by Samantha Bee
“We are the farthest thing from normal.” He looks around at the guys wandering around the first floor. Luca wanted to make sure we did a sweep for any bugs before we all came back here and started drinking tonight. We already finished the top floor and found nothing, but Luca is nothing if not thorough.
It makes sense Romano would be trying to spy on Luca. His suspicion has been clear as day for some time now. Even if Luca has given him plenty of information to throw him off our trail. We have to figure out a way to neutralize him.
“You have your murder face on.” Kade’s amused voice draws me back out of my head. My eyes widen and I sputter out a surprised laugh.
“Murder face?”
He grins, studying me and pressing his thigh harder into the apex of my thighs. Heat flares through me and I don’t hold back the small thrust of my hips against his leg.
He hums, looking down, lust flaring in his own eyes. “The face you get when you’re planning a murder. It’s savage, excited. Fucking ruthless.” He presses into me again, squeezing my hips. “I don’t know if I like your murder face or your sex face more.”
His thumb traces my bottom lip before pushing it down slightly. My tongue darts out and I run it around his thumb before sucking it into my mouth, gently biting down. He’s not the only one who knows how to taunt the other.
I hear the hitch in his breath, but he continues talking as if he’s unaffected. “Both are hungry. Sexy. Determined. Not all that different,” he pauses, tilting his head to the side. “But where one is calculating. The other is,” he pauses, as if he has to take a moment to land on the right word. “Fucking wild.”
He pulls his thumb free and I groan in protest. I already know he’s going to pull all the way away from me. Leave me wanting. It’s been his favorite game lately.
I fucking hate it.
Just as I predicted he pulls away and smirks down at me. “Definitely not normal.”
“What the fuck are you two doing?” Luca snaps from behind me. I sigh, knowing I’m about to get a lecture about the reason we came here in the first place.
He sighs in response and I can just picture the way he’s probably rubbing his temples. Luca being exasperated with me and Kade is a familiar feeling. Soothing in the normalcy of it. Like I never abandoned them. I grin and meet Kade’s eyes sparkling with the same mirth.
“We are all clear,” Luca says. I start to turn to him and catch him muttering, “No thanks to the two of you.”
My brows raise as I face him. “That’s why you’re the Bossman.” I grin up at Luca even as I try to suppress the desire Kade had awoken in me.
I feel heat spread across my back and know that Kade stepped closer to me even without his touch. His mere presence affects me the same way Luca’s always has. I shiver as images of being pressed between the two of them run through my mind.
Hot breath fans against my ear as I feel a surge of warmth rush through to my core.
“I know what you’re thinking about, Ladybug,” Kade growls into my ear. He pressed into my back so l can feel how hard he is as he grinds into my ass.
Fuck. I’m totally going to need new panties before I dance tonight.
I meet Luca’s eyes as they flare with heat, but as quickly as it appears, he shuts it down. “Stop messing around. We still need to pick up Jade and stop to see Roe.” He looks over my shoulder, clearly speaking to Kade and dismissing me.
A new type of heat rushes through me as I feel my anger and frustration tamp down my want.
He briefly flicks his eyes down to me before looking away again. He pats me on the top of the head as he walks away. Again.
I spin only to meet Kade as he struggles to control his laughter. I punch him in the stomach and groan even as he wheezes. Still fucking laughing.
“Here I thought I was about to be fucked over the bar and then that fucking shit?”
Kade smirks, still trying to pull himself together. He rubs his stomach where I hit him but there’s nothing but amusement in his green eyes. Fucker.
“Even after you called him a little bitch.” He shakes his head, running his fingers through his hair. “Really thought that woulda been the end of all that.” He gestures to my head as he replicated the way Luca patted me there before he left.
I groan again. I thought that would have been enough to snap him out of whatever mind fuckery he’s stuck in now. I shake my head to myself. “I’m going to punch him in the face the next time he fucking pats me.”
