Page 91 of The Retaliation You Deliver

“I think it was them. They took this one and saved you from having to do it.”

I stare into her kind, innocent eyes. Hating that I’m burdening her with this bullshit.

“They might have been involved, but there’s more to it. If they wanted to kill him, put an end to it, they’d have put a bullet through his skull and buried him where he’d never be found.”

She shudders.

“They’re Hawks, baby. That’s a normal day for them.”

“You’re right. Something doesn’t add up. Someone knew.”

I think back to that night when I thought someone was watching me in the shadows when I went to visit him.

Was it someone? Were my instincts right? But who?

“And he’s got enough enemies by the sound of it.”

“If they knew, it meant they followed me. It means they knew something was going on.”

“So, it was Luc?”

“I don’t know, Red. It doesn’t seem like his style.”

“Libby? They OD’d. She’d be able to get her hands on drugs.”

“She’s in a rehab facility.”

“They can leave though, right?”

“I have no idea. I’m not even sure where the place is.”

Silence falls around us as we both lose ourselves in our thoughts.

“Does it even matter?” she finally asks. “He’s gone. He’s out of your life. Isn’t that the most important thing here?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“But you wanted to be the one to do it?”

“I’m not even sure I did. I’ve kept him alive for weeks. If I really wanted to do it, I would’ve done it by now.”

“So… this was all part of your plan. Revenge on your dad, me and Richard.”

“Yeah,” I say, tightening my arm around her waist and crushing her body against mine. “But it seems to have been a little derailed.”

“I don’t know,” she says with a shrug. “You fucked me over. Your dad has gone. All that’s left is my uncle.”

Dipping my head to kiss her jaw, I whisper. “Can I fuck you over again?”

“Again?” she asks, her brow lifting in shock.

Trailing a finger over her collarbone and down to the swell of her breast. I tuck my digit under the fabric of the towel, and pull it free, exposing her to me.

“Always.”

Her eyes drop from mine to the obvious tent in my towel.

Pressing her palm to my shoulder, I allow her to push me onto my back as she crawls down the bed, pulling the towel from waist, exposing my cock.