by Sam Crescent
“You’ve cut the rope. Surely, you can trust me.”
He smiled, but it wasn’t a charming, sweet look on him. It was almost deadly. River had always had a darker edge around him. It was always like he was on the brink of danger, of waiting for the anger to seep into every single part of his soul. When he was young, he’d been taken, tortured, and because of that, he had an overwhelming obsession with blades, like now. He still held the blade as if it was a lifeline.
Taking a closer look at the blade, I was surprised to see that it was in fact the knife I once had, the one I’d embedded into an MC’s neck to save Gael.
“You didn’t get rid of it?”
“Why would I get rid of anything that reminded me of you?”
“I don’t know.” I didn’t want to think. After I finished on the toilet, my face on fire for having him listen, I went to the sink and washed my hands. “What’s going on, River?”
He stayed in front of the door. “You’re going to take a bath. I’m going to make sure you don’t do something you’ll regret.”
“So, you’re my own personal bodyguard.”
“From this day forward, you’re going to have one of us at your beck and call.”
Turning toward the bathtub, I frowned. “My beck and call? You mean you’re going to keep me here to protect me?”
“Let’s just say we’re taking care of our investment.”
This made me stand up. “Just tell me what the hell you did. What you agreed to?” I needed to know. I just knew I wasn’t going to like any of it, but still, I had to find out what stupid thing they’d done.
He stayed perfectly still, his gaze running up and down my body. In the sweats, I must have looked a sight, and I checked to make sure I didn’t embarrass myself with my overwhelming need for the toilet. There was nothing there.
“Why do you keep staring?” I asked.
When the bath had enough bubbles and water, I turned toward him.
“You’re not going to talk to me? You’re just going to ignore me?” I gripped the edge of the shirt and lifted it up and over my head. My guys hadn’t bothered to give me underwear, so I was completely naked beneath.
I didn’t wait for a reaction and kicked off my sweats. When I bent over to test the water, I did hear a groan, and I couldn’t help but smile. He could act all unaffected by me all he wanted, but I knew the truth. He wanted me and I was more than okay with that.
I hated my men, but that didn’t mean I also didn’t want them all with an equal passion. It was complicated. I didn’t understand my own feelings when it came to these men. They were not boys anymore; no, they’d ever been boys.
Sitting in the water, I leaned back, resting myself against the tub so I could look at him. “See, I’m doing as I’m told.”
“You and I both know you’re not going to do as you’re told.”
I chuckled. “I try.”
“No, you don’t. Not anymore. We made sure you didn’t have to worry about anyone or anything. You’re free.”
“You call this free?” I asked. “You took me from my home, and now you’re keeping me hostage.”
“We’re not keeping you hostage. We’re not bargaining you for anything.”
I took a deep breath. Sliding beneath the water, I soaked my hair and broke the surface again, lifting out and reaching for the soap, but it was already gone.
River had it in his hand, and he’d put the blade on the side of the tub. I didn’t know why he’d done that. Was it to test me? To see what I’d do? My heart raced as I stared at the damn thing.
“Go ahead,” River said. “Take it.”
“No.”
This time, his laughter sent a thrill down my spine. Looking up at him, I saw he no longer looked like he wanted to kill. There was a playfulness about him. “Are you just going to keep doing the complete opposite of what we want you to do?”
“Is that a problem?”
“Not to me, but the others might start to get pissed off.”
I took a deep breath, trying to convince myself that I didn’t care, but I did.
Gripping the edge of the blade, I picked it up. In my mind, I recalled how it felt sliding into the MC’s neck. I licked my lips and wondered what the hell to do.
“It feels good, doesn’t it?”
I went to put the blade down, but River stopped me. His hand covered mine, holding it.
“River?”
“I’m not going to hurt you. You should know that by now.” His grip was tight but not to the point of pain. “Do you have any idea how many people I’ve killed with this?”
I looked up to find him staring down at me, waiting for me to answer. There were no words. No way of telling or asking him what he means. Instead, I held on to the knife like it was a lifeline, waiting.
“You’ve used this to kill people?”
“Yes, a lot of people deserve to die, and I just can’t resist hurting people. You of all people should know that by now, Emily.” He sighed. “I keep this on me at all times.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”
“River, I’m not sure what’s going on here.”
“You get it. I know you do.”
“I’m not going to hurt you,” I said.
“I know.”
He took the blade from me and placed it on the floor. I was a little confused but that was soon replaced when he started to clean my body. He’d soaped up a sponge and now he was so very gentle with me. With the short-sleeved shirt he wore, I saw all the new lines of scars. Knife wounds, which I reached out and touched. Sliding my finger across each edge, feeling a little taken aback.
There was fresh ink there as well, but I could pick out the problems.
His breath fanned against my ear. “Do you have any idea how close I’ve come to death?”
This made me pull away. I instantly went to my knees and captured his face. “Why?” I didn’t like how upset I was. It meant these men affected me deeply. They always said there was a fine line between love and hate, and right now, I struggled with every part of it. I felt a little sick to my stomach.
