Roses & Thorns: Conquer

by Bry Ann

  “I have to support my friend, big guy.”

  Her tone is defensive and edgy, very unlike the Maria who waltzed in our front door like we were friendly neighbors.

  “I think she’s good.” Cut’s eyes raise, finishing the sentence for him... So you can leave.

  “Why do you care if I’m here? Maybe I’ll move into the area. We can be neighbors.”

  Maria raises her eyebrows defiantly, but whatever reaction she was hoping to get out of him fails miserably. Cut’s face stays immeasurably blank. He stares at her for one last moment before tightening his grip on the bag he’s carrying, and turning to Lacey.

  “Tomorrow.”

  She nods. “See you then, Cut.”

  As soon as she’s finished speaking, she makes her way over to Maria and Rose. Like a hawk, her eyes find me first. She gives me a small raise of her hand to acknowledge me before turning to her friends.

  “I can’t believe your husband is having you work for him!” Maria grumbles, indignantly.

  “It’s not like that,” Lacey says in a quiet voice.

  “We know, we know, you have to,” both Maria and Rose say with a roll of their eyes. Rose gently squeezes her hand privately letting her know she’s joking and she gets it. That’s Rose. I’m glad to see her back. After all, her heart, the part of her I’ve struggled with most, is the glue that holds her together. Without her bleeding heart, she simply isn’t Rose, the desperate little hero I get the privilege of knowing.

  “Well, if you guys are done badgering me I’m gonna go. I need to go see my baby before hauling myself up again.”

  Fuck, the sadness in her voice. I need to talk to Boss. There’s gotta be another way. I mean holy hell, she looks miserable.

  “Wait,” Rose grabs her wrist and searches her eyes. “Lacey, are you okay?”

  “Never better.”

  She yanks away hard and walks off, shoulders slouched. Rose’s eyes find mine, worry filling them. Hell, Maria even turns to me.

  “I’ll handle it. You know I’ve got you.” I glance at Maria. “Both of you, apparently.”

  “Oh, don’t be a dick. The girl looked like…” For a moment, the facade falls. Maria actually looks sad. “Come on,” Maria says softly, “Lacey’s a badass. No one wants to see her in pain.”

  None of us can argue with that, so the room goes silent. I break it by extending my hand.

  “Rose.”

  Rose looks to Maria with a roll of her eyes, but she can’t keep the giddy excitement from her voice. She reaches out and wraps her fingers in mine with a gentle squeeze.

  “Fine. You’ve been about as patient as you come.”

  “My impatience is solely reserved for you. I’m actually a very patient man, “ I say as I continue to tug her along.

  “I’m sure you think you are. Your ego fills in all the holes.” She glances down at our joined hands with a frown. “Where are you taking me?”

  I send her a sinful smile.

  “You’ll see.”

  “Sven, I swear to God…

  I jerk her through a pair of double doors to a wing of the house we never have to enter.

  “Is this…” Even in the dark closet, I can see the horror on her face. “A cleaning closet? Sven!”

  She starts to tremble. Not from fear. Emotion.

  “Let me out!” She squeals, pounding on my chest. “Seriously, this is…”

  “Where I first showed you how pleasurable life can be,” I say with a smirk.

  “Please,” she whimpers.

  “Please, what? I have so many ideas strumming through my veins, I’d love your input.”

  “Sven…”

  I roll my eyes. “I’ve got you.”

  I slide my finger up her small, baby blue dress and wrap my other hand around her curvy ass.

  “I love this,” I say, giving her ass a squeeze.

  “Well, I love you for that,” she grumbles.

  Rose is still not comfortable with her new body. I’m not sure she ever will be, not 100%, but she sure as hell works on it. She utilizes therapy, affirmations, yoga, journaling, CBT, DBT, all that shit she rambles on about. Plus, she’s in college, working on her dream of becoming a therapist.

  I honestly have no response to her words. She knows how I feel about her insecurities. I think it’s fuckin’ bullshit. She’s the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen, rail thin or curvy, it doesn’t matter.

  “Should I go slow?” I slowly pump my finger in and out of her. “Or do you like it harder?”

  I mercilessly work my fingers inside of her until her whole body is quivering with need.

