Restitution (The Edge of Darkness, #3)

by Leigh Rivers

“Did you… just… fucking slap me?”

Hands grab at my face, forcing me to look up into the eyes of my new master. Tobias Mitchell.

“I found you, little one.”

“You didn’t come for visitation, and I got bored.”

“You are also my priority. I would have always hunted for you to the ends of the fucking earth, little one. I know you didn’t have the best relationship with your father, your brothers are useless pricks, and my son is shackled to a bitch on an insane power trip, but you have me.”

Can you keep your emotions in check until we get out of here?” “You told me to let it all out.” The slight tilt of his head shows his confusion. “There’s more?”

“You can yell at me later. I did what I had to do for my family, and you” – he flicks my nose – “you are part of it.”

Either you find a safe way, or I’ll find one myself. I. Need. To. Get. Her. Out.”

“We need to go. When we see someone, act scared. I need to hold you like I plan to fuck you in every position possible without your consent.” “Jesus, Tobias.”

“Sorry,” he whispers, a soft breath through the hole at the mouth of the mask. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he breathes repeatedly as he grabs my thigh and pulls it up to his side, playing the part. “Forgive me.”

“Well, that could’ve gone a lot worse. It was rather easy, to be honest. Other than having to touch you. No offence, but that made me want to vomit all over you.”

“But I had no other option; you didn’t show up for visitation. I had to escape.”

“The world really has no idea who you are. You are a little bit nutty, but you care a lot about your family. You taught yourself to love – in your own way, yes – but that alone goes against everyone’s opinion of you. You aren’t heartless, Tobias. Who cares what the world thinks?” He grimaces; he hates compliments and softness. “Shut up or I’ll take you back.” I giggle. “I missed you.” “Are you done?”

However, it’s been rather peaceful without you.” I shake my head. “Your cheeks turn red when you lie.”

I rub it with the pad of my thumb and study it while Base hums a Taylor Swift song to himself.

Just remember, baby Tobias, when you’re getting all the attention, I’m the naturally handsome one.”

“Sometimes I wonder why the fuck we’re friends.” “Because I’m funny.”

“You die, I die.” “You die, I die,”

Even if she just fucking told me she liked me, it would be enough.” “She does like you – she used to ask me a lot about you,” I say. “Well, she can tell me that when I save her.”

“I’ll fall to my knees and beg for forgiveness the next time I see her.”

You don’t have to ever forgive me, but I want you to know that if I had all the time in the world, I would spend it trying to win you back. I’d prove myself worthy of you, Stacey. Because there hasn’t been a day that’s passed where you haven’t kept me going. My love might not be enough for you, but it’s all I have left. I love you. I love you so fucking much that I want to live.”

“The first time I saw you, I was yours. I’ll always be yours, Freckles. Our girl will be proud of the woman you’ve become. You’ll both always be my girls.”

“Of course she’s dead. Are your eyes working? Her brain is splattered on the ground, you fucking idiot.” Barry mutters to himself then looks up at Kade’s dad. “I was just stating a fact.” “A useless fact,” he counters. “Any others? You want to tell me the sky is blue while you’re at it?”

“Do you really need to keep hitting me? What are you getting out of being violent?” “Joy,” Tobias replies,

“Are you done? Your voice is going through me.”

“I’ll leave your hearing, so I can tell you when I win her back, so you can hear her moaning my fucking name. When I marry her. When she births my fucking children. And guess what? I’ll have all of that. You won’t. Because Stacey Rhodes has been mine since the day I fucking met her.”

Tobias grunts and grabs Barry by the collar to pull him out, but he shrugs him off and scowls. “I’m able to take myself out, you barbaric wanker.”

You gave me a reason to live when I felt like I was already dead inside.”

“Forgive me? Please. Please forgive me.” His words are broken, but I understand each one, muffled as he pulls away from my shoulder and drops his head into my lap, hugging the back of my knees. “I’ll do anything. I know we can’t get back what we had, and I’ll never be that eighteen-year-old kid again, but please don’t hate me. Please forgive me. I didn’t want to be like this, Stacey. I didn’t want this. I didn’t… I… Stacey.”

Because he’s mine.

“This is going to be horrible to clean up.” “What can I say? My son is an artist.”

Tobias leans down and picks up the severed foot. “Think fast,” he says as he throws it at Barry’s face. He catches it automatically, then jumps back and drops it on the ground. “What the shit?” I bite my lip as Tobias winks at me, and I know he was just trying to cheer me up.

“He turned out a lot like our dad.” Tobias rolls his eyes. “Was your dad a rapist, murderer and an abusive asshole?” He steps forward. “Did your dad groom a fourteen-year-old girl?” Kyle shakes his head, turning white. “No. But he did beat us.” He tuts and tilts his head. “No comparison, kid.”

“I think you should rest. He can’t get me anymore.” His glazed eyes lift to my face, his other hand still hiding his chin. “Because you’re with me? I can keep you safe?”

“Moya vechnost.”

“Why do I waste my time with you?” “Because your dad is dead and I’m the replacement?”

“It’s weird though, right? How a man at my age is still fucking obsessed with a woman he’s been crazy about since he was in his early twenties?” “Psychotic actually,” I say with a smirk. “Shut up.”

“I would do anything to protect my people, little one.”

“Sometimes I struggle to find reasons why we’re friends.” “We aren’t friends. We’re family. Now – out of bed.”

“Sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” It’s like a mantra. A desperate plea for forgiveness as he grabs Jason. “I hit you. I thought you… I’m… sorry. Sorry. I’m so sorry. Please don’t hate me. I didn’t want to. I didn’t… I didn’t… I didn’t want to hurt them either. They made me, they m-m-made me.” His words are rushed out and broken. “Please.”

“I love you. Every broken part of me has loved you from the moment I met you.”

I was the luckiest guy in the world once upon a time. She was mine, and I lost her.

Being loved by Stacey Rhodes is a dream.

“What will you do with your freedom?” Kade stares at me for a long moment, breathing the same air while I touch him through his clothes. “Win my girl back.” My heart sings at his response, and I grin. “Yeah?” “Yeah.”

“You see that gun there?” he says quietly so the guard doesn’t hear, and I nod, frowning as he grabs it and shoves it into my hand. “If I hurt you, shoot me.”

“I didn’t finish inside you, did I?” “No. You were inside all of three minutes.” “Shameful.” I roll my eyes.

“Go dance and live your life. Think of me when you do, and picture me sitting in the crowd, right at the very front.”

“So you’d still be my girlfriend even if I’m in prison forever? That’s not a life you deserve.” She grins, her cheeks going a lovely shade of red. “I don’t believe we’ve crossed that bridge.” I pull a brown strand from between her lips. “What bridge?” “The one where you ask me to be your girlfriend again.” Something swells in my chest, and the tip of my nose touches hers. “Will you?”

“I thought you hated me, and I was single.” I drag her to my side, squeezing her ass and hiking her leg over me. “I never want to hear that come out of your mouth again. Regardless of where we were in our relationship, I would have slaughtered an entire room filled with people just to get one minute of this with you.”

“Because you’re going to be my wife. You’ve already taken my heart, my body, and my butchered soul, so you’ll take my fucking last name too.”