“What happened to you anyway?” Kimber asks, and Parrish’s eyes narrow.
“Kimber Celeste!” Tess snaps as Paul puts a hand on his son’s shoulder.
“We don’t have to talk about any of that right now,” he says softly, and Parrish nods. “You deserve to have the opportunity to rest before being grilled.” Paul frowns and adjusts his own glasses, like an older version of Ben. “Not that Agent Takahashi seems to care about that.”
“Tell everyone, I don’t care: I was held in a basement by the Seattle Slayer. He sliced me up and filmed it. I don’t know anything else. So stop asking me.” Parrish rubs his right hand up and down his left arm, looking at the rest of us like he’d do anything to have a private moment together. We all need to talk—desperately so.
Also … what did he just say?
Parrish blinks at me, and I can tell he wants me to stay quiet. Trust me, his expression says, and because I do, I stay still and remain relatively calm.
“Would you like something to eat?” Tess asks, hovering on Parrish’s left side. “I could whip you up some eggs and bacon? Or we could order in?”
“I made crepes,” Maxx suggests, and all eyes turn his way. “I could fix up some plates?”
“I’d really like to go upstairs and lie down,” Parrish says, and Tess nods, but the worry that creeps into her features makes me nervous. Parrish was kidnapped from inside his bedroom; she isn’t going to feel safe leaving him in there.
“Let’s go get you settled, shall we?” Tess suggests gently, and Parrish gives a tender yet irritated sort of look in response.
“Mom, I know you’re happy to see me, but I can actually make it upstairs by myself.”
She gives him a look that’s nearly identical to the one he just gave her before letting her gaze swing toward me, Maxx, and Chasm.
“You want a minute with your friends, I can understand that.” She doesn’t sound like she understands that, but she’s making an effort, so that’s worth something. “Let me check the security cameras first; I want to make sure everything is running smoothly.”
“There better not be a camera in my room,” Parrish drawls, like he’s bored as hell. Only, I know that isn’t it at all. Being a lazy, tattooed sloth is his defense mechanism in the same way Chasm pretends to be a bad boy player. Or how Maxx gets irrationally angry. We all have our habits.
“There will be because I’m putting one in there tonight,” Tess tells him, and he gives her a look like she’s just slapped him.
“I’ve had a camera on me day and night for weeks,” he chokes out, and some of that practiced insouciance slips a little. He gives Tess a petrified expression, but one that’s quickly verging on anger. “I would love to not be filmed for all of five seconds.” He throws an arm out in the general direction of the garage as Tess exchanges a long look with Paul before turning back to her son. “You have like, three full-time bodyguards prowling the property; there are cops near the gate.” He readjusts his attention as his arm falls by his side, looking at the three of us instead. “They can sleep in the room with me. Can’t kidnap four of us in one go.”
I mean, Justin could, but I won’t mention that.
I stay quiet.
Tess looks pained. Paul looks annoyed. Kimber, however, seems satisfied.
“Glad to see you haven’t changed much at all.” She starts to walk by before pausing in front of him. She hesitates, waffling back and forth like she can’t quite get her body to commit to something her heart already knows it wants.
“Just give me a hug and stop being weird; I’ve only been gone for three weeks, you ass-wipe.”
Kimber gives Parrish another big squeeze before pulling away and dashing past him up the stairs. He watches her go with a sigh before dropping his attention back to me.
“She’s been a total bitch while I’ve been gone. Tell me I’m wrong about that; I’ll wait.”
“Parrish,” Tess chides gently as he moves over to the stairs with her following behind. He puts one hand on the banister and glances back, pleading with his eyes for us to follow him. “Honey, I’d really like to spend some time with you.”
“And I’d really like to have a minute to myself.” He pauses and his lips twitch slightly. “And by myself, I mean with my friends.”
He pounds up the stairs before Tess can stop him, and I swing around the banister to follow, Chasm and Maxx hot on my heels. I can hear Tess sighing from behind us, but she either has to tell Parrish blatantly that his wants and needs don’t matter as much as hers do, or else she has to let him go.