Kade roars with laughter but I don’t join in with him. Even though seeing him like this again eases the ache in my chest to the point I forget it was ever even there. I know we aren’t whole again, but I can finally see how all our pieces are coming together. I’m still too frustrated to laugh in this moment though.
“Don’t pout, Ladybug.”
My eyes narrow at him. “Are you going to fuck me over this bar?”
He steps back into my body, a wolfish grin taking over his face. “I could.” He continues to press in closer to me, but my eyes narrow up at him, not believing for even a second he’s going to follow through on that promise. He still hasn’t even kissed me.
“But I’m having too much fun torturing you instead,” he taunts as he pulls away and starts getting ready to leave.
I roll my eyes. “Fucking cunt tease,” I mutter under my breath. He halts as he turns back my way.
“What was that, Ladybug?” he questions.
I lift my chin up, smirking. “I said Noah is my favorite boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?” Shock colors his features. I tilt my head studying him. I didn’t expect that response.
I shrug, looking around the room. Not quite able to meet his eyes any longer. “Isn’t that what you all are? Isn’t that what dating makes us? My boyfriend.” I scrunch my nose as I explain. All of a sudden filled with an awkward tension I don’t think I’ve ever felt before. I rarely ever feel this... unsure of myself.
Before I can bring myself to look back and see his reaction, I’m being pushed up against the bar. Kade’s lips pressed to my throat. “Say it again,” he demands.
I feel his hard length pressed against my core. I pant as I grind into him. Loving the way his body reacts to mine, even if he doesn’t want to do anything about it. Yet.
“You’re my boyfriend now, Stranger,” I admit breathlessly.
He groans as he grabs my chin and tilts my head up, capturing my lips in a possessive, searing kiss. There’s nothing teasing or playful about this kiss. He fucks my mouth, his tongue thrusting in and out of my mouth in a deadly rhythm that I can’t help but associate with the way he fucks my body.
He leaves me no room to breathe or even think. I’m completely and totally lost to the feelings he evokes in me. Consumed by the way he kisses me with his whole body. Dominating me with his firm grip on my chin and hip, and the brutal way his tongue slides against mine.
Without warning, he pulls away from me. “Mine,” he growls. His eyes vibrant and alive, the gold in them almost shimmering with his lust.
I’m barely able to breathe or stop myself from climbing him like a tree. He grins, knowing just how much he’s affected me and loving it.
He brushes past me, stopping only to smack my ass. Hard. I jump as I shout at the unexpected slap. The smack of it, echoing through the empty club.
“Let’s go, hot stuff. You heard Luca. Shit to do.” He whistles as he walks away, and I let out a string of curses that would make a sailor blush. He just continues on his merry way.
“Fucking asshole.”
I walk into Jade’s house with a determined strut. I’m not speaking to either of those assholes again. I don’t know what the fuck crawled up Luca’s ass and died but Kade is enjoying their combined torture way too much.
Jade’s eyes widen when she sees the look on my face. Her black hair is piled in a messy bun on top of her head as her blue eyes flick between all of us.
“Where’s everyone else?” She smiles and raises her brows
at me. I roll my eyes and nod back at the two idiots with me. Confirming that yes, they are the reason I’m ready to burn down a city. Hangry ain’t got anything on horngry.
I snort to myself. I probably shouldn’t ever say that one out loud. But seriously. I’m horny and fucking angry about it.
Jade giggles, more questions in her eyes. I dip my head, acknowledging that I’ll tell her later even as Kade answers her. “Noah and Declan are meeting us at the club tonight. Ryder is with Ian and Holden and we are meeting them and Tyler at Joe and Charlene’s.”
I run my eyes pointedly down her attire. Sweatpants and a loose tank top. She sees it and just shrugs, admitting, “I didn’t know what to wear.”
I nod. I had figured as much, it’s why I told her I would come and get ready with her. “I have clothes for you.”
She gathers the cookbooks she was looking at and places them back in the bookshelf behind the couch where she was sitting. She waves to the guys and leads me back into her bedroom. I don’t bother saying shit to those assholes.
