Even at Your Darkest

by A J Love

  “I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that,” I incline my head toward Layton where she’s laughing with Karie as they dance. “She’s happy.”

  “Me too, man,” Nolan replies, “because so are you.”

  Yeah, so am I.

  Layton is drunk off her ass by the time I get her back to the apartment, and apparently has no inclination of going to sleep any time soon. I’d be pissed, if only she wasn’t so damn funny with it. I laugh now as she attempts to take off her shoes while still standing in them at the side of my bed.

  “You need to sit down,” I suggest.

  “I’d like to sit down on something,” she wiggles her eyebrows, “come here, Big guy.”

  Jesus.

  “Big guy?” I walk toward her, watching the way her pupils dilate with her need. “And what part of me do you think is so big?”

  She shrugs, “Your ego.”

  “Is that right?” I bend and lift her feet from the floor, chuckling when she falls back onto the bed laughing. “Just my ego?”

  She pulls on my tie, forcing me to cover her body with my own. She giggles, “Your head is pretty big too.”

  Leaning back, I flip her over and spank her ass. She moans in response. “I see we’ve got jokes and a smart mouth tonight, huh?”

  She looks at me over her shoulder and actually bats her fucking eyes at me. “Can’t you handle me?”

  Growling, I spank her again. “Oh, I got you. But can you handle me?”

  I move my hands up the back of her legs and under her dress, squeezing her cheeks. She lifts her hips, pushing her ass out. “Why don’t we find out?”

  I’m more than happy to oblige.

  I reach up to the zipper of her dress and slowly pull it down, revealing the soft ivory of her skin. She shifts beneath me as I peel it and her panties from her and then turn her over. Reaching between her legs, I stroke the length of her pussy, my dick straining at the feel of her as she opens for me. I lower myself, desperate to taste her, and replace my hand with my tongue. She cries out as I circle her clit and put my other hand under her ass, putting pressure on that hole with my thumb. We haven’t ventured there, yet, and she’s made no noise about wanting it, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to test the waters. I am a guy after all. I keep my tongue on her and I move my thumb, listening to the sounds she’s making.

  None of them are saying stop.

  She moans louder as I dip ever so slightly in.

  No, she definitely doesn’t want me to stop.

  Her hips begin to move, she’s pressing against me, pushing further down on my thumb and my tongue. I can tell she’s getting close with the way her thighs are squeezing my head, but I want to drag this out. I don’t want it to end too soon. I’ve been waiting all fucking night to have her to myself, and now I do, I want to take my time with her.

  She groans when I pull away from her, her eyes like fire when she looks at me.

  “Bend,” I snap. “Now.”

  She responds, with a lick of her lips and obedience. I damn near come in my pants. I give her ass another slap, then pull off my clothes and free myself. My dick is throbbing to be inside her, but I’m not done playing yet. Leaning over her, I let the tip of my cock tease at her entrance and bite the lobe of her ear. She groans in appreciation.

  “Are you feeling dirty tonight, sweetheart?” She pushes herself back against me. “Do you want me to show you exactly how I’ll handle you and your smart mouth?”

  “Yes,” she breathes. “Show me.”

  Rearing back a little, I pinch at her nipple lightly, while my thumb goes back to circle her asshole. She yelps, then pushes back against me again.

  “More,” she begs, her hand fisting the sheets under her.

  She uses her free hand to reach between her legs and touch herself. I watch as she rubs the length of her pussy, slipping a finger inside and moaning. I increase the pressure of my thumb, pushing it slightly inside her slowly as I work my dick. Her head drops to the bed with a cry of pleasure, and I can feel her climax building. Keeping my thumb inside her ass, I position myself at her pussy and thrust inside. She’s tight and soaking, and primed to take me, nearly screaming as her first orgasm hits her. She removes her hands and flattens her upper body against the bed, laying herself out for me. I pull from her slowly, torturing myself as well as her. I replace my dick with my hand and coat my thumb in her arousal before slamming back into her. With my cock pulsing against her walls, I slide my thumb fully into her ass. Keeping it there, I begin to move. I take it slowly at first, but soon, I can’t hold back and take her harder and faster. Her incoherent begging and moaning mixes with my own cursing until we’re both at the peak of a glass pane which is ready to break. Once, twice, three more, and it shatters, sending us both spiraling into a fucking ecstasy. Together, we both collapse onto the bed, breathless and spent.

