There was a time when all I'd wanted to do was run from those boys and their betrayal, but that time was gone. Now I wanted vengeance. That was the cold, hard truth of it. I'd been a poor girl with no one to give much of a shit about me when I'd been growing up, but those boys had made that simple, empty life feel so fucking full. And thanks to that I now knew what I was lacking. What I'd always be lacking for the rest of my days. And I intended to take that from them too.
I needed to get back there. I needed to find the rest of their keys and unlock that crypt. Hell hath no fury like a dead girl scorned. And they were going to find that out first hand.
The door opened behind me and I looked around as Maverick stepped out to join me. He'd been gone most of the day and I'd been stuck in here while he left men to guard the doors and man the courtyard beneath me and basically make certain I couldn't leave. At least the day of solitude had given me time to sunbathe naked at long last and bring some of the golden glow back to my skin.
Maverick dropped down on to the cream rattan couch which sat on the other side of the balcony before a glass dining table and placed two bowls of food down. He didn't say a word as he began eating and I grabbed the grey tank top I'd stolen from him and pulled it on to cover myself up. There hadn't been any talk of me getting my own clothes while I was here aside from the outfit I’d worn on that job and I didn't really give a shit about borrowing from him - but I drew the line at the idea of wearing anything of Mia's.
"You didn't want to eat with your girlfriend then?" I asked as I dropped into the seat to his right and tugged my bowl closer. I might have been a captive in this place, but that didn't mean I was going to turn into some meek mouse. Besides, if he wanted me dead, he'd had his chance.
"Believe me, she's not my girlfriend," Maverick grunted, his lip curling in distaste as I took a bite of my pasta.
"So what is she then?" I asked suspiciously because I’d been thinking about that on and off since we’d hooked up and I didn’t like the idea of me being the other woman even if Mia was a bitch. "Because I saw her with her hands on your body, Rick. Don't try and pretend you haven't fucked her."
"I never said I haven't. She's a lot easier to tolerate when I have her face rammed into the cushions so that I can fuck her ass in peace."
I narrowed my eyes on him, wondering what I even wanted to gain from this conversation and he sighed, tossing his fork down into his empty bowl and levelling me with a flat look.
"Don't get yourself all worked up about it, beautiful. Mia is a means to an end. That's all."
"So what am I?" I asked, arching a brow at him as he ran his gaze over me.
"The end," he said slowly.
I took another bite of my food and mulled that over, trying to figure out exactly what that was supposed to mean.
"I got my period," I said suddenly. "Had to ask one of your men to go find me some tampons - which freaked him the fuck out might I add. He got way too confused about which ones to get and I think he had to go find a woman to help him in the end."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. I assumed you'd wanna know. Because you fucked me without a condom and all. And I'm guessing you're not ready to play daddy to a little bundle of joy any time soon."
Silence fell between us and I stared at him, wondering what the hell he was even thinking. I knew what I thought of it, that was for sure. I'd been borderline freaking the fuck out over the fact that we'd forgotten about contraception and the idea that I might have landed myself in that kind of situation. So when I'd gone to the bathroom and found the Red Ranger had paid me a visit I'd whooped for freaking joy. I seriously didn't even have my own shit half together, so I knew I had fuck all chance of being a badass bitch of a mom.
"Well, I guess we don't have to worry about that now. Do we?"
"Were you worrying about it at all?" I challenged.
"If I'm honest, I've been more caught up thinking about how slick and hot your pussy felt wrapped tight around my cock and how fucking good it felt filling you up with my cum while you begged me for every drop of it. So no, I hadn't been worrying about the consequences, but I'm sure we would have figured it out if there had been any."
"Figured it out?" I asked, folding my arms and wondering what he meant by that.
"Isn't being a daddy all about fighting to the death to protect your own? Pretty sure I've got that handled, beautiful. I could figure out the diapers and that shit on the job."
I burst out laughing before I could stop myself and Rick hooked a smile at me too. The shithead almost had me going then. And hell, maybe he really did mean it. Dude was fucking insane, but whatever. Shark week had started and I didn't need to worry about babies popping out of me, so I was all good so far as those concerns went.
