Fractured Promises (Reapers Reign, #2)

by Maree, Aleisha

  “Let’s go, firecracker. Shit to do, heads to get into, you know all the fun shit.”

  Laughing, I follow him out and around the side of the gym, looking one last time at my friend who sits on the roof in the hope she can touch the moon.

  After our run, Bray heads back to the clubhouse, and I head to the gym, sweaty and ready to train. Walking in through the double front doors that have a glass images of my brother, dad and I engraved into them, I do what I always do. I wink at my brother. He would hate that his whole body is engraved for all to see on the front doors of the gym that killed him. Smiling at my brother's frame trapped for all eternity, I stop dead in my tracks as something hits my senses and slams into the back of my nostrils – it’s that smell I know so well and it's here. I haven’t smelt it since I was trapped in the dungeon in fucken Dublin. I look around anxiously. Surely not? But I don’t see anything other than him, the god from earlier. My breathing hitches and my heart rate seems to spike. This I haven’t felt in a long while. It’s like junkie love in my veins dancing, but it’s him, just him, no drug-induced feelings. I like it a lot.

  Smiling, I head over to where he is working the floor with Chad. Pulling my legs free from my Nike sweats, I plonk my ass down, sitting cross-legged in nothing but my hot pants and a tank top. Stretching out, I never let my eyes leave him as I watch the way the Gods have built this man. He’s all lean, strong muscle on freaking muscle, olive skin and piercing, I mean piercing, gray eyes. A smile plays on my lips as he looks up at me. A nod is all I get. Flicking out my legs, I stretch down till my fingertips hit the tips of my toes. His eyes bulge out as Chad takes him in a headlock. I move into an armbar, and the god taps out. I giggle as Chad lets him up. With a wink, he walks off towards the locker room, and I’m left hanging there with a clouded mind and what feels like butterflies in my stomach.

  A few days have passed since I first laid eyes on the guy I have now found out he is the one and only Knox, the Assassin Ambrose. And I tell you, he has my blood boiling and my heart rate pumping each time I think of him. He is dad’s ‘save me’ project, straight out of New York’s finest penitentiary. Ooh, and hot damn do I love a bad boy. I want to sink my teeth into him ASAP.

  Two Months Later...

  It's been two whole freaking months since I laid eyes on the Great Assassin, Knox Ambrose. I watched him fight, train, run, and sweat. I haven’t touched him, just smelt him and dreamed sweet dreams, not of the needle either, just his steel gray eyes and toned physique.

  Right, time to jack this up a notch and get in under that bulletproof exterior he has going on. A devilish smile forms on my lips as I plan what’s next in Operation Knox. Lilly heads over to me as she sees where my eyes have fallen. I’m watching the God as he taunts the desk girl out front. Winking at my bestie, I hear her voice crack out after me, “Blue, don’t! He doesn’t do nice.”

  I turn to face her, looking into the ice blue eyes that held so much pain. Gone is the sparkle of life. “Lill, who said I did?” I question.

  She shakes her head at me. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she breathes out, clearly annoyed. Hey, when did I ever do as I was told or listen to any reason for that matter? I’ve always played as hard as I fought and yes, it had gotten me into some fucked up shit. But that’s life, and it’s mine, for now anyway. I make my way over to the front of the gym to where this sensational man stands, and walk right up to him. I breathe out in a voice heavy with an Irish accent.

  “Still tormenting womenfolk?”

  He looks deep into my eyes. “You know it, sweetheart,” he breathes out, sending freaking chills mixed with excitement over my body; the challenge in his tone wasn’t lost on me either. Oh yes, play baby, let’s play. He walks upright into the small space between us. I feel my senses come alive as my skin grows hot. I’m like a moth to a flame; I’m drawn in. He winks at me with a massive smirk on his face. He walks right past me before I can even think about what I am doing, I lean out and slap that hard ass.

  “Be careful who you play games with, Knox. You never know when you may meet your match.” Turning slightly, I bring my hand up to my lips and blow this on-edge man a sweet and sinful kiss.

  I hear him as I exit the glass doors, into the fresh cool air of the coming night, “what the fuck just happened there?”

