13. Gavin

13

GAVIN

S he's doing it again.

Making my blood boil by cleaning, cooking. Mostly because she doesn't need to take care of me. Somewhat because I hate how much I like the idea of her taking care of me and being my live-in maid, wife, girlfriend, and none of the above.

But more than anything else, because she always does it wearing those impossibly small sweat-shorts that tuck between her ass cheeks and make me want to pick them out with my teeth.

I know she's picked up on the tension.

That hasn't stopped us looking, though.

Or playing with fire a bit here and there, either. I swear, she tries to time it so that she passes me in the little hallway from the spare bedroom to the kitchen. Always brushing up against each other. I catch just a hint of her cinnamon scent. Her shampoo makes me want to breathe deeper. Take her in.

And then I spend the next several seconds forcing my erection down through sheer force of will.

It's the lack of work, being stuck at home. That must be it.

I've been working on projects around the house and in the garage just to keep busy.

And admittedly, tailing Hellena on her outings, keeping tabs on her.

Honestly, it is a ridiculous amount of problems she's gotten herself into. I was prepared for the contingency that when she couldn't pay those guys, she would need to disappear.

Or the possibility that she might have to stay with me indefinitely.

It would be easier than the alternative.

I'd have to go on the offensive against some of the people who employ me, the Holy Ghosts, because that's absolutely who she owes money to. There's nobody else who deals drugs in this town. And who they work for, the conglomerate pharma company.

Who undoubtedly are members of the alleged organization that runs this town. Politics.

I never wanted anything to do with how this town worked. It's a haven, though, and a place someone like me can hide.

It's where I grew up.

Fortunately, I'm the last remaining member of my family line, and no one dares to test the waters I wade in. Guess I made a bed even vipers won't sleep in.

Unlike Hellena, who has been just plain stupid in her dealings with not only that girl, Ora Clive, but also DeSante, that tall informant I swear I've seen somewhere before. Playing with fire.

Like I knew she would, again.

Ora's grandfather has hired me on several occasions to clean up after his MC when their dealings go south. At least when Hellena is with Ora, I know the Block MC is watching. It's almost as tight as the protection I can offer.

Ex-military. Seasoned vets of suburban warfare.

When she's at DeSante's, though… at work…

It makes me nuts.

I can't go within a four-block radius without setting off their flags. DeSante's security is military-grade.

But I know I can't trust that he's actually keeping her safe. It's all for his own sake and the sake of keeping secrets for the people I'm pretty sure he works for.

Which leaves me sitting with my thumb up my ass more often than not, waiting for her to come home. Like some stay-at-home lapdog.

Most days, it's short lived even when she's here, passing ships in the night. She leaves early, gets home late. I leave in the middle of the night on call, come back midday.

Honestly, it's a good thing.

I'm terrible at making small talk.

Even so, I should check in with her.

Last night, she got home late from some job with DeShithead. I heard her come in. Go to bed. I can tell she's worked up, thrown off her normal routine. Not to mention the fact that she got today and tomorrow off.

DeSante isn't that nice.

Something's up.

She spent most of the day around the house, watching TV, reading.

I spent the day out in the garage, then out in my other office, the trailer I keep hidden a mile from the house, checking up on sit-reps around town. It's where I've moved most of my work stuff since she moved in, just in case she gets nosy.

It also has all of my surveillance cam equipment.

Where I may or may not be checking on her, curled up on the couch.

Right about noon, she gets up, goes to the spare room. When she comes out…

She's only wearing a thong and her bra, her sweet, round ass cheeks bouncing as she gets out the vacuum. I know I should click the monitor off, but I can't look away.

I'm instantly rock hard, clutching the arms of my chair.

I promise myself I'll only watch for a minute, then I'll go run six miles and take an ice-cold shower.

Unconsciously, she hikes the lace strap of her thong up over her hip, making my head spin. I couldn't look away if I tried, now. She's dancing a bit as she pulls the handle back, pushes forward again. Must have her headphones on.

Everything about her is graceful . Captivating.