"Am I going to need to go get myself checked out?" I asked him, spearing some more pasta and almost groaning at how good it tasted.
"I got tested when I left prison," Maverick said, his gaze darkening with some truth he clearly didn't want to go into in any more detail. "Since then, I can't say I've ever forgone a condom aside from with you so I think you're good."
I nodded and he leaned towards me, dropping his voice. "But maybe I need to get tested? You admitted to fucking Johnny James after all and the entire Cove knows he's a whore for sale. I'm guessing he's got a few nasties lurking about him."
"He gets himself tested weekly actually," I replied, narrowing my eyes. "And unlike you, he never forgets a condom. So I'm good."
"You wanna tell me some more about that?" Rick asked, his gaze running down my body with interest.
"About me fucking JJ?"
"Why not? I might hate the little prick, but I hear he's a good lay. I'd be interested to hear how loud he made you scream and how hard he made you come. Hell, it might even turn me on to hear the filthy details. Or maybe he's overpriced and it's all hype?"
My skin prickled as I thought about JJ's body claiming mine but that was quickly followed by the rush of hurt, betrayal and hatred I felt toward him and the rest of the fucking Harlequins for what they'd done to me on that fucking ferry and I just shook my head.
"I don't want to talk about him. Or any of them."
"That's a shame, because I had an interesting phone call today," Maverick said, leaning back in his chair, his dark eyes glimmering with amusement.
"From who?" I demanded.
"Foxy Boy. He's finally figured out where you are, beautiful, and it sounds like he's not at all happy about it. He threatened to do a lot of bad, bad things to me - especially after I informed him about how much you'd enjoyed taking my cock."
My lips popped open in outrage and Rick just smirked at me like a prime asshole.
"Why the fuck would you tell him that?"
"Because he's been telling the whole world you're his and I promised to break you and lay you back at his door beyond repair. Now here you are, your body sore from my time spent owning it and covered in marks I branded onto it, your heart black with hatred for him and his little friends and the fissures that night ten years ago carved into all of our souls officially bleeding once more. I'd say I've more than achieved what I was hoping to with you, baby girl."
"So that's all I am to you? A playing piece for you to set against your enemy?" I asked angrily, tossing my fork down and glaring at him.
"No. But that doesn't mean you can't be that too. Am I lying about any of it? Do you hate him with all your heart?"
"Yes," I hissed, ignoring the little voice in the back of my skull which was weeping for the rest of my boys because that bitch was weak. They'd fucked me over, left me there to take the fall, abandoned me again. They'd had their chance to prove their pretty words weren't just bullshit and they'd fucked me over for the final time.
"And do you want to stand at my side and strike back at them?"
"Yes," I said firmly because fuck it - I did want that. I wanted someone in my fucking corner for once and out of all of my boys, Rick was the only one who hadn't actually abandoned me all
those years ago. He'd probably suffered worse than I had because of the damn Harlequins and why the fuck shouldn't we band together against them?
"And does that sweet cunt of yours still ache from the feeling of me owning it? Does it throb with the desire for me to do it all over again? Did I lie to him when I said you were begging for it, demanding it, spreading your legs wide and panting for me to give it to you?"
"Fuck you," I said but my voice was kind of breathy and I was clenching my thighs together to try and stamp down my own arousal.
"You already did. But I'm keen for another round, baby girl. Just say the word."
I rolled my eyes at him and he smirked, pushing his chair back and beckoning me over to him with a single finger.
I folded my arms and leaned back in my chair in a clear refusal. I might have liked him manhandling me all over the bedroom, but that did not make me his meek little submissive waiting for him to click his fingers and command me to service his cock.
"Come here, beautiful, I just wanna talk. And I like to look a person in the eyes when I talk to them so that I can see their truth." He patted his thigh and I pursed my lips.
No fucking way was this that simple, but I had to admit that I was tempted by his offer. He owned that fucking chair the way he'd owned me the other night. His shorts and backwards baseball cap combo made me lick my lips and I let myself appreciate his muscular torso and the countless tattoos which covered his bare chest as I looked him over.
