by J Bree
Doesn’t matter that Illi handed me a jar with one of her hands in it. He’s a sick and twisted man, but I love him like a brother and I’ll take that fucking jar with me everywhere I go until I get over the damage of nearly losing Harley.
The night before the next meeting, I wake up in a cold sweat and shaking. Ash is curved around me and the second I open my eyes I find Harley still asleep beside me, looking peaceful and unaware of the random bouts of panic his near-death is still fucking causing me. What an asshole.
I look around and Blaise is nowhere to be found. A quick glance at the clock shows it’s four in the morning and not a normal hour for him to be awake yet. He’s more of a late afternoon riser.
I wriggle out of the bed, careful not to wake the other two, and creep around the house until I find him smoking a blunt out by the pool. I watch him for a second and take in the lines between his eyes, the dark circles and the way his mouth is turning down at the corners, and I sigh. There’s only one person left in contact with him that has this effect on him.
His fucking mother.
I walk over to take the seat next to him and he murmurs happily at me, the smile he gives me a little forced and a whole lot morose. I can feel the pity party brewing already. Great.
“What are you doing out here?” I murmur, and he flicks the ash from his blunt. I try not to let the smell bother me but he gives me another sad smile and puts it out on the ashtray.
“Sorry, Star. I can’t sleep.”
Fuck.
We’re a bunch of fucking insomniacs.
I shift to curl myself into his lap, enjoying the little grunts he lets out as my ass wiggles against his very interested dick. It’s been a while since I’ve had any of them alone and I’m not quite ready to use the orgy-sized bed for the exact purpose I’m sure Avery got it for, so this little moment to ourselves is not only perfect but it’s like a drug to me. Yes, fucking please. I give myself a second to clear the hormones out of my brain.
“Has something happened?” I mumble into his chest.
He sighs, tangling his hands into my hair, scratching at my scalp in a way that has my toes curling. “My mom wants me to go see her and Blaire. I’m not sure it’s a good idea. I’m not exactly a safe person to be around anymore but... I miss her.”
I nod and press my forehead against his chest. I still don’t like the woman but fuck, she’s his mom. I guess as long as she’s not trying to kill him I have to deal with whatever he wants to do.
Blaise tugs at my hair until I look up at him and see the lecherous smirk he’s giving me. “Wanna suck me off to help me get back to sleep?”
I snort at him but, uh, yeah. That’s exactly what I want.
“Maybe if you’re good I will. If you’re extra good I might even swallow.”
The smirk on his face triples in size and he leans down to whisper in my ear, “You love my come, Star. You’re greedy for it, you’d never spit me out.”
I mumble about arrogant, smug assholes as he stands, still pressing me into his chest, and walks us both back into the house. He doesn’t stop until we get to his room and he kicks the door shut, way too loud and I’m cringing at the thought of it waking Avery. The last thing I need is for her to come looking for blood and finding me blowing Blaise.
We might both get stabbed.
Blaise lowers me to the ground and chuckles at me. “Stop looking so fucking scared, Avery is on the other side of the building and if the other two hear us the worst that will happen is they’ll come find us. We’re very good at sharing you, Star.”
I glare at him but the little shiver that runs through me only has him laughing harder. I shove at his chest a little but that only distracts me more. The ink running up his neck has been added to and now there are little stars curling behind his ears and a few little ones on his temples. It’s fucking hot, and completely unfair because now there’s zero chances of me looking at him without ruining my panties.
“Fuck, that’s how I want you looking at me. I want you looking at me like you’re fucking desperate, Star,” he drawls, tugging me over to his bed and I straddle his lap again.
If I were any good at flirting or foreplay I’d give him sultry look and use a coy voice to say “I am,” but that’s just not something I have in me, so I kiss him instead.
It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been doing this, making out and grinding all over each other, Blaise still kisses me with his whole damn body. He curls around me, covers me, and groans into my lips until I forget myself.