  “Sven, Jesus Christ! You fucking—” Her nails dig into my skin. “I…”

  I see her eyes start to water. She feels everything with me, so she always runs. Not this time.

  “Your choice, Rose, I can finish you like this or I can sink inside you slowly, until you are quivering with need, and then, only then, will I let you come around my cock.”

  I slip my fingers out of her with a pop, and step back.

  “Your choice.”

  I fight the urge to laugh as she tries to get a grip on herself, when she is obviously so far gone. It’s comical. She opens and closes her bright blue eyes a few times before orienting herself to the environment once again.

  “Unless you have some fantasy I don’t know about. I’m open,” I shrug with a smirk.

  “My—” She clears her throat. “I have a fantasy where you’re not a dick,” she says, voice hoarse and breathy.

  I throw my head back and laugh. “I’m not a dick to you, Rose, but I know how to use mine.”

  Rose shakes her head like she can’t believe her own mind. With a sigh, her hands cup my cheeks. I flinch slightly, but try to cover it.

  Unsuccessfully, of course.

  This is Rose we’re talking about. She squeezes me slightly tighter, not drawing attention to it, but letting me know she understands. Me, she understands me. I’ll write a letter of gratitude every day for this moment right here. This incredible fucking woman.

  “Take me slow. I’ll beg, just please, show me what you feel.”

  With a growl, I shove her back into the shelves, sending cleaning supplies falling to the ground with a bang.

  I shake my head, blocking out her sudden gasp.

  “I can only try. There’s too much.”

  “For once, your ego fails you,” she whispers, with a small smile and a whole lot of awe in her voice.

  I take her next breath. It’s mine as I plant my lips on hers suddenly, passionately, wet, wild, US.

  Our clothes can’t come off fast enough. A veil of material flies over the cleaning supplies, our future covering our present.

  I slip inside her, nice and slow. I keep true to every word I said. I wish my life could stay as blissful as the moment she comes around my cock.

  As pure as the moment I carry her upstairs and tuck her into bed, pulling her safely into my side.

  As peaceful as the moment she snuggles herself in close to me, wrapping her beautiful arm around my rough skin and mumbles a thank you.

  Yep, that’d be nice.

  … But chaos awaits.

  “On your way to boxing?”

  Eeeeek!

  The sound of Lacey’s screech and her tennis shoes skidding on the hardwood echo throughout the hall. With wide eyes, she throws her hand over her heart, spending a few seconds to take in that it’s just me standing here with my arms crossed over my chest, casually leaning against the wall.

  “You scared me, Sven,” she whispers, shuffling her feet.

  I push off the wall. “Apologies, but if you knew I had my sights set on talking to you, you would have found a way to avoid me. I had to catch you off guard.”

  She looks at the ground, but doesn’t say anything.

  “Yeah, thought so.”

  I reach forward and pinch her protruding collar bone.

  “Should I even bother asking? You know why I’m here.”
r />   She jerks her shoulder away and scowls at me.

  “You know things are stressful Sven,” she hisses in that very capable voice of hers.

  “Yes. For all of us,” I say with a nod. I feel my eyes darken and narrow as I take a step toward her. She lifts her chin and stares right back at me. She looks so fucking tired. It takes the threat right out of her.

  “I was gonna go to Boss first, but I figured it’s best to go straight to the source. You’ve earned that. You’re not coping, Lacey. Yes, we’re all stressing about this shit, but come on, don’t make me be the asshole here. This is personal for you.”

  The reality is that I was going to go to Boss first, but he’s blinded. Working himself to death, worried about his wife and daughter. I know he’s worried about Lacey. I don’t understand why he’s not pulling her off the job, to be honest. He’s got to see her state of mind. Does she tell him? I think he’s in denial. He can’t deal with the physical and emotional threat to the one woman he gives a damn about.

  Her lower lip quivers, but I watch as she literally empties her eyes of emotion, giving herself an almost cold, detached feel.

  “He’s letting me work on this. He hired me. Do you not trust his opinion?”

  She raises an eyebrow.

