Sinners' Playground

by Caroline Peckham

  “Only in ways I liked,” she purred and I spun her around to face me, my teeth snapping together.

  “Did you fuck him?” I demanded, suddenly drowning in a sea of panic. Please fuck no.

  “Contrary to what you think of me, Badger, I’m not fucking every man I come into contact with,” she said wearily. “I pissed him off good though.”

  I grinned, hounding her into the shower as I pulled off my own clothes. When I reached for her bikini strap, she slapped my hand away with a feral noise and I rolled my eyes, stepping in behind her naked.

  She continued to slap my hands away as I tried to wash her, keeping her back to me the whole time. When we stepped out again, she didn’t even let me wrap a towel around her.

  “Just let me help you,” I commanded, but she ignored me, wriggling out of her bikini within the towel and tossing it into my laundry basket by the sink. Then she pushed past me and lunged for my jeans on the floor. I caught her around the waist, nearly dislodging her towel and she bit into my arm like a savage.

  “God, you’re infuriating,” I snarled, carrying her back to my room and dumping her there before grabbing my jeans and taking the door key from the pocket.

  “Oh, I’m infuriating?” she laughed humourlessly, her colourful hair hanging wet around her shoulders. Fuck, she looked appetising. I walked slowly toward her, a predator closing in on my prey and she started backing up toward the bed.

  “Yeah, you’re a stubborn, pig headed, reckless little brat,” I said, insulting her with every step I took forward.

  Her legs hit the bed and she looked flustered for a second before she schooled her expression, straightening her spine. “Well you’re a bossy megalomaniac, so how do you expect me to act?”

  I got up close to her face, breathing in the scent of my body wash on her skin as my cock started to throb. “I expect you to do as I say.”

  “That’s never going to happen. Not in this lifetime, not in the next, not in the one after-”

  I kissed her to shut her up and she jerked her head away from me with a growl of fury. She drove a knee toward my balls and I shoved her back onto the bed before she got close. Her towel slipped loose and she hurried to close it up before I got a look at her bare pussy. While I watched her with a wild hunger, I wasn’t ready for the heel of her foot to slam into my dick and I groaned in agony, lurching away as I cupped my junk. She ran past me, unlocking the balcony doors and running away with the bunch of keys in her hand. I cursed, racing after her but she’d already used the keys to get her own balcony door open by the time I stepped outside. I ran flat out to try and catch her before she got into her room, powering up behind her.

  She yelped as she slipped inside and slammed the door. I crashed into it, the key turning in the lock a second later. She smirked victoriously, pressing her middle finger to the glass and I scowled at with my heart thrashing against my ribcage.

  I watched as she hurried over to her door, opened it to let Mutt in then twisted the lock on that too. I smacked my palm on the glass in anger.

  “Rogue!” I barked. “Open this door.”

  She walked calmly back over to the window, taking hold of her towel and biting down on her lip as she teased it open just a little, barely holding onto it. My breathing became shallow as I waited to get the show of my life. A voice in the back of my head was shouting red alert, but the boy in me couldn’t stop staring and hoping that she’d decided to give me a look at her body for some unknown reason.

  “Who’s really got the power here, Badger?” she asked, arching a brow then yanking the curtains shut and I smacked my palm on the glass again with a roar of frustration.

  Damn her. And damn my dick for being so easily misled by her.

  I strode back to my room, slamming the balcony door so hard that the whole house rattled before I grabbed some clothes and pulled them on. Fuck knew what I was even dressed in as I shoved out of my door and jogged downstairs on the hunt for my brothers.

  It was late, but my boys always celebrated after a job and especially after we’d struck such a serious blow against Maverick.

  I found them in the lounge arguing over playing music or porn on the tv. JJ wanted the porn obviously.

  They both fell quiet as they noticed my arrival, looking past me as they sought out the fourth member of this household.

  “Where is she?” JJ asked, giving up on trying to get the tv remote from Chase’s hands and giving me a kicked puppy dog look. “Did you piss her off again?”

  “And why are your sweatpants on backwards?” Chase snorted.

