Sex Retreat(31)
“Which is what, Brock?”
“We have a good life, Mitch. And I would kill before I would let an outsider step in and destroy what Rory and I have built with Trixie and our children.”
“I have killed for her,” Mitch reminded him, rising from his seat.
“You killed because you made a choice. It wasn’t the only one you had!” Brock yelled, dumping Trixie on the cushion beside him and standing nose-to-nose with Mitch.
Trixie released a grunt and scrambled to an upright position. She was clearly agitated.
“I killed because Pratchert said he would keep coming back and I believed him. I didn’t take him out because I wanted to. I took care of him because Trixie deserved the opportunity to lead a good life without looking over her shoulder. I wanted her happy, damn you!”
“I am happy,” Trixie said quietly.
Mitch’s gaze pierced through hers.
“Most of the time,” she quickly added the sidebar.
“You may have killed for her, but I would die a hundred deaths for her,” Brock told him, shooting Rory a sideways glance. “And he would, too.”
“I don’t doubt what you’re saying,” Mitch said, studying Trixie. “I know exactly what you mean, boys. I’ve practically died those deaths for her myself. Now, I want to live. I want to share one life, one rich and fulfilling life with the one woman I love. Is that too much to ask?”
“You need to reconsider your idea of love,” Brock said. “It’s a simple process. You know how it’s done. You’ve been here before. It’s kind of like playing ‘she loves me, she loves me not’ only you have to flip that around to ‘I love her. I love her not.’ Then, throw in a lunatic with a killing agenda and we’re set to begin all over again.”
“I love her.”
“So you’ve said. I guess you’ll have to prove it to Trixie. I’m not the woman scorned.”
“Then don’t act like it,” Mitch bit out.
Brock sneered. “Don’t test me, Colony.”
“What if she wants me back, Brock? Have you ever stopped to ask Trixie what she wants?”
“Oh for God’s sake, quit arguing over me like I’m not even in the room!” Trixie screamed, jumping to her feet. “I’ve listened to you talk around me as if I don’t have a say in this. I’m sick of it.”
“How would you like for us to handle this then, Trixie?” Rory asked.
Her pretty blue eyes looked like melted ice. She stared at Mitch as if he were the only man worthy of her attention and that alone sent a hard stab into Brock’s gut.
“You still love him?” Brock asked.
Without missing a beat, she said, “I love Mitch as much as the day I let him go but I’m not willing to take him back until he proves he is here to stay.”
* * * *
Cash paced the floor of Colony’s lakefront home. He grew more and more agitated with every step.
The sun would rise soon and Mitch would return. Cash came to an abrupt stop. His heartbeat slowed, barely keeping a turtle’s pace.
Would Mitch return?
Several chimes in the hallway announced the arrival of the five o’clock hour. Mitch had left right after he’d discovered Trixie was at the camp. He hadn’t bothered to make small talk. He hadn’t asked about his life or what had happened at the prison after his departure.
He hadn’t inquired about anything at all.
He’d possessed one clear focus, only one. He wanted to go to Trixie and see if he still had a chance with her.
Some fucking friend.
Cash paced again. This time, he walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and drew back his fist.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!” he screamed aloud as he propelled his arm behind him, but right before his fist connected with the glass, he caught himself.
Trembling, he clutched his balled hand and backed away from the window. What was wrong with him? He had to pull himself together. He needed to find the inner strength to keep up this façade or else Colony would ask him to leave, and he could not do that.
No. He refused to go before his time.
An evil laugh resounded. Gripping the doorknobs on the French doors, he stepped outside and inhaled the fresh mountain air.
“Freedom!” he yelled, the sinister chuckles returning.
The Colony family had lived a glorious life. If this was the view they’d enjoyed during the summers, then they were fortunate indeed. For a split second, he considered how he, too, might own a piece of paradise.
He could kill the men, bury their bodies, and take occupancy of the camp. Then he and Trixie could live there together. Perhaps they’d even start a family of their own. With Mitch and the other two out of the way, he had a feeling Trixie would come to depend upon him.