Bitter Truths: A Twisted Arranged Marriage Romance (Crimson Falls Duet Book 2) by Dani René (best fiction novels to read .txt) 📗

I chuckle. “You say a lot of shit that isn’t a good idea,” I taunt.

“Fuck you,” my best friend throws back and we both laugh.

Sipping my drink, I turn my attention to the men, to my men. They’re good. They would do anything for me, for the club, but Howler is right, we need to get help. More men. “Any word on how he’s doing?” I ask. I don’t have to say his name because Howler knows who I’m talking about.

“Looks good, he’ll recover. You didn’t hit anything major.”

I nod, thankful. I wanted to hurt my brother. But when I pulled the trigger, there was a part of me that knew I couldn’t kill him. Not yet anyway.

He now knows Grace wants him dead. I let that little secret slip when I stood at the altar. She didn’t look all too happy with me, and I’m waiting for her backlash because knowing how that bitch works, she’ll be coming after me.

“I want us to get to Grace before she walks in here with my name on a bullet.” I glance at Howler, and he nods. We both know it’s going to be a job to take her down. Mainly because it’s Scarlett’s grandmother, and it will hurt her, but she has to understand we have no choice. The woman is an evil bitch. But also, she has connections—police, politicians, even the fucking CIA is in her pocket, so we need to be very careful how we do this.

Hence the reason I’ll wait for Lycan before acting out. He always used to tell me I was too reactive. I needed to plan. This time, I’m finally listening to his advice.

“She’ll pay,” Howler promises as the girls start dancing to the music that’s blaring through the speakers. The guys are enjoying it, shouting and whistling, and I wonder briefly what’s happened to me.

A couple of months ago, I would’ve loved this. Parties, drinking, the women, but right now, the consequences of what I’ve done weigh heavily on me. Guilt sluices through me at the thought of kidnapping Scarlett, shooting Lycan, and the thought of not being able to talk to him again hits me right in the chest.

This is Scarlett’s doing.

She needled at me, asking me fucking questions, and now all I can think about is apologizing and making things right. It’s not who I am. It never has been. Not with my mother, not with my father, but right now, all I want to do is make her pay for unlocking that box I’d kept hidden away for so long.

Pushing to my feet, I say, “I’m heading up. See you in the morning.” I don’t wait for Howler’s response because I can only imagine it being a warning against what I’m about to do. And even if he had gotten it out, I may have just ignored him, anyway.

Outside the bedroom door, I grip the handle in a white-knuckle hold. I shouldn’t do this. But I was never one for rules. I push it open and step inside to find Scarlett sitting on the bed, her arms wrapped around her legs, her chin resting on her knees.

In this position, she looks small, so fucking tiny and fragile. I want to wrap her in my arms and never make her cry. Confusion swirls in my gut. Want and need, overpowering the desire to destroy her.

“Did you enjoy the show?” I taunt, shutting the door behind me, my eyes keeping her pretty ones hostage as she looks me over. She trails me from head to toe, then meets my questioning stare once more.

“Did you do that on purpose?” she challenges, a small smile hinting at her lips, and I’m tempted to go over to her and steal it, to feel her softness against my hardness. But I don’t. I refrain from even stepping closer to the bed where she’s perched, because the moment I do, I’ll lose all semblance of control that I’m grasping onto.

“Perhaps.” Just the one word has her laughing out loud. “Were you wet, wishing it was your mouth bringing me pleasure?” Shrugging off the leather cut, I throw it onto the foot end of the bed. I make my way to the window, keeping my distance from her.

“I was wondering where my husband is. If he’s okay. I thought about how much pleasure he brought me with his lips, tongue, and fingers. And then, I imagined him here, tasting me while I sucked his cock like she took yours in her mouth.”

Even though she’s attempting to anger me, to send my jealousy soaring, it doesn’t work because the fire and desire dancing in her pretty eyes make it clear her words are almost a lie. I say almost because even though she may miss Lycan; she wants me. There’s no doubt in my mind about it.

“I’m sure if you had us both you wouldn’t survive the pleasure that we could bestow on you, little one.” It’s the truth. She’s far too innocent to even imagine what Lycan and I could do to her. That is, if my brother would share.

And for a moment, I ponder the thought.

“He’ll never share me with you,” she informs me, tipping her chin in defiance, and I can’t help but grin. She didn’t say she doesn’t want it, only that Lycan wouldn’t allow it. But I know my brother better than she does.

“Get some rest,” I order, trying to keep my voice calm as I settle into the armchair that overlooks the front garden. I’m not moving until she’s asleep, and if she fights me on that, too bad because I’m watching over her tonight, and I’m going to enjoy it.

After a long while, Scarlett settles under the covers. But her eyes are on me, watching and waiting. I lean back, relaxing as I rest my feet on the window seat. It’s going to be a long night, and my little one better be in it for the