Strip or I will strip you.
Heat flared in my chest and he must have seen the fight in my eyes, because with a single shift in his posture, his whole aura changed. Gone was the sinner with talented hands who had brought me to the brink of orgasm faster than I had ever gotten there myself. Gone was the gentle male whose arm around my body made me feel more safe and secure than I could ever remember. As aggression radiated from his body, saturating the room, I realized that with nothing more than a flip of the switch, the monster had come out to play.
I thought I had seen his temper yesterday. I thought I understood what had frightened my brother. I couldn't have been more wrong.
Creed was the man who ran anyone and anything who dared to oppose them into the ground, into the dark. But the beast peeking out at me through his eyes was what lurked down there, completely at home in the abyss, making sure that nothing ever came back out.
I wanted to run.
I wanted to take my chances jumping through the window, knowing good and full well we were on the second story, all because I was afraid.
So, so afraid that I trembled in place, unable to move. But I wasn't afraid of him.
No, fearing him would've made sense. I was staring into the eyes of a killer after all, with no way out and no one coming to my rescue. So what was scaring me?
I was terrified of the part of me that was so turned on, my body was reacting on its own. My mouth watered with a need to taste him. Savor him. My nipples were two hard points that ached for his touch. My arousal was dripping down my thighs and my channel was slick with need, ready for his invasion.
Ready to be dominated by him, totally and completely.
Ready to be owned.
“I will never bend you so far that you’ll break,” he said, voice lashing against me like a whip as he stepped closer. “But every time you fight me. I will punish you, Caitlin. Now don’t you dare fucking move from that spot.”
Creed grasped the hem of my shirt and yanked it up and over my head all at once. His eyes flared as he took in my small breasts, rising and falling as I panted, the pale pink tips aching. I closed my eyes, back arching, waiting for him to touch me.
All I could hear was the rush of blood through my ears and my own labored breathing, but I didn’t need to see to feel him roll my nipple around with his fingers, sending small jolts through my body.
I didn’t need to see to cry out when he pinched the sensitive nub tightly between his fingers. The pain was sharp, intense, and it left my knees trembling before he repeated that same treatment on the other side.
“Jesus,” I gasped as my whole body reacted and Creed’s answering chuckle was sinister.
“Just me, Red,” he growled. “Always me.”
He released his grip suddenly and then I felt his hands on my thighs, tracing across my waist, big palms engulfing me. My knees shook again and I slowly raised my hands to try and find his shoulders but his words stopped me. “Did I tell you to touch me?”
I shook my head, letting my arms drop to my sides, and I felt a soft warmth that could only be his lips sweep across my stomach. A sweet reward for my obedience that shot strength through my system like a drug.
You will not fall, I told myself on repeat as his fingers dipped into the waistband of my leggings and started dragging them down, panties and all. The heat of his breath stirred my red curls before caressing my sensitive folds.
“Look at you,” he rasped. “So fucking pretty and pink. So-”
With a speed that shocked me, his hands left my body and there was a swish of air. I blinked my eyes open, dazed, only to find Creed standing across from me, breathing hard, the monster swirling in his eyes. His fist clenched with fury and I narrowed my eyes in confusion.
Why did he stop? Did I do something wrong? Another thought came to me, full of embarrassment that heated my cheeks. Oh God, do I smell?
“Your skin,” he managed, speaking through teeth clenched so hard I wondered how they didn’t break. “What happened?”
I looked down at myself, still somewhat lost in the slowly dissipating fog of lust. It only took a moment to realize what he was talking about. The useless fight I put up against Rebel’s scheme felt like it was forever ago now, but the purple and yellow bruises going down my legs told a different story and it all came rushing back to me, the humiliation a hundred times worse than the pain. In that moment, I also remembered that I was supposed to be playing the part of Rebel’s pet mastermind, here to do my best to distract and ruin the man before me.
But I couldn’t do it. Not when he was looking at me like that. Like I actually mattered. “I trusted the wrong people,” I choked out, feeling wetness stain my cheeks.
Creed’s whole demeanor shifted again as he closed in on me, hands coming up to cup my cheeks. His fingers wiped away the wetness and I looked at the ground to avoid meeting his eyes when emotion squeezed my heart.
This man was going to give me whiplash. How could he go from the conquering leader of the Seven Sinners to unbelievably gentle and sweet in seconds like that? Why did he comforting me even matter? He’d made it clear that I was nothing more than a possession. A shiny new toy to play with.
“Tell me,” he said softly.
“They grabbed me and gave me something that knocked me out. Why do you care?”
“Because I’m going to kill them.”
