Caught in the Aftermath

by Jami Gray

  She went to leave, only to nail her knee on the still open cabinet door. She cursed and stumbled back, landing against his chest. Even as his sore ribs protested, instinct had his arm curling around her waist, holding her steady. With an armful of warm flesh and alluring curves, his body buckled under the rising tide of lust.

  His arm tightened and he buried his face in the wild mess of her hair, muffling his groan, filled with equal parts need and pain. Her hands went to his wrists and held on as his hips ground against her ass. In his arms, she shuddered and pressed back, her head falling back to his shoulder. The air surrounding them grew thick with anticipation fuzzing his brain. It was the only explanation he had for what he did next, pressing his lips to the silky skin where her neck met shoulder.

  ‘Math.’ His name came out shaky even as she angled her head, granting him better access.

  Not about to miss an opportunity he took it, opening his mouth against the tendon and taking her taste deep. The grip on his wrist tightened as she squirmed against him. Not to get away but to turn and get closer. The movement scraped across his ribs, sending a mind-clearing shaft of pain through him. He lifted his head as he hissed a breath through gritted teeth.

  In his arms Vex stilled. Before he could say anything, she’d broken his hold and disappeared through the bathroom door, leaving him aching and cursing.

  Chapter 8

  What the hell are you thinking? Vex all but ran from the bathroom and headed for the safety of the kitchen. Short of leaving, it was the farthest she could go. She braced her hands on the counter and stared unseeingly at her most precious possession, her refurbished coffee maker. She needed to get tangled up in Math like she needed a hole in her head. The merciless reminder couldn’t cool the lingering lust ignited by his simple touch. Tempting as it was to go back in there and finish what he’d started, she didn’t dare. Just because he could make her body sit up and beg didn’t mean shit. Way the hell off-kilter and needing to keep her shaking hands busy, she shoved the empty carafe into place, dumped ground coffee into the basket filter and hit the button. The machine kicked into life. The local tinker had magic hands and managed to salvage her battered caffeine dispenser until it was almost as good as new. Behind her the sound of the shower coming on sapped some of her tension.

  Now that it wouldn’t be heard, she released a groan, turned, and slid down the cabinet until her ass met cool tile. With her feet flat against the floor, she braced her elbows on her knees and dropped her head into her hands. Her fingers clutched at her hair and tugged, the tiny bites chasing the last remnants of hazy lust away.

  All right, it was just a momentary lapse, nothing to worry about. Put any male and female in tight quarters and sparks would fly, right? Right. She thumped her head back against the cabinet. ‘Lame, Vex, really fucking lame.’

  Okay fine, so no harm in admitting she wouldn’t mind spending a few sweaty hours tumbling Math, didn’t mean she had to act on it. Hell, in a few hours they’d be hitting the road to ride to the rescue of someone who may not even be breathing while dragging a couple of problems behind them. Sex should be the last thing on her mind. Honestly, it shouldn’t even be on her radar. Wasn’t she just bitching and moaning about Simon being a dick and swearing off men altogether? Add in the tiny fact that Math was Reaper’s fucking brother, and that right there should be enough to cool her rabid hormones. Their genetic tie was too close for comfort. Besides, for all the grief she gave Reaper, he owned her loyalty and respect.

  Years ago, after their old man never returned from a hunting trip, she and Ruin ended up in the urban jungle of Portland’s streets, running with a gang and living on the edge of feral. It worked for them until the leader of their little band of cutthroats decided Vex and Marnie, the only two females in the group, were better used as bait for older, more vicious predators. She kept Ruin in the dark until things hit a critical point, only cluing him in after it tipped into blood. Memories crowded close with brutal whispers, and with hard-earned practice, she shut them down. For Ruin, it didn’t matter if older was a matter of minutes, he took his position as the eldest viciously serious. Something the head cutthroat learned quick, which meant the sneaky bastard didn’t waste time exploring his options on eliminating his newly earned problems. He sent the twins after the bikes of two known mercenaries. Even now, years later, Vex remembered the quick rush of adrenaline and arrogance as she and Ruin pit their quick minds and quicker fingers against the challenge that was Reaper and Havoc. Lucky for the twins, Reaper and Havoc gave them another choice—go down with the gang or make amends. With a mind to saving their asses, the twins chose to make amends. And not a day went by that Vex didn’t count her blessings.

