Twisted World Series Box Set | Books 1-3 & Novella

by Mary, Kate L.

  Thankfully, they’d already had a backup plan.

  Axl held his gaze, only blinking a few times as he did so. It was unnerving how little Jackson scared this man. So much so that he decided to teach the cocky asshole a lesson. He hit the green button to turn on the intercom for Axl’s room, allowing the screams that were still echoing through the hall to penetrate the barrier separating them. Axl’s eyebrows shot up, but he still didn’t look scared. Probably because he’d known all along what Jackson was capable of.

  “I ain’t scared of you.” Axl’s voice had a mechanical ring to it thanks to the intercom.

  “I don’t believe you.” Jackson smiled. “Maybe you don’t care what happens to you, but I know you care what happens to everyone else. We have plans for everyone you love. Joshua is already gone, I think you missed that part while you were unconscious, and your wife is on the brink of losing her mind.” That did it. Jackson saw a crack in Axl’s cool exterior. It was small, but it was there. “Parvarti and Al have dangerous jobs, as you well know, and the rest of your family are easy targets. Lila, a flick of my wrist and I can end her. Charlie, well, I think I’ll keep her around. Just for fun.” Jackson’s grin grew. “Then there’s Meg. Sweet, innocent Meg. I think you have a good idea what’s in store for her. In fact, I think you’ve always known.”

  Axl stepped closer to the window, his chest almost touching the glass. “Don’t you touch her.”

  Jackson didn’t respond. He’d learned that at times like this, silence was usually the best response. As if the act of talking was beneath him, or he was too focused on his own sick thoughts to think about anything else. And it worked. Axl’s face got red. He beat his fist against the window and screamed obscenities at Jackson, who could only laugh at the outburst. He’d never seen Axl James lose his cool like this. The man was notorious for holding onto his temper, unlike his brother who had been a hothead. Now, though, Axl was so furious that he couldn’t stop screaming. Couldn’t stop trying to break the glass with his fist.

  Jackson hit the intercom, cutting the other man’s words off, then turned and walked away. Still laughing. He left the intercom on in the other cell, though, knowing that when he came back to the observation wing, he’d want to hear the screams.

  His laughter died when he stepped into the other room. A guard was heading his way and the frown on his face said it all. Jackson’s plan had failed.

  “The fighter won,” the guard said when he stopped in front of Jackson.

  He sucked a deep breath in through his nose before asking, “And the girl?”

  “She got the message. Went straight to the wall to talk to her aunt.”

  That was something at least. Even though Jackson would have felt a hell of a lot better if that asshole convict’s head had been ripped off, the most important thing was that he and Meg both realized they were living on borrowed time. Plus, he was a resourceful person, and he knew there were other ways to take care of Donaghy. It might even be more fun this way.

  “Your father wants to see you,” the guard said just as Jackson turned away from him.

  “My father?” His back stiffened because he knew why his father was summoning him. He’d learned about Joshua and the fight at Dragon’s Lair, and he no doubt wanted to rip into his son. Not that Jackson had any intention of allowing his father to knock him down even one peg.

  The guard repeated the request, but Jackson was already on his way down the hall and merely waved over his shoulder. He had things to do and the sooner he got this over with, the better.

  He found his father in his office looking over the same report Jackson had studied earlier this morning. Axl’s test results. While Garret Star had taught his son everything he knew, Jackson had gleaned quite a bit of knowledge on his own during his years working at the CDC. It was common knowledge that he’d almost surpassed his father’s genius and expertise when it came to genetic modification. Jackson was outgrowing him. In a few years, Garret Star would be useless.

  “You wanted to see me?” Jackson asked when he’d shut the door behind him.

  His father nodded but didn’t look up from the paper. “Did you check on our newest test subject this morning?”

  Jackson wasn’t sure if his father was referring to Axl or Test Subject 54, Meg’s crewmember who had been injected with the newest strain of the virus. Since he’d checked on both, he nodded. “I did. Doing well.”

  “Good, good.”

  Garret Star set the papers down and slipped his glasses off, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he stood to face his son. Jackson was short, but he still stood several inches taller than his father. Although small, the elder Star had always found time to fit physical exercise, especially boxing, into his daily routine, which had made him broad. Jackson knew it wasn’t out of love for the sport, but because Garret wanted to make himself seem as big as possible. His genius and personality were giants, but his stature lacked anything that would intimidate a person. At least, that is, until you got to know the man.

  “I heard about the fight.” Garret leaned his hip against the desk and crossed his arms as he glared up at his son. “Don’t you think you should have talked to me before making a decision like that? You could have exposed us in a number of ways.”

  “It’s fine,” Jackson said dismissively. “He was so decayed that few people would have recognized him, and he sent Meg an important message. One she won’t forget any time soon.”

  Garret’s eyebrows shot up. “Which is?”

  “That she shouldn’t fuck with me.”

  “You know I loathe vulgarity,” Garret said, rolling his eyes.

  He did. In fact, Jackson hadn’t heard his father utter more than a handful of curse words in his entire life. He chose to intimidate people with his actions and knowledge rather than his language. It worked.

