Page 32 of Locked Souls

“Can you ever forgive me?” Ash asks in a tortured tone. My heart swells for him. If he’s asking, it means he’s this much closer to accepting forgiveness.

“In time…”

I leave my answer hanging in the air, because I think maybe I already have, in some way, but I’m not ready to confess it yet.

“We shouldn’t have done that,” Ash mutters, and I groan. I’m deliciously sore and will probably regret this tomorrow.

“No, we shouldn’t have, but maybe now that sex is out of the way, we can actually talk, and I won’t want to beat you to a pulp again.”

Ash sighs and nods. “I’m sorry if I was too rough. I’m not the man I used to be, and when you touched me… I just had to be in control.”

I think about the handprints and marks I’m going to have covering me in the morning, and shrug. “They won’t judge, and it’s not like I’m going to be around anyone else.”

“Are we okay to talk now? I’d really like to tell you… everything,” Ash mumbles, looking at me intently. He seems nervous, which I guess is my fault, since I’ve been a complete dick to him.

“Yeah, I think we should.”

I leave him to follow me back into the house. It’s quiet now, so I’m assuming everyone has gone to bed. Walking into the kitchen, I grab us some sodas and a bag of chips, then go to the living room.

Plopping onto the couch, I place the stuff between us and wait for him to start talking. From the bits and pieces that I’ve heard, I know this isn’t going to be an easy conversation, but hopefully, once we’ve cleared the air about everything, we can all move the fuck on and be over it.

“The day I left… I’d received a call from Snake. I was being ordered to repent for killing your father… Which I will never regret. You are too good, and you didn't need his blood on your hands.” Ash rushes out his words and won’t let me reply.

“I was taken underground to the trafficking ring that Isabella is running, alongside some very powerful men. Snake and I have been undercover for The Society, and the things I’ve seen… and done… I don’t think I will ever have a normal night's sleep without being haunted.”

“What happened, Ash?” I move closer to him with every word, and when the first tears fall from this man’s eyes, I grab his hand and hold it tight with mine.

“I was a guard in charge of the women, men, and children. They were selling people, Jonas, but they also ran some kind of illegal video company. I tried to make their stay more comfortable. I kept them safe during transport and when they showered, so they could have some peace from the other rapists that walked the halls.”

“Children?” I gasp, my stomach turning as I think about all the innocents who are being tortured and destroyed there. “Well, it won’t be for much longer. The Society is going to take care of all of that,” I mumble, thinking about all the meetings Jacob has been having with the Elders over the last few days.

“There was this one couple, Rooke and Patience. Jacob knows them, we were supposed to help them before Chastity went into labor… Fuck, I never showed up to help them!”

Quickly standing, he rushes from the room, straight for Jacob and Otto’s bedroom. Tempest is asleep on the other side of the bed, with Rome in her arms, and Jacob jumps up, grabbing a gun out of nowhere.

“Fuck, Ash!” he barks and I freeze, staring at the weapon in his hands. Lowering the gun, he looks at me, then rubs his eyes with the hand not holding the weapon.

“We never went and helped Patience,” Ash shouts, startling Tempest and making Rome cry.

“Oh, is that it?” Otto mutters, then scoops up Rome and cuddles him close. “We sent someone else to meet them. It was time, anyway. Richard James is dead now too, so all you guys need to focus on is Nixen and Isabella.”

“I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you’ve been eavesdropping,” Jacob grumbles, looking at his partner. Otto shushes him, then closes his eyes.

“Can we go back to sleep now!” Tempest snaps, glaring at me and I nod. Taking Ash’s hand, I pull him out of the room and close their door.

“Why are they all sleeping together?” Ash asks me once we are back on the couch.

“They are sharing a bed. Tempest has been raising her son with Jacob and Otto. It is all strictly platonic. Just another thing that you missed while away.”

Ash glances at me for a moment before nodding.

“Guess you should catch me the fuck up then if I’m sticking around, don’t you think?”

Chapter 10

THREE WEEKS LATER

I’m exhausted. Being a mom of two under two isn’t what I envisioned. Even with four men by my side. The kids only want me, all day, every day. I love my kids, don’t get me wrong, but holding Charity, nursing her, it makes me think of my Angel.