In Death I Live by Lindsay Becs

ZORA

Tensions are high.You could cut through the air with a knife; it’s that stifling.

The boys spent most of yesterday plotting and planning, none of them giving me much attention. It’s fine; I get it. There’s a lot at stake for everyone. I just didn’t like feeling as if I was a gnat on the outside that’s more in the way than a help.

Supposedly, the mysterious Swan will arrive soon. An army of people I’ve obviously never seen before has been in and out of the compound all day. Trucks and ATVs have been rumbling outside as they drive from the yard into the woods and back again, taking what I can only assume are supplies for the mysterious bonfire.

I thought the bonfire would be in the huge yard that sits behind the compound building, but River told me that it’s in the woods.

Somewhere deep past the line of tall trees, there’s apparently a cabin where the guys sleep. A camping area for the guests to use sets around a large pit that roars with a huge fire for two days.

I was told to pack a bag with warm clothes for a couple nights, which is what I’m doing now. Searching through the dresser and closet that Greyson has ensured are stocked with more clothes than I could ever wear.

Once I finish packing, I carry my bag downstairs to set by the back door. My stomach growls, and not knowing where the boys are or when I’m supposed to leave with them for the woods, I head to the kitchen to make myself something to eat.

I stop abruptly when I see someone I almost forgot about in the kitchen. “Miss Mel!” I say with a big grin, walking to the middle-aged woman. “I thought you left.”

In the first couple of weeks I was here, Miss Mel was the only one I really saw besides River. She’d bring up all my meals, never staying or making conversation, but she’d give me these little reassuring smiles that let me know I was okay here.

She has graying hair that’s always twisted up in a claw clip. Her face shows that she’s lived a full life, with laugh lines right along with worry ones on her forehead. But it’s her soft eyes that always helped to make me feel safe that I’ve missed.

When I had asked River about her, he said she lived here in her own private quarters. She has a small team of people who help her clean the house, and she periodically cooks for all of them. She’s like a house mother but lives in the shadows. However, I have no doubt that she knows each and every one of their—our—secrets that linger inside these walls.

“No, sweet child, I’m always here. I just stay out of sight. Did you really think these boys cleaned up after themselves that well?” she asks with a hand on her round hip.

“Guess not,” I muse. “Is it alright if I make a grilled cheese?”

“Of course.” She gestures around the kitchen. “Or I can make it for you,” she hedges.

“No, you cooked enough for me before. I didn’t mean to disrupt whatever it is you were doing.” She gives me a nod and a smile.

Pulling out everything I need, I get to work on making a jalapeño bacon grilled cheese. The salty, spicy extras melted between both cheddar and cream cheese is one of my favorites.

I just sit down, lifting my sandwich to my mouth for a bite, when Cruz interrupts. “All the times I’ve cooked for you and you didn’t even think to offer me anything?”

“Nope,” I smart, lifting a brow with my eyes locked on him and sinking my teeth into the melty goodness.

He puts his hand to his chest. “That hurts, baby girl. You cut me deep.”

“Mmm…it’s so good,” I moan around a mouthful of food.

Before I can swallow, he grabs my face and kisses me. I get dizzy from his kiss, and when he pulls away, he just smirks at me as he lifts the other half of my sandwich to take a bite. “You asshole!”

“Oh! This is good,” he gushes over my sandwich, taking another bite. “I don’t have any regrets right now.”

With a scowl and a grumble, I finish what’s left of the half that Cruz didn’t steal from me. “I didn’t know any of you were still here.”

“I came back to get you. You ready to go?” he asks, taking the now-empty plate to the sink, where Miss Mel is doing dishes and shaking her head at him. “Thanks, Miss Mel,” he tells her before smacking a quick kiss on her cheek. It’s endearing to see him treat her almost like a mother.

“You behave, Mr. Morgan, and be nice to the girl,” she warns him.

“I’m always nice and behaved,” he feigns innocence, making her and me both scoff at the same time.

“Wow,” he deadpans. “I can see when I’m not appreciated.” Turning back to me, he grins and asks, “You good?”

Standing, I nod. “As I’ll ever be.”

He picks up my bag by the door. Slinging it over his shoulder, he slides the door open and gestures for me to go first. I walk toward the truck that’s parked at the bottom of the stairs off the patio, figuring this is the chariot that’s going to take me to my place of death.

After Cruz puts my bag in the back, he climbs into the driver’s side but pauses to turn and look at me. “Do you trust us? Trust me?” When I nod, he grabs my hand, bringing it to his lips to kiss the inside of my wrist. “I have no doubt it’s going to be a wild couple of days. But you have to trust us, baby girl. We won’t let anything happen to you, okay?”

“I think I’m more nervous than scared at this point,” I admit.

He leans over, cupping the side of my face with his other hand. “I’ve got you,” he tells me simply before his lips press to mine.

I want to believe that. I want to believe that I’m safe and that I won’t get hurt. That they won’t get hurt. Except I know that isn’t reality because reality is a bitch, one that’s slapped me one too many times for me to think that everything will be easy and good.

I allow myself to enjoy this moment of peace and calm with Cruz. Giving as much as I’m taking, we pour everything into this kiss. I can tell he’s fueled with as much emotion as I am, needing this quick escape too.

Taking his hand that’s still holding mine, I guide it to the band of my leggings. “Please,” I beg. He kisses me deeper, his tongue capturing mine as his hand slides down the front of my pants. A loud and throaty moan comes out of me when I feel his finger glide through the wet lips of my pussy.

