Chaos by Sarah Bailey

Thirty Seven

Scarlett

I was woken up by soft kisses across the back of my neck. A warm hand cupped my breast. Another was curled around my back, stroking my skin. Opening my eyes, I stared into Francis’ grey ones. He smiled at me in such a heart-stopping way, my breath caught. Behind me, Prescott was rubbing up against me, making it very clear he wanted playtime before work. After I’d got fucked by both of them last night, I wasn’t entirely on board with the idea. Besides, my brain was already running at a million miles an hour.

I sat up, making their hands drop from me.

“Little lamb?”

I looked down at Prescott whose brow had furrowed with concern.

“I need the loo.”

Before either of them could say another word, I’d jumped out of the covers and off the bed. I shut the door behind me when I got into the bathroom and sunk down on the side of the bathtub. The memory of finding Drake on the roof last night flooded my brain, making me put a hand to my mouth. The strange intimacy of the whole thing had me in absolute knots. He’d apologised to me. He’d actually talked to me. He wasn’t… cold. I didn’t know what the hell to think. This side of Drake was unexpected and completely at odds with what I knew of him.

My fingers dropped to my heart, steadily beating in my chest. Why did he have to make me feel something for him other than anger and frustration?

I looked down at my naked body realising not only had he brought me down from the roof after I’d fallen asleep, but he’d undressed me. I’d left the memory stick in Francis’ shirt. If I rushed out there and searched the pocket, it would make them suspicious.

I got up and did my business before quickly brushing my teeth. As casually as possible, I strolled back out finding both of them sitting up in bed talking. I went over to our clothes and started picking them up, separating them into piles for each of us. My fingers went to the pocket of Francis’ shirt as I turned away from the two men in his bed. And my stomach dropped when I found the device missing. My eyes darted around the floor, but I couldn’t see it anywhere.

Fuck. Fuck. This is really bad!

It couldn’t have fallen out. I didn’t think either Prescott or Francis had even touched these since they’d taken them off. It left me with only one explanation. And it was the absolute worst outcome of all.

“Are you okay, Scar?” Francis asked.

I looked at him, plastering on a smile.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

His eyes were narrowed, indicating he didn’t believe me. I didn’t know what else to say as I put his shirt on the pile I’d made at the end of his bed.

“Come here.”

“I’m up now, I might as well grab a shower. Not sure my boss would appreciate me coming to work smelling of sex.”

We all knew Drake wouldn’t give a shit since I hadn’t gone near him this entire week. After last night, I didn’t think I could avoid him any further.

I dashed back to the bathroom, ignoring the way both of them called my name. I was totally acting weird and now they were suspicious. Hopefully, this fucking shower would calm me down. My heart was racing and my body tense. I flipped it on and stepped under the spray. The water did nothing to help my racing mind.

Drake took it. I know he took it. Fuck. What am I going to do?

He’d rattled me last night when I found him playing the guitar on the roof. Especially the way he’d held me against his chest and looked at me. The sadness in his indigo eyes broke something inside me when he said something happened to all four of them when they were younger. He wouldn’t trust me with what, but knowing they’d suffered through something devastating made me feel for the four men. It cemented my decision not to go through with my father’s plan. And now I was fucked because Drake had the damn device. I couldn’t get rid of it.

I washed my hair and my body, hating the fact I was still on edge. When I came out of the bathroom after drying my hair, I found Francis was alone. He came over to me and put his hands on my shoulders. I tried not to flinch at his expression.

“You’re a little jumpy this morning.”

Reaching up, I stroked his face and gave him what I hoped was a real smile.

“I’m okay, honestly.”

He leant closer, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“You’d tell me if you weren’t, right?”

I nodded even though it was a lie. I wasn’t okay at all. How could I be when I might well be getting a talking to by Drake? I should not have fallen asleep in his lap.

He let me go and walked around me into the bathroom. I went to the wardrobes and pulled out an outfit before putting it on. Then I did my makeup in front of one of Francis’ mirrors before making my way downstairs whilst he was still in the bathroom.

Prescott was in the kitchen with a mug in his hand whilst Drake sat on the sofa with his morning coffee and his tablet. I swallowed as I walked into the kitchen, trying to appear normal, but clearly, it wasn’t working judging by the way Prescott raised his eyebrows. Making a beeline for him, I wrapped my arms around his waist and stared up into his beautiful blue eyes.

“You feeling better?” he murmured as he stroked my arm.

I went up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

“A little. Just tired is all.”

“You can sleep in tomorrow when your boss over there doesn’t expect you to be up for work.”

I shook my head as I dropped back down to my feet. Even in heels, all of them were taller than me.

I let go of Prescott and walked over to the kettle, flipping it on. After I’d knocked myself up some breakfast and tea, I took it over to the dining table and ate. My eyes kept darting to Drake who hadn’t once looked at me. It was almost as if last night didn’t happen. But it had. I remembered the music he’d played. The sorrow and pain in it. There was no doubt in my mind Drake was hurting inside, but as to why, I didn’t yet know. Would he ever tell me?

