Two Can Play (Alphachat.com #2)

by Victoria Ashley

  When I jump out of my truck, she’s pushing on his chest and yelling at him to leave her the fuck alone and move on.

  She’s so wrapped up in fighting him off that she doesn’t even notice that I’m here yet.

  I take off running through the grass, gripping him by the back of the neck and throwing him away from her.

  Karma takes one look at my fear for her written all over my face and takes a step back, deciding not to try to stop me this time.

  There’s nothing in this world that could stop me from protecting this woman. Especially right here in this moment with this piece of shit trying to hurt her.

  “Ryan . . . just leave.” Karma watches me size her ex up as he struggles to get back to his feet, but keeps stumbling since he’s so fucked up. “Go. Now.”

  I don’t even give him the chance to stand completely up, before I jump down into the grass and place my foot on the back of his neck.

  I bend down so he can hear me nice and fucking clear.

  “Touch my woman again and I’ll kill you if she doesn’t first.”

  He laughs into the grass and attempts to push himself up with his hands, but I apply more pressure to the back of his neck, keeping him down.

  “I’ll always be near and watching. Just remember that,” I repeat his earlier threat. “Don’t think for one second that I won’t.”

  “Fuck off and get off me. She’s mine and she knows it.”

  Anger boils up inside of me from hearing him call her his. Fuck that. She’ll never be his.

  I scoot my foot up the back of his neck, to his head, smashing it down into the ground when he tries talking again.

  “What was that, asshole?” I tease. “Couldn’t hear you with a mouthful of dirt.”

  After a few seconds, I finally ease some of the pressure, giving him a chance to talk.

  “Call your fucking watch dog off, babe. Karma . . . you know you’re not done with me. You’ll never be and we both know it.”

  I hear Karma grunt out in anger, before she jumps down next to me and pushes me out of the way so that she can get to him. “Fuck you, Ryan. Get up so I can make this as clear as possible.”

  Keeping my eye on his every move, I stand back and let Karma do what she has to do. He even attempts to touch her and I’ll snap the fucker’s neck.

  As soon as he gets to his feet, Karma knees him in the balls and then in the face when he bends over to grab them in agony. She grabs his hair and yanks his head back for him to look at her, pulling hard. “Oh, we’re done alright. Get that through your thick fucking skull or I’ll let Blaze send you the message next time and he doesn’t play quite as nicely.”

  She pushes his head back and then walks past me. “Get him out of my yard before I grab my gun.”

  Smiling from what I just witnessed her do, I wrap my arm around the asshole’s neck from behind, and drag him up to his feet. If I wasn’t so pissed right now, I’d be turned on as fuck by her. “You won’t get anywhere near her again, so don’t even fucking try. I’m not going anywhere and I’m not the only one that has her back.”

  Once we get over to his vehicle, I slam him against it and watch as he opens the door and crawls inside, before punching his steering wheel in defeat.

  He punches it repeatedly, yelling something to himself, before taking off down that road as if he can’t get away fast enough.

  I immediately turn back around, my eyes landing on Karma. She looks so fucking hot, standing there with a determined look on her face.

  When she doesn’t speak, I walk toward her and pull her into my arms, wanting her to know how much I care about her. “Fuck, that scared the shit out of me. If he would’ve hurt you . . . are you okay?”

  She wraps her arms around my neck, getting lost in me for a moment. Her heart is beating fast against my chest and her breathing is just now starting to slow down. “I’m fine. Just shaken up a bit.”

  I grab her face and press my lips against hers, catching her heavy breaths inside my mouth as I kiss her.

  After a few seconds, she pulls away and turns her face out of reach. “Blaze . . . I need to go. I can’t do this right now. I can’t. I’m sorry.”

  “Karma . . .” I grab her arm as she goes to walk away. “Where are you going? I’ll go with. I don’t want you alone right now.”

  She shakes her head, backing up as if her feelings are too much for her to handle right now. I’ve never seen her look so damn scared. Something is hitting her deep right now. “I have to be at the shop. I’ll be safe there so please . . . just not tonight. My head isn’t clear. I don’t even know what’s up or down at the moment. I need to go . . .”

  I release her arm and stand there like a fool, watching as she jumps into her car. She sits there for a few minutes, trying to hide her face from me, but I can tell that she’s trying hard not to cry.

  As much as I want to run over and comfort her, I know that you can only push Karma so much, before she runs. So I don’t.

  All I can do is make sure that she’s safe as she takes off. My eyes watch her just to make sure that her driving seems okay, until she turns the corner and is out of sight.

  I don’t even know how long I stand in her yard, before I finally take off back to the Alpha House and close myself in my room and away from all the chaos of this place. I send a text to the security at K’inked before I truly feel relief knowing she’s made it. I tell the guys to follow her home and let me know when they leave. Looks like I’ll be sleeping in her driveway tonight if that’s what it takes to make sure she’s safe from that fucker.

  I’m not even in my room for ten minutes, before Rome starts beating down my door, reminding me that we have a show in ten minutes.

  “Better get your dick ready, fucker. Watch some damn porn if you have to. We’re doing it in Levi’s room.”

