The Promise (Wolfe Creek Duet #2)

23

THEA

I’m looking over Anthony’s shoulder as he shows me the software that’s connected to the tracker he put on Cole’s car. We’ve all agreed that the safest place for our conversations is probably their house. Anthony did a sweep and didn’t find any devices. Still, I’m so fucking paranoid that I’m being watched and listened to constantly.

“This is where he’s living.” He points to an address. Then pulls up the street view. It’s a small apartment complex in a town twenty minutes away. Close enough to keep tabs on me, but far enough that he likely wouldn’t run into any of us. “Here’s where he’s at right now.” He’s driving into Willow Hill, likely to check up on me.

I feel sick. This isn’t the person I ever thought I’d be. “Thanks, Anthony. I really appreciate it.”

He glances back at me. “Thea… you don’t have to do this. I can take care of Cole.” The way he easily says this makes me wonder about his and Cassie’s past. I didn’t ask her—partially because I was a little overwhelmed at the time, but also I’m not sure I want to know. I don’t want to see her differently, even if it was justified. Just like I don’t want them to see me differently. They don’t need all the details.

“I know. Thank you, but I need to do this. I can’t have anyone else involved.”

Anthony nods, his deep brown eyes understanding, although worried. He’s a kind man and I know if it came down to it, I could ask him to help if I really can’t do it myself.

He closes his laptop. “I’m going to head out to a job site, but I’ll keep an eye on his location. I don’t want you taking on all of this. We’re here to help you.”

I understand what he’s saying. He knows that if he gives me that tracking information, I’d probably get myself into trouble and no one would know how to find me. This is their insurance policy in case anything happens. If I go missing, they’ll know it’s probably Cole’s doing and they’ll be able to find him.

Anthony gives Cass a kiss on his way out. She watches him through the living room window as he gets into his car and drives off before coming to my side.

She puts an arm around my shoulder. “I hope you understand why we can’t hand over his location to you.”

I nod. “I know.”

“Are you okay after the other night? Does he do anything when he comes? Or does he just write those letters?” I have to lie—I don’t have a choice.

“He just stands there, watching me. It’s weird, but harmless… for now.”

Concern draws her brows close. “Thea?” She bites the corner of her lip. “If it becomes not so harmless, you’ll tell me, right?”

My throat tightens. Memories of two nights ago threaten to send me into a tailspin. “Of course.” That’s all I can manage. Cass smiles. I can tell she’s not fully convinced, but she knows arguing won’t do anything. She has to trust that I’ll come to her.

I wish it was as easy as trusting. It’s far more complicated. The need to protect everyone around me is so great that it’s all I can think about some days. I need to protect Cassie from Cole. I have no doubts that he’ll kill her without hesitation if I step out of line. I have to protect Sutton, Wes, and Damian from their brother. The only person who doesn’t get protected in this scenario is me. I’m at his mercy.

I can’t say if killing them is still on Cole’s agenda. He hasn’t said anything. Maybe he realizes that’s too great a task. Or maybe he realized that them losing me, or ruining me, as he said, is a fate far worse than death.

A chill runs down my back. His threat could mean anything, although if his last visit is an indication of what’s to come. I have to assume my body is step one on his list of what he’ll destroy first. My mind’s probably a close second.

I give Cass a hug goodbye and head home. But not before texting the guys that I’m on my way.

My thoughts churn as I drive. I wonder how long until Detective Williams pops up again. How long do I have to execute this plan? I think about how I’ll kill Cole, but the idea of it makes me want to be sick. I’ve never wanted to hurt someone in that way, not really. Coming to terms with having to actually do it is hard.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to stomach the sight of blood if it gets messy. I don’t know how to dispose of a body. I don’t know how I’ll pull it off when I’m always being watched. Maybe I won’t have the courage to do it. Somehow that’s the most terrifying thought of all.

I park Damian’s Audi in his parking spot and take a deep breath, willing calmness to wash over me. They can’t know anything is going on. I force a smile and get out of the car. I act like everything is perfectly fine.

SUTTON

“You think I can’t smell it on you? You’re going to hurt yourself and you’ll be right back where you started a month ago. Is that what you want?” Oliver, my physical therapist, lectures.

I’m hardly paying attention. Sure, he’s making some good points, but I’m ready for him to leave so I can have another drink. The thought only proves that Oliver’s probably right. Well, that and I’ve stumbled my way through our hour-long session, which I can’t really argue against.

