You're Next (Devil's Backbone, #3)

by Tate James

Carter scoffed, shaking his head, but didn’t reply. Heath just wrinkled his nose my way. “Obviously. She’s refusing to see any of us in person. That’s not exactly in character for her.” I scowled, drumming my fingers on my knee. “Okay, so…are we okay with that? We’re just…giving up?” Carter tossed his controller, shooting a death glare my way. Pity it had no effect on me, but I appreciated the effort. “No one is giving up, dickhead. Unless you are? Because I’m sure as fuck not. Neither is Heath, right?”

SHES TRAPPED GUYS YOU GOTTA SAVE HER

Nate’s brows rose so hard, they almost leapt off his face. “What? Why do you think that? She’s fine. She just needs some breathing room and then you guys will be right back at it, fucking like rabbits every waking moment. Just be patient with her.”

THIS IS YOUR FAULT

“I’m going to get you back,” I informed the panties, holding Ashley’s image in my mind. “Then I’m going to make you go commando for at least a week so I can play with your pussy whenever I want.”

YA NASTY

“It’s fine. I’ll fix it before the next review panel. Even if I need to break every ethical rule in the damn book, we will. If that means Carina’s darling daughter dies in the process…so be it.” Her laugh that accompanied that truth bomb was chilling, and I lost my grip—on silence and discretion. “You fucking bitch,” I snarled as I launched out of my hiding spot and flew at Jocelyn with one thing on my mind. Murder.

please tell me they kill this bitch

Now it was all so clear—Jocelyn was her stalker. Fucking hell, Jocelyn had been drugging and hypnotizing her own son, so clearly nothing was off-limits. She needed to die, and now was as good an opportunity as any.

ashley AHHHH

Thirteen hours since I’d left my lawyer’s office in Prosper City, thirteen and a half since I’d listened to the voicemail left on my phone four days ago.

NATE WHY TF WOULD YOU GO BY YOURSELF

Ashley—my Layne—strapped to a hospital bed, screaming for help as some mad scientist shot her up with god only knows what drugs. It made me so sick, I’d actually pulled over to vomit on the side of the road an hour into my drive.

oh nate ugh imma cry this is too much

it. “Hold on, Layne,” I muttered into the silence of my truck. “I’m coming for you.”

you shouldve told the other guys!!!

I wasn’t completely in love with my best friends’ girlfriend.

the feelings that nate puts me through omg

“Now!” I barked, slamming my hand down on the little counter, making her jump so hard she almost fell out of her chair. It was enough to shock her into action, though, and she scurried out of the little reception office like her ass was on fire.

i know thats right!!!!

“Yes, yes, of course. I’ve got a copy of the paperwork already. I do need to express my reluctance to discharge Miss Layne, as she’s very unwell. However, I’m sure you know that’s your choice to make.” He watched me with beady, shrewd eyes. Like he was deciding whether he could pull a fast one and keep her. “It is my choice,” I growled. “Please retrieve her. We will be leaving immediately. And I want a full copy of all her records to explain how and why she was hospitalized in the first fucking place.”

omfg these people are insaneeeee

“Yes, yes, of course. I’ve got a copy of the paperwork already. I do need to express my reluctance to discharge Miss Layne, as she’s very unwell. However, I’m sure you know that’s your choice to make.” He watched me with beady, shrewd eyes. Like he was deciding whether he could pull a fast one and keep her. “It is my choice,” I growled. “Please retrieve her. We will be leaving immediately. And I want a full copy of all her records to explain how and why she was hospitalized in the first fucking place.”

oh god hes gonna be heartbroken when he realizes he did it MY HEART

“No. I’ll take her now,” I insisted. “Sedated or not, I won’t be leaving without my fiancée, Doctor. Do I need to make some calls to your superiors? I’m sure it won’t take me long to work out who has the power to fire you.” I

OMG HURRY BEFORE THEY GET YOU

“Hey, pretty girl,” I whispered when her eyes opened the slightest crack. “I missed you.”

omgggg

“I hate you,” she mumbled again, her eyes closed and her head resting on the window like she was sleep-talking. “I hate that you found it so easy to break my heart. You really are a cold bastard.” Every part of me screamed that she was wrong. That she needed to know how much that’d hurt me to hurt her.

this is too much

“I’m sorry, Layne baby.” His whispered apology roused me some time later. “I’m not being a pervert, I swear, but I want to get you out of these hospital clothes.”

AHHHH

“For what it’s worth, Layne,” he whispered, so softly I could barely make out the words, “I regret everything. I don’t know how to say how sorry I am or how badly I wish I’d made different choices. I didn’t just break your heart, Duckling. I destroyed mine.”

my heart is breaking right now

His eyes widened, but before he could even open his mouth to defend his actions, I had slammed a pillow over his face and launched myself onto him to hold it down. He deserved it. He fucking deserved it for having me committed and tricking me into signing that fucking paperwork. I wanted him dead.

oh shit

“Fuck, Layne,” he groaned, kissing my throat. “Your pussy feels incredible. Are all your dreams this good?”