She stops vacuuming to wipe down the kitchen counter, leaning out over the bar. The movement presses her tits together, squeezing them up like they might explode out of the confines of the cream-colored cups of her bra.

My hand is tucked into the lip of my jeans before I realize what I'm doing.

I stop short, palming the whole length of my dick through the fabric to try and suppress the urge. This is fucking dirty.

I'm fucking dirty for doing it.

But hey, everybody is weak sometimes, right?

She's finishing with the kitchen, about to get back to the vacuum. I'm seconds from letting the guilt win, shutting this down, and beating the shit out of myself with a workout when something truly mind-blowing happens.

She stops.

Glances at the camera for a second, a little smile curling on her lips.

Right before turns, snaps off her bra, and lets it drop to the floor.

The taunt or the tease or whatever the hell this is works for me. If she wants to put on a show…

I've got my cock gripped in my fist, stroking it slowly.

She keeps her back to the camera most of the time, only letting me catch glimpses. But watching her ass jiggle and just knowing that she's doing this on purpose, even if she isn't sure I'm watching or that I'm even here…

Fucking hot.

I drive my hand down in long, hard, squeezing thrusts, imagining her tits wrapped around its length, her tongue scooping up the drop of precum that drips down. It's unbelievable. The real thing would make me explode in an instant.

Her soft, rose lips encircling the tip, swirling her tongue.

I feel the shudder start in my balls, that tingling aura that tells me I'm about to come. I hold it off, slowing my strokes, squeezing harder, trying to drag it out.

But then she goes and bends over, scooping up the vacuum cord, the movement spreading her cheeks just enough for me to see the whole strip of her underwear over her…

I don't bother covering my growl as I spray my keyboard, desk, and screens.

The peak of the sensation makes me flex every muscle in my lower body, savoring the tumble down the other side, shivers running through me.

Then, immediately, my head is clear.

It's been way too fucking long.

And I feel like a total creep for doing it, even if she was more or less giving me permission. The confusion is short-lived when I see her reach for her phone, her whole body going stiff, ringing alarms in my head.

I turn up the sound, just in time to catch, "Tonight? Um. Okay. I'll meet you there. Got it."

My phone rings a second after she hangs up and dials.

"Hey, what's up?" I try to sound nonchalant. Like I wasn't just…

"Hi, Gavin. Are you alright?"

"Uh. Yeah. Fine."

"You sound out of breath." Is she seriously messing with me right now?

"Yeah. Work stuff. What did you need, Hellena?" I definitely sound like a nervous teenager who got caught with his dick in his hand. Gotta get her back on track.

"It's tonight. The drop. I need to go get the money from my boss. You said… to tell you when it was going down."

"Yeah. Thanks for letting me know." And for following my orders for once. "I'll be back to the house in a bit."

"Gavin, you don't have to?—"

"Yeah. I do. I'm coming with you."

I take longer than I need to clean up and compose myself. It's stupid, I know, pretending that I'm not within walking distance to the house, but I have to keep up appearances. She doesn't need to know where my backup stash is.

A half hour later, we're loaded up in the truck.

I can tell she's nervous, a little shaken up. She's excited, too. Can't blame her. I'd be excited if I was about to get out from under $20K owed to some shady people.

I only hope that it goes that smoothly. Things like this rarely do.

"It's just up here on the left."

"Right. And who's your boss again?" Playing like I don't already know makes me feel like an asshole, but I don't want her looking over her shoulder for me if she knows I've been tailing her.

"His name is Mr. DeSante. That's all I'm allowed to say. Please be nice."

"Me? I'm always nice."

She gives me a disparaging look and I fight down a smile.

Evan DeSante is the last person I would have put her in touch with, personally, but I'm not about to tell Hellena how to go about paying off her debt. If I had a better option for that kind of money, I would have offered it.

I am curious how she got his number.

I've heard of the "favor" dealer.

From everything I've heard, he sounds like a real shitbag. Not like I have much room to talk.

We've never crossed paths in my line of work, but let's say I'm pretty sure he has someone just like me on payroll.