At the top of the stairs, Parrish stumbles a bit, putting his palm flat on the wall to steady himself. His breathing his slightly labored, but I’m guessing that the hospital wouldn’t have released him so easily if he wasn’t doing okay.
“Hey,” I whisper softly, putting my hand on his left shoulder. My fingers tingle when they make contact with his skin. “Are you okay?”
His eyes snap open and he reaches back, grabbing my wrist and yanking me down the hall toward his room. He pauses as soon as he steps inside, turning his head slightly to the right and then narrowing his eyes on GG.
“Why the actual fuck is there a rabbit in my room?” he asks, pulling me even further into the bedroom and then frowning down at the cage. He even cocks his head slightly to one side. “I’m guessing this is Dakota’s doing.”
“Actually, it was—” I start, just as Chasm and Maxx come in, and the door swings shut behind them. I don’t get the chance to finish my sentence because Parrish turns around and captures my face between inked fingers. His beautiful honey and hazelnut eyes stare down into mine, and then he’s kissing me.
If I thought the kiss between us through the wine cellar’s door was powerful, this one blows it away. It’s unfettered and desperate, begging to be returned. No, more like demanding to be returned. His lush lips consume mine, his tongue sweeping a dangerous arc inside my mouth.
I’m powerless in that moment, trapped in the white-hot light of his affection, of his need, of all the tangled emotions left inside him from being held a prisoner for so long.
My fingers find his shoulders, curling around them and digging my nails in. He still feels pretty muscular, maybe even more so? I’m wondering if he didn’t spend a lot of his free time in that room working out. Not much else to do, I’m guessing.
We stumble back until my legs bump up against the footboard on his bed, and the moment goes from dangerous to lascivious in a single heartbeat.
A knock sounds at the door, and Parrish breaks our kiss with a scowl, leaving me breathless.
“Open this door—now.”
It’s Tess. She’s given us about three and a half seconds of privacy.
Chasm and Maxx watch the pair of us with completely inscrutable expressions. Even if I could unwind the myriad emotions traveling through their gazes, I wouldn’t do it. I don’t want to know. Not right this second.
Chas waits while Parrish brushes the glossy wetness from his mouth and then reaches over to do the same to me. When Parrish’s thumb brushes over my lip, I shudder, hating the coldness I feel when he steps back to put space between us.
Chasm unlocks and opens the door, stepping aside to reveal Tess standing there with her arms crossed over her chest.
“Door open, please,” she breathes, shaking out her hands like she’s struggling to flick away the worst of her fears. This poor woman. I’m not without sympathy for her, really. I’m not. I’m sure she has PTSD at this point. Seeing the door closed and locked was probably triggering as hell. Still, I’d love some time to not only kiss Parrish but talk to him.
We need to get on the same page in respect to, well, everything.
“I know you want some alone time, and I understand that, but please do this one thing for me.”
“Yes, mother,” Parrish replies, but not without sympathy. “We’ll keep the door open.”
Tess nods, letting her gaze sweep over the rest of us, still dressed in our outfits
from Justin’s party. She hesitates in the doorway for a moment before taking off down the hall. I can hear her and Paul having a murmured conversation from here.
“Hey, Parrish?” Maxx offers, and he turns his gaze over to his friend. “Can I show you something real quick?”
Parrish’s eyes narrow to slits and he nods, watching as Maxx holds out his hand. Chasm offers up his phone, and I do the same, giving over both phones to him and waiting as he disappears into my room for a moment. I’m not a huge fan of leaving my phone while Maxine is with Justin, but he told me to ‘enjoy my reunion’, and we’ve seen what happens when he doesn’t like the direction of my interpretations.
Maxx returns with the bug detector, and Parrish frowns hard, flicking his eyes in the direction of Paul and Tess’ voices. They must be in her office now, but with the door open. We won’t have much privacy, but I’m not complaining because …
Parrish grabs my hand and pulls me close to him again, resting his hands on my hips. He lets out a long sigh, his wavy chocolate hair fluttering around his forehead. It’s a bit longer now, but just as sexy. I can’t resist reaching up to dig my fingers into it, and he shudders, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close so that he can tuck me under his chin.