I pull his shirt off and yank my own off so I can press myself against him, rubbing at his chest and arms like a freaking cat in heat. He grins at me and flips me over so I’m underneath him on the bed. The second his dick rubs against my clit through my panties I realize three vital things: we’re alone, we’re horny, and I’m no longer a scared virgin.
I grab the waistband of his boxers and yank them down, far enough that I can stroke his dick and, fuck yes, this is want I want. Blaise groans into my lips and breaks away, panting and thrusting his hips up into my grip.
“Do you want a blow job, or do you want to have sex? Both?” I whisper, blushing so fucking hard but whatever. I manage to say the words so it’s a win.
Blaise freezes, then props himself up to look down at me with a smirk. “I knew it. It was Harley, right? He fucked you first? Ash would’ve broken you.”
Well, fuck, why is this a conversation he’s insisting on having? And right now, of all fucking times!
I clear my throat. “Why the hell are we talking about this? You already know it was Harley. He wouldn’t have lied and Avery wasn’t exactly quiet about it.”
He scoffs at me and moves to kiss down my throat. “Other than gloating about the party at the docks, Harley doesn’t talk about what you guys get up to. He did suddenly become less of a grumpy dick so I guessed.”
I squirm, more at his words than his tongue, and try once again to get him to shut the hell up. “Does it matter? Can we go back to the orgasms now? I’d really like to cuddle and nap afterwards.”
He licks a stripe down my belly until he gets to my panties and then blows on my skin. Fucking seductive, evil dick. I bite back a moan.
He peels my panties off and whispers against my pussy as he begins to lick and suck at me, “It matters, Star. I’ve changed my mind, I don’t want you to swallow my come. I want to see it dripping down your legs.”
Holy.
Merciful.
Lord.
“I don’t ever want to know where you learned to talk like that,” I gasp out as he sucks at my clit and hums under his breath. I can feel how wet I am, I can feel I’m coating his face, and I groan when he slips two fingers into me.
“I’m naturally talented, Star. I thought you’d know that by now,” he says, and he pumps his fingers into me mercilessly and I come with a tiny little scream I hope no one else hears.
I need a second to coax my soul back into my body, but when I can move again Blaise climbs up to sit against the headboard and pulls me back into his lap. I bite his lip while he moves me, lining up and lowering me down slowly until I’m impaled on his dick. It knocks the breath out of me, he’s still too fucking big and even though I’ve had sex with Harley a few times I’m still fairly new at this. His eyes stay focused on mine until they roll back in my head. Fuck, I love this.
Blaise doesn’t treat me like glass. He doesn’t wait before he’s grabbing my hips and moving me up and down his cock until both our legs are shaking, a stream of encouragements and filthy words falling out of his mouth faster than I can make sense of. “Fuck, yes. Move your hips, Star, fuck, yes. Just like that. Perfect, a fucking perfect pussy for my cock.”
I can feel the orgasm building in me again, and my movements grow desperate. Blaise grunts and slams his hips up into me, his head rolling back, and I kiss and lick my way up his throat, sucking on every star he’s itched into his skin for me. I come again, clenching around him and biting his shoulder so I don’t wa
ke the whole fucking house up, and he grunts, slamming his hips up into me as he comes, too.
When I climb off of his lap, his come does run down my legs.
I fucking love it.
My brains must be completely fried, because when he snaps a photo I don’t even care, I just preen under the possessive look in his eyes. Once I’ve caught my breath, I clean up in the bathroom and then settle into his arms in the bed.
“I’m never letting you go, Star. You’re mine.” He whispers against my hair in a sleep-soaked voice.
I yawn and press a kiss to his chest. I don’t want to think about anything that might ruin my sleep. I don’t want to think about how he might not have a choice.
The demons stalking us might take me out.
The final Twelve meeting for the summer is being held on neutral ground.
Well, it’s technically neutral because the Vulture is dead but taking Illi back to the place where he watched his future wife get sold to her rapist isn’t going to be pleasant, and I find myself getting wound up over it. I hate the auctions. The entire building stinks of death, despair, and perverted men. Even after months of disuse I’m sure it’ll still fucking reek.