“What do you mean, why?” he asked.
“Is it to punish me?”
“Emily, you’re not making any sense.”
“Why would you put yourself in danger?” I asked. I wanted to slap him, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
“You know who we are, what we are. We don’t have a choice. It’s kill or be killed. It doesn’t mean they don’t get a shot in. We’re still alive, just a little more cut up than you’re used to.” He lifted a finger and pushed some of my wet hair out of my face. “But even while you hate us, it’s good to know you don’t wish me dead.”
“I don’t want you to die. I want you to tell me the truth of what the hell is going on. You sent me on my merry way seven years ago, and now you’re back. Don’t think I don’t know what that means. Deals have to be made and I’m part of them. Why?”
“I’m not saying a thing to you.”
“Is this because of Caleb? Is he the one completely in charge now?” I asked.
River’s gaze was still on me like he could see right through me. “You can try to anger me all you want, it doesn’t change anything. We’re a team and the only reason I’m not going to say anything to you, Emily, is because we’re all going to be telling you what is going on.”
Before I knew what was happening, he gripped my head and dunked me underneath the water. I came up spluttering while River looked calm and relaxed as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
It must be nice to be him.
I glared at him but refused to assist him. He didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he was more than happy to let me be still as he washed my body, my hair. When he was done, he stood with a towel.
The child in me wanted to throw water at him. Instead, I stood and held my arms out, waiting.
I let out a little yelp when he lifted me straight from the water without any problem at all. I was
shocked, but River dropped the towel, cupped my face, and took my lips in a possessive kiss that thrilled me right down to my toes.
He was the first to break the kiss and I noticed how he rearranged his cock. He took my hand and led me right back into the bedroom where I found we’d had a delivery. Clothes, shoes, and the entire bedroom had been converted into something that resembled my room back in England.
I also noticed a picture on the nightstand, and I let go of River to pick it up. It was of me and Ashley. As always, my best friend was smiling, while I was pretending to be happy. I’d give anything to know she was okay. I didn’t like to think of her as being alone with no one to come home to.
Holding the picture, I turned toward River. “Tell me she’s safe.”
“She’s safe.”
He said the words I wanted to hear, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d just lied to me.
****
River
I drew the short straw.
Caleb had said he wanted Emily protected and we all knew the reason. Earl had gone quiet on us. We knew from our sources that he’d already taken Ashley and the apartment they had once shared had been completely cleared out as if the two girls didn’t exist. But, and this was way out there, he hadn’t gone to the house we’d negotiated for him. In fact, Earl was gone, disappeared, taking our bargaining chip with him.
“Breakfast or a walk outside?” I asked as Emily came out of the bathroom dressed in a pair of jeans and a long shirt that molded around her breasts but flared out and rested against her knees.
“What?”
“I’m going to have to do something about your manners.” I chuckled. “Do you want to go for a walk first or would you like some breakfast?”
She looked toward the window. It was slightly overcast. Not the perfect walking weather.
“Outside first.”
I nodded and held my arm up for her to take. I wasn’t surprised when she looked at my offering as if it was going to spook her. “No strings attached. I’m with you today.”
“You weren’t this attentive years ago.”
“Then consider yourself lucky.”
I expected her to keep on arguing but instead, she took my arm without another word. I was shocked, but I didn’t show it.
While I was babysitting Emily, which I loved, Gael, Vadik, and Caleb were putting our men back in their place, making them aware of their loyalty. If news got out of Emily’s return, they would have to deal with us. There would be some death today. I had no doubt we had enemies within our soldiers, but we had no problem picking them off one by one.
I walked Emily down to the main floor and moved toward the second dining room that led out toward the garden. We passed several of our guards, all of whom averted their gaze, refusing to look at our woman. Good.
Emily stopped at the steps leading down toward the pristine mowed lawn. She took a deep breath.
I waited for her to take the next step, which she did, putting one foot in front of the other as we made our way to the grass. She bent down, removing the sneakers she’d picked along with the socks. I clicked my fingers, having one of our men take her shoes.
“Really?” she asked. “You’ve got people to do everything?”
“We pay them to be whatever we need.”
“Must be nice.”
I stayed silent. We’d gone out of our way to instill fear into our men. No one messed with us.
Emily sighed. “While you were taking over Crude Hill, I was working my ass off.”
“Your apartment was fully paid for,” I said. It was one of the reasons we were pissed off. Our money paid for the women, but it seemed with a snap of his fingers, Earl had been able to take that from us as well.
When we got to Earl, his body would fertilize the ground. I was sure of it. If he did anything to Ashley, Emily would never forgive us.
I imagined it was why Caleb had most of our contacts and spies hunting for him. The problem with Earl was that he was a ghost. No one could find him unless he wanted to be found.
“Yes, it was paid for.” She chuckled. “We had no idea what to do. For the first month, we didn’t even leave the apartment. There was enough food to feed an army. Ashley’s a damn good cook.” She sighed. “We got by. I don’t know how we did it. Eventually, leaving and visiting the city, it was easy to do, and got easier.”
