Timber (Hades, #4)

by Tate James

"Doc wants to check you for broken ribs," Cass rumbled. "And whatever else. Lucas stitched up your wrist but probably made a mess of it." "Fuck you, dick," Lucas muttered. "I stitch like a damn sewing machine."

I didn't see Zed out in the hall, but he was there somewhere. He wouldn't leave. Not until I either heard him out or killed him.

Because despite how much he'd hurt me, despite his betrayal and everything it had caused, I still fucking loved him with my whole sullied soul.

Cassiel Saint, international man of mystery and drop-dead sexy asshole.

"If you decide to kill him, make sure he cooks dinner first," Cass suggested. "I don't want you going hungry if I get delayed."

"Hayden," he murmured. "Words quite literally can't express how much I love you. There is no doubt in my mind: You're it for me. You don't just own my heart, babe, you are my heart. Without you, nothing matters. Every minute of the twelve days, four hours, and fifteen minutes you were gone, I was dead inside."

"I should go before Daddy Cass comes to drag me out of here." A sob caught in my throat, and I sputtered. "Never call him that again, please." Lucas grinned wide, proud he’d stopped my tears with humor. "Why not? He's old, for starters, and he oozes dom energy. Daddy Cass just fits."

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered in my ear. "No matter how long it takes, I love you, Dare. That will never change, and I'll never stop waiting for you."

"If you or your brothers lay a single finger on my little sister... if you even look at her the wrong way... I will personally take a knife to your balls and turn them into a Christmas ornament. Then I'll cut your chest open, reach into the cavity, and rip your heart right out to play tennis with." I flashed another toothy grin. "Clear?" The boy nodded quickly, looking about six shades paler than he had when I approached. "Good," I murmured, patting the top of his car. "Nice chatting with you." As I walked away, a voice crackled from the car speakers. "Holy shit, was that her? Did Hades just threaten you, bro?" Then peals of nervous laughter. "Do you need me to bring you some clean pants or something?" "Shut the fuck up," the kid muttered back, rolling his window up and cutting off any further sound. But I'd heard enough. I returned to Lucas and Zed with a satisfied smile on my face.

"I'd burn the whole fucking world down for you, Angel." Ugh. Be still my heart.

"Nah, we had to do about sixteen rounds of rock paper scissors. Handled it like men, beautiful."

She appeared in the doorway, shoving the boy out of the way, and gave me a wide, slightly feverish smile. "Hey, Dare, you probably wanna see the body, huh?" I blinked at my little sister a couple of times. "Excuse me?" "Did you say body?" Zed added, his hand still on his gun. Seph's brows shot up high. "Oh. You're not here about the dead guy? Wow. This is awkward now."

Fuck’s sake. The last thing on my agenda for the night was a blow-up argument about the pointless nature of a marriage certificate or how it was totally impractical given we were now a polyamorous heterosexual foursome. At least... I think that’s what we were defined as. Maybe just reverse harem.

“Hey, Lucas,” I answered, “What—“ “Hayden,” he croaked, cutting me off. “I need you.”

By the time I made it downstairs, my cheeks were flushed and my lips puffy. Just in case my sister was under any illusions about what had taken me so damn long, Cass and Lucas followed closely behind me with freshly fucked grins painting their faces. “Seriously?” Seph asked, deadpan as she folded her arms and eyed me. “You kept me waiting while you had another round with both of them?” I shrugged. “I regret nothing.”

“Hey you,” Zed greeted me with a warm smile when I found him in the gym with Cass. They both wore fight gloves and no shirt, and I instantly forgot what I needed to tell them. “How was lunch with Seph?” “Ummm...” Goddamn, they were sweaty, like they’d been sparring together for a while already. Shouldn’t they both have work to do? Not that I was complaining... Maybe I could just curl up in the corner and watch them... “Red,” Cass barked, snapping me out of my daydream. “You’re drooling.”

"Come out, come out, sweet demon," he called through the window, "or I'll smoke you out." I extended my middle finger, pressing it to the glass. "Kiss my ass, Captain Bluebeard."

Hours later, when we finally staggered out of Timber and into the waiting limo, I made a mental note to have the couches reupholstered. Nothing was going to get that much cum out of the velvet.

“So, how does it feel?” Lucas asked, his warm palm touching the small of my back. “It’s all over.” I smiled, turning to face him, then my gaze shifted to Cass and Zed. “Is it?” I murmured. “It feels more like a new beginning.” Zed reached out, linking his fingers with mine, and rubbed his thumb over my ring, his love shining bright in his eyes. “Beginning of a new era. I like it.” Cass just grunted and loosened his tie. “I fucking love you, Red,” he muttered. Then his eyes narrowed at Zed and Lucas. “You two aren’t half bad, either.” Zed snickered, but Lucas grinned and launched himself at Cass in a bear hug. “Grumpy Cat looooves us!” Cass and Lucas joked and teased each other all the way back to the car, but Zed hung back and looped his arm around my waist as we walked. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. My turbulent soul was finally calm. Finally at peace. For the first time in my whole life, I was completely happy.

“Hades, did you adopt me?” Her voice was all squeaky and shrill, and Seph winced, covering her ears. I gave an uncomfortable shrug. “Figured it doesn’t really change anything; you already spend every weekend at our house. But it will keep you safe if anyone ever wonders what happened to little Diana Manson.” Tears were rolling down Diana’s face now, and she clutched the paper to her chest. “This changes everything.” “Oh my god, Little A,” Seph snickered. “Be more dramatic.” Diana snapped a glare at Seph. “Fuck you.”

The sound of his chuckles echoed along the corridor, and I made my way back into the cell now that the initial flames had died down to a less eyebrow singeing level. I poked a marshmallow on the end of a dagger and toasted it over Chase’s burning body, then snapped a selfie to send to the guys. Their response was instant and unanimous. We love you. Come home. I smiled, because I could. I could finally go home, totally free of my demons, and into the arms of the men who loved me for me. Chase Lockhart’s hand had been wrapped around my throat for so long, I’d forgotten what it felt like to breathe freely. He’d tried everything to break me. He’d attempted to burn my whole empire to the ground, he’d even burned my gumdrop. And in the end… it was him who wound up a pile of charred remains on a dirty, blood-stained prison floor. Except this time, the only thing rising from ashes was my future. I walked away with the sickly-sweet taste of toasted marshmallow in my mouth and never looked back.