Red Hot

by K. A. Merikan

  Candy didn’t say anything, pretending to look at her nails. Ha. Jackpot. Loki would much rather be on good terms with her than Lucy.

  “What’s your problem? I don’t have to eat anything. I was just asking if there was an option. Maybe I’ll just go.”

  Jack groaned. “Maybe it’s for the better. We’re waiting for Sam and Monster. We’re gonna have stuff to deal with later.”

  Lucy put her hands on her hips. “I came here to help you out with that, you ass. Monster asked me. But I guess I better be going.”

  Loki shot to his feet. She was the person Monster recruited? He took a deep breath. If Lucy was here to help Jack, he’d stand her. He could do that. “Look, that didn’t come out right.”

  She took a cautious step back. This wasn’t good. “What’s up with your eyebrows anyway? You two look like aliens.”

  Jack rubbed his forehead. “It’s a long story. Did Monster tell you what this was about?”

  “Yeah, sort of. He said they’ll fill me in on the details. He didn’t say it was for Mr. I-will-cut-you-bitch here.” She pointed at Loki.

  Loki swallowed hard and pushed his hands down his pockets. “I’m not cutting anyone. If you help my cousin, I’ll buy you a drink,” he promised, trying to sound nice, even though deep down he knew it was a lost cause.

  “What did you do?” Jack got up as well, filling the room with his towering presence.

  Lucy sighed. “I’ll call Monster and ask him when he’s coming.”

  Loki swallowed hard as his stomach plummeted. Why was this one time he overreacted coming back to bite him for the second time on the same day. “Look, I was rude, I get it. Can we just forget about it and watch some TV, or something?”

  Candy butted in, changing the topic for everyone’s comfort. “You want some cocoa, Lucy?”

  “No, thanks.”

  “Loki, maybe I’ll give your shirt a quick wash in the meanwhile? Those stains on it are making me OCD.” Candy smiled and walked up to him.

  Loki chewed on his lip and looked at the brownish blood traces. “It might wreck everyone’s appetite,” he said without looking at Jack. The shirt went off as he walked over to Candy. “Can I borrow something of Sam’s in the meanwhile?”

  “Yeah, sure,” she said, but the room behind Loