by J, Bella
Getting off her, leaving this bed, wasn’t something I wanted to do. I was a selfish prick, and I wanted to fuck her again. And again. And again. She was mine. I owned her. But part of owning her was taking care of her.
Reluctantly, I got up and noticed the way she watched me. The wheels in her head were turning in every direction. She had to be confused as fuck right now, this being her first time and probably not what she expected it to be. Every girl dreamed of her first time being in a room scattered with rose petals, a fucking angel choir singing in the background while Prince Charming slowly and tenderly made love to her like she was a goddamn porcelain doll who could break.
Not me. I was no fucking Prince Charming. And this wasn’t a fairy tale. She needed to learn right off the bat that the world she came from and the world she was currently in could not be compared. In this world, nothing was what anyone expected. Learning the concept of “adapt or die” was something we needed to grasp early on in our lives. She needed to do the same, as this was her new world now.
I opened the closet doors which led to the mini bathroom, grabbed a towel, and placed it in the sink while running some hot water.
When I sat back down on the mattress, she sniffed, tears softly rolling down her cheeks. My sad, pretty ballerina.
I untied her legs, rubbing around her ankles where the ropes left their marks. “Turn on your side.”
Without hesitating, she did as she was told, turning her back to me. I’d never done this before, never taken care of a woman after sex, cleaning her. But she wasn’t just any woman. “Lift your leg.”
She did, and I softly placed the towel between her legs, gently cleaning her, careful not to hurt her further. “You’ll be sore for a while. But your body will get used to it…to me.”
“You plan on having sex with me again?”
“What kind of question is that?”
She glanced at me over her shoulder. “Isn’t that what you guys do? See women as conquests, and after you’ve had them, you toss them away?”
I pulled the towel from between her legs and grabbed her hip, forcing her on her back, and pinning her arms above her head.
“Listen to me very carefully.” I made sure she looked me in the eye. “If you think this was just a onetime fuck, think again. I’ve waited too fucking long for you, and now that I have you, not even the devil himself can take you from me.” I let go of one hand, softly tracing a finger around the contour of her face. “I plan on fucking you every day for the rest of my goddamn life. What don’t you understand when I say I own you?”
“You’ll grow tired of me.”
“Not a chance.”
“I’m not like the other girls. I’m not beautiful. I don’t have big breasts or a firm, round ass.”
“Stop.”
“I’m not your type, Granite.”
“What the fuck do you know about my type?”
Blue sapphires glistened under the candlelight as she looked up at me. “Are you telling me this is real? That I wasn’t just some twisted conquest for you?”
“As real as it gets, ballerina girl.” I placed my thumb on her bottom lip. “I’ll tell you what. Try to leave me and see what kind of hell I’ll raise in this motherfucking city. I’ll give new meaning to the Blood Brothers tag on my cut, I swear to God.”
Her gaze searched my face, trying to see if I was bluffing. “When?”
“When what?”
“When did you decide you wanted me? We’ve stared at each other countless nights. When was the moment you decided you’d take me?”
I kept her gaze for a few seconds longer before letting go of her, sitting up straight. “Like you said, there were countless nights. I can’t remember which one it was.”
“Now who’s lying?”
I scowled at the ballerina who called my bluff, then took the dirty towel and got off the bed. The towel had smears of pink and red on it, and there was a slight pang of regret that nudged against my ribs. I hurt her, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t like her question either. It made me think of the night I made that decision, and thinking of that night made me think of her. It also made me wonder if I’d be failing Alyx the way I failed her.
No. Not a fucking chance. I’ll make sure of it.
After tossing the dirty towel in the corner, I walked over to the dressing table and picked up the perfume, smelling it.
She sat up on her elbows. “How many times were you in my room?”
I smiled at her question. “Countless times.” I placed the bottle down. “I bet now you want to know how many times I was in your bedroom while you were sleeping.”
A slight nod made me smile even more.