The office is what I would expect. Looks like the kind of place you can scrub and vacate at a moment's notice if need be. Probably secret doors, breakaway walls.

This town is full of places like it.

"Hey, Geneviv, is he in?"

"Yes. He said to send you in. Just you."

"Tough. Gavin is helping me today, so he'll have to deal with it."

The older woman is elegant, put together like an ex-model or movie star, just starting to gray at the temples like me, but about ten years older. She wears it well.

"Always pushing the buttons, you are," she mutters under her breath as she buzzes us in.

Inside the decadent office, I assess the threat—I mean, Hellena's boss —standing with his back to us on the phone.

Black hair.

Tailored suit.

Reminds me of Damon the way he carries himself.

Cocky.

Highly aware of his good looks. And he is damn good looking.

That's where the comparison ends.

This guy is as high and tight as they come. A real stick up his ass.

Probably knows how to kill as well as I do. I know ‘street' when I see it. Even if it's dressed up and clean-cut and scrubbed. Certain ‘tells' never go away. This guy's killed before.

He planned our entry.

He plans everything.

He's hyperaware of everything around him. Just like me.

"That's fine. Let me know if the leopards are available for the sixteenth. Thanks." DeSante turns, pocketing his phone. "Hellena."

"Ev-uh, Mr. DeSante," she fumbles, clearly on purpose, giving him a look I've seen before. It was just aimed at me. Through my camera. She loves poking tigers, seeing if they'll bite.

More like a panther in this case.

Well, then…

After a few seconds of glaring at each other, DeSante flicks his dark eyes toward me, assessing my threat level. Instantly, his demeanor shifts, from annoyed and aloof to pleasant and smooth. It's a mask.

"Evan DeSante. You must be Mr. Rorshak." He gives Hellena a look when he says his name, like he's one-upping her.

"Gavin. Nice to meet you." I offer my hand, refusing to show any shock at his knowing my name.

"Likewise. I take it you'll be watching Hellena's back tonight?"

"I've always got her back."

"A sentiment we share."

Hmm. Maybe I read him wrong. He clearly has feelings for Hellena. Not my business. And it doesn't change the fact that he could use her and throw her away, no matter what he feels.

"Didn't take you for the sentimental type." I can't resist the jab, and he raises his eyebrows, a little smirk twitching his lips. I don't miss the way he checks me out head-to-toe, either.

"Everyone needs a little feeling every now and again…"

"Oh, for Pete's sake. Will you stop flirting with him and give me the money, please?" Hellena steps between us, flipping her hair back over her shoulder toward me. It means "stop measuring dicks." It just makes me want to be bigger one.

"Don't be jealous, Hellena," Evan croons.

"You wish. Should change your name to Ego DeSante." She takes the bag he passes her and turns back toward the door. Just shy of storming out, she stops, her expression falling slightly. "All jokes aside… Thanks, Evan. I don't know what I'd do if?—"

"Yes. Yes. I know. Don't get all sappy on me." Evan waves her on, but I can see the softness in the gesture, the gentleness behind his eyes. Those dark gray eyes find mine a second later, checking to see whether I saw.

Oh, yeah, buddy. I got you pegged.

Good thing, too.

His behavior just put him a lot lower on my list of threats to Hellena. He gives me another handshake, holding it just long enough to make the room heat up a few degrees.

"Take care." Fuck. This guy knows how to play the game.

Back in the truck, Hellena is quiet the entire drive, only speaking to let me know where to go. I let her have the time to gather her resolve.

We pull up to some dock off Quince Street just as it's getting dark.

Extra-shitty part of the shitty part of town. I've been here before to do business with very similar people. Hopefully, this will be the last she has to see of this life.

How brutal things really are in my world.

Damon would never have wanted his daughter involved in anything like this. And he'd want me to do everything I can to protect her from it.

Three guys are standing just past the halo of a streetlamp. Their leader is a sly looking, bald snake of a man.

"Stay here," she urges, opening her door.