  My bestie answers with pure freaking amusement in her voice, “you boy, just met Blue James.” Her giggle fills the air like summer on the wind as she walks out after me. Stopping, I pull my eyes up to the sky above, sending out a silent wish. I’ve felt so much pain and lost myself so completely, but right now, in this one minute, I feel like I’m coming back. For the first time, I believe that maybe Lilly’s right; tomorrow will be better, and my scars will turn back into beauty.

  “Lill,” I speak out as I turn to face her. “Let’s go out and have some fun.” Shaking her head at me, she grins as she takes my outreached hand.

  “Ahh, here we go. You’re coming back, aren’t you?” Her voice is playful, but there is an undertone of concern to it.

  “Sure, freaking am sister,” I wink as I pull her around the back and through the outside area of this over the top establishment I call home, to my little piece of space that looks out over Brooklyn.

  I shower and throw on my standard Boho chic clothing before eyeing my best friend who is lost in herself as she looks out over the horizon. I tiptoe up behind her and wrap my arms around her torso, her cold skin of her tummy kissing my hands. “Lill, it will get better,” I try to say with a consoling tone, knowing damn well just how untrue that shit right there is. You do not forget or get over the pain of losing a loved one. You just find ways to get through the never fucking ending days. Shit, don’t get me started on the nights.

  “Blue, thank you. I know it doesn’t though and that, right there, is a crock of shit,” she says disheartened, leaning her head back onto my shoulder. I know that she will never unsee her mother being shot in front of her for loving her father. Its hurts knowing that my best friend will never let love into her soul after watching the greatest love story she has ever watch disappear in a pool of blood and a burning ring of flames. Leaving nothing but an uncountable vengeance filled hate where love cannot survive.

  Kissing the side of her cheek, I reply, “well babycakes, you can always count on me for a dose of bullshit.” Laughing at her, I see the small smile creep over her delicate, sunken in features. No words are needed after that. We both just stand there, watching the sun begin to go down, kissing the moon.

  Pulling her around into a twirl, I grin at her. “Let’s go paint the fucking town red, babycakes, and forget, just for a little bit,” I blurt out, wanting to convince my bestie to come and help me torment Knox. I know just where he is going to be tonight. Perks of being the boss man’s daughter, lol. Na, not really. I just read dad’s diary earlier when I was in his office. All paid, commissioned and featured fighters have to let their trainers know when and where they will be, at all times, in case some pap shit goes down, and shit gets twisted. Lill shakes her head at me, knowing full well the shit I can cause. Deep down, she loves it. I wink at her as she breaks into a laugh that warms me. It’s been a long while since I’ve truly heard the sweet sound of her laughter. It’s her actual laugh, not the fake as shit, ‘I’m ok, leave me alone,’ laugh.

  We head over the street to the Club House to get Lilly’s Matt Black Dodge SUV with fucken bulletproof glass and all. It’s fitted with the most over the top systems for everything because... shit, we can’t have the Biker Princess going AWOL now, or worse getting shot up. That’s a high possibility after the shit with her mum and Raven. Shaking my head gently, I look up as Bray evileyes me. I hold my hands up.

  “I’ll keep her ass safe, Bray,” I say in a humorous tone with a grin plastered all over my face as I try hard to hold in the laughter I feel bubbling up in my chest.

  Raising his eye brows up at me, he pulls his tiny sister into his massive biker body. “You reckon?” he asks, the question
hanging between us with more meaning to it than what is needed.

  “Yes, I’m the fucking Celtic goddess 20/0,” I tell him with a wink. I walk over and wrap my arms around my friend.

  Her tiny voice breaks the silence as she pushes out in a barely audible whisper, “I need this. I need this Bray.” I feel the burly ass biker shake under our grip as the tears pool in his eyes. I don’t even need to look at him to know they are there. His body says it all.

  Settled, we jump up into the Dodge and pull out of the compound with no less than two Prospects on our tails. Pulling up to the bar where Knox will be, we park, and I fix my hair and makeup. Happy with how sassy I look, we head inside. I wear a smile from ear to ear. Lilly tsks me as I adjust the girls and unbutton the two top buttons on my trademark flannel shirt. I flick the boys a wiggle of my sweet double D’S. They laugh good-humouredly. “Enjoy ladies,” Cage says. “We are here if you need us.” We wave goodbye before opening the door to the bar. I spot Knox’s bike, out of the corner of my eye. Yuss, he’s here. Game on.