“Countless times,” I replied without feeling an ounce of shame. If I could do it all over again, I’d spend more nights in her room while she slept.
Alyx lay back down, placing her palm on her forehead. “I don’t know why I’m not freaked out by that.”
“Because deep down, you knew. You knew I’ve always been there. And you liked it.”
“What kind of woman does that make me, the fact that I like the idea of having a stalker?”
I walked over and sat on the bed next to her, placing my hand behind her neck and pulling her closer. “It makes you mine.” My lips locked over hers, kissing her hard and fierce. Feeling her tongue lap against mine with equal vigor, and how her body reacted by trying to move closer to mine, it was enough to make my dick hard again.
Blonde hair fell over my hand, and I weaved my fingers through it before gripping tight, pulling her head back. The delicate skin of her neck beckoned to be worshipped with every kiss of my lips and every trace of my tongue.
“I want to take you again.” With my other hand, I pulled her closer by cupping her ass, and her hips obeyed so perfectly. I lifted her tiny body and placed her on top of me, her legs wrapping around my waist like they knew they belonged there. “I want to fuck you again, Alyx. I want to watch your face while I make you come.” I took a hard nipple in my mouth, and the moan she made was my own fucking angels’ choir. Everything about her set me on fire. Her delicate body had never known a man before, yet now it moved against mine as if it recognized its master.
Wrapping my arms around her body, she arched and leaned back while I sucked her nipple harder, my tongue teasing the firm bud. The way her breaths came out with soft, subtle moans, her arousal already coating my cock, I knew she wouldn’t deny me. Even while her body still ached, her pussy still raw, she’d let me take her again. But I couldn’t do that to her. Her body needed time to heal.
“Alyx—”
“Oh, shit.”
We stilled, and I glanced over Alyx’s shoulder at the door, right at Neon. “Hello, Neon. Ever heard of knocking?”
Alyx scooted off my lap and pulled the sheet to cover herself.
Neon froze. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t think—”
I leaned back, not in the least concerned about the fact that my cock was still rock hard and right there for her to see. “Next time, knock, would you?”
“Sure. I just thought our little prisoner here would like a snack.” Neon tried to look everywhere else but at me, eventually putting her hand up, trying to block out the view. It was comical, really, and I grinned when I got up, grabbing my pants off the floor. “Neon, stop acting like you haven’t seen my dick before.”
“Yeah, well. I haven’t seen it like that before. All hard and…big.”
I laughed and noticed how Alyx was frowning at us. “Don’t worry, ballerina girl. Around here, everyone has seen everyone naked at some point in time.” I zipped my jeans. “Tequila does that to a person.” I leaned over the bed and turned her face toward mine, kissing her, making a whole theatrical display of tongue-fucking Alyx in front of Neon.
“Jesus Christ,” I heard Neon swear.
Letting go of Alyx’s lips, I looked straight into her blue eyes. “Eat. Please.”
She didn’t nod. She didn’t say anything. But I didn’t push i
t. I knew Neon would work her magic and make my girl eat something.
As I walked past Neon, I smiled at her. “Get her ready. We’re leaving in an hour. Oh, she has a fresh tattoo. Take care of that. And she needs new clothes. I ruined hers.”
“Of course, you did.” She rolled her eyes. “Fucking savages, all of you!” she called after me, and I smiled. Neon was going to give Alyx a pretty hard time by trying to get her to spill the lot on what just happened in that room.
When I entered the kitchen, Ink and Onyx both looked up from their plates. Ink narrowed his eyes at me. “Why do you look thoroughly fucked?”
“Why do you look like an asshole?”
“Because I am an asshole.”
Onyx scowled at me with a sullen expression on his face, like the fucker saw right through me. Animosity pulsed from him to me in angry waves, and even Ink could feel the atmosphere turn to shit.
“Okay, boys. We got a lot of shit to get through today. Let’s not add butchery and carnage to that, okay?”
Onyx turned his attention back to his plate of scrambled eggs, and I poured myself a cup of coffee. “Everything set for today?”