“What were you expecting?”
“I don’t know. To be killed at a moment’s notice.” She pushed some hair out of her way. “What have you done to her?”
“She’s fine.”
“I don’t like not knowing where my friend is. Ashley never did anything wrong.”
“Em, what makes you think she’s in danger?”
She pulled out of my hold and spread her arms wide. “Look around you.” Gone was the reserved woman I recalled from high school. She’d lost that control. The woman before me was more open, more passionate, and I fucking loved it. “I know the deal that was made, River. What changed? Your parents aren’t in control anymore and from what little information Earl gave, they hadn’t been for a lot longer than now.” She folded her arms. “Tell me.”
“I can’t tell you.”
She stamped her foot.
“Ashley was the price,” Caleb said, surprising the both of us.
I turned to see Gael, Vadik, and of course Caleb on the steps leading toward where we stood.
“What?” Emily asked.
“Earl came to us. He knew your location and how to keep you safe.”
She burst out laughing. “Let me get this straight, you made a deal with a man who was willing to pay millions for a virg…” She stopped talking and looked at all of us while shaking her head. “No. Tell me no. Tell me you didn’t bargain my best friend’s virginity on this man to get me back.”
“It wasn’t just to get you back,” Gael said.
“He offered to help out with what our fathers had done. The arrangement he’d made to keep you away from Crude Hill.”
Tears were in her eyes. “You’re all fools,” she said. “He wants what he feels was taken from him, doesn’t he?”
None of us confirmed her assumptions. There was no reason to. She already knew the truth.
“Where’s Ashley? Tell me you got her before he could put his hands on her.”
None of us spoke.
Emily turned away and started to pace. “Where is she?”
“We don’t know that,” Vadik said.
Caleb held his hand up as if to stop him from talking. “No, I’m not going to keep this shit from her. We fucked up. We made a deal and jumped in because we only saw what we wanted. This is our mess. This is on us, not on her. This is our fault.”
“What’s happened?” Emily asked.
Caleb sighed. “Earl Valentine has gone missing, along with your friend. We don’t know if he has stuck to his arrangement or if he’s made a fool out of us.”
This, for some reason, had Emily laughing. It was more on the hysterical side. “You’ve got to be kidding me, right?”
None of us laughed.
This made her stop and look at us. She pressed her lips together. “She’s innocent.”
Again, there was nothing we could say to make her feel any better. We’d fucked up, we all knew that.
She turned on her heel and started toward the stairs. I followed her; however, Caleb reached out, capturing her waist.
Emily slapped him hard and fast right across the face.
The guards came forward, guns raised, and Caleb held up his hand to stop them.
“I hate you,” she said. “She is better than all of us. She’s kind, good, and sweet, and you sold her as if she was worth nothing.”
“You’re worth everything.”
“Not compared to her. I promised myself she would be free. She’d know only happiness.”
“We’re going to find her.”
I knew Caleb was talking out of his ass. There was no way we could find her, otherwise, we’d
have done it already.
“Good, I want her back and now.” Emily stormed away, and I had no choice but to follow close behind her.
She entered the house and made wet footprints across the carpet until we got to the hallway.
She put her hand on the door and stopped.
“You can’t leave,” I said. “You’re no good to her dead.”
“I can’t believe you’d be stupid enough to make a deal with that man.” She turned accusing eyes at me.
I nodded for the soldier who was close to the door to leave. Grabbing Emily’s arm, I marched her into the room we used as an office, slamming the door closed and shoving her up against it.
“I get that you’re fucking upset, but you need to start being careful about what you say to us and when.”
“Bite me!”
Sinking my fingers into her hair, I pulled her close to me, and I just couldn’t help it, I took her lips. Biting down onto the plump flesh, I heard her moan. After plunging my tongue into her mouth, I traced across her lips, tasting her. My cock was already rock-hard and all I wanted was to be inside her, to fuck her.
She wrapped her arms around my neck and with her body flush against mine, I just didn’t fight it anymore.
Picking her up, I carried her to the desk, throwing off everything that was in our way. I dropped her down on the edge as she tugged my shirt over my head.
I flicked open the catch of her jeans and yanked them down her thighs until they were all the way off. She moaned my name as I pressed my palm to her wet core. The panties she wore were soaked. Sliding a finger beneath the fabric, I traced over her clit, hearing her gasp as I went down to enter her. I pushed a single finger inside her, followed by a second, then a third, stretching her to take my dick. She thrust against my hand as if she couldn’t get enough of me, and I knew I couldn’t get enough of her.
“Please!”
I loved hearing her beg and moan.
After pulling my fingers from her tight cunt, I stroked over her clit, staring into her eyes, watching her as she let go. She didn’t come straight away and I worked her pussy until I knew she was close. I didn’t tear my gaze away, drinking in every single part of her until she finally came apart, and it was such a breathtaking sight.