by K E Osborn
“Have you been plotting while I’ve been away?”
“No. Eva wants you to rest. We all do.”
We take the stairs slowly down to the Bricking Room. The Brick Cell at the end is lit up waiting for me.
Home.
Calm washes over me for the first time in over twenty-four hours. It’s like I’m able to finally relax. Like things might get back to a semblance of normal. The man who tried to buy me from Cuba came after me, he found me, but he also let me go. I’m sure this won’t be the last time I see him, though, I’m free to live my life now he’s gotten what he wanted. This is a perfect outcome. I’m always waiting for the ball to drop, where this is all some dream, and the nightmare’s about to kick in.
Because good things don’t happen to me.
Everything goes bad in one way or another.
Void leads me over to my bed, and I let out a contented sigh. “Home, sweet, home.” I flop back on my bed, my arms spread out as I close my eyes and relax.
“So glad you’re home, Ivy… I missed you,” Void admits as he slides onto the bed beside me.
My eyes open as I take him in. A slow smile crosses my face as I turn on my side. I honestly wasn’t sure where we stood after our phone call last night. “I missed you, too.”
“I’m here for as long as you need me. Anything you want, you let me know.”
“Honestly, that’s not necessary. I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.”
He groans. “I do, though… I do worry. Probably too much, Ivy.”
Wow.
Honesty! Well, this is a refreshing change.
I prop my head on my hand, resting my elbow on my bed as I look him over. “You worry about what’s going to happen to me, or about the people around me?”
Void slides his hands in under his head, getting comfortable. “Both… you know by now I care about you. Last night was pure fucking hell. After our phone call, fuck… I think Nycto stopped me from riding out at least three times.”
My eyes widen while I gnaw on my bottom lip. “I’m sorry. I know you have an issue with Dash, but honestly, he was the perfect gentleman.”
He exhales. “That’s good to know. I… I don’t know how to act anymore, Ivy. I’m just…” he pauses, then stops.
“You’re not yourself when I’m involved.”
He turns his head to look directly at me. “I’m more myself when you’re involved, and that fact scares me.”
“I scare you?”
“I scare me,” he clarifies.
Shaking my head, I slide in, my head resting in the nook of his shoulder and chest. He’s tense, but as my fingers slide up his shirt to rest over his heart, he relaxes. “You don’t scare me, Void. Not even a little bit.”
His hand slides up, resting on top of mine on his chest, our fingers threading together. I take the hint and loop my leg over his, cuddling into his side completely. Closing my eyes, I let out a contented sigh as his other hand moves in caressing the back of my head, the move gentle and soothing.
I adore us like this.
Calm.
Content.
Completely blissful.
Void’s opening up to me like never before.
I start telling him about what happened while I was at Tony’s. He chuckles when I tell him about Dash getting his Elsa makeover, and Void holds me when I tell him how I feel helpless that I can’t do more to help Mia. Void and I always are able to connect when it’s just us in a room alone together, but this, right here, this is something else.
We’re treading on new ground.
Taking a step in a different direction.
Maybe spending the night apart is exactly what we needed.
To show us both the thing we need is each other.
Maybe the bad luck ball isn’t going to drop after all. Maybe this is the dream, the dream where good things do happen for me—the dream where finally something is going right for once.
If this is my good dream, then please don’t let any fucker wake me up!
***
I’ve never felt more relaxed than I do right now. We may not have been asleep for long, just a nap, but that hour or so was the deepest, most peaceful sleep I’ve ever had. Falling asleep in Void’s arms isn’t something I’ve done before, but damn do I want to keep doing it. After having my blood taken last night, I thought I would be completely drained today. I wouldn’t say I am at one hundred percent, but this little power nap has certainly recharged my batteries.