But I honestly don’t care. I don’t want to do physical therapy anymore. I don’t want to use this damn cane. I don’t want to talk to my parents. I don’t want to deal with work. I just don’t. I’ve never felt like this before and I don’t know how to pull myself out of it. Or if I want to.

“That’s an hour,” I say in return, glancing at the time on my phone.

Oliver huffs and shakes his head. He knows there’s not much he can do. I mean, he could tell my brothers. That would probably be bad, but I don’t exactly care. I just want a drink. I wait to hear him open and close the front door.

Stretching my aching leg, I stand and grab my cane for support. I’ve made a lot of progress, but on therapy days I’m always a bit more sore than normal. I wonder how long until it’ll be before I feel no pain at all. It’s a constant reminder of my brother’s betrayal and that I can’t do the one thing I really want to—ride.

Reading carried me through a bulk of the healing process, but not even my love for books can distract me from my family issues. Drinking is the only thing that dulls the pain of my parent’s lies.

I’ve been able to keep things under wraps, but the sensible part of me knows that this is a house of cards. One wrong move and it all comes crashing down. Thankfully, my brothers all seem preoccupied with their own lives. I’ve been holing myself up in my room or hiding away in the reading room at the store. Deirdre minds her business when I do go into work, so it hasn’t been hard to wallow without interruption.

Thea’s really the only one I’m worried about. I forgot about the empty bottles in my room when she slept with me on Halloween. She didn’t say anything, so maybe she didn’t notice. I’ve tried to be diligent since then.

Aside from dulling the pain, the drinking keeps my mind from spiraling into dangerous territory.

The conversation with my father should’ve brought closure, at least I thought it would. Instead, I’ve found myself questioning everything about my life. I’ve replayed nearly every moment of my childhood that I can remember, trying to dissect if there were signs or a particular event that triggered this landslide. Nothing sticks out. Somehow that’s worse.

My parent’s smiling faces at holidays, kissing in pictures, and holding hands all seem fake now. I know my dad loved her, but she was playing a part. Then they both buried the deceit behind a veil of happiness. It makes me question if I was ever truly happy or if it was all a selfish construct to hide what was really going on.

That makes me spiral further. I wonder if my parent’s complete acceptance of who I am and unwavering support of any decision I made was less about being supportive and more about keeping me distracted. Because at least if I was allowed to do whatever I wanted, my eyes wouldn’t be open to their lies.

Am I who I am today because of this? Would I have been an entirely different person if they would have lived their lives truthfully? The sad answer is yes and I can’t help wondering who that man would’ve been. Is that man someone better than who I am today? I can’t know for sure, but the uncertainty is plunging me into madness.

I’m walking into the kitchen to grab another bottle before heading downstairs when Thea walks through the door. Shit, I forget, she texted that she was on her way home.

“Hey, baby.” I try to keep my voice steady. She doesn’t seem to notice that anything’s off.

She comes over and presses herself to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. Resting her head against my chest, she asks, “How was therapy?”

“Good,” I lie. She glances up, studying me.

“Have you been drinking?”

Fuck. “I just had a little something after therapy. My leg’s hurting and I needed to take the edge off.” Thea holds me a little tighter—I wonder if she senses that I’m not telling the truth. We’re good at that—being able to read each other and know when something’s wrong.

Damian’s orders for my part in helping Thea echo in my mind. “I need you to keep her grounded.” I’m no use to her, but I have to try. I wish I could say it’s completely selfless, but it’s not. If I talk about her, there’s less of a chance she’ll focus on me.

My hand rubs circles over her back. “You okay?” I pull myself from my thoughts and my liquored haze long enough to feel her weariness. She looks back up at me and I notice her tired gaze for the first time. Faint blue purple tints the skin beneath her eyes.

“Yeah, just a lot going on lately with work.” I don’t doubt her words, but there’s something else. I want to dig, although I know that doing that might bring attention to the things I’m not telling anyone. So I bite my tongue.

“I know. Things have been hectic for everyone.”

The haze creeps back in and I’m suddenly very aware of the press of her body against mine. Each breath pushes her tits into my chest. Glancing down, my eyes trace the curve of her back to her ass. I can’t help that my hand drifts lower or that I squeeze, pulling her closer to me.

