Page 14 of Ravaged Saints (BloodHawks Duet #1)

Waking up, Knox isn’t here. I heard him getting up when the first sunlight came from the small window. I don’t think he was comfortable here; the bed is too small for a guy with Knox’s size.

Sitting up on the bed, I wince at the soreness between my legs. He did warn me, but even with the pain, I can’t keep the smile off my lips. The way he touched me, his feral groans, the way he fought for control…

There was something new in his eyes, yearning maybe?

I shake my head, trying to push the thoughts away and head to the door. It’s probably locked, and I’ll have to wait for one of the guys to let me out.

But when I turn the knob, the door swings open.

I’m not locked in anymore?

Did Knox forget, or am I no longer under the house arrest he put me in?

Oh well, let’s just enjoy whatever this is.

I run out and get to the bathroom; entering, I freeze. Bryn is walking out of the shower—with Ethan right behind her.

My eyes widen, and I turn around and squeeze my eyes shut. “Sorry!”

I blurt out too quickly.

Ethan laughs, “Don’t worry, honey. It’s not like you haven’t seen a dick recently.”

My face burns hotter as I hear the sound of Bryn slapping his skin.

“Ethan, don’t! Leave her alone!”

She snaps.

“I was just joking, ,”

he says, amused as he brushes past me with a towel slung low around his waist.

Ethan is over six feet tall. He has a toned body similar to Ryker, but his skin is full of tattoos. He’s beautiful in a sharp, almost delicate way, but there’s something in his eyes that makes my stomach twist—not in a good way.

“I’m sorry, ,”

Bryn says, as she steps closer. “Ethan can be a jerk.”

I finally turn to face her, offering a small shrug. “It’s fine, Bryn, I get it; he’s the jokester of the group.”

My eyes involuntarily roam over her, and that’s when I notice the marks. Bruises mark her shoulders and legs, and redness blooms across her breasts.

“Bryn, is he hurting you?”

I take a hesitant step toward her.

She gives me a soft smile. “No, he—”

She stops, her eyes meeting mine for a long moment. “We like it rough.”

I stare into her eyes, searching for any sign of a lie, but there’s nothing.

I’ve seen the pictures in those magazines. Sadists like to inflict pain, primals crave the chase, and maybe Ethan isn’t exactly one of those, but he clearly enjoys marking her, and she, in turn, seems to enjoy being marked.

Still…

“And you?”

Bryn’s voice breaks my thoughts, and she points to my neck.

Confused, I turn to the mirror above the sink. My breath catches at the sight of the faint mark encircling my neck.

Knox choked me last night, almost to the point of passing out, but never let it go that far.

I can feel the heat climbing up my cheeks as I remember how good it felt, how losing myself to him made my body shiver with pleasure.

“I’m fine.”

I turn to face Bryn, taking a deep breath before grabbing her hand. “I owe you an apology. You were right—not every man is like Cash and these guys…”

I can feel the blush creeping up my neck. “They’re different.”

Her face lights up as she pulls me into a hug, her wet hair dripping onto the towel wrapped around her.

“I’m so happy you feel safe, . It’s all I wanted for you. You deserve it.”

She offers a gentle smile, warmth shining in her eyes. I nod, swallowing past the tightness in my throat.

“What’s going on?”

Ethan’s makes me jump, and I spin around to see him standing behind me.

“Nothing, just girl talk,”

Bryn chuckles, and Ethan walks around me and pulls her in for a kiss, and his hand drops to her ass, squeezing it while his eyes lock on mine.

The look he gives me sends a chill down my spine. Something feels off, and my gut twists. Ethan hasn’t done anything wrong, but the way his eyes stay on my body while kissing Bryn makes me feel uneasy.

“Go get dressed, and let’s get something to eat,”

he says to Bryn. She chuckles, winking at me before leaving for her room.

Ethan doesn’t move; instead, he leans against the doorframe, covering the entire door.

“So, ,”

he says, eyes traveling up and down my body again.

“Ethan, I’m glad to see Bryn is so happy with you,”

I say as I search for a way to slip past him.

“Yeah,”

he murmurs, his gaze dropping to my breasts, and I step back instinctively, but he steps closer.

“So when will it be my turn, ?”

His words come out as a disgusting grunt that makes my stomach turn.

“What?”