“Fuck, I need inside you, baby girl,” he says in a tortured groan.

In seconds, my leggings are pulled down to my ankles, his jeans undone and moved down to give his cock room to be free while I straddle his lap. We’re a frenzied mess of jerky movements and bruising kisses as our teeth clash from the hurried combination of thrusts and bounces between us.

I come, screaming his name with my hands braced against the roof of the truck with his head under my shirt, biting and sucking on my breasts.

Removing his head from under my shirt, he looks half-crazed with his messed-up hair and wet lips. Cupping his face, I suck on his lip, biting into the flesh. His grip on my ass cheeks is punishing as he helps me ride him like he wants. I know it’s going to bruise my skin, and I love it. “Dammit fucking hell!” he roars through his own release, making me grin into his neck. He slows the movement of our bodies, milking every ounce of pleasure he can from me.

I look up at him, his green eyes shining as he stares at me. A sated grin curves up the side of his mouth. Tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear, he leans forward and places one last sweet kiss on my lips. “I made a mess of you.”

I lift a shoulder. “I asked for it.”

“You need to run inside to clean up before we go?” he sweetly asks.

Ducking my head down, I peek up at him, my teeth sinking into my kiss-swollen lips. “I kind of like the idea of feeling you dripping from me all night.”

“Fuck, baby girl. You know how hard it’s going to be for me to concentrate now?” Leaning forward, he rests his brow to mine. “I’m licking you clean later. You better be in my bed tonight and not fucking River’s.”

“Deal.”

Once we right ourselves, Cruz drives us into the woods. He holds my hand the entire time, and it makes me swoon a little for him even more.

About a mile in, we pull up to a large gate. It’s then that I remember the one we drove through the first night I was brought to the compound.

Like he can read my thoughts, Cruz explains. “The main compound is surrounded and guarded by this fence. There are only two gates: this one and the main one at the front. Both are only opened by one of us. There’s always an armed guard hidden to keep watch for anyone trying to tamper with it or get through.

“Once we go out this gate, it’s another five miles to where the campground is—where the bonfire is. That area will still be guarded, but there’s no fence or gate. We’re a lot more exposed and in the open there. That’s why we only go there a couple times each year. This bonfire is the only time we sleep outside the compound though.”

“So, anyone can get to us out here,” I say more to myself than to him.

“No, not anyone. Only who we allow to be there,” he replies gruffly.

“But he’ll be there,” I say quietly, leaning against the door and away from Cruz.

“Hey.” He pulls on my hand to get me closer to him. “I told you I got you. I may be a lot of things, Zora, but I’m not a liar. All of us boys will do anything to keep you safe. You feel me?”

“Yeah,” I answer, but I can’t look at him. Not when I have this sinking feeling in my gut that something terrible is going to happen out here. My hope is that it’s only me that Slater’s evil touches.

* * *

When Cruz parksnext to the so-called cabin, my mouth falls open as I stare up at it, then I smack him on the shoulder.

“Ow! The fuck was that for?” he asks, rubbing his arms like I actually hurt him.

“You’re all a bunch of rich assholes. This isn’t a fucking cabin; it’s another mansion. It’s just in the middle of the woods.” I roll my eyes, reaching for the handle of the door to get out. Cruz’s laughter follows me as I meet him at the front of the truck where he’s holding my bag.

“Come on, princess, your castle awaits,” he jokes, and I smack him again, in the stomach this time. “So feisty,” he mumbles. Turning my head to look at him, I snap my teeth, biting the air in his direction and making him chuckle again.

I follow behind him toward the cabin—insert eye roll—where we’re all staying for the weekend. Pushing open the door, we enter an open-concept space that feels similar to the main area of the compound. Just smaller. And by smaller, I mean you could only fit a normal-size house in the middle of it instead of an entire apartment complex.

“Riv!” Cruz calls out, closing the door behind him.

River walks toward us with a wide smile on his sweet face. I can’t help but smile back at him. “Took you long enough,” he jokes, grabbing my bag from Cruz.

Cruz and I give each other mischievous grins. “Yeah, we got a little caught up,” Cruz tells him.

River must see the blush rising on my cheeks because he snorts a laugh. “Should have known better than to send you to pick her up.” He swings an arm around my shoulders, turning me away from Cruz. “I’ll show you where you’re sleeping tonight, angel.”

I walk with River upstairs, where he pushes open a door after unlocking it. I notice there’s a bag already sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed and look up at him, questioning who’s it is. “We don’t want any monsters hiding under your bed. Cruz and I are both going to share with you. Cool?”

“Do you usually share a bed when you come here?” I ask instead of what I really want to know. “Can we have a repeat of last time we were all in the same bed?”

He lifts a shoulder. “Sometimes. We haven’t been here for a while though. And you’re the first girl we’ve brought here. Usually we just fuck with the randos who show up at the bonfire.”

“Way to make a girl feel special,” I deadpan.

“Don’t listen to that dipshit,” Cruz says from the doorway with a smirk curving up his lips. “You are special, baby girl. You should know that by now.” He stalks toward me, and in a few steps, he’s got my back against the wall, caging me in. He leans in, licking up the side of my neck. “How’s that filled pussy doing?”

At his whispered question, she weeps for him, and I whimper when his teeth bite into my neck.

“Cruz,” a harsh, deep voice calls from the door. A voice I’ve never heard before. A voice that sends chills down my arms, and not the same kind I had a second ago from Cruz.

He visibly stiffens but doesn’t move except for turning his head to look at the imposing man standing in the doorway, staring daggers at me.