  His eyes just about pop out when he sees me here. Not being in earshot, I’m unsure what he murmurs to the guy that has pulled out a seat next to him. He walked in after us. As we order at the bar, I run my eyes up and down his body. It has my ovaries doing all sorts of crazy shit. Downing the shot I’ve just ordered, my eyes don’t leave his until he breaks the trance-like stare. He smiles, but there is something different in that smile. It has me worried. Grabbing my beer and Lilly’s hand, I throw caution to the wind as I pull her over to their table. I pull out a pew and sit down. The conversation flows. It’s thick with tension and heavy with lust until Knox gets up to rack a game of pool for him and his mate Jamie but little does he know I’m about to crash their little game. Yes, this is my in. I’m a bad ass pool player. It comes from long nights in Irish pubs. Playing with Knox is fun. He’s on edge. I can feel the sparks of anger and need that spill from him as I taunt him.

  He doesn’t know what to do or where to escape. I’m all up in his space. Watching him head to the back of the bar and into the men’s restroom, I follow, pouncing on him as he comes out. I play hard. He has met his match in me, and he knows it. I’m under his skin as much as he’s under mine. His smell and strength are intoxicating it unstables my senses making me feel all kinds of thrills and chills in an ecstasy laced rush. The dire need to run my fingertips over his honey browned skin has a small fire burning in my stomach and clenching my thighs together as my eyes zone in on his smooth plumb lips. I catch myself running my tongue over mine at the thought of biting down on his has. With the ache burning down between my thighs I have to go in for the kill I need this man I have to win and unbalance him. He beats me at the game though and throws me off by playing just like I do. I leave him to mull over just how much fun I could be, not only on his dick but, in the ring. Prancing my tight ass up out of his grill and back to the group. He calls out, “dance with the Devil, baby and you may just get burnt.”

  The heat alone from the depths of his words has me wanting to fuck him right here, right now, all the way down to hell. Play it cool now, Blue.

  “Good because I like it hot,” I announce to him over my shoulder, pure desire wrapped in my Irish tone. Stalking off, I wink at Lilly as she looks up from trying not to eye-fuck, Kash. A worried look crosses her face as I stand against the back wall waiting for him so that I can tease him a little more.

  That plan flew south as he eyed me over the rim of his glass with seething eyes that screamed, don’t push it. I won’t lie, he had me wanting. Part of me wants to retreat to safety. Not being able to cope any longer with the electrifying sensual aura surrounding us, he jumps up, grabbing his jacket to leave. A smirk crosses my lips, Blue: one, Knox: zero, or so I thought, until he changes up the game by grabbing the nearest slut and throwing her up and over his shoulder.

  Oh, hell no. I storm out to rip him a new one. I’m shocked by the display that he has planned for me. Anger, pure lustful anger, flames through my veins. All I want to do is knock her ass out and then his. But no, I won’t let him see how affected I am by what he is doing. Don’t get shit twisted I’m all kinds of mad I haven’t felt this rush of rage and anger run though my body since the first time in Dublin when I learnt that Viper was an evil snake. The hot lava that is forming in the pit of my stomach has me fighting to keep it down and my facial features unwavering from resting bitch face. So I just stand there arms folded over my chest my legs shoulder width apart and watch, my eyes never leaving him, not even allowing a blink to come down over them. When he’s done, I spin on my heels and rip him the finger over my shoulder before walking back into the bar. I order shot after fucking shot until the world becomes a blur and I lose all sense of the pain mixed with lust, covered in pure need and laced with hate. I’m unsure when the world went black, but I’m happy down here, watching the street lights whizz by under my heavy eyelids. Sleep is what I need and come dawn the prick, who will be the cause of one all mighty hangover, better watch the fuck out. I’m coming for his balls.

  Chapter Five

  Knox

  I haven’t seen Angel since the night I fucked up royally at the bar. I know she was there, I had sensed her presence. She wants me to allow Blue James in, to save me or at least that’s what she said. Save me, though? From what? Myself? The Devil? Both are just as bad, and I don’t think that little girl has it in her to fix my shit.