I snap, my hands clenching.

“Come on, I heard you and Dante the other night,”

he steps closer, his hand reaching out to rub my arm, “You and Knox.”

I inhale, trying to calm my nerves that are rising, and as I’m about to punch him, Ethan is yanked back and slams into the wall with a loud thud.

Knox and Dante stand in the doorway, their faces dark with anger.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Knox growls like thunder, as he stalks toward Ethan and pins him against the wall.

“The same thing you did!”

Ethan shouts, his face turning red as he shoves Knox back.

“I did what she wanted,”

Knox snaps, his tone dangerously low as he pushes Ethan hard against the wall again.

“So was I!”

Ethan retorts, trying to stand his ground, his chest heaving.

“Do you want to fuck him?”

Dante turns to me, stepping protectively between me and the two men.

“No—”

I start, but I don’t even have time to finish before Knox’s fist slams into Ethan’s stomach.

“Wait! Stop!”

I rush past Dante, grabbing Knox’s arm as his body twitches with fury. His muscles are taut, his whole frame radiating rage, and his eyes are burning with it.

When his gaze snaps to me, he shakes his arm, throwing me against the wall, and something shifts in the air. Fear creeps up my spine as the look on his face, the pure force of his body, takes me back to that goddamn night, the struggle, the fight, and how I couldn’t keep him from throwing me around.

Fight or flight kicks in.

I run.

“!”

Knox’s command snaps through the air, sharp and unyielding. Footsteps thunder behind me. “Dante, deal with him!”

The sound of his footsteps thunders behind me as I burst out the door, gasping for air.

Max and Ryker are sitting outside, and their heads snap up as they see me running with Knox right behind.

He tackles me before I can get far, his weight crashing into me and pinning me to the ground. My hip slams into something hard, and pain flares through my side.

“Fuck, , stop! It’s me.”

He pleads almost desperate.

I thrash under him, my chest heaving. “He didn’t do anything! And even if he did, you don’t own me, Knox!”

“I know, pet, I was just trying—”

He breaks, dropping to a low murmur as his eyes search mine. The rage fades, and I see the man I let touch me last night staring back.

Slowly, he lets go of my arms, though his weight still presses me into the dirt.

“Reaper.”

Max’s tone is firm as he and Ryker approach cautiously.

“It’s fine,”

Knox says, standing up and stepping back.

I wince as I sit up, my hand clutching my hip; it feels like I hit a rock, and the pain throbs with every movement.

Max and Ryker look between Knox and me, their eyes filled with worry, but I can’t meet their gazes. I can’t meet anyone’s.

This is all my fault.

“Let me see it, sweetheart.”

Max kneels beside me, gently tugging up my shirt. I wince as he reveals the growing bruise forming on my hip, right next to the faint marks Knox left last night.

“I’m sorr—”

Knox starts, but I cut him off.

“It’s not your fault. I panicked.”

My eyes finally meet his, and I can see the tension in his muscles, his hands are clenched at his sides, his jaw is ticking, and his lips are pressed into a hard line.

“Knox?”

Dante calls from the door, and Knox turns without a word, walking away.

Dante steps closer with concern all over his face. “What the fuck happened? Did Knox—”

“Nothing happened!”

I snap, pushing myself to my feet. “I panicked, that’s all! Ethan didn’t do anything, and neither did Knox. Can you all just leave me alone?”

I huff in frustration and march toward the house, needing space, needing air, needing something.

Even after everything, after they’ve all proven they’re not like Cash, I still react like they are. I claw at my shirt with frustration. Why can’t I just move on? I killed him!

Reaching my room, I slam the door behind me and take a deep breath. The simple white walls, the plain sheets, the ugly metal furniture—it all feels like I’m in a hospital or a prison. The anger boils up, and before I realize what I’m doing, I grab the ceramic vase on the dresser and throw it to the floor with all my strength.

The crash is loud and oddly satisfying.

“What did the vase do?”

Dante’s voice startles me, and I spin around to find him leaning in the doorway, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“What do you want?”

I snarl, the rage from earlier bubbling back to the surface.

Without answering, he steps into the room and tosses me a small bag of ice.

“We have ice?”

I roll my eyes. How the hell do we have ice?

“Just put it on your hip, ,”

he snaps back, his smirk disappearing.

