22. BONES

22

BONES

O ur life has become a whirlwind of fucking, killing, and fucking some more. I couldn’t ask for anything better.

It’s fucking fantastic. I’ve lost track of how many people Wynter’s killed now. Not all of them are her enemies. I’m still having to dispose of people for Dmitri, but if that means I get to witness Wynter come into her own each time then I can ignore my guilty conscience.

My happy mood is shattered as I see Dmitri leaning against the side of my car in the lot outside my office building.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I ask.

“Just seeing what the place is like in case I ever need to work here. That’s not going to happen though, is it? Not with you running it for me.” He pushes off the car and walks towards me, his hands tucked into the pockets of his gray slacks.

“Whatever you actually want just spit it out already,” I say impatiently.

“Don’t be so aggressive. I have a task for you.”

Looking around I spot two other people in the lot. A guy in a suit heads into the building behind us and a tall woman with her back to us is unlocking her car. I move closer to Dmitri so no one can overhear us and say, “I’ve killed everyone you’ve asked of me so far, I’m working through the security team with Wynter. What more could you possibly want?”

“There’s a property uptown. It’s too costly for your father right now. But if something were to happen to the owner then perhaps the stocks would go down and your father can snatch it up for me.”

“What place?”

“A casino. He and his family live in a cozy little townhouse. Get rid of them all for me and I’ll discuss the sale of the property with your father myself.”

“Keep him out of this,” I say in a low deadly tone.

“Noah. The only way he’ll be out is if he’s no longer running this place.” Dmitri spreads his arms out. “Either persuade him to step down or kill him yourself to acquire your throne. Your choice. Until then, I will keep doing business with him my way.”

The urge to choke this man until I feel his neck snap is overwhelming, but I manage to resist it. “Fine. I’ll do it. Just give me the address,” I say gruffly.

“I’ll have it sent. Oh, one more thing. I want everyone in the house dead apart from the girl.”

My stomach tightens.

Girl? “I’m not doing anything if it involves a kid.”

“She’s sixteen. Hardly a child. Make sure you don’t damage her too much and drop her off at Lakeview when you’re done.”

“No.” There’s no fucking way I’m giving him a teenager. I refuse to give him anyone. Killing is one thing, but human trafficking? I’d rather die than put anyone through that.

Dmitri cocks a brow as he stares me down. When I don’t budge on my decision he sighs and gets his phone out. Holding it up, he shows me a photo of Wynter sat in the passenger seat of my car with a bright smile on her face. “Do I really need to remind you why you have to do this?”

I’m left winded by his words. His threats to hurt Wynter hit worse than any physical harm he could throw my way.

Grabbing him by the collar, I thrust him back against the car. “I could kill you right here,” I tell him. “Snap your neck.”

His eyebrow twitches and for a second I think I have him then he bursts into laughter. “You really think killing me will end this for you? I thought you were smarter than this, Noah. If my men don’t see me after this little rendezvous with you, who do you think they'll come to for revenge?”

I wish I could call his bluff, but whoever his boss is could be worse than him. I can’t risk it. Not until I have something I can use as leverage. For now I have to keep playing by his rules.

With a reluctant sigh, I let him go and say, “I’ll do it.”

Lingering in the bedroom doorway, I take a moment to admire Wynter as she sits in front of the mirror and stares at the makeup on the dresser.

The little red dress she’s wearing is perfection on her. “You look stunning, my love.”

She startles as she looks over at me and I see tears shining in her eyes. My heart sinks to my stomach.

Does she know?

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I know tonight's all planned out, I’m sorry I’m not ready yet.”

Crouching down next to her I wipe a runaway tear from her cheek. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Luka will wait as long as we need. I’ll be by your side the whole night so there’s no need to worry about anything.” That doesn't seem to help her at all. “Tell me what’s bothering you so much.”

“I want to wear makeup,” she blurts out.

“You don’t need to wear any—”

“Don’t give me all that crap about I’m pretty enough without it.”

“You are, but no I’m not going to say that. You think I wear it because I don’t like what’s underneath? I’m fucking stunning and so are you. But if it makes you feel good wearing it then wear it.”

Taking a deep breath she closes her eyes and says, “The last time I wore any was the night I was taken and I can’t…I can’t look in the mirror.”

“Why not?” I ask, not quite understanding why that’s got her so upset.

“I’ve not looked at my reflection in months. I don’t want to see who I’ve become. Who they’ve turned me into.”

Understanding washes over me as I recall the times she’s avoided her own gaze in the gym or in the bathroom. She’s kept this from me all this time?

I’m pissed off about it, but I can’t blame her for not telling me. I was an asshole to her at the start of our relationship and even now I’m hardly someone to confide in. That changes starting now.

Kneeling next to her, I pick up an eyeliner pencil and turn her face towards mine. “They haven’t turned you into anything. You’ve become exactly who you were supposed to be. That stunning ethereal creature I saved has grown into a fucking goddess, full of wrath and so much fucking love. Do not give them any credit for who you have become.”