I choked on my next breath, eyes flying up to meet his. There was no joke written on his features. No ‘gotcha’ waiting on his lips. He met my searching gaze head on and let me see the truth. Whatever this was between us, he really considered me his, at least for now. He would kill them for putting their hands on me the same way he would kill my brother. Both for Rebel’s betrayal and his part in kidnapping me.
My mouth opened, and I knew the dumbest thing ever was about to come out but I said it anyway. “I’m not going to tell you.”
His fingers paused on my cheek and his head tilted. “What?” I got the distinct impression that he wasn’t surprised often.
Maybe I was being naive, but I didn’t believe that the last few years at the bar were a lie. How many times had Bubba stayed with me after work to teach me another recipe passed down in his family? Or simply to walk me to my car at the end of a late shift? How many stories had all my regulars shared with me whenever I was down? Whenever the pressure of knowing my brother could be watching my every move got to be too much.
“They aren’t bad people.”
Creed let go of me, the absence of his touch physically painful. He scrubbed his hand down his face, looking at me from between his fingers. It was such an innocent act from someone so dipped in sin that the pain in my chest faded, tears drying. I probably would’ve laughed if he wasn’t looking at me like I was insane. Who knew, maybe I was.
The things I was feeling for him certainly were.
“You can’t be serious, Red.”
“Rebel had something over them. They would’ve never done anything like that otherwise.”
He started pacing. “Don’t be a fool. Just tell me who they are and-”
“Creed!” a voice hollered from somewhere downstairs. “We need to get moving soon.”
“I know!” He yelled back. “Fuck off!”
“You.” His sights landed on me again. “Remember that we’re not done with this conversation. Now get your tight little ass in the shower and be out within fifteen minutes.”
See, I was learning already. I chose not to argue about the ridiculous time limit and switched my focus to something more pertinent.
“I don’t have anything to wear.”
He nodded to a black bag beside the bed that I hadn’t noticed. “It’s taken care of.” Without another word, he turned and strode from the room, slamming the door behind him.
I stood there for a moment in silence, leggings still trapped around my ankles. Then his voice echoed through the door. “Clock’s ticking!”
“Bossy jerk,” I muttered, heading towards the bathroom,
but there was a small smile on my face.
I was smiling because a monster was ready to do vengeance on my behalf.
Maybe I needed to revisit the alternate reality theory.
CHAPTER 5 - Creed
I waited until I heard the water turn on to pinch the bridge of my nose and let out the sigh I was holding onto. This woman was going to drive me insane. That same flame that drew me irresistibly towards her kept on flaring bright at the worst fucking times. Like when I needed her to tell me who put their hands on what belonged to me so I could bury them in shallow graves.
Yet at the same time, I found myself smiling with a grudging sort of respect and admiration. Caitlin was standing firm. Her reasoning was foolish and beyond infuriating but the sentiment behind it wasn't lost on me.
She wasn't going to make any of this easy but that was fine. I could deal. It only made her even more worth keeping. Especially after her reaction to seeing the monster unchained.
My little firecracker had been completely lost to the lust and desire I saw swirling in those emerald green eyes. And while she was like that, she responded to me like nothing I had ever seen, all the while looking more tempting than Eve with the damn apple. The way her breathing stilted the second I bared those gorgeous breasts. The red curls damp with arousal on top of her mound. That drug-like, musky scent that I inhaled like an animal. I groaned and rubbed my palm down the length of my dick through my jeans.
I would’ve taken her right then and there if not for those goddamn bruises staring me in the face. It shouldn’t have even mattered. She never acted like she was in any type of pain. But I knew that when I took what was mine, I was going to leave my mark on her. That was unavoidable. Except I would rather trek barefoot across broken glass than allow my marks to linger with those others.
When she looked at the places I staked my claim on her body, the only memory that would come with it would leave her shivering in remembered pleasure.
Satisfied that Caitlin was doing what I asked, I set off to find the other Sinners. I really did have other shit I needed to get done today and some of it was going to be bloody. I hadn’t anticipated not getting more than a quick run, workout and shower done before returning to the little redhead asleep in my bed.
I barely made it down the hall, my mind still on my woman, when I rounded a corner and found Elizabeth leaning against a wall, glaring daggers at me, arms folded across her chest.
At least one thing is still right in the world.
“If you're hurting her in there…” She started, coming up off the wall to stare me down.
I quirked a brow, wondering just how long she’d been lurking around up here. “Did it sound like I was hurting her?” Red stained her cheeks and she glanced away, answering my unspoken question. I stepped closer to her, dropping my voice low. “Well, well. Does Tex know you’re up here snooping around?”
She moved away from me, but surprisingly, the glare didn’t return. Her gaze was earnest as she said, “I wasn’t snooping.” I shot her the look that deserved. “Okay, yes I was. But I worried all night and into today about leaving her alone with you and...I just had to make sure, alright?”
