Crash: A Supernatural Reverse Harem (Aces and Knaves Book 1)

by Helene Gadot

  "We all do, babe."

  Her brows rose. "Babe?"

  He chuckled. "Yes. Babe. Prefer honey bunch?"

  She shuddered. "Not even a little."

  "Don't tell Reese or Cormac that, or you'll never shake it."

  "You're the one I'm worried will spill the beans." She'd murder him.

  "You can trust me. I won't tell on you."

  "You better not. Or I'll come up with a way worse pet name than shitheads."

  "Reese just came in. Don't forget to call."

  "I won't."

  She smiled down at her phone once she hung up. She could get used to this. It was nice having so many people in her life other than the superficial friendships she'd made with bar owners and baristas.

  One-night stands didn't have phone flirting and late night games of sardines and intense conversations beneath the moonlight. They were usually hot and fun, but ended with her sneaking out while the guy slept. She hated morning afters. They were always so awkward when the guy realized she had no interest in his phone number or name.

  It was easier to disappear like she was never there.

  Maybe it wasn't the best way to live, but it kept her secrets safe. And it kept her heart safe. Until she met the shitheads, she hadn't thought she was missing out on anything. The relationship she'd seen between her parents had inspired little confidence in romance in her.

  But now, she was tempted to take the risk.

  40-Ridley

  Gregory's wife waited for them inside of the shop, a plate of pancakes in front of her. Ridley and Malia slid into the booth across from her.

  Lena looked up. "Thank you for meeting me."

  Malia smiled. "It's not a problem."

  "How did you know I'd be interested in this?" Lena cupped her mug of coffee between her hands.

  Ridley's knee bounced beneath the table. "Let's just say, we have our methods."

  "All right."

  Ridley decided to jump right in. "We know you want to get away from your husband and we want to help you."

  Hope kindled in Lena's eyes. "How can you? I read the reviews on your site and they were glowing. But it was a little vague on the details of how."

  "That depends," Malia said.

  "On what?"

  Ridley waited for the waiter to pour coffee into their mugs before explaining further. "On if you can get us evidence of his illegal activities so we can get him arrested. And the knaves he has on his payroll. He's too powerful for us to use the usual methods. We can help you disappear, but with the reach he has, it's likely he'll find you."

  The hope in her eyes died. "Of course he'll find me. I guess you can't kill him?"

  This question was becoming more and more common lately. "Afraid not. Assassinations aren't a part of our skill sets."

  "That's a shame. I'd really love to see him dead." Hatred twisted her expression.

  Malia sipped her coffee. "Well, maybe you can see him in prison and then have all his money."

  "That doesn't have quite the draw as him dead, but I suppose it'll have to do."

  "So you have access to proof?" Ridley asked, not daring to hope.

  Lena scoffed. "Of course. He's a paranoid fuck, but he thinks I'm too terrified to ever do anything against him."

  Excitement kindled in Ridley and she sat forward in her seat. "How soon can you get it to us? And do you still want to disappear?"

  "I can get it to you by tomorrow or the next day at the latest. I made a mistake last night, so I need to move fast. And yes, I still want the hell out of this state. Hell, out of the country."

  "Any requests?" Malia asked. "Preferably somewhere he wouldn't guess."

  "Unfortunately that leaves Paris out. I asked him dozens of times to take me and he always put it off. But I'm sick of the beach. What about Prague?"

  Malia nodded. "We can do that. We'll get you a plane ticket and a passport with a false name. Send us a message when you have the info and we'll meet to exchange everything. You need to get a bag ready and we'll find you a place to stay until we know it's safe for you to leave. But I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to not tip him off."

  Lena dabbed her lips with a napkin. "I understand. I need to get out of here. If he had any of his goons follow me, this will make them suspicious."

  "We'll meet somewhere more upscale next time?" Cormac would be thrilled.

  "Good. But not one of his clubs. One of his competitors would be perfect. Besides, I like the thought of spending his money there." An angry smile crossed her lips.

