She looks up, her angry gaze landing on mine as I bow my head to look down at her. “Not just me,” I say on a growl. “Aston and Kadence too. Who knows what that asshole was capable of. Still is once I free him.”
She swallows hard before pulling her hair back into a ponytail. “I hate the idea of that with every fucking part of me. I want to kill that piece of shit myself.”
I bring my hands up to cup her face, wanting to reassure her that he’s no longer a threat. “He won’t be hurting anyone after I’m through with him, Melissa. I won’t fucking let him. I’d die before I let him get to you or my family. That’s a promise.”
Keeping her gaze on me, she nods, before reaching out to grab my hand to look at my knuckles. “I believe you, Ace.”
Once we get inside, I flip on a few lights and guide Melissa into the back room that never gets used. Gabe may get upset about us leaving holes in the wall, but I’ll rebuild the whole fucking wall if I have to.
I grab out my knife and hand it to Melissa before stepping back and crossing my arms. “Let it out, Angel.”
She gives me a confused look. “What? Right here. Won’t you get fired or–”
“I’ll handle Gage,” I say, cutting her off. I don’t want her to think about any of that. “Don’t worry about me getting into trouble.”
I push away from the wall and step in close behind her, turning her to face the wall. “Pretend that piece of shit is the wall. Don’t hold back.” I can’t lie and say I don’t find pleasure in the fact she is looking out for me, that she cares enough to worry about me. Hell, it makes me really fucking happy, if I’m being honest.
She leans her head back and lets out a tiny moan when I kiss her neck. “Okay,” she whispers. “I can do that.”
“Good.” I back away and pull the joint from my pocket as I watch her growl out and throw the knife at the wall.
A half hour goes by, and she’s still not ready to give the knife back and all I can do is sit back and watch my beautiful, twisted angel with a smirk.
Fuck, how she was meant for me.
“Feel better?” I push away from the wall and walk over to the wall that has the knife stuck in it.
She nods, watching me as I pull the knife from the wall and slip it back into my boot. “I feel much better, actually.”
I barely get a chance to stand back up, before her arms are wrapped around my neck and she’s pulling me in for a kiss.
Fuck, how I love that she’s starting to kiss me and touch me on her own. It says that we’ve come a long way since she first came into my life because of Aston and Kadence.
“Can I sit and watch you work now?” she questions against my lips. “It brings me peace and comfort and I need that right now.”
“Yes,” is all I say before guiding her back into the garage where my bike is.
I dropped it back off last night because there’s still more work to get done on her.
She watches me in silence for a bit before speaking. “Were your parents ever good to you guys?” There’s genuine curiosity and worry in her voice. It warms a part of my cold fucking heart.
“No,” I say honestly. “Not that I can remember. I think I came out of the womb fearing them. They should’ve never been allowed to have kids.” I look up from my bike to see her mouth curve down into a frown. “What about your parents? Are they around?”
She nods. “Yeah, they live about twenty minutes away. I see them when I can, but they both work a lot of long, crazy hours, so family time is usually few and far between.” She shrugs. “We’re also not real close, but we don’t have any issues either. It’s just sort of whatever. We make time when we can.”
“They treat you well?”
“Yeah. I don’t remember a time where they ever even spanked me. I guess I should be more grateful than I have been.” She looks sad as her eyes move up to meet mine. “I never realized that I had it good growing up compared to some kids. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” I say stiffly. I hate thinking about my parents. “They made us who we are and I don’t regret that. It also helped us get close to our uncle Killian. He’s taught us a lot about life.”
“I like your uncle. I can tell how much he loves you guys.”
“Yeah.” A grateful smile forms on my lips. “He loves us something fierce and trust me . . . Killian is the last Locke you want to cross. You think I’m twisted. Killian is brutal.”
She lets out a small laugh. “I’ll be sure not to get on his bad side then.”
“Good. Because if you did . . . then I’d have to be on his bad side too.”
She’s silent as she watches me, almost as if she’s unsure of what to say. I love my uncle to death, but I’d do anything for Melissa. I’m right there with her, no matter where that is.
We spend the next two hours talking, laughing and playing around and it feels incredible to be doing this with her.
I’ve never seen her so relaxed with me and it scares the shit out of me that after what I have to show her tomorrow, that this night, and everything that we’ve shared and learned about each other, might not be enough to make her want to stay.
After tomorrow, I may lose Melissa forever and, to be honest, I’ve never been so terrified of anything in my entire life.
That’s exactly why I need to take every moment that I can get with her tonight and savor it.
After I clean off my hands, I guide Melissa out to the back of my truck and pull her into my lap, holding her as we both stare up at the night sky.
Here with her, I feel the happiest I’ve ever been. But for her to truly be happy with me, she needs to accept me for who I am.
Tomorrow, she’ll get to see that with her own two eyes . . .
MELISSA
To say I am curious about where Ace is taking me is an understatement. I glance over at him, the road we are on is rocky, as if it is foretelling me that what is about to happen, that what I am about to see would be just as uneven.