AH

“You stupid bitch,” I whispered in horror. Because deep down, I think I’d known I wasn’t dreaming…but at the same time, it was the only way I could ignore my anger and resentment toward him long enough to satisfy my craving.

im cracking up

Without thinking through my actions, I whacked him in the chest with the back of my hand. Harder than I would to a real friend, but not hard enough to see him crash the truck. A strangled little moan escaped him, and he raised his fist to bite the knuckles while shock made my jaw drop again.

hes so nasty LOL

“Nate and I had just…had a conversation,” I started again, choosing my words carefully. Maybe he didn’t want the guys to know we’d fucked, but neither did I. Admit that I had such strong feelings for him and he’d rejected me? No thanks.

girl they know might as well just admit it

“I lost my head. I tried to kill her.” Nate quirked one brow, and I ducked his gaze. Fucking hell, now was not the time to remember what’d happened when I tried to kill him.

she deserves to die

“I need to know,” Nate growled, his fists clenched at his sides. “It’s not just Ashley who’s being hurt in this. She tried to kill Heath, Dad, and we both know she was always more fond of him than she was of me. Not to mention how many other people have died or been hurt under the manipulations of her and Dr. Fox’s hypnosis. If she’s willing to do all that…who knows what else she’s capable of?”

yeah time to lay it all out people!!!

“Well…if she’s the one who’s been stalking you all these years, Carina,” Carter said gently, “and terrorizing Ashley at Nevaeh, then it’s safe to assume she has not moved on.”

obviously carter LOL

He chuckled again, his fingers biting into my thighs to hold me still at the edge of the granite. “Shhh, Spark. I just need to feel you come on my dick, then I can let you go.” “Uh-huh,” I gasped, grasping the back of his neck with one hand and the front of his shirt with the other. “Oh fuck, Carter…I missed you too.” “Dude!” someone exclaimed nearby, and I lifted one heavy lid to find Heath standing by the kitchen doorway. “Are you two serious right now? Here? Now? Ashes, your mom could walk back in here literally any second.”

this girl has no self control bruh

“I can sleep when I’m dead,” I informed him quickly, before crushing my lips to his and interlacing our tongues with an undeniable edge of desperation.

uh uh i need my sleep LOL

“Royce,” I whimpered again, rocking my hips in an attempt to put him back where he belonged. That evil smile grew wider, and his thumb stroked my jaw. “Beg for it, baby. Beg me to fuck this sweet little pussy of yours and remind you that no matter what happens…you’re mine now. And I’m never letting go.” Oh fuck, possessive Royce was back and I was here for it. “Please, Royce,” I moaned, squirming harder as his hand pinned my throat. “Please, fuck me. I need your cock inside me. I need to feel those piercings and⁠—”

Anything for you daddy

“Layne, we should talk about what happened,” Nate said on the other side of the door—loud enough to be heard through the door but hopefully not loud enough to be overheard. Panic washed through me, and I quickly slithered out from under Royce. Grabbing my robe and hastily tying it around myself, I rushed to my door. “I really don’t think we do,” I replied in a hushed voice, opening the door just a crack to prevent him yelling our private business all over the house.

well when are yall gonna talk about it!!!!

“Sorry I interrupted.” He released the door abruptly, spinning on his heel to stalk away, while frustration, irritation, and guilt flooded through me so hard, my hands shook. “Fuck you, Nate,” I hissed after him. “You do not get to judge me.” He turned around once more to meet my eyes and just shrugged. He fucking shrugged. “No thanks. Once was enough.”

NATE dont start with that shit ugh this man pisses me off so bad

“I’m not calling you on your bullshit, Squirrel, because clearly something has you two back at each other's throats. But if something did happen between you two…” His jaw tensed, his brow dipping in a scowl. “Then it’d be okay with us. You already know, the four of us are closer than brothers, so as badly as I want to keep you all to myself, I’d also never deny any of them the same happiness as you give me.” What the fuck is happening right now? “But to be perfectly clear,” he added, with not even a trace of teasing in his expression. “If he hurts you, I’ll gut him myself and feel no remorse.”

i love love love royce

“He sounds like a real dickhead,” I muttered, drowning my anger in another sip of coffee. “Remind me again. Why do we think he’ll be any more useful than an old banana in this situation?”

word

Nate clapped his hands sarcastically. “There you go, looking on the bright side. Good job, you!” I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t try copying my mom’s gentle parenting. It only makes me wanna junk punch you again.”

