Catching Fire (The Fire Duet Book 2)

by Billie Lustig

  I gasp in excitement before I deliberately turn my head and meet his intense eyes.

  “Don’t ever say my brother and fuck in the same sentence ever again.”

  He spins me around in his arms, making me screech at the sudden movement before he quickly dips his chin. He leans in and bites my lower lip.

  “Stop whining. Start talking.”

  His gaze bores into my soul, and I know he’s not going to let this one slide. I could entice him, beg him to fuck me like only he can, but it will only be a postponement of the inevitable.

  Either way, he will keep nagging me about it.

  I let out a deep sigh, a stone forming in my stomach, really not liking the fact I have to relive the memory. But he’s right. I haven’t given him any reason to trust me.

  “What do you wanna hear?”

  “What happened between you two?”

  “Pff, what didn’t?” I huff.

  “That bad, huh?” He pushes a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Quit stalling, baby.”

  I look at my hands pressed against his chest before I look up at him. His eyes reflect the light of the moon, making them shine like bright stars, putting me in an uncomfortable spotlight I’ve been trying to avoid for the last six years. I’ve never felt the need to talk about this with anyone.

  Not even Reign or Gen.

  But this man, with his rugged blond hair, compels me to give away all my secrets.

  “Three months after my eighteenth birthday, Junior came to town. I hadn’t seen him since my abduction, and the little girl in me was thrilled he came to see me. Silly, I know.”

  My voice is low, and I avert my eyes, feeling the uncertainty my brother still provokes inside me just by mentioning his name. Kane cups my cheek, using his affection to silently encourage me to continue.

  “He took me to a strip club. At first, I thought he was just making me tag along. That he was trying to get on my father’s good side by showing him he spent some time with his hermanita.” I push out the last word in a sarcastic way because speaking Spanish makes me feel like a fraud now.

  “Then what happened?” Kane whispers against my ear.

  “He forced me into one of the back rooms. Initially, I thought he wanted to discuss something with me, but when this business man entered the room, I knew I was in trouble.” I close my eyes to keep it together while I clench my jaw, anger rising. “I tried to escape, but Junior forced me on the couch so the man could rape me.”

  I open my eyes, noticing Kane’s darkened gaze, his body tensing under my palms.

  “Junior held me down, and the other guy started thrusting inside me. It couldn’t have been longer than a few seconds before Ronnie and his boys burst through the door and saved me. But it felt like forever.”

  I blink at his angry face, waiting for him to say something, anything. His typically comforting eyes are slowly turning black, scaring the shit out of me even though I know his rage isn’t pointed at me.

  “I’m going to kill him,” he finally grunts. “What’s the name of the other guy?”

  I give him a sweet smile, hoping to calm him down.

  “Don’t worry about it, my friend took care of it.”

  “Is he dead?”

  “Well, no—” I reply before he interrupts me.

  “Then it’s not taken care of.”

  “Kane …”

  “This is not something we can debate about, baby.” The sweet tone of his voice doesn’t match his scowl that tells me he means what he said. Before my rebellious mouth can open to argue anyway, we hear a knock on the door.

  Kane lets me go, walking towards the bedroom door while I follow him inside. He opens the door, and we are met by Jeremy’s friendly face.

  “Wolfe is here,” he announces.

  “Great,” Kane responds before his eyes land on me. “This conversation is not over. Let’s go,” he tells Jeremy.

  They walk out, and I roll my eyes at the empty room before I trail behind them.

  Alpha asshole.

  Twenty

  Callie

  Six years ago – 18 years old

  I come in after spending the morning in the gym, finding Reign sitting at the kitchen island working on his laptop. I give him a kind smile, though I know it doesn’t match my eyes.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey, Angel.” He gives me a small smile before his focus turns back to his laptop.

  Being raised by criminals automatically made me a tough cookie, and even though I was in shock for a few days after Reign jumped in as my knight in shining armor, I expected to be fucked up for life. Always looking over my shoulder in fear.

  But surprisingly, I wasn’t. When the realization of what happened hit me, I was more angry than scared, and when Reign started training me, he chased that last ounce of fear away. He taught me to turn my fear into determination. Determination to survive, determination to not let any man treat me like I’m fucking livestock.

  I needed Reign to help me find my way back, to make sure I wouldn’t wallow in my trauma, but now I’m wondering if that’s the only thing I needed him for.

  During the last few months, I’ve felt as if he’s slipping away.

  Or maybe I am?

  The first few months we were inseparable. Wherever Reign was, I wasn’t far behind. But after a while he started working more for his brothers, even though they were in Boston, while I spent most of my time with Imogen like I did before Reign and I met. We still talk and hang out, but the passion is gone. My passion is gone. I love him as my best friend. But lately I’m not convinced I still love him as my boyfriend. The flutter in my stomach is dying down, and I don’t know how to stop it.

  “You want to order in and watch a movie?” I offer while I put my bag on the counter.

  His head lifts up, causing a few strands of his hair to flop onto his forehead. He’s still handsome as fuck, but lately the look in his eyes is pained.

  He sighs as he rubs his neck, giving me a disappointed look.