But I think this is what I need to know, whether or not falling for him completely is something I can handle.
I need to know where to go from here. Especially after the time we spent together last night. Being with him, him talking and holding me, felt so damn good to ignore.
“You don’t want to tell me where we’re going?” I see him smirk, but it is more of a sinister one than anything else.
Goosebumps pop out along my skin, and I know that what I am about to witness will probably shape how I feel for Ace more than anything else that has happened since meeting him. But then again, I have a feeling that that is the reason he is taking me with him. I know that he wants me to see this other side of him, to know truly who he is before things get even more intense between us.
But I know about him, about his brothers and after getting to know him the way I have over the last week, I’m hoping that nothing that he can show me or tell me tonight will change how I feel for him.
Truth is, I’m already in too deep with it comes to Ace but am too afraid to actually say those words out loud. Hell, I think I’m even too afraid to admit it to myself the majority of the time.
About ten minutes later we come to a stop. There are a few houses around, all of them looking pretty rundown and deserted. Only one of them has lights coming from the inside. I glance over at Ace and see him clenching the steering wheel so tightly the leather creeks under his hold.
I want to say something, anything, but I know he’s not in the mindset for anything aside from what he’s about to do. And I know that’s going to include violence.
He’s out of the truck and reaching for his hammer before I can even comprehend it, and although I think he might say to stay in the vehicle, he walks around and opens the passenger side door.
My stomach drops, my nerves taking over.
For a second, I just sit there and stare at him, seeing the way the muscle under his jaw ticks, how he’s holding the edge of the car door so tightly his knuckles are white. I can see the pulse benea
th his ear beating rapidly.
He’s pumped up for whatever he’s about to do, or maybe he’s afraid of showing me the real him. I may know what he and his brothers do, somewhat accept it now even, but witnessing it firsthand is something totally different.
I know this and it’s clear he does, as well.
He helps me out of the vehicle and I stand there for a moment just staring at the house. Part of the front window is patched up with plywood, as if the owner of the house figured this was a good enough fix. The light coming from the window is dim, almost lifeless. I look over at Ace and see him watching me.
“Are you ready to see who I really am, Angel?” I open my mouth but no words come out. I want to tell him that I know who he is, but I have a feeling I really don’t know who Ace Locke truly is.
“I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” The words fall out of my mouth, even though I’m far from ready. I spent a long time fearing the Locke brothers, not knowing who they really were, what they really stood for. I thought they were careless and dangerous. I never in my wildest dreams would’ve imagined I’d be where I am at this very moment.
He grins but it doesn’t reach his eyes; he looks less than happy. And then together we walk up to the house. My heart is thundering and fear waves war in me. Although I know Ace would never let anything or anyone harm me, knowing I am about to see the violence that he dishes out has me on edge.
We stop right before we reach the uneven, partially broken porch steps. Headlights illuminate the house for a second, and the sound of tires on gravel ring through the air. I turn and see a dark SUV come to a stop beside Ace’s vehicle. More Lockes have clearly shown up for this, and that worries me even more.
Sterling is the only one to get out, but he looks less than thrilled to see me standing there.
“What the fuck, man?” he says to Ace, but his focus is on me. “You brought your woman here? You fucking mad?”
I look at Ace and see he looks pissed off, his expression dark as he stares at Sterling. “She needs to see what we are about. She needs to know how far we go.”
Sterling just shakes his head and exhales. “You’re fucking insane, dude,” he says under his breath. He glances at the house. “I guess if you were going to bring her with you this would be the right house to do it at. Shit that we can control.”
I’m so confused at this point that I don’t bother asking questions. I have to assume this is one of their “less violent” runs, because why else would Ace bring me with him if it were really dangerous?
Or maybe they are so sure of themselves that they know how this will go down before they even step foot in the house.
The latter seems more likely.
“Well,” Sterling says, rolling his head around and cracking his neck. He’s just as pumped up as Ace. “Let’s get this fucking party started.”
And just like that, my heart sinks to my stomach as the unknown presents itself.
I lift my gaze and stare at Ace’s hammer, his weapon of choice. He swings it into the door, one, two, three times, before the whole thing practically comes down in front of him.
I would think seeing him with his hammer, heated and full of rage would frighten me somehow, make me think less of him, but it doesn’t. In some strange way, it turns me on, knowing that he has the power to hurt some asshole who deserves it.
Ace is fearless with his hammer and I’d be lying if I said I’m not curious to see what he does with it next. I know now they don’t hurt people unless it’s justified and deserved. It just took me a while to realize that.
With his jaw flexed, he turns behind him and reaches for my hand. Without a word, he pulls me inside, with him leading the way.
Sterling enters behind us, and I glance at him, seeing him cross his arms over his chest and lean against the wall. He’s wearing a pretty big grin. “The fucker is in the basement. I’ll let you take care of the prick. I’ll stay up here for backup, but I’m positive he’s alone down there.”
Ace grins at his brother while rolling his head around on his neck. “This piece of shit is mine and Melissa’s. Just stay the fuck right there.”
