Chapter 10

Ten

Aster

" O h, hell no!"

I can't let them touch me. It's bad enough seeing them. Just the sight of Mirsha's shocked face and Luther's kind smile is too much for my brain and heart to process. My gaze lands on the man in the middle. Viper. My godfather usually looks like he always has something wicked going on in his head and that hasn't changed, I notice.

Viper's long legs eat up the tarmac and he hauls ass up a short flight of airstairs.

My brain pinwheels.

No. No. NO!

But my hands find white cotton and won't let go. Viper's scent floods my nostrils, lungs and then fills my life well.

NO!

I use his distraction with Mirsha and release him, stumbling back.

Oh, this is not good. I can't be here. I'm still paying off my therapy sessions and I did sooo much meditative work I could be a guru by now. All that work is for nothing if Viper puts a single finger on me.

I backpedal from the first step and turn on a heel, aiming for the duo team of pilots in the cockpit.

"I told you I wanted to go to New York City!" I unleash an ungodly amount of anger at two smirking assholes doing whatever it is they do to shut down a plane.

"I told you the second we were in the air to disregard my cousin's orders for New Orleans and head to New York City. Did your compass break?"

The older of the two turns to me with a smile on his face that has my back straightening and my chin rising. Arrogant prick.

"It doesn't work like that, young lady, and you don't put money in our bank accounts. Your cousin does. We follow his orders, not yours."

"Oh, is that so?" My vision flashes red. Want me to pull rank? Got it. I reach for my phone and realize it's back at my parents' place on the floor.

Shit.

Warrior blood pumps in my veins and for a second, I channel the goddess Athena. "You know I am going to be the new undertaker, right? I'll have no less than fifty blood-thirsty runners under my command." I can come back from telling a few lies, but I can't if I fall back into the black hole those three put me in. Once I can survive, twice does things to a woman's brain. But letting those three men get their hands on me a third time will end my life. And I know for damn sure none of us will resist temptation for long.

Self-preservation has me desperate to get this bird back in the air.

Mouths fall open, and hands shake with fear. "We're sorry?—"

"Stop harassing the poor men. They only did their job."

Fists balled, I whirl around and come to a full stop when golden eyes pierce my blue ones. I swing. Strong fingers curl around my fist and suddenly the anger dissolves. And then arms come around me.

I can read his intentions like a book.

"Viper, let go. I can't. I just…" But the heat of his skin on mine is too irresistible.

Hope and love shine in the swirling molten gold of his gaze. And hand to God, my godfather shatters all those hard-to-build walls around my heart in one breath.

A hard swallow sticks in my throat. I want to throw myself in his arms and just be there for all of time. I don't care what the world thinks.

I lower my fist to my side and pull from his arms. Surprisingly, he lets me. "I didn't mean for this to happen. If nothing else, you have to know I did not wish to come here." I cross my arms over my chest and put distance between us. He follows.

"What were my last words to you?" Corners of perfect lips curl in arrogance. He knows what he said, and he knows they were nothing but empty syllables.

I raise my eyes off his chest where they settled a second ago to help cut the surge of energy rolling through me.

"Never look for you, were your last words to me, Viper. I haven't forgotten." His pick of memories to shove into my face has my blood turning to ice. He's right. I do need to remember. Shun me once, shame on you. Twice is my fault. Three times, please someone pull the damn trigger already.

"This wasn't my idea. Trust me."

I might not put him on his ass the way he deserves, but that doesn't mean I have to stick around and let my emotions get the better of me.

"Now here are some last ones for you. Get lost." I wiggle my fingers between us like they will magically make him reverse course and leave the plane.

Amber eyes turn to liquefied gold.

"Aster."

Damn, that voice .

Shivers scale over my body and my name pours between us like warm honey and makes me feel naked.

For several frenzied heartbeats, we take each other in.

One heartbeat.

Two.

If I don't move by the third one, I'll jump him where we stand and then those cranky pilots will get a free sex show on the house.

I brush by Viper and head for the stairs. My cousin Belle has a friend here. I can always call her and get some help. My hand falls over my pocket.

Oh, thank God.

Worst-case scenario, I have my credit card. At least I didn't lose that in the shuffle back in Chicago. A win for pockets with zippers. I'll take out cash at an ATM and then just turn into smoke. Change my hair, find a new city where my father can never find me. Just start over. I should have done this years ago. Years of fucking brain washing me into thinking I had to be the obedient little daughter really worked a number on me.

If it were that easy you would have already done it, hisses a nagging voice in my head. One day, I'm going to find an off switch for that damn thing.

