Page 116 of Restitution

Stacey takes my hand in hers as we descend the staircase, and she squeals as I lift her at the bottom and press her to the wall to steal a quick kiss.

She’s wearing my cotton shorts and another black top that’s far too big for her, her hair pulled into a ponytail, fresh-faced from our shower. She smells like me after using my shower gel. She smells like mine. Sheismine.

The quick kiss turns heavy as her hands tug at my hair and my tongue moves with hers, and then she’s grinding against me, making me hard again as a moan slips from her lips.

Fuck, I’ll never get enough of her.

“Stop,” she says, laughing. “Someone will see.”

I shake my head. “No one comes to my side of the manor.”

“Cameras, Kade. Cameras.”

I huff and let her down. “After breakfast, we’re finishing what we started.”

She raises a brow as I take her hand in mine, revelling in the energy zipping between our palms. “Really?”

I hum ayesand drag her down the lobby before wrapping my arms around her from behind and walking forward a few steps. I whisper against her ear, “Unprotected. Hard. Fast. Slow. Long. Gentle.” I bite her neck and make her shriek. “Loud. Take your pick, Freckles.”

She elbows me and settles her head against my arm as we walk to the main dining area. I stop when I hear multiple voices, and Stacey halts her steps too. We frown at each other before walking into the kitchen.

Mum has made a huge breakfast spread. The dining table is filled with different foods: cereal, fry-up food, tea and coffee jugs, and loads of different kinds of omelette.

Dez and Tylar are here, sitting beside Luciella, Mum and Ewan. He must’ve saw the footage and decided to leave the hotel he was staying at. He needed space, to breathe and think.

Ewan’s arm is resting on the back of Mum’s chair as they talk about one of the times we all went to America. My mother offers food to the workers. Two guys from my team are sitting at the table too, devouring fruit.

Mum looks up at me and rises from her chair. “Oh, you’re both awake. Come. Eat.”

Tylar jumps up and pulls Stacey into her arms, hugging her and asking if she’s okay, and Dez nods at me, patting my shoulder. “It seems we have a lot to catch up on.”

“A lot is an understatement.”

“Fuck, man.”

“Language,” Mum scolds Dez. “Don’t let your toast get cold, Desmond.”

We settle into seats, my hand on Stacey’s thigh as we dig in, filling our starved bodies until we’re both full, thankful I’m able to hold food down now. I pour her a tea, and she passes me a bowl of grapes while Dez and Tylar tell us about their travels.

I welcome the subject, since no one wants to talk about the elephant in the room, or the fact that I ripped Archie’s body to shreds last night and his remains are in buckets in the walk-in freezer. I’ll use them to taunt Bernadette.

Stacey rests her head on my shoulder and smiles at Luciella as she returns the smile despite the circumstances, glancing between the two of us. I guess she isn’t pissed at us. Not that I give a fuck.

Ewan whispers into Mum’s ear, and she lowers her head. “Kade, have you seen the news or… looked outside the main gates?”

I shake my head, my brows knitting together. “No. We’ve kept our phones off, and I haven’t checked my laptop. I kind of expected a raid hours ago.”

“There will be no raid, I don’t think.”

I tilt my head in confusion, and Ewan grabs the remote, turning on the TV that’s on the wall opposite the table. I rise from my chair when I see the crowds at our main gate – members of the public all standing with linked arms, placards held aloft, chanting.

“What the fuck?”

Stacey leans her elbows on the table, watching it with me.

Luciella speaks next. “There’s been a huge social-mediaoutpouring – reports of corruption in both the police and armed forces from the file you released. Victims have come forward and given evidence. Everyone is backing you, Kade. And I meaneveryone.”

She pulls up something on her phone and shows me.