  "Sounds good. You can buy everyone a round. Let us know where and when and we'll be there." She might even let Maddox convince her to bring one of them along. It was their mission after all. It was only fair.

  Lena slid from the booth. "Thank you. Really."

  Ridley shrugged. "Have to admit it isn't all out of the goodness of our hearts. We want him off our streets."

  "That's actually a relief. I don't trust Good Samaritans." She nodded at them and stalked from the coffee house.

  Malia and Ridley exchanged relieved glances.

  "Was it really that easy?" Ridley asked, grabbing Lena's untouched plate on pancakes and slicing into them.

  Malia reached over and cut off a bite. "I'm not sure whether it's relief or dread I feel."

  "Little bit of both."

  "Now you can go home to your hot guys and tell them the good news."

  Ridley laughed. "I'm sure they'll be thrilled."

  "Maybe you can celebrate, if you know what I mean." Malia wagged her brows.

  Ridley choked on a piece of pancake. "Are you suggesting a wild orgy?"

  "Of course."

  "I think we might need to work up to that."

  Malia pointed a piece of dripping pancake at her at the end of a fork. "But you are thinking about it."

  "I'm a woman with a very healthy sex drive. Of course I'm thinking about it." But it didn't mean she'd act on it. "Besides, I'm not sure that's something they'd even want to do."

  The fantasy of it made her shift in her seat.

  Malia stood. "As much as I love you, that's not an image I need in my head. Way too many dicks."

  Ridley got up as well after draining her coffee. "I need to get the image out of mine too. But for different reasons."

  If she didn't banish it, she was liable to do something stupid and embarrassing once she was around the guys again.

  She sent Maddox a text, letting him know she was on the way back. It was kind of sweet he wanted to know when to expect her home. Home. It wasn't her home. She had one. But she'd grown comfortable there, enjoyed the company. It helped keep the nightmares at bay.

  At first, she thought it was the ocean and awesome mattress. But it was them.

  41-Maddox

  The front door opened and a little tension released from Maddox when Ridley sauntered through the door. Every day, he expected her to decide not to return to them. He'd let her go if she did, but he was always relieved when she came back.

  She smiled at him. "Hey, shithead."

  He laughed. "Hey honeybun."

  Her nose wrinkled. "Gross."

  "Hungry?"

  She shrugged out of her jacket and hung it on the coat rack by the door. He liked seeing it there nestled among their jackets. Like it belonged. "Starving. I didn't eat much at Wailana."

  "I'll take you back there once this is all over." They'd had a good time, bonding over pancakes and their love for delicious and horrible for you food.

  "Which looks like it might be sooner rather than later." She grinned.

  "I knew you'd make a perfect addition to the team. We couldn't have done this without you."

  She shrugged off his praise. "Well, it's not done yet, so let's not celebrate prematurely."

  "There is no premature anything in this house, thank you very much." Reese appeared from the kitchen. "I have been banished once again."

  "Why do you keep trying?" Maddox shook his head.

  "Beck
ett told me he'd teach me two years ago, and he gave up after one lesson."

  Beckett yelled from the kitchen. "Because you started a fire, you shithead."

  Reese ducked his head around the corner to yell back. "Hey. Only Ridley is allowed to call us that."

  A strange smile spread on Ridley's lips. One Maddox hadn't seen before. It was soft, it almost looked affectionate. Were they wearing on her? Reese had told him about the kiss and their talk after the party. He'd expected her to run scared, not come back looking like she was happy to be there. With them.

  He'd give up his elemental powers for the ability to read her mind in a second.

  "Hey. How do you guys feel about brunch?" She sank onto the middle of the couch with a sigh.

  Maddox stared at her in confusion at the odd question. "Uh. We like it. Why?"

  "Just wondering."

  That cleared things up.

  Reese flopped beside her. "You already know I love asparagus wrapped in prosciutto. Isn't that a common brunch food?"