  Absently, I glance down.

  She’s still wearing her fucking shoes.

  Layton

  “Layton, it's Ken. I need you to come get me.”

  I blink in rapid succession, not really understanding how this is happening. Looking toward Kane’s shop, I hope it will give me some sort of divine reasoning as to why a girl I thought was as good as dead is now currently on my cell phone. When I’d answered the call, I’d assumed that it was someone calling about my store. I’ve been getting those lately, thanks to the giant goddamn sign outside with my number on, people wanting to ask questions and get information. I very rarely have the answers myself but I’m trying. So, I was definitely not expecting McKenna’s hushed voice to greet me. She sounds different, shaky and unsure, like her fear has completely overtaken her. I can almost feel it, as if it’s coming through the phone and choking me.

  “McKenna?” I whisper. “Is that really you?”

  “Yes, darling, it is me,” she coughs a little. “I got away. Can you come, please? Can you borrow a car or something? Just you. I don’t trust anyone else.”

  Holy crap. Again, I look toward Kane’s shop and then out of the window. It’s getting late, the sun already setting. I should tell him, and then we could both get her. That would be safer, especially now it’s getting dark, but she said to get her alone because she doesn’t trust anyone. And why should she? She must have been through hell. Besides, so far, I’ve managed to keep Kane out of the mess that Liquid creates. I’ve seen Vinny a few times around town lately, but he’s always so nice. We’re clear from them, we’re away and we’re okay. I don’t want to drag him in the middle of all of that when he is doing so well and is finally beginning to open up. Hell, with his dad’s death, I don’t want anything to tip him over the edge I almost watched him jump from. I don’t want to see that Kane ever again. But I can hardly leave her. We were friends once. She needs me, and I can’t let her down.

  I glance over now to Jackson on the other side of the store. He’s fussing with my window display. Since naming the store last week—Orchid—he’s practically moved in here and decided we need to decorate to make it suit the name, whatever the hell that means. I don’t want to bring him into this either. I can borrow his car and then bring her back here. It will take me less than ten minutes, and I can just tell Kane that I’ll meet him back at the apartments.

  “Yes, of course. Where are you?”

  “I’m in town. Can you meet me at the back of my old apartment building?”

  I sigh. I won’t be able to drive right up to there and will have to walk right around the building. Somehow, I doubt she is going to meet me on the sidewalk. “Okay, Ken. I’m leaving in a few minutes.”

  “Hurry.”

  She clicks off and leaves me staring at my cell as if it’s going to provide some answers. How did she get away? Do they know? Did they just let her go?

  Frustrated at the lack of information, I toss my cell onto the desk and grab Jackson’s keys. I mumble something about running a couple of errands to him and then rush over to his car.

  It doesn’t take me long to get to McKen
na’s old place, and for a second, I stare up at it with a warped nostalgia. I never spent a lot of time here—McKenna always came to my place instead—but I remember when she moved in and we got drunk on boxed wine while decorating. It wasn’t long after I got to Texas, and I was jealous of her apartment as I was still living in the motel. She fed me a bunch of lines about how I’d be making so much money soon that I’d be getting the apartment next door to her. What a load of crap that turned out to be.

  I squash the memories and make my way down the side and to the back. I don’t see her straightaway, due to the lack of lighting, but when my eyes land on her, I almost choke on an involuntary intake of breath.

  “Darling,” she smiles sadly, shaking her head. She’s kneeling on the floor, her clothes dirty and spattered with red. “I told you not to trust anyone.”