Any other day, I would’ve enjoyed dragging out the words she was pussy-footing around. The vengeful part of me, still pissed off over her willfully opposing me during Tex’s return party those months ago, enjoyed how easy it was to rub her the wrong way. But my blood was still singing in my veins from the sound of Caitlin's sweet moans and it just didn’t seem that important anymore.
Despite the fact that her bump wasn’t showing yet, and that her shoulders were stiff with tension, she still fucking glowed with pregnancy and happiness and so much sweetness I was going to get a damn cavity looking at her. It was time to accept the fact that Elizabeth was going to be around for a good, long while. We could stay at each other’s throats easily enough. I thrived on conflict after all. So I knew that if this continued, eventually, I was going to go too far. It was inevitable. And when I did, I harbored no illusions about which side Texas would fall on.
I breathed deeply, letting my face and body relax. “You don’t trust me,” I said neutrally. “That’s fine. I’ve given you no reason to. But do you trust your man?”
She didn’t even have to think about it. “Beyond a shadow of a doubt.”
I wouldn’t say a real smile passed between us, but I did nod, pleased by her swift answer. “Then trust in the fact that he would put a bullet in me himself if it ever turned out that I was actually the kind of no good, piece of shit that would beat on a woman. That isn’t me. That will never be me.”
She took a step closer to me, some of the tension falling away to make room for a small grin. “That actually means a lot. Thank you, Creed.”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get used to it.”
“Ah, there’s the old charmer. I was just starting to worry that a pod person had gotten to you.”
I blinked at her. “A what?”
She looked at me with genuine horror in her eyes and I was beyond confused. “Welp.” She popped the P obnoxiously. I was starting to regret this already. “There goes our moment. I’m going back downstairs before you ruin it any more. Next you’ll say you’ve never seen Tremors.”
“I’ve-”
“La la la la.” The brat actually stuck her fingers in her ears as she walked off, turning her back on me. “I’m not listening. Nice talk.” I watched her go, certain that every woman in my life was out to collapse my sanity, but I followed a moment later.
When I got to the living room, all the other Sinners were already there. Tanner was curled on the end of one of the sofas, tapping away at a tablet, glasses askew, and I made a mental note to have him look into Caitlin’s background. There might be something in there that could lead us to Rebel.
Sylvia was on the end opposite to him, tossing a throwing knife in the air and catching it, looking wholly unconcerned that one wrong move could be a bloody accident. Kane and Saze were in wooden chairs side by side in front of the giant flat screen, eyes glued to whatever game was on. And the rocking chair in the corner with the best view outside was occupied by Tex’s large frame, a pleased looking Elizabeth perched on his lap.
“Everything’s setup?” I asked no one in particular, immediately taking charge.
Tanner spoke without ever looking away from his handheld screen. “Our good buddy El Lobo and his goons are meeting us at the usual warehouse in a little over a half an hour.”
That news was met with insults so foul that a sailor would blush. None of us were fans of the Cartel that operated in parts of our territory but they were like cockroaches. It was easier to isolate them to designated shit holes than it was to stamp them out completely. At least, that was my stance before word of what Rebel had been up to got back to me.
“Not the best time to risk startin’ a war,” Texas drawled, hand splayed across his girl’s stomach while he sensed my mood from across the room. “Feel me?”
Elizabeth met my eyes with steel in her gaze but I still sensed the worry lurking behind the surface. Unbidden, an image of Caitlin's small form, heavy with our child while war raged all around us floated to the front of my mind. I banished it swiftly, but I couldn't rid myself of the icy dread that came with it. The possibility of something like that happening was unacceptable.
“I feel you, Tex.” The growl in my voice was impossible to hide. So was the way my hands clenched into tight fists. “We need to be prepared to do what we've been delaying for a while now.” I looked around the room, meeting every eye and felt the blood lust I was feeling being reflected back to me.
“Sinners!” Lava surged through my veins as I raised my voice. As one unit, my family stood and circled around me. “Once again, I’m asking you to spit in the face of God and any law not our own. We rid this city of all the hardest hitting drugs years ago. Thanks to Rebel’s betrayal, it’s circulating in our streets again. Our neighborhoods. When this all started, we claimed Oakdale as our home and plac
ed its people under our protection. What do we do to anyone or anything that threatens that protection?”
One word echoed from six voices, including my own. “Destroy.”
“I don’t do second chances and I don’t give a shit what Rebel put on the table. They dug their own graves when they went against me. We’re going to cut the head off the snake and if that doesn’t get the point across, we exterminate the rest of the body piece by piece.” I let my eyes roam, landing on Elizabeth who was peeking over Tex’s shoulder. “Step forward.” Texas gently urged her into the center of the circle, and she stood there with her back straight, only fidgeting slightly even though I could tell she was confused as hell.
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