Page 110 of Retribution

Grant walks over and picks me up, smacking my ass as my head goes over his shoulder.

“This is unnecessary!” I laugh, squeezing his ass.

“No fingers in my asshole,” he reprimands, slapping my ass again. “I got way closer than expected to my boss.”

I’m not sure what he means, but I think Lucas may have been very enthusiastic about eating me out while Grant was having sex with me.

“What’s a little tongue slip between pack members?” I ask, grinning as he steps under the spray of water in the shower stall.

Grant slides me down his body, rolling his eyes.

“I guess it’s just as well that I don’t fall under any kind of Human Resource Management. Be my good little nightmare and drop your head back for me,” he insists.

I suppose I can let him wash my hair. Alesso and Oliver both came all over me at one point yesterday. They all took turns spending time with the baby while I had my heat. A part of me is sad that I missed that.

The water rains down on my hair, and Grant slides his hand through it to make sure it’s all damp before turning me around so I’m facing away from him. He pours some shampoo into his hand and begins massaging it into my scalp.

It’s really relaxing. Sighing as my body begins to sag into itself, my lips twitch in mirth as Grant pulls me against his chest so I can lean against him. I never would have thought that he’d be washing my hair the day I climbed a tree on this property to eavesdrop on him and Lucas.

Hate has an interesting way of evolving into something entirely different.

“I can hear you thinking,” Grant murmurs against my ear. “I’m trying not to listen through the bond, but you’re really loud, Isolde.”

“Oh shit,” I breathe.

“Mmmhmm. For the record, I don’t think anyone would ever know how insecure you are if they didn’t have a direct line into your brain,” he adds. “I noticed the scars earlier, but Lucas toldme not to say anything. Survival comes in many different forms. Your scars are just a part of that story, Little Nightmare. If you hate them, change it.”

“Lucas mentioned getting tattooed,” I murmur.

“We can do that,” he says, moving my body back under the spray so he can rinse my hair. “Don’t hide. You could kill people in front of us, and none of us would blink an eye, Isolde. Stop thinking that you’re going to scare the people who care about you away.”

“I’m really fucked up,” I admit.

“Who isn’t?” Grant asks. “Living within the constraints of society is exhausting, and as a hit woman, you haven’t bothered to do that in years. Do what you need to and make sure it doesn’t lead back to us.”

“And if it does?” I whisper. I’m worried about that, because it could.

No one is bulletproof.

“Then I have a team ready to make it disappear,” Grant grunts. “Lucas is in the public eye more than most people. He’s careful of how much people see, which is why he’s going back into his lab for a few hours tonight. We all understand that the world is on fire right now, and how important it is for you to have an anti-forced heat medication.”

“Could he get in trouble for this?” I ask, starting to feel my anxiety spike higher.

“His findings are supposed to go before the board of directors per his agreements with them,” Grant explains. “Lucas has always maintained that he’s not hanging up his research hat. It hasn’t been an issue in quite some time because he simply hadn't had time or inclination for it.”

“Until now,” I murmur.

Grant runs his fingers through my tangled hair with conditioner, making noises under his breath as he flicks unmentionable fluids from its strands.

Poor alpha.

“Yes. You’re his reason, Isolde,” he confirms. “If he does it at home and not on company time, he doesn’t have to disclose it and he doesn’t have to worry about creating more than just enough for you.”

“I suppose this would be a dangerous thing to release to the public.”

“Forced heats are not typically done,” Grant says. “I’ve heard of a couple of breeding camps that do, but their locations are secret.”

“What a disgusting removal of rights,” I whisper, goosebumps of anger moving up my skin. “You know that now that I know this, I’m going to have to find it.”