asshole lmao

He paused in front of me, his hands shaking ever so slightly as he finished the last button. “Do I look okay?” he asked softly, his eyes pained. Reaching up, I cupped his freshly shaved face in my hand and drew him down to my height to kiss. “You look perfect,” I whispered against his lips, after a lingering kiss that warmed me from the inside and seemed to calm Royce’s nerves significantly. “Your dad is a fucking idiot for not loving you the way you deserve.”

awww royce stop

I arched a brow at him and shook my head. “I was apologizing to your son, Colonel, not you. You deserve to hear that, and if it hurts, then it’s probably because it’s true.”

i love ashley lmao

“So…you two seem to be getting along a little better today,” Royce commented, cutting the quiet of the forest as I untangled myself from yet another spiky branch that’d caught my dress.

royce so nosy lmao but i love hes forcing them to talk

“He already knows, Layne. He’s just toying with us now. Right, Royce?” Royce’s grin spread wide. “Well, I do now. I was just guessing before. Educated guess, sure, but still just a hunch.” My head felt like it was about to explode. “Nate! We agreed to⁠—” “No, Layne, we didn’t agree to shit,” he said, cutting me off with a growl of annoyance. “I wanted to talk about it, and you acted like a fucking child and pretended nothing had happened, even though you could literally see the scratches and bruises that you made.”

YOURE A CONFUSING ASSHOLE

“Are you close already?” he murmured, and I was startled to realize it was Nate that asked, not Royce. Fucker just scared my orgasm off, flighty bitch that she was. Then I frowned, pursing my lips. “Hush, Nathaniel, you’re a silent audience. If you have thoughts you want to share, just whisper them to your hand and hold them for later.” I barely got my sarcastic snark out before Royce stuffed another finger into me, making my brain short-circuit.

just give in NATE

Nate’s fingers seemed to tighten on my thighs, or maybe that was my imagination? “You said last night that my apology was accepted…” Ah. That. “I did…” I agreed slowly. “But?” he prompted with a heavy edge of dread. “We’re not good, are we?” Damn it. “No,” I confirmed. “We’re not. I was very invested in forgiving you last night, but it’d be a lie to say everything is forgiven and forgotten today.”

i want them to have alone time

“Yes. I did.” He was utterly unapologetic as a devilish smile played across his lips. “And I really hope you’ll return the favor sometime.” Well, fuck, now I was horny in the back of the limo with all four of my sexy men, and that was a startling realization. Four. Was I insane? How the fuck did I think this was all going to work? Surely this was just a phase they were all going through, like…um…like Pokémon.

four hot ass men yes lawd

Colonel Mike drew a deep breath, his nostrils flaring as he glanced between Nate and myself. “I regret to inform you both, the aircraft your parents were traveling on last night suffered a critical fault on landing. The landing gear failed to deploy, and despite the pilot’s best efforts, the plane crashed.” He paused, his jaw clenching so hard, his cheek twitched. It was only then that I noticed how red his eyes were. “There were no survivors. I’m so sorry, kids. Your parents are both deceased.”

NOO OMG

Ashes. My girl. Bound and gagged, tied to a table and seeming a whole lot like she was just waking from being unconscious. But she was alive—that had to mean something. They hadn’t killed her. “Jocelyn mentioned that you may require a heavy hand to keep your mouths shut, and that you wouldn’t trust anything not seen with your own eyes. So here we are.” The first elder had risen from his seat and approached our captive love. “Take this as your one and only warning. If you disobey this council again, it will be you.”

shit

“I love you, Spark.” His husky voice cut through my

she has one to say it too and thay confession is gonna be best one

“Bestie, what the hell?” Royce asked in mock outrage when we arrived. “Where’s mine?” Carly pointed to the busy barista station with a smirk. “They’re keeping it warm for you inside the machine. You just need to line up and ask for it.”

i love carly and royce friendship

I laughed, feeling a small measure of the anxiety lifting from my chest. “Actually, with Nate. We had an incident on Monday that I kind of want to clear the air about and the moment hasn’t been right. So I asked if we could talk tonight and he offered to take me out.” I said it quickly, still unsure

ahhhhhh

“Nate’s missing,” he replied, looking grim. “The vests and guns were never handed in. Someone just found them dropped at the edge of the forest.”

nooo no no

“I almost k-killed you.” Ashley’s little voice reached my ears, despite the way her face was buried in my shirt. “I n-n-nearly sh-shot you.” I swallowed hard, fighting my own tears. She didn’t need to hear that I thought she had done it. “But you didn’t,” I said firmly, holding her tight. She shuddered so hard, her teeth chattered, but I still heard it when she replied. “I love you too.” Well, fuck. The way my heart thumped in my chest at those words reassured me I was still alive, and I had everything to live for.

omg im crying