“Oh, firecracker, nothing to worry your sweet little head about.” His voice sounds sad and empty.
“Bray, it’s me. You can tell me anything.” Looking up at his sad eyes I hold onto him just a little tighter.
“I know Blue, baby.” We both fall silent and watch the little fireflies dancing in the sky from the fire.
“It’s so magical, isn’t it?” Wonder laces my voice as I break the silence that had fallen between us. I freaking love the freedom I see when I watch a fire dance on the wings of the wind.
“Yeah Blue, they don’t have a care in this world.” Running his fingers over my hands that are wrapped tightly around his waist. I wonder what’s gotten into him? I’m so worried. Normally he would talk to me, but not tonight. “Sometimes I wish I was a firefly dancing. Warm and safe.” Pulling my hands free I step around into the front of this beast of a man who I love more the air.
“You and me both baby, you and me both.” He reaches out placing his hands on either side of my cheeks and kisses the tip of my nose. It still now sends a warm safe feeling over me just like it did when Lilly and I were little and he would kiss all the monsters away.
“What’s got you so down Bray," I ask again. "I hate seeing you like this.” I’m worried.
“Don’t worry about it baby girl; big brother problems is all.” Taking in a deep breath I feel his body tense and then relax as he lets it out. Like blowing it away is going to help. I gaze into his eyes. Leaning up on my tippy toes I kiss his cheek,
“I love you.” I whisper to him.
“Firecracker, I love you.” “You miss her, don’t you?” I know I shouldn’t but I know he needs to get it out, it's killing him. His eyes are empty as he turns, looking deeper into me.
“More than you will ever know. I’ll get her back, I will.” His voice holds so much hope and promise for a brighter day when she will walk back through the gates of the compound.
“Bray, she’s gone. We haven’t been able to find her in....”
I am cut off by the look in his eyes, his look goes from sad to fuming in a split second. I’m about to apologize when he whips me around and throws me out of the way. I fly through the air before I come to a skidding stop on the grass below. Whipping my head around my eye catches the flicker of silver illuminated by the orange flame of the fire. It’s a fucking knife and it’s sticking out of Bray’s shoulder. just stabbed in there, vibrating by the sheer force of the stab. He stumbles back in shock looking to his shoulder and then back up before he collapses down next to me falling to cover me.
"What the FUCK!" I scream, "KNOX! KNOX!"
Club girls running and screaming, I hear the brothers yelling, Lilly’s screaming and Knox’s voice is ringing out as he scrambles to me. Looking around me, in terror, I see the carnage unfold in front of me. How, why, shit. Holding on tight to Bray he whispers, his voice laced in pain
“Stay still, Firecracker, stay real still.” Oh, hell no, I won’t. I think fast this is my fucking home these people are my family. “I knew he wouldn’t fucking let this rest. Right, he wants a war? He’s got one. I’m a daughter of darkness, and I’m not afraid of him or his demons. This time he won’t come back.” I say into his neck as his vein throbs into my lips filling me with more power to fight. Not for me but for him, I got him this time.
I pull myself out from under Bray, "Ghost, Ghost!" I’m screaming at him as I get up and run at Viper. I reach him just as he grabs hold of the back of Lilly’s hair, I spear tackle him. Wrapping my legs around him, I bring my arms up around his throat in a choke hold, vice-like grip.
"Ghost. Sword now! Lilly run Kash to your place now!"
Spitting into his ear. I spit out. "Your blood will spill, and victory will be mine. Now get up and fight me like the pussy you are! Releasing him, I flick up to my feet, kicking him in the ribs as he goes to stand. Knox’s arms wrap around my waist pulling me back
“Fucken let me go! I got this." Trying to uncurl his fingers from my waist, I am pushing back.
“NO!” he snaps into my ear. “This fight is mine! And mine alone I’ll ask you one more time to fucken let me go” I’m seething how fucken dare he try to take this victory from me, not this time baby. My blood is black and my heart is cold, this cunt will fall at my feet only once and for all time. Arlam pulls him back, and I hear him speak to Knox in a tone of pure understanding.
“She’s got this brother, we'll watch her but believe me she’s got this. She needs to do this to heal. I gotta get Bray inside, he’s been stabbed.” Bray comes up behind us then.
