart.

  Her lips formed the sweetest, caring smile, then vanished as her gaze locked on Jealousy. “Oh, no.” Swallowing hard, flinching in pain from her own run-in with elixir, she crawled to Jess and ran her hand over her head. She ripped her touch away, her gaze connecting with mine in panic. “She’s ice cold.”

  I nodded. “I need to get her to Campbell.”

  “Let’s go.” With gritted teeth, Eleanor forced her body to obey. Digging fingers into the tile, she clambered to her feet, only to fall back down again.

  “Don’t.” I reached for her.

  “We need to...go.” Her eyes snapped closed, her head hanging with a tiredness she couldn’t shed.

  Fuck.

  Tucking her close, I held her while she tumbled into exhaustion and clawed her way back in the same heartbeat. She pushed feebly against my arms. “Let me go...we need—” She yawned, making my heart fist.

  Forcing her eyes open, her attention skipped over the men guarding us and fell to Drake still snoring on the floor. Pika swooped from the ceiling and landed on her shoulder, his feathers bristling.

  “I’m okay, Sully. I can...I can do this.” She sucked in a huge breath and raked both hands over her face, scrubbing away sleep, clinging to comprehension. “I have to do this.”

  Once again, she stunned me fucking stupid.

  How strong was she to be able to stay awake after the dance with death she’d had? How fucking brave was she to immediately shove aside her own maladies and put Jess first?

  Her grey gaze met mine. “Help me stand?”

  I cursed the men watching us. I’d had my fill of goddamn audiences. But I also couldn’t stop worshipping this woman, in awe of this girl, in love with every inch of her. “I’ll carry you to Campbell and come back for Jess.”

  “No, you’re fading too.”

  “I can manage.”

  “You can’t carry both of us.”

  “That’s why I said I’ll take you first—”

  “No.” Her eyes flashed silver spirit. “She needs to see him, immediately.”

  My temper met hers. “I agree, but I’m not leaving you here alone. Not with him.” My glare fell on Drake. Fuck, I wanted to kill him.

  “And I’m not letting you push yourself so hard that you die on me.” Her tone fell to a harsh whisper. “What did you tell me last night? You wouldn’t let me die? Well...same goes for you.”

  “I’m not going to die, Eleanor.”

  She flinched. “We don’t know that. Those side-effects you mentioned—”

  “Won’t happen to me.” I pinched my nose, squeezing back nightmares, headaches, and agony. “Look, just let me—”

  “Stop arguing. You carry Jess and I’ll...” She pushed against me again, one hand rubbing at the spot above her heart as if palpitations still plagued her. “I’ll...walk.”

  My eyebrows flew up. “Walk? You can’t walk. Not after last night.”

  She gritted her teeth. “I’ll walk.” Pushing me away, she scanned my naked chest, seeing the stress and strain I did my best to ignore. “I’ll help you carry her.”

  “No way.” I snorted. “There is no way I’d let you do that. You’re weak—”

  “And you’re hurt.” She struggled to her feet again, the canary yellow shirt fluttering around her Bambi legs. Her attention split between me and the mercenaries. Her knees wobbled, her balance screwed from a night of mania. “We’re all hurt, so we’ll all help each other.” Padding unsteadily, tripping to one knee and somehow standing again, she ducked by Jealousy and shook her shoulder. “Jess...wake up. Just wake up for a little bit and then you can sleep, okay?”

  Jealousy groaned, her eyelids flickering but unable to open. Violent shivers wracked her as I moved to the two girls and tried to
trust in Eleanor’s strength.

  Could she walk?

  Could I seriously ask such a strenuous task of her?

  My stomach clenched with possession. I wanted to take care of her the way she deserved, not demand she drain herself more, but...I wouldn’t belittle her by commanding an alternative to the one she offered.

  I’d let her walk until she passed out.

  Then I’d decide which one to carry first to Campbell.

  At least both of them would be free of Euphoria.

  Her eyes caught mine, cloudy and tired but coherent and brave. “Are you okay? Do you have the strength?”

  My nostrils flared, annoyance trickling down my spine. “Don’t unman me, Jinx. I have enough.”

  She bit her bottom lip, fears for my own well-being ghosting over her face.

  I cupped her cheek, and murmured, “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

  She turned and kissed my palm, shaking her head. “You’re not fine, and I’m still worried, but...we don’t have a choice.”

  Not replying, I scooped Jealousy from the cold sandstone and tripped backward as I hoisted her weight into my arms.

  Holy shit, did I have enough strength? I honestly didn’t know.

  Getting a better grip, I struggled to suck up power and continue.

  Jealousy’s skin didn’t make mine tingle like Eleanor’s did. Her presence wasn’t a curse or a blessing. She was just a girl who I would no longer rent out or misuse. A friend.

  Eleanor stumbled and swayed, remaining on two feet but struggling.

  I didn’t know how long she’d last, so I strode ahead, rushing into another rescue mission that I hoped wouldn’t be doomed to fail like the last one.

  Drake mumbled something in his sleep as I passed him.

  I kicked him hard for good measure.

  “Hey!” the blond mercenary muttered. “He’ll get you back for that.”

  “Or he won’t remember because he’ll be dead.” I marched past them, one goddess by my side and one in my arms. “Think about my offer. I’ll be back soon.”

  Eleanor eyed them up, jumpy and weak as if she couldn’t believe they just let us walk away.

  Cutting over the threshold and down the deck steps, I groaned as soft sand cushioned my bare feet. Warm sunshine broke through the gloomy morning, doing its best to paint my island in hope instead of despair.