“Yup,” Ink replied while still chewing. “Two vans. Two routes. And a fuck-load of guns. That’s all we need, right?”
I snorted. “Right. Where’s Dutch?”
“He and Manic left a few hours ago. They’re scouting both routes.”
“Good. I’ll meet you assholes here in twenty. I need a shower.” About to leave, I heard a chair screech across the kitchen floor.
“Tell me again why we’re doing all of this?”
I leaned my head back, annoyed as fuck. “Onyx, please don’t start. Not now.”
“Does she know?”
Reluctantly, I turned to face him. “Know what?”
“The reason you chose her to be a part of all this.”
Annoyance flickered at the back of my head. “And what reason might that be?”
“You couldn’t fuck Kate, so you had to fuck Alyx.”
And just like that, he flipped the fucking switch, and I launched forward, ready to fucking stab him between his goddamn eyes. But Ink jumped in front of me, trying to keep Onyx and me apart. “Stop. Both of you. Let’s get this woman to the safe house first, then you can slaughter each other, okay? Odds are one of you will die on route anyway, so let’s see if we can spill blood on tar rather than on perfectly clean kitchen tiles.” He glanced from Onyx to me. “’Kay?”
Fists balled, ready to dish out pain, I glared at my little brother, silently shooting daggers at his forehead. I pointed at him while clenching my jaw. “You better start watching your motherfucking mouth.”
I jerked away from Ink and straightened, the need to kick my brother’s ass simmering in my gut. But Ink was right. We had more important shit to worry about today.
“Suit up,” I said to them both. “And get hold of Dutch and Manic. Tell them we’re leaving in an hour.”
Ink nodded. “Got it.”
For a few seconds more, I looked at Onyx, the air laden with animosity, and I knew it was jealousy burning in his eyes. Jealousy, just like it was back then.
Seemed like history was about to repeat itself.
22
Alyx
After Granite left, Neon closed the door, her face all scrunched up with curiosity. “I’ve never been really interested in any of these guys’ sex lives. But right now, I really want to know what the fuck happened in this room—fuck being the relevant word, here."
I clutched the sheet tighter, and Neon looked down. “Is that…is that blood?” She walked closer, and I could already feel my cheeks warm with embarrassment. “Holy shit, Swan Lake. Are you a…I mean, were you…”
“A virgin, yes.”
“Aaaaw, poor thing.” Her eyes were suddenly strangely gentle as she stared at me. “It’s just your luck, ain’t it, Swan Lake? To get a man hung like a fucking camel to be your first.” She placed a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice on the bedside table before taking a seat on the bed. “I bet your vagina feels like it’s been shredded. And just a fair warning, it’s going to feel like you’re carrying a brick in there when you walk. All heavy and shit, like your uterus is about to fall out.”
I burst out laughing, and Neon joined in. It felt good to laugh for a change, especially after what just happened between me and Granite. I didn’t regret it, though. It felt good being with him. A part of me just wished it could have been under different circumstances. But I guessed it made sense that being with Granite would be…unconventional.
“Okay,” Neon slapped her hands on her knees, “you need a shower. You’ll feel better after. But first, you need to eat.”
I glanced at the bowl of cereal. “Is it just me, or is Granite obsessed with me eating?”
“Oh, you don’t know?” Her eyes widened in surprise.
“Know what?”
“About Dutch’s sister?”
“Dutch is the club’s enforcer, right?”
“Right. And also Granite’s best friend.” She reached for the bowl of cereal and shoved it in my hand. “You eat, I’ll talk.”
Looking at the cereal, my stomach turned. “I really—”
“Okay, fine.” She took the bowl from me. “Maybe when you hear the story, you’ll actually want to eat.”
After placing the bowl on the table again, she scooted up on the mattress and crossed her legs, making herself comfortable. “So, no one actually told me this story. I just kind of put it all together with the bits and pieces I caught in different conversations I’ve overhead.” Neon seemed like the typical girl ready to share a juicy gossip story. In that moment, it kind of made her real, more relatable, knowing she wasn’t just this hardcore woman with steel in her veins and tattoos on her skin.
