To the End: Year Four (Hannaford Prep Book 4) Read online

  Blaise laughs and helps move me around, reaching back to grab lube. “I’ve definitely called dibs. No more waiting until I pass out for the group sex, Star.”

  Ash doesn’t snark along with him, his eyes are fixed on my tits as I get an eyeful of him as well. He’s all flushed and clean from his shower after his track practice. I don’t know how the fuck he looks so good right after he’s run for miles, it’s like he’s fucking blessed or something. Inhuman. A fucking god.

  They both also work together a little too well, stroking and touching me, and the cogs start turning in my brain.

  “Have you done this before?” I don’t want to know, not really, but the curiosity claws at my gut.

  Ash’s hand slides up to my throat as he kisses me. “Not like this. I’ve never wanted to like this.”

  “And now?” I whisper, out of breath entirely.

  “I want everything with you.”

  Ash pulls away from me and slides down my body, biting my hips until I gasp. Blaise chuckles in my ear, pushing me until I’m flat on my back and Ash is flicking my clit with his tongue, then moving down to slide his tongue inside me. Holy fuck, I’ll never get used to this feeling.

  “This will be easier if you’ve already come, Star.” He murmurs against my neck, sucking and kissing me there so I’ll be marked up for the whole damn world to see. Fuck, I can’t find it in myself to give a damn.

  He sucks at my nipples, biting softly and groaning when I gasp, but I can’t figure out where to focus my attention when Ash is eating me out like I’m his last freaking meal on Earth. I’m shaking and crying out, nearly fucking screaming when I finally come, grinding on his face like somehow I’ll be able to get closer to him. His eyes are dark and hooded as he pushes up to kiss me, sharing the taste of me between our lips. Blaise grabs my chin and turns me so he can chase the taste. My whole body shudders.

  Ash rolls and pulls me onto his chest, grunting as I slide myself down onto his fucking perfect cock, letting him fill me up. I give myself a second to breathe before I lean down and kiss him, rocking my hips to meet his own thrusts.

  I feel Blaise kneel on the bed behind me, his hand running over my ass as he slicks his dick up with the lube. The synthetic smell of cherries hits me, the smug dickhead, but before I can think of something to snap at him he pushes in.

  Well, holy sweet lord fuck.

  Just. Seriously. Fuck.

  “Look at that face. Mounty, have you died and gone to heaven? I can feel you dripping down my cock, you fucking love it.” Ash drawls out, and Blaise’s hips begin to move and fuck yes, I have gone to heaven. I can’t think, they’re touching every single part of me, rubbing and grinding and pushing, and my body just fucking overloads with lust. It’s fucking perfect.

  Ash catches my throat with his hand and pulls me down to a biting kiss, his other hand gripping my hip and grinds his dick into me. Blaise has a little more movement and he holds my other hip, pumping away like he has something to prove.

  I gasp and clench down on them both as I come again, screaming against Ash’s lips as he tries to swallow the sound. He’s trying to fucking consume me.

  Blaise’s hips stutter to a halt as he groans, long and low, and pulls out to come all over my ass.

  The second Blaise pulls away Ash flips me over onto my back, hooking my knees up and spreading me open to him, pounding into me until I think we’re going to break the damn bed but it feels fucking incredible and I’m gasping as my body slams into another orgasm. I think I must blackout for a second because the next thing I know Ash is grunting and biting my lips as he comes, absolute fucking perfection.

  These boys are going to fucking kill me but I’d die every damn day with a smile for them.

  * * *

  Ash drags me into the shower with him, holding me up when my jello legs try to give out. He’s full of slow touches and murmured praises, and I just soak it the fuck up.

  I jump out and leave him in there to finish up, he's been too focussed on me to clean himself off, when my phone rings. I frown and fumble around to answer it.

  “I’m outside your door, come open up for me.” Illi grumbles and I frown at the weird tone he’s using.

  I throw a shirt and yoga pants on, ignoring Ash’s pissy comments about our shower being interrupted. “Why didn’t you just knock? Blaise is here too, he’d let you in.”

  He grunts and gasps a little. “Ok, fuck, don’t freak out but I’ve been… stabbed a little.”

