Skeletons of Us (Unquiet Mind Book 2) (44 page)

Blood trickled from the knife as he slid it out of the beaten and barely recognizable torso of Eddie Ferguson. A muted groan erupted from the black and blue face of the man tied to a chair in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Hollywood.

Bull and his brothers were around him in a rough semicircle. Killian didn’t take much notice of this. He was too busy focusing on the blood on the knife. It wasn’t enough. It wasn’t nearly enough. Not enough to pay for the pain he’d put Lexie through. To pay for the fact he’d damaged the most beautiful person on the planet, nearly snuffed out that light.

Eddie had been here since Bull had arrived at the stadium with Cade and Brock, minutes before the boys in blue had. Enough time for Bull to nearly lose his fucking shit at seeing Killian performing CPR on his daughter. Enough time for Brock and Cade to manage to stop him from gutting Eddie right there and to get him to where justice could be done.

To the warehouse where Eddie had spent the past week and a half. On the edge of death, thanks mostly to Bull. Killian had been thirsty for revenge, for blood, but he’d been unable to leave Lexie’s side, afraid of what would happen if he didn’t have her right in front of him.

She’d chased away most of that fear, but Killian guessed it would be something he’d have to live with for the rest of his life. He’d gladly live with it as long as he had Lexie’s light to chase the worst of that darkness away.

Killian didn’t feel an ounce of pain when his fist connected with Eddie’s nose, only the satisfaction at the crunch of cartilage.

He leaned forward, snatching up his head that had lolled forward with the last blow. The face was no longer recognizable. Bull had spent time on this guy. A lot of time.

“In a fucked up way, I should thank you,” Killian hissed. “Because without you being a crazy fuck, I wouldn’t have been able to come and protect what’s mine. Claim what’s mine.” He paused, squeezing Eddie’s neck until he heard him scrambling for breath. Killian smiled. “Then I remember what you did to what’s mine. The pain you caused her. The fear. The fact you almost fuckin’ took her from this world. I’m sure you’ll understand I’m not feelin’ too grateful anymore.”

Killian squeezed harder, relishing in the panic that came from his eyes.

The same panic Killian had felt when he watched the life drain from Lexie. If only he could prolong this moment for eternity, so he could watch it over and over again as he got his revenge.

He released his grip. He didn’t have eternity, and if he did, he wouldn’t be wasting it with this fuck. Eternity was for his girl. His woman.

First, he needed to make sure she was avenged. He cracked his knuckles, preparing for more.

A gurgling sound erupted from Eddie’s chest. Killian frowned and watched as the life drained from him.

“No, you fucker,” he ground out, clutching the sides of his shirt. “You do not get off that easy,” he hissed, plowing his fist into his face.

The punch did nothing but thud against limp flesh.

A hand gripped Killian’s shoulder as he reared his fist back again. “He’s gone, brother,” Bull murmured in his ear.

Killian was breathing heavily, and it took him a second to get hold of himself and let go of the corpse he was holding.

He met Bull’s cold eyes. “It’s too easy for him,” he gritted out.

Bull squeezed his shoulder. “You need to let this shit go.” He nodded to the body. “He’s dead. Let that anger and thirst for revenge die with him. Don’t let it poison your future.” Bull’s eyes bore into him. “I know from experience what that shit can do. But you’ve got Lexie. She’s safe. Breathing. Radiating light. No need for you to bring the darkness into that light.”

Killian chewed over his words, glancing to the body of the man who almost took everything from him.

Almost.

He still had everything. More than he had ever had in his life. And the most he’d ever want.

He turned on his heel and walked out of the room, intent on making sure he’d treasure what he had for the rest of eternity.

TWO MONTHS LATER

“You need to talk to the doctor.”

I sighed and looked up from where I was tuning my guitar. Blue eyes assaulted me. Caressed me. Swam the depths of my soul. They also irritated me.

“I’ve talked to the doctor.
You’ve
talked to the doctor. Zane’s talked to the doctor, and Sam’s harassed the doctor. I wouldn’t be surprised if he put out a restraining order on the three of you.” I paused, putting my finger to my chin in a thoughtful gesture. “No, it’s safe to say you’ve accosted the doctor ever since I left the hospital. Like they said, I’m fine. I’m healed. I’m not going to break, Killian.”

Killian pushed off the wall from where he’d been leaning with his arms crossed, watching me. He did that a lot these days. Watched me. Jeez, he barely kept his eyes off me, not that I was complaining. After thinking I was going to die and never see him again, I was quite happy to gaze upon him every single day just to remind myself I wasn’t going anywhere. That he wasn’t going anywhere. Plus, he was ridiculously good looking.

His hair had grown out even more now, and it curled at the nape of his neck, enough of it to run my fingers through. Which I did whenever I got the chance.

He gently took the guitar from my hands and pulled me up from the seat, his arms going around me and his mouth brushing mine. “See, that’s where we disagree, freckles.” He landed a featherlight kiss on my lips. “I’ve seen you break. Fuck, I was the one to do it. Then I saw you put yourself back together. But I was reminded of just how fragile my beauty is when I thought she’d get taken from me. When I thought I’d live the rest of my days suckin’ in bitter air and hearing that echo of silence from your chest ringing in my ears.” His arms tightened around me. “I’ve seen you break. Twice. Body and soul. Seen you put yourself back together. So I know you can break. And if it happens again, it’ll be the pieces of me littered with you. So I’m gonna spend the rest of my life makin’ sure you don’t break again,” he promised, his voice rough.