  “She needed to be put in her place. She was out asking questions. About her dad and the day he disappeared. She needs to understand that she isn’t safe. That her last name won’t protect her.”

  “Well I think she got the point.”

  Garret pressed his lips together like he was considering what to say next. Jackson knew that although his father’s cruelty didn’t run as deep as his own, his son’s actions were no longer a surprise to him. He was, after all, the one who had helped make his son what he was. From his earliest moments, Garret Star had worked at cultivating Jackson’s dark side, and he had done a good job.

  “So the fighter won,” Garret said after a beat of silence. “I’m surprised.”

  “Me too.” Jackson let out a deep breath, wishing more than ever that he had been there to see how it had all played out.

  How close was the fight? Joshua had been injected with a particularly vicious strain, making his zombie aggressive and fast. He should have won. It shouldn’t have even been close.

  “Maybe we should send one of the newer ones in,” he said, his gaze focused on the floor as he thought it through. “See how they hold up.”

  His father clicked his tongue, drawing Jackson’s gaze his way. He was nodding, his expression just as thoughtful as his son’s.

  “That’s an idea.” Garret narrowed his eyes on his son. “This isn’t just about the fighter? I know what’s going on and I don’t like your personal feelings getting in the way.”

  “I’m not going to pretend that having the asshole get ripped apart won’t be satisfying, because it will, but that isn’t all. We need to test these creatures out. We need to make sure this strain is everything we think it is.” Jackson allowed a smile to turn up his lips. “Donaghy getting his throat ripped out is just a bonus.”

  Garret didn’t look thrilled, but he nodded. “Fine then. Make it happen.”

  Chapter Seven

  Meg came crawling back to Jackson later that day. She thought she was fooling him with her sad little act, pretending she needed him in her life and that she’d missed him. He knew better, but he played along. Even pretended he’d had no idea that she was working at Dra
gon’s Lair. He could tell she saw through his façade, but it didn’t matter because things had already been set in motion. There was nothing she could do to change her fate now.

  When they hugged, Jackson had a hard time controlling himself. He was already angry that he’d wasted years on her, and she looked so good in the tight little dress she was wearing. Her body was warm, her heart pounding against his chest, reminding him of the life that flowed through her. The one he wanted to harness and control. He ran his hand up and down her back, imaging how it would feel to finally do whatever he wanted with her.

  Then he’d pulled her closer, and before he knew it his fingers were curled around the back of her neck. He’d strangled women before and had loved the thrill of the struggle. Meg’s heart beat faster, her pulse thumping against his fingers as he tightened his grip. The need was awake and so hungry that he could barely think. He could do it. He could just take her now and end all of this madness. He didn’t have to kill her, just bend her to his will. Make her his now and forever.

  Meg’s body trembled and he loosened his grip, transferring all the tension that had been in his fingers to other parts of his body in an attempt to regain control. This wasn’t part of the plan, and jumping into things feet first was never a good idea. He was a planner. He liked to consider every possible outcome of a situation before moving forward.

  When Meg finally left, heading to Dragon’s for the night, he watched her from the doorway. She looked back once, her green eyes big and round, and then started walking faster. As if she was afraid he would chase after he and drag her back into the house. The thought had occurred to him.

  After that Jackson couldn’t stop thinking about Meg. She’d become an obsession with him, and even though there was a part of him that knew he didn’t really need her to accomplish all his goals, he felt like he couldn’t let her go at this point. Giving her up would be something much bigger than defeat. Something he couldn’t quite put a name to.

  Without knowing exactly why he was there, Jackson found himself outside her apartment building only a few hours later, waiting for her to return from work. It was stupid when he knew that over the next couple days everything would come crashing down around her. She’d head into work and watch her lover—Jackson knew something was going on between them for sure now—get ripped to shreds, then find the body of her crewmember stuffed in an alley the very next day. Spending any more time trying to play on her emotions was useless, but for some reason, he couldn’t help himself. No one—with the exception of Stevie Jones—had gotten away from Jackson before. No one.

  He watched as Meg materialized out of the darkness, hugging herself as she passed shantytown and headed for home. She looked up and saw him when she was still a good fifteen feet away, and even though she didn’t stop, her steps did falter.

  She was scared of him. It was written all over her face. She told him she was fine when he asked, but it was lie and he knew it. He knew her moods and emotions so well that he was pretty sure it would be impossible for her to lie to him at this point, and looking at her now, watching her stare at him, he could tell that she’d finally accepted the truth about who he was. He wasn’t Jackson her best friend. No, he was a monster who had used her for years. He was evil. He was terrifying.

  He kept his act up, though, waiting for the right moment. Knowing her well enough to realize that she hadn’t given up on trying to get information out of him yet. When it happened, when she stepped closer to him and put her hands on his chest, he wasn’t the least bit surprised.

  Meg wrapped her hands around his waist and he hugged her back. “You’ve always been so strong,” she whispered. “Always been here for me. Thank you.”

  Then she lifted her head and looked into his eyes. The expression on her face wasn’t fooling him and he didn’t even bother trying to hide it. She shivered, but still forced out a smile as she lifted herself up on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips against his.