"You want to talk to me, Rick?" I asked him. "Then that truth is gonna go both ways. We can trade truths until one of us doesn't want to give one up and then the loser will have to do a forfeit."
"Fine. When you refuse to tell me something, you can get down on your knees and swallow my cock like a good girl," he replied instantly, never one to back down from anything.
"So predictable. And what will your forfeit be when you refuse to answer one of my questions?"
"Easy. I'll have to fuck you until you remember your manners again."
"How is that a punishment for you?" I asked.
"Well, if you really want it to be a punishment then you don't have to let me come. But I'll work my hardest to convince you not to go with that plan."
I got up slowly and walked towards him, letting him reach for me and clasp my ass in his huge hands as I stood between his thighs and looked down at him.
"Yeah, but you can't exactly fuck me while I'm bleeding, so how long am I going to have to wait for this prize?"
Rick snorted derisively. "You think I won't fuck you bloody?" He pushed my stolen shirt up to reveal my bare ass and moved his fingers between my thighs, making me gasp as he found the tampon string and curled it around his finger, tugging the tiniest amount. "Believe me, beautiful, there is nothing about that that turns me off. So unless it's a problem for you..."
I bit my lip, wondering if it was. Shawn had never wanted anything to do with me when I had my period and I'd never fucked any of my other boyfriends while on it either. But the way Maverick was looking at me while I thought it over made my blood heat and a motherfucking blush rose in my cheeks as I shrugged one shoulder.
"I guess I'm not totally against it," I said slowly, making him growl low in the back of his throat before yanking me down to straddle his lap.
"Come on then, ask me whatever it is that's burning you up inside, because if you don't distract me, I'm going to bend you over that balcony railing and give all of my men a real show."
I laughed and slapped his chest, and he looked at me like he didn't even know what to make of that sound. My laughter fell away and I cupped his cheek, searching for the boy I used to know beneath the layers of pain and anger he'd built up around himself.
"Do you even mean it when you laugh anymore, Rick?" I asked him softly, my fingertips moving across his stubbled jaw.
"No," he replied simply. "My turn. Tell me why you're holding a grudge against Shawn Mackenzie."
I jerked back on instinct, pressing my palm against Maverick's chest as I made a move to stand up, but his grip on my ass tightened and he tutted at me. "Backing down so soon? The Rogue I remember was never afraid to voice her truth for the whole world to hear. Why so shy, baby girl?"
I fell still, frowning at him and wondering if there was some truth to his words. I had changed in the last ten years. I ran from my problems and lied more easily than I spoke the truth. Maybe that was because I used to have my boys at my back, so it had been easier to stand my ground and speak my truth back then. Or maybe I'd just let my pain over losing them turn me into a fucking coward. And I didn't like the idea of that one bit.
"If I tell you, I want you to promise me you won't kill him for me."
"Why would I make a silly promise like that?"
"Because his death is mine. I'm fucking owed it and I'm not looking for a knight in shining armour to do my dirty work for me," I snarled.
Maverick raised a brow at the intensity of my tone then nodded his chin at me, agreeing to my terms and waiting for me to go on.
I searched his eyes for some deception, but I found myself just wanting to trust him. To finally fucking trust someone other than myself. I gave in to that urge because I wanted him to know and I guessed I wanted to test him to. To make sure he would honour my wishes and stick to this agreement between us.
"Shawn and me were...together," I admitted slowly. "I was his girl for about two years."
Maverick fell still. The kind of still a cobra took on right before it struck at its prey. "You let that piece of shit touch you?" he growled dangerously.
"I would have thought that you of all people might have understood that life has fucked me in every imaginable way up until this point. And yeah, that includes me spreading my legs for some questionable characters on more than one occasion. What do you want me to say? He set his eyes on me and he was rich, powerful. He offered me protection and it's not like he's bad to look at. Hell, I can't even say he has a small cock - though he is a selfish fucker when it comes to the way he uses it."
