I raised my hand to my mouth, pressing my lips to my fingertips before placing them back on the ground.
“Thank you for never giving up, even when your life was stolen from you. Goodbye, Mum.”
I stayed there for a long moment before I looked back at Drake. He was leaning against a tree, fiddling with his phone, but I could tell he was still alert and checking our surroundings. He shoved off the tree when he noticed I was looking at him and walked over to me, his brow furrowed.
“You okay, little wisp?”
I nodded and put my hand up to him. He helped me to my feet and stroked my hair as if to reassure himself I was good. I tucked myself into his side, wrapping an arm around his waist and pressing my face into his coat. There was no need for tears or angry words about the injustice of her death. I’d already avenged it by killing Mason. Now, I merely felt a sense of relief that I’d been able to talk to her. To tell her how I felt about the boys. And to know, despite everything, I was okay.
The wind blew, ruffling my hair, but I stayed close to Drake, appreciating his warmth despite his icy exterior.
“Scarlett.”
“Mmm?”
“We need to talk about something.”
I looked up at him. Drake’s eyes were full of hesitation. It made the skin at the back of my neck prickle.
“What is it?”
“I should have told you this when you spoke to us about it the day Stuart called.”
His expression clouded over further. My skin grew cold.
Has he been keeping more things from me? What the fuck? I thought we were done with secrets.
Seventeen
Drake
Now was likely the wrong time to talk to her about this, but it couldn’t wait any longer. I didn’t want to keep shit from her. Not when it was important we were open about things. After all her teasing regarding my feelings about her being with the others, I was reminded a relationship would only work if we had honesty.
“Told me what, Drake?”
Scarlett was tucked up against my side, but I had a feeling she’d be pretty fucking mad at me the moment I told her.
“When you told us you can’t have children… we already knew about it.”
Her eyes narrowed and her mouth thinned. Then she extracted herself from my grasp and took a few steps back, putting space between us.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
Her tiny hands clenched into fists at her sides, like she was trying to keep her anger in check.
“I don’t want to jump to conclusions, so you better tell me exactly how you found out.”
I dug my hands in my coat pockets. This had been playing on my mind since the day we’d found out about Stuart’s abuse. Since she’d openly admitted to us she was unable to have kids.
“Drake, spit it the fuck out.”
It was now or never. I had to rip the bandage off.
“We bribed the doctor Stuart got for you to give us access to your medical files. We saw everything… all of your injuries, how the scarring from the way they pinned your pelvis together all but destroyed your ovaries, how extensive your rehabilitation was, everything, Scarlett. There’s nothing we don’t know about your medical history. I know that’s really fucked up. I know it’s an invasion of privacy and I’m sorry.”
Scarlett’s fists didn’t unclench. She stared at me, her expression dark and full of anger.
“Sorry. You’re sorry. Jesus Christ, Drake! What the fuck next, huh? When are these secrets going to end? Are you going to tell me this has all been a fucking ruse and when this is over, you’re going to leave me in the dust because I can’t give you children? Or that you never really wanted me in the first place?”
“What? No!” I took a step towards her, putting my hands out. “Hey, no, don’t do that. Don’t start accusing me of wanting to leave you. I’m trying to be honest with you here.”
She backed away, but I caught her by the arm. How could she think that of us? We cared about Scarlett above all else. Hell, I’d fallen so hard for her, it was un-fucking-real. I didn’t think I was capable of such emotions after everything fell apart, but my long-buried feelings for her resurfaced when she’d arrived back in our lives. When she’d ripped open the ice casing around my heart and made herself at home in it.
“Let go of me!”
“No. You listen here, I made you a fucking promise I’d never leave you no matter what happens. I don’t give a shit about children, Scarlett. I never have. I don’t care about destinies or fate. I literally couldn’t care less what anyone else thinks about our relationship. The only thing in this entire world I care about is you. Only you. Forever. You hear me? For-fucking-ever.”