  I blanch, and scramble to get to the door, flinging it open without really considering if that’s a good idea. It’s not, because Illi was leaning on it and he falls forward. As soon as his weight hits me my bad leg buckles and we both go over.

  Blaise shouts loud enough as he lurches towards us that Ash hears him and comes running out of the bathroom, a towel clutched around his waist. He curses viciously at Illi until I manage to roll the Butcher off of me and he catches sight of all of the blood.

  “What the fuck happened?” He snarls, and I frantically start searching Illi for exactly where he’s been stabbed.

  He barely has the energy to reply to Ash, and his voice is thready when he says, “Let the record show, I can take on fourteen of Matteo’s best men and walk out alive. That psycho fuck needs to train his people better. It was like fighting drunk toddlers. One of them got lucky, it was a cheap shot that somehow managed to land.”

  I scoff at him, and rip my shirt off to pack into his wound. I speak without thinking, “What the fuck did they stab you with, a fucking sword? It looks like they twisted it.”

  Avery bursts through the door. She gets one look at Illi and chokes on her gag reflex, but her voice is strong down the phone as she calls for a doctor. I’m so fucking glad she’s here; I need someone who’s got contacts and a clear head because all I can think about is the fact I can see Illi’s intestines. Fuck.

  “Why didn’t you go to Doc? I could’ve come down and had your back, fuck school.” I croak and when he chuckles it’s all gurgling and wet sounding.

  “Doc’s dead kid. The Jackal is cleaning house. Everyone who likes you is out, and Doc fucking loved you. There isn’t gonna be friendly faces left in the Bay for us soon.”

  Tears start but I ignore them. They won’t help hold Illi’s guts in.

  “It’s not that bad, babe.” I startle, and Harley’s big hands gently pry mine away, taking their place. “Go wash up, Avery’s doctor isn’t too far away. We’ll get him fixed.”

  I stare at him for a second and then nod. It’s going to be fine.

  It fucking has to be.

  Avery’s doctor arrives before I leave to wash the blood away from my hands. I only go because Ash and Harley insist, and Blaise comes with me to force me back into the shower. The shirt and yoga pants are ruined, I had no idea I was so completely covered in Illi’s blood.

  Fuck.

  It must have been fucking close to hitting something life threatening. I try not to panic as I scrub. Everything is fine. Maybe if I keep saying it to myself, it’ll come true.

  Six hours and one very competent but nervous doctor later, Illi is tucked into the roll out bed and snarling about taking the pain meds. He’d refused to be knocked out while he’d been sewn back together, but thankfully he’d passed out a few times. It made the whole thing much more bearable for me.

  Once the doctor has been paid, from my pocket much to Avery and Ash’s annoyance, and escorted out, Illi tries to get out of the bed and I prepare myself for a fight. I don’t want to have to fight him while he’s injured like that but I will.

  “Odie’s at a safe house but I’m not fucking leaving her there after Matteo’s shown just how far he’s willing to go to take us out.” He snarls at me, and I plant my feet, hands on my hips, and stare the fucker down. He’s not fucking moving.

  Ash snaps at him, pissy at the tone he’s using at me, “Where is she? I’ll bring her here. No one will get past us all.”

  Illi grunts and seals his mouth shut until
I think about upper-cutting him. Stubborn dick. Finally, after they’ve glared at each other for a good minute, Illi grunts an address at him then snaps, “If you let anything fucking touch her-”

  Ash cuts him off. “I’m not going to promise you anything, I’m going to state a fucking fact. She will be here in under an hour, untouched and only worrying about you. While I’m gone, refrain from speaking to Lips like you just did or I’ll choke the fucking life out of you.”

  Then he grabs his car keys, jerks his head at Blaise, and they walk out together. I’m kind of a puddle but I manage to contain my swooning. Illi’s eyes stay glued to the door for a second then he grunts at me, “He’s a good kid. Make sure you keep that one.”

  Harley grunts at him from where he’s helping Avery mop up the gore from the floor and walls. “She’s keeping us all, this isn’t a fucking competition. It’s not a trial to see which one of us is the best fit.”

