Crushing Beauty (Harbingers of Sorrow MC): Vegas Titans Series

by Loren, Celia

  “It will never happen again. You have my word.”

  “Thank you.” She paused, needing to get out of the dismal energy that was surrounding them now. “Unless I want it to.” She winked at him.

  He chuckled, unable to hide the smile that took over his face. He snatched the sheet out of her hands and threw it to the side. Jagger effortlessly threw her naked body over his shoulder, strode back into the bedroom, and dropped her onto the bed. He crawled on top of her, crushing her beneath his weight.

  “You just make sure to tell me when that is.” He whispered.

  She wanted to cry out now but refrained, begging her emotions to have some self-control. Instead, she swung her arms to his back and dug her nails into his skin. He groaned, pushing his weight into her hips. She arched into him, meeting his demands. His mouth yearned for hers, and he bent down to claim his prize. He stopped, inches from their connection.

  “I thought I was making you breakfast.”

  “But now I’m hungry for something else.” Her words teased him, pushing him to satisfy this new hunger.

  “You really are something else, Britton Ramirez. Something else.”

  He lifted himself up and clutched her in his arms. He carried her into the kitchen, stole the sheet off the floor, and sat her on top of the island, laying the sheet down first. She quickly pulled the ends up and around her naked body, finding comfort in the brief coverage.

  Jagger sliced off a small piece of omelet and stabbed it with a fork. He twisted to her, hinting for her to open her mouth. She responded accordingly, taking a bite of the nourishment. It was delicious. From that bite, she realized that she hadn’t eaten anything substantial in so long. She opened her mouth again, pleading for more. He happily answered, feeding her the remainder of the omelet. They finished their breakfast in silence; they didn’t need words.

  “What would you like to do today?” He queried, his palms lightly touching the tops of her knees. “After you break up with David, of course.”

  He wasn’t going to drop it. She would need to set up a meeting today. “I have to work tonight.”

  “No you don’t.”

  “Jagger, I do.”

  He narrowed his eyes, knowing what he was about to say may make him seem overbearing, but there were some things that he wouldn’t accept. “I don’t want you working at the casino anymore.”

  “It’s my job.”

  “I will take care of you. I don’t want you working.”

  “And then what? What happens when this is over and I don’t have a job?”

  In that moment, she forgot that she worked for the FBI. She was honestly asking him what would happen to her when he undoubtedly left her again. Jagger took a step back, letting her works sink in.

  “When this is over?”

  “Come on Jagger, I’m just being realistic.”

  His blood was boiling. He wanted to grab her and force her to believe that he would never leave her, but he knew his adrenaline was pounding too much to lay a hand on her. He kept his distance.

  “What do you need from me?”

  “What?”

  “What do I need to do to show you that I’m not going anywhere this time?”

  This was her chance. She would tell him she needed to know what he did for work: everything he did for work. She would ask him to take her to the motorcycle club house and introduce her to his key players.

  “I…” She paused, finding it difficult to lead him into the trap.

  “Anything. I would do anything for you. Just ask.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “What don’t you know?”

  “Anything about you: who you are, what you do.”

  “But you do know who I am.”

  “Do I?”

  “You are the only one in the world who does. And what I do…” he didn’t feel good about this situation, but to lose her again would be the worst thing that could ever happen to him. He couldn’t let this be the end. “I'll show you.”

  She'd finally done it. He was going to divulge all his secrets. He was going to jail, and she would put him there. She searched his pleading eyes, and a deep feeling of hatred spread throughout her body. But it wasn’t hatred toward him. In that moment, she hated herself. How could she do this to someone who obviously loved her, to someone who she…no. She couldn’t think that way. She was undercover and she was on a mission. This was her job, and she couldn’t let her emotions cloud her judgment. She nodded her head. “Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  “Yes, okay.”

  “So we’re doing this for real? You and me?” His voiced cracked.

  “You and me.” Britton nodded and started to sob, collapsing into his chest.

  “No, no, Britton, this is a good thing. Don’t cry.” He lifted her chin up, studying her face. “You are happy about this, right?”

  “Of course.” The problem was that she didn’t know what case she was happy about. Was it that he had asked her to stay with him, to be his? Or was it that she would be successful on her first undercover case? David would be so proud. David. What would David think if he knew the thoughts flying through her mind?

  “I have to call David.”

  “And I’ll call your boss.”

  “No.”

  “Britton, please, I can’t have you working there anymore. I can’t think about you walking around in your tiny, tight dresses and letting other men ogle you. It’s just not acceptable. I won’t be able to handle it.”

  She needed to let him win this one. Her goal was for him to take her to the heart of the Harbingers of Sorrow. The casino had served its purpose. “I’ll call in sick today, and quit next week.”

  “Thank you.”

  She disappeared into the bedroom. Jagger pulled out his phone.