  “I’m sorry, Angel. I have to do some work for my brother. I’ll be busy all night. Maybe tomorrow?”

  I know I shouldn’t because it’s been the trigger for many of our recent fights, but I roll my eyes at him.

  “Of course, you are.”

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” His face is calm like always, handsome and composed.

  He rarely gets angry at me, and to be honest, it pisses me off. I want him to be angry like I am. Angry about the fact that we are drifting apart, and I don’t know how to fix it. Angry about the fact that his brother seems to take away all his time with me because work is always more important. Angry because even though he’s still my best friend, I’m not sure if he’s anything more than that.

  “It means you spend more time with your brothers than with me, even though they are 200 miles away!” I snarl, angrily grabbing my bag from the counter and walking towards the bedroom. I can hear his feet stalking behind me, meaning he’s really pissed today.

  Good.

  “That’s my job, Callie. I’m supposed to be in Boston, but instead I’m here with you,” he growls, as if I asked him to stay.

  Callie.

  He never calls me Callie, and it makes me huff in annoyance, realizing how much our relationship has changed.

  “But you aren’t here, Reign.” I rumble out his name, feeling my heartbeat speed up in anger. I ball my hands into fists, ready to punch something even though I’ve been punching a bag the entire morning. “You go back to Boston every other weekend, and when you’re not in Boston, you are glued to that damn laptop, working on something for your family. All we do is sleep together. When was the last time we did something? You and I?” I place my hands by my sides to make sure I don’t swing them at his head.

  “I don’t know, but I have responsibilities. I can’t just leave them because you need attention.”

  “Fuck you!” I spit while I charge at him, pushing him against the wall. “Fuck you, pretending lik
e I’m some needy little girl. If that’s how you feel, just fucking go, Reign. I don’t need you!”

  He grabs my arms with force, keeping me still with a scowl on his face. His green eyes peer at me while he breathes through his nose, holding my furious gaze.

  Finally, he closes his eyes for a few seconds, and I watch his face soften a little.

  “I know, Angel.” He presses his forehead against mine, his anger vanishing before my eyes.

  “Know what, Reign?” My voice is not as venomous as it was minutes ago, but I can’t let go of my feelings as quickly as he can.

  “That you don’t need me,” he explains.

  My heart hurts hearing those words come from his mouth, making my eyes well up.

  I’m selfish. I’m a selfish little bitch, and sometimes I forget I’m not the only one who has demons lurking in the shadows. This is one of those rare moments it’s clearly visible on his face. Normally he does a good job of hiding it, masking it with his handsome boyish grin and beaming eyes.

  But I see it clearly now.

  The trouble in his eyes.

  The battle he fights with his past.

  “I do need you, baby.” I press a small kiss to his lips while he lets go of my arms, wrapping them around my waist as he tugs me into his body. I bring my hands up to cup his face, loving the feeling of his five o’clock shadow beneath my palms.

  “I do need you,” I continue before pressing my lips against his again.

  His hand reaches up, pushing a strand of my hair behind my ear. The angry look on his face is completely replaced by a loving gaze.

  The one I once fell in love with.

  “I’m not sure you do, but I do need you,” he whispers against my lips.

  “What happened to you, Reign?” I ask, hoping that maybe he finally wants to let me fight his demons with him, like he insists on doing with mine. Hoping he will let me be here for him.

  “A lot, Angel.” He leans in, covering my mouth with his, and I know that’s the end of it.

  He’s not ready to talk about it, and at this point, I’m wondering if he ever will be. His tongue darts out to lick the seam of my mouth, enticing me to open up as I can feel the bulge in his jeans pressing against my core. I push off, breaking our connection, needing to say something before I get lost again in Reign Delaney.

  “You said you’d chase my demons away. You know I will do the same for you if you’ll let me, right?” My eyes move back and forth, roaming his face before a sweet smile stretches his face.

  “I know, Angel. I know,” he replies, before his mouth crashes against mine, making me forget my irritation as I get lost in the rugged sweetness of the boy who vowed to chase my demons away, even though he’s running from his own.

  Twenty-One

  Kane

  Present Day

  I walk downstairs with Jeremy and Callie following me when Wolfe comes through the double doors, a smirk on his already jovial face. He’s wearing a black leather jacket and ripped jeans, looking exactly like the young guy he is. I’ve only met him a handful of times, and I have to admit, he’s entertaining.

  He has the carefree attitude typical of a twenty-five-year-old, and it always reminds me of myself when I was his age. I offered him a job a few years back, but the jackass declined. Offered the guy he had picked up from MIT and he adopted as his apprentice instead.

  He did a great job until Junior blew a bullet through his head.

  “Carrillo!” he exclaims, opening his arms and keeping them in the air like he is one of God’s gifts. “Where would you be without me?” Before I can open my mouth to snarl out a response, the soft voice behind me shuts me right up.

  “Reign?” I turn around, watching Callie take the last steps of the stairs, her eyebrows high as the sky. A spark of recognition makes a beaming smile appear on her face.

  “Angel?” he asks with a confused look.

  I move my head back and forth, not liking this one bit, before she lets out an enthusiastic squeal and lunges herself at Wolfe. He catches her with a familiarity that makes my skin crawl in annoyance before he lifts her in the air, twirling her around in his arms.