  I shrugged, dropping into a chair and picking up the bottle of rum left there, taking a swig of it.

  “For fuck’s sake, Fox,” JJ growled, marching toward me and I quirked a brow at the display of aggression.

  “What?” I barked, the alpha in me rearing his head.

  Chase flicked some music on, falling down onto the couch and planting a cigarette between his lips.

  “You know what,” JJ said, his eyes narrowing.

  “I don’t get it.” I drank another measure of rum. “Why’s she acting like this? She doesn’t snap at you like that.”

  “That’s because she actually likes me,” JJ said cockily and I sat up straighter, anger seeping through me at the insinuation. “Hear me out,” he went on before I could strangle him. “If you spent some time with her like I do, talked to her, listened to her, maybe she’d get along with you better. You know, like you always used to get along with her when we were kids?”

  My lips pressed tightly together, but I supposed I could see his point. “So like…a date?”

  “I didn’t say that. Why don’t you just be her friend and see how things go from there?” JJ suggested, but I ignored him, already planning out a date I could take her on. I could win her around. I just had to channel my inner whipped teenager. I used to love taking her places and giving her cute and pointless shit. If I wasn’t so caught up in her running out on me again, maybe I would have thought to do that sooner anyway. But then again, my dense teenage ass hadn’t won her either. So I needed to up my game. Combine future and past, become her perfect fantasy of me.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket and I found an update from Kestrel waiting for me with a clip of the CCTV footage at the front gate when Maverick had attacked.

  Kestrel:

  No joy, boss. The assholes were covered up and the van they came in had fake plates.

  I sighed as I watched the recording, the men in ski masks jumping out of the back of their van and killing our men fast before setting to work with leaving their fucking message.

  I tossed my phone to JJ and he sighed as he watched it before passing it to Chase.

  “Do you think there’s anything to what Rogue said?” JJ wondered aloud. “It’s definitely Maverick right?”

  “Who else?” I gritted out.

  JJ shrugged and Chase ran his tongue across his teeth.

  “No one else would get this close,” Chase said and I nodded the same time JJ did, putting the matter to rest. “Have you told your dad?”

  “Nah,” I said. “It’s not his business, besides he’ll only defend Maverick again. He’s fucking delusional.”

  “Can we talk about what the fuck we’re gonna do when he comes home?” Chase asked. “Because if he finds Rogue back in town, let alone sleeping under our roof he’s not going to hesitate to kill her.”

  “Do you think he’d recognise her?” JJ wondered. “We could give her a fake name?”

  “Dad’s too savvy for that. If he didn’t recognise her right away, he’d figure it out fast.”

  “Especially with the way you two are acting like she keeps your balls in her purse all the time,” Chase muttered and JJ picked up a pillow, whipping him around the head with it before falling into a seat of his own.

  “Dad isn’t coming home anytime soon,” I said. “We’ll have warning before he does and then we’ll hide her.”

  “Right, and is that your long term plan too?”
Chase snarked. “Because if you insist on keeping her then sooner or later Daddy Harlequin is going to find out. And he’ll be even more pissed if he knows we all hid her and lied about it.”

  “Well what do you suggest Ace?” I demanded.

  “You know what my stance on this situation is,” he said, releasing a cloud of smoke up into the air.

  “I’m tired of you acting like she doesn’t mean anything to you,” JJ said with an arched brow. “We’ve known you your whole life, and ever since she left, you act like your heart is a dead lump of flesh in your chest just so you never had to have it broken again.”

  “Did you make that inaccurate assumption because you read it in one of your mommy porn books?” Chase smirked, but JJ just shrugged.

  “To become every woman’s fantasy, it helps to do some research on what every woman’s fantasy is. You’d get laid more often if you took a dip in my library.”

  “Yeah, but did you really need to buy that special cover edition of Fifty Shades of Grey on Ebay?” Chase snorted and I cracked a smile as JJ scowled.

  “It’s a classic, man,” JJ defended himself.

  “Did the description mention whether it had been dried out since the last owner fingered herself over it?” Chase asked and I smirked, enjoying the game.