  I scoff at them both and say, “They’re all a good fit. I’ll have them until they’re sick of me.”

  Illi grunts and grinds his teeth as he settles back in the bed to get comfortable. “I look forward to being the joint best man at your weird-ass wedding.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  A blood soaked crime scene makes the news.

  Avery pulls faces the entire way through but watches the coverage with eagle eyes, scouring it for clues and tip-offs. I watch just enough to know that Illi isn’t going to be hauled in for questioning and then I get my focus back on my old friend. He’s a grumpy fuck when he’s injured and worried about Odie.

  My phone rings while I’m trying to talk him into taking the drugs Avery’s doctor left behind.

  “Is it possible for your deranged friend to keep a low profile? We already have enough work on our hands now the Jackal and Senior have made this a media play-off.”

  I grit my teeth at the Crow’s tone. “Why are you trying to get on my shit list, Atticus?”

  Avery’s head snaps around and her eyes flare as they catch mine.

  “His DNA was everywhere. The Coyote will be up for days wiping it all from the police files.”

  I roll my eyes. “Tell Jackson I’ll triple his fee as an apology. Tell him I’ll use one of my favors.”

  I hear his teeth grind. “Wolf, there’s a protocol-”

  I cut him the fuck off. “No, there’s no fucking protocol left because the Twelve is in a fucking mess. You should have killed him when you had the chance! Now he’s just had Illi gutted. Yep, I just had to help hold my brother’s fucking guts in until the doctor got here! Oh, and we had to call someone new because our usual doc is dead, killed by the Jackal for being my friend. No. No, I’m done with the protocol of the Twelve. Either you’re my family or you’re not. That’s the fucking line.”

  I hang up on him.

  My hands have a fine tremble to them, I mean, I’ve just cussed out our biggest ally and someone who is probably in the top ten most powerful men in the country but fuck, I’m so fucking done.

  Avery gives me a tiny smile, full of worry and respect, and my phone buzzes again. I take a deep breath before I look down.

  Ignore the cold hearted asshole. You’re right. Can me and Vi be part of your fambam?

  Lord help me.

  I’ll take it to the vote. You might want to quit calling Avery the hottie though, Ash will beat the life right out of you.

  I tuck the phone back into my pocket as Harley walks over to me with a coffee, catching my fingers in his and tugging me over to the couch. I take the coffee, gulping it down to get me through this all-nighter. Harley slumps down next to me, tucking me under his arm and kissing the top of my head.

  “Did you just tell Atticus to go fuck himself?” He murmurs into my hair, and I nod.

  “Jackson and Viola want in, too. We need to vote about it once the others are back and Illi is… conscious.” I say, and the stubborn dick himself scoffs at me.

  “I’m not fucking sleeping until Odie is here.” He rasps, and I wince. He sounds fucking awful.

  Then, thank the fucking universe, the sound of the door unlocking is as loud as a gunshot through the silence of the room. Odie bursts in, frantic and terrified, and the stream of French pouring out of her is almost too rapid for me to pick up, and I’ve been fluent for years. The grimace on Illi’s face is a sure sign she’s tearing him a new asshole for getting hurt. Good. I don’t want to think about how badly he was injured, I’ll never freaking sleep again.

  “I’m fine, baby girl, I’m fine.” He says, holding a hand out to her and the glare she gives him would melt skin off of most men.

  “You are very fucking clearly not fine, mon monstre! Ash said you needed surgery, that’s not fine!” Her voice gets higher and higher as she goes on, pouring salt on all of his wounds.

  Blaise slumps down on the cushions on the floor and Ash sits with Avery, rubbing a hand over his face.

  “Did you have to tell her about the surgery?” Illi grunts out, talking over Odie who is cussing him out something fierce as she looks at his bandages.

  Ash’s hand drops and he gives Illi a savage, poisonous smile. “Payback. Don’t ever be a dick to Lips again. You’re lucky you’ve lost too much blood or I’d wipe the floor with you.”

  Illi huffs and tries to coax Odie into the pullout with him but she’s pissed, all the fear and terror solidifying into pure rage at her husband for daring to be stabbed.

  It’s fairly amusing.

