Page 133 of Watched

Taunting voices echo from every direction as I slide into the passenger seat.

“I’m sorry.” Guilt coats my whispered words. “Why did you do that? I could’ve thought of another payment. I just needed time to think I—” He snatches my nape and turns my attention on him.

“We don’t have time for your nonsensical guilt.” He rips his hand away and starts the SUV, taking off down the street as I soothe the fresh tattoo he aggravated. “I know I didn’t need to, but that bitch has always wanted a taste of me, and her cunt will be aching for hours to come.”

“You aren’t that big,” I drawl.

“Your ass sure thought so.” A mocking smirk tilts his lips. “Fuck, Blade, I won’t be able to walk tomorrow. Goddamnit, that hurts. What are you trying to do, come out of my throat?”

“We don’t talk about it.”

“Why?” He grins. “Do I still turn you on?”

“The only person who can get me hard is Rome, and trust me, you have nothing on him.”

He arches a brow and then looks between his legs. “You’re telling me that pretty boy is packing more than nine inches?” I nod. “I call bullshit.”

“I’m not lying,” I laugh.

“How much?”

“Eleven,” I answer honestly, just to get this conversation over with.

“Damn, he’s almost double your size.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m not insulting you. It’s just a fact.”

I know what he’s trying to do—distract me from what we’re about to walk into, stop my mind mulling over every scenario that could end with one of us dead. Even though I’ve planned for everything, I could still fail miserably, and Smith would continue to taunt us.

I check my watch. 11:32PM.

Graham sits on his sofa with his hands cuffed behind his back while Blade and Xander check the various guns spread on the dining table behind him.

“This isn’t going to work,” Graham utters his first sentence since Blade and I arrived a two hours ago. Xander was here to keep Graham company while we made a deal with his brother and sister.

As I look at Xander load the magazine of his Glock, I can’t help but wonder if he’s sat idly by while his sister raped men for a deal.

Who am I to judge, right? I watched Nina rape my brother. Although, I had a gun to my head, and I don’t doubt Jared would have killed me if need be. That’s only an excuse, isn’t it? A decent person would have risked their life to stop that happening. If the positions were reversed, I know Blade would have stopped her raping me, even if it meant death.

When he was attacked in that stairwell, had they stayed with him to get to the apartment, he wouldn’t have opened the door. Of course, he would’ve fought the best he could, but I know he would’ve chosen to bleed out over giving them access to me. Blade has proven his loyalty to me countless times the past few months. He threatened Rome, and I’m still beyond pissed about that, but when push came to shove, he didn’t do it. Maybe I’m being naïve in thinking he didn’t follow though because he didn’t want to risk losing me…

Wait.

I look at Blade, a scowl on my face. “You fucking asshole.” He looks up, brow arched. “I genuinely thought you might have hurt Rome.” A smile creeps onto his face, and Xander’s brows knit, creasing his balaclava. “You were pushing me to go against Dad.”

Blade smiles, clipping the magazine onto his rifle. “I wasn’t lying when I said I need you.”

“But Dad did offer you a deal for Rome?”

“He called the night we were in Manchester and said he’d give me Alexa if I kidnapped Rome and kept him in a secure location. I knew you’d figure it out too quickly if I didn’t present a dead body. I was on my balcony the night Smith hacked Weston & Myer, and your balcony door was open. I heard your conversation with Rome and saw the opportunity, knowing you’d take the threat of his death seriously. Aaron was never going to give me Alexa, and you needed a little…push.”

Fucking asshole.

“Hey,” Graham spits. I move my eyes to his and cock my head. “Did you hear me?”

“You physically spat the words at me. Yes, I heard you.”