Chapter Six

Pit

"Jesus, Ebony, what's your fucking problem?" I snap, shoving her away from me and following Tessa to the door. She's already stumbling down the garden path. I sigh in irritation. "Now, look what you've done."

"You want me to send a prospect after her?" asks Grizz, coming up behind me.

"Nah, I'll do it. She won't get far."

"She's a fucking drip," snaps Ebony. "She was practically crying like a baby."

"Don't be a cow," mutters London.

I stride up the path, watching as Tessa slows to a walk as she crosses the meadow that lies beyond the farm. She trails her hands out by her sides, letting the wildflowers tickle her fingers. "Yah know, there're grass snakes out here," I call after her.

She pauses, glancing back. "I'll take my chances."

"I could always whistle for the dogs," I add. Her shoulders slump and she stops walking. I close the distance between us. "She's a bitch. Ignore her."

"I told you I wasn't good with people."

"Tessa, that wasn't you. It was her being intimidating. She preys on . . ." I trail off.

"The weak," she mumbles.

"No, that's not what I meant."

"It's fine. I am weak. Girls like her," she sighs, shrugging, "I'm just not like her."

I place my hands on her shoulders, and we both stare out over the field. "That's not a bad thing," I tell her.

"I should be able to handle women like her," she says, her voice laced with anger. "But I can't. It doesn't matter how old I get, I just can't. I freeze up. And with all the practise I've had, it shouldn't be so hard."

"You were bullied?" I guess.

"Most of my life," she admits.

I shouldn't care, but her words make my heart ache for her. "Let's get back to the house. I'll make sure Ebony keeps her distance."

She shakes her head. "You go. I want to sit out here a while."

I smirk. "Nice try, Te."

She turns to me, rolling her eyes and sighing. "Where am I going to go?" she asks. "It's just fields. I won't run. Get King out here to babysit."

I grab her by the hand and continue forward until we get to a clearing and I sit down. "I'll stay out here with you for a while. You could do with some sunshine on that pale face."

After a few seconds, she lowers beside me. "Thanks."

"School was shit for me," I tell her. "I wasn't bullied, but I just didn't fit. Me and rules don't get on."

She smiles and her whole face lights up. It's almost as cute as when she comes. "I can imagine."

"Bullies are usually making up for something lacking in their own lives."

She scoffs. "If you knew how many times I've heard that."

"Doesn't make it better," I guess, and she shakes her head. "And now, you're here with me." She nods again. "It doesn't have to be all bad." Her eyes meet mine. "We don't have to make it harder by fighting all the time."

"You're gonna kill me."

"It hasn't been decided officially," I say with a shrug.

She scoffs. "If your boss called you right now and gave you the go-ahead, you'd do it."

I run my tongue over my lower lip and stare out across the horizon. "It's just how shit works in my world."

"It doesn't have to."

"It does, Te. No loose ends."

"I'm not a loose end, Pit. I'm an actual person with feelings."

Up until last night, it's not how I've allowed myself to think of her. When she was just the enemy, a threat to me, it was easier. But now, I've seen her come, I've tasted her, and I've seen her fear and want to irradicate it. If she was to name every person who bullied her, I'd have no problem teaching them a lesson.

"How?" she asks, breaking my thoughts. When I look at her blankly, she adds, "Are you going to do it?"

Slitting her throat was the obvious choice, but I don't tell her that. "How do you want me to?"

She pouts thoughtfully, picking at the blades of grass beside her thigh. "I've never thought about it. Something quick," her eyes light up, "or in my sleep." She nods as if confirming that to herself. "Yes, in my sleep."

"It's not a fucking fairy tale," I utter.

"I could swallow pills or something."

I roll my eyes. "Everyone assumes that's a quick death, to fall to sleep and never wake up. It's bullshit. You're in agonising pain, like rolling around on the bed screaming, and nine times out of ten, you'll vomit, bringing half the pills back up. Then you'll be left with irreversible damage to your organs and probably die a slow, painful death."

She's staring at me wide-eyed. "How do you know?"

"It's my job to know, Te. You want quick, I can give you quick, but it won't be pills."

"What do you recommend?"

I laugh. "You know, this is the strangest conversation I've ever had."

"I don't suppose you talk to your victims before you kill them," she says thoughtfully.

"Never," I confirm. "But if it was me, I'd want a knife straight to the heart."

She winces. "No."

"It's quick. After the initial shock wears off, your heart just stops pumping."

"Again, no," she says. "When I go to heaven, I want my heart intact."

"Heaven?" I repeat. "What makes you think that exists?"

