by A. J. Macey
Taking over, I braced myself against his chest, the balls of my feet planted on the carpet, so I could bounce on his hard cock. His eyes and free hand roved over my body as if he couldn’t get enough of me. The sensation only fueled the fire, my pussy clamping around him as his cock hit just the right spot.
“Kane,” I moaned, my eyes falling shut. His name was breathy and cracking under the pleasure-filled haze I was surrendering to as I continued to ride him, letting the feel of him inside me swallow me whole. The pull on the tie loosened, both arms wrapping around my waist to hold me against his heated chest. Curling my arms around his shoulders, Holding him, I shattered completely in his embrace, unable to move as aftershocks and fire seared me. Kane took over, bucking up into me, his grunts and groans having me claw at his sculpted back until we both faltered, falling toward release together. Propping me up, Kane pulled out of me, his cock spurting against my hip as he settled me back onto his lap.
We stayed like that for a while, my mind too addled from our sex to focus on how much time passed until both of us were no longer panting, and our hearts had slowed. As we relaxed, Kane’s fingers brushed over my back, sending a shiver down my spine and a wave of goosebumps over my skin.
“You’re even more gorgeous than I imagined,” Kane murmured, his lips sealing to the crook of my neck. “I couldn’t stand by and watch something happen to you, Blue. You mean way too much to me, and I just got you back. Please promise me you’ll try to be careful?”
The pained note in his voice made my chest squeeze, my eyes prickling with the burn of unshed tears. I was glad my face was still buried against his shoulder, so he couldn’t see the build of emotions in my body.
“I’ll try my best, Kane. I would never do anything intentionally to put myself in danger,” I whispered, “but you can’t treat me like a child anymore.”
“I know, Ev. I know.” He sighed against my skin, squeezing my torso lightly. “But don’t think I won’t smack that ass if you do something stupid.”
A chuckle bubbled out of my chest, helping combat the crushing sensation of memories from when they’d left. Right now, Kane is here, and that’s all that matters. It doesn’t seem like I’m going anywhere. I’ll get my answers soon enough.
“Deal,” I agreed, my cheeks hurting from my wide smile.
I can definitely get used to Kane’s spankings.
10
October 14th
Monday Morning
Declan
What the hell? I thought, glancing around the room. Where the hell am I? Groaning, I circled my head around, memories of what happened filtering in as my brain powered back up.
“That little...” I mumbled to myself, a smile curling my lips. She had gotten me good, and now I was handcuffed to a metal table. “Hello!” I shouted, knowing it would probably do no good. Much to my surprise, it only took a few minutes for a tall man with blond hair to step into the cramped, sterile room.
“My name is Silas,” he greeted politely, taking a seat on the other side of the table. “Who are you?”
“The man you have handcuffed to the table,” I spouted, shaking the restraints to make my point. “Is Sparky here?”
“She is, but you don't get to talk to her until I determine whether you're going to be helpful or more of a hindrance. Now, who are you?”
“Why should I tell you?” The man, Silas, smirked, leaning forward on his forearms to look at me.
“Well, I already know who you are, so it was more of a courtesy thing, Mr. Hadid.”
My heart stopped, my playful banter falling to the wayside. Adrenaline flooded my system at this unpleasant revelation.
“Good for you, you know I'm Declan Hadid.” I changed directions with an indifferent shrug. “Any other information you think you know about me?”
“You're fascinated by 'Sparky' as you call her. You think she's beautiful and want to know her name, so you can get to know her in other ways. But don't worry, I'll keep the fact you actually get turned on by the shock of her electricity under wraps.” He gave me a smirk before continuing, “Oh, and I've seen your face. I should know more about you as soon as our computer guy finishes some more digging.”
“Alright, what do you want?” I huffed, relenting while recognizing I was in a bad position—for now. My focus on the man in front of me kept my jittery nerves at bay.
“Who were the men who were after Sparky?”
