Carnage by Sarah Bailey

Twelve

West

Fucking Prescott. The prick decided to taunt me, using his proximity with her to his advantage. Of course he fucking well did. He knew how I felt about her. How I’d always felt about Scarlett. And I hated everything about it.

It wasn’t just me. Prescott liked to push everyone’s buttons because he could. This shit didn’t surprise me in the slightest. Didn’t stop it from winding me the fuck up. I wanted to smash his face in, but I refrained. No, I walked away. I couldn’t afford to show that side of myself. Especially not when she was right there.

Scarlett.

The epitome of beauty and fucking pureness. She had a brutal side too. A darkness we’d brought out in her when we’d been younger. Seeing her neck exposed as her hair was up made me want to wrap my hands around it. To show her she was at my fucking mercy.

And this is why you’re staying away from her until Annika leaves. Until we’re all free to do what the fuck we want.

We couldn’t afford to let Drake’s current PA see who we were. She was innocent in this shit. I didn’t have a fucking conscience, but Drake didn’t want to subject her to it. And I respected Drake’s wishes… most of the time. I didn’t give a fuck what Tonya thought about us, though. She was fucking expendable, in my opinion, though Drake wouldn’t agree with me on that point. I made sure she knew my feelings about her. Whilst she feared me, she’d quite happily spread her fucking legs for Prescott. I’d caught her staring at him with bedroom eyes on more than one occasion. He had women falling at his feet wherever he went. The fucker could drown in pussy if he wanted.

I stalked away from Prescott’s office, forgetting entirely I’d been going down to see Francis to discuss the Bykov account. Seeing Scarlett had me losing my self-control. I’d just reached my office door, throwing it open when I felt another presence in the hallway. I couldn’t help glancing left and spied her walking towards me.

My skin prickled. My mouth went dry. All of my senses homed in on her.

The moment she looked up and our eyes met, it was as if all the air had been stolen from my lungs. And for a second, there was recognition in those hazel-green depths. Recognition of who I was to her and who she was to me. The moment it left her expression, my body tensed. I needed to be away from her. If I didn’t, I’d be a fucking animal, pin her to the wall and do something I shouldn’t. Do something that would scare the shit out of her.

She had no fucking clue who I was. Not really. It was a damn fluke.

Scarlett didn’t remember any of us. She didn’t know what we’d all been to each other. She didn’t know a thing.

She took another step towards me, curiosity blazing all over her face. That fucking beautiful face I’d branded into my retinas all those years ago. The dimple in her left cheek when she smiled. The dusting of freckles across her nose she’d always hated, but I found so damn alluring.

Fuck. I want you. I fucking want you. I can’t stand it.

I couldn’t move as she approached me. She seemed cautious in her steps as if she knew danger surrounded me, warning her away. And yet, it didn’t stop her standing before me, tipping her head up and meeting my eyes.

“You’re Mr Greer… right?”

Her voice surrounded me. The sweet melodious tone made my blood pump harder around my body. My chest tightened to the point of pain. And I didn’t say a damn word. Just stared at her. The girl I could never forget. The girl who fucked me up way worse than anything else in this godforsaken shitshow of a life we all lived.

“I’m Scarlett.”

Oh, I know who you are, but you don’t know me. Not really. You don’t remember. And I don’t know if I even want you to.

“I wanted to introduce myself since I’m new… and well…” she trailed off, fidgeting under my gaze.

I wasn’t supposed to have this fucking confrontation. I thought I could avoid her. Yet… here she was. Right fucking there. Staring up at me with those damning eyes of hers, that sinful body so close to mine. My instinct was to take her. To take her and fucking break her into tiny pieces. Make those fucking pieces mine. All mine.

If anyone saw what happened next, I’m pretty sure they would’ve told me to go back upstairs and chill the fuck down.

No one was around to censor me.

My hand snapped up and enclosed around her neck, pulling her closer. Scarlett’s eyes went wide and her mouth parted.

“Hello, Scarlett.”

“Wha—”

“I’d say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but it would be a lie.”