By the time I was done, Francis had joined us. West was nowhere to be seen, but I’d learnt he had a habit of not turning up to work at least once or twice a week. I never asked why, just assumed he had his own reasons.

I decided I wasn’t going to let Drake pretend like I hadn’t found him up on the roof last night. Besides, I wanted to know for sure he’d taken the damn memory stick. The only way I could do that was if I talked to him. Both Francis and Prescott watched me as I walked over to the sofa and stood in front of the stoic man himself.

“Morning.”

Drake was slow to look up at me from his tablet. And when he did, I had to stop myself from swallowing. His eyes bore no recognition of what had happened between us last night.

“Hello, Scarlett. Did you want something?”

“I was wondering if you needed me to organise that lunch meeting with Mr Sinclair for next week. I forgot to ask you yesterday.”

“Yes. Thursday would be best.”

“Okay, great. Consider it done.”

I gave him my brightest smile. The way his lip twitched told me everything. He knew that I knew he had the device. I wouldn’t say anything as it would give me away. He wasn’t going to bring it up either. We were at a fucking impasse yet again. I didn’t want to fall back into this hate-lust cycle between the two of us, but this wasn’t helping either.

“Since when did Scar start talking to Drake again?” I heard from behind me.

“Fuck knows.”

Glancing back, I could see Francis and Prescott with their heads bowed together. They had no idea I’d disappeared for a while last night. I turned back to Drake and leant closer to him, bending at the waist slightly.

“Thank you for putting me to bed last night,” I murmured, keeping my voice low. “I appreciated it.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I can’t help wondering why you put me in Francis’ bed.”

He set his tablet down in his lap.

“Where else would I put you?”

I didn’t answer. He knew what I was getting at, but he’d decided to be obtuse. I wanted to know why he didn’t take me with him. The only bedroom I hadn’t seen in the penthouse was his. And I couldn’t help my curiosity. After seeing his rooftop garden, I wanted to know what style he’d gone for. The boys had unique decorative tastes.

Drake was about to open his mouth when a hand wrapped around my throat and I was pressed against a solid body. Looking up, I found West staring at me with a manic smile on his face.

“West,” Drake ground out, “what are you doing?”

“My little Scar needs her scars checked.”

Before I could say a word, he dragged me onto the other sofa and sat me in his lap. His fingers went to my blouse, unbuttoning the first couple before pulling it to the side and exposing the word ‘war’ carved on my skin. I winced when he stroked the word. It was still fucking sore because he kept picking off the damn scabs to make sure it would scar my skin.

“Beautiful,” he murmured.

“It hurts.”

“I know.”

He leant closer and pressed a kiss to it. When West was tender, it made my heart ache so damn badly. Like a part of me craved this side of him. And then he had to go put his hand between my legs, cupping my pussy as if it belonged to him. Well, he’d told me enough times it did, so I suppose in his mind, he wasn’t wrong.

“I’m taking you out later,” he whispered against my skin.

“You are?”

This was news to me. Then again, West did things on his own schedule and rarely informed anyone else of his plans. I’d learnt as much from Francis and Prescott.

“Mmm.”

“Where?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“Then how will I know what to wear?”

He straightened, his amber eyes glinting with mischief.

“I’ll pick something for you.”

“If you think I’m going to let—”

He put a finger over my lips.

“What I say goes.”

I glared at him, batting his finger away. I didn’t stop him when he buttoned my blouse back up.

“It’s a good surprise, Scar. I promise.”

I wasn’t sure I believed him, but I decided not to press the issue. After all the times I’d set him off, I was wary about doing it again. West’s ability to blow hot and cold was terrifying, to say the least.

“Fine.”

He gave me a boyish smile before encouraging me to get to my feet again. He got up himself and strolled away towards the lift. I looked over at Drake who was eyeing West with no small amount of suspicion. Deciding maybe it was best I didn’t push him any further about the whole putting me in Francis’ bed thing, I went after West and joined him in the lift. He looked down at me with a grin as if he was pleased I’d decided to go with him instead of waiting for one of the others. When the doors closed, I bit my lip.

“Are you sure you won’t tell me what we’re going to do later?”

He wrapped an arm around my waist.

“It’d ruin the surprise, Scar.”

“Is it that or do you not want the others to know?”

The way his eyes glinted told me the answer.

“Drake wouldn’t approve.”

I couldn’t help the smile forming on my lips.

“If that’s the case, I promise not to breathe a word.”

West winked.

“That’s my girl.”

And the way my heart swelled at his praise had me disconcerted. Maybe it was the morning’s events, but I was nervous about where West was taking me no matter how much the idea of spending time alone with him excited me. West was dangerous. The fact Drake wouldn’t like it had me feeling like we might end up in trouble.

But when did these men ever not get me in any?

The answer to that was… never.