"Not a chance. I'll be right behind you." I check the safety on my Glock, and she frowns.

She hesitates, trying to be bold. Thank goodness I don't have to push harder as she nods, stepping out into the light fog rolling in off the bay.

"You got this, Lena." My words bolster her enough to step forward into the light.

"Here. I've got everything you asked for. This makes us even." I'm impressed by how brave she sounds.

The skinny cuck out front smiles, cocks his head to the side, and looks her up and down. It makes my blood start to simmer, a soft hiss in my ears. Flicking his cigarette, he sneers at me over her shoulder.

Two brutes behind him square up.

"No need to start a fight. I'm just here for… moral support."

"I like your bodyguard, Michaels. Makes you seem like you got your shit together. Bull, grab it." Sly waves for one of the huge guys to pick up the bag of cash between them. "Just like I knew you would get this scratch together. Shows that you could do it again. Like I said at the party. You and I gonna do a lot more business together."

"No. I can't," she stutters out, sounding choked.

"It was the start of something, not the end. Unless you want to find your end." The threat has me seconds from snapping his neck. Sensing my mood, Hellena waves a hand back at me.

"I don't want to continue working with you, at school or anywhere. I can't make it any clearer."

"You pretend that the choice was ever yours to begin with, sweetheart. One way or another, you're going to work with us, or you're going to work for us. So I tell you what, you want to buy your way out, fine. Two more payments just like this one. Then we can call it even."

Hellena hides her outrage. "And how do I know you'll even stick to that deal?"

"You don't. You'll have to take it on faith. Take a risk."

"I already took a risk." She's losing her grip.

"Yeah. And it burned your ass, didn't it? Incentivizes you to keep up the good work, though."

Enough.

I take a small step forward, raising my eyebrows. "You need to let this go. She's done her part. She's trying to make it right with you. You've more than broken even."

"How about I break your fucking face, you big, meaty piece of shit? Stay out of this." One of the guys behind him steps forward, cracking his neck from side to side.

"Gavin… don't." Hellena's eyes are everything I need to ignore her plea. No one gets to make her feel this way.

"I'll ask one last time. You got more than your share. Just write this one off. Forget it happened. I heard you don't like problems. So, let's not have one."

"Oh, you're damn right, I don't. And you're making yourself one right now, buddy."

"Don't call me buddy."

"Oh, yeah. And what are you or this little bitch going to do about it?"

Red fogs my vision. I'm already moving, nudging Hellena behind me.

The bigger guy, Bull, gets two steps before I've got his face in one hand, flipping him back and smashing his head into the concrete. With his size, he'll only be dazed for a few minutes.

Just enough time to kick the knees out from under the other thug, sending him flying backward into the water. He shouts, and a third body lumbers out of the shadows. I can hear him fumbling with his holster.

A split second, and my knife is flipping through the air, through his palm, pinning it to his thigh. Another breath, and I snap my elbow back to take Bull in the face as he tries to sit up.

My knees groan as I rise, a lifetime of hard work, fighting.

But I've always known how to block out the pain.

The guy with the knife through his hand is still screaming, his other hand shaking as he tries to get his gun out of the holster. A quick two-step and a flick of my wrist sends the gun flipping into the foaming water, and my hand whips up to take him under the chin with a swift punch, dropping him.

Turning, I catch Sly lunging toward Hellena, and she clocks him across the face, pushing him back, making him even more angry. This is right about the time two more thugs step out from behind a building, rushing me.

Sly pulls a gun, snatching at Hellena's wrist and shoving the barrel into her face, shouting at me. "I fucking warned you! I warned you what would happen. Now we're gonna take the girl, you're gonna fuck off and die, and I'm gonna squeeze every ounce of work I can out of her one way or another!"

"Gavin!" Hellena screams as the twisted bastard squeezes her tightly, running his free hand over her tits. Panic scythes through my spine for a split second, true fear for the woman that I suddenly realize I'm falling in love with.

Darkness smooths over my fear.

A deadly calm settles over me.