I place my bag down on her bed and start pulling clothes out. I pull out my black cutoff shorts that are so tattered they can hardly be called shorts anymore. It makes it easier to dance in them though, especially since I plan on climbing the pole today. It’s been so long since I really let loose and danced my heart out for a crowd.
I take my black, long sleeve bodysuit out as I turn to look at Jade. “Do you mind?” I ask, gesturing towards the clothes. She shrugs before looking down at her own clothes and turning to her closet.
I pause, watching her as she pulls out some ripped up black jeans. She holds them in her hands, looking down with a slightly perplexed expression. I can see the tag still attached to them, so I know she’s never worn them before. I hardly ever see Jade out of comfort clothes or workout clothes. She definitely doesn’t dress to show off her body. Not that I can blame her.
“Wear those,” I tell her as I start to shimmy out of my own jeans. I strip completely naked before I put the body suit on. I’ll have to avoid my men to not ruin the bodysuit the same way I ruined the panties now folded with my jeans.
I turn to find Jade blushing as she grips the jeans tighter in her hands. I chuckle as I snap the bodysuit’s buttons into place. “I did ask.” I point out.
“I just didn’t expect you to get butt ass naked,” she laughs.
I shrug, not bothered by nudity. My own or others. I have been known to strip on stage after all. “But seriously, put those jeans on.” I turn back to my bag, even as I hear her humming to herself.
“I don’t,” she starts, but I cut her off when the shirt I just threw hits her in the face. She rips it off, glaring at me, “The fuck, Scar?”
“You were about to say you didn’t have anything to wear with them. Right? Well, there you go.” I gesture to the shirt in her hand. She looks down at the outfit in her hand still confused. I sigh, “Just put it on, dude. Trust me.”
She nods as she pushes her sweats down. I smile as I step into the shorts. “Mother fuck,” I whisper to myself. I was going to wear fishnets under my shorts, but I forgot to grab them. I look down as I button my shorts in place. Meh. It still looks good.
The black bodysuit fits like a second skin, molded perfectly to show off the curves of my waist. It’s cut with a super low V that touches all the way down to my belly button, showcasing my tattoo of a snake wrapped around a dagger perfectly. The sleeves have a little ring that I slip over my middle finger on both hands so that a delicate blue rose sits on both fingers. I smirk as I trace the lace details in a deep sapphire blue as they get bigger, decorating the sleeves all the way to my shoulders. I turn around and find Jade ready in her own outfit. The ripped black jeans hugging her waist perfectly and showing off a generous amount of her legs with the way they're ripped and clinging to her. The shirt fits her perfectly, like I knew it would. She's taller than me by at least a couple of inches but we’re we close enough in sizes that I was able to guess her sizes accurately when I bought some shit for her.
The shirt is a cropped black t-shirt, loose and falls just above where her pants sit, a knot at the bottom to keep it in place. Just over her heart is a vibrant blue rose in cobalt and cerulean blues. Both dark and vivid. Just like the woman herself.
I smirk to myself as I watch the way she runs her fingers over it, smiling. She doesn't understand the significance of the blue rose, but she will. By the time the night is over I am positive someone will spell it out for her. I'm content to wait and watch how it plays out. My bet is it being Ian who tells her about the roses and the color system.
No one can have blue. I've claimed all shades. Until now.
"You look great," I say simply. She smiles up at me and I see how much those three little words eased something in her. This is probably the first time she's ever had a night out like this.
"I'll stick to your side. Don't worry. The boys will too."
"I know." She nods to herself, reinforcing those words in her own mind. I can only imagine all the bullshit running through her head. But she has to brave the world again at some point. Better to do it with us and under the clear protection of mine. No one will fuck with her at Steel Roses. I'm queen there.
Speaking of. "Hey, girl. I need help taking a quick picture." I explain to her the process the same way I did with Ryder just a few months ago. I smirk. Except with a lot less sexual suggestiveness. I had a good time fucking with him. I shiver at the memory of the heavy feeling of his eyes exploring my body.