  “When was the last time a girl fingered herself over you, Ace?” JJ pushed his hand through his hair. “Because two days ago a girl had to be kicked out of my club because she tried to get herself off over me while I was dancing on stage. I didn’t even have to lay a hand on her. The idea of me is hotter than you’ll ever be. And romance books earn their keep in this house because of that.”

  “You didn’t have to buy that special bookcase for them though,” I jibed and JJ shrugged.

  “Or that Team Jacob poster you hung above your Twilight collection,” Chase added and I barked a laugh.

  “Dude, as if I’m Team Jacob, if you’re gonna rib on me over Twilight at least get your facts right. Edward was always the one,” JJ said, raising his chin as he refused to be embarrassed about this shit. I secretly respected J for the absolutely no shits given attitude he had towards anything and everything he enjoyed. If he wanted to sip a bright pink cocktail out on the patio at one of our parties, dressed in a sparkly bikini and a full face of makeup, he’d still get laid before nine pm. Maybe there really was something to his mommy porn hobby. I had absolutely zero experience with getting a woman to actually like me beyond a mindblowing fuck. I could jerk my chin and have two girls fighting over my cock in under a minute because of who I was. But maybe that had spoiled me. Because the only girl I ever wanted to date was finally back in my life and I had no idea how to make her want me for something serious.

  Ah shit, I’m gonna have to read JJ’s dirty books, aren’t I?

  “And while we’re on the subject, calling them mommy porn is a guy’s way of belittling a billion dollar, female dominated genre which outsells any other genre in the world. And if you respected it a little more, maybe you’d have girls falling at your feet like I do. Just a thought.” JJ smirked.

  “Thanks for the memo, I’ll tuck that right up my ass with the rest of your handy advice,” Chase said. “I don’t need help getting laid, J.”

  “If you’re talking about Rosie, you need to broaden your horizons because that chick is hard work with minimum returns. And I know you don’t need help, dude. You’re a solid nine point five for looks, but you’re a three for game.”

  Chase scowled.

  “I could build that up to a seven and a half, no problem,” JJ added.

  “You’re an asshole,” Chase growled.

  “I’m talking specifically related to girls, bro. Don’t take offence. This is my job. I have tonnes of hot guys walk into my club off the street wanting to join my troupe. But I only pick the ones who have the potential to be the whole package. And you could be that. Then I could get you so fucking laid Chase Cohen,” JJ said. “I could make you into a thousand girls’ filthy fantasies. And you’d get premium pussy for that.”

  “Are you trying to recruit me?” Chase laughed.

  “Not for the club. For my entertainment. So pick a girl, any girl, preferably the hottest fucking girl, and I’ll get you her,” JJ said.

  Chase opened his mouth and I talked over him before he could pick.

  “Not Rogue,” I said, because that glint in his eye said trouble.

  Chase scratched the stubble on his jaw. “I wasn’t gonna say Rogue,” he scoffed and I narrowed my gaze.

  “Better not have,” I warned.

  “I know you’re a stubborn fuck, Foxy, but my door’s always open if you wanna learn how to make girls like you too,” JJ offered and I pushed out of my seat.

  Chase stood too as he caught my eye and JJ looked between us with his head growing bigger by the second.

  “Hold him down,” I told Chase and JJ laughed as Chase ran behind his chair and grabbed JJ’s shoulders to keep him in place. I punched JJ in the gut and he wheezed, laughing as he fought Chase and tried to kick me. I continued hitting him playfully until the three of us were wrestling and JJ went full savage, sinking his teeth into my fucking arm.

  Irritatingly, JJ was the only one of us who Rogue actually seemed to like. So by the time I was done beating his ass, I was also ready to listen to his advice. Because I was willing to do anything to win Rogue over.

  ***

  I woke to my alarm buzzing at four am and drew in a long breath as I pushed out of bed, yawning as I got up. I dressed in a pair of surfer shorts and a tank before shouldering the pack I’d filled last night, kicking on my sneakers and heading out of the room with a few chicken treats in my pocket.