  So yeah, repaying Reaper by exchanging what equalled a genital handshake with his estranged brother was asking for trouble. Contrary to popular belief, Vex wasn’t keen on deliberately pissing Reaper off. Push him towards the edge? Sure, but not straight over it. No woman in her right mind would tempt that kind of hell.

  The image of a half-naked Math took centre stage while an evil little voice murmured, ‘Might be worth it.’

  Dammit, she was courting trouble.

  The shower shut off, yanking her out of her thoughts and up to her feet. Since the coffee was done, she made up her cup and was wandering back to the couch when knuckles hit her front door. She paused halfway to the living room and glared at the door. Who the hell thought dawn meant visiting hours? Not inclined to find out and certain they would leave if she ignored them, she turned away, her feet shuffling over the floor, her aim the couch. She settled in, took a sip of her coffee, and closed her eyes as the caffeine hit her system.

  The knock came again.

  What the hell? She stared at the door and considered. Reaper said his piece last night, so a repeat appearance was out. Too early to be Havoc, Mercy wouldn’t let a lock or tact keep her out. Doubtful that Ruin or Charity were even up after days on the road.

  A third knock sounded, this time sharp with impatience.

  Since whoever was on the other side of the door wasn’t going away, she heaved a huge sigh and got to her feet. Irritation simmered, dulling her caffeine-induced buzz as she moved to the door. She took another sip and left the mug on the kitchen counter. Just as the idiot on the other side knocked again, she yanked open the door and her mood dropped faster than Simon’s raised hand. Oh for fuck’s sake.

  ‘Hey, Vex.’ He stood there, one hand braced on the doorframe, the other slowly falling to his side, while an awkward mix of emotions washed over his face.

  The sound of her name from him caused a confused ache in her chest and twisted her gut. Then irritation came to the rescue, drowning the inconvenient emotions out. She resisted the urge to slam the door shut. Instead, she tightened her hand on the inside knob where he couldn’t see and struggled to keep her voice even. ‘Simon.’

  ‘Mind if I come in?’ He dropped his hand from the frame and shifted forward.

  ‘Yep.’ Satisfaction surged when he blinked and jerked his head back, obviously not expecting that answer. ‘What’s up?’

  He studied her, but she knew he’d see what she wanted—casual indifference. No way in hell would he ever know how much his decision to walk away still stung. He offered her a small smile. ‘I need to talk to you a minute.’

  Unmoved by his tried and true charm, she said, ‘Talk.’

  ‘Come on, Vex.’ When she remained silent and unbending, his face hardened. He muttered a curse and added, ‘Not out here for Christ’s sake.’

  Keeping her grip on the door, she leaned forward and craned her neck to see around the doorjamb, then deliberately turned to do the same in the other direction. When she resettled in the opening, she set her shoulder to the edge of the doorframe, and left her other arm still blocking the way. ‘Think we’re as private as we need to be, and not to be a bitch—’ okay totally being a bitch here, ‘—but rather not have you in my rooms.’

  ‘Always the hard-ass, aren’t you?’ Temper add
ed a nasty edge to his words and sent them scraping over the raw spots she’d be damned he’d ever see.

  Locking her emotions under a glacier built by years of practice, ice erupted and coated her voice. ‘Yeah, Simon, I am.’

  Simon flinched and blew out a breath. ‘Dammit.’ He dropped his head and rubbed a hand at the base of his skull. When he raised his head, the temper was gone, the more dangerous regret in its place. ‘Look, I didn’t come here to argue, I just wanted to see if you were okay.’

  It would be too easy to curl her lip and blow his ass off, and not just because of the play Reaper instigated. She wanted to, God knew. Thing was they shared years of friendship before their misguided attempt to take it someplace else, and it was that relationship that had her reeling back her bitchier tendencies. A deep breath forced the tension back and defrosted the chill. ‘I’m fine, Si. Nothing I haven’t had before, and trust me, I’m pretty sure it’ll happen again.’

