Deliver us from Evil - Logan Fox Page 0,44

it was one of those times you couldn’t help it.”

I turn a puzzled frown to Cass, but he closes his eyes and gives his head a shake, as if telling me he’ll explain later.

Rube clears his throat again. Then he reaches out and lifts Zachary’s hand before lacing their fingers together.

“But then you did something so brave, so selfless…we’d be dicks not to forgive you.” His voice goes thick. “So if you don’t want to come back because of what I said, just know that I was full of shit. I do forgive you, Zach.”

“I forgive you too,” Apollo says. He gives Zachary’s head another stroke. “And I need you, man.”

“I forgive you.” Cass grabs his leg. “And you know I fucking need you.”

Then they all turn to me.

But the words stick in my throat. And when I shake my head, tears spill out of my eyes and race down my cheeks.

They don’t know what he did with the knife.

They didn’t hear how he threatened me.

I can forget about what he did, but I don’t know if I can ever forgive him.

“He saved your life,” Apollo murmurs. “Doesn’t that mean anything?”

“Apollo.” Rube’s voice is firm, his frown deep.

I glance at Apollo, then back and up at Rube. “What is he talking about?”

Rube points at Zachary’s chest. At the two sets of bandages plastered over his skin. “One of those bullets were meant for you, Trinity.”

“And one was meant for me,” Cass says beside me.

And then it comes rushing back.

My old house.

Gabriel trying to drown me in the bath.

The basement.

Gabriel chasing me down the hall.

Cass at the front door.

When I look down at Zachary again, it feels like someone is wrapping barbed wire around my heart.

“I…forgot.” I swallow hard and put my hands over my face. “How could I—”

“Concussion,” Apollo supplies, and then shrugs when I look up at him with slitted eyes. “What? You asked.”

I lick my lips. He saved my life. Possibly in exchange for his.

Only a cold-hearted bitch would hold a grudge against someone who sacrificed themselves for her.

“I forgive you, Zachary. And I need you too.” I look up at his three brothers, and my next words come easy, because I’ve never spoken truer ones in my life.

“We all need you.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Trinity

SIX MONTHS LATER

Water laps against the side of the infinity pool, merging seamlessly with the nearby ocean. It splashes against my body as I slap my arms down on the cool tiles beside the pool. I shiver at the contrast between warm and cold, and almost slip back into the heated water when a pair of bare feet pad into view.

I tilt my head back, blinking water from my eyes as I stare up at Cass.

“Water’s perfect,” I tell him.

But he just keeps standing there, watching me. If it was any other guy, it would have been creepy as all hell. But it’s Cass, and with those stunning blue eyes staring at me, it just makes me feel like I’m melting inside.

“Are you getting in, or you just going to keep gawking?”

“Rube wants to see you,” he says.

I stop paddling my feet, sinking a little lower into the water as a chill races through me. “Now? But—”

“No buts.” He crouches beside the pool, his swimming shorts hiking up his legs. He’s put on muscle in the last few months. Everyone except Apollo has, who flat out refuses to use our mansion’s built-in gym for anything more than some light cardio when it rains longer than a day. “You promised.”

“Yeah, bu—” I cut off, pressing my lips together. “God. Now?”

“Now, my blasphemous little slut,” he says with a rueful grin.

I give him a half-smile, and let him haul me out of the water. His eyes rake over my body, taking in every curve. In the past, I’d have wanted to snatch up a towel and cover myself.

But the Brotherhood have taught me a lot of things. Being proud of my body is one of them.

How can I hate something they worship?

Cass leads me back inside the house, but not before we both glance back at the view. The crests of the waves are barely visible—fluffy white lines that chase each other across the pale shore. At night, the ocean sighs like a sleeping beast, and I’ve fallen in love with it as much as I have with them.

All of them.

The ground floor of the mansion is built for entertaining, but we’ve never had any guests. What we have is too special. Too unique. People would ask too