“I ain't missing our Celtic goddess fuck this punk up permanently.” Carnage is all around us, bullets ringing out as our brothers take out the crew that this snake brought with him. Pussy’s all of them. They are falling in defeat as they hold their hands up in the air. Defeat ha losers, I think as I step into the circle of fighting fire made by my Brothers. Looking Viper dead in the eyes, I motion my fingers at him to step in and fight, come at me baby it’s time to play.
“Welcome to my side Viper, I can play the bitch, I can play the whore, I can play the damaged little princess. But one thing I don’t play at is Celtic Goddess, now you have unleashed the devil, so say hello to the monster that lives inside. Feel that sweat running down your spine? It’s fear, mother fucker, and you're about to come undone, so welcome to the nightmare inside my head. You thought you were scary? Well this here is my evil side.” gesturing my hands around the outside of the compound, I show him a home filled with my family.
“You came to my home to reap what? Carnage, well carnage will be shed with your brother’s blood, not mine.” Side-stepping I move out of his way as he storms towards me. Spinning around I see the anger set in his face, the determination. Ghost is standing just to the outside my sword at the ready, my fists clenched, jaw cracking under the force. “Time to kiss the devil baby,” I seethe into his dead eyes. Unclenching my jaw, I raise it to my mouth bringing my cold lips up to it kissing the warm skin. I blow him a kiss laced with the poison of death. “It was almost love, you and I, but you turned it to hate.” I breathe into the wind.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Knox
Watching her go toe-to-toe with him hurts, but also fills me with so much pride. I know deep down she’s got this she a strong ass woman who is fucken bat shit crazy, but it doesn’t stop the fact that I want that man’s blood on my hands for what he has done to my baby. The pain and nightmares he has caused, the torment he laced in her soul and the drugs he allowed to latch into the fibres of her fucken being, I want to kill him for it all. But, fuck I won’t lie, this shit is hot as hell watching her hold her fucken own. Fist for fist, blow for blow, she stands toe to toe with the Viper of Dublin’s underground and doesn’t waver once in her stance.
He swings blindly with the anger of a hurricane and you see it swimming in his evil as fuck eyes each time he misses and she ducks and pivots out away from him, only to come back up and right into him, a jab to the jaw, one to the ribs, the back of his kidneys, he has not once succeed in knocking her down. She blindsides him each time with back door moves that an untrained fighter will never see coming. Jabbing out at her as she comes down from around house that had him stepping into the back of the flame circle, he connects. She staggers still gaining her footing from landing, I step forward, fear washing over me. She goes down after he sends an uppercut right into the center of her chin and her head snaps back fast on her shoulders as the crack from fist hitting her jaw rings out around us. Way too many memories come flooding back at me, smacking me in the face, taking all the air from me. Deep down in my body the demon pulls at my inner strength. This time, seeing her down on the ground, hair fanned out behind her, lip bleeding with a trickle of crimson blood coming from her nose, lights a fury in me so deep. She was not moving. Fuck she’s not moving, my fury leaves me as panic sets in, fear grips deep in my belly. Snapping my arms free from Arlam I lunge forward. I’m going to rip this cunt’s throat out. Bray yells out after
me, the stern tone is full of warning and it halts me mind pounce hand at the ready to choke out the mother fucker standing over my Blue.
“Knox NO! WAIT!” My breathing is rapid and the hum of pulsing blood strong in my ears. Looking from his eyes back to my baby and then Viper who has a sick come and get smirk on his face, I rage. How can they all just stand there as he get ready to hurt her? Shaking his stare off I focus my eyes on the pulse in my baby’s neck and I swear I see her move. I did her eye cracks open meeting mine then moving slightly to Ghost, I yell out over the hum of my blood “Viper” his head snaps to me looking him dead in his eyes I step one step closer to him, squaring my body to his. Not once do I break my stare nor does he, his fists are clenching and I see the tell-tale tick of his over flexed jaw, I need to get in this cunt’s head.
“How does it feel to be a dead man?” Amusement is rolling out in my tone at his confident look. But before he can catch on Blue is popping up onto her feet. She catches him off-guard when he is looking me dead in the eye with a smug grin. With the look of hunger in his eyes, my baby comes at him, then falling down to her knee she pushes herself up with all the force she can muster, hitting him in the bottom of his chin. With a perfect uppercut his head snaps back, blood comes pouring out from his nose and mouth. As he stumbles, she follows through with a series of jabs to the face. Stepping back she finishes it off with a roundhouse. He falls back, sliding in the dirt, the worthless snake that he is. Wiping the blood from her mouth, she looks over at me, winking. She walks over to Ghost who is holding out her sword, turning it over in her hands, she looks at it for what feels like forever. My fucking heart is beating so fast I feel it in my toes. Looking around at my brothers, they nod to Ghost and Blue. He heads over, pulling Viper to his knees standing just behind him. Blue walks over to me.