I must wear my unease like a neon sign because everyone stays three feet away from me all day, the guys all going down to the gym to work out and Avery sitting in front of the TV with her phone for hours.
When I finally come out of my fog and join her, I cringe at the movie that’s playing.
Dirty Dancing.
Fuck.
“Men are swine,” Avery says around a mouthful of pancakes, more chocolate syrup and whipped cream than anything else. Right. Best friend duty is calling but how the fuck do I fix this?!
“What’s he done? I can lightly stab him. Nothing permanent but enough to ruin his day.”
Avery sighs and cocks her head, tucking her arm in mine. “You’re the best. We’re still… communicating daily, but I’m keeping it all strictly business. He’s just told me I’m forbidden to come to the meeting tonight. Forbidden. Like I’m a fucking child, or a puppy, or… something else pathetic.”
Atticus Crawford, the Crow of Mounts Bay, is a fucking dumbass.
“So stabbing? Because that sounds like he needs to shed a little blood and gain a little perspective. I could hold him down while you bleed him? Well, Blaise and I could. I wouldn’t trust the other two. They’d make it permanent.”
She smiles and shakes her head. “I’m not a pathetic girl. I don’t mope and moon or boys.”
I nod, except I’m also very aware that that's exactly what she’s doing. However, I’m not a dumbass so no amount of torture could get me to utter those words out loud.
“I’m coming tonight,” she says, her tone firm and I nod again.
“There was never a doubt in my mind. Someday he’ll figure it out, Aves.”
She sniffs just a tiny bit and says, “I’ll be gone by then. I’m not waiting for him to figure out I’m not a child. I’m not the little girl in the pretty dresses he used to like.”
I steal a forkful of pancakes and say, “You should throw a knife at his head, like Illi taught you. That’ll teach him.”
The lessons Illi had been teaching all of my family were fucking amazing to watch. He’s not exactly a natural teacher, but the guys all respond well to his arrogant ribbing and he treats Avery with the same level of respectful patience as I imagine he had back when he’d first taught me. She was a quick study, and now she’s a danger with a knife. Atticus better watch out.
She scoffs at me and I see my cold, cruel, perfect Beaumont back in her eyes again. “Why are you so intent on hurting him? Should I be worried about the first argument you get into with those stupid boys?”
I scoff at her and steal more food. All of my stewing has brewed up an appetite. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, I fight with them all the time.”
The front door opens and the guys all walk through, bickering and snarking at each other like they always do. I turn back to the TV, intent on ignoring them but Avery’s eyes narrow dangerously.
“Do the three of you ever do anything productive, or are you just going to spend the summer beating each other up and glaring at crime lords so Lips has to go into damage control to save your miserable asses?”
Ash scoffs at her and sits on the couch with us, sliding his palm along my thigh in a cruel and calculated move. Cruel to me, because I can’t control my reactions, and calculated towards his sister, because I think he’s done with her moping. It works like a fucking charm.
Avery’s eyes drop down to glare at his hand and when she looks back up at him I almost cringe at the look of pure disgust.
Ash smirks at her. “Maybe you should stop moping about that spineless fuck Atticus Crow and find someone worth your time?”
I move to get up, and away from their war, and they both hold me in place. Well, fuck.
“And who exactly do you suggest I date then, Ash? Who would meet your impossible standards?”
Blaise sprawls out on the floor in front of us and winks at me as he says, “Maybe you should date girls instead? Ash probably won’t give a fuck about a girl getting up in your pussy.”
Avery arches a brow at him and says, “If I were going to fuck a girl, it would be Lips. Don’t tempt me, she would drop you idiots for me in a second.”
I bite my lip to stop myself from smiling but the girl has a point. Blaise doesn’t seem to agree. “Star loves my dick Aves, she’d never give it up for you.”
I blush and stand, brushing off Ash’s hand and grabbing the empty plate. “That’s more than enough bullshit for me for one day. How about we get ready for the meeting? I don’t need you guys getting pissy right before we leave. We’ll already have Illi to deal with.”