  A fire moved through Jackson and he pulled her closer, grasping her hips so he could press his pelvis hard against hers. His mouth moved quickly, mercilessly, forcing her lips apart. Then he spun her around, pressing her back against the wall, putting everything into it. Wanting more. Wanting to drag her into the apartment or an alley or anywhere that they wouldn’t be disturbed so he could have his way with her…

  He cut the kiss off abruptly but didn’t step away. He couldn’t lose control, and he knew that if he kept going he would. He’d lose his head and take her right here on the street if he had to, and then, when the need had taken over, he might not even have enough self-control to let her live.

  Jackson planted his hands against the wall at Meg’s back, caging her in. He was short of breath, and the usual mixture of rage and arousal swirling through him was stronger than ever.

  Meg tried to shrink away but there was nowhere to go. “Jackson?” she said, her voice quivering in fear.

  “I bet you think you’re real smart,” he began, smiling cruelly. “Well, fuck you.”

  He laughed, thinking about his father and how much he hated that word. Knowing that it didn’t matter what his father liked or disliked, or what he thought about Jackson’s plans.

  “That’s what I should have done,” he said, thinking aloud. “I should have kept going. Seen how far you’d be willing to take this little charade. You would have screwed me if you thought it would get you what you wanted. Wouldn’t you?” He raised his voice with the last words, letting all the anger in him out in one giant burst.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” Meg said, shrinking further down.

  Jackson wanted to laugh again, but instead he blew out a deep breath and stepped away. He needed to put distance between them before he lost control. “It would have been a waste of time. If you think I’d ever consider betraying my father and what he’s trying to accomplish here, you’re even dumber than I thought. He’s building something great, and I’m going to help him. Anything they do within the walls of the CDC is justified.”

  “Is he there?” Meg whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

  Jackson smoothed his hands down the front of his shirt as he turned away. He didn’t look Meg in the eye again. The tears would only make her more desirable and he wanted to avoid seeing them.

  “It’s late. I should get home.” He didn’t turn to face her when he said, “When you see that fighter friend of yours tomorrow, be sure to tell him that I said good luck. From what I hear, the zombies they’re tossing his way are bigger and newer.”

  Meg didn’t respond, but Jackson knew that his words had hit the mark. He wanted to leave her feeling more broken and hopeless than she’d ever felt before—at least up until this point.

  The next day went as planned and the hybrid zombie was delivered to Dragon’s. Jackson was trying his damndest to get some work done, but it wasn’t easy. He was excited. Looking forward to the evening like a kid looks forward to his birthday.

  All his suspicions were confirmed when he stepped into the bar that night and found Meg in Donaghy’s arms. He’d known it from the first moment he saw them together, but witnessing the embrace nearly sent him over the edge. It took every ounce of energy to stay in control, but he knew he needed to. Not only was he in public, but he’d also brought a group of friends with him. Council kids who were used to getting everything they wanted, including his occasional bedmate, Priscilla. She was blonde and pretty and Jackson knew she wouldn’t be opposed to letting him screw her in the stinking bathroom after he watched Donaghy get ripped to shreds. It would be the perfect climax to the evening.

  Then he saw Meg and the asshole hugging, and knew the convict’s death wouldn’t be enough to get him there. No. He needed more. He needed Meg to learn a lesson too, and as he came to a stop behind them, he had a sudden burst of inspiration.

  “How sweet,” he said, thinking his plan through while also drawing Meg and Donaghy’s attention his way.

  The hug ceased, but the convict still had his hand on Me
g’s arm when he turned to face Jackson.

  “I should have known you were screwing the convict,” Jackson said, looking back and forth between the two in hopes of getting some kind of confirmation that they were in fact having sex.

  Donaghy’s expression was stony as he unsuccessfully tried to step in front of Meg, but Jackson could read her like a book. They weren’t sleeping together. Not yet, and not ever if he had anything to say about it.

  “Donaghy is a friend,” she said, lifting her chin.

  Jackson smiled, satisfied that he’d be able to end things before they consummated their relationship. “We’ll be in the VIP area,” he said, and turned his back on the couple.

  He headed to the roped off area with his friends in tow, satisfied with what he’d learned. The feeling melted away, however, when he once again turned to face Meg and found her kissing the fighter. It was an intense kiss, like they were saying goodbye, but it didn’t look unfamiliar. No, they had definitely done this before.

  How many times?

  Jackson was seething as he counted down the minutes until the fight started, so angry that even Priscilla’s curvy body couldn’t distract him. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Donaghy’s face when he realized exactly what had been unleashed on him. The creature was something extraordinary all right. Something unimaginable. Something even Jackson and his father hadn’t thought they could create.

  He was so distracted that he barely noticed when Meg came to serve them drinks, and he couldn’t even take pleasure from the lewd comments his friends threw her way. His brain was swirling with thoughts of the blood that was about to be shed. Imagining what the asshole convict would look like as the life flowed out of his body.

  He didn’t have to wait long for the fight to start. Less than ten minutes after he had arrived at the bar, Dragon was introducing the fighter. Donaghy took his place in the ring and Jackson leaned forward, his body humming with anticipation. This was it. It was really happening.