My heart hammers against my chest, adrenaline pumping through me as Ace grabs my hand again and begins leading me down to the basement.
Mine and Melissa’s?
What does that even mean?
Why does this situation excite me, yet make me so damn nervous at the same time?
It’s almost as if I want to see Ace hurt someone and I don’t know how I feel about that.
Maybe being around Ace makes me want to be just as twisted as he is. Maybe inside, I’m just as corrupted as he is and he’s been able to see it all along.
And maybe that’s why I feel we are perfect for each other.
Whatever the reason, I’m about to see what Ace is all about. I’m about to see him. The true him.
ACE
I’ve been watching Melissa since the moment we arrived. Been testing her body language, her breathing, to see how being here makes her feel.
I’m not sure she’s ready to admit it just yet, but being here, about to hurt some motherfucker who deserves it, the excitement of it, has her just as pumped as I am.
She’s just confused by these feelings. I know this, because my emotions were just as twisted and confusing the first time too. Still . . . she’s here with me and it doesn’t look as if she plans on running anytime soon.
The knowledge of that has me wanting to slam her against a wall and bury myself between her thighs. Call me a sick fuck, but the thought of catching this motherfucker, beating him until he’s bloody and tying him up while I fuck my woman in the next room has me hard as a fucking rock.
But I school myself and gather my self-control. I can’t lose focus.
This motherfucker thinks he can put his hands on a woman without her permission. Thinks he can fuck someone without their consent. But once I break both his hands and legs, let him really feel pain, he won’t know the feeling of being inside a woman for a long fucking time.
I want him tortured and in agony.
Once we reach the bottom of the stairs, I turn around and back Melissa up against the wall with my body. With my free hand, I grip her neck and lean in to whisper in her ear. “Stay here.” Her body is tense against mine, the anxiety practically pouring from her in waves. I close my eyes and place my hand on the center of her chest, just breathing in and out slowly, telling her, showing her without words that she’s safe.
I pull back and look into her eyes. She nods in response to my statement, my demand. She’s breathing a little easier now, a little more even. She looks into my eyes, her pupils dilated, her desire clear.
I smirk down at her, pleased to know that she’s still turned on by me, despite the fucked-up situation I have her in right now.
With a small growl, I pull her bottom lip into my mouth, tugging it between my teeth, before I release it. “Don’t move. I mean it.”
“Wait,” she says on a heavy breath. “I need to know what he did first. I don’t know if I can stay otherwise.”
I stiffen, hating the idea of saying what this sick fuck did out loud, but for her to fully understand what we do, she needs to know.
“He’s a fucking rapist. A sick son of bitch who takes what he wants, when he wants. He drugs women so he can control them. The last one just happened to stay awake long enough to know it was happening.”
“A rapist,” she says on an angry whisper. “How many women?”
I shake my head. “Five, maybe more.” I grit my teeth and grip the wood of the hammer tighter. “One was enough to punish the sick fuck and that’s what I’m about to do.”
She nods again, her eyes filled with anger at the knowledge of what this fucker has done. “Give him what he deserves.” She looks down at my hammer as if imagining what she could do with it. “Break both of that sick asshole’s legs.”
I back away and swing my hammer around, my gaze still locked on hers, until I finally turn
around and head for the first closed door.
The room is empty, so I move on to the only other option left down here in this creepy-ass basement.
Her words have me even more worked up, my adrenaline pumping like fucking crazy to get to this son of a bitch and hurt him.
It’s almost like I’m hurting him for her now.
Bringing my boot up, I kick the door open and step inside to see a single bed and dresser set up inside the tiny room.
There’s no closet and the room is fairly clean, causing me to laugh at the fact that this fucker thought he could hide from me down here.
“Trenton.” I stop in front of the bed. “Are you really going to make me drag you out from under there?”
It takes a moment before I hear shuffling from under the bed. Then I see Trenton haul his ass out.
I take several steps back, curling my fingers tightly around the handle of the hammer. I can feel the smirk covering my face as the asshole stands and faces me.
He won’t look me in the eye, and I can feel the fear coming from him.
Good, he needs to be afraid, because what I’m about to do to him is what nightmares are made of.
Finally, he clears his throat and shifts on his feet. He looks at me, his eyes going wide as they take in the hammer I’m holding.
He knows why I am here, and what I’m about to do.
He’s heard of me. Of us Locke brothers.
Trenton holds his hands up in surrender, but that just makes me laugh. “I don’t know why you’re acting like this isn’t going to happen.” I take a step closer and he retreats one back.
“Ace-I-I swear. It was a misunderstanding.”
That just pisses me off even more.
I tighten my hand even harder around the handle of the hammer and take another step closer.
The rage boils up inside of me, causing my blood to pump hard and fast through my veins. “You’re actually going to stand there and tell me it was a misunderstanding?” I cock my head to the side as I appraise him. “You held her down, took from her what she wasn’t willingly offering.” The words come out of me like an animalistic growl. “Tell me again how innocent you are.”
Twisted Locke (Locke Brothers, 3) Page 7