  “I’m glad you didn’t cuss me out like that for nearly dying.” Harley says, his eyes on the spectacle.

  I snort. “I would’ve if you’d been awake when I got to you. Your extended nap saved your ass.”

  * * *

  I wait until the next afternoon, after we all survive our classes without sleep, before I pull Odie aside and tell her they should stay until Illi has healed up enough to pee standing without passing out. She agrees completely and then spends the rest of the night arguing with Illi over it.

  We all eat dinner together and watch it unfold.

  “They must have the best angry, hate sex.” Avery says, and Ash cuts her a dirty look.

  Blaise roars with laughter, as much as he can when he looks so fucking exhausted that he might drop dead at any second. The poor little rich kid. “She’s a fucking badass for climbing into bed with the Butcher as it is, throwing hate sex in there means she’s got balls of steel.”

  Harley scoffs and knocks back a beer. “I wouldn’t be talking about her balls within Illi’s earshot. He’s not going to be an invalid for long.”

  After dinner, we all split up between the rooms for the night and I sleep like the dead tucked between Harley and Blaise in the boy’s room, lulled to a dreamless sleep by the sounds of my family surrounding me.

  I wake to Avery next door in our room making French toast, pancakes, oatmeal, piles of bacon and eggs, enough food to feed an army of teenage boys, not just the three we have taking up space around us. I flick the coffee machine on and fix us both a cup each without saying a word. If Avery needs to cook out her feelings, then who am I to judge?

  “You’re right, none of this would have happened if we’d have killed the Jackal when he came to Hannaford last year.” She murmurs, and I shrug.

  “We didn’t have enough people on our side at that point. I was just saying that to him because I’m angry about it all and I hate how much shit Illi gets. He’s a good guy.”

  Avery nods and sips her coffee, stirring at a mountain of eggs like this is all completely normal. “He’s the best. I don’t need to know the whole story to agree with you, your word is enough for me. Plus, he’s done everything for our family. I’m glad you told Atticus to fuck off.”

  She still looks conflicted, so I start moving the food to the table for her. “So what’s eating you? He’s alive, we’re all safe enough here, we’re… closer to having a plan for the Jackal.”

  She chews her lip and fusses with the plates as I grab them. Her eyes flit over to Ash’s sleeping
form, tucked up in my bed alone, and she says, “I’m just having an off day.”

  Fucking Atticus Crawford.

  After a raucous and filling breakfast Harley and I help Odie force some painkillers into Illi and he passes out again. His wound looks good, not inflamed or weeping, so I start to think maybe we’re out of danger with it. The thought of how many infections he could have caught between the alleyway in the Bay and the boy’s room here at Hannaford is fucking mind-numbingly terrifying. Obviously, the antibiotics Avery’s doctor has mainlined into him is doing wonders.

  It’s a Saturday morning, so Harley and Ash head out to their extracurriculars and Blaise skips out on boxing so he can sprawl out in front of the TV with his lyric book and guitar. I stay at the dining room table to help Avery with her homework because I don’t need Odie seeing me turn into a puddle over his music.

  Odie joins us, flicking through the textbooks and murmuring in French about the shortcomings of the education system here. I smile at her, used to her ramblings and grumpy attitude. There’s never a time where she’s mellow about shit when her husband is injured.

  “I’m bored.” She says with a sigh.

  Avery’s eyes flick up from her phone and she shrugs. “How are you at planning world domination? That’s what Lips and I usually do when we’re bored. I’m sure you’ll have some insight, what with your upbringing and your life with the Butcher.”

  I flinch. Odie hates Illi’s nickname just as much as I do, we both see the man behind the reputation, and when we’re not around other people she refuses to acknowledge that name for him. I sigh in relief when she doesn’t react to it at all.

  Instead, Odie smiles sweetly, always a sign of her devious mind at work.

  “World domination should always start by taking out the weak men and finding a strong one to stand by your side. Or three if you are la Loup.”

  Avery smirks, then her eyes flick to where Blaise is sprawled out in front of the TV. He’s messing around on his guitar, not taking notice of us at all, but Avery doesn’t ever talk about guys in front of… the guys.