32

Jack

February 7th, 2020

“Hey, Viv,” I heard Rae say as she walked into the living room and waved me down.

I took my glasses off and set my notebook to the side, watching her carefully. It was the first time Viv had even tried to call since the club.

During the last week, Rae had been doing everything she could to remain in good shape while she healed. She had reopened a few cuts during those first couple of days, but as of the last two, she had lost her limp, her slight hunch. Several of the deeper wounds were far from healed, but by the looks of her, I highly doubted I’d be able to keep her from doing anything anymore. She was ready to leave.

It was fine with me, I was getting stir-crazy too, but Zo, who had been helping her stretch, looked worried. She didn’t want Rae to push herself. If we pushed too far, it could set her back a couple of weeks this time around, and we both know she would hate that.

Zo was just trying to look out for her new sister.

She knew about Rae’s father now, about what he had done, and while Malachi was AWOL, on purpose or because he was actually busy, I didn’t care. I had given up on reaching him for now, we could handle this ourselves, without answers. Like Rae had so perfectly put it, we shouldn’t be worried about the past, the reason, we just needed to focus on our next move.

“No, Viv, I’m fine,” she said, laughing casually.

Fuck, she was so good at wearing her own masks.

“Yeah,” she nodded as Zo fell into the couch beside me, jostling me. “I didn’t go home with them, I…” her thumbnail found her lips nervously.

“Damn, she’s good,” Zo smiled.

“In the bathroom,” Rae revealed, turning away from me.

I could hear Viv—Beth squealing from here.

“I know, I know,” Rae laughed, lowering her hand. “Three…no, they took…you know, I don’t want to divulge details,” she waved off.

My hands tightened. It was fictional, I knew that, but even imagining her being with anyone who wasn’t me? Fuck, if I hadn’t already killed them, I would have killed them just for having to sit through the story.

Why was she even bringing up that night? It had been over two months since that had happened. But I suppose it was the last thing they had done together. Rae had never answered the text Viv had sent, so her friend was probably searching for any detail she could get on the matter.

I still couldn’t decide if it had been a setup or not, but I sure as fuck didn’t trust her.

Viv must have said something that Rae didn’t like because her shoulders fell an inch. “No,” she said, “it didn’t come up. Look—”

My brows pulled together at the shift in conversation.

“Why would that come up, Viv? It was a quickie in the bathroom at an abandoned cathedral hours from any of those things—”

I sat forward, trying to hear what I knew I never would.

“People use toys in the bedroom all the time, just because you decided to stay vanilla doesn’t mean you get to condemn everyone else in the world for experimenting!” she snapped.

My brows rose. Was that bitch judging my girl for what she liked again? If I had to guess Beth had probably never experienced the kind of orgasms Rae had. She had no idea what the human body was capable of, and yet here she was, judging my girl. Fuck her.

Rae shoved her beautiful hair back. “Why did you call?” she finally asked, getting right to the point.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in a real catfight,” Zo commented under her breath, her arms folded across her chest.

She wouldn’t have the opportunity. I’ve put a bullet between the eyes of lesser men for lesser things. Disrespect my wife? Might as well hand me your signed death certificate.

Rae turned her head just enough for me to see her profile, the narrowing of her eyes, the confusion in the way her lips curved. “Okay, thank you for letting me know,” she nodded, her eyes flicking to mine. “Um…” she pulled her phone away from her face, checking the screen before putting it back to her ear. “Sure, I’ll meet you at your house? Say around 10?”

If I hadn’t been so irritated at the fact that Viv had just insulted her, I would have smiled. Rae was certainly not a homebody. Maybe that’s why they had turned her into one. There was no better way to trap a lioness than to lock her in a cage.

“See you then.” She hung up and turned to me, question in her eyes. “I’ve been invited to an exclusive club that just opened up in Viv’s city.”

Zo had already pulled out her phone. “Name?”

Rae walked over as I stood. “Lighter.”

I took her hand, pulling her attention to me. “I can kill her for you.”

She gave me a look, her eyes shining. “I can kill her just fine myself, Jack,” she hummed, her eyes flicking to my lips and back.

“Lighter,” Zo found. “Grand opening is today. Owned by a couple of college kids who bought it a few months ago and fixed it up. They hope it will be the greatest club in the city. Hmm. Bit of a high bar there for a new club in California.”

Rae and I had been working on touch. She was pushing herself pretty hard to get back to normal, and although her progress was absolutely amazing, we hadn’t made the jump to full on fucking yet.

However, she had found creative ways to get me off, which I greatly appreciated. Her injuries limited her as well as her mind, but she was doing so good. My good girl.

“I guess I should get myself a pass,” I mumbled, running my knuckles under her jawline.

She rose a brow, her siren eyes glowing. “You don’t trust me to take care of myself?”