“All clear,” Maxx declares, tapping the device against his palm. “We can talk now if we’re careful.” He pushes the door so that it’s mostly closed. “There’s a new camera in the hall, between your bedrooms.”
“And one on the roof,” Chasm remarks with a tired sigh, taking out a cigarette and staring at it with longing. “Guess Dakota’s bathroom is my new smoke spot.” His mouth twitches into the realest smile I’ve seen in weeks as he lifts his amber eyes up to his friend. “I’m glad to have you back, bro.”
Parrish snorts, stroking his hand over my hair. He yanks on one of the pins, pulling it out and tossing it onto his bed. He continues with his work, using both of those gorgeous, gorgeous hands of his to free my hair and then combs it loosely with his fingers. There’s enough product in there to destroy the ozone layer (just kidding, the hairspray was CFC-free), but still.
I’m looking up and into his eyes, thrilling at his touch, wishing I could have more of it.
I have a feeling he’s thinking the same thing.
“You were sorely missed,” Maxx agrees, and I glance back as he leans against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, his gaze drifting over to GG. “Do you like our new bunny friend, who so happens to be named Gamer Girl? He’s a boy, by the way. I know because he humps me every chance he gets.”
“Also, he jizzes on him,” Chasm adds, lifting up the unlit cigarette for emphasis.
“No, he does not,” Maxx replies, and the two of them give each other faux glares.
Parrish seems quiet, contemplative, as he swings his almond eyes over to the rabbit’s cage. GG is sniffing the air, whiskers twitching, pink eyes shiny in the half-light from the bedside lamp.
“Want to tell me how you acquired said bunny? And then named it after my girlfriend?” Parrish asks, sliding his hands down my back. He’s looking right at me, like he wants to hear my explanation of the situation.
“It’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to things we need to tell you,” I start, and that’s when the nervousness hits me like a freight train. Parrish knows about Chasm, but he does not know about Maxx. “I’m not sure how much you know about what’s happening, but after Justin stopped asking you to give me directives, he was just texting orders to me.”
“Orders to follow or he would kill me?” Parrish clarifies, and I nod. He exhales sharply and tucks some hair behind my ear. “You really should’ve let me die.”
I ignore that, but Chasm doesn’t. He scowls and moves over to stand beside us, pointing at his friend with the cigarette.
“Don’t even get started with that shit. You know what she tried to do for you, right? She offered her life up in exchange for yours. And I was mad then. I’m getting furious now. Self-sacrifice is annoying. Don’t suggest stupid things.”
He turns away and moves over to the window, shoving it open and then peeking his head out to see where, exactly, the camera is located.
“You tried to what?” Parrish hisses, but I brush him off, putting my hands over the bandages on his chest and frowning.
“Justin—that is, my biological father—asked me to leave a dead a bunny at the bottom of its cage. I fucked around a little and had Chasm bring me a frozen bunny from the pet store, like the ones people purchase to feed large snakes.” I exhale as I stroke my fingers down his bandaged chest and he reaches up to capture my hands in his, frowning when I cringe a bit over my broken fingers. I missed him so much, those sunburst tats on the backs of his hands, his inked fingers, his smile, his smell, his voice, his … everything. “So we brought this one home.”
“He asked you to kill a rabbit?” Parrish asks, his voice cold and angry. If he’s this mad now, wait until he hears what else he asked us to do.
“We named it Gamer Girl in your honor,” I tell him, knowing I should probably give him some space but unable to pull myself away. Parrish doesn’t want to let me go either, it seems.
That, at least, puts a small smile on his face. It only lasts for a second before slipping away, and then he’s pulling back from me. Parrish grabs my hand again and leads me over to the bed. He crawls on first, giving a small groan of pain as he settles into the pillows, and then offers his hand out again, drawing me close to him.
Maxx sits down on the end of the bed while Chas tries to figure out how to smoke without getting caught by Tess.
“Your sister is safe for now,” Parrish says quietly, listening for Paul’s and Tess’ voices from down the hall. We can’t hear what they’re saying, so we should be okay as long as we’re careful. “The Slayer gave me two options: tell the full truth if I wanted, and let Maxine die. Or, I could tell the authorities what he wanted me to tell them, and she’d be safe so long as you kept following his orders. I chose the latter.”