She shrugs, going back to pulling up the grass. "I have to hold on to something, right? A beautiful afterlife that's different to here," she continues. "Better."

"No bullies?" I guess.

She nods. "And nobody wanting to use me or hurt me." She sighs. "Sounds like bliss."

I glance back to the farm and notice Grizz watching us from the doorway as he sucks on a cigarette. "We need to go back," I tell her, standing and holding out my hand for her. She eventually slips her hand into mine, and the familiar buzz in my heart hums louder. I pull her to her feet, and she winces, lifting one foot. "You're hurt?"

"It's nothing," she says, waving me away.

"Let me see," I say firmly, crouching before her. She holds onto my shoulder and lifts her foot. It's bleeding where stones have sliced into her skin. I tap her other ankle, and she lifts it, revealing it's the same. "Don't ever fucking run like that again, Te. You get upset, you squeeze my hand and I'll take you away from it, okay?" I look up, and she's staring with her sad blues calling to me. I stand, and her eyes follow me as I tip her head back to keep contact. "Is that clear?" I push.

"Yes," she almost whispers.

"Good. Glad we understand one another." I scoop her into my arms, and she yelps in surprise as I carry her back towards the house.

I march past Grizz and the rest of the brothers and head upstairs, not stopping until we're in my bedroom. I didn't even think about where to take her, and as I sit her on the edge of the bed, I try not to read too much into it. I go into my cupboard and retrieve the first aid kit, laying it open beside her. "Thanks," she mutters, dipping her hand in to take a bandage.

I crouch in front of her, aware this is the second time I've been on my knees for this woman. I take the bandage from her and place it back, retrieving an antiseptic wipe instead. I lift her left foot and begin to wipe it clean, gently removing debris and small stones, then I move to the next and do the same. "We need to find you some shoes," I say, taking the cream from the kit and applying it to the cuts. "Why were you barefoot anyway?"

"I took off my heels when I saw you come into the warehouse."

I glance up. "You must've been scared that night." She nods, and I feel a pang of guilt. She never asked to be in this situation. "If it's any consolation, we didn't plan on finding anyone there, especially not you."

"I won't tell anyone," she says, keeping her eyes to the ground.

I push to stand, sighing heavily. "You say that now, Te, but what about when the police come asking about Alec, or your family and friends want to know where you've been?"

"I don't have any," she says, finally looking at me. "I don't have anyone." I find it hard to believe her, she's lied too many times, and besides, she'd said her family would be worried. As if she's read my mind, she adds, "I lied before."

"You do that a lot."

"I was scared for my life, Pit. I'd have said anything to make you think twice about taking me."

"But this time is different, right?"

"Yes," she says eagerly. "You weren't after me, and Alec stole from you, so I get it. But this was nothing to do with me, and you can trust me to keep it quiet."

"I don't even know you," I spit, and she recoils slightly.

"You watched me . . . yah know, touch myself."

I laugh. "And now we're besties? Newsflash, Tessa, I've seen women come more times than I've had hot dinners. Your wet pussy is the same as the next bird's, and the one after that."

Her cheeks turn pink in that sexy, innocent way she's got, and I fight the urge to push her back onto my bed and taste her. "Is Ebony one of them?" she questions, and I almost laugh. She's seriously fucking asking me who I've fucked.

"Yep, and London, and Foxy, and even Siren before Grizz got his hands on her. I've fucked all the whores, Tessa." She stands, wincing again, and I shove her back onto the bed. "Not so fast, I haven't finished."

I crouch back down and take a bandage, ripping the package open and carefully wrapping it around her foot. "It's a little excessive," she mutters, folding her arms over her chest. "It's just a few grazes." I ignore her, wrapping her other foot too. "For the record, I think it's disgusting. You clearly don't respect women."

I place my hands either side of her thighs and crowd her, pushing my face to hers. "For the record, I don't give a shit what you think."

"You're a pig, using women and referring to them as whores."

"You heard Ebony yourself, she loves it. She loves me."

"But you don't feel the same," she spits angrily. "You use her, giving her false hope."

"You don't know shit about me, Tessa. She might be my one true love."

"So, why were you watching me? Why did you lick my fingers?" Her words tumble out, and she instantly reddens.

I smirk, brushing my nose against hers. She inhales sharply. "Because I could." Her eyes dart down to my lips, and I feel her breaths coming in sharp, rapid bursts. "Go back to your room, Tessa. I'll come and get you later."

Tessa

I must have fallen asleep because when I wake, the sky is turning a deep shade of orange. I check my watch—it's almost seven in the evening.