  I knelt outside Rogue’s room, jimmying the twist lock until it clicked open. Then I took the chicken treats out and pushed the door open a crack, holding them up as Mutt’s nose appeared in the doorway, sniffing furiously as he hunted for the bribe I always brought here whenever I wanted to watch her sleep. I loved doing that. Partly because she wasn’t scowling at me when she was sleeping. And the girl slept seriously heavily so she never noticed. The first time I’d come in here and Mutt had yapped at me, she hadn’t stirred. But she would have if he’d continued that shit, so I’d smuggled him downstairs and fed him some kibble. Since then, I made sure I had the finest chicken treats added to our grocery list and he was putty in my hands. Never thought I’d have to bribe a street dog, but here I was, making a damn accord with one.

  I stepped into the room, moving to her closet and filling my bag with a little lilac bikini, a kaftan, some hot as fuck booty shorts and a cami.

  Then I shouldered my pack and moved to her bed, gazing down at her snuggled in the sheets, her beautiful face perfectly still.

  I leaned down, brushing my lips over hers, savouring her taste and she moaned sleepily, the sound making my cock perk up. I slid the sheets back, eyeing her bare legs, her little black panties and the Green Power Ranger tank she was sleeping in. I swear that motherfucker on her top looked smug as hell and I pursed my lips before gently sliding my arms under her and scooping her up against my chest.

  Mutt growled and I tossed him a few more treats as she mumbled something about angry badgers then snuggled into my body. The heat of her made my heart pound and I grinned as I stole my girl away, heading out of her room and downstairs to the kitchen with Mutt on my heels. I carefully opened the fridge as I held her against me with one arm and took out the bowl of cooked chicken I’d prepared last night. Then I carefully dropped down, placing it on the floor and Mutt came running over to devour it.

  “There you go, little bastard,” I murmured before standing and carrying Rogue to the back door and unlocking it. I headed outside, nodding to Raul who lifted his gun at my movements, then nodded to me, eyeing Rogue in my arms for a second before promptly averting his gaze.

  Don’t mind me, I’m just kidnapping my girl on the date of her life.

  I headed down the porch steps to the sandy beach, the waves lapping softly again
st the darkened shore. There was the barest hint of dawn in the sky and I wanted to get moving to see it rise at our destination.

  I headed along the jetty and climbed onto the speedboat, laying Rogue in the nest of blankets I’d put there last night before I went to bed. I brushed some hair away from her face as her eyelids fluttered, but she didn’t wake. The wasn’t much I could about waking her in a second, but if I didn’t get the boat moving before she did, she was gonna try to run. So I’d rather be well underway and have the inevitable argument which was coming once we were at sea.

  I stood before the wheel and turned the ignition on, the engine blaring to life and Rogue screamed as she woke. I took off across the waves, throwing a glance over my shoulder as she stood up among the blankets, taking me in with wild, tempestuous eyes.

  “What the fuck are you doing, Fox?!” she yelled.

  “We’re going to spend the morning together,” I called over my shoulder.

  “Er, no, we’re fucking not. Turn the boat around. Take me back this second.” She came at me, trying to grab the wheel and I pushed her down to sit on a bench beside me. I dropped the pack from my shoulders, unzipping it and taking out a fresh pastry I’d made at midnight. I handed it to her wrapped in paper, wafting the scent under her nose and she gaped at me like I was crazy.

  “Fuck your croissant,” she snapped.

  “It’s a pain au chocolat,” I corrected then looked out to sea. “But if you don’t want it, I guess a seagull will have it.”

  “Wait,” she gasped because destroying good food had always been blasphemous to her. She snatched it from my grip and I fought a smirk as she bit into it then groaned like I’d just thrust my dick into her. My dad had left me to cook my own meals when I was teenager and around the time I was eighteen, I’d decided I didn’t want to live off pizza and microwave meals anymore. And once I could make decent food, JJ and Chase had conveniently shown up for meals most nights. We weren’t often on the same schedule these days, but they’d made me promise I’d cook every Sunday for as long as we’d lived together.