She swallowed then pressed her forehead to mine, staring at me with such love and affection, it fucking killed me. As if on instinct, the two of us touched the places where we’d scarred each other. A reminder we belonged together. You couldn’t have me without her.
“We’re each other’s forever.”
I nodded and smiled at her. My beautiful, perfect girl who ruled my world. There was nothing and no one better or more important to me than her.
Neither of us moved. Both savouring this moment. Allowing our declarations to settle into our bones. It was a fucking miracle we’d found our way back to each other. That we’d put the hurt, pain, and strife behind us. Sharing it with each other so we no longer felt so alone. Now we were one again. We were together with nothing holding us back.
“We should get back to the others,” she whispered. “We still have to finish this.”
I reluctantly set Scarlett back on her feet. She gave me another lingering kiss before she picked up the jerry can and unscrewed the cap. I went back to get my hammer and took it out of the cell, allowing her to throw petrol into it. Then we coated the rest of the building. Scarlett stopped me outside, brushing off the concrete and debris from my clothes and hair. I did the same to her, as I’d got it on her when I’d kissed the living shit out of my girl. Then we walked back towards the main house together, trailing a line of petrol behind us.
We found the other three outside the house waiting for us. Scarlett poured the petrol right up to the front door, then down towards where the boys were standing.
“You took your time,” Prescott said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“We had something we needed to do,” Scarlett said with a shy smile in my direction.
She handed me the can when I approached her. I put the hammer and final jerry can in the back of the car, closing it and walking over to them. The five of us stood staring at the house for a long minute.
“Are we ready?” Drake asked, taking a box of matches out of his pocket. “You get to do the honours, little wisp. This is your fight, not ours.”
He handed them to Scarlett, who took them, staring down at the box. She stroked her fingers along it.
“I’m ready.”
Forty Two
Scarlett
The box shook as I opened it and slid a match out. My hands were trembling, but I ignored them. This was how it had to happen. I stared at the house. The one to cause me so much hurt and pain. Then I remembered only a few minutes ago West and I had told each other about our feelings. He’d destroyed the cell for me. My heart swelled, and I took a deep breath.
I struck the match against the box, lighting it. The flame was so small, but it would create havoc the moment it hit the petrol. It would engulf the whole building in flames.
I threw the match into the line of it I’d trailed here. The match hit the ground, the flames rising up a moment later. The five of us watched it streak up towards the house. It branched off towards the outbuildings too. It took a few minutes before flames appeared in the windows of the place.
“I opened the safe in the security room,” Drake said, startling me.
“You did?”
He nodded.
“I found the combination for it in Stuart’s office. I copied the data from his computer whilst we were dealing with the rest of the house. We have everything we need now.”
The flames were mesmerising. I couldn’t stop staring at them as they grew higher. The sound of glass cracking under the intense heat from the blaze made me smile.
“What was in it?”
“Two guns with their licences and bullets. I left them there. Good thing we got into the security room when we did.”
So that’s what Alex had been going for. Drake was right. We were lucky. I didn’t know those were on the property, but it was hardly surprising. Stuart kept a lot of shit from me.
“Thank you for looking. I would have wondered otherwise.”
He set his hand on my shoulder.
“You’re welcome.”
We fell silent then, all five of us contemplating the blazing building. Then I turned to Drake, staring up at my man, who stood tall, the dancing flames reflecting in his indigo eyes.
“I’ve seen enough. We should go.”
“It’s over now.”
I smiled.
“Yeah… almost.”
He gave me a nod, dropping his hand from my shoulder and walking towards the cars. I followed him and got in the one I’d come in. The others joined us, West getting into the driver’s seat as Francis got in the back. My eyes fixed on the burning house as West started the car and set off. Francis reached forward and stroked my neck, resting his forehead on the headrest behind me. I sighed and put my fingers on his.
“You’re okay, Scar. You’re going to be okay.”
I knew I would be, eventually. It would take time to put this all behind us.
My eyes darted to the building one last time as West drove back down the long driveway. Then I closed them, leaning my head against the window and drifted off, exhaustion settling over me.
I jerked awake when the car stopped. West stroked my leg and smiled at me.
“Time to switch cars.”
I stretched and got out, finding the others opening the doors of Prescott’s Jeep. Inside was a change of clothes for all of us. We were at the back of a dark car park, so no one could see us undressing and switching out our clothes. Drake put them all in one of the cars we’d brought, then encouraged me to get into the Jeep. I slid into the back, getting settled in the middle as West joined me. Prescott got in the other side and pressed a kiss to my temple.
“My little lamb.”
I curled up against him as he wrapped his arm around me. I must have fallen asleep again because the next thing I knew, he was shaking me awake as we were home. I climbed out of the Jeep and followed the four of them to the lift. The cars we’d gone to the estate in would be taken care of by Penn and his men. There was one thing we had left to do after this, but for the most part, everything was wrapped up this evening.
We were finally free of Stuart Carver once and for all.
“What time is it?” I asked as we rode up to the penthouse in the lift.
Drake looked at his watch.
“Almost three.”
No wonder I was tired. We’d been at this for hours.
“You can go to bed if you want. We were talking about having a drink on the roof, but it can wait.”
I shook my head.
“No, I’ll come up… just want a proper shower first. I stink of petrol.”
West snorted.
“We all fucking do.”
“You have dust in your hair,” Francis said, nodding at West’s head. “Dare I ask why?”
He shrugged.
“Smashed up the cell they kept Scar in.”
Drake shook his head and rubbed his face.
“That wasn’t the plan, West.”
“Nothing about tonight went exactly to plan. It is what it fucking is.”
Drake dropped his hand and looked up at the metal ceiling.
“You’re right. What’s done is done.”