Chapter 11

Ledger

It's been over an hour since I told Posey it was her turn to share. It's not about wanting to see her tattoos, because I'm guessing she doesn't have any, but more about seeing her. The real her.

The one that nobody else sees.

Although if a picture of her soft skin with a tattoo covering it shows up on my phone, I won't be disappointed.

Not at all.

I make my way home after a long night at the club, leaving the closing responsibilities to Adele. As soon as I enter my condo, I slide my clothes off and put on a pair of gray sweatpants. I lounge on the couch, staring at my phone, wondering about Posey.

As I'm looking, a text comes through.

In the quiet of the night, I roam alone,

Echoes of emptiness, my only tone.

No hand to hold, no voice to hear,

Loneliness, my constant, silent seer.

Amidst the crowd, a solitary soul,

Longing for connection to make me whole.

But in this vast expanse of solitude's reign,

I find solace in the echoes of my pain.

I read the message over and over, my heart swelling. The need to hold her closer overpowering me.

Did you write that?

Yes. Please don't tell me it's awful, even if you think it is.

It's beautiful. It really is.

I can't believe she'd think I'd say anything awful about her poem.

Well, now you know something nobody else does. I've never shared my poetry with anybody.

I'm honored.

I need to hear her voice. Need to connect with her more than I already am.

Can you talk?

I don't know. This is so wrong. What if somebody overhears me?

I don't want you to be uncomfortable. Forget I asked.

Before I can think further about it, my phone lights up with an incoming call.

It's her.

"Hello," I say, anticipating the sound of her voice on the other end.

"Hi." Her voice is quiet, threadbare, like she doesn't want anyone to overhear her.

I feel bad for putting her up to this. "We don't have to talk if you might get caught."

"It's okay. I want to talk to you. I miss you."

Fuck. The way the need drips from her voice makes my throat go dry.

"I miss you too," I say, not worrying about the implications of my words. Just wanting to be honest with her. "Your poem is almost sad. Did you write it a long time ago?"

"I wrote it last week."

I don't want to mention Bane, because it makes me sick to think about her marrying him, but I can't stop thinking about the girl in the poem. How she's lonely. So, I tell her my own truth. "Sometimes I feel lonely even when I'm with those closest to me."

"What do you mean?"

"For the longest time, I had my brother and the Huxleys. It was the four of us. Roman, Devereaux, and his sister, Greer. Now Dev has Chloe, and don't get me wrong, I love Chloe. She's awesome. Tough. Dependable. She's perfect for my best friend. And Roman has Greer. I feel like the fifth wheel. I'm happy for them, but I feel lonely." I've never admitted that to anyone, and it makes me feel vulnerable as I voice it to Posey.

"I understand that. However, I'm sure they want you to be happy. They want you to find somebody."

I scrub a hand over my hair. "Want to hear something funny?" I can't believe I'm about to say this to her but fuck it.

"Sure."

"Almost every night at work, I have couples ask me to join in on their fun. Men ask me to sleep with their wives, and all I can think about is how badly I wish Bane would offer you up to me."

Posey makes a tiny gasp. "Ledger," she says, her voice thick with what sounds like desire.

"I'm sorry. I can't stop thinking about you, Posey." My heart hammers away in my chest, and I worry I've made a wrong move. But I can't help it.

"I should go," she says, and then she hangs up.

And I feel like the biggest asshole for pushing too far.

I toss my phone onto the coffee table, silently cursing myself for saying that. I shouldn't have. I close my eyes, thinking about her.

She floods my mind constantly. She's always there. Thoughts of her drift through my mind daily. What is she doing? Is she happy? Is she thinking about me?

My body pulses with need.

What would I do if given the chance to be with her? To touch her? To be so fucking deep inside her?

My body hardens as visions of Posey standing before me, her hand about to touch my chest, invade my mind. Tonight was the most erotic experience of my life, and nothing happened. When she almost touched me, I had to grab her wrist to stop her because I can't allow her to go there.

I can't allow myself to go there in real life. But here in my fantasies I can touch her all I want. I can be as rough, or as gentle as I want with her.

Fuck, I can't stop my mind from playing out these scenarios with her. My cock hardens, and I run my hand over it through my sweatpants. And then I push my pants down, fisting my dick in my hand, stroking my thumb over the bead of precum at the tip.