On the contrary. Even injured, I had no doubt about her abilities. Not only had she been pushing herself this week to heal, but she had been writing down her stories from her life. The things she had done with her family before knowing her dad was on the wrong side of the gun. She was good. Perhaps not as good as us, but I could fix that. “All it takes is one good thrust to one of your stab wounds to bring you to your knees. You need backup.”

“Would you take it?” she challenged.

“He wouldn’t have a choice,” Zo chided in, shoving herself to a stand. “They try to escape us, but we’re always supposed to be their backup.”

Rae searched my eyes for several seconds before rolling her eyes. “Fine. You’ll show up anyway, so there’s no point in saying no,” she said, turning away from me.

Zo and I exchanged a glance. God, I couldn’t do what I really wanted to do which was grab her by the back of the neck, slam her into the window, and fuck her ass to remind her to watch her attitude, so I settled for the next best thing.

Talking.

I stood. “You never had backup.” It wasn’t a question.

She headed for our room. “Didn’t need it. Sorry that you do,” she tossed over her shoulder, her blonde hair swaying with each swing of her hips.

Goddammit she had me by the fucking cock. “We are required to have it,” I reminded her. “We don’t have a choice. Malachi doesn’t trust us not to lose control, that’s how we were trained.”

“Mom taught me how to use my anger as a weapon when I was six. It’s sad you four need babysitters.”

“Three,” I said through my teeth. “I can control my anger just fine.”

She spun around in the doorway, grabbing either side of the doorjamb with her hands, stopping me abruptly in my tracks. “Oh?” she asked, scanning over me. “You’re looking awfully tense right now, Jack.” Her eyes met mine, a playful light shining deep within them.

This was exactly what she had needed to get her spark back. An assignment. Something to move her forward.

But I felt that rage burning under my skin. I had to clench my hands in order not to wrap one around her throat and force her to her knees for being such a fucking brat.

She smiled, tapping her nails on the wood in perfect unison. “Awfully tense.”

A muscle in my neck twitched and before I could stop myself, my hand was around her throat, and I was backing her into the room.

Her eyes widened, her hands wrapping around my wrist, her pretty pink lips parted in slight fear. “Jack,” she whimpered.

I walked her until her back hit the far wall beside our bed. I stepped up to her until our noses nearly touched, knowing how wet she was, how terrified she was. I could be undoing days of progress, but fuck, she knew how to push my buttons. “If I wasn’t in control, Princess,” I began, my voice a low growl, “I’d be bending you over right now and fucking you like the bitch you are.”

Her pupils dilated, but the tears in her eyes told me she wasn’t quite ready yet, even if her body craved it.

I leaned in a little more, until I could just barely taste her lips. Until I could feel the ghost of them as she panted. Fuck, I was desperate. “Death won’t claim you because you’re too prideful to admit you need help,” I mumbled against them, feeling her heart racing under my fingers.

I leaned back and found her eyes. “I will always back you up. That doesn’t mean you need it, it’s just in case something goes wrong. I know Marla taught you about contingencies. I won’t allow you to be stupid just because you’re eager to get back into the game, is that clear?”

She swallowed against my palm and nodded, her shoulders relaxing just enough for me to notice. Maybe this hadn’t undone days worth of progress, maybe it was what she needed. A reminder that I wouldn’t actually hurt her unless she asked for it. Unless she begged for it.

I released her neck and took a step back, turning away from her to allow her some space. To allow me to calm myself down before she saw how hard my cock had become.

My hand had never and would never be enough. Especially not after I got a taste of the beautiful Rae Bennett.

I headed for the walk-in closet, taking in my clothes. A club. I hated clubs. Especially during any other month but October. Masks were harder to wear outside of the Halloween season.

“I’m dancing at the club.”

A warning from her hoarse little throat.

I glanced over my shoulder, watching her approach her own side, skim through her scantily dresses that I so very much loved on her. “I’ll bring my favorite spoon,” I commented, turning back to my clothes.

I wouldn’t actually scoop out the eyes of those who looked a little too long, but those who touched her in the wrong places? They might lose their eyes and their hands.

I got myself dressed and ready while Rae did her hair and makeup. When she came out in her silky black robe, her hair pulled back into an intricate ponytail adorned with braids and twists, I couldn’t help but stare. I loved the way she did that. I loved the process she went through to look like this. Like a siren.

My siren.

She gave me a small smile, her siren eyes now lined in a black wing and iridescent white eyeshadow, her lips painted in a darker shade of red with a smear of gloss over it. God, could we just stay home tonight? “Help me put on my dress?” she asked, walking over to the bed where she had laid out her black dress and black booties.

“Of course.” I picked up the silk dress and crouched down at her feet.

She turned her back to me and slid off her robe, revealing her lacy red thong and nothing else.

Panting like a fucking dog, I eased the dress up her legs, over her perfectly bitable ass, her scarred hips, and beautiful back.

Her muscles slid under her soft and scarred skin with ease, goosebumps erupting everywhere with the slide of the soft fabric. I’d give anything to touch every inch of her body with my tongue. I’d sell my soul. Fuck, she was so goddamn gorgeous.

