Page 26 of Merciless

Eden dabs the cotton ball against my temple. With every gentle touch, fire seeps beneath my skin, and my fingers white-knuckle the sheets behind me. She doesn’t seem to notice, though. Her gaze wanders to each cut, likely counting how many I have.

Eden may be a mystery to me, but I know her well enough; she’s sympathizing with me. Normally, I wouldn’t accept anyone’s sympathy or pity. However, I’m greedy as fuck to get anything from her. Especially this forced moment. Anything is better than nothing. I’ll milk the fuck out of this. Just like I’ll milk the fuck out of my cock later tonight while thinking about how she touched me.

Goddamn, I really am losing it.

“Why did you get jumped?” Eden’s tiny voice brings me out of my dazed state.

I grin. She’s talking to me still, and it’s the second-best thing I can get—her taste being the first.

“Because I got caught fucking with someone’s car,” I say.

Eden’s eyebrows pinch together, and she frowns. “Why would you do that?”

“He started it.” I shrug. “I finished it.”

She shakes her head and drops the pink-tinged cotton ball onto the bed before grabbing a dry one to soak in peroxide.

Just the thought of the bastards sparks the embers of my earlier anger back to life. I catch Eden’s wrist and squeeze, then loosen when she flinches.

Slowly, I lean into her until our noses brush, and her eyes widen in surprise. “What does he have that I don’t?”

Eden swallows hard. “Who? Is this about Elijah?”

I roll my sucker and work my jaw.

I hate how my brother’s name rolls off her tongue so easily.

“Say my name,” I growl.

“Why?”

“Say my fucking name.”

Fear creeps into her eyes, and she jerks her arm to get out of my grasp, but I hold tight. She won’t escape me.

“Why do I need to say your name?” she whimpers.

I force a smile and release her. Eden grabs her wrist and rubs where I held her. For a moment, I feel bad that I hurt her, but it’s fleeting. I stand from the bed and cross the small room to the door.

“Asher,” she says. “What the hell was that all about?”

I freeze in the doorway, my eyes sliding shut. Blood rushes to my cock, and I hold back a groan.

“Asher?”

Fuck me, I’m about to eat my words, because I need her to stop.

Opening my eyes, I glance at her over my shoulder and toss her a playful smile. “Thanks for helping me, sis. Get some rest.”

I leave the room and wait until the door shuts behind me before grabbing my phone and shooting a text to Elijah.

Asher

Good to go.

Elijah

Hidden camera in place?