I'd kiss the ever-loving fuck out of her. It's something I can't stop wanting to do whenever she's near. I get lost in the thought of her. The smell of her. The wondering of what she tastes like.

I stroke my cock up and down, letting the images of Posey crash over me. Me kissing her soft lips with her bright red lipstick. Letting her ruin me with that shade. Seeing the remnants of the lipstick on my chest, across my dark tattoos, along my dick. Would she suck my balls into her mouth?

Would I have to teach her?

I know she's a virgin, but just how inexperienced is she?

I think about her on her knees, taking my dick in between her lips. Me feeding it to her. Me shoving it deep down her throat.

Would she gag?

Would I want her to?

My heart beats faster as I think about Posey choking on me, her baby blues gazing up at me. Tears springing to her eyes as she tries to take all of me into her mouth. Her eyes on me.

"Posey," I moan out into the stillness of my condo, feeling this emptiness clawing up my neck. "Take my cock," I say to nobody, but wishing she were here.

I keep tugging, stroking my dick as I think about Posey swallowing me whole. Her pink tongue licking the tip, swirling around to get every drop of precum.

My body builds, my veins pulsing with heat. I'm close, and I wonder what she'd sound like getting off because of me.

Does she want me like this? Does she know how crazy she's making me?

I stroke harder, faster, my hand pumping furiously as I reach my climax. I jerk my dick, my eyes squeezing shut as I think about Posey on her knees for me. Fuck.

An orgasm rips right through me, weakening my defenses, making me want to test the waters. I want to call her and ask her if she'd suck my cock for me. Be a good girl, a naughty girl. Fuck, would she be dirty? I need to find out, but as my body calms, my mind reverts to the good guy that I am.

I can't push this with her.

I can't play with fire and not expect to get burned. I have to remind myself that she's unattainable.

"Hey, how are you?" Greer asks warmly, her amber-colored eyes softening, her voice enveloping me as she pulls me into a tight embrace. It's a ritual we've come to cherish.

Stepping into Greer's home feels like stepping into a sanctuary, a place where time slows down and worries melt away. The familiar scent of freshly baked cinnamon buns wafts through the air, instantly comforting my senses.

"I'm good," I lie to her, not wanting her to know I've been a wreck over the past few days. Like I'm going completely insane.

I haven't heard from Posey in a while, and I know I pushed things too far. I should have known better.

Greer welcomes me into her home, and I move into the kitchen, nodding to my twin brother who stands there, eating a cinnamon bun.

"Roman," Greer says, angry hands on her hips. "You're not supposed to eat anything yet. Not until everyone is here."

Roman smiles, and shoves the rest of the bun into his mouth. "Sorry, sweetheart," he says, kissing her cheek.

Dev and Chloe are next to arrive, and Chloe's got the baby in tow. I give them hugs, and then lift baby Devvie Jr. out of the infant carrier. I hold him, letting his tiny hand wrap around my finger. "He's got a strong grip," I say.

"He's got a strong set of lungs too," Dev says. "Likes to cry all night long."

I study my friends, and notice Chloe and Dev both look tired. "Maybe I can come over and watch the baby and let you two get a full night's sleep."

"No, I'll watch him," Greer says, stepping over to gaze down at her nephew. "I told you two if you needed anything…" her words fall away when Chloe walks over.

"We're fine. We're a bit tired, but I think we're both handling it fine, right Dev?" Chloe puts Devvie Jr. back into his infant seat.

Dev looks exhausted. "I don't know anymore."

Chloe wraps her arms around Dev's waist. "Maybe we should take them up on their offer."

Dev nods and smiles at his sister. "Greer, maybe we'll let you watch him one night so we can sleep."

Greer hugs her brother. "I'm there."

"We really appreciate that," Chloe says, wrapping Greer into a big hug.

"We're all here to help," I add in, and Chloe, all teary eyed, wraps me into a hug next.

"I never knew when I met Dev that I'd be gaining this family with it, and I couldn't be more happy. I really appreciate all of you."

Devvie Jr. cries from his car seat, and I move over to pick him up. I bounce him lightly in my arms, shushing him.

"It's okay," I say, holding him close.

"You're going to make a great father someday," Chloe says, the tears in her eyes finally spilling over. She swipes them away. "Hormones. I'm still crying at every commercial on TV."