“Some heavy hitters who typically associate with the Legion Council. One was a Phenom. Blinked away from me before I could stop him,” I explained. “I can give you what I think their names are if that would help get me out of wherever the hell we are.”
He nodded, pulling out a spare piece of paper and a pen from his pocket, sliding them over to me. Accepting this was the only option, I sighed in defeat as I scribbled the names of the two I was pretty sure of. Fucking Blinker was too fast for me to get a good look.
“We'll look into this,” he stated simply, taking the paper before standing.
“You're seriously going to just leave me in here?” I called out, my question stopping Silas from leaving.
“Someone will be by to take you to a room in an hour or so after we check out the information, but you'll still be locked down.” I huffed but didn't argue, knowing a room with a bed was better than being attached to a table.
Hopefully, they hurry because I have to piss.
Evera
Declan Hadid, the man I had so cleverly nicknamed Wings, sat at a metal table in the room on the other side of the one way mirror, the scowl on his face telling me how much he appreciated his current accommodations. His tanned skin was warm under the lights, his jaw covered in a layer of stubble that matched the inky black of the hair flopping slightly into his ice-blue eyes. He was handsome, and his smooth, accented voice still affected me—despite being utterly satisfied by Kane’s... disciplining, I couldn’t help but want the man in front of me too. Pushing away the fond thought of Kane and our romp around his office, I focused on the task at hand.
“Something doesn't add up, I feel like I've heard that name before,” Acer mumbled next to me, coming in from down the hall with the notes and names Declan had scribbled down. Must’ve passed Silas in the hallway. “Hadid, not these guys,” he clarified. My thoughts still whirling a thousand miles an hour, I must not have answered. “Want to help me dig, Angel?”
My heart and stomach clenched as my brain skipped from the topic of Declan to sex with Kane to somehow telling Acer, in rapid fire. I wasn't sure how he saw us, whether or not we were a couple, but a part of me knew he wouldn't handle it well.
“Yeah,” I mumbled, nodding with a poor attempt at a smile. “What do you need me to look into first?”
“I have a few searches looking out for Declan Hadid, but if you want to look back into Carlia Hampton and see if there's any more information on her while I start my searches on these asshats,” he explained, shaking the paper slightly.
I nodded again, dropping down in front of the laptop he had given me and got started. It only took about twenty minutes of tense silence for him to call me out on what was bothering me.
“So, you going to tell me what's up, Angel? You've been acting real weird since we got back last night. Kane didn't hurt you, did he?”
“I slept with Kane,” I blurted out. My eyes widened when I realized I had just thrown it out there. Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I scanned Acer's expression. He was silent, frozen in his seat. His face was stunned, but there were no other overwhelmingly obvious emotions littering his expression.
“Oh, wow,” he breathed, “I did not see that one coming quite yet.”
“What do you mean quite yet?” I exclaimed in confusion. “You knew we'd have sex?”
“Well, yeah, I told you they had feelings for you. I know you have feelings for them, but I just expected Kane's pigheadedness to keep him out of the running for a while longer.”
“Running for what?” I ground out in irritation. Since
finding Acer at breakfast this morning, I’d been panicking about how he would react, and here he was, apparently expecting it. He didn’t look upset, but his tone hinted otherwise, making me think he was more worried than he was letting. What the fuck?
“Who gets you,” he explained quietly, shrugging slightly. “You can pick him. Or Carson, you know, if you want. I won't be upset.”
“Are you fucking serious right now?” I nearly yelled. How could he think that? Don’t I get a choice? “No one is ‘in the running’ for who gets to be with me, and just because I care about them too doesn't mean I'm going to write off the years we've had, Trace. I thought you knew me better than that. But apparently what I want doesn't matter,” I bit out, getting up from the table. “I'll research in my room.”
“Angel,” he called out, but I kept walking.
I need to be alone. This is going to be a rough adjustment.