“He wanted you to tell everyone you were held captive by the Seattle Slayer?” Maxx clarifies and Parrish nods. He keeps staring at me. That’s when I realize that he still thinks of us as, like, a couple. I have to tell him about Maxx. Tonight. Before anything happens between us; Parrish has a right to know what he’s getting into.
“He did. But just the parts I mentioned downstairs. Nothing about the video calls or the masked man or anything else. Just that.” Parrish sighs and scrubs a hand over his face. “He’s testing us. He wants to pit us against each other.”
“Why do you think that?” Maxx asks softly, staring down at his lap before looking back up at Parrish. We both agree with Parrish, but I think X just wants to get his friend’s perspective on the matter.
“Why ask Dakota to …” Parrish trails off, his eyes flicking over to Chasm. Poor Chas. He goes completely still before turning slowly around to stare at Parrish. Their eyes meet, and the energy in that room is intense enough that it sucks all of the oxygen right out the window. I find that it’s suddenly hard to breathe. “He wanted to me to squeal and get your sister killed, that’s what.” Parrish scowls, the expression so menacing that I actually reach up and touch the side of his face to calm him down. He shudders and snatches my hand in his, closing his eyes so tight that his face scrunches up. “Before we talk about anything else, I just need to know how many times you … the pair of you …”
“Three times,” Chasm murmurs, looking down at the floor. He finally gives up on the cigarette, slipping it back into his pocket and then moving into Parrish’s bathroom. When he comes out, he has a pair of black metal rings in his palm. I think about that night where I helped him change out his lip rings, and my heart breaks all over again.
“Three times,” I agree, and Parrish shudders again, eyes still closed. “But we kissed and touched and flirted much more often than that. Justin said to ‘act on our feelings’, and he didn’t like that we were being standoffish about it. He kept threatening to hurt you.�
�� My voice breaks, and I look away. Parrish keeps my hand against his face, and I can feel him trembling slightly. Whether that’s from exhaustion or pain or jealousy, I don’t know. “There’s something else I have to tell you.”
“Can it wait? I’m processing a lot,” he says, but it can’t. I look up and meet Maxx’s eyes, but his face hardens, and I can see that he’s about to beat me to the punch.
“Parrish,” he starts, and my stomach drops. This is going to hurt. It’s going to hurt so bad. I hate this. I hate Justin. “Justin asked us to do something else that you’re not going to like.”
Parrish opens his eyes to stare at his friend, his face that of a prince looking upon a duke that’s unsettled the careful balance of his court.
“Tell me,” he commands, and Maxx exhales, looking back toward the door.
“This is all on me,” Maxx starts, but I’m already shaking my head.
“That isn’t true,” I interrupt, but X cuts me off.
“Yes, it is. It is because I fucked up.” He turns fully to look at Parrish, and my admiration for him grows even more. He isn’t afraid of the truth. As hard as it is to give it sometimes, it’s the only acceptable option in Maxx’s world. “I punched Justin Prior in the face.”
“Wait,” Parrish starts, lifting up a hand. “You’ve met him? Like, in person?”
“He technically has full custody of Dakota,” Chasm inserts, and Parrish’s eyes go wide.
“He fucking what?” he snarls, but that’s a whole other part of the conversation. We have hours of catching up to do, at the very least.
“I punched him without thinking. He just kept taunting Dakota, making her hug him, calling himself daddy. I snapped.” Maxx scoots a little closer and Parrish starts to get wary.
“What’d he want in retaliation?” he asks, his voice strained.
“He gave us until sunrise that night,” I begin, trying to cut Maxx off. I should be the one to tell Parrish. But X’s green eyes war with me and he blurts it out before I can stop him.
“He made us have sex with each other,” Maxx whispers, and Parrish’s entire body goes still. “So we did. It wasn’t easy on either of us although I can’t deny that I enjoyed it. Or that I like Dakota.”
Payback Princess (Lost Daughter of a Serial Killer Book 2) Page 51