Dev smiles. "Even the ones that aren't sad."

"That commercial about a rock hitting that woman's car windshield, and the company coming to pick her up makes me cry every time."

We all laugh.

"It'll get better," Greer says, patting her own stomach. She told us about her impending pregnancy not too long ago. "And then you'll be around to help me when our baby comes."

A warmth floods me at the thought of my twin brother having a child. It's so surreal. We move to the table as Greer places the last of the French toast onto it. Greer always goes all out. I once asked her why she prepares enough food to feed an army when it's always just our small family that shows up. She said she loves the idea of having us all together, loves hosting, and enjoys the convenience of leftovers for busy mornings when she can't cook.

I love being with these people, even if I feel like the fifth wheel.

I think about Posey's poem. About the loneliness she feels, and wonder what she's doing today. Is she mad at me?

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out, glancing at the text a few times before setting my phone down with shaky hands.

"Everything okay?" Roman asks me, able to read my mood instantly.

"Yeah, I…umm…just got a text from Bane Delgado. He wants to meet with me."

Greer places her hand over mine. "Listen, I've heard from a few people that the case against Delgado is crumbling. I wouldn't be surprised if charges are dropped by the end of the week."

"Really?"

She nods, her brown hair falling over her shoulders. "Yeah, I have a friend at the DA's office, and it's not looking good."

I scrub a hand down my face. "Fuck. I wonder what he wants."

"Think he knows you and Posey are texting each other?" Roman asks.

Chloe and Greer both hit me with their shocked faces.

"Please tell me you're not," Chloe says.

I glance at him and raise a brow. "We're not."

He chuckles. "You can't lie to me, Ledger."

I blow out an exasperated breath. "No, I guess I can't." I pull out my phone as the table around me chatters about what it means that I'm texting Posey. I read Bane's text once more. A big part of me wants to text Posey and ask her what all of this is about. But I can't do that. Especially if I'm not sure if he's asking me over to tell me to leave his soon-to-be wife alone.

"Are you going to go?" Chloe asks me from across the table.

I shrug. "I guess I kind of have to. He's a prominent member of the club."

"I can go with you," Devereaux says. "It is my club after all. This shouldn't be on you."

"I don't even know why he wants to speak with me. If I feel it's something you should be aware of, I'll let you know."

Dev nods. "Be safe."

I laugh lightly. "He'd be an idiot to try anything while on house arrest."

"I wouldn't put anything past that man," Greer says. She's one of the only people at this table that has spent any real amount of time with the man when she took on his case a few months ago.

I'm glad she quit.

Bane doesn't deserve having someone as great as Greer working on his case, trying to set him free. And he definitely doesn't deserve a woman like Posey as his wife.

But here we are.

As I navigate the winding roads that lead to the secluded Delgado mansion nestled in the picturesque hills of Saint Pierce, a sense of unease creeps over me, sending a shiver down my spine. The grand estate looms before me, its wrought-iron gates standing sentinel at the entrance.

As I pull up to the front gate, the imposing structure towers overhead, casting long shadows that seem to dance ominously in the fading light of dusk. The air is thick with an eerie stillness, broken only by the distant chirping of crickets and the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze.

Despite the beauty of my surroundings, an unsettling feeling gnaws at the pit of my stomach, causing my pulse to quicken with each passing moment. I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong.

I reach out to press the intercom button, the sound of my own heartbeat echoing in my ears as I wait for a response. The minutes stretch on, each one feeling like an eternity as the weight of uncertainty hangs heavy in the air.

Finally, a crackle of static fills the silence, followed by a voice on the other end, sharp and authoritative. As the gates slowly creak open before me, revealing the sprawling estate beyond, I can't help but feel a sense of foreboding wash over me, like a dark omen looming on the horizon.

I enter the house, my eyes scanning the place like there's a test on it later. Actually what I'm looking for are signs of Posey. That this is as much her home as it is his. Any trace of her is nowhere to be found, and it makes me wonder about the dynamics of their relationship.

I've only met Bane once in passing, but as his butler leads me to a study, my mind wonders what this is all about.

Has he found out about Posey and I divulging in a somewhat friendship? Did she mention that I took things too far?

"What are you doing here?" Posey's voice echoes from above me and I glance up to the second-floor landing.

God, she's fucking beautiful.