  "I saw some this afternoon though I didn't order any."

  "Did you have fun at brunch? Do you want us to take you?" Maddox asked, still trying to follow her thought process.

  "No. I hated it."

  "Okay." Maddox glanced at Reese for an explanation, but he shrugged, baffled too.

  "Sorry. Just thinking about something Malia and I were discussing. The food was great, I just didn't like the fanciness."

  "I see." Maddox didn't see. She was a baffling woman. Who was blushing for some reason. He and Reese exchanged a perplexed glance.

  "Are you all right?" Reese asked her.

  "Yep. Why?"

  "You're just acting strange."

  Cormac wandered in, a book in his hands. "You're being pleasant. It's throwing them."

  Reese grinned. "Yeah. It's like when Cormac is pleasant. No one knows how to handle him."

  "I bet you handle him just fine."

  Reese choked at Ridley's suggestive words.

  Ridley's eyes narrowed on Cormac. "What are you reading?"

  "This?" Cormac waved the book at her. "Just something I found lying around."

  Ridley rose from the couch. "And where did you find it? And the answer better not be my bedroom."

  "Your bedroom? Finally stopped calling it the guest room?"

  She blinked. "I—well, don't change the subject. Where did you find it?"

  "Reese found it on the back porch. It's a really thrilling book. I see why you like it." Cormac's eyes flickered with heat.

  Maddox wasn't sure if it was embarrassment or rage flushing her face red, but whichever it was didn't bode well for Cormac. He leaned his hip against the wall and crossed his arms to watch the show.

  She advanced on him with a snarl. "Give. It. Back. Now."

  He stood his ground with a cocky wink. "But I'm halfway through. I want to find out if the heroine decides to keep her harem or throw them out on their ears."

  "If you don't give it back, you'll be the one on your ear."

  "Think you could take me?"

  Ridley didn't answer. Instead her eyes went a little unfocused and then Cormac's clothes disappeared. He looked down at himself and a slow grin spread across his face.

  "You got a few things wrong, pet."

  "Did I miss a few tattoos? Or did I give you a little too much credit?" Her expression was pure evil, and it turned Maddox on big time.

  He burst into laughter when Cormac's cock shrank to almost nothing. Reese was bent over, holding himself up by the arm of the couch. Even Beckett had come in from the kitchen and had his hands clasped over his face.

  Cormac hugged the book to his chest, what little cock he had pointed proudly. "You are missing a few tattoos. You also forgot the piercing. My cock's pierced. So is Beckett's."

  A huge ring appeared at the tip, like one you'd find in a bull's nose. Tears streamed down Maddox's face when a unicorn tattoo materialized on his hip.

  Cormac smirked. "I like that one. I might have to get that one added there."

  A growl ripped from her. "You are such a jackass. Give me my book."

  "Just let me finish it. I'll have it done tonight."

  She threw up her hands. "Why are you even reading it?"

  "Research."

  Ridley lost her concentration and Cormac returned to normal. "Research?"

  "Yes. Hoping this book might give me some tips." He wagged his eyebrows.

  "I've got a tip for you. Don't be such a crapface ass cracker."

  Cormac's hand went to the waist of his pants. "Should I show you so you get it right next time?"

  "If you want to lose it for real." Ridley unearthed a switchblade from somewhere and twirled it between her fingers.

  Cormac chucked, but he removed his hand from his pants. "Just for the night and you can have it back."

  Ridley scowled, but her shoulders slumped. "Fine. But no jackass remarks."

  "I'll try."

  "I guess that's the best I can hope for from you."

  "Afraid so, pet."

  "Dinner's ready if you're done playing around." Beckett pointed towards the kitchen. "I rescued it from Reese."

  Reese clasped his hands to his chest. "Why do you hurt me?"

  "Because you refuse to stay out like I asked."

  "You didn't ask. You demanded. It hurt my feelings."

  "Yeah well, it hurt my feelings when you started a fire."