Pit told me to stay in the room, but I'm thirsty and I need to pee. I go to the French doors and listen outside. There's no sign of laughter or talking, so maybe everyone left. The thought pleases me. I feel much more relaxed when it's just me and Pit.

I go to the bathroom before heading downstairs, and it's not until I step into the kitchen that I realise the women are still here but there's no sign of Pit or any of the men. My step falters, but it's too late to back out unnoticed as all three women have turned. London stands, smiling kindly. "Pit went to tell you that he needed to head out, but you were sleeping. He shouldn't be too long. Are you hungry?" I shake my head, folding my arms over my chest. I turn to go back the way I came but stop when she adds. "Don't leave. Join us."

"I shouldn't," I mutter.

"Pit said not to do this," hisses Ebony, tugging London's arm.

London shrugs her off. "I don't give a shit. She's been up there for hours. She must be hungry."

"It's not our concern," Ebony pushes. "Go back to your room," she tells me.

"No," snaps London. "Ignore Ebony, she's not in charge. I'm London." She holds out a hand for me to shake, and I do so. "We hang around The Chaos Demons," she adds.

"Servicing their every need," adds Foxy, winking.

"I'm going to get the prospect," snaps Ebony, but London blocks her path.

"Sit the fuck down and stop being such a bitch. Pit will never get with you, so get over it." Ebony sits down, huffing loudly. "Ignore her, she's a jealous cow," London whispers, and we share a smile. "Where are you from?"

"Nottingham originally," I say. "I moved here when I was a teenager."

"Nice. A few of the Demons are from that way. Are you married, kids?"

It's such a normal conversation, but it's so out of place here. I give a stiff nod. "Married."

"I can't wait to get married," she says wistfully, sitting at the table and patting the space beside her so I'll do the same.

"No one's gonna marry you, London. Not from the club anyway," says Ebony, rolling her eyes.

I shift uncomfortably. Sitting with these women feels so foreign to me. It's not that I've never had friends. In school, I was quiet, but I had a few close friends who were the same as me. They went off to university, and we lost touch. When I began to work, I made friends with people in my team, but again, it was the quietest ones, and we never met up outside of work or anything. I've never really fit in anywhere.

I tune back in to the conversation as London is listing the reasons men love her. "You're forgetting your snatched vagina," adds Foxy, laughing. She turns to me. "She paid to have it tightened."

I gasp, and London smirks. "It was worth every penny."

"Yeah, and then Pres didn't even bother to sample it because he met Lexi," Ebony points out.

"He missed out," says London, laughing. She nudges shoulders with me. "Tell us about your man."

"London," Ebony hisses, "this isn't going to go down well with Pit or the VP."

"Relax," says London. "We won't tell them." She smiles warmly at me. "Go on."

"Nothing to tell, really. It was a bit of a shotgun wedding actually."

She gasps. "Oh shit, are you pregnant?"

I shake my head. "No, nothing like that. I didn't marry for love." London's smile fades, and I stare at the tabletop to avoid her pity. "It was a mutual thing."

"Did you want to get married?" asks Foxy.

I nod. "It was my idea. Well . . . it was part of the deal."

"Deal?" Ebony repeats, suddenly looking interested.

"We need details," London cuts in. "Give me tips on how to get a man to marry me."

I almost smile. "It was stupid really," I mutter, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "I got drunk and signed up to a dating app."

"Oh my god, I love a dating app," London gushes.

"I wasn't looking to date. I wanted a husband."

"So, you just put that in your bio?" asks Ebony, smirking.

"Yeah," I say. "I was offering something all men want . . . apparently."

"What?" they ask in unison.

"My virginity."

They all stare wide-eyed. "You're a virgin?" asks London, looking impressed.

"Of course, she is," says Ebony, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, do you reckon I could say the same?" asks London.

Foxy laughs. "Please, girl, even with the snatch job, you're still looser than a prostitute's mouth."

"I'm not making it up," I say. "I am a virgin."

"How?" asks London, looking confused.

"I just didn't meet the right man."

"Where were you hiding, under a rock?" asks Ebony.

"I worked long hours and didn't socialise much."

"Let me get this straight. You lived like a nun, joined a dating app, and asked for marriage in exchange for your V-card?" asks London. I nod, and she laughs, holding up her hand for us to high-five. I do, even though I feel uncomfortable. "Good for you."

"Hold on," says Foxy. "You said you are a virgin. Didn't you go through with the deal?"

"Not exactly. We got married, but Alec had one last job to do before we went on our honeymoon, and then I got brought here."

The women exchange wary looks. "You should go upstairs before he comes back," says Foxy, and the others nod in agreement.

I stand, and London places her hand over mine. "I like you, Tessa. I hope we see you again."