Her brows knit together and her eyes go distant as she gets lost in her thoughts. I’m ready to push my fingers or cock into her mouth, whatever she needs to bring her back, but she does it all by herself. “You’re right. It wasn’t just me though. I couldn’t have done any of this without you. Not just the saving me part. Noah, you’ve changed me. At first, I was scared of who I was becoming. Some bloodthirsty being so intent on killing to heal, but I know it’s the right thing now.”

Noah.

My hand almost slips, but I manage to keep it steady. I love it when she calls me that. It’s like some secret shared only between the two of us. Plenty of people know me by name, but there’s only a handful that know both.

“How did you get into makeup anyway?” Wynter asks as I pick out an eyeshadow palette.

“My sister,” I try to hide the gravel in my voice, but it’s so hard to talk about her without the guilt tearing me to shreds. “She had me wrapped around her little finger, I did anything she asked, including playing dress up. Dad was furious when he caught me wearing glittery eyeshadow one day.”

“I’m guessing that didn’t stop you?”

“Of course not.” I grin. “I stole one of his credit cards and bought actual makeup, not the little kid crap we’d been using.”

“He was okay with you doing that?”

“I don’t think he noticed. He’s always been the kind of man that puts work before anything else. If he saw where the money went he probably just thought it was Mom who bought it. I stopped wearing it for a while after they died. Then one day I woke up with this need to put it on. It felt like I'd found a lost part of myself. I never stopped after that.”

“You miss them.” She strokes my cheek with the backs of her fingers.

“Every day. But it also feels like they never left. I still feel them all over this place.”

“Why stay here? You’ve got enough money, you could live wherever you wanted to.”

I contemplate her question as I pick out the right shade of lipstick for her complexion. “Perhaps I’m just a glutton for punishment? Dad moved into an apartment in the city so he could be right on top of work, but I didn’t want to let this place go so he let me stay.”

“How did your family die?” She looks nervous as she asks me the question I’m sure has been on her mind a lot.

Pain fills my chest and it’s hard to not let it turn into anger. She’s only asking a question. She has every right to know the answer. I’ve taken over her entire life, it’s only fair I tell her about mine. But I can’t.

“We don’t have time for that story tonight. There, all done. You’re going to look at yourself, Wynter. Whatever you think you'll see I promise you it’s not there.”

“But—”

“Look in the mirror,” I say firmly. Grabbing her chin, I turn her face so we’re cheek to cheek. She squeezes her eyes shut, refusing to look at herself. “Wynter. Don’t make me tell you twice.”

Her eyes flash open and meet mine in the mirror. “I—” she loses her words as she catches her own reflection.

“Everyone will be looking at you tonight because you're the most beautiful creature in existence.”

“That’s me?” Her voice is quiet and timid. I stroke my hand up her leg, to trace my fingers over my name. It’s going to heal into a beautiful scar. She shivers and lets out a sigh.

“You see how beautiful you are?”

To my surprise, she nods.

“Look at us together, we could be twins.” I laugh and she rolls her eyes.

“No crying,” I say when I notice her welling up again. “I want to ruin this masterpiece myself later.”

I slide my fingers a little higher and her eyelashes flutter as she lets out another long breath.

“Don’t we need to leave?”

“I just want a little taste before we go.” When I say little, I mean I want everything. I’m fucking ravenous.

“Are you going to beg me for it?” Seems my little viper’s found her tongue again.

“If that’s what it takes. I’m already on my knees for you.” I turn her so I’m between her legs. Her black lace panties hide what’s mine from me. I glare at them, willing them to turn to ash under my gaze.

“You’re not begging,” she scolds me and my cock jumps, my piercings sending me straight to the edge.

“Please, my love, let me taste you,” I beg her, my hands running up and down her thighs.

“No.” She folds her arms and tips her chin up in defiance.

“Just a little taste. One lick. Please.” This time my pleas are real and so very desperate.

“We’re going to be late and I haven’t even put my shoes on.” Sliding back to the edge of the stool, she presses her foot to my chest, giving me the briefest glimpse of the wetness that's found its way onto her thighs.

Such a tease.

I slip her heels on then kiss her ankles as I run my palm up each leg.

After she picked her clothes out earlier I left two bundles of rope with her heels. I tie them around each leg, turning her shoes into gladiator heels. “I wondered why they were there,” she says as she rolls her ankles examining my handiwork. “You’re obsessed with tying me up.”

Resting my head on her thigh I stare up at her. I’m more than a little obsessed with all of her. From this angle, her pussy is so close I can smell her arousal. “Please, my love, give me a little taste to get me through the night.”

“You really are addicted, but no, I want to go out and show my outfit off.” She smirks as she pushes me off her and walks to the door, her hips swaying with confidence as she goes.

That’s all it takes for me to come in my pants. I laugh to myself as I run my fingers through my hair. “This woman,” I mumble. She’s completely consumed me.