Chapter 31

CHAPTER

THIRTY-ONE

DILLION

I’m not sure why I’m so obsessed with this man. He’s nothing but a liar, but I feel safe with him. I’m not sure if I should, but I do. Liar or not, I know he won’t hurt me. He has had more chances than anyone else in this world, and he’s always treated me well.

But that doesn’t make him some kind of saint. He lied to me, withheld things from me, and now I’m stuck in this clubhouse, essentially a safe house, and I’m exactly where I never wanted to be. I’m in the same place I knew I would end up had I stayed with my family.

Weak, alone, and completely powerless of my own destiny.

It’s everything that I never wanted and yet exactly where I ended up. I’m in this club, which is no doubt doing all kinds of illegal shit if they’re associated with the Southern Mafia. I was basically sold or given to this man. Whatever it was, he came barreling into my life and my bed without telling me who and what he was.

Humble took me like he owned me. Because he feels as though he does. But I allowed it to happen, wanted it—craved it even. And I don’t think I’ll ever be able to say no to him.

I’m addicted.

He leaves me alone after promising to have some food delivered to the clubhouse. I don't get any new information from him, and then he’s gone, leaving me alone in the kitchen again, staring at the closed door he just walked through.

I slide my tongue along my bottom lip, then my stomach growls. With a small jump, I turn around and start to open the kitchen cabinet doors in search of a pantry. They’ve got to have chips or something here. These guys seem like chip guys.

“Whatever they have here is probably stale,” a voice murmurs.

Lifting my head from the cabinet, I turn and look at the woman who was in here… the woman who caught us. I can feel my face heat instantly at the sight of her. If she notices, she doesn’t say anything. Instead, she lifts her hand, and in said hand is a bag dangling from her fingertips.

“Figured you’d be hungry. We haven’t been shopping in a while.”

I stare at her, unsure of how to respond. She’s smiling at me from across the room. She saw Humble having sex with me, and now she’s got food in her hand. But where did she come from? Because I saw zero women in here earlier.

“Ummm, thanks?”

She laughs as she moves toward the counter, then sets the bag down. Closing the cabinet door, I turn to her and watch as she moves around the kitchen. It’s effortless, as if she knows every inch of this place… as if this were her home.

“I’m not really supposed to talk to you,” she murmurs as she plates the food.

My mouth drools at the scent of the french fries as she takes them from the bag. And the sandwich is mouthwatering. It’s a wrap with steak, lettuce, and what looks like a ranch-type sauce.

The stranger turns around with one of the plates in her hand and extends it toward me. Reaching out, I wrap my fingers around it and swallow hard because I’m so damn hungry.

“Come on,” she says, jerking her chin toward the small card table in the corner of the room.

Following behind her, I carry my plate, gripping it with both hands. The moment my butt hits the chair, I reach for a fry and pop it into my mouth, moaning as the salt touches my tongue.

“They call me Firecracker,” she announces, popping a fry into her mouth as well, smiling as she chews.

I don’t know what kind of name that is, or her purpose here, but I can guess. She’s got big hair, heavy makeup, and skimpy clothes on. I have no doubt who and what she is for these men.

My family had women as well.

Women who didn’t speak but were seen. Who didn’t speak but were used. Who were bought and sold. Who were for one purpose and one purpose only. Nameless bodies for pleasure… and not their pleasure. For the men.

“Are you one of their women?” I ask.

She picks up her wrap and brings it to her lips, then lowers it slightly. Her gaze searches mine for a moment. I’m not sure if she is going to answer me or not. Maybe I pissed her off. I’m not sure. Since I don’t know her at all, and this is the first time I’ve ever talked to her, I have nothing to go off of.

“I’m one of their girls,” she murmurs. “But maybe not the way you think.”

Arching a brow, I take a bite of my wrap. As I chew slowly, I decide that I probably shouldn’t ask any questions that I don’t really want the answers to. Staying quiet, I chew my food, which is amazing.

Beyond amazing.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m starving, but this is better than any other wrap I’ve ever eaten in my life. I’m having a hard time following the conversation or even caring because it’s just that good, and I’m just that hungry.

Firecracker isn’t as hungry as I am, though, because she continues to talk, telling me more than I think she probably is allowed. But I don’t question her or stop her because I want to know more about Humble’s world.

“I’m here because they help me out. It’s protection, but it’s more than that. I don’t have anyone. No family, no friends. They are my family, and I have stability here. Something I’ve never had before.”

Now that, I understand.

“So, having sex with them for all of that seems like a small price to pay. Plus, they all make sure that I get mine every single time. I can’t complain about any of it.”

Swallowing, I press my lips together, rolling them a few times as I think about the question that is on the tip of my tongue. Instead of swallowing that question, I blurt it out when I know that I probably shouldn’t.

“What about marriage, kids, your own home?”

Lifting my hand to my lips, I slap it over them. I regret saying a single word. Pinching my eyes closed, I wonder how much I upset her. But she only laughs. Opening one eye, then another, I let out a heavy exhale.

“Girl, when I tell you that I do not need to fuck up some kid, I mean that shit with my whole chest. And a husband? I couldn’t imagine. One man telling me what to do and beating the shit out of me for the rest of my life?” she says, shaking her head from side to side. I watch as she reaches out, plucks a fry from her plate, and bites it in half.

“No, thank you. I couldn’t pick the right man if my life depended on it. But I can pick a whole clubful because these guys are great, and I’m exactly where I belong. This is my chosen life, and I’m happy as can be.”

“But you sleep with all of them?” I ask.