My eyelids flutter open, slowly, taking in the sights of the Brick Cell—my home. I’m lying in bed, my leg over Void’s, snuggling into him, while he continues to sleep. He’s so fucking gorgeous, completely vulnerable and exposed. I glimpse down at his soft, supple lips—they’re so pink and delectable right now. Arousal surges as I lick my lips wanting to taste him. I’ve never felt the need to act on my sexual urges or instincts, but with Void lying here like this, I want to take advantage of him. I want to know what it’s like to kiss him, to have his hands roam all over my body, to have him deep inside of me.
My eyes shift to his crotch, and I swallow hard when I notice his jeans tenting with an erection.
I gasp. I was not expecting to see that. My breath hitches as I gnaw down on my bottom lip.
Should I do something about it?
Would he want me to touch him?
I’ve never even held a cock.
How would I know where to start?
But, there’s something about this situation that’s calling to me. I want to make him feel good. I want him to make me feel good.
With my pulse racing like a jackhammer inside my veins, my hand which is sitting above his heart slowly starts to edge down his stomach.
My body throbs with need as I squirm uncomfortably. I edge further toward the zipper of his jeans.
Void wriggles a little as if he’s waking up, but I don’t stop. My breath quickens as my fingers grip the zip of his jeans. I gently slide it down, then edge my hand inside. The tiny hairs leading to his cock tickle the tips of my fingers as they go. Adrenaline surges through me as I reach the top of his boxer briefs, dipping under.
Suddenly, Void’s hand slams against my wrist, halting any further movement. I jolt with shock as I turn to look at him. His eyes wide, his breath rapid, and his nostrils flare as he startles.
“Ivy, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” He yanks my hand out of his pants, shifting me off him as he sits on the edge of the bed with his back now to me. The sound of his zip sliding back up shocks me.
A cold shudder runs through my body as I sit behind him, wrapping my arms around myself more for comfort than anything. “I… I thought… I mean, I saw your erection, and thought—”
“You thought wrong, Ivy. You can’t shove your hand down a guy’s pants.”
“Jesus, Void, you’re making me sound like I’m a predator.”
Running his fingers roughly through his hair, he jumps from the bed and begins pacing. There’s no eye contact when he says, “I have to go,” and heads toward the exit while I stand letting out a loud angry as hell huff.
“So that’s it? After everything we shared since I got back, you’re shutting down on me again?” Fear sweeps over me as tears threaten to fall from my eyes.
Void hesitates in the doorway, his chest heaving as he breathes frantically. But then he lets out a low grunt, taking off for the stairs.
A tear slides down my cheek, pooling on my chin. “You’re a coward, Void,” I yell at him, then wipe my face. I will not let him affect me, but I just don’t understand his aversion to us fooling around.
Maybe he just doesn’t want me that way?
Maybe it simply boils down to exactly that—Void does not want me sexually.
Clearing my throat, I shake my head. No, I’m much stronger than this. I’m not letting Void ruin my day, especially when I woke up feeling so good only moments ago.
It’s just after lunch, and I’m not going to spend the rest of the day wallo
wing.
I’m going to do my job and do it fucking well.
Screw Void!
Grabbing my clipboard from the sofa, I walk across to the lab. Pressing the combination, the brick wall opens revealing our crop. I amble over to the small technical area, grabbing my white coat. I do some of the simpler checks, then get to work—feeding, maintaining, monitoring the growth rates—all the usual shit.
I’m lost in my work when a set of footsteps gain my attention. I peek over the plants to see Dash striding over, looking like he’s going to bite my fricking head off.
“You should be resting,” he berates as he grabs his lab coat, then starts working next to me.
I scoff. “Stop! I had a power nap, but then I had to get moving. I need to distract myself.”
Dash grabs the clipboard from me, reading over my notes. “Mm-hmm… you can distract yourself by closing your eyes and falling asleep. Got me?”
“You sound like you’re worried about me, there, Dash?”
He glances at me. “I had to hold you up before you fell over. So, yeah, I’m concerned you’re heading back to work too soon. Go! I’ll take care of this shit. Put your feet up. If you want, you can yell at me from next door.”