  “That’s low, Lacey. I can’t comment on that. The man you call husband is my Boss and very capable of putting a gun to my dick, as he’s threatened to do several times. I say my thoughts on this, I can say bye bye to that sucker.”

  She’d have flinched if there was life behind her eyes.

  “I figured this is how me talking to you would go, so I brought reinforcements.”

  “Reinforcements?”

  That gets through to her. She snaps out of it, visibly pales, and flinches.

  “Come out.”

  Out walks Rose, Gioele, Enzio, and a few other men Lacey cooks for. I left Boss out of this little charade. Too much explaining to do with him here. And sometimes, it’s nice for a person to have their secrets.

  “I’m fine!” Lacey practically shrieks, wrapping her arms around her waist. “Please go. I have to box.”

  She casts a wary glance at the doors to her boxing gym. She glances up at the clock, then back at the doors.

  “We just want to be sure you are good, Mrs. Ruston. On a personal note, I want you to know I am doing all I can to make sure this threat to you isn’t sustained.”

  Gioele’s old wise eyes meet Lacey. He didn’t agree with what Boss did to her from the start. He still followed orders though, as we all did. None of us are innocent.

  “Thanks,” Lacey mutters shyly in response to his awkward attempt at comforting her.

  “Love you, Lace,” Rose whispers.

  That’s the only time Lacey softens.

  “Love you too, Rose,” Lacey whispers.

  A few of other people chip in, trying to boost Lacey up. I watch from the back as bit by bit, Lacey’s posture straightens ever so slightly. She can deny it all she wants, but this helped her. Sometimes, we all just need to know we’re not alone, and our pain isn’t left unnoticed. At the end of the day, we all want that.

  Being on the side allows me to see things most people wouldn’t. Like how Lacey keeps checking the clock, then the door to the boxing room. Each time she does it, her worry lines deepen. Glancing down, I see her hands clenching and unclenching quickly. Grounding herself. I can almost feel her heart rate spiking from over here.

  “Lacey!” I call, cutting off everyone’s sentimental ramblings. I glance at the clock and the door like she’s been doing. “What’s going on?”

  “Cut should be here,” she whispers. “He’s never been late. Never. Now he’s going on ten minutes.”

  I glance around. “Well, Maria’s not here.”

  I smirk slightly. Something’s weird with them. Lacey, however, does not find it amusing. All all. She shakes her head vehemently.

  “No! You don’t know Cut like I do. He would not be late. Something’s wrong.”

  I’m ready to write it off as her paranoia and state of health when footsteps round the corner. I spin around, hand jumping to my gun. I step around so I’m in front of Rose without even looking at what’s in front of me.

  “Cut!” Lacey shrieks.

  My head quickly flies up. Cut is there. Held by giant ass two men, one with a gun to his temple. Miguel is standing next to them, twirling a knife. Lacey flies forward, but Enzio snaps like a whip and snatches her. She twists and turns, and uses every boxing move that Cut, ironically enough, taught her to get away. With the exception of a few grunts, Enzio doesn’t budge.

  “Cut! Let him go!” Lacey cries. “You asshole!”

  She fights harder to get to Miguel, but Enzio doesn’t let go. Honestly, I’m impressed. I’m not sure I’d be able to hold her with her fighting like she is. I can tell it’s adrenaline and desperation for who I now truly believe is her friend. Lacey and Cut have moved way beyond a basic trainer-trainee relationship.

  “Let him go!” Lacey screams so loudly she has to close her eyes to do it. “How did you get in here?”

  All of us have guns aimed at the other side. Our men could shoot Cut to get to Miguel. Honestly, I think we’d all agree that Cut is a tragic, but worthwhile, sacrifice to end Miguel and two of his men, but for Lacey to witness Cut’s death would destroy her. With a quick glance at the men in the room, I make that clear.

  “Oh, that wasn’t hard. Was it, Cut?”

  He traces the knife along Cut’s cheek, dragging it out. Blood seeps down his cheek onto his shirt. Lacey screeches like a wild animal. I know she’s worried about his scars.

  I watch in horror as Cut’s head falls, shame slipping across it. Please, dear God, for all that’s good, say Cut didn’t let him in here.

  “I’m so sorry, Lacey,” Cut whispers, shaking his head.

