“This is better,” Colson says. “He wasn’t contributing to society.”
“No. Far as I can tell he was an addict with an obsession.”
“He would’ve hurt me if it wasn’t for you.”
I nod, clenching my jaw.
“But he’s dead now,” Colson whispers, poking Bradley’s chest. “He’s dead. His mom, his dad, all dead. They can’t hurt me anymore.”
“No, my love.”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
“I’m ready when you are,” Wraith says, leaning on the wall near the pit. He’s already stuffed the comforter inside it.
“You just shove him in there?” Colson asks.
“It’s not big enough,” Wraith says. “We usually cut the body up first.”
Colson blanches. “I think I’ll skip that part.”
“Me too. Wraith will handle it. He likes it.”
Wraith waggles his eyebrows at us with a huge grin on his face.
Colson smiles softly, glancing at Bradley one last time. “Did you tell him what I said?”
“I sure did, gorgeous.”
He exhales slowly, nodding. He touches my cheek, scraping off a smear of blood. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
“And then?”
Colson lifts his pretty gaze to mine, smiling sweetly. “Whatever you like,mon tueur.”
I follow him upstairs to the bedroom, where he leads me into the bathroom. It’s the first time I’ve seen myself, and I am indeed covered in blood. My knuckles likely have some scrapes and cuts on them from how hard I went, but hopefully nothing too bad. Fortunately, the pain in my hand seems to be improving too.
Colson starts the shower then turns to me and helps me get my clothes off. His eyes are soft, his touches gentle, like he’s afraid to hurt me.
“He barely got a single punch in.”
Colson nods, smiling slightly. “I thought you might…” He shrugs. “Shoot him or something.”
“Nah. Too much rage. I lost it. Wraith had to pull me off him.”
He visibly shivers, licking his lips. “Why is that hot?”
“Because it was for you?”
“That must be it.” He kneels and pulls my boots then my socks off while I work on my jeans. “Into the shower with you. I’ll be on the bed waiting.”
I do as he says. Even though I wish he was joining me, I don’t want any blood to get on him. I watch as he gathers my dirty clothes and dumps them in the tub to be dealt with tomorrow, then he leaves the bathroom and I hurry up and wash so I can get back to what I really want to be doing.
Him.
After a quick but thorough shower, I step out and dry off, eager to get to Colson. I find him sprawled out on the bed, his eyes closed.
