Chapter 24

STEVIE

The sky above the junkyard is a deep canvas of midnight blue, dotted with stars that twinkle like distant memories. It's a major difference to the decay around us. The scent of old cars and rust lingering in the air, a reminder of the place's forgotten history. I'm sitting on an old van seat, the leather cracked and stained with marks I should probably question but don't care to right now. The seat is uncomfortable, but the beer in my hand makes it bearable. It's not my usual brand—some off-brand lager Lennox grabbed—but after tonight, it will do.

I take a swig, the bitter taste filling my mouth, a harsh reminder of reality. My eyes scan the junkyard, landing on the pole where just the other day Lennox had me bound and gagged while he fucked me. Pleasured me beyond anything I've ever known.

Punishment he called it.

I smirk, more like fucking heaven.

Lennox is adding more wood to the fire in front of us, his shirt discarded somewhere, leaving him shirtless with his jeans hanging low on his waist. His brown hair is messy, and hanging down his face. The way his muscles move with each movement, sweat coating his tattooed chest from the heat of the fire, is mesmerizing. God, he's gorgeous. Like straight out of a fucking reality show type of hot.

But it's more than that with him. He's all I have left now. The realization hurts, a dull ache in my chest. I'm still mourning the loss of my friends. I haven't been back to the shop since it happened. I don't think I'll ever be able to go back. It's funny how the place I once felt most at home has become a nightmare, a place haunted by memories of people I loved who lost their lives, because of me.

The fire in front of me is currently reducing the man I killed to ash. The flames dance and flicker, consuming everything in their path. It's almost hypnotic, watching the fire. Lennox finishes adding the wood and pulls out a joint from his pocket, sparking it up before sitting down beside me. He takes a deep drag and passes it to me.

"Wasn't it you who said this shit would kill me?" I reply, knowing full well he meant cigarettes, not weed.

He eyes me, his expression silent, ‘Don't even start,' that has my lips pulling into an uncontrolled smile. Taking the joint, I place it between my lips and puff, the rich and pungent taste filling my lungs. The smoke is harsh, but it brings a calming buzz that settles my nerves.

It's exactly what I need. Of course Lennox knew that.

He always does.

We sit in silence, passing the joint back and forth, watching the flames together as they reduce everything that could incriminate us to ash. The fire is a vivid orange and yellow, casting shadows on our faces and making the night seem even darker beyond its glow. The wood crackles, sending sparks into the air. Lennox breaks the silence, clearing his throat. His voice is soft but clear. "My parents," he begins, his eyes fixed on the fire, "they died when I was young. Killed in a church fire one night when they were at a midnight mass."

I look at him, seeing the pain in his eyes, the way his jaw tightens as he speaks about them. He's watching the fire, focusing on the flames as they flicker in the night.

"The police called it a gas leak," he continues, his voice trembling slightly, "back then, I believed it. But now, now I know better."

"You think it was set?" I ask, my tone soft and gentle as I shift myself, bringing myself closer to him.

His eyes never leave the flames, "I know it was," he replies. "I was supposed to be with them, you know. Normally I would've been. Church was important to my parents, Greyson's too, but the day before, the two of us ended up with chicken pox. Greyson's parents said they'd watch us, so that mine could attend the mass still, and well─" he pauses, taking a swig of his beer. "They never came home again,"

I nod, taking another drag from the joint, feeling the smoke fill my lungs before I exhale slowly. "I'm so sorry, Lennox," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. Even losing my own parents, I can't imagine the pain he must've gone through. My situation was so different. I was so young when Sweet Dreams took me that I forgot my parents.

It's not something I'm proud of. I still feel guilty for it. I wonder sometimes, how long I actually remembered them for. How long did it take me to forget what they look like? Did I have siblings? What did their laugh sound like?

"It still affects me," he admits, his eyes never leaving mine. "Losing them...it's why I'm so afraid to lose you."

His confession catches me off guard as he turns his attention on me, his gaze holding mine, ensuring I know how true his words really are.

Not that I had any doubts.

It's a confession I share.

We finish the joint, and I notice him watching me closely. "I haven't seen you touch a cigarette all day," he says, a hint of surprise in his voice. "Trying to quit?"

I shrug, a small smile playing on my lips. "Yeah. I've decided I rather like being around to piss you off. Even if that means having to deal with you being a constant pain in the ass."

He chuckles, the sound deep and comforting. We sip on our beers, the silence of the night washing over us. The fire continues to burn, the flames dancing higher as the wood crackles and pops. Lennox's words hang in the air, heavy and full of meaning. I don't know what to say, so I just lean into him, feeling the warmth of his body against mine.

"I hope you know, I'll burn the entire city to the ground to keep you safe," he says quietly, his arm wrapping around my shoulders.

I look up at him, seeing the determination in his eyes. There's a fire there, too, one that matches the flames before us. It's intense and fierce, just like him. "I know you would," I whisper, my voice trembling. "And I believe you."

He smiles, a small, sad smile, and pulls me closer. We sit there, watching the fire burn, the stars twinkling above us. The night is quiet, the only sounds are the crackling of the fire and our breathing. It's a strange kind of peace, but we both know it will be short lived, and so we enjoy it while we can.