  Since they both knew that was a given, he tried a different tack. ‘The ones who gave you that, are they going to be looking for a rematch?’

  She shook her head. ‘Don’t worry, nothing’s coming back to your doorstep.’

  ‘I’m not worried about stumbling over a mess,’ he muttered, shuffling his feet as if he wasn’t sure if he wanted to stay or go.

  Seeing that, frustrated hurt and an angry kind of sadness bloomed. So why the hell are you here? She wanted to ask, but pride wouldn’t let her. He was done with her, a fact he made crystal clear days earlier. ‘Then what are you worried about?’

  ‘Ran into Reaper last night.’ He settled in against the opposite side of the frame. ‘He said something about a bounty hunter hitting town, someone Mercy knows, looking for help.’

  Reaper wasn’t wasting time planting his story about Math. She made a noncommittal hum and waited.

  ‘Said you were heading out with him this morning. That true?’

  ‘Yeah.’ When he frowned and looked away, she added, ‘What?’

  ‘You sure this guy is on the up and up?’

  She snorted. ‘Tell me you didn’t ask Reaper that?’

  He shook his head. ‘Do I look stupid?’

  ‘Then why are you asking me?’

  He folded his arms over his chest. ‘Something about the timing—this bounty hunter hitting town at the same time as the soldier boys from the city, the damn traitor—it makes my gut ache.’

  That’s because he was being lied to, something she felt bad about, just not enough to disobey Reaper. In the long run it was about keeping Simon safe. If the worst happened, and Michael or Greer found out the Vultures hooked up with Math, they would bear the brunt of it, not Simon and not Pebble Creek. The Vultures swore to protect both, and that’s exactly what they were doing.

  With that in mind, she let impatience creep into her voice. ‘It’s a tracking job with a decent payout, nothing more. Could the timing be better? Sure, but then we don’t always get what we want, do we?’ The double meaning of the question hit her about the same time Simon managed to hide his flinch.

  Shit, she hadn’t meant it that way, but she wasn’t going take it back. ‘Look, Simon, it’s the butt crack of dawn. I didn’t sleep worth shit last night, so if there’s nothing else, how about you—’

  That was as far as she got before the door was yanked out of her hand, throwing her off balance. A half-dressed, clean-shaven Math stood in its place, his attention centred on Simon. ‘There a problem here?’

  The air went electric as Simon’s face flashed from shocked, to hurt, to pissed, and then straight into a blank slate in a matter of seconds. He split a look between the two of them and it didn’t take a genius to read his mind. Yeah, it wouldn’t be hard to sell Reaper’s story she had herself a new lover. Not now. An age-old instinct had her shifting in-between the two, a lame attempt to stave off the looming confrontation. Shit, shit, shit! She wasn’t ready to deal with this, not yet.

  ‘Who the hell are you?’ The question shot from Simon like a bullet.

  Obviously Math was of a mind to put Reaper’s cover story into action. He wrapped an arm around Vex’s waist and drew her back until they were pressed together, presenting the picture of intimacy. Dammit. ‘Crow.’ The rumble of his voice vibrated against her spine and she dug her nails into his arm curled around her waist, but didn’t shove it away. ‘And you?’

  ‘Simon.’ His gaze went to Vex, then back to Math. ‘Bounty hunter?’ Math must have nodded, because Simon turned his attention back to Vex, a muscle twitching near his temple. ‘Right.’ He stepped back, shooting Vex a dark look. ‘Sorry for the early wake-up call.’ Turning on his heel, he stalked away, anger trailing in his wake.

  Before she could decide if she wanted to follow, Math walked her back and closed the door in her face. Jerking out of his hold, she spun around, hands shoving against his chest. When he didn’t budge, her jumbled mess of emotions found a convenient target. ‘Dammit to hell, Math.’

  Unmoved by her attack, he wandered into the kitchen. ‘From here on out, in public, it’s Crow, Vex. Need to get used to it.’

  ‘What the fuck ever.’ She didn’t dare follow him, instead she went to the living room where she had room to pace. Better to keep moving because if she stopped, she might be tempted to work her frustrations out by beating on the annoying man currently making himself at home in her kitchen.