  Lacey looks at him, horrified. Tears slip down her cheeks and she starts to shake.

  “Wh... what do you mean? Cut?” She whimpers.

  “Oh, don’t worry,” Miguel says with far too much enthusiasm. “He didn’t do it to hurt you, little Lace.”

  “Don’t call me that!” Lacey screams, her poor little body vibrating with rage against Enzio.

  “Fine, Lacey Ruston. Cut had a bit of a dilemma. He didn’t choose you.”

  Cut, honest to God, looks ready to cry. Big guy he is, riddled with scars, that’s pretty shocking.

  Miguel snaps his fingers with a casual roll of his eyes.

  “Bring her in.”

  “Get your filthy hands off me, you dogs!”

  Fuck. Maria.

  Sure enough, hands handcuffed behind her back, led in by two men, is Maria with a cut on her cheek. Unperturbed and attitude-ridden as ever.

  “Maria!” Rose shouts, coming of the shadows.

  Shit! My hand jerks out so fast, squeezing impossibly tight into Rose’s arm.

  “Don’t even think about it,” I hiss.

  I throw her back behind me. I am not losing her again. Especially not to this twerp.

  “Oh, Rose Marketta, sorry. She’s your friend, right?”

  “Bellemore,” Rose whispers, eyes on Maria.

  I glare at Miguel. Move. On. He has no business with Rose. She doesn’t benefit him in any way, except to piss me the fuck off. Rose’s hand dig into my arms.

  Save Maria.

  That’s what she’s asking of me with that. And damn it, I will not let her down!

  “See, I gave Cut a couple of choices. One, he lets me in here, and I don’t act out my extreme displeasure on this muy bonita Latin señorita.”

  Cut grinds his teeth, but the second his eyes find Lacey, his rage dies off and morphs into sadness.

  “Two, I take the Latin chick and cut her up as good as Cut here, but Cut gets to protect Lacey’s humble abode.”

  No wonder he led them straight in here. Of all people, Miguel had to run into Maria. My hand flies back to make sure Rose doesn’t do anything stupid. Judging by her stiffness, I think
she’s in shock. Honestly, good.

  It has the complete opposite effect on Lacey.

  Before we can react, she has Enzio’s knife, completely catching him off guard.

  “No!”

  Lacey flies at Miguel. It’s so quick that no one has to time to react. Her actions are swift. She’s moving so fast I have no idea where the knife is or if she still even has it. Much to everyone’s surprise, when she steps away from attacking Miguel for a moment to catch her rapidly increasing breath, there’s blood on her knife. She goes at him again, but he grabs the knife, twists it and puts it up to her throat, holding the dripping red knife there as blood oozes out of his side.

  Enzio and I stiffen. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Damn it, Lacey!

  “You’re lucky this is not how I want you to go,” Miguel snarls, letting his mask slip for a moment.

  The next few moments happen so fast. Miguel throws Lacey back. Enzio catches her and throws her behind him. More men file into the room with guns pointed at us. Fuck, he’ll spare Lacey to fulfill his sick plan for her, but the rest of us don’t matter. This is bad. I grip Rose tighter.

  “Run,” I hiss behind me.

  She looks horrified.

  “I can’t fight if I’m worried about you.”

  She still pauses.

  “You want me to save your friends?”

  With a whimper, she leaves my side and runs the opposite way. I block her with my body, but Miguel lets her go. I wish I could spare all the girls that easily. Oh well. Rose is safe.

  Okay, focus now. The gentle hum of determination fills my brain.

  “So you’re gonna kill us all. That’s how this is going to go?”

  I step to the front with a cocked eyebrow, gun now dangling by my side.

  “Sven, good to see you.”

  “Cut the bullshit, Miguel.”

  I watch the blood Lacey drew ooze from his side, just to ground myself. To avoid totally losing my shit here. I have to think, plan. Reckless violence is not, and never will be, my thing.

  “See, Sven, this is why you never achieve what you want.” I’d beg to differ. “You miss the bigger picture.”

  “Then please, do share.”

  I need time to think.

  “Lacey,” Miguel points his knife at her. “Wanna come with me? I’ll spare your friends.”