Fuck.
I still can't believe I read that entire thing wrong. Only a trainer. I nod to myself and focus back on directing Jade on what I need a photo of. I take my phone back and post it quickly as we gather our stuff up. I make sure to grab my makeup bag before we head back into the living room.
Kade and Luca have made themselves at home in there. Luca working on his laptop and barely even looking up to acknowledge us. Kade’s laying across the couch with a book in his face. I smile as I read the title Follow the River. Huh. It's a pretty cover. I wonder what it's about.
Sometimes when he gets into a good book, he likes to tell me all about it. I don't really read but listening to Kade talk about the ones he does makes me kind of wish I did. Either way, listening to how passionate he gets about fictional characters never fails to make me smile. Even if I only understand half the shit that comes out of his mouth.
He smirks as he turns the page, doing one of those little body shimmies that I know means he's living for whatever is happening on that page. I'll have to remember to ask him about it later. I have shit I need to be doing right now.
I lean over Luca's shoulder to see he's watching the CCTV from Steel Roses. I see a flash of blonde hair in the corner of the screen. I move more into his space, sitting on the arm of the chair as I point to the screen. "Pull up behind the VIP bar."
He looks over at me, a brow cocked in question, but I wave him off. He pulls it up and we watch as Taylor moves around the bar. Ugh. Disgust crawls through my veins as I watch her, even though she isn't doing anything wrong. "I thought the slut was going to stay at the fights. Why is she here again?" My eyes narrow on him. I haven't been at Steel Roses, but I swear, if I find out Luca has laid one finger on this fucking cunt waffle, I will dismember her body. With mother fucking glee.
He lifts his hands up in defense. "I swear I don't know."
I pin him with a glare. I don't sense any dishonesty coming from him. But it would at least explain why the fuck he's been so weird with me. Guilt over keeping this tweaking twat a secret from me. Eww. I think if Luca touched her, I would make him bathe in bleach before touching me again.
With that in mind, I start to move away from him.
"Fuck, Scar," he swears. "I didn't touch her." My eyes flick to Kade but he's so lost in his goddamn book, I don't think he has any clue that Luca is one misspoken word from losing his left ball.
I know Luca has slept with other women. It would be impossible for him to not have aft
er all this time. I would be a fool to believe otherwise. I know that. I know that I have no one else to blame but myself for the separation. But none of that helps with this awful feeling coating my insides. I’ve never had to know who he was fucking, never been forced to face them, or the possibility of them. Plus, twatty Taylor gives me bad vibes. Why the fuck is she still around after I broke her hand? Maybe I should break her face this time.
We watch as she puts away glasses and dries her hands on a rag. I can feel my eye starting to twitch as she turns to Luca's office. She walks in so goddamn confidently into his space. It absolutely floors me.
I can already feel Luca's eyes on me as I start to vibrate at her audacity. I know he’s getting ready to defend himself, but I just wave him off. I could see the truth written all over his face. He hasn't had shit to do with her. He would have broken down and told me all about it within two seconds of me glaring at him. He never could hold his poker face all that well with me. He should consider himself lucky. If I were even one iota unsure, he would have a knife sticking out of his thigh by now.
Jade tilts her head. I know she can sense the rage coming off of me in waves, pumping the room with pure malevolence. "What's up, Scar?"
I take a deep breath, determined to not take my anger out on her. She's had far too much of that in her life without me adding to it. I can't bring myself to speak without snapping so I gesture for her to come over and watch the screen with us as Taylor makes herself cozy in Luca's office.
She inhales sharply, her blue eyes going wide as the fucking twat sits in Luca's seat and lifts up under her skirt to slide her underwear down to her ankles. Even Kade has put his book down and moved over to us as I try to breathe through the monstrous emotions ricocheting through me.
She looks around his desk, trying to open drawers and shuffling papers around. Luca keeps everything locked up tight though. Even if she did manage to get in anything though, there's nothing incriminating there. He doesn't keep shit somewhere thousands of people trapeze around.