  ‘I’m guessing Reaper’s already spreading the tale of my presence?’

  His purposely casual question brought her to a halt. ‘You’d guess right.’ She shot a venom-filled look at his bare back. ‘You didn’t have to do that.’

  ‘Yeah, I did.’ The muscles under his olive skin shifted and flexed as he doctored his coffee. He turned, cup cradled between his hands, and took a considering sip, watching her over the rim. ‘Don’t get pissed at me, woman. This is Reaper’s game, not mine, I’m just playing my assigned part.’

  She ignored the painful pinch in her chest. With no snappy comeback for his rather valid point, she went back to pacing in front of her couch.

  ‘Thought you said he didn’t want you.’

  Her nails curled into her palms as she throttled back a frustrated shriek. ‘He doesn’t.’

  ‘You sure about that?’

  His question brought her up short and she stopped to glare at him. ‘Yeah, I’m sure.’ No way in hell would she discuss another failed attempt at a relationship, especially with Math. Emotions weren’t his forte. Not according to Mercy, who shared how he lost his shit when she chose to side with Havoc. Math was all about the Strix and his vengeance. Determined to leave this minefield of a conversation, she switched gears. ‘Reaper works quick. If he already planted his story with Simon, chances are he already reached out to Ruin and Havoc with the details. We need to have our shared story straight before we hit downstairs.’

  He raised an eyebrow. ‘You know the people here better than me. What are they going to swallow?’

  ‘They’ll believe whatever we give them.’

  ‘So what do you want to give them?’

  She stood there trying to get her brain into gear, only to have it stall. ‘Give me a minute to think.’

  She turned and resumed her pacing, a bit slower this time. Her route was interrupted when her mug, recently refilled, appeared under her nose. She blinked to find Math in front of her. ‘Thanks,’ she murmured, wrapping her hands around the warm stoneware and tried to ignore the fascinating lines exposed by his clean-shaven face.

  He wandered over to the chair, leaving her to drop back to the couch. Nabbing the blanket, she drew her legs up, and flipped it over her lap. She sipped and thought. Finally, she had something to share. ‘We stick as close to the truth as we can. After leaving Havoc and Mercy at the Shrew, I ran into a couple of wannabes. You crossed paths with me on your way to Reaper, and joined the fun.’

  ‘So why not show up at your side last night?’

  ‘Because you took a couple of nasty hits and weren’t up for a public meet.’
r />   He studied her, his thoughts well hidden, but finally dipped his chin. ‘That could work.’

  ‘Going to have to work.’ Done with the conversation, she set her coffee down and rose. ‘I’m hitting the shower.’ She made it to the door to the bedroom before she threw over her shoulder. ‘If anyone comes knocking, play nice.’ She didn’t wait for his answer before escaping to the bathroom.

  ***

  Vex came out of her room to find Ruin on her couch, steaming mug balanced on his stomach, legs sprawled out and crossed at the ankles. ‘Morning, sunshine.’

  ‘What the hell are you doing here so early?’ She stepped over his legs, dropped her boots to the floor, tossed her custom silver hand armour in her brother’s lap, and sat down.

  He lifted the mug towards Math who was rising from the chair. ‘Dropping off clothes, so our boy here isn’t running around naked.’

  ‘Aren’t you just the helpful sort?’ Leaning forward, she began tugging her boots on.

  ‘That’s me, all kinds of helpful.’ He brought the cup to his mouth, which didn’t do a thing to hide his grin. ‘Reaper got word to Dog, found out Bane’s in Boise already.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘And he’ll keep his ears open and fill you in when you two hit town.’

  Well that was something. Hopefully, Bane would have some intel for them to follow.

  ‘Vex, you done?’ Math asked, head tilted towards the bedroom.

  She lifted her head and gave a short, ‘Have at it.’ She watched him disappear into the bedroom, only when the door closed did she turn her attention back to her boots.

  A teasing pull on her hair had her slapping at Ruin’s hand. ‘What?’ When another, harder tug followed, she finally looked up to find Ruin watching her. ‘What?’

  ‘Talk to me.’

  Blowing out a breath, she stomped her heel against the floor, knocking the thick-soled boot into place. ‘About?’