I sigh, thinking again about what the fuck to do about the Butcher’s reactions to being back at the auctions. I know the Jackal has picked that building on purpose to torture his old friend because he’s a fucking sadistic dick like that.
The retaliation I have planned for him will be enough to keep Illi level.
I hope.
Chapter Three
Blaise drives us down to the auctions in his new Cadillac, and I sit in the back between Ash and Harley. It’s quiet in the car, everyone is a little on edge, but I enjoy the time to think and plan and prepare.
When we pull up to the warehouse I direct Blaise on where to park and we find Illi waiting for us, leaning against his own Camaro. Harley mumbles under his breath in appreciation and Ash scoffs at him, the tense air broken by a freaking car of all things. I slip out behind Ash, a hand in his because he’s pretending to be a gentleman for the night, then I tuck my arm into Avery’s in a show of support.
The Crow will already be here, in the building checking the Jackal hasn’t planted explosives I’d guess, and I don’t want Avery feeling anxious about it. I’m not sure this girl can actually feel such a thing but Atticus is fucking ruining her.
“Can we get this bullshit fucking over with? I have other things to do.” Illi snaps, and takes the lead. That’s breaking protocol and something I’d bitched the boys out for at dinner to remind them. Harley raises an eyebrow at me and I shake my head.
This place is fucking evil.
We walk after him, up to the door where one of the Jackal’s men is standing watch. Illi sneers at him and I gently nudge Avery behind me.
It’s about to get bloody.
“The Jackal has put a limit on how many men go in tonight. Pick one, the rest can stay out here,” the chump says and I stare him down.
My voice is cold and flat as I reply, “The Jackal doesn’t tell me what to do. Move or die.”
The chump startles, and looks between the Butcher and I with panicked eyes. “You can’t kill me, I’m with the Jackal! He gave me an order, I can’t—”
“Die it is.” says Illi, and he swipes one of his cleavers from its sheath. The chump shits himself and scrambles back, slapping a hand onto a hidd
en earpiece and shouting about being murdered.
It’s not murder, it’s taking out the fucking trash.
Avery winces and turns around at the sight of blood, but the boys all watch with varying levels of interest as Illi shows them exactly how he got his name. The chump screams through the first arm but is out for his leg. There’s blood fucking everywhere, and it feels like it’s coating the inside of my nose by the time he stands again.
“Fuck that egotistical, sadistic, spoiled fucking sociopath,” Illi snaps, and I nod my head.
“Well, if that isn’t a statement, I don’t know what is.”
Ash rolls his shoulders back and flicks a hand at the mess. “Is that not going to get you into trouble? And here I am being on my best behavior.”
Illi wipes his hands on his shirt, a pointless move because there isn’t much of him that isn’t covered in the gore, and snaps, “If that fuck D’Ardo has a thing to say about it I’ll fucking gut him as well. Fuck playing nice, kid, let’s get this over with.”
I shake my head at him, hesitating before grabbing his hand and giving it a squeeze. “You can wait outside if you want. Or head home. I’ve got this under control.”
He scoffs at me and drops my hand. “Like fuck.”
Great.
It’s going to be one of those sorts of nights.
We walk in and the smell is as bad as I’d thought it was going to be. The cages are all still hanging everywhere and the seating still looks like someone’s taken a cum-bath on them. When Avery gags and covers her nose, Ash tucks her under his arm.
The meeting is held on the fucking auction stage because the Jackal really is a sadistic fuck.
We’re the last ones to arrive. Harley pulls my chair out for me, and kisses my neck right before I take my seat because he can’t help but push things. Fuck it, this night is already going to be a shit-show, why not fuck with the Jackal a little more?
I ignore the scoff out of the Coyote and when I turn to give him a look I catch Viola’s eye. He’s brought her with him.
Fuck.
She walks over to stand with my family and they accept her without question. Good. The Coyote may not have an army but he comes in handy and I already have a great deal of work I need him to do. The less diamond I have to part with the better.