I slid the short sleeves over her shoulders and allowed my fingers to graze over her skin, down the length of her spine, before pulling the zipper up, careful of her hair.

Rae shivered, her body swaying towards mine for half a second before she righted herself and turned around, her skin flushed, her eyes dilated.

I allowed her to sit on the edge of the bed, giving her space. I think she was getting close to being okay again. This situation was a strange one. Being tortured a year ago and then by someone she loved. I could understand the guilt and shame, the confusion, the fear, that came with that. Both sessions were colliding. She trusted me with her life, but now she knew that it had happened before. By her father, nonetheless. There was a lot that went into that.

I didn’t want her feeling guilty for overcoming it sooner than she thought she should, but I didn’t want her acting as if she should need more time when she was already okay too. Rae was strong, but every mind had a breaking point. She needed to take her time and really be sure, and I wanted to help her through it.

Rae leaned back on her palms and held up one of her feet with a smile on her lips and a glint in her eyes.

I couldn’t help but chuckle as I got back on my knees and slid her boots on, zipping each one up before I found her eyes.

She was admiring me on my knees for her. I loved that. I loved that she felt powerful. I’d make her feel like that every chance I could so long as she never forgot that I could tie her down and fuck her whenever I wanted.

After a moment, her eyes changed, her smile falling a bit. She angled her head ever so slightly and fuck, what I wouldn’t give to be in her head right now. What was she thinking about? What was she considering? Perhaps she was thinking about what I might look like with a collar around my throat.

Sorry, Princess, that won’t happen in a million ye—

Her legs started to part.

My breath caught, my mouth immediately watering as I glanced between her thighs and her eyes. Fuck, do I get desert before we leave tonight? I missed her fucking pussy, and if I couldn’t feel it wrapped around my cock, I sure as fuck would take it wrapped around my goddamn tongue.

She lowered herself to her elbows and slowly lifted her legs up, spreading herself a little more until I could see her sheer thong and her swollen cunt just underneath.

I found her eyes for half a second before I lunged for her like the starving man I was.

She moaned the second I grabbed her thighs and pulled her forward. I pushed her legs over each shoulder and shoved her thong aside, the smell of her arousal filling me with my insatiable need for her. “Fuck,” I groaned and immediately slid my tongue in.

Rae cried out, wrapping her legs around my head and pulling me in, her pussy throbbing around my tongue as I lapped her up like the dog I was.

Fuck, she tasted so good. I missed this. It had been far too long since I had her. And while I wouldn’t get a release before we left, at least I would taste her on my lips while I watched her dance with other men.

At the thought, my fingers dug into her thighs, and I sucked hard, pulling a moan from her chest as her legs flexed around me. I bit and sucked and licked fervently until she came on my tongue violently.

I slurped up all that I could, flicking her piercing with the tip of my tongue before leaning back on my heels and finding her eyes, now black with desire.

She was panting, her cheeks red. She wanted more, I could tell. She was desperate.

But before she allowed herself to consider it, she pulled her legs from my shoulders and stood, fixing her dress, a little smile on her painted lips. “That should keep you distracted when I look like I’m dry humping the men on the dance floor.”

I frowned, shoving myself to a stand. “You’re planning on fucking people on the dance floor?”

She tossed a look over her shoulder as she headed for the bathroom to check her makeup. “It’s a club, Jack. Everyone fucks everyone on the dancefloor.”

Fuck, this was so much easier when it was my sister.

She came out a moment later, her eyes alight. “Don’t worry,” she said, flashing her ring. “I’m all yours.”

I stared at that ring as she made her way to the door. “You’re not taking it off for the assignment?”

She laughed. “I’m not taking it off ever again. I’ll be buried in it. I’ll wear it in the afterlife. It’s mine,” she said almost fondly.

She wasn’t worried about the ring jeopardizing her plan. “What about Viv?” I asked as she gathered her jacket and purse. “What will you tell her?” While I was proud that she never wanted to take it off, we were trained to play the part, no matter the cost. I knew she would have been too. If the ring jeopardized her chances, as much as I hated admitting this out loud, she should take it off.

“The truth,” she answered as I followed her out the bedroom door. “I’m engaged. I’ll introduce her later. She’s never met you, so it’ll be easy. I’m not taking it off,” she said again, joining me. “Ever.”

If only she knew the true status of what we were. I’d give it a few more days before I told her though. I wanted to reveal it when I had her pinned to my bed. “You can dance with whomever you like so long as you understand I can kill them if I feel they’re getting too handsy.”

She smiled knowingly. “Deal.”

I hoped she understood how truthful I was being. She was mine, and the world would know it, no matter how much blood I needed to shed.

Maybe if they were innocent enough, I’d leave them scarred and whimpering, but those who pushed too far?

I cracked my neck, already feeling the agitation grow under my skin. I had a feeling these clothes would be ruined by the end of the night.