Chapter Twenty

Lyrical

T he sun creeps between the dark curtains in Snow's old room at the mansion. I roll onto my back, scroll through my IG, and a text message pops up on the screen from Winter.

Winter: Are you okay? I haven't heard from you since the night you disappeared with Snow. He didn't hurt you, did he?

Me: I'm fine. We argued and talked about it, but now we're fine.

I had to lie to her, and I'm not going to admit that he fucked me on the ground because I know deep down what I like is disturbing to other people.

Winter: So are you two in a relationship?

Me: Hell no.

Winter: I think Snow is into you. He posts a lot of pictures of you on IG.

I leave her on read. She thinks he's into me and maybe the world does too, but I know it's all for show. For the arranged marriage and for him to have some claim on me, to let men know I'm off-limits.

I roll onto my stomach, exit out of the chat, then go back to the IG app and scroll mindlessly through my newsfeed page for the next few minutes, liking a few posts and stories.

For most of the night, Snow chased me around in the woods, then he fucked me the way I wanted him to. I'm not allowed to go anywhere until we figure out who was trying to kill me. Which I don't mind, because I don't want to take any chances of being attacked.

Why would someone want me dead? I don't know who, but Snow is determined to find out.

Once I'm finished with my phone, I set it on the nightstand and throw on some of his old sweats and a T-shirt before heading downstairs.

The scent of bacon and syrup wafts in the air, and I hear laughter echoing from the hallway. When I make it to the kitchen, I find Snow and Keanu cooking at a stainless-steel stove while Jameson and Irvin are in the open space living room playing a video game. I make my way to the island, sit on the barstool, and pour myself a glass of orange juice, gulping it down like I'm dying of thirst. When I set the glass down, Snow turns around and eyes me for a few seconds, frowning.

"Go back upstairs, Lyrical," Snow demands.

I straighten my spine and take another long sip of my orange juice. "No."

"Now."

"I said no. What have I told you about bossing me around?" I snap. "They are helping you with the person who is trying to kill me. So, I'm determined to be around them. Besides, you can't keep me from your friends forever."

"Yeah, let her stay." Keanu grins. "I've always wanted to hang out with her."

"You're not even allowed to breathe in her direction, K," Snow growls.

Jameson makes his way to the stool next to me, and Snow points his spatula at him, watching his every move.

"You don't sit next to her, that's my seat."

Rolling his eyes, Jameson gets up from the stool, giving me a weak smile. "Aren't we going to address the elephant in the room?"

All eyes are glued to him, including mine.

"What?" Irvin asks.

"About how Miss Firestarter burned down our garage?" He smirks, folding his arms across his chest. "I didn't know you had the guts to try to destroy our shit."

"You led us to believe Melvin did it," Keanu grumbles.

I glance at Snow, tapping my fingers on the marble counter. "You told them the guy I kissed did it?"

"I thought you all were going to kill her, then I would have to kill each one of you, and I didn't want a bloodbath."

That happened a month ago, so why would Snow want to protect me then? He could have let them hurt me or do whatever the fuck they wanted to do to me. Or he could have allowed them to pass me around like a sex toy. That would have been… hot.

"What would have been the consequences of my actions? Would I have been tied to the headboard, gagged, then you all take turns fucking me? Or would you all fuck me at the same time? Filling every one of my holes?"

Snow has made me feel so comfortable in my sex fantasies, and I didn't think twice as I uttered the words.

I feel my cheeks burn at the thought.

They all stare at me, except for Snow who is glaring at me.

"I knew you were a freak." Keanu winks at me, licking his lips. "When you're done fucking her, I'd like to have a turn. Those innocent-looking girls are some of the best freaks. I could gag you, tie you up to the bed, and shove a dildo up your ass while I fuck you." Keanu grins ear to ear. "Have you had that done to you?"

I blush and I bet my cheeks are redder than a stop sign. My mind quickly goes to the night Snow fucked me in the ass. It was the hottest shit he's ever done to me.

I like Keanu; he seems pretty cool and nice. I'm pretty sure he's a killer like Snow, but the way he carries himself, he doesn't strike me as one and he has the personality of a golden retriever.

I study the dark ink on his tan arm—a naked woman with a blindfold over her eyes, her hands tied behind her back, on her knees.

"What does this symbolize?"

"I like my women tied when I fuck them."

I like to be tied during sex, but I keep the thought to myself.

I rub my finger along his tattoo of dead aster flowers growing from a skull. "What about this tattoo?"

Snow grabs the pan with the sizzling bacon, slowly lifting it off the stove, ready to smack Keanu with it.

"Put the pan down and leave him alone," I snap. "We're talking."

Snow rolls his eyes and sets it back down.

I smirk at Snow. "What would happen if I would have enjoyed them fucking me?"

Jameson chokes on his drink, while Irvin shakes his head.

"You're trying to upset Snow and it's working." Keanu sighs.

"Mention fucking my friends again and we are going to have a problem." Snow grinds his teeth.

"You can throw it in my face how you will fuck Savannah while we're married, but if I even have a single thought about fucking any of your friends, it's a problem? You're a hypocrite."

"That was different, and things have changed. I wasn't planning on fucking her anyway while we're married; I just said it to piss you off." He piles food onto my plate. Slamming it in front of me, he glares at me. "Eat up." He walks around the island, leans down, and whispers in my ear, "I know what you're doing, and it's working. You want me to gag you and tie you to the bed and have my way with you like before. You keep it up, and I'll do far worse to you."

I shrug, pick up my fork, and pop a piece of bacon in my mouth. "Sounds like empty promises."

"I need to install a camera in your new house so I can jack off to you both," Keanu says.

"You don't value your life, do you?" Irvin asks.

"If I die, I'll die happy," Keanu shoots back.

"I found information on the guy who chased Lyrical off the road," Jameson says then, changing the subject.

"Okay, so where is he?" I ask, placing my over-easy egg onto toast. Snow hasn't forgotten how I love to eat my eggs. These are the little things I like about him. He remembers every detail about me and it causes my cheeks to flush.

"He's locked up in the basement," Keanu answers, before he pours himself a large glass of orange juice.

"I can't wait to hear what he says about trying to kill me," I state.

"It's not a pretty sight. I fucked him up pretty bad. It's some of my best work," Keanu says so casually like it's normal to hurt people.

Now I understand why Snow doesn't want me around them.

"I still want to see him. I know what you guys do. I know of the killings and what you have to do to protect the club and to be so powerful."

"You're not going," Snow growls. "If I catch you anywhere near the basement, Lyrical, you're going to be punished for it, and you won't like what I do to you."

I crinkle my nose. "Why the fuck not? I'm the one who he ran off the road."

"It's too dangerous and I don't want you to see what I do to people. What we do to people. I'm driving you back to the farmhouse."

I bang my hand on the counter, not caring about the throbbing pain shooting up my fingers. "We're supposed to be a team and work together to help solve Bailey's death, and you're not being a team member."

He cups my face, stroking his fingers over my lips. "I care about your safety, and my job as your fiancé is to protect you at all costs. I don't want the bastard being in the same room as you. He doesn't deserve to inhale the same air as you. Do you know the fear I felt when you texted me asking if I was the one following you? I felt pure terror because I was worried about losing you. It damn near killed me. So, this is me protecting you. Once you see someone kill a person, you won't be the same anymore. It alters your mind. This is me protecting you mentally."

I want to say I don't need his protection, but instead, I mutter, "I can protect myself, Snow."

He doesn't respond.

Without a word, I pout, storm upstairs to his bedroom, and slam the door shut behind me.