Unforgiving hands lift me into the air and I am slung over a broad shoulder, all my racing thoughts left behind like bad ideas.

Tears came easily to my younger self. Now I just get mad.

Blood fills my cheeks for various reasons—hanging upside down is a major one. But the way Viper's large fingers wedge between my thighs has copious amounts of blood rushing to my cheeks, nipples and clit.

"Put me down!" I roar and thrash in his powerful grip, but the steel bands locked around my ass and legs are unwavering.

Luther opens the door, and I am unceremoniously shuffled into the back of a Beamer. Mirsha, always one step ahead of everyone, blocks my exit from the other side.

Viper swings in, and I take my shot. Knuckles hit solid cast iron.

Sweet Jesus in heaven!

I regret the second I lash out at him. But I don't let my expression reveal the bolt of pain that shoots up my arm.

Holy fucking hell! That hurt, I scream internally.

"Damn it, woman, you're gonna hurt yourself." Viper takes my throbbing hand and massages his thumbs over the back of my knuckles.

Sweet loving angels in heaven, that feels good . It's tempting to let him keep touching me but the flash of my remaining therapy bill has me jerking my hand away. "Stop that! And let me out," I seethe in Viper's face and swing again. He's ready for the second fist flying at his face.

Using my momentum against me, I fall right into his lap and before I can scramble away, unforgiving hands plunge into my hair.

"I told you not to come looking for us. If you did, we wouldn't play nice."

A strangled cry breaks free from my lips. I fight to free myself from his hold, but he's larger than me by about two-hundred pounds. His touch serves as an anchor. He takes control over my movements and the worst part is I can feel his friends watching, when they could be helping me.

Wicked intent settles over Viper's features and that damning smile of his peels back to reveal bloody teeth.

Golden eyes hold me captive. "Mm, feisty. I missed you too, baby girl. You've been working on your form," he husks so sensually you would think I just sucked him off.

And then he kisses me.

Copper-tasting warmth hits my tongue and I swallow his blood as he takes in the very air from my lungs. Demanding, controlling and relentless. There's no tearing away. I either give him what he wants or we both suffocate.

The first feel of his tongue gliding over mine has me moaning into his mouth. Muscles bunch and roll with grace as he drinks from me like he's filling a well long since dry.

And suddenly all the work I put in to sever the ties between us re-connect. It's instant. One minute, I have a chance to pull away and run. In the next, the soldered edges of my mind and heart crack open. At first it's bearable and then I find I can't breathe from the flood of need rushing through me.

I might as well be in the middle of the Mississippi with swirling waters above my head and a cyclone turning wildly, pulling me deeper.

Lust and fury fill my insides. One has me wanting to slide into all of their arms and let the world fade. The other wants to see them bleed.

Tears flood my eyes and my fists pound on hard flesh.

He releases me, and I don't let up.

"You selfish, arrogant bastard! Let me out of here! You don't control me any longer. Do you hear me? I'm free." I turn a fiery, raw gaze on the other two and roar, "I am free from all of you!"

But no matter how hard I try, I can't break the physical contact with Viper.

"It's okay, baby girl. Just let it happen."

Desperation in Viper's words mixes with the hope flickering in his eyes.

I pull away, and like a magnet, I am drawn right back in.

"You can't keep me. You had your chance. Now let me go."

There's something obviously wrong with me. My breathing sounds erratic, my fingers tremble where I have them buried in his shirt, and my skin is on fire. I need a minute to catch my breath, but by the looks of it, I'm not going to get it anytime soon.

"I let you go and I know I'll get another fist in the face."

Smart man. But no. I would go for his gun given the chance.

Years of living amongst criminals and hardened killers, no doubt has his senses tingling. He follows my line of sight and then clamps his arms around me, pinning mine against my sides.

"Bad girl," he rumbles deep in his chest, and I hear the dark promises of punishment to come. Using his brute force against my slight frame, the mobster pulls me higher up his body and spreads my legs over his lap.

"You two have nothing to say?" I turn wild eyes on his accomplices.

"Enjoying the show," Mirsha draws and the unmistakable purr in his voice has my insides turning to goo. Against my wishes, of course.

"You have to let me go, eventually." Like this, my leather pants stretch to the max and I can feel every hard inch of Viper's cock fighting to be set free.

"Maybe. But not now. I think we can make it home sitting like this. Maybe we can talk about why you are here and why Mirsha thinks it's okay to keep his brothers in the dark."

"That sounds like a you problem and not a we problem. I know exactly where I need to be, and it's not here." I snap my teeth at him and he dodges my attempt at getting free with a dark chuckle.

"Careful, baby girl. I bite back."

