Page 23 of Psycho Saviors

I traced the edge of the skull on his back, noting the scars hidden beneath the ink. Some looked new, and the patch-up from his recent gunshot wounds and grazes were damp. They’d need to be replaced, but right now, I wanted to leave him be. I felt like I was sitting with a wounded wolf, and it was allowing me to be there, accepting my company despite its instincts.

Tessa was clearly crazy in her own way, but they sounded like a weird-ass match. Too bad shit had gone south in the worst ways. As much of a prick as he was, he didn’t deserve it. No one did.

“You had a few things on you in the police files. Restraining orders, small offenses. You’ve not had luck with past partners, have you?” he said after a few moments of silence.

“You know my history, Cristian. Drug addicted parents, mum was more an alcoholic than anything, but my father was an addict. Sold me for drug money. How was I supposed to know what a functional relationship was meant to look like?” I snorted. “I’ve been with abusers, cheaters, users, you name it. Not long before Tommy I tried some therapy, wanted to try to break the pattern. Then I met him, things went great, or so I thought. Turns out he was the same as all the others, only in it for himself.”

I’d had a slew of relationships since my teen years, Tommy having been the longest. None had been healthy, even Tommy’s, despite how I’d thought it was great at the time. There had been signs, but I’d ignored them. Rose-tinted glasses and all that shit.

“Maybe it’s time you get into one for yourself. Where you hold all the power.”

“Oh yeah? You going to play matchmaker with me after this month is up?” I scoffed.

He stiffened on me before sitting upright and straddling me, those eyes dark and flashing with something that made my stomach lurch.

“No, kitten, from the moment you stabbed me, you changed everything. I’m fucked up, I know that, I don’t deny it. And I’ve decided you’re going to be mine, Scarlet. You’re crazy in your own way, fiery, full of life, a true fighter. I admire it, and I want to see you burn bright.” He dipped his head down low, one hand cupping my cheek as his mouth pulled into a twisted smile. “I also want to be the only one who ever breaks you, who has you on your knees and begging.”

“Here I was thinking we were having a moment,” I breathed, entranced by the look in his eye. There was something glimmering in those dark depths, something haunting, beautiful, and made a fire ignite in me like nothing else.

It was wrong, and yet it thrilled me right now despite everything.

“Oh, we are, kitten,” he ducked down further, pressing a soft kiss to my lips before pulling back, “because you’ve hooked your claws into my heart now, kitten.”

I stared at him, my heart pounding at his words as he stared at me like I was the grandest jewel on the planet.

It was overwhelming, and all I could do was swallow as he held my face, those eyes burning into me and making me tingle.

“Cristian—”

I flinched as the door shot open, and Cristian’s gaze flicked to our intruder.

I followed his gaze, locking eyes with Tyrone as he arched a brow at us both.

So much for having a moment.

Although, whatever the hell this was, it was doing things to me that it had no right doing.

Feeling things I shouldn’t have been feeling. At all.

10

SCARLET

Tyrone took us in, Cristian naked and straddling me, and I, with only a towel wrapped around me.

“Looks like I’m not the only one entranced by you, kitten,” Cristian smirked before he leaned down to kiss my forehead, a tingle coursing through me. He pulled away and clambered off, snatching up his wet pants as he strode over to Tyrone.

“She’s ours, isn’t she? A perfect little dose of wildfire,” Cristian said as he stood by his brother, casting me a look over his shoulder as Tyrone stared at me. Cristian just smirked and continued out, and Tyrone shook his head before crossing the room as I sat up and straightened my towel.

“What’s up? Need something?” I cleared my throat as Tyrone glanced over me, those dark eyes settling on mine with a strange look in them.

“Julian informed me you both lost your phones in the whole kidnapping ordeal. I’ve gotten you a new one and had Julian load the backup of your old one on it,” he said as he fished a phone from his pocket and handed it over, his gaze shifting to the window.

“You had my phone backed up?” I frowned at the offered phone, the latest model compared to my old one.

“Yes. Now, it might be best if you call your friend. I’m sure she’s worried about you, and you could use the chance to talk and get anything off your chest.” Those masked eyes met mine, and I pursed my lips at the odd niceness he was showing me. “I’ll give you twenty minutes this time only.”

With that, he strode straight back out, leaving me watching after him in bewilderment. I hadn’t even been able to thank him for it. I glanced down at the phone, snorting when I unlocked it and found a picture of Kenny soaking up the morning sun set as the background.