Acer
Ugh, fucking great, I groaned, dropping my head onto the table as Evera stormed away. While I was irritated with myself for upsetting her, I was happy to know she wouldn't just cut and run now that Kane and Carson were back in the picture. I would’ve respected it if one of them was her choice, but until then, I wouldn’t just let them push me out of the way so easily. Angel was mine, and if I had to share her, I would, but I damn well wasn't going anywhere.
“You okay, Acer?” Silas's question reaching me, I groaned really loud before sitting up, looking over at him with a glare. “I'll take that as a no.”
“You're the one who reads minds, so why don't you tell me?” I waved a hand in the air at him as he took the seat across from me. He smirked but didn't dignify my outburst with an answer. “Ugh, fine. I may or may not have said something and pissed off Evera.”
“About her and Kane?” he guessed.
Well, I guess you don’t need to guess much when you can read people’s thoughts. I nodded, glancing at my search process. When I saw it was still going, I turned back to our conversation.
“Yeah, she told me, and I may have gotten a wee bit… insecure,” I mumbled, shrugging. “It’s just hard thinking she might pick one of them. She’s missed them for years. Who am I in that?”
“Acer, Evera doesn’t have to pick, though, does she?” My lips thinned, but I couldn’t find the energy to argue. “Give her an hour or two, then take her some peanut butter cookies. She's not used to being around people this much, so I think she's overwhelmed.”
“Yeah, alright. I'll try that, thanks,” I nodded gratefully. Shifting my focus back to my search, I threw myself into work.
The two hours went by incredibly slowly, my attention only half focused on my dig into Declan's past and Evera’s attackers. Right now, all I wanted was to take Angel some cookies. So, as soon as the time limit was up, I locked up my equipment and headed to the dining area to grab a handful of treats and some soda.
“Angel,” I called out, tapping lightly on her door. “Can I come in?”
“Yeah,” she called back, her voice muffled through the metal, but she didn't seem angry, and she had never been one who hid her emotions very well. Pushing open the door, I saw her sitting on her bed, reading a beat-up paperback.
“I come with some snacks,” I started, holding up the pack and two cans of soda. “Care to have some with me?”
“Sure,” she nodded, scooting over a bit so I could sit next to her on the bed. “Oooh, peanut butter, my favorite.”
“Yeah?” I asked with a smile, not letting her know Silas had let that little tidbit slip. “Well, I'll remember that for next time.”
“Next time?” she asked with a full mouth after taking a bite of her cookie, her hand covering her lips so she could chew.
“Next time I stick my foot in my mouth.” I shrugged. “I'm sorry. I think I was shocked and a bit worried that you'd... I don't know...” I trailed off, unsure of how to explain what I was feeling.
“Pick them?” she finished for me with a single brow raised. I nodded, shoving half a cookie in my mouth so I wouldn't randomly blurt out something that'd make it worse. “I care about them, Acer, but you're the one who's been there for me. I would never just cut you out. That's like cutting out peanut butter cookies, and that would never be okay with me.”
Her addition tacked onto the end made me laugh, but unfortunately, I still had half a cookie in my mouth and started to cough. Smooth, Acer, real smooth. Woo the woman with cookies and choke in the process. All of which Evera seemed to find very funny because she was laughing, tears streaming down her face at my struggles.
“I'm glad you find nearly choking to death by cookie so funny, Angel,” I forced out, my words raspy as I took the soda she offered me.
“You're welcome,” she smarted with a smile. Her eyes lit up with happiness, her body relaxed instead of being curled inward. She may not like being around people, but it seems to be doing some good. After a few moments of silence, while Evera played with the arcs around her fingers, she finally asked me what was on her mind.
“What would you do if I didn’t want to pick?” she murmured, barely audible even in the quietness of the room.
“What do you mean?” I asked, glancing over at her with a scrunched brow.
“Would you leave if you weren’t the only one I was with?” she whispered, her body curling in on itself as she waited for my answer.
