Lethal

by Robbins, Cassandra

  “Oh God,” I whisper. He’s going to kill me. He’s not a good guy. How did I let incredible sex cloud my judgment? How, Eve, how?

  Dolly stands, frozen, then pushes her shoulders back and strides to the door and opens it.

  My heart leaps and my blood pressure pounds in my ears as he walks in. He’s beautiful, majestic, and a monster. Larger than life. His eyes find mine and I know that everything I was scared about isn’t half as bad as I had imagined. It’s ten times worse maybe even a hundred. Anger, if that even properly describes what is radiating off him, has taken over the small studio. Like a Ziploc bag it suffocates all the air in seconds. I may pass out, except that would be too easy as he jerks me up to his hard body. A small whoosh comes out of my mouth as he drags me toward the door. He doesn’t speak or look at Dolly, who stares in horror, her pretty brown eyes the size of saucers. Her eyes bolt from Blade’s to Edge who stands with his arms crossed. What is he doing here? Is he here to kill Dolly?

  “Jason… it’s my fault. Dolly didn’t do anything,” I plead. He shakes me so hard my head falls back.

  “Not one fucking word, I swear to God, Eve. Say one more word and I don’t care that Dolly and Edge are here. I’ll shut you up with my cock, then dump you on the side of the road with a bullet between those baby blues.”

  Dolly places a hand over her mouth as tears stream down her face. And that’s the last I see of her as Edge grabs her and shuts the door.

  I’m smart enough to keep quiet as he pulls me over to his bike. He grabs his helmet and dumps it on my head. I think I might have gone into survival mood, or maybe it’s that I’m resigned because I can’t help but think he wouldn’t bother with a helmet if he was going to kill me.

  I watch his long, muscular legs grip his Harley and I don’t make him wait as I hop on the back. My hands cling to his hard stomach.

  He starts the bike and thankfully, I’m ready because he takes off. My legs tighten around his warm thighs and tears sting my eyes. I refuse to cry. My chest burns as I hold it in. We don’t go far as he brings the bike into a dark concrete parking garage save for some blinking neon lights. His large Harley rumbles almost as if alive causing the bottom of the garage to vibrate with his rage. He pulls up to the front and drags me off the bike. As he tears off the helmet, I try to blink away any tears and start to shake. He takes my arm as he taps a code into a metal door. A wave of sheer terror snakes up my spine and I have a bad feeling about this. “Jason…”

  He either doesn’t hear me or doesn’t care as he pulls me into a large, dark nightclub. The pulsing music and neon pink and blue lasers zap all over the floor. Smoke, the smell of liquor and sweaty bodies hits my tearstained face and I almost try to talk again. Instead I remain quiet. Something in his presence tells me I need to stay silent. He roughly maneuvers us through the crowd of people dancing and into a corner.

  “Blade… my man.” A huge black man with a bald head and a diamond in his front tooth smiles at him as he comes out a door that I would never have seen had he not emerged from it.

  “Jordan.” Jason nods. “I need a room.” I inch closer to Jason not caring that he may kill me. The need and feeling that I should be close to him overrides that worry.

  I feel the man’s stare upon me and I look up.

  “Hmm nice, very nice. Are we sharing tonight?” Jason turns and looks at me. His silence makes my eyes pop. He must see fear in my eyes because his full lips smile and he chuckles. “You’d be disappointed with this one.”

  “If you’re unhappy with her, leave her with me. I guarantee I can train her for you.” His voice almost purrs.

  “How much would you give me for her?” He pulls me in front of him facing the man. I whimper as he pushes my hair off my face. “She’s young and beautiful but I bought her for a lot of money… so I’d need you to give me more.” Vaguely I realize I’m not breathing, but air is still filling my lungs. The room is blurry and the fear is so painful that if Jason wasn’t holding me up I would be on the floor. The large man reaches to touch my cheek and I think I hear Jason hiss. But he allows the man to touch me all over. When his large dark hand goes toward my pussy, Jason snarls, “Enough. How much?”

  “I’m sorry,” I gasp out. Suddenly his hand is around my neck, silencing me.

  “How much?”

  The man looks at Jason then me. “Five hundred thousand. I can see her going for maybe a million.” He motions for Jason to enter his office.