“Please, love me forever.”
Looking at her, confused I answer, “always baby, always.”
"Good and I’m sorry.” She pleads. “Wait, what?" I scream out to her as she walks over to where Viper is leaning down. She whispers into his ear, I can’t hear her but a sick smile forms over his bloodied face. Stepping back, he looks up at her. “You can’t kill me. You can’t bring yourself to do it. You’ll hesitate, again.” Looking at him I hear her say.
“You ruined me, you broke me, damaged my fucking soul, and hurt my family. This I can do.” Her body is shaking as she raises her sword up, nodding at Ghost he steps back and places his boot on the back of Viper. Holding him there, my baby closes her eyes for a second. When they open, I see the devil swimming in fire.
“I fucking loved you and you broke me. See you in hell, bitch.” With one swift movement, she brings the sword, down cutting his head clean off his fucking shoulders. His body falls as Ghost pushes his lifeless body forward. Walking to me she looks lost, broken, empty. Shaking and pale as a sheet she stumbles into my arms dropping her sword at her feet. I wrap my arms around her tight drawing her in and trying to take the pain away. Her body tenses as I rub the palm of my hand over the back of her head and down her back.
“It’s ok, I got you, it’s over baby.” I say hushed into her head as I look out over the carnage that lies in front of our eyes. Bodies and fire, blood and bullets the sobs from women ring out as the men start to move around. Turning with Blue in my arms not wanting to let her go, I look over to where Bray, Arlam, and ghost are Bray sits on the picnic table blood streaking his shirt, his face is white and eyes red in anger. Ghost flies to his feet as high pitch screams come from the inside of the club. Spinning I whip Blue behind me as Arlam steps out in front of Nirvana. I had completely forgotten she was even there as Lilly comes flying out to us screaming “Bray, Bray, HELP” snapping his head around to his sister the pain dominates his tired features as a shaking Lilly comes flying at him. Seeing his arm her attention goes to that for a split second before her eyes meet his “Help her,” is all she says before Kash runs over with a limp bloodied body in his arms. Bray shakily stands to his feet Lilly holding tight onto his shirt as he steps to my brother, hands shaking as he realises who he holds. “Is it really,” looking from the beaten women to Lilly, then back to the frame in my brothers arms his hand reaches out to her thick matted hair with shaking fingers. He pushes hair, that is mixed with dirt and blood, away from her face. A gasp echoes out around us all as we stand stock still. Ghost and Arlam step forward, “no fucking way,” they both mirror each other in unison as Lilly begins to weep. Blue moves slightly behind me her hands wrapping tight around my front her body still shaking, shock setting in as anger rises up through me again her, scared voice vibrates over my back.
“Is it really Raven?” She asks me like know who the fuck that is. Pushing forward still shielded behind me, she edges closer and as her eyes rake over the lady in Kash’s arms a gasp escapes her lips. Her face is bloodied and swollen to the point her features are unrecognizable, angry marks, cuts and bruises adorn her body and her clothes a ripped and manky. Her hair is a matted mess and the smell of near-death radiates off her. Bray looks at Lilly who is hysterical at this stage.
“Upstairs now don’t fucken come back down,” he snaps as his arms wrap around the little lady pulling her skinny body into his huge frame the true size, of him shows with her in his arms. Looking over to us his eyes are like wildfire and his voice is laced with pure hatred. “Ghost, Arlam doctor now, then meet me upstairs. Cage, 81, round up the boys and get this shit cleaned up and the piss bags that breached our walls drop their lifeless fucking bodies back where they fucken came from.”
They all nod at him in acknowledgment as they all move out. “Knox take Blue away from here she doesn’t need to see this, Kash you stay with Lilly and keep her away from Raven.” With that he’s gone walking through the smoke from the smoldering fire pit with the black-haired beauty in his arms who I’m not even sure is alive.
