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CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Phoenix

Noel took his time removing my clothes, kissing my lips and every inch of skin he could taste. He never divested himself of his clothes and when I asked why, he said, “I want to show you that you’re perfect in every way, and that every part of you is beautiful.”

I melted into the mattress but arched back up when he swallowed my cock.

“Oh my God, Noel.”

I gripped his hair and drove my hips up into his warm mouth, loving how he let me fuck his face. I chased my orgasm and the closer I got to that, the further Adonis was from my mind. All I felt, heard, and needed was Noel.

He pressed a lubed-up finger into my hole and played me brilliantly; he found my prostate, and that was it for me. I came down his throat, and he didn’t move an inch until my body turned to jelly.

He lay beside me, a smug smile on his handsome face. I could only chuckle, trying to catch my breath. As I looked into his eyes so full of—dare I say—love, my heart didn’t hurt anymore, the weight was lifted, and I knew Noel would protect me and his brothers would protect him.

I wasn’t sure I was strong enough mentally and physically to fight Adonis off, but maybe I didn’t have to be. Adonis wanted me, but if he came hunting, he’d come face-to-face with the Saint brothers. And for the first time, I realized they were the only ones that could take him on.

“What’s the plan?” Hazel asked the next morning as we all gathered in the living room.

Nick and Noel had kept the drones going all night, making sure Adonis never left the cabin. If he had, they’d have followed him. Mason was just getting up from a quick nap since he’d taken the last shift with the drones.

“We keep an eye on Amo during the day, have a drone on him at all times, changing out when the battery runs low. It’s covered by the trees, so he can’t see them,” Nick began. “When it’s dark, we go to the cabin and kill the motherfucker.”

“You say that like it’s so simple.” My leg bounced, a tendril of fear creeping up my spine at the thought of any of them going face-to-face with Adonis, but then I remembered last night. They were capable, and they could do this.

“It is. He has no idea we’re on to him. The other thing is the Zaffys.”

“They may be a little harder to get, Nick.” Gabe sighed. “Disappearing Amo, they’ll think the serial killer just stopped killing, and it’ll take time for his businesses to realize he’s gone by that point. Who gives a fuck? But the Zaffys are under FBI surveillance. We have to be careful.”

Nick nodded. “We will be. There are always plans, but Amo is priority.”

“Who’s going?” Noel relaxed into his chair with a smile.

“Phoenix and Hazel obviously are staying here,” Nick said.

“Oh, wait.” Hazel’s face twisted. “I promised Lizzy I’d come to her place tonight. It’s her birthday, and she’s having a small gathering.”

Four hummed. “Yeah, I was going to be there, too.”

“Seriously?” Angel smacked the desk. “We’re hunting a serial killer here!”

“I do have to go to the shop during the day today. How about Hazel and Four come with me, and I’ll drive them to Lizzy’s on my way home, and we can pick her up after. She’ll be fine with Four.”

Angel rolled his eyes. “Fine. Phoenix isn’t staying alone.”

“Nick and I will be here—we need to do the tech stuff because most of you are allergic to it.”

Gabe gave me the finger while looking at Angel. “You, me, Shep. We three are plenty. He’s only tough when he’s got his victims trapped. He’s not ready for the three of us.”

Shep shrugged. “Yeah, that works.”

“And Mason, Matt, and I stay here, and do what?” JJ crossed his arms over his chest.

“Stay alive?” Shep’s tone turned sarcastic.

“Nick and I will be watching them at all times, and you three can help. We can also keep an eye on Hazel and Four with all of you here.”

JJ sat down with a dramatic breath. “I suppose we can help you guys.”

“I found something interesting.” Mason pointed to his monitor.

“I was digging into Amo’s background after Nick guided me through the web or whatever.

I found an article dated eleven years ago.

A plastic surgeon was found dead, strangled and hung in a tree with ropes to look like a marionette.

So I researched the doctor. He was standing trial for practicing without a license.

He killed three patients and maimed four, and one of the people named in that trial was Amo Cormac. ”

“Eleven years.” I shook my head. “Kickass work, Mason. So he was disfigured. Question is, how bad could it be?” I turned to Gabe and Angel. “Did any of the employees at the café mention anything about it or make you think he wouldn’t want to see you?”

“Nope,” Angel answered. “Which makes me wonder just how bad it really is.”

“We’ll find out tonight.” Shep rubbed his hands together.

The rest of the day consisted of planning everything perfectly. One drone would stay with Four and Hazel, watching Lizzy’s place. The others would watch the cabin and surrounding areas to make sure it was safe for Shep, Gabe, and Angel to go in.

I felt useless just sitting here while the three guys put themselves in danger. But what could I do?

Before lunch Shep left with Hazel and Four and said he’d be back in a few hours. I hugged Hazel and told her to wish Lizzy a happy birthday for me. I couldn’t wait until I was able to go to parties again—hell, until I could just go buy milk without thinking he was waiting for me to grab me and run.

Mason was focusing on finding more information on Adonis, but it felt pointless since the guys were just going to kill him.

I guess part of him wanted to know the why and how.

I sat beside him as he did his thing, learning little tidbits.

He found a couple of photos, but it seemed they were ones of him skiing with a mask on.

One was him on a motorcycle with a helmet on so you couldn’t see his face.

“Maybe he was a masker in public.” I thought about it. “A lot of people still wear them. Perhaps that’s what he does.”

Mason smiled at me. “That actually makes a lot of sense.”

When the sun went down, Shep, Gabe, and Angel walked out of the house with a wave—and in Gabe’s case, two middle fingers—to Nick and Noel after they shouted, “Don’t die!” to them.

The rest of us sat in the chairs and stared at the monitors. This had to go perfectly because if they failed, Adonis wouldn’t give them a second chance.