“Honestly, Dash, I’m fine. But thanks for caring. You’re good to me.”
He bumps his shoulder into mine. “I’ll always care about you, Ivy.” He reaches out and wraps his arm around my shoulder pulling me to him. I lean my head on his shoulder with a sigh.
Why is it always so easy with Dash?
With Void, everything seems magical, then bam, the magic evaporates, and I’m left in a black hole figuring out if I’m even still in reality or not?
It’s so frustrating.
Void is so frustrating.
“C’mon, it looks like it’s time to harvest,” Dash advises, placing the clipboard down, waggling his brows at me.
“Yeah, it is. I’ll turn on the fans.”
We move off as another set of footsteps echo through the Bricking Room. We both turn and watch Eva striding toward us.
“So, Void’s in a good mood,” she states.
I scoff, turning to continue with my work. “Not my problem.”
“If one of the brothers is having a mental breakdown all the time, and the common denominator in their breakdown is you, then yeah, Ivy… it’s your problem.”
I turn to Eva, throwing my hands in the air. “What am I supposed to do, huh? I try talking to him, he shuts down. I let him talk to me, he shuts down. I ignore him, he shuts down. There’s only so much I can do, Eva.”
Eva’s eyes shift to Dash, who’s trying to appear busy, ignoring our conversation. “Try. Fucking. Harder. You have a connection, Ivy. Hell, everyone’s seen it. Void’s not like that with anyone else the way he is with you.”
“Maybe he should be the one to try harder then, ‘cause I’m sick of being the one always trying. I’ve been fighting all my life, Eva. You of all people should understand that.”
Eva exhales. “I get it. But tell me this… is Void worth fighting for? Search deep down because you know the damn answer.”
I peer over my shoulder at Dash, who’s stopped working and is invested in the conversation, clearly listening in. I say nothing in reply, turning back, grabbing Eva, and spinning her toward the exit. “I have work to do, can we catch up later?”
Eva chuckles. “You trying to get rid of me?”
“I’m trying to get rid of this conversation.”
“Okay, I’m going, but this topic is not closed, Ivy.”
“Bye, hermana.”
Dash glances over, and with a slight snicker, he says, “Siblings, huh? They wanna know all your shit.”
I groan. “This Ol’ Lady business is going to her head. She’s always been in charge, but now it’s giving her even more of a reason to boss me around.”
“You don’t seem like the submissive type. I see you as the take-the-bull-by-the-horns type, in a sense?”
“Exactly. I like being in control. It’s not easy for me to give that up.”
“Well, I, for one, like it when you take charge. Bossing me around gives me the tingles.”
I snort out a laugh, shoving him playfully.
Dash might be an idiot, but at least he’s not an asshole.
Chapter Nine
VOID
I’ve been in my room for a while. After I woke up to Ivy’s hand down my pants, I nearly lost fucking control. The urge to pin her to the bed and fuck her like a damn madman washed over me in such a fierce adrenaline rush that a red haze enveloped me.
In a flash, it could have gone either way.
For me to revert to the man I once was.
But seeing her gorgeous, innocent face pulled me back and woke me from my past.
Usually, I wouldn’t be concerned about it happening with a woman. They might understand, they might not. Hell, some even get turned on by it. But the first time I take Ivy, I need to be gentle, and honestly, I don’t know if I fucking have it in me.
Her first time would be better with someone like Dash. A man who can be attentive to her needs. Not someone like me who’s too far fucking gone to give Ivy the first she deserves.
I take another sip, straight from the whiskey bottle. A quarter of the Jack Daniels bottle now seeping into my veins. I shouldn’t have left Ivy the way I did. I shouldn’t have spoken to her the way I did. But if I hadn’t left, I would have done something I’d regret even more, and then she would never forgive me. As it is, it took me forever to deal with the hardcore fucking boner I had from her almost touching me.
The thought of her hands on me—goddamn! I clench my eyes shut, trying to stop my mind from wandering off again. Ivy tears me apart in all the right ways. She doesn’t understand the effect she has on me.