  “Fuck.” I let out a breath and run my hands through my hair in frustration.

  How the fuck am I going to pull this off when all I can think about is the look on Karma’s face when she took off, leaving me standing there?

  I lean my head against the wall and let the porn play in front of me, hoping like hell that it helps me get through this fucked up group jerk-off.

  The tits on the screen do nothing for me because they’re nothing like Karma’s. The moans do nothing because they’re fake as shit. Unlike Karma’s.

  “Fuck!”

  Slamming my laptop closed, I let my thoughts wander to Karma and how sexy she looked the first night we fucked. The sound she made when I first sank into her is what does the trick for me.

  By the time I get to Levi’s room, Rome is standing in the front, pulling his belt through the loop of his black jeans, teasing the person on the other end of the camera.

  The woman’s voice comes through telling him what to do next, before she asks Levi to step up and take his shirt off.

  “Fuck, I can get through this,” I try to convince myself as I close the door behind me.

  As soon as I catch sight of Rome whipping his dick out, and stroking it, I shake my head and walk out of the room.

  This shit isn’t happening. Karma has me all fucked up . . .

  I step into the hall and bump straight into my twin. “Thought you’d be busy for awhile, brother. What’s got you running?” He catches the look on my face and nods instantly. “I got you. Go handle shit. They’d rather see my dick anyway.”

  I can’t even laugh at his attempt to dig into me and catch a rise out of me. Normally it would work, but tonight I’m too worked up to even think clearly.

  “Thanks. Just don’t fuck it up.” I keep walking and slam the door to my room once more. I hit the remote to my stereo and blast the music, no doubt letting it be heard outside of these walls. I don’t have any fucks to give and just need a damn minute to decide what the fuck I’m going to do to get through to Karma.

  She needs to be reminded of our chemistry together and apparently I need to show her that I won’t be like any of her past dicks. Maybe that’s
what’s keeping her distant. After the shit I’ve seen her ex do in just the short time I’ve known her, I could see why she’s not rushing into anything.

  I impatiently wait for the call that she’s leaving the shop and before I’m in my truck, I get the text saying she’s safe at home. The security guy I hired follows her home and then waits for me to pull up next to him before he takes off.

  I pull my truck behind her car and turn off the engine, before walking around her house just to check things out. Everything looks in place and it seems like that fucker has decided to stay clear for now anyway.

  Her house is dark with the exception of her bedroom window. The curtains are closed and I can’t see anything, but I know she’s in there when the light goes off.

  My mind flashes with memories of us against her bedroom window as I walk back to my truck. The night air is sticky, but it’s not going to bother me sleeping out here with my windows down. I can hear everything and will know if he tries to come back. My truck should keep him clear anyway.

  I don’t have my seat reclined before the front door flies open and Karma walks out in a robe.

  What the fuck is she thinking?

  That is a fuck me robe and that face of hers, along with her sassy ass walk, show she’s pissed off and to me that’s hot as hell and means it’s time to fuck out some frustrations.

  But I’m guessing that’s not what she’s stomping out here for.

  “What in the hell are you doing out here? Blaze, what do you not understand about me needing some fucking space?” Her temper makes me smile and she doesn’t slow down until she’s opened the driver’s side door. “Why are you here?”

  I slide my legs out and let my feet hit the driveway before I grab her and turn us both and lean into her with her back against the side of my truck. “This is me giving you space. Do you feel my dick inside of you? No. That’s space, Karma.”

  “Coming here late at night is not giving me space.” Her breath hits my face as she stands strong with her response.

  “That fucker will not touch you and if it takes me sleeping in your fucking driveway, then so fucking be it. Don’t try to stop me.” I speak right into her face, our eyes glaring into each other and our hearts both beating with adrenaline and a temper that only matches each other’s.

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t need you to protect me.” She shoves against my chest and I step back enough to let her move out from in front of me.

  “Didn’t say you did.” I turn slowly and watch her pace with frustration a few feet before she turns around to walk back toward me.

  “I know what you’re doing. You’re making me crazy. Stop rescuing me. Stop making it so that I’ll run into you. Stop looking at me like that. And stop smiling at me when I yell at you.”

  “I do what I want. Haven’t you figured this out yet?” She throws her arms up, irritated and I can literally feel my dick twitching as I watch her act with so much emotion. This tells me I get to her; whether she likes to admit it or not, I do.

  “No. I do what I want. And right now you’re trespassing.”

  “Call the police then. I’m not leaving here willingly until I know you have the security you need from that fucker.” She paces a few more times before she finally starts walking back to the door.

  “Fine then. Have fun out here if you have nothing better to do.”

  The sound of the door slamming has me shaking my head at her. I’m about done with this shit. In fact, tomorrow night will be when I give her no other option but to face what we have and how she needs to just let me in.

  Because whether she likes it or not, I’m already there. Deep inside her in so many ways that she can’t shake me even if she’s tries.

  HE MAKES ME FURIOUS. HOW can he think this is normal and acceptable? I’m so damn frustrated and it’s pissing me off that the more I walk away from him, the more I notice how hard it is to be near him. When I’m close to him, my body craves him so much more now. If he would just keep his space, I wouldn’t have all these roller coaster emotions to deal with.