  Rick Michaels is standing behind her with a man who has a gun pointed at the back of her head. Deke is slumped on the floor beside her in a pool of blood, his eyes wide and dead. Bez lies beside him, his face bloody and bruised. I can see the steady rise and fall of his chest, but he’s out. He’s shut off, he’s gone, he’s already as good as dead. This is my fault. He’s here because he helped me.

  I bring my hand to my mouth to stop the bile that threatens to spill as my eyes dart around the space, trying to take in every face. Shock, dread, and fear crawl up my spine, wrapping itself around every bone, every organ. I’ve never met the majority of these people, had no idea they were even part of the club. Finally, I find a familiar face and my eyes settle on Vinny. The look he returns to me is almost apologetic, penitent even. My flight instinct hitches, humming low in my stomach, but the horror and trepidation has rendered me still. I can’t move, it's rooted me to the ground.

  The gun fires, the scream escaping from me before I can stop it as I jump back. McKenna’s body drops in front of my feet.

  No, no, fucking God, no.

  “Thank you for joining us, Layton,” Mr. Michaels says, pulling my attention to him. My gaze flips from him to the bodies on the floor, my head shaking. “My apologies for the ruse, but I feel it was necessary to get you here today. It was time for us to meet.”

  I look from him, to McKenna, and then back to him. My breathing is out of control, and it’s taking everything I have not to collapse. “What’s going on?” I ask, my voice barely more than a squeak.

  The question is useless. I already know what this is about. I know what this is, what it’s about to be. This is the end. Deke’s, McKenna’s, mine. There’s no point in me trying to plead my case, no point in me trying to explain my innocence. Fact is, I knew what was going on and kept it to myself. I’m not on trial here, I’m here to be sentenced, and that sentence is lying on the floor in front of me.

  I’m guilty by association, and Rick Michaels is the fucking executioner.

  “Glad you asked,” Michaels steps over McKenna and walks toward me. “It seems we have somewhat of a situation where you may know some things that you should not.”

  I attempt to take a step away from him as he approaches, but someone is standing right behind me. I crane my neck to them, to see if it’s someone I know, but I’m met with a nameless face.

  I have no friends here.

  I am completely alone.

  My eyes are moving from body to body, then from face to face, desperate to find some kind of way out. I can feel the panic rising inside of me, like a plague creeping up my body and taking it over. My mind swims with snapshots of the life I was starting to build, torturing me.

  Rick is directly in front of me now, his eyes predatory. “I like you, Layton. I watched you for a while. You seemed like a good girl, like a girl that knew her place and kept herself nice and quiet. And when you got yourself up on that stage,” he strokes a finger down my cheek then around my neck as he moves to stand behind me. “You looked delicious.”

  He keeps his hand on my throat and presses the other against my stomach, talking low into my ear, “I was so disappointed when you left us.”

  “I’m sorry,” I choke.

  Rick’s grip tightens around my throat. “I know you are,” he soothes, but it doesn’t calm me. His silky tone only makes the dread in my stomach stronger, fiercer. “As you’ve made it quite clear that you can keep a secret, you won’t suffer the same fate as your friend.”

  I won’t?

  The hand he has on my stomach moves, hovering by my hip. “But as you haven’t been a good girl; as you left me,” he leans into me, whispering into my ear. “You need to be punished.”

  His hand moves again, this time inside my jean shorts.

  “No, no, no,” I beg, trying to move away from him. “Please don’t.”

  He silences me by squeezing my throat. “Take your clothes off, Layton.”

  I shake my head.

  The man that shot McKenna appears to the side of me, holding his gun now against my head. “Do it,” he warns.

  “It’s not like you don’t know how,” someone sniggers.

  Shame floods me as I reach for the hem of my tee with shaky hands. Reluctantly, I strip down to nothing and stand bare and exposed to everyone.

  From behind, Rick palms my breast roughly, compelling a yelp from me as he pulls on it. He groans appreciatively, his breath grazing my neck. My skin crawls from the contact, my mind screaming as he again moves his hand toward my pussy. Instinctively, I press my thighs together, but that only entices him to kick my legs apart.