“Baby, take me home.” Her voice cuts through the thoughts skating in my fucken brain. Now that is something I am happy to do. Lifting her up under her ass, so she is high in my arms, I place my head on her chest. “Fuck yes baby,” my voice is a rasp. She puts her hands in my hair pulling my head back.
"When you lift me up like this I feel like I can kiss the sky and touch the wind.” Shocked I look into her moss green eyes that with one look makes me hard. Her lips start to move again as I try to tame my hardening cock.
“I never want you to let me go. You’re my safe-haven, my grey-eyed God. With each stare of those eyes, it’s like a lightning strike, sending something intoxicating to my core. You’re a feeling I would never grow tired of, a taste I want forever. I love it when you grab my ass and the way you make me moan, the way you drive yourself into my depths like a hurricane; I’ll stand in your corner till the last KO. Believe me; it’s the most honest I’ve ever been.” Tears start to fall from her eyes. I lower her and bring my thumb up I wipe them as they travel down her cheeks.
“You pulled me from the dark, showed me how to love beyond the shackles of an evil heart.” Her voice is a quiver. As a tear leaves my eye, she pulls me into a soul-consuming kiss. Looking deep into her eyes, I pull her around me so I can carry her in my arms. “I fucken love you baby, let’s go home.”
Blue
Pulling into the drive of our home on the back of my baby’s bike, I feel at peace for the first time in a long time. A weight has been lifted off my shoulders and the death of that snake has brought me peace. Time to start my life with the man that I love in a place that makes my heart happy and my soul feel at ease. He keeps the demons at bay and the devil asleep.
Lifting me into his arms he walks through the chilly night air and up the porch; stopping for a brief second, he kisses the tip off my nose before he turns the knob and walks through the door heading towards the bedroom that will now be ours. I notice as we step in that its lit up with hundreds of tiny bright fairy lights that look like fireflies against the dark. Sitting me down on the chair, he walks over to the French glass doors. The sound of his boots rings out over
the polished wooden floors, a smile pulls at my lips as a yearning to touch him, rip his clothes off and just feel his skin under my fingertips, rushes through me. I open my eyes and move past his intoxicating body as I see steam dancing in the cold nights air from the gold claw foot bath that he had placed on the deck after a late-night conversation we had. As I lay wrapped in his arms inside the cage at the gym, I filled him in on my dream home, I can’t believe he filled my dreams down to the tiniest of details. So many memories we have had in such a short time.
The bath is steaming hot, so alluring in the way the smell of lavender and coconut fill the air. The fire has been smoldering away all day, heating the water. Pulling myself up I wrap my arms around him, kissing his back as I slowly undo his jeans. I slide my hands down the front of them as they fall around his ankles. I graze my fingertips up the inside of his shirt slowly moving it up his torso and over his head as he kicks off his boots and jeans. Running my fingernails down over his shoulder blades, following the line of his spine and stopping at the top band of his boxers, I hook my fingers in and rip them down and over his already hardening cock. His eyes are hooded as he turns me, his arousal is apparent in his eyes as he slowly pulls my long hair to the side before bringing his lips to my neck. He kisses the warm flesh so lightly, just like a feather, the feeling sets a pool of arousal in my panties. Not stopping in his assault of my body, his lips send kisses out all over me as his hands make fast work of all my clothing. Wrapping his fingers around my ass cheeks the way he knows I love, he lifts me into the air, the whoosh of it over my body causes goosebumps to break out of my skin. Wrapping my legs tight around his waist I pull my body into his as our lips find each others. Our tongues slowly press past each other’s lips and into our mouths swirling around each other in a dance they know so well. The moment is so erotic, just this small act of closeness brings me a sense of peace and calm. He steps, then slowly and carefully with small painfully slow steps, he walks towards the bath. Our mouths break from each other and I run my tongue over my bottom lip and suck it in between my teeth. A sharp hiss escapes his lips as a smirk rakes out over mine. I know what that does to him, his fingertips dig into my ass cheeks as a giggle falls from my mouth. He steps up and into the water slowly sinking down with me still in his arms the hot water instantly claims me, shooting into my soul. Falling forward into the arms of my saviour, he draws circles over my collarbone while I run mine up over his thighs sliding down deeper into the water. He nuzzles my head into his chest, turning my head and looking up at the stars above us I ask
Fractured Promises (Reapers Reign, #2) Page 33