I started back toward the house and Benny walked out the front door, quickly darting his gaze around the perimeter.
“Is something going on?”
I joined him and pointed at the street. “Joey saw an SUV trolling by the house.”
Benny sighed. “When do you think your brother will make a move?”
Anticipation coursed through my veins. “Hopefully soon,” I replied.
I’d spent months without a touch of violence, but now I craved it. It’d been way too long.
CHAPTER13
WREN
ONE WEEK LATER
The past week went by in a hazy blur. Peyton and Gabriella called me every day to check in, and I kept waiting for Peyton to tell me she’d had the twins. I hated I wouldn’t be there when they came into the world.
Parker’s hotel room had been cleaned, and all his belongings were sent to me. No evidence had been found on his body, so I had him cremated and his ashes put in a silver urn for now. Too many emotions threatened to break free at the sight of it, so I placed the urn and all of Parker’s things in one of Seth’s other guest bedrooms and shut the door.
Unfortunately, I knew what was behind it every time I walked past. The only thing I could think to do was keep myself busy. All I’d done the past week was work out, eat, work out again, and sleep. Ripp was at the Labyrinth with Kase; he wanted to leave Seth’s house for a while. I hadn’t even stepped out of the front door yet. Luckily, Kali and Valentin had visited a couple of times, and having her around helped my sanity.
Every day and night, I was surrounded by men. Seth handled business as usual, always on the phone, but there were times I could feel his eyes on me. No one had heard from Nikolai. However, there was a tension in the air, like at any moment he would strike. I wish he’d hurry the fuck up so I could get rid of him and have the revenge I deserve.
Benny was in the living room when I went downstairs, his hulking frame was standing by the windows. He was the only one of Seth’s men who ever said a word to me. Then again, I never bothered to talk to any of the others.
I met Benny’s gaze in the window, and he turned around to face me, his focus strictly on my face and not my body, which was clad in only a bright teal bikini. Benny was Seth’s closest confidant, but he seemed like a guy I could get along with.
“I’m going for a swim,” I said to him.
He nodded once and said, “Enjoy,” before focusing back on the windows that overlooked the pool.
I knew there would be more men patrolling the grounds outside, but I just chose to pretend they weren’t even there. Once outside, I kicked off my flip-flops and set my towel on one of the lounge chairs. Steam billowed from the pool, and when I dipped my toes in, the water was warm. I had been pushing myself hard in Seth’s gym, trying to get into the best shape of my life. But with all the intense workouts, my muscles were screaming for a break. So, I knew a swim in the pool was exactly what I needed.
As I dove into the water, the tension in my muscles began to ease. The rush of the water felt like a massage against my sore skin. I moved my arms and legs, feeling the water’s resistance against my muscles, but it was a welcome sensation.
I swam lap after lap, my movements slow and steady, enjoying the feeling of weightlessness that the water provided. My mind drifted as I swam, and visions of Parker flashed through my memories. I could see his smiling face, but then it was replaced by his lifeless form on the floor of my hotel room, covered in blood.
Clenching my teeth, I swam to the edge of the pool and sucked in a deep breath. I dug my fingers into the cement, focusing on that pain instead of the torment in my heart. Once my pulse stopped racing and all thoughts of Parker pushed down into the depths of my soul, I hopped out of the pool and went straight to the hot tub. I couldn’t let my emotions get in the way of what I needed to do.
The heat of the hot tub enveloped my body like a warm embrace. I let out a sigh of contentment as the water worked its magic on my sore muscles. The jets massaged my back and shoulders, sending waves of pleasure through my body.
Closing my eyes, I leaned against the tub’s edge, letting the heat penetrate deeper into my muscles. Unfortunately, nothing was going to melt away my tension completely.
I opened my eyes and looked around, taking in the beauty of my surroundings. Seth’s house was amazing, and if the situation was different, I could see myself actually enjoying the atmosphere. The stars twinkled brightly in the sky above, and the lights of the Vegas Strip shone brightly in the distance. It all seemed peaceful, but in reality, I was in a war zone.
I shut my eyes again and sank further into the hot tub, loving the peaceful hum of the jets. But that sense of peace was interrupted when Seth’s voice cut through the air.
“Can I join you?”
Still keeping my eyes closed, I resisted the urge to groan out loud. “It’s your house,” I stated matter-of-factly. “Do what you want.”
Even though I was in a steaming hot tub, my arms broke out in chills like they always did when he was near. A soft chuckle escaped his lips, and I hated myself for finding it sexy. I despised the Michelsons. Being attracted to Seth annoyed the hell out of me.
It wasn’t long before I heard him step into the water, the sound of it sloshing around him. I wanted to open my eyes, but I didn’t want to get sucked into the depths of his hazel gaze. Seth Michelson may be dangerous, but those types of men were always the most appealing.
“How’s your training been going?” Seth asked.