Her brow arches. She knows what I’m asking her, and she treads carefully. I can see the wheels turning behind her eyes as she thinks about how to answer me. She’s being very careful, which I find interesting.

“I fuck the men who want to fuck me. It’s as simple as that.”

I’m not sure I like the sound of it, but I have to admit that it’s not as bad as the women in the Southern Mafia. She seems like she truly wants to be here. That’s kind of refreshing from what I’ve seen in the past.

Firecracker and I finish eating. We drop the topic of sex and the club. Instead, we talk about anything else. That is, until the door opens, and Humble’s face pops in. His eyes touch on me before they move past, connecting with hers, and he asks her to go to the grocery store.

“Okay, I’ll get a list together. Anything specific you want?” Firecracker asks Humble.

He shrugs a shoulder, and then finally, his gaze swings to meet mine. “Whatever Dillion wants.”

He turns and walks away as if he gives absolutely no shits at all whatsoever. Firecracker must sense my hesitation or upset. Because she reaches out and wraps her fingers around my wrist, squeezing it gently.

“Let’s make a list. Do you like to cook, or do you want easy stuff?”

I almost laugh at her question. “If I knew how to cook, I would probably like it,” I say.

She smiles. “I can’t cook for shit. The boys hate it when I’m here making something. Since they’ve started getting married, and most of those girls can cook, they have stopped asking me. Which is why the fridge is as empty as it is.”

I’m not really someone who cooks. I never had to growing up, but since I moved out and have been on my own, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t really afford to cook. I’ve been living off fresh fruits, veggies, and packaged crap for years.

“Let’s go with easy stuff,” I say with a laugh.

She smiles. “Then that’s what I’ll get.”

I watch as Firecracker leaves a few moments later. When she’s gone, I clean up the mess from lunch, grab a bottle of water, and head out of the kitchen. The bar is just as somber as it was when I first walked down this morning.

The mood is heavy. It’s clear to me that whatever is going on is something that is very serious. Humble is sitting with someone I don’t recognize. I move toward him, unsure what I’m supposed to be doing the rest of the day.

He notices my approach, and before I can make it to the side of his table, he is up on his feet and moving in my direction. He doesn’t stop once he’s in front of me. Instead, he almost moves through me.

Wrapping his arms around me, he picks my feet up from the floor and carries me out of the bar, up the stairs, and into his room. Only when we’re safely inside does he place me down on my feet.

“Humble?” I ask.

He hums and dips his chin, his mouth brushing mine before he lifts his head. “I needed a taste,” he rasps.

I almost laugh, but my breathing comes out in heavy pants instead. I stare at him in silence because I’m not sure what to do or what to say. So I stay quiet. He rests his forehead against mine before he murmurs.

“Whatever Firecracker said, it was a lie.”

“So you aren’t all wonderful men who make her come every time? Who take care of her and give her a purpose in life?” I ask.

He lifts his head. His eyes are wide, and he lets out a boom of laughter. Then that laughter turns into chuckles. I’m not sure how long he laughs, but I end up giggling by the time he’s done until my stomach aches.

He clears his throat, his eyes searching mine before he speaks again. “That what she said?” he asks.

“Essentially,” I murmur.

“Well, more or less, then,” he murmurs.

I think about not saying anything, but then I decide that we’ll never get to know one another if I don’t start. We can’t have any kind of life together if all we have to go off of is lies and sex.

I’m still pissed at him, but in this situation, I’ve decided that I need to make the best of it. I don’t know why I’m on lockdown, but I can tell just by that bar and the heaviness in the air that it’s serious.

“The Southern Mafia always had women, too, but they never seemed as happy as Firecracker does. So, I’m good with it…”

“So you’re good with me fucking her?” he asks.

My eyes widen, my breath hitches, and I stare at him. I’m not sure what to say or what to do. He chuckles, shifting his face closer to me, and touches his mouth to mine. “You’re the only one I’ve fucked since I was thrown into prison, baby. Three years, and it’s only you.”

That shouldn’t sound quite as sexy as it does. “Oh… good to know,” I murmur.

“And I got no plans of fucking anyone but you and your sweet cunt, mouth, and ass.”

I gasp as he touches his mouth to mine. Swallowing, I close my eyes the moment his tongue slips inside of me and tastes every inch of my mouth. I can’t believe how completely weak I am. A kiss from him turns me into a completely boneless fool.

He breaks the kiss by nibbling on my bottom lip, “Humble, I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing here all day,” I whisper.

He shifts his face backward, his gaze searching mine. I watch as his lips curve up into a smile. I have no doubt that he’s going to say something he finds funny.

“Lie in bed naked and wait for me?”

I roll my eyes to the ceiling before I bring my focus back to meet his. “Anything else?” I ask.

He shrugs a shoulder. “Stay inside. It’s going to be boring as fuck. I apologize in advance. Maybe some of the old ladies can come and visit.”

“Are you going to tell me exactly why I’m being holed up here?” I ask.

Humble doesn’t answer me immediately. Instead, he clears his throat before he shakes his head. I don’t know why, but I expected him to actually tell me. He doesn’t. Instead, he leans down and touches his lips to mine in a quick kiss.

“I’ll tell you when I can. Stay indoors, baby.”

And with that, he’s gone again, leaving me alone in his bedroom, wondering what the hell I’m going to do with myself all day… every day. What I’m going to have to do is find a hobby, maybe download some romance books, because there’s no way I’m going to be sitting in bed naked all day long waiting.

Although, I won’t be sad if Humble visits me multiple times a day to make me come. Not sad in the slightest. That actually sounds wonderful and may be the only way I’ll get over this obsession of mine.