Page 138 of Reckless Vengeance

“Because he loved you,” he said simply, a calmness in his tone that wasn’t usually there when he discussed Slash. “All that time, his feelings were genuine.”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Let the guilt in. How were you supposed to trust him when he’d fucked me over so many times before? You were trying to protect me, Skeet. You didn’t know his intentions,” I promised, not wanting him to regret it. “What if it had been a game to him? Then you’d regret not seeing through it. There’s nothing you can do to change what’s happened, so don’t think about it.”

“He really fucking loved you,” he mumbled in disbelief, letting out a light laugh. “That asshole gave me so much shit about falling for you, but the second he caught feelings he put you in his will and died? And he thought I was obsessive.”

The light conversation made me laugh too, the thought honestly ridiculous the more I thought about it.

“He was totally pussy whipped,” I added, his amused eyes sliding to mine for a second.

“I told him you had good pussy, and he didn’t believe me.”

“He fell right into my trap,” I joked, resting my hand on his thigh. “He was a really good guy under that mask he wore.”

“He really was. I’m glad he let you see it,” he murmured, both of us lapsing into silence for the rest of the drive.

No matter what, it always hit me like a ton of bricks whenever I saw the Mustang. Logically, I knew that Slash wasn’t about to climb out of it, or that he wasn’t waiting in Skeeter’s kitchen with a beer in hand.

It still stung though.

Jensen parked on the road, and I waited outside while Skeeter grabbed the Mustang keys, giving me time to just stare at it. It needed a wash, and as much as I’d driven it before, I was nervous now.

What if something happened to it?

“Here,” Skeeter murmured when he joined me again, holding the keys out to me.

“What if I wreck it?” I blurted out, not taking them.

“If you’re worried about that, should I take my Corvette back?” he teased, taking my hand and dropping the keys into them. “Go on. Warm her up and take her for a run.”

I nodded and moved towards the driver’s side and unlocked it before climbing behind the wheel to start it. It roared to life, the familiar sound mixed with the lingering scent of Slash making emotions hit me like a goddamn train.

I didn’t dare roll the windows down, not wanting to lose the last little piece I had of him.

Skeeter motioned for me to back out of the driveway, and I took a shaky breath before putting it in reverse and easing it out, parking it on the side of the road to wait for Skeeter to join me.

He got into the McLaren, apparently not coming with me, and I took the lead as we drove to Slash’s house.

I kept the radio off, enjoying listening to the sound of the engine on the short drive, and when we arrived at the house, I parked in the driveway, leaving enough room behind me for the guys.

“I should have washed it,” Skeeter muttered to himself as he appeared beside me, and I shook my head.

“I’ll do it later.”

“So, are you going to move in and live in squalor again? Or are you enjoying your mansion life now?” he teased, but there was a seriousness in his eyes as he awaited my answer.

“I honestly don’t know if I can live here. Not yet, anyway,” I mumbled, pulling the keys out to unlock the house and stepping inside.

It smelled strongly of Slash. There was a dirty coffee cup on the coffee table, a blanket on the couch from Diesel sleeping on it, dishes still stacked on the counter, and I wasn’t sure why, but seeing his dirty socks on the floor was what almost did me in.

He’d left the house for the last time with Diesel that morning, not realizing he’d never return to wash them.

Caden and the guys sat in the living room while I grabbed the coffee cup and headed into the kitchen to clean up, sensing Skeeter watching me, but he stayed silent.

I wiped the counter when I was done, picking up a dirty shirt, along with the socks, and tossing them in the laundry basket. The bed was unmade, and I couldn’t help myself as I curled up in it and buried my face in the pillow.