“Angel babe, I’m here for you, regardless of whether it’s just you and me or it’s you, me, and a collection of Syndicate members,” I reassured her, rubbing her back softly. “What matters to me is you’re happy.”
“So, you’re not leaving?” She perked up, almost like she didn’t believe me. Well, if I had been abandoned by the only two people I had left, I wouldn’t be so trusting either.
“Unless you want me to”—I smiled at her—“although, even then, I probably wouldn’t leave.” She laughed, her body visibly relaxing after hearing how I felt.
“Going to hang out here for the rest of the night?” I asked, brushing my pants of any crumbs as I shifted forward to the edge of the bed.
“Yeah, it's a pretty big adjustment to be around so many people again, and I don't know if I'm really up for any more socializing today. Working at the cafe is one thing since those people come and go, no one really sticking around for conversation or having any expectations. Here, it’s hard to get space,” she explained. “Still researching?”
“Should hopefully have something in the next few hours. If not, the threads I have out there right now should know something by morning, but I'm going to dig some more. Love finding out what people are hiding,” I added with a grin. “You have a good night, Angel.”
“I mean, if you want,” she mumbled, “you could come research in here with me. You know, if you bring me some more peanut butter cookies.” Her smile was small, but her eyes lit up as she looked over at me from under her lashes.
“I can definitely do that.” Before I could get off the bed fully, she did something I hadn't expected. Shifting forward, she kissed me. It was short and sweet but full of promises, her pale cheeks blushing a soft pink flush as she smiled at me. Figuring it would be out of character if I wasn't a cheeky asshole, I hooked my arm over her shoulder and kissed her hard until we flopped back onto the bed.
“I’ll be back with more sugary sustenance and my work stuff,” I said in a light, teasing tone as I got up. The laughter that followed me out into the hallway left me in a better mood than I’d had since we’d gotten into this whole situation.
This might not be so bad.
Although I wouldn't complain about getting to punch Carson again.
Evera
Several hours later, Acer passed out on my bed, snoring away, I slipped out of my room. As much as I loved cookies, they weren’t a proper dinner, and my stomach kept growling, spoiled by the steady stream of food it’d had since coming here.
“Hey there, Evera,” Granger called out, slipping in next to me as I surveyed the food on the line. “What’s got you up so lat
e?”
“Food, and before that, research with Acer,” I explained, grabbing some spaghetti and breadsticks. “You?”
“Planning the next heist with Harrison and Silas.” He hitched a thumb over his shoulder at the two walking up to get food. Harrison gave me a wave, his mouth stuffed full as he shoved a roll into it, his other hand quickly loading up a tray.
“Good evening, Evera,” Silas murmured softly, reaching around me to grab a salad and spaghetti. “How has your day been going? Or should I say how was last night?” The last portion was whispered in my ear, low enough to not catch Granger or Harrison’s attention. I blushed, my cheeks immediately heating as memories of the night before flashed in my head. “Mm, I would say pretty good then.”
“Stay out of my head,” I hissed under my breath. “Those aren’t for you to just rifle through.”
“Maybe not, but who’s going to stop me?” he challenged before standing up straight, his lips curled in a self-satisfied grin. “Other than that, how are you? Did Acer make nice?”
“Are you always so nosy?” I grumbled in exasperation. Silas just laughed, walking with me to where Granger and Harrison had taken a seat.
“Silas nosy? Yes, literally all the fuckin’ time,” Harrison said around a mouthful of food. “Though that’s technically his job, so I can’t be too pissed off,” he explained with a shrug. “It’s pretty fun, though, to randomly think of some fucked up shit. He makes the best expressions.” Glancing over, I burst out laughing at the horror-stricken expression growing on Silas’ face.
“You need professional help,” Silas muttered. Harrison laughed but didn’t argue as he continued to stuff his face, but the mention of jobs had piqued my interest. “I’m Kane’s second-in-command. It’s my job to keep everyone in line and make sure there are no issues with the men and women.”