That utter silence overtakes every other sensation.

In that stillness, I know several things instantly.

The dead man across from me will not harm Hellena. He can't, because I won't tolerate him to live for another minute.

Her eyes plead with me, mixed with sheer terror at her captor and toward what she sees in my eyes. Damon called it "the reaper's gaze", said it was the most fucking horrifying thing he'd ever seen.

I caught it in his eyes a time or two.

But Hellena isn't frozen in fear. She nods to me, ever so slightly.

The two guys flanking me from behind have baseball bats. I guess not every drug dealer can afford to arm all their men. Works in my favor, since I would rather not fire off rounds that I'll have to track down later.

What happens next is like programming.

It's instantaneous.

And yet it all takes place in slow motion for me.

My head tips to the side, signaling Hellena to move. She throws an elbow into Sly's gut and dives to the side. He's still clutching her, but I'm already on him. One hand closes over the gun, tearing it down and to the side, taking off his entire trigger finger with it.

The two thugs are on me in an instant, and I feel the air of the bats whistling down on my head. I dip, hooking one guy behind the knee with my leg, the other guy under his arm with my free hand. I twist, flipping around to the side, taking the bigger of the two down. The one on my left catches my sleeve as he falls back from the shove, tearing it clean off.

Just as a twist of my leg snaps the other guy's leg clean at the shin.

The wail he lets out cuts off as he blacks out, and I spin, pinning the other one by the throat with my forearm. His eyes are locked over my shoulder, staring at Sly, bent over his gushing hand, in shock at the missing finger, looking to his boss for help.

Sly isn't looking at his finger, though.

His eyes are locked on my shoulder. More specifically, at the tattoo of the smoking skull that I keep hidden.

Looks like he's seen the goddamned devil.

Because he has.

I smell the piss before I see it soak his pants.

"E–everybody back, go, GO!"

Several more were apparently waiting in the wings. They all hesitate, just out of the light.

I hear mutters, whispers.

"THIS GUY'S THE FUCKING ERASER !" Sly practically screams it as he backs away, stumbling, grabbing the bag of money and running.

The rest follow suit.

I hate that name.

I hate the image it represents.

But if it scares the shit out of these worthless mutts, so be it.

For several minutes, we just stand there in silence, the waves hissing softly against the docks. Fog is setting in thickly, and the breeze coming off the water is flat out cold, but it's a sweet relief on my scalding skin.

It takes me a moment to realize Hellena is right there, shaking, next to me.

She doesn't say a word until I've come back to myself, and she sees it happen, the haze clearing in my head. In a second, she's in my arms, gripping me tightly.

Confused, I slowly wrap my arms around her.

It feels better than I ever dreamed, her whole body pressed into mine.

Her scent fills my nostrils, soothing the left over rage, the acid in my veins.

The flood of adrenaline is fading, leaving me queasy, but she's there in its place, filling my brain with… something else. Peace? Quiet?

She looks up into my eyes, and I don't see fear. Just heat .

I realize she's probably pumping gallons of adrenaline right now, too.

Our lips are so close…

Her heaving chest, those incredible breasts, are squished between us, and I can feel the pressure building inside me.

I could take her. She would go for it in the heat of the moment.

Right now. Right here on this dock.

So, why the fuck am I pulling away? Getting back in the car…

Fuck.

The drive is quiet until we get about halfway home.

"Eraser?" Normally, I could expect her tone to be teasing, mocking me to get a rise. The words are flat. Cold.

"Things in Sanctum are so much more dangerous than you know, Hellena. Things in my life. My job. You're better off not knowing."

"I'd have a better idea, and better chances of surviving, if you would just tell me. Explain things to me instead of keeping info from me. Just like Evan. You knew these guys. They knew you."

"I can't tell you everything. For your?—"

"Protection? My own good? That shit's tired, Gavin, and so am I. Tired of… lies."

"I've never lied to you."

"Just by omission." And she's out of the car, storming into the house.

Idiot. I should have taken my chance on the dock. At least then, this fight would merit a makeup round two.