I wish I could tell her.
Fuck! I wish I could show her.
She’s not ready for that.
I take another sip from the bottle as my door slams open without a knock. Usually, I’d be annoyed at whoever’s breaking into my room without knocking, but right now, I just don’t give one fuck.
“You need to get your shit into gear,” Nycto grunts out while walking over, shoving my feet across the bed.
The whiskey spills from the bottle with the force of Nycto’s shove as I bring it away from my lips. I let out a groan, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I need to do fucking nothing.”
“Can you ride?” Nycto asks, swiping the bottle away then screwing on the lid.
I shrug. “I’ve had a quarter of a bottle. You’re fully aware I handle my liquor.”
“Good. I need you to go to the café. Trixie called, said some people are hanging around acting suspiciously.”
I stand yanking my cut into place. “On it.”
“And Void?” I raise my brow. “Don’t get pulled over for a breath test.”
I dip my chin, taking off for my ride. If Trix is in trouble, at least there’s something I’m good at, and that’s letting unwanted people know how much they’re not wanted.
Hopping on my ride, I turn over the engine. My baby purrs beneath me, and for some reason, I wish Ivy was on the back of my ride. It felt so right when she was clinging to my back, holding on tight. I take off, anyway, the kick of the alcohol buzzing through my system.
The ride doesn’t take long, and as I pull up to the café, a couple of men inside the store are obviously screaming at Trixie, so I jump off my ride quicker than I thought possible. Hoisting my gun from my jeans, I storm off. Thrusting open the door so quickly it hits the wall with a thud, their loud screeching reaches me seconds later.
“Hand it over, you stupid bitch, or I swear to God—”
I aim the gun, cocking it right at the stupid fucker who doesn’t see me coming. “You swear to God, what? You better choose your words carefully, asshole, or this bullet will choose them for you.”
The loudmouth and his friend snap their heads toward me, their eyes widening as they take in my club
cut. Both their hands shoot up in surrender as they start backing up.
“Hey man, it’s a simple misunderstanding.”
“Yeah… I figured. You better get the fuck out… and if you come back, I’m gonna put a bullet in your cock, so you know what it’s like to be the dickless idiot you are, then I’ll shoot you between your eyes for good fucking measure.” I point, aiming at the loudmouth’s foot, then squeeze the trigger.
My gun recoils, the bullet flying out with speed and precision.
The idiot screams out in agony, jumping on the spot, leaving a trail of blood on Trixie’s freshly mopped floor.
“What the fuck did you do that for, you fucking maniac?” loudmouth’s sidekick hisses reaching out for his friend, wrapping his arm around him for support.
“Because I’m a bastard. You cross us, we don’t give you a second chance. Fuck up again, that little warning will be higher up and hit a vital organ. Now… Get. The. Fuck. Out.”
Loudmouth keeps his mouth shut as his friend pulls him out of the café, his bleeding foot dragging behind him. I flick the safety back on my gun, stowing it away, as Trixie rushes out from behind the counter. She lunges at me, wrapping her arms around my neck, pulling me to her in a tight embrace.
I tense, hating fucking affection as I stand uncomfortably. I’ve only just gotten used to letting Ivy touch me. I’m not on board with this, so I reach up grabbing Trixie’s arms, pulling her back as she exhales dramatically. “Thank you, Void. You’re a lifesaver. It didn’t look like they had guns or anything, but they were starting to become pretty damn vocal. I was getting scared.”
I take in the café, trying to see if there’s any damage other than the blood trail. “Did they take anything? Do any damage?”
“No, they were after cash. Honestly, maybe they were junkies after a fix. I don’t even think they’re aware of what’s out the back ‘cause they didn’t come looking for it… just the cash.”
“If it’s any consolation, I don’t believe they’ll be back, but I will have a brother sent to stand guard during the day for a while.”
“Thank you… I appreciate that.”