Because war is coming to the Quarter, and neither of us knows what will happen when we face it.

As the fire finally begins to die down, the man reduced to nothing but ash and memories, I feel a sense of closure. It's not over, not by a long shot, but we've taken a step. For every man we take out, five will come, but we'll never stop fighting.

I'll never stop fighting.

Lennox stands, pulling me up with him. "Come on," he says, his voice soft but firm. "Let's get out of here."

I nod, following him to the car. Grim is still sound asleep in his carrier in the back of the car. Despite the fact that the door to his carrier is open and he had full range of Lennox's mustang, he decided his carrier was the place he wanted to be. Seeing him sleeping so soundly brings a small smile to my face.

We leave the junkyard behind, the tall rows of rusted cars fading into the distance. As we drive away, his hand finds mine, our fingers laced together. I squeeze his, feeling the strength and warmth there. We don't know what tomorrow will bring, but tonight we won. Tonight we got one step closer to ending it all and despite the odds against us, we're together. And that's enough.

For now, it's enough.

The drive from the junkyard to Lennox's apartment through the Quarter is quiet. Grim is still in his carrier in the backseat, occasionally letting out a soft meow when we hit a bump or turn a corner. His way of letting us know we're disturbing him. Lennox's hand is on mine, a silent reassurance that we're in this together. The city lights blur past us, and I can feel the weight of the night settling on my shoulders.

When we pull up to his apartment, Lennox shuts off the car and rubs his face with his hands. He looks drained, exhaustion etched into his features. He's doing so much for me, going to such lengths to protect me. No one's ever cared enough to do anything for me before.

Only him.

Without thinking, I climb over to his lap. He pauses, his eyes widening with surprise. "Stevie, what are you—" he starts, but I straddle him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

Our eyes meet, and I see the familiar spark of lust ignite in his gaze. He bites his bottom lip and hisses softly, his hands gripping my hips. I reach down into his pants, feeling his cock harden under my touch. It's warm and throbbing, thick and heavy in my grasp. Lennox groans, his head falling back against the seat as I slowly begin to stroke him.

"Lil spark," he whispers, his voice rough with desire.

"Shh," I tell him, a wicked smile playing on my lips. "I want this. I need you,"

With my free hand, I pull my panties to the side and line his cock up at my entrance. I can feel the heat of him against me, and it sends a shiver down my spine. Slowly, I slide down onto him, a moan slipping from my lips as he fills me. He feels incredible, stretching me, hitting all the right spots.

Lennox's hands move to my waist, holding me tightly as I begin to grind my hips. The car around us feels small, intimate, the world outside forgotten. The street is empty, the night slowly giving way to dawn. I ride him, our bodies moving in perfect sync. His hands roam over my body, gripping, caressing, as if he can't get enough.

Pulling down my top, he takes my nipple into his mouth. Swirling his tongue around the silver barbell. I hiss at the contact, the pain only adding to the pleasure coursing through me.

The sounds we make are primal. My moans mix with his groans, the wet, slick sounds of our bodies coming together filling the car.

"Fuck, lil spark," he groans as I grind against him, taking him deeper inside me. Eager to feel every inch of him inside me. Like it was made for me, his cock hits all the fucking right places. All the spots I need him. The intensity of it all is overwhelming, the connection between us electric.

"Lennox," I gasp, my fingers digging into his shoulders. "God, you feel so good."

He growls, his hips thrusting up to meet mine. "You're perfect, Stevie. So fucking perfect."

I move faster, riding him with abandon. The pleasure builds, a tidal wave that crashes over me. I feel him tense beneath me, his grip on my hips tightening as he approaches the edge.

"Fuck─" he groans. We come together, a blinding burst of ecstasy that leaves us both breathless.

Afterward, Lennox grabs my face, his kiss intense and claiming. It's more than just a kiss—it's a promise, a declaration that we belong to each other.

As I rest my forehead against his, my breathing slowly returning to normal, my thoughts drift to what lies ahead. We're in this together, ready to take down Sweet Dreams. Lennox is my strength, my partner, my everything. And I'm his lil spark, ready to ignite the world if it means we can be free.

"Well shit, that was unexpected." Lennox whispers through panted breaths.

Cocking my head to the side, I ask, "Are you complaining?"

"Fuck no," he snaps, "Not a fucking chance, lil spark. You can ride me like that any fucking time. It's your dick, use it as you see fit," he admits, tucking himself into his pants.

Climbing off his lap, I fall back into the passenger seat, a smug grin on my face, "My dick, huh?" I laugh.

"All fucking yours," he replies. Leaning over the seat, he presses a kiss to my lips, "Now, let's get inside. I need my bed, I can't survive another night in this fucking car,"

"I'm not even going to ask how many nights you slept in your car, or why," I add as I watch him get out of the car. Reaching down I grab my purse just as my phone vibrates inside it. Pulling it out, the screen is lit up with a message from an unknown number.

Weird.

I unlock my phone, and open the message.

Hello, Ember. I'm tired of your game, little girl. Unless you want your new little friend to end up like the other two, I suggest you stop making me chase you, and come home. You have seventy two hours. If you're not at the attached ping by then, he's a dead man.

Seventy two hours, Ember.

- Jensen

And just like that, all my fears return and what little hope I had, vanishes.