  Sobbing, I cling to him; his gravelly voice is at my ear. “Half a million dollars is a lot of money, Angel. I’ll give you a choice: you can go with Jordan and be sold, raped, and broken or you can know who owns you.” He lets go of my neck and I scream as he tries to detach me from him. Somehow, he turns me to face him. My nails still dig into his forearms and he grabs my face with both hands.

  “Who. Owns. You?” His green eyes are fierce and if I hadn’t seen firsthand how much of a monster he is I think I’d see remorse.

  “You, you own me, Jason.” He brings my lips to his.

  “You ever pull a stunt like this again, you’ll wish…” He stops as his eyes latch onto mine. And I can’t stop crying, nor will I let go of his wrists.

  “Don’t ever make a fool out of me again,” he snarls.

  The loud beat vibrates through my shaken body. I hiccup and nod. Instead of dragging me, he lifts me up and I bury my face in his neck and breathe in his spicy, smoke-filled skin.

  “Blade?” Jordan’s voice sounds amused.

  “I’m gonna pass. I think I’ll keep her.” Jason walks out the door. The dark garage makes me wrap my arms tighter around his neck. He doesn’t talk to me as he sets me on his bike, gently puts his helmet on me, and opens the visor because with all my crying, I guess I’m fogging it up. He gets on but doesn’t start the bike as I collapse on his back, my hands holding on tight. He sits with me clinging to him. His warm hand reaches for mine and I start to cry harder.

  “Lower the visor, baby, and hold on.” His voice makes me shiver, and after all he did a few minutes ago, I think I may be going crazy. I don’t want to be anywhere but with him.

  He pulls out, not slow but not fast either. Steady. I close my tired, burning eyes, not needing to see anything. The smell of orange blossoms tells me we’re close. I can’t remember a time I have cried this much, and I can’t seem to stop. He parks his bike and I finally open my eyes only to be greeted with curious faces. Not hostile—almost like they are waiting to see what Blade does. He lifts me from the bike and I take off the helmet and bury my face in his neck again. As he lifts me in his strong arms, I see Axel standing with the door open.

  “Welcome home, Eve.” His voice is not sympathetic; it’s almost laced with humor. And I hold on to Blade’s cut.

  He takes the stairs two at a time like I’m not even in his arms. Again, the reality that he is bigger and stronger hits me. Once he kicks the door to our room shut, he sits us on one of the chairs and holds me as I cry. His hand strokes my hair and he kisses my temple and forehead. When I can’t cry anymore, I look at him. He stares at me, his green eyes filled with wonder and something more. Hunger, need maybe. I don’t trust myself to dissect it, but he groans as he pulls me up and I straddle him. The kiss is hard, and I hold on to his shoulders. My body responds to him, burning as if I have a fever. He forces the kiss deeper. Still sensing his anger, I scoot closer. Maybe if I do, he won’t ever let me go.

  He pulls back and orders me to strip. As he pulls down his pants, his thick cock stands up almost waiting for me. I’m naked in no time, my flimsy T-shirt and shorts easy to get rid of.

  “Come here.” He watches every move I make. I stop and stand in between his legs. Reaching for my hips, he jerks me on top of him. As he places my legs on either side of him, I grab the top of the chair for balance. He lines us up and lowers me down on him in one rough thrust.

  I can’t help but groan at how deep he is. He wraps his hand tightly in my hair and brings my face next to his so that he is stealin
g my breath and giving it back.

  “Fuck me, Angel.” He holds my hair as I rise up and down on him. I fuck him so hard his nostrils flare. Up and down I pound on him unleashing everything until I see stars. My body jerks, my pussy contracts, and moisture seeps out.

  “Fuck yeah… fuck, Eve.” He thrusts up into me, coming in a loud, guttural groan. I’m collapsed on him, still connected, and I try to steady my breathing. He doesn’t push me away and pulls me to his mouth.

  “I have work to do. Go clean yourself.” He brushes his lips to mine. I go to lift up but he holds me on top of him.

  “You okay, baby?”

  I cock my head at his question. “No.” I have nothing to lose by being honest.

  “You will be.” He pulls me off his semihard cock. I try to stand, but everything seems to be shaking. He pulls up his pants before he holds me again.

  “Why?” I whisper.