I blinked at him, tears prickling my eyes. He kept saying things like this. Things that made me want to pinch myself just to make sure I hadn’t slipped into a dream. That broke my heart yet healed it at the same time. “You’re wrong,” I whispered. “I didn’t put myself back together, you did.”

His eyes flickered. “Agree to disagree there, Mrs. Decesare.”

I frowned at him. “Only if you kiss me, right now, Mr. Decesare.”

His eyes flared with hunger and desire darkened his voice. “That I can do. I can’t promise I’ll stop with a kiss.”

I ran my hand through his inky hair. “Who said anything about stopping?”

His mouth was on mine before I could even suck in a breath after speaking. He claimed me the way he did ever since he took me home from the hospital. With a furious, almost desperate intensity and a heartbreaking tenderness. His kiss was relentless, yet his hands trailing down my body were achingly reverent.

He growled into my mouth as his hands slipped underneath my skirt and into my panties. “This is too fuckin’ short.”

“Alpha cavemen act after, now you fuck me,” I commanded huskily, my breath catching as his expert fingers found my magic spot.

Killian let out a guttural sound at the back of his throat as he lowered us onto the sofa I’d been sitting on moments before. He still worked me between my legs as I scrambled to get to his jeans and survive his kiss at the same time. And survive the electrifying heat he was building up at the base of my spine.

“I can’t send you out on stage lookin’ freshly fucked for thousands of people to see. It’s enough you just bein’ you. Singin’ like a goddamn angel while lookin’ like the devil himself created you just to torture everyone who can’t be in here.” He pushed his finger inside me to make a point. “There’s only one person who belongs in here, freckles. It’s where I’ve always belonged. My sanctuary.” I gasped when on his last word his cock replaced his finger and filled me to the hilt.

He settled into a hard and slow rhythm, his mouth brushing over mine as I met him thrust for thrust, desperate for more, aching for him as if I hadn’t been with him for months. For years.

“Nothing sweeter,” he grunted, eyes on mine. “Nothing sweeter in this world than tasting your lips on mine, feeling you squeeze around my cock.”

As if on cue, my body did that, pulsing around him as he worked me to a climax. I cried out and Killian covered my mouth with his to muffle my cry and to plunder my lips with his kiss. I rode the glorious wave while my fingers raked underneath the fabric of his tee, scratching the taut and sinewy muscles that were tight with exertion. He grunted his own release into me, and the entire time, his eyes stayed glued to mine, a million and one emotions dancing in them.

He pressed his ear to my chest like he did every single time we made love, settling only long enough to hear the rapid beating of my heart against his ear. He lifted his face once more, and I regarded it lazily, still not quite able to think properly.

“Fuck,” he muttered.

“What?”

“We’re cancelling the show,” he declared, not moving off me, not that I was protesting.

My brows knitted together at his words. “We’re not cancelling the show. It’s in five minutes. Mark will be knocking on that door any moment.” I nodded to the door that led out of my dressing room.

“Don’t care. You’re too fuckin’ beautiful freshly fucked. I’m gonna have to stand in front of you with my gun to make sure people don’t swarm the stage. I’m not even sure bullets will be enough deterrent.”

I raised my brow. “You’re only saying that because you’re biased. You love me and you married me, so it’s only logical you find me beautiful.”

Killian’s hands went to my neck and his eyes blazed. “Baby, a fuckin’ blind man would find you beautiful. It’s not the way you look. It’s you. You radiate it. Seeps out of your pores and into the air. Add your voice to that.” He paused. “Suffice to say, I’m fucked.”

I grinned at him. “So am I.”

He growled in warning.

“No, seriously. Do you know how many websites are dedicated to you? How many photos of you are most likely being circulated on women’s phones?”

Killian didn’t answer.

“Of course you don’t, because you’re a hot, brooding biker man who doesn’t pay attention to such things. You’re too busy being all broody and badass, which of course makes you even hotter,” I informed him.

Killian brushed my nose with his. “You think I’m hot, freckles?” he teased.

“I wouldn’t have married you otherwise,” I teased back.

We got married one week after I got released from the hospital, as per Killian’s demand, not that I minded. I would have been happy to marry him in a hospital bed, but it wasn’t exactly the best atmosphere.

Due to the media following us around in hordes, it had been a huge undertaking to get married without the press getting wind of anything. But we managed it. Mainly because we didn’t fuss. It wasn’t a big, glitzy Hollywood wedding. It wasn’t thousands of dollars and an A-list guest list. It was my family—my band, the Sons of Templar, Mom and Zane, the boys, and Gina and Emma. I knew Steve and Ava were there too, watching over us.

We’d gotten married inside the Sons of Templar compound. Not exactly what you’d expect for a celebrity wedding, but exactly what you’d expect for Killian and me. It was the place where I’d first met him, the club that made him who he was. It was perfect. Zane walked me down the makeshift aisle, his hand tight on mine.

I would have been emotional at this, at the fact Mom sobbed when she saw me in my vintage lace, skintight, ivory dress with a plunging neck and flowers woven into my curls. If I’d seen that even Steg’s eyes were suspiciously red. If I’d focused on my boys, standing next to Emma as my “bridesmaids.” I didn’t see any of them. They melted away. The only person I saw was the man at the end of the altar dressed in all black and with my name tattooed on his chest. The one I’d given my heart to when I was sixteen and who’d owned it ever since. He’d frozen in place, and I thought I might have too, had it not been for Zane gently pulling me along. Zane kissed my cheek lightly and murmur into my ear, “Love you, Lex.”