“I—”

“If the rest of them didn’t give you a warning about me, then it’s too fucking bad.” I stroked a thumb down her skin, revelling in the softness of it. “You’ve introduced yourself, now run back to your office… if you don’t, you won’t like the consequences.”

I released her, my hand dropping to my side. Scarlett remained where she was, her mouth still parted with shock written all over her features. I leant closer until we were at eye level.

“Run… whilst you still can.”

I should not have come to work today. I knew I wasn’t in a fit state to be around people, let alone her. The way she was staring at me had me wondering whether she was scared, confused, or intrigued.

“You… you… you…”

“I, what?”

She swallowed, her hand going to her neck as I straightened again. Perhaps she felt the phantom of my fingers around it, squeezing her precious airway. It made me want to do it again.

“You can’t just manhandle me.”

“Can’t I?”

“That’s not appropriate.”

I couldn’t fight the grin spreading across my face.

“I’m not really one for being appropriate. Rules are so restrictive, don’t you think?”

Scarlett blinked as if she wasn’t expecting my answer at all. Her hand dropped to her side.

“Is this something you do to everyone you’ve only just met?”

I leant against my door frame, shrugging as I did it.

“Sometimes.”

We haven’t only just met, Scarlett. We’ve known each other our whole lives. You used to know all my secrets and I knew yours. We were as close as two people could be. And then you were gone… you left me behind. It’s not your fault, but I can’t help resenting you for it.

She swallowed yet again, her eyes searching my face as if she was trying to work out what the hell my deal was. Pity for her, she wouldn’t see a damn thing. Not least because now she’d forgotten me, she wouldn’t be able to read me like an open book any longer.

“Well, don’t do it again.”

I almost laughed. She didn’t look angry, more curious.

“Why? You going to run off and tell HR? You should see all the people who’ve run from me in tears. I don’t do nice and polite. I never have.”

Scarlett cocked her head to the side, narrowing her eyes a little.

“I’m beginning to understand why you all have a reputation.”

The stupid fucking shit we’d been branded with. Of course she’d be aware. I rolled my eyes, thinking of how much Prescott loved to play up to it. Sat on my desk right now was the idiotic mug he’d bought. A deep red colour with a lone rider on top of a white horse and the words There is no peace in War underneath it. Even though I thought it rather apt since I was never at fucking peace, I wouldn’t tell Prescott. The prick would only gloat about it.

“And yet you don’t seem to want to heed my warning.”

“You don’t scare me.”

My eyebrow rose.

“I think you’ll take those words back one day… but for now, I’ll leave you with a piece of advice. If you want to survive here, stay away from me.”

I shoved off the doorframe and walked into my office, throwing the door shut behind me. It’s not her who should stay away from me, but the other way around. I had to stay away from her. The urges driving through me right then had me walking over to my desk, picking up my mug and downing the whisky I’d poured in there earlier.

Who gave a shit if it wasn’t even ten in the morning. After our encounter, I didn’t know if I could trust myself not to storm back out there, drag her in my office, force her down on her knees, fist her hair in my hand and shove my cock down her throat. I’d do it to scare some sense into her, but I wouldn’t care how much she gagged. Nor if she pressed against me, begging me to stop. I wouldn’t even care if she screamed. She’d take every fucking inch. She was made to be ours. She was fucking born to be with us. Scarlett would be subjected to everything we wanted to give her. That’s how it should be. How it would’ve been before if things had been different. If everything hadn’t gone to hell and left us without her for ten fucking years.

“Fuck,” I muttered, running my hand through my hair. “Fuck.”

I stared at my desk, but all I could see were images of her naked and tied down on it. How I’d bury myself so deep inside her, she’d scream and cry about how much it hurt. But I’d make it feel fucking good too. She’d been in ecstasy by the time I was done with her. But I’d never really be done with her.

I had to stop these thoughts. They’d fucking well consume me if I didn’t. Picking up my phone, I sent a text to my dealer because I was fucking done. This day had already set me on edge. If I let this shit go on for too long, no one would like the outcome. Blood, violence and everything in between. And I wasn’t sure the guys would want to pick up the pieces yet again.