  “You’re not stupid. This is our life. It’s not a fucking fairy tale. I’m dealing with all kinds of bad things. You’re mine and I intend on making sure you act like it.”

  I want to ask him what that means because my heart just skipped a beat. But I’m too raw and tired to do this conversation justice. He starts the shower for me and I watch from the door as he changes his T-shirt. Then he’s gone and I’m left with the consequences of my actions. I step into the dark blue rock shower letting the hot water soothe me. I survived and if I can do that today, I can thrive all the rest of my days. I decide right then, right now, that I will stop at nothing to get Jason to love me. I lift my face to the hot water and smile. I’m going to be his queen.

  BLADE/JASON

  “I’m telling you, I’m fine. We need to get another lab going. Sandy is going to be in rehab another three weeks. The time is now.” I’m standing in fucking hot Hemet staring at the black pit that used to be my lab and listening to my childhood friend act like what he put us through over the last month is no big deal.

  “We need to try and sell this land.” Axel interrupts him. The ground still stinks of smoke and chemicals.

  “Who’s going to buy it?” I light up and shield my eyes as I look around.

  “I don’t care, Blade. This area is dead to us.” Axel removes his cut and tears off his T-shirt. I nod while I watch Doc out of the corner of my eye. He’s pacing and mumbling to himself.

  He stops and looks at us. “I say we get me a trailer and I’ll work out of it for a while. I’m telling you, I’m onto something.” He pushes his glasses up on his nose.

  I look around. It’s hot with nothing but dirt and trash and burned ashes. I’m sick of this day already. Quite frankly, I’m sick of Hemet and Doc. I’ve been in a foul mood ever since he called and said he was done with rehab and had walked out.

  “I’m fine. I had one bad day.” He sulks like a teenager, and I wonder if whatever he was working on screwed with his mind because this is not the Doc I grew up with. This guy seems sketchy, guilty, and not for the first time do I wonder if the Feds got to him.

  “Doc?” I need his attention. “The only reason you aren’t lying in an unmarked grave is because we go way back.” I look down at my phone—it’s vibrating.

  Edge: Dolly is having a birthday party this weekend. She wants you to bring Eve.

  Pocketing my phone, I take a deep drag and flick my cigarette into the black pit.

  “You got some nerve, Jason. I’ve made us all rich,” Doc rambles. He reaches for his cigarettes. His twiggy arms look like he hasn’t seen sun in years.

  “You’re fucking joking, right?” I walk over to him. He stops pacing and looks up. “You cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Feds are on my ass and the two prospects you had helping you cook your shit are in a home because their brains are fucked.” I turn away not wanting to be near him. He let Sandy and drugs rule his life.

  “Where are you going? I need a trailer,” he whines.

  I snort. “That drug was as much my creation as yours. Don’t think I don’t remember how to make it.” The threat is real but he doesn’t even stop pacing.

  “I’m calling Gina and telling her to put the land up for sale. I’ll get Jimmy and his crew to clean it up,” Axel informs me as he pulls out his phone. He keeps his eyes on Doc as he paces.

  “Tell her to push it hard. I want out of here.” I move toward my bike.

  I’ve barely seen Eve this week. I’ve been here for a couple of days and at a club I’m taking over, so I stayed in the office for a few nights on the couch. She’s in my blood, and like a thirsty man needs water, I seem to need this girl. So I’ve made a real effort to distance myself from that. But not today. I’m sick of running from her and what she does to me.

  Ryder joked the other morning that I was scared of her. I ignored his jab, but as the day wore on, I wondered if he wasn’t right. Am I afraid of the way I feel around Eve?

  I don’t feel guilty about scaring her when I threatened to sell her. It was needed. If she’s going to be in my life, for her safety and my sanity, she needs to be where I can find her at all times. She’s young and beautiful, but she is also tough as nails. I can’t tolerate her dramatics. My guys will lose all respect and I wouldn’t blame them. Threatening to sell her not only scared her, it brought us to a place we have to be.