  I am a double-edged sword of hate and anger, lust, and greed. I’m hungry for the fight that burns in me, for a soul that died but then there is this stabbing, fucking desire for Blue James. It won’t leave me. Her eyes assault me every night, and, by day, she’s always there – real, alive and in front of me, seemingly within reach. These hands though are not safe. They will hurt her. I need to find a way to get her out of my system. The usual ways are just not cutting it, anymore. The sex kitten I usually use has gone away for a while, and I haven’t found one that doesn’t start to weep when I tie her up, and then totally break down into a hysterical mess when I fuck her the way I like. They just don’t get it. They don’t understand that I don’t do it kind and sensual. I’m no longer capable of doing it the way they long for. I do it my way, and that is the only way they will get it. The weeping, the calling, the texting, the following – God, the following is the worst – it will get them nothing but an ass whipping. God, the thought of one of them crazy bitches sprawled out over my lap, ass in the air with the pink welts of my handprint covering it, has not only my hand but my cock twitching, mmmm, damn. I need my usual type of crazy back and fast. There is only so much training a guy can do.

  Walking past the front desk, I wink at the blonde babe sitting there. Just that tiny gesture rocks her undies into a pool of wetness. Each day I do that to her, I wonder how she would take a fucking dished out by the Assassin. Um, now there’s a thought... But do I want to bring a whole lot of fucked up to the one place I can be me and let go and relax? Hell, no! Flag that idea. I’ll stick with the flirting for now.

  Approaching the changing rooms, kitchen and bedroom wing of Kingdom, my home away from home, I see the delicious Blue James. She’s walking into the shower block in her skin-tight training shorts and bra. There’s a nice sheen of sweat covering her body, lighting up her tight muscles. My cock starts to twitch under my sweatpants. God, this woman screams sex! My mind flicks back to the way her mouth tasted the other night, a smirk flicks over my face at the memory. Fuck it, throwing caution to the wind, I follow her in.

  Walking quietly behind her without letting her know I was there, I watch as she starts to peel her gear off, letting out that luscious hair of hers. It falls in soft waves behind her reaching all the way down to the start of the sexiest ass I have seen in a long time.

  Turning on the shower, she stands there with her hands under the stream of water waiting for it to warm up. Before long swirls of steam start to rise around her. She slips in under the stream of water, sucking in a breath as the hot water hits her skin. Pulling my lip
into my mouth, I cup my throbbing dick, contemplating what I could do to her body in this instant. Fuck it. I rip off my clothes, letting my hard cock bounce free as I lower my boxers. I flick my Nikes off, kicking them to the side with my sweats. My boxers are quick to follow. She wanted to play, so play she shall.

  Now let the games begin. A sick smirk sits across my wet, hungry lips as I slip into the shower behind her, placing my hand over her mouth to muffle a scream if she was to let one out. Pulling the shower curtain behind me, I mentally tsk the girl. She’s in a gym full of men, and she leaves the curtain wide fucken open, like what? An open invitation to come on in and eye-fuck her insane body? I bring my mouth to her ear and bite her earlobe whispering, “See darling, I told you that you would pay for testing my self-control. You wanted to play, darling. Let’s play. I fuck hard and rough. You think you can handle it?” Her body is shaking under my grip as my hands move down to her hips.

  She nods her head, and I take that as a yes. I feel her melting back into me, her smooth wet skin slinking into mine. My cock reacts the only way it knows, twitching up to her perky ass. I circle my hips, pushing it hard around the small of her back, closing my eyes.

  I relish in the feeling, the overwhelming effect she is having on my senses. My body needs this stimulation; my body needs her. A small moan escapes her mouth; you like? baby doll I push her hard against the wall, and she sprawls her hands out to catch herself, to hold herself up. I move into her, opening her legs with my knee, spreading them further apart to get better access to her. I run my finger around her clit, up and over her sweet nub, before sliding inside her. I click my tongue, bringing my mouth up to her ear, “you're already wet for me, baby.”

  “We’re in a shower, Knox. I’m wet all over.” I can sense the smirk on her lips that accompanies her sassy, sarcastic words.