His words are murmured at the shell of my ear and travel over my body like he's physically touching every inch of my skin.

I clamp down on my emotions and pull on the twelve steps my therapist listed out for me.

One: Control your breathing.

Easier said than done.

Two. Picture a fire in the center of your chest and let those flames burn away all the chaotic emotions.

Yeah, I could use some matches right now and a Molotov cocktail. Burn this car so they can't chase me. Burn baby burn!

Three: Let nature's voice in to hush your anger. Chirping birds, the brush of butterfly wings.

Ahhh fuck this.

Back to basic criminal mode I go. Rule one: Lie until you get what you want.

"I promise to behave," I offer sweetly. I even slide on a smile and unclench my fists.

His hair has come loose in our exchange to hang softly over his broad shoulders. My fingers itch to feel its softness and let memories take over. I can feel Luther watching us in between navigating us through the streets of New Orleans.

"Sweetness?" he says and the question in his tone lingers in the car's cabin. He's asking why I am fighting them.

"Don't call me that, Luther. I'm not sweet anymore." There's more than one way to lose your innocence. I might not have lost my virginity the night they left me, but they took something just as valuable. My trust.

Viper's steel hold on me loosens and his curious hands roam over my sides to dip down my waist. His warm touch falls over my ass.

His mistake. Years of using the Genesis sparing gym pay off and I perfectly place my right hook.

Viper's face snaps to the left, his hair whipping around with the sudden jerk.

But the single drop of blood dripping from the crack in his lip doesn't make me feel any better. Acid gurgles deep in the pit of my stomach.

He slowly turns his head and looks me dead in the eyes. Hurt glitters in those amber depths, but instead of lashing out, my torturer easily recaptures my hands.

He looks at my knuckles. His blood smears over my skin. A little flexing and I can feel I'll be bruised by morning. "Stop hurting yourself, or I'll have Mirsha use the rope in the trunk."

I nearly fall off his lap.

"Not a bad idea," Luther says and I turn to level a flat, narrowed look at him through the rearview.

Viper brushes unruly strands of hair from my face.

"Try it."

"Baby girl, you've gotten mean in our time apart. But if it will keep you from hurting yourself, that's fine by me."

He pushes me between him and Mirsha, who has sealed his lips for a while now.

"Nice Aster died the night you three left me hurting and alone in the dark."

The car falls silent, and for a moment there is nothing but the hum of rubber over Louisiana road. That's fine. It gives me time to plan my escape from them and figure out a way to make my cousin pay for his disloyalty.

"I know Harlon called you. Don't feel obligated to do his bidding. I would think by now you three would be tired of being Constantine bitches."

Three sets of eyes level on me and I feel their weight like I do the enormous boulder in the middle of my chest.

I release a sign of frustration to keep myself from going off on one of them again. In my opinion, they deserve all my wrath, but I am bone tired.

"Look, I am not trying to be difficult. It's just been a really fucktacular day. I don't want to be here. I know you don't want me here. Help get me on my way, please. That is all I need."

Blue eyes sear me through the rearview mirror. Luther's icy depths reveal turbulent waters as dangerous as the agitated waters of the Mississippi River. I drop my gaze to the glow of the dashboard. Through the low light casting onto him, I finally take notice of the suit he's wearing.

That they are all wearing, I realize.

Louisiana and suits of this caliber equal The Gilded Key Society.

Nope. Not gonna happen.

"Drop me off at the front of the airport on your way around and I will buy a ticket. I'll be gone within an hour. Promise. You don't even have to kiss me goodbye this time."

"What a fucking dirty mouth on this girl, brothers." Mirsha's cold steel eyes fall on me and the impact of his banked power radiates out until I can't seem to breathe. His face comes closer, blurring out the passing streetlights until he is all I focus on.

Mirsha asks roughly, with a cock of his dark brow, "Is that how you were raised to speak to your godfathers?"

"If you still think you can pull the godfather card on me, think again."

Dark laughter reverberates in Mirsha's broad chest, but there's not a hint of humor in the masculine sound.

Time has only made the man look more distinguished. Dark hair feathers over his forehead. The way it makes his eyes stand out is not lost on me. I can be mad at the man, but he's still drop-dead gorgeous. Rough around the edges, but all the more captivating. He must have a trail of women in his wake begging for him to return.

I kill the lust inside me with a nice bucket of ice-cold water. "I would die happy never seeing you three again."

"Is that so?"

Not really. "God's honest."

And then the rope Viper mentioned is around my hands and feet with a silk tie forced into my mouth.

He pats me on the head. "Be a good girl for your godfathers and sit."

Raw fury turns volcanic. I'm going to kill them all.