Maverick's gaze stayed fixed with mine and it was clear that he wasn't enamoured with this story, but he was listening at least.
"Anyway. That's where I was before I came back here, kept in one of his apartments and comfortable enough that I wasn't looking too hard for a way out though I wouldn't exactly say I was happy."
"Did you know he was an enemy to the Harlequins?" Maverick asked. "Was it about revenge, or-"
"No. I didn't...what do you mean, enemy? His turf is nowhere near here. Why would he have anything to do with-"
Maverick barked a laugh suddenly and I just stared at him as I tried to process that little nugget of shit he'd just dropped into my lap.
"You should have done your homework better, beautiful. The Dead Dogs have been at war with The Harlequin Crew for a while now. Luther moved upstream, trying to play the big shark and monopolise the movement of half the drugs on the lower side of the west coast. He put his fingers in so many pies and spread his territory so wide that he's been racking up enemies left, right and centre. And Shawn Mackenzie is about the worst of the lot. Didn't he ever tell you about that shit while you were shacked up in his bed?"
"It wasn't like that with me and Shawn. I might have been his girl, but it certainly wasn't love. We went to parties and we fucked. I met his mom a bunch of times because he liked to pretend he was a nice guy for her benefit, but I can't say she bought it. Mostly we just enjoyed each other because I knew no one could touch me while I belonged to him and he knew I was a good lay and I wouldn't start trying to make him wife me. It wasn't particularly romantic, but it worked. Or at least it did until I guess I saw something he didn't want me to and the motherfucker tried to kill me."
"Kill you how?" Rick demanded.
His grip on me tightened and I wondered if I'd made a mistake in admitting this to him. But I was tired. So fucking tired of the lies and the games and the bullshit and I just wanted to tell one fucking person the truth about this.
"
He wrapped his hands around my throat and squeezed until I blacked out," I admitted in a low voice and Maverick's gaze trailed from my face to my neck as he took that in. "I guess he thought he'd finished the job so he wrapped me in a potato sack and drove me out here. Buried me in a shallow grave somewhere up the coast from Sinners' Playground. I came to the next morning and dug my ass up out of the dirt like some freaking zombie, realised where he'd dumped me and decided I may as well try and deal with some unfinished business while I was here."
I expected yelling, snarling, some big show of macho posturing with a bunch of death threats thrown in, but Maverick wasn't that kind of creature. I could see the rage there burning in his eyes like a demon, but he was detaching from it, moving it through his brain in a cold and calculating way and filing it away for later. No doubt when he released it again, he would explode into the vengeful monster I'd seen when he'd killed Colten for me, but right here and now he was solid. Silent. A predator biding his time and waiting for the opportune moment to pounce.
"What did you see to make him do that to you?" he asked slowly, his hand trailing up my side and making my skin tingle.
"I don't even know," I admitted irritably. "I'd been out, and I was horny. Like I said, he has a big dick and the feel of it slamming into me always helped build me up even if I inevitably had to finish myself off after he was done. He liked watching me do that - used to say I was so addicted to his cock that I had to finger myself over him even after we were finished. Which was total bullshit, I just needed to come and he never made the effort to get me there, but whatever.”
“You put up with shit sex for two years?” Maverick asked and I narrowed my gaze on him.
“Most sex is pretty shit, Rick. Just because you managed to make me come doesn’t mean all men can. Anyway, I went over there thinking along those lines and his guys let me in. But when I made it to the door, I heard him talking to someone. Well, it was two people actually. A man and a woman. They said something about things coming together nicely and change being exactly what was needed around here, but that's it. I guess I must have made a noise or something though because suddenly Shawn ripped the door open and he was fucking furious. The woman started shouting something about him promising there would be no witnesses and the guy said the deal would be off if there were and the next thing I knew, Shawn was sighing like, I dunno…kinda like what he had to do was a real pain in the ass. And the next thing I knew he'd lunged at me..." My voice trailed off as the fear I'd felt that night consumed me and Maverick growled angrily, lifting my chin and making me look at him.
Dead Man's Isle (Harlequin Crew #2) Page 11