Carnage by Sarah Bailey

Twenty

West

I wandered into Drake’s office after being summoned there by the man himself. He stood by the window, staring out at the city like it would give him the answers he sought. Prescott was lounging on a sofa, and Francis had propped himself up on Drake’s desk.

“I see you finally decided to grace us with your presence,” he muttered.

I shot Francis a glare. If he wanted to give me shit today, so be it. I wasn’t in the mood for him. Not after yesterday and Prescott’s fucked up need to press my buttons. The guy was a damn fool.

“His lordship requested my presence, so here the fuck I am. Want to make any more sarcastic comments, or are you done?” I ground out.

“Your mood hasn’t improved since yesterday. Wonderful. Do I need to loosen my tie?” Prescott said with an eye roll.

I would have strangled the little shit yesterday until he passed out if Francis hadn’t walked in.

“Why? So you can tie your own fucking noose for me?”

“Did the three of you wake up and choose violence this morning?” Drake asked, turning around and looking between us. “If so, why didn’t I get the memo?”

“I choose violence every day.”

That earnt me a hard stare from Drake. I shrugged and leant against the wall by the door. He knew all too well violence and I went hand in hand.

“Is this a business meeting or personal? I’ve got shit to do,” Francis huffed.

Something had crawled up his arse this morning. He looked about ready to start throwing fucking knives or some shit. Or maybe he’d be the one tying nooses. Francis was dead handy with knots. Had everything to do with his obsession with tying up women. It went beyond Shibari or Japanese bondage. I swear he knew more knots than the average sailor and then some. I personally preferred holding a woman down with my bare hands, but each to their own.

“Personal,” Drake replied, eying Francis with curiosity as if he was also wondering why our friend was in a mood.

“Can’t it wait until this evening?”

“No.” Drake turned his attention to Prescott. “You said you had something important to talk about. Spill before this one gets too antsy.” He stuck a thumb out, directing it towards Francis.

Oh, but the glare he earnt in return. I couldn’t help smiling. Even Drake wasn’t above winding Francis up, and the two of them had been friends since birth. Their mothers got pregnant at the same time. Best friends who lived next door to each other. And their sons became close too.

“Oh well, I didn’t expect you to call us all together over it,” Prescott mused with a suspiciously smug grin on his face.

“I will choose violence like West if you don’t get to the point,” Francis all but barked.

Prescott looked contrite as if sensing Francis was at the end of his patience.

“Okay, okay, Jesus. Chill the fuck out.” He waved a hand at Francis. “Scarlett told me something rather interesting yesterday.”

I watched both Drake’s and Francis’ eyes narrow.

“Told you what, exactly?” Drake asked.

“She’s not had sex before. Well, she insinuated it, anyway.”

“Are you serious?”

Prescott shrugged.

“Why wouldn’t I be? What do I have to gain by lying about that, huh? Nothing.”

I stared hard at Prescott. For a moment, I wondered how the fuck she could outright lie to him that way. Then I remembered she was lying to all of us about her real reasons for being here. Followed by the other realisation that she wouldn’t know the truth. She’d lost the part of her memory containing the four of us. And thus, lost her knowledge of the night we’d spent together when we were sixteen, not long before her accident.

Not only had I kissed Scarlett multiple times when we’d been teenagers, but I’d had sex with her too. The memory of it was far too painful for me to even think about. It only tormented me with what I’d lost. And what I’d waited ten years to find again.

“Fuck. That complicates matters.”

Prescott frowned.

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why?” Francis interjected. “Isn’t it fucking obvious?”

Prescott frowned.

“No. What does it matter?”

Francis straightened and glared harder at Prescott.

“Are you really going to sit there and tell me you’re okay with introducing her to sex the way we all like it when she has zero experience?”

Prescott sat up and gave Francis an incredulous look.

“Oh, what, you want it to be all romantic and loving for her, do you?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Then what the fuck is your problem?”

Drake took a step forward and held his hand up.

“Hey, no need to start giving each other shit. Both of your opinions are valid. We need to think about how to play this.”

“You agree with him, don’t you?” Prescott fired back, waving at Francis.

I watched them battle it out for a long minute. Drake was clearly trying to referee, but it wasn’t working.

Scarlett thought she was a virgin, huh? Well, we’d fucking see about that shit. These three could argue all they wanted. I had no patience for it. What I did have was the desire to fuck some sense into that girl. She was mine. Whilst she’d forgotten who I was and what we’d done, it didn’t negate that fact.

I’m going to show you why you should not have told Prescott about it.

I was silent as I pushed off the wall and backed out of Drake’s office. If anyone was going to have her first again, it would be me and only me. Taking care of our little problem would be a bonus. She wouldn’t think she was a virgin, and the rest of them would have nothing to argue about. Wasn’t like I could tell her we’d already fucked once ten years ago. We were keeping her in the dark about who we were for good reason. And I wasn’t prepared to tell the boys about what had happened between Scarlett and me, either.

I stalked down the hallway to her office, but she wasn’t in there. I found her in the kitchen a few minutes later, setting out mugs on the counter. Before she had a chance to turn around and say hello, I gripped her by the arm and tugged her out of there. She let out a squeak of surprise but was likely too shocked to push me off. By the time we’d reached my office and I’d shoved her inside, locking the door behind us, she’d regained her senses.

“What are you doing?”

“I suggest you shut the fuck up and do as I say.”

Her eyes bugged out. I stalked towards her, causing her to back away until she hit my desk. A scared little rabbit afraid of the man coming after her. Good. She should be fucking well afraid.

“But what are you doing?”

I got right up in her face, my body inches from hers, and wrapped my hand around her jaw, forcing her face up towards mine.

“Whatever I want. I did tell you I don’t like to stick to the rules, didn’t I?”

She swallowed.

“Yes, but—”

“No buts, Scarlett. I don’t want to hear the words but or no from you.”

I didn’t think her eyes could get any wider. They were like saucers. Her pupils dilated to their fullest extent. Whether it was fear or arousal coursing through her veins, we would just have to wait and see.

“I don’t understand.”

My hand tightened around her jaw, my fingers making indents into her skin. She winced.

“No, you don’t, and you probably never will, but I don’t really give a shit. In fact, I’d go so far as to say I don’t care about anything you have to say right now.”

Her breath whooshed out of her chest. I smiled, leaning closer until my nose hit her cheek. I ran it up the length of her skin, making her shudder. It was time to initiate her into our little club. No doubt the only thing she knew about us was our reputation. I intended to live up to it… and then some.

“You want to know what I’m doing, do you?” I murmured, nipping at her ear.

“Yes,” she whispered, her body tensing and her breathing shallow.

“A little birdie told me you’re inexperienced. Consider what happens next a lesson.”

“What? I… he… he told you that?”

I nuzzled her hair, breathing her in.

“You should be careful about what you say to men like us, Scarlett. Did you never wonder how we came to be in the position we are? Power comes with ruthlessness.”

For a moment she said nothing as if she was processing my words. Her body shifted against the desk, but I didn’t think she was trying to escape me. She’d know better than that. At least she should.

“Are… are you… what are you going to do to me?”

If she needed to hear the words out of my mouth, then fuck it. It’s not like it would make a difference to me.

“Oh, Scarlett, I’m going to fuck you. And make no mistake, begging me to stop won’t work. I gave you a warning when you introduced yourself to me. Now you’re going to learn why you should have heeded it.”