Soft || 18+ Reverse Harem ||

56 - Heart

. . .

Alexandre Monet

'The bastard is dead," Hedeon said. "No way in hell is he not dead."

I stayed quiet, looking down at Vaness who was hugging my leg, looking up at me. I patted her head.

"I am very sad," Andros deadpanned. "I think I need a moment to cry."

"Did Dahlia get more photos?" Lucian asked.

"No," Hedeon replied, sitting down beside me at the dinner table. Dahlia was yet to join us. "She didn't."

"From what we know," I said, pulling Vaness on my lap when she refused to go away. "Is that he was taken in the middle of the night and very early in the morning Dahlia got that picture. It was nighttime in the picture. He is not far away. The nearest airport to this damned town is like three hours away. He has to be in town or somewhere near. If it is someone from the organization, he is probably dead or near death."

I hoped he was dead. Even though I doubted we'd ever let Dahlia go, even his existence was a constant reminder that the fucker had gotten to touch Dahlia before us. He was probably all her firsts, too.

Dahlia entered, dressing in a little Blue dress. Bobby was in her arms. He shrugged out of her grip and ran out. Vaness followed him.

She watched them. "I kind of want to see who they bother when they run off together."

"As long as it's not us, I don't care," Andros said and pulled out her chair. She sat down after whispering thanks to him. something he smiled at. Andros, by any means, was not a smiley man. He was more into taunting than smiling. he was gentle with her. All of us were. I hadn't really expected that from any of us. But Dahlia had a habit of making us a bit... softer than we were. It made me wonder how could anyone be anything but nice to her.

"How was your day," Lucian who was sitting beside her asked as he served her.

"It was okay. I spent the whole time in my apartment with Marie. How was yours?" She asked.

We replied one by one. It was obvious none of us really wanted to talk about the fact that her ex was kidnapped and probably dead.

. . .

I found her sitting on the deck in her little dress, her knees pulled to her chest and her eyes on the dark waves that danced for her.

I sat down beside her.

"My dad called me," she whispered. "He was pretty sad about Evan's kidnapping. Evan's whole family is freaking out."

"We're trying to find him."

"Be honest," she whispered. "Do you think you'll find him?"

"I don't think we'll find him alive, no."

"You don't care."

"I don't." I paused. "I don't see why I should. I am worried about how you will react because I don't want you sad. But he doesn't mean anything to me."

Her head tilted, hair fluttering in the sea breeze perfectly. Her face was pale. It had gotten pale as she stayed in all the time now. She wasn't wearing any earrings, all her piercings were visible. Her face was bare of any makeup.

Her armor was completely gone.

I cupped her face. "I care about you, Dahlia. Anyone else I care about, I care because of you. Through you."

She gave me a tiny smile, rubbing her head against my hand. Her eyes closed for a moment. "If he dies," she whispered. "I hope it isn't painful. He is just a man scared of not being enough for his father. I can relate to that."

I kissed her forehead, not mentioning that it was highly unlikely that he'd be killed painlessly. Chances were, she'd received a picture.

He was just the first gift. More would come.

We watched the waves together with me rubbing her shoulder.

"Can you imagine your future like this?" I asked in a whisper. "Besides us, living on this ship?"

"That's the only way I can imagine my future."

"I am in love with you, Dahlia."

"I..." she looked up at me. "I am in love with you, too."

. . .

Dahlia

There was a picture ready for me in the morning as I sat up in Hedeon's bed Hedeon's bare front pressed against my back as he settled me between his legs.

It was Evan. His heart was ripped out.

And it was stuffed in his mouth.

I ran to the washroom and threw up.

. . .

This chapter is tiny but this felt like a good place to stop. ☠️