  “You’re such a pretty girl,” he says, pushing a finger inside me. “I could have made you into something real special, you could have been mine.”

  He adds a second finger and continues to thrust them into me. I cry out from the pain, attempting again to get away, but he only pushes me forward against the wall. I wince from the contact with the bricks against my back. My eyes are wide and pleading as I look for Vinny within the men that are moving in to crowd me. He’s at the back, not part of the group. His eyes lock with mine for an instant before he turns away from me. Rick doesn’t give me time to recover before the back of his hand slaps against my face, knocking me into another guy. The new guy laughs darkly as he holds my arms and presents me to his boss.

  “Nice catch, Reno,” Rick smirks, then grabs a fistful of my hair and pulls me back to him. “I’d have taken care of you, Layton. I’d have given you anything you wanted.”

  He shakes his head, “and instead, you chose to leave us for a fucking mechanic.” He laughs when my eyes grow wider. “You think I didn’t know? You think I don’t know you’ve been fucking that asshole, that you’ve been spreading those delicious legs of yours?”

  I beg him, incoherently, as he drags me back to the wall and smashes my face against it. My brain rattles from the impact, my skin stinging from the brick cutting into my cheek, breasts, and stomach. With his hand still in my hair, he pulls on it.

  “Keep fighting,” Rick mutters into my hair as I feel him unzipping his jeans behind me. He positions himself between my thighs after forcing them open. “I like it.”

  I sob silently as he enters me, over and over again, tearing me apart. The pain rips through me, the humiliation too much to bear. It breaks me, renders me mute. I don’t scream, don’t beg, and don’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he is hurting me. And after a while, I know this pisses him off, because he rips himself from me and tosses me to the floor like trash. I land in a heap by McKenna’s body and have to press my hand to my mouth to stop from hurling at the sight.

  Ricks tucks himself back into his jeans. “Now, Layton,” He says, crouching down in front of me. “If anyone hears about this little meeting, what happened to you today will feel like a walk in the park. Do you understand?”

  I nod. I understand completely.

  Please just leave me alone.

  Rick stands back up and turns to face his men. “Let’s make sure she really understands.”

  He walks away as the others close in, one of them dragging me up by my hair. I barely feel the st
ing of it pulling against my scalp. All I can feel is him, inside me, surrounding me, ruining me, like he’s still in there.

  The first hit assaults my face, the second my ribs. I barely register the third which knocks me back to the floor. My eyes fix on the blood steaking the blonde mess of McKenna’s hair as kick after kick rains down on me.

  Finally, after an eternity, my mind blanks and I welcome the numbness.

  Kane

  “So, are you guys up for it or not?”

  Not. Really, just not. In fact, I can’t think of anything I’m less up for than going to some birthday party fuckfest with Grip and his MC brothers. All I want to do tonight is get Layton, get Chinese food, and sleep for about a month. It’s been a long few weeks, for both of us, but we finally have a day off together and I’m desperate for solitude. But as I’d never last a whole day without seeing my girl, she’s going to have to fall in line and hide out with me.

  “Can’t,” I respond, locking up my tools.

  “I see how it is,” Grip’s eyebrows dance, “Our little Layton has got you locked up tight, huh? Won’t let you play out with your friends.”

  I snort. Clueless fucker. I only wish she’d let herself get a little more demanding with me, tell me what she really thinks and feels, without me having to screw it out of her.

  I ignore his comment and continue to pack up my things, glancing over at our adjoining doors. Actually, I haven’t heard her voice or seen her for a while. She normally calls in a couple of times to check if I need a drink or anything, she’s a peach like that. Distracted, I wave off Grip as he leaves and head over to her store, pausing when I see Jackson walk out.

  “Hey, she back there?” I ask.

  “Nah,” he shakes his head, a frown on his face. “She borrowed my car a while back to run a few errands, but she hasn’t come back yet. I wasn’t really listening when she was talking, but she might have told me she would meet you back at her place.”