  A pounding drums in my ears, and I put my hands together, snapping my knuckles to keep myself from hurling my girl out of his way too tight grip.

  I try to keep a straight face, although I feel my nostrils flare, doing my best to make sure I don’t snap someone’s neck real fucking soon. Her tiny figure drags over his body as he slowly sets her back on the floor, cupping her face.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Shouldn’t I ask you the same thing?” she counters.

  He glances at me before his green eyes land back on her.

  “Still running with the bad boys, are you? I thought we discussed this?” He pulls a sarcastic face, and for a minute, I can see the love he apparently has for her creeping onto his expression.

  Hell fucking no.

  “You know I never listen.” She playfully shoves him back against the doorpost.

  “Right.” He laughs as he shakes his head. “Which one of those Carrillo assholes is yours?” he quips.

  “That one.” With an arrogant smile, she glances over her shoulder, her teal eyes shining with joy until she meets my livid expression. Her face instantly falls, and she closes her eyes with a big sigh before she turns her head back to Wolfe.

  “The brooding one behind us,” she whispers.

  “You always had a thing for brooding assholes.”

  “I always had a thing for assholes in general.”

  “True.” He chuckles before he runs his hand through her strawberry blonde hair, causing my anger to reach a high I can barely control. Without a second thought, I reach into my back pocket and pull out my knife before throwing it into the doorpost right next to his head.

  His eyes widen in shock before Callie turns around in one quick move.

  “What the actual fuck, dude?” he proclaims.

  “Kane!” she roars with her hands on her hips.

  Right, as if she isn’t used to this by now.

  “Don’t fucking touch my girl,” I growl at Wolfe, not bothering to hide the furious scowl on my face. My fists are balled against my sides, and it’s taking every ounce of control inside me to not punch him in the fucking face right now.

  He just blinks at me before he dips his chin to say something in Callie’s ear, who is still scowling at me with her arms in front of her body.

  “Are you sure you picked the right brother?”

  I let out another loud growl in response, unable to voice anything right now without strangling him. I have a feeling Callie won’t appreciate that, which is the only reason I’m still standing here like an obedient pussy.

  “Reign,” she reprimands, keeping her eyes focused on me.

  Jeremy takes a step forward, moving past me while I keep my eyes on Wolfe.

  “Right. How about we get you settled in, Wolfe? It’s been a fucking long day for all of us, and I’m sure everybody could use some sleep. We’ll start in the morning.” Jeremy reaches out to take Wolfe’s bag from the floor before he waves his hand, indicating for him to follow him. Knowing me well enough, Jeremy walks Reign towards one of the downstairs bedrooms.

  I don’t want him anywhere near her.

  Reign squeezes her shoulder to make her look at him before he shoots her a wink.

  “We’ll catch up later,” he tests her before he follows Jeremy to his bedroom.

  My eyes narrow as I follow his tracks until he is out of my sight. I turn my head back to the firecracker in front of me who is currently giving me an exasperated look.

  When we hear a door close shut, knowing we are finally alone, she opens her mouth.

  “I thought the knife throwing was a special thing just for me?”

  I know she’s trying to make me fucking laugh, but the little sense of humor I had left the second she jumped into Reign’s arms.

  “You’ve got ten seconds to get back upstairs
if you don’t want me to fuck you right here.” Without waiting for her response, I turn around and calmly walk back up the stairs, even though I feel like a volcano waiting to erupt.

  “Really, Carrillo?” I can hear the laughter in her voice, pissing me off even more.

  “Now, Callie!”

  “Are you serious?” she bellows before I hear her footsteps follow me up the stairs. “You’re mad at me? This is ridiculous,” she mutters.

  I ignore her until I burst through the door and spin in the middle of the room to face her.

  She walks through the door, shutting it behind her, while I impatiently wait for her to look me in the eye. When her captivating eyes meet mine, I charge forward, my hand reaching out to cup her neck while I slam her against the door. I hold her against it, then firmly press my lips on hers.

  Feeding my urge to feel her skin against mine.

  Feeding the urge to feel like she’s mine.

  Feeding the urge to claim her.

  “What the fuck was that?” I demand, flush against her lips.

  “That was Reign. I believe you’ve met.” The smirk on her face fuels my rage, making me tighten the grip on her throat, wanting her to stop fucking around with me.

  I expect her to cower under my palm, but instead, lust washes over her face while she defiantly purses her lips.

  The little witch.

  “Callie.” I frustratedly shut my eyes for a few seconds.

  I know this girl likes to piss me off every chance she gets. In fact, it’s one of the things I love about her, but seeing her in the arms of Reign Wolfe made me feel shit I’ve never felt before.

  And not in a fucking good way.

  My elevated pulse is trying to keep my heart beating inside my chest, but I’m reaching a level of anger that’s choking me more and more by the minute. I’ll probably have a heart attack any second now if the hellion in front of me doesn’t give me the words I need to hear.

  She exhales loudly, avoiding direct eye contact while her hands grip the hem of my t-shirt as if she wants to make sure I stay close.