  “Dom, I need you to do me a favor…can you…clean up the place? I’m going to bring Britton by tonight, but I need to ease her into all of it. Just have all the guys there and on their best behavior…Thank you so much…Yes; I want you to be the first one she sees…I’ll see you tonight thanks bro.”

  He hung up the phone and looked around. Things were falling into place, but they were falling fast. He needed to make sure he still had control. What if Britton freaked out? What if she stormed out on him and went straight to the authorities? No, she wouldn’t do that: not with Dominic there. No matter how strong her reservations were toward him, she could never hurt her brother. He was sure it was going to all work out. Now he just needed to deal with David.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  David was worried about Britton. She hadn’t really touched base in much detail since she went deep undercover with Jagger. Her phone call was very cryptic, asking him to meet her at their favorite brunch place. She hung up quickly, without any information hinting at how her case was shaping up. David had no idea what was in store for this meeting, but protecting her was more important to him than knowing all the information.

  He sat outside at their regular table, waiting for her arrival. He pictured what she would be wearing, how her hair was styled. He couldn’t wait for this operation to be over. Then, he could know she was safe, and he wouldn’t be checking his phone every minute to make sure she wasn’t somehow sending a distress signal. He cursed himself. Why had he pushed her to cover this case? Why hadn’t he seen the danger he had put her in? He threw his head back, tossing over the predicament of her situation.

  He was in a daze, but quickly fell out of it when he caught sight of his agent. He smiled, finally guaranteed that she was safe and unharmed. Her hair was down, clinging to her shoulders, and the wind was bouncing loose strands onto her cheeks. She was dressed comfortably. He hadn’t seen her out of her suit jacket very often; he couldn’t help but stare at the perfect body hiding underneath her snug t-shirt. Her dark washed jeans hugged her curves, accentuating her slim hips. David couldn't stop thinking about their kiss. Had it meant something more to her? Had she felt their connection under her terrycloth robe?

&n
bsp; Britton’s eyes widened and her lips curled down as she approached him. What was she trying to tell him? Was there a reason he should be on alert? She reached the table, and he stood to greet her. Standing beside her was a giant of a man. If they had been friends, he would’ve joked that he blocked out the sun. He squinted his eyes and peered up at the man’s face. He looked somehow familiar. Then it hit him. She'd brought Jagger to their meeting. Did Jagger know he was in the Bureau? What had she told him? He was struck with horror. Had Britton turned sides? Did she fall for this man’s spell?

  “Hi David.” She hugged him close, ignoring Jagger’s obvious grunt.

  She hugged him. Okay, she was still playing the part of the girlfriend.

  “Who is your friend, hon?” He played along.

  “David, this is Jagger. He’s umm…my…” She didn’t know how to finish that statement. What exactly was he?

  Jagger jumped in. “I’m her new boyfriend, so her old boyfriend has to hit the road.”

  “Excuse me?” David was not used to being talked to in such a manner. “You can’t just come in here and take my girlfriend away from me.” Why did he feel the need to stand up to this man? Britton was obviously convincing enough for the operation.

  “Can’t I?” Jagger stood up straighter, towering over David.

  “Jagger I can handle this.” Britton jumped in, afraid of what he might do.

  “David, I haven’t been happy lately. You’re just not the man I want to be with.”

  David knew this was a line to strengthen her story, but the words still stung. What if he really wasn’t the man she wanted to be with? What if she was truly falling in love with the beast? He also hated that she was separating him from the case. How was he supposed to protect her now?

  “So you want to be with him?”

  “I do.”

  “Why?”

  Jagger wanted this to end. “She just told you why. Now get the fuck out of here.”

  “David, I’m so sorry.” She hugged him again, and whispered in his ear that she had everything under control.

  Jagger began to pace. Why was she still hugging him? He hated that David was still touching her. Why wouldn’t he get his filthy hands off of his Britton? “Okay, I’m putting an end to this.” He pulled Britton out of David’s embrace and dragged her away from the table.

  David wanted to scream at him to get his hands off of her, but he couldn’t ruin this for Britton. She was a good agent. She could take care of herself. How many times would he have to remind himself of that?

  He watched as Jagger walked her to the car and opened the passenger side door for her. Upon closing the door, Jagger glanced back at David, but his farewell glare was not a boasting one. It was, in fact, a worried one. David could tell that Jagger feared Britton’s relationship with him; it made him uneasy that she could be with someone else other than him. Little did he know that David was only ever able to desire her touch. He was not privy to her intimacy. That was currently reserved for only Jagger Stromm: the tall, the striking, the childhood love, and the criminal. David couldn’t wait to take him down.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  They drove in silence; each one hoping the other would speak first. Britton couldn’t handle the suspense any longer.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To my warehouse.”

  “And what does this warehouse contain.”

  “My family.”

  What did that mean exactly? Did he mean his club house?

  “Is there anything I should know about them?”

  “I’ll let you make your own judgments.”