Thea’s fingers push beneath the hem of my shirt and she lets her warm palms roam my back. That undeniable chemistry between us pulses to life.

I push her sweater over her head, tossing it on the floor. She returns the favor. My lips kiss over her shoulder as my fingers pull down the straps of her bra, freeing her tits. I pull away to admire her. The perfect pink of her nipples are begging for attention.

“You’re so fucking perfect, baby,” I whisper before pulling her nipple into my mouth. My teeth graze her sensitive skin, making her moan. Reluctantly, I release her.

She’s reading my mind as she kicks off her boots. I pull at the button on her jeans and yank them down. Thea pulls down my sweatpants, biting her lip as she eyes just how much she’s turned me on. She wraps a hand around the back of my neck, the other wraps around my cock. Pulling me in, she kisses me roughly, biting my lip.

This isn’t how we usually fuck—the roughness is typically Wes and Damian’s thing. Maybe I could like it, not that I could hurt her, but I could let her be rough with me.

“Pour me a drink,” she murmurs against my mouth. I’m not going to argue, especially if this gives me a reason to have one as well.

Thea releases her hold on me and watches as I reach into the cabinet, pulling down a bottle of tequila. I pour us each a double shot, handing her a glass. We clink them and she downs it without flinching. I throw mine back, too.

Sinking to her knees, Thea grips me, then runs the flat of her tongue along the underside of my dick. I groan and grip the edges of the counter for balance. Looking down, I see Thea’s sparkling blue eyes watching me hungrily. Then, she slides her mouth over my tip.

I’m lost to oblivion as she works me in and out while squeezing me gently, making every sensation heightened. “Thea,” I moan out. She’s going to make me come if she doesn’t stop. “Baby… Thea…” She doesn’t stop and I have to pull her away from me to get her attention.

“Trust me, I’d love that, but I think we both need me inside of you.”

She nods. Grabbing her by the arms, I stand her up and lean her up against the counter. In one quick movement, I lift her until she’s sitting on it. My leg hates me for it, but I ignore the throb as Thea wraps herself around my waist.

She arches her hips into me, I love that she’s so eager to have me fuck her. “Sutton,” she whimpers. She has no idea how sexy I find it when she says my name like that. Her hand impatiently drifts between our bodies until she’s teasing herself with her fingers. I could step in, but I love watching her do this.

Licking my lips, I hope she goes lower. She does. Her mouth falls open as her head falls back while her fingers slide in and out. My cock throbs at the sight. I lower myself and take her wrist in my hand, forcing her to stop. Bringing her fingers to my lips, I push them into my mouth.

“You taste so damn delicious.”

Rising back up, I guide myself inside of her and fuck her like I’ll never have the chance again.

THEA

My arms pull Sutton in, I’ll never feel close enough to him. Still, I hold him tighter as he fucks me on the kitchen counter.

The taste of alcohol and me dances over our tongues as we kiss. He just had therapy, we shouldn’t be doing this. I know better. But I can’t help it and neither could he. Something deeper told us that we needed this.

My teeth graze his ear as I whisper, “I love how you feel inside of me.” Sutton picks up his speed at my encouragement. “Yes… just like that.”

I bury my face into his neck as he pushes my body closer to my climax. The heat on my skin builds with every thrust. My thighs grip him tighter as the pressure becomes unbearable. I’m almost there. Peering through my dark lashes, I catch movement behind Sutton.

Adrian’s standing in Damian’s doorway. For a moment, I catch the stunned look on his face before it fades to flatness. He doesn’t retreat. I’m not sure if he’s frozen in place or purposefully trying to make me uncomfortable. Normally, I might shout at him or have Sutton stop. I don’t, though.

I lock eyes with him and stare him down. My nails dig into Sutton’s back as he pushes me closer. I don’t hold back the gasps and moans that pour from my lips. I want Adrian to hear them all. I want him to feel like he’s missing out. But mostly, I want him to know that he’ll never have me.

I scream Sutton’s name as I come. My whole body tenses around him and then a minute later, he’s coming too. I bury my face into his neck, breathing in his intoxicating lavender and sandalwood scent.

When the waves of pleasure ease, I look back at Damian’s door. Adrian’s gone and I’m sure that I’ve made my point. I can’t help the smirk that tugs at my lips.