She stands there in jeans and a beige sweater that hangs off one shoulder. Her long hair is swept over one shoulder in a braid that hangs down her left side. Her eyes sparkle from the light pouring in from the skylight above, and her lips are ruby fucking red.

I want to taste those lips.

Badly.

I want to bathe in that color.

The fact that she doesn't know why I'm here makes me think Bane didn't find out about us, unless he's confronting me first.

"Bane asked to meet me here," I say back to her as she descends the stairs.

My attention's fully on her as she takes each step slowly that I don't even hear Bane walk in.

"There you are my precious flower," Bane says. He crosses the floor, his arm snaking around Posey's waist as he kisses her cheek. "I've been looking for you."

She turns her attention to Bane, and smiles. "Why is Ledger here?"

"I have business to discuss with him." Bane says it with a little laugh, as if he's explaining something to a child.

It pisses me off.

His arm around Posey pisses me off too.

But I don't show my annoyance, and smile instead. "What's up?" I ask him, like Bane and I are lifelong friends, and whatever he's asked me here for is simple, and easy.

"Let's head into my office," he says, dropping his arm from Posey. He turns his attention toward her briefly. "Posey, to your room," he orders her, and she bows her head and takes off up the stairs, and I'm left wondering, waiting, for some sort of I don't even know. Is he always like that to her?

I follow after Bane, giving one last glance over my shoulder at Posey. I don't know what's going on, and I'm sure it's not going to be something good.

I'd bet my life on it.

Bane leads me into his office, and I stand as he moves toward a bar at the far end of the room. "Drink?" he asks, holding up a bottle of whiskey.

I nod. "Sure." My heart thumps wildly in my chest anticipating why Bane has called for me to meet with him.

Once Bane has poured me a glass of whiskey, he strides across the room and hands it to me. I take the glass from his hand and bring it to my mouth, tasting the liquor on my lips. I stroll over to a bookshelf, appreciating all the books he has.

"I received this from the mayor," he says, pointing to some award for his business achievements.

"Congratulations."

Bane retreats back to his grand-oak desk and takes a seat behind it. "Please, come and sit. I'll make this quick."

I take the leather chair facing his desk, and set my glass down on the table next to me. "How can I help?"

Bane sets his tumbler down as well, looking me right in the eyes. "How's the investigation going?"

"On Posey's attack?"

Bane nods. "Yes, have you got any suspects?"

"Do you know who Nicholai Orlov is?" I watch his eyes, looking for any ounce of recognition.

"The Russian? Isn't he working over at Club Throwdown? He's one of Yuri Chekov's men, right?"

I nod. "I believe so. He's also a member of Club Greed, and Posey remembered the smell of a cigar, and Nicholai smokes that same brand."

Bane laughs. "Really? This is all you have to go on? A cigar?" He shakes his head. "I had really hoped you'd have more to go on than a cigar."

I take a sip of my whiskey, my anger bubbling up and I want to keep myself in check. "Unfortunately no. Whoever attacked Posey knew she'd be there. He waited in one of the VIP curtained off areas for her to be all alone. Who, besides your crew, knew she'd be in that room?"

Bane studies me for a moment, his dark eyes growing darker. "That's the thing. Nobody. I think I've got a rat in my unit. Somebody is working against me, and it pisses me off."

"Why?" I ask him, not expecting an answer. He doesn't know me. He has no reason to trust me.

He raises his glass to his lips, taking a deliberately slow sip, most likely stalling. "I think my men are jealous. Upset I'm getting married and what that will mean for my business. I think my outfit would like it better if I wasn't always in the limelight. This case against me has hurt my business. It's hurt a lot, and I'm stuck in this godforsaken house with this—" he points to the GPS monitor on his ankle. "—fucking thing on my ankle."

"I see."

He pounds a fist on his desk, and smirks. "Do you think it was the Russians?"

"I don't honestly know. I think it makes more sense if it's one of your men, because they knew she'd be there. Look closely at your men, who knew?"

Bane's rubbing his chin as he listens to me. "Only a few."

I stand. "There ya go."

Bane stands and shakes my hand, and together we leave his office as he tells me I'll only be watching Posey a few more times. He's wrapping up business on a few things, and that the meetings at Club Greed can come to a halt until he figures out who is working against him.

I hope he figures it out soon, because I want Posey to be safe.