  “Jagger, what is it exactly that you do?” She tried to sound innocent, hoping her interest would make her seem naïve to his situation and status.

  He didn’t want to answer this question. He was hoping that she'd already figured it out, and that a reveal to the inner workings of his business would simply fill in some blanks. How was he supposed to tell her about everything he ‘handled’?

  “When someone is in trouble, I help him or her out.”

  “And what does being ‘in trouble’ involve?”

  “You certainly ask a lot of questions.”

  “You certainly are vague for someone with so much authority.”

  “So you know I have authority.”

  “Well, I assumed as much. You don’t handle my stubbornness very well.”

  “And yet you continue to test me.” He laughed, happy that she had caught onto his role.

  “I just have no idea what I’m about to walk into.”

  “Do you think I’d put you in harm’s way?”

  She didn’t answer, still haunted by her wrists, ankles, upper arms, and bruised back, “It just takes awhile for me to trust people.” It was the truth, even if she didn’t tell him that he was the root of that distrust. He placed his sprawling palm on the nape of her neck.

  “It takes me a while too.” He looked at her, catching her stare. “And because of that, please forgive me.”

  She cocked her head, unsure of what he was apologizing for. She saw the pain filling his eyes, and felt his hand tighten around her neck. Her vision blurred and her body caved under his grip.

  Blackness.

  Britton heard a strange crackled sound, and then a pungent smell entered her sinuses. She opened her eyes as Jagger took a step back. She instinctively prepared to swing at him, realizing that she was tied down to the arms of a chair.

  “Seriously?” She cried, in utter disbelief. Did he really not trust her that much? Then again, technically he shouldn’t trust her. With that thought, she froze. He knew about the mission. He knew she was an agent. She would surely be dead in a matter of minutes. “Jagger…”

  He took a step back, revealing a slight grin. “Is it wrong how much I like to see you tied up?”

  Was he joking? Was this really a laughing matter? How long had he known? She wanted to ask each question before she was undeniably tortured. Would he be doing the torturing? He knelt down in front of her.

  “Sorry for the safety measures.” He began to untie her wrists. “I couldn’t show you the directions here until I knew what your reaction would be to this place. And I assumed you’d swing at me, so luckily I carry around rope, just in case.”

  It had nothing to do with the FBI; this was all just Jagger being unsure of her reaction. How much more effort would she have to put in? She had already held her tongue during too many instances.

  “You could have blindfolded me.” She snapped.

  Jagger took in her beautiful face, currently puffed with anger. “I could have, but I…” he stuttered. “Well, I knew if you were conscious, you could talk me out of keeping my warehouse location a secret.”

  Britton did enjoy the strange hold she held over him. Yet that still wasn’t enough. She looked around, piecing together her location. They were in an office. It was small and cold, but still an office. The desk was cramped with papers and date books, a calculator, a paper shredder, and…a handgun. It was small, and although she could only see a small piece of it, she would bet money it was a .32 caliber. She planned a number of ways to rapidly grab the pistol if the situation called for it.

  Britton prayed that situation would never come to fruition. Still fairly new to the Bureau, she had never shot a gun outside of the shooting range. She really didn’t want her first bullet in the field to be directed at Jagger. She closed her eyes tightly for a brief second; she didn’t want any bullets aimed at him.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, just…guns scare me.”

  “Oh.” He grabbed the piece off the table and shoved it into a drawer. “It’s just for safety. I don’t even use it.”

  She wasn’t sure how much of that was the truth, but she nodded her head in acceptance. “So why are we in an office?”

  “This is my office. I just thought you’d be most comfortable waking up in here.”

  “Well, aren’t you thoughtful?” She teased, forcing him to chuckle
in response.

  “Here, I want you to meet my family.”

  He pulled her up out of the chair. Her knees wobbled: still weak from her state of unconsciousness.

  “Do you need me to carry you?”

  “I can do it. My legs are still tingling, that’s all.”

  “Here, wrap your arm around my waist for support.”

  He guided her hand to his opposite hip, curling her fingers around his oblique. He flexed at her touch, feeling a spark at her fingertips. Jagger slid his hand across her shoulders and grasped her upper arm. He slowly walked her out of the office door, keeping an eye on her steps to make sure she was steady enough to walk on her own. He led her to another door; this one was very sizeable and needed to be slid on the track to open.

  “Are you okay to stand on your own?”

  “Yes.”

  He let go of her, and pulled on the door. The room was enormous. There were couches, full cars and car parts, a television set, a pool table, a kitchen, and a very familiar face. She stared at him, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. Who was this man? He looked like he was about her age, maybe a little younger. He had dark wavy hair, an olive complexion, and giant black eyes. He turned, hearing their arrival, and locked his gaze with Britton. His smile took over his entire face, and he began to move in her direction. Then it hit her. Britton’s knees wobbled, and Jagger caught her before she collapsed. How could this be? Why hadn’t Jagger said anything?