“Ryker, Max, and Ethan are heading into town,”

he says, his tone more neutral now. “We need some fuses and lamps. Max spotted a stash the last time we were there. Do you need anything?”

I close my eyes and rub my temples, trying to keep myself from snapping again. “No, I don’t think so.”

I’ve gone so long without anything that now, with all of this, even ice, I can’t even think of asking for anything.

“You and Knox are staying?”

I ask, a new wave of anxiety creeping in. Being alone with them, and Bryn doesn’t feel like a good idea at all.

“Yeah, doll.”

His smirk is back, and he turns, his boots echoing against the steel stairs as he heads upstairs without another word.

I stay in the room for hours, trying to calm myself down, finally feeling like I’m in control of my emotions. I head upstairs.

Bryn is lying on the couch, a book in her lap, though, her eyes moving up to me as I walk by. Knox and Dante are playing pool a few feet away. The quiet clink of balls echoes in the room. No one acknowledges me at first, but I feel their attention shift subtly as I approach.

“Can I change my room?”

I ask, tilting my chin up.

“No,”

Knox replies, not even glancing up as he lines up his shot. The cue ball cracks against another, sending it neatly into the left pocket.

“No? Why the hell not?”

I step closer, and I can see Dante smirking.

“That’s not your room, pet,”

he says, standing to his full, intimidating height, and I have to crane my neck to meet his stare. “That’s a spare room. You can have one of the bigger ones.

A bigger room? How many rooms does this place have?

“Oh,”

I murmur, and Dante chuckles behind me.

“Come on.”

Knox sets his pool stick down and heads toward the stairs.

I follow behind him, my heart pounding as we go down the stairs, but this time he turns right instead of left, and I notice, for the first time, the line of doors hidden behind the staircase. He stops at the second door and pushes it open.

“This one’s yours,”

he says, nodding for me to get in. “Dante’s room is across the hall. Mine’s to the left.”

The room is twice the size of the old one. A king-sized bed dominates the space, and there’s more furniture here.

“Thank you,”

I whisper.

Knox nods and turns to leave, but on impulse, I grab his arm. The heat of his skin surprises me, and I pull him closer. “Lean in,” I murmur.

He hesitates for a moment but lowers himself until we’re at eye level, and standing on my toes, I press a soft kiss to his lips.

“I’m sorry for earlier,”

I say softly.

He doesn’t move or speak. His blue eyes burn into mine, searching, dissecting, and my heart sinks as I lower myself back down, a knot forming in my throat.

“For fuck’s sake, ,”

he growls, his hands snapping up to the back of my head. A shiver rips through me.

Then he yanks me forward, his mouth crashing against mine in a kiss that’s all-consuming, possessive, and a little unhinged. I melt into it, my fingers tangling in his hair, my body instinctively pressing into him. Every nerve ignites, and despite the soreness still thrumming from last night, I want him. Badly.

A sharp throat clearing shatters the moment, and Knox pulls back just enough to smirk but doesn’t let me go.

“Want to join in?”

He asks, not even bothering to look over his shoulder.

Peeking around him, I find Dante leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, gaze unreadable. He’s shirtless, only wearing sweatpants that hang dangerously low on his hips, and my eyes lock onto his chest, finally getting a full view of his tattoo—a massive black hawk with outstretched wings.

“She needs to rest,”

Dante drawls, mockery curling around each word as he leans back, arms crossing over his chest.

Knox’s grip tightens just slightly, his smirk darkening. “Do you, pet?”

His tone drips with amusement.

I shake my head, too fast. “No.”

Knox hums, sliding his hand down between my legs, pressing against my still-sensitive pussy, and the sharp ache mixed with pleasure forces a soft whimper from my lips.

“Little liar,”

Dante chuckles.

I can’t stop the pout that pushes forward, and his grin turns downright wicked.

“Tomorrow, doll,”

Dante murmurs, sounding like silk and sin. “I’ll fuck your pussy while Knox fucks your throat.”

Knox’s matching smirk makes my knees damn near buckle.

They stand side by side—two massive, powerful men, two fucking titans.

I shake my head as they close the door. My heart is pounding fast. I’ve never felt like this, after years of being alone, of avoiding men… Now I am eager to be with them, to have them touch me, kiss me.

Damn… I’m horny…