  Tonight he’s here and I can feel him all around me. The draw my body has toward his is driving me mad. I’m not supposed to feel again and damn it, he’s forcing me to deal with him as often as he can.

  I look out the window once more before I give in and put my clothes back on.

  Damn you, Blaze . . .

  He can’t stay out there all night. There’s no way I can handle him in my driveway. He’s so close to me and I need him to go away for good. He knows that and doesn’t care what I think or want and that makes me so irate.

  He acts like he’s giving me space, but everywhere I turn he’s there. If he’s not at the shop, he’s on my damn mind in some way or another. So that is not giving me space. Maybe I need to just talk to him and tell him all the reasons why what he wants are impossible. I don’t see any other option at the moment.

  I pull up my hair and attempt to look as unattractive as possible before I open the door again and step outside. This time he’s on the hood of his truck again, watching me as I approach.

  “Did you get your gun to run me off?” He doesn’t even sit up or look concerned. He freaking knows I could never hurt him and his confidence only proves this is going to be much harder than I want it to be.

  “We need to talk.”

  He shifts his legs together and hits the hood slightly with his hand, never letting the other one free from behind his resting head.

  “Bout fuckin’ time.”

  The streetlight catches his face just right for me to see his expression. He watches me with those insanely sexy eyes that always seem to shoot right through me and break me down. I climb onto the hood and take a seat beside him, making sure not to touch him along the way. His eyes are heavy on me and damn it, I can picture them even in mostly darkness.

  “We need to talk, but stop looking at me like that, Blaze. I can’t be serious when you look like that.”

  He lifts a brow and then changes his facial expression so fast and serious, that I have to fight back the laughter at the odd look on his face. “Is this face unsexy enough for you? Or should I just cover it so you can concentrate?”

  Smiling, I slap his shoulder and get comfortable, crossing my legs. “You’re such a cocky pain in the ass . . . I don’t know what to do with you half the time.”

  “You’ve done great things with me so far, babe. Lots of fucking great things. Now talk to me. I’ll be here all night.”

  He positions his body so that he’s facing me. His face still in that awkward ass position just to mess with me.

  “I’m no good in a relationship, Blaze. Every single one that I’ve ever been in has ended in shit. Guys can’t handle what I do and I have no urge to fight and prove myself every day to a man. I’m faithful and worthy of their love and devotion and I shouldn’t have to verify that every night when I walk through the doors.”

  Blaze opens his mouth to interrupt me, but I quickly cover his mouth, causing him to bite my hand.

  “Let me continue before you say anything. There’s so much more I need to get off my chest. Got it?”

  He kisses the spot on my hand that he just bit and nods his head for me to continue.

  “Ryan was no exception to this. It started out with him being suspicious of my late night session, asking me questions and interrogating me until the point that he almost made me believe that I was lying. It even got to where he’d follow me when he got the chance and even go after some of my clients when he’d see them leave the shop.”

  “I couldn’t handle it anymore. I was stressed and depressed to the point that I’d given up on fighting his assumptions. I just let him believe what he wanted because I knew nothing I said was going to make him believe any differently. I quit fighting him about it and he took it further. Thought he could beat the shit out of me to punish me for his insane dreamt up bullshit.” I watch him clench his fist next to his leg, but cho0se to continue. He has to hear why this is all hard for
me.

  “He wanted to control me then. He tried both mentally and physically. I knew I had to get the fuck away and start my own shop and a new life. I wanted to escape any part of my life where that had been me. That weak little bitch who just tried to stay quiet and hope shit would pass.”

  Blaze sits up straight, his jaw clenching in anger. “Where the fuck does he live?”

  I reach out and grab his arm, when I think he’s about to jump down to the ground. His fist is still clenched tight, but he opens it up for me when I slide my fingers over it. “Blaze, no. I don’t need you hunting him down and killing him. The last thing I want is you behind bars for me. No,” I grind out. “If you want me to talk, then sit there and don’t move. Just listen. I need you to listen.”

  I can tell that he wants nothing more than to take off right now and find Ryan, but he sits back, his muscles flexing as he waits for me to continue. “It’s important that I stay strong and independent as a woman and I see you breaking me down and I just don’t know how to take it. I swore off any relationship and when I went to the Alpha House that first night, the last thing I expected was for you to want more than what it has to be.” He’s fidgeting and I can see him struggle to stay quiet. I have to continue and make sure he knows how I feel since I haven’t been able to say it in the past.

  “I love spending time with you, but beyond that I can’t promise you or even give you hope of anything more.”

  “Well damn. Here I was about to ask you to marry me and move in to the Alpha House. My laundry needs to be done and dishes should be kept clean.” He lies back against the windshield again, his head resting on his arms behind him.

  “You’re not taking me seriously. I’m just wasting both of our time.” Before I can move more than an inch, his hand closes down on my wrist, stopping me.

  “I’m hearing you, and I’m just going to wait until you’re ready to hear me.” He keeps his grip for a few seconds before brushing his fingers up the inside of my arm as he pulls away.