  Maddox hung back as his team continued their bickering in the kitchen, his chest swelling as Ridley joined in, like she'd been there with them for years instead of a handful of days.

  He really hoped she decided to stay.

  42-Ridley

  Beckett drew the short straw and went with Ridley and Malia to the club. Ridley was glad since he was the one she'd spent the least amount of time with. He was also the one who didn't push her to join them. He hung back, content to let her decide on her own.

  Or maybe he didn't care either way.

  They met Malia in the parking lot half an hour before Gregory's wife was supposed to show. Beckett placed his hand on the small of her back beneath her leather jacket, his touch making her shiver.

  He smiled down at her. "You good?"

  "Yep." She nodded with a little too much enthusiasm.

  "Cold?"

  "Nope."

  He frowned quizzically at her. "All right."

  "I'm good. We're good. Let's get inside."

  He stopped Ridley and turned her to face him, waving Malia on. "What's up? You're being weird."

  "I am not. What are you talking about?" She tried to head towards the club, but he kept her in place.

  "You're acting skittish."

  She scoffed. "How dare you. I've never been skittish in my life."

  "You're being as dramatic as Cormac and Reese put together. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Is it because I touched you?"

  She gaped like a fish for a moment, not pleased at how well he read her. "No. Well, sort of. It's... I... I liked it. So I shivered. And then you started questioning me and made it awkward and now this is even worse, so let's get inside, yeah?" Ridley tried to storm off, but Beckett tightened his grip on her. Again.

  "We need to get in there."

  "We will. Why is it awkward that you liked me touching you? I want you to like it when I touch you."

  "It's not. I mean, it is a little." Ridley ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "I am not good at talking about this."

  A slow smile spread across Beckett's mouth. "Then I'll talk for you and see how close I am to guessing your thoughts. You and I haven't had as much one on one time together, so you're wondering if I'm interested and wondering if you are and you still aren't sure you want anything to do with us."

  She harrumphed. "I thought your power was healing?"

  "It is. But it makes me observant in body language and facial expressions."

  "That would've been nice to know before now."

  "But then you would have hidden i
t from me."

  She huffed. "Exactly."

  "And I wouldn't have known you wanted this." Beckett leaned in and pressed his lips against hers.

  Ridley shivered harder as his tongue swept inside her mouth, the metal of his piercing teasing her, making her imagine what it could do a little lower. Her head spun like she'd had more of Cormac's pink drinks and she clutched at him to steady herself.

  She whimpered, making him growl softly into her mouth and he kissed her harder. Heat rolled through her like slow moving lava, flushing her skin.

  How were they all such impressive kissers? There wasn't a sloppy drooler among them. At least they didn't expect her to choose because that was impossible.

  His hardness pressed against her belly, making her core clench. She wanted to drag him into the shadows, throw an illusion around him so he could fuck her against the building.

  But they didn't have time.

  She ended the kiss with a soft moan. "We have to get inside. She'll be here any minute."

  He panted against her mouth. "I know. But I can't seem to let go of you."

  She licked her lips and his eyes flared. "I'm having the same problem."

  "I'm two seconds from ripping your clothes off right here, right now."

  She closed her eyes. "That's not helping."

  "Fuck. Fuck."

  "Agreed." Her entire body pounded with unfulfilled lust.

  "You are so fucking delicious."

  "We need to talk about rotten eggs or mold or our grandmothers or something."

  Beckett chuckled and finally released her, but he kept a grip on her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. "That didn't work as well as it should have."

  "Nope." Ridley tried to shake off the lust still clinging to her. She tried to forget the knowledge of his dick piercing and stop wondering what it would feel like inside her.

  She paid the bouncer, and she and Beckett entered the packed club. This one was aimed at spring breakers, lots of glowing and glittery drinks, a giant ball pit in the center of the building, and colorful strobe lights trying to give her a seizure.

  "I hate to admit this, but I think Gregory has better taste in clubs. And that one sucked."