“Apparently, Dutch’s sister—Kate, I think her name was—had an eating disorder. Like you.” The nonchalant way she said it made it seem like it wasn’t that big of a deal to her. “So, Granite’s and Dutch’s fathers were best friends, and they started the American Street Kings. Obviously, this meant the kids grew up together.”
Absentmindedly, I reached for the juice and took a sip, listening intently to her every word.
“From what I could gather, Granite carried a torch for Kate.”
I swallowed the juice. “You mean, he was in love with her.”
“Yup. And if my instincts are right, so was Onyx.”
“Both of them?”
“I think so.”
Jealousy stung like tiny needle pricks into my skin. “And where is Kate now?”
“Oh, she’s dead.”
My heart stopped, and I choked on a sip of juice. “What? How?”
“Um, isn’t it obvious? She had an eating disorder. That’s what happens when you don’t eat. You die.”
My body went cold, yet my skin was damp while my heart knocked on my ribs. “Is that…is that why he’s obsessed with me eating?”
“Makes sense, doesn’t it?”
The wheels inside my head turned. Granite loved another girl with an eating disorder. Was that just coincidence? Was his obsession with me based on that—on the girl he loved who died in the end?
Neon leaned forward to grab my attention. “Swan Lake, don’t worry your pretty little head about it. She’s dead. You’re here now, and Granite clearly staked his claim. You’re his now. And believe me, these guys are like fucking dogs. If they could piss on you to mark you, they would.”
I smiled, but I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. “I don’t think I belong here, Neon.”
She frowned. “Why? Because you wear ballet slippers? We’re all just people here, Swan Lake. Each carrying their own bag of shit. Don’t stereotype. You belong where you want to be.” Her heart-shaped lips painted with purple lipstick smiled warmly at me. “Besides, it’s going to be fun having you around. I’ve always hoped one of these assholes could find an old lady I actually like. Trick and Tanit ain’t exactly my type of girls.”
“Who are Trick and Tanit?”
She shrugged. “One’s a club widow, and the other a club slut. That’s all you need to know.”
Glancing down at the glass in my hand, I asked softly, “Was Kate a part of the club?”
“No. I think she was still young when she died. Not sure how old, though.”
“Sixteen.” Neon and I looked at Onyx standing by the door. “Kate was sixteen when she died.” The woeful look on his face was intense, and almost painful to witness. His sky-blue eyes had turned gray and cold, like the memory hardened him. Even Neon’s stubborn ass picked up on it, and she seemed pretty uncomfortable now that Onyx joined in on our conversation.
Onyx stepped inside. “Neon, would you give Alyx and me a few minutes alone?”
Neon crossed her arms. “I’m thinking that’s not a question, but a—”
“Get the fuck out, would you?”
“Okay. Catch you later, Swan Lake.”
Before she could dart out of the room, I called, “Neon.”
“Yes?”
I clutched the sheet tighter. “Clothes. Please.”
She winked. “Sure thing.”
When she walked out, she left the door open, and I was silently grateful. With Onyx in the room, I was hyperaware of how fucking naked I was underneath the sheet, making me more nervous in his presence.
Cold eyes met mine. “Kate was sixteen when she died. She had anorexia.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“The day she died, there was barely anything left of her. I’m sure I could have carried her casket alone if I wanted to.”
“Onyx—”
“My brother knew she was sick.” The sound of contempt in his voice was deafening, and it caused me to clutch the sheet even tighter.
“Granite knew she had a problem but did nothing to help her, claiming he was just honoring a promise he made her.”
I started wrapping the sheet around me, wanting to cover every inch of skin. The atmosphere was thick and toxic, and I hated the way he looked at me as he spoke—as if he was trying to make me feel guilty over the death of a girl I didn’t even know.