  I know I’m an ass, but watching her cry and knowing she needs my comfort to feel whole turns me on. She’s never had that kind of attention, so her whole psyche soaks it up like a sponge absorbs water. She knows the rules and has committed to being mine. I don’t feel guilty about keeping her. Each day that I wake up to her sweet-smelling skin I learn a little more about her, even when I try not to. Like how when she smiles big, she has a small dimple on her right cheek. How her blue eyes turn color with her emotions. How she is grateful every day because she chooses to trust that I’m taking care of her father. All of these things are why I had to give myself some space. Jesus, the other night I almost took her out for dinner and a movie. I had to force myself to leave her and go to our local bar where the Disciples hang out. I don’t do dates and I can’t remember the last time I’ve gone to the movies—maybe when I was sixteen. The thing is, the more I learn about this stunning gypsy, the more I want her. More than likely she’s never even been to a movie. And if she has, it was a long time ago. So I almost did it—almost took her hand and jumped over the cliff. Instead I locked her in my room and ran like a fucking pussy.

  I get on my bike and start it up. Doc looks shocked. “What the hell, Blade? What did you decide? Do I get my trailer?”

  I don’t respond and leave him with Axel. Suddenly I’m through running. Jesus Christ, she’s only a girl. But I’m going to teach her to swim today. Then maybe we’ll go get pizza and a beer. Fuck, I want to take her to the movies and see her face light up with wonder. I want to kiss her pouty lips and watch the sunset with her. This is why I should head in the other direction. Instead I merge onto the freeway toward LA and Eve.

  I find her sitting with Amy and Dewey laughing in the kitchen. Her back is to me, and for a moment, I stop and listen to her giggle at their ridiculous conversation. Amy is trying to convince Dewey that if he wants a girlfriend he needs to be a gentleman. By gentleman she means he needs to take off his cut and wear preppy clothes. If Eve wasn’t laughing so hard she was hitting the counter, I would barge in and tell Dewey no woman is worth taking off his cut. But I don’t. I watch her hands wave around as she snorts out a laugh about picturing Dewey in skinny jeans and a collared pink shirt. That even makes Amy crack a smile and my heart tightens like someone is squeezing it.

  I push off the doorway and walk into the kitchen where everyone turns to stare at me. Eve jumps off the stool and Dewey stops grinning.

  Edge is sitting in the corner on his phone. His copper head shakes at my entrance. He’s been acting standoffish ever since that day I got Eve back. When I asked him how things went down with Dolly, I got, “I handled it.” And he hasn’t talked about it since.

  I need to talk to him tomo
rrow about what’s going on with him. And I guess the details about the birthday party. I haven’t forgiven Dolly for taking Eve’s side or all-around betraying me. But Eve is young and likes Dolly, so maybe I’ll consider taking her.

  “Jason… you’re back.” Eve exhales and her pretty fingers grip the counter.

  “I am.” Walking up to her, I sense every eye in the kitchen watching me. Strangely I don’t care.

  “Go change, Angel. I’m finally going to teach you how to swim.”

  She bats her long eyelashes at me and I grin as she bounces up and down and throws herself into my arms.

  “I’ll be right back.” She squeals as she runs up the stairs.

  “Wow, that sure is nice of you, Prez. She has been wanting to learn for so long.” Dewey smiles at me like he is congratulating me on getting engaged or something.

  I shrug. “She needs to learn if she is going to continue to… be out there.”

  I hear Edge chuckle and walk over to get a glass of water. Amy grabs my arm and smiles up at me.

  “Jesus.” I shake my head at all the happy faces. Even Edge seems pleased.

  “I’m going to make sure she’s ready. Actually, Amy, can you make us a batch of your famous margaritas?”

  “I would love to.” Her brown eyes twinkle. Shaking my head, I walk past Edge.

  “You coming?”

  “Maybe later. I’ll let you two get the basics down.” Then he’s back to his phone, a shitty grin on his face.

  “Close off the pool area. Only you three are allowed in,” I inform them over my shoulder as I take the stairs and throw open my door. Eve is spraying sunblock on her long thin limbs and I instantly get hard.

  “Come and kiss me. I missed you.” It comes out way harsher than I meant, but again, I’m struggling with why this particular woman makes me want to throw her on the bed and mate, claim, conquer. She doesn’t hesitate and drops the can on our perfectly made bed, wrapping her arms around me. I look down at her—she’s blushing and her chest is already flushed with excitement. She wants me and I almost lose sight that I need to teach her to swim. I pull away so I can look at her bathing suit. It’s gold and with her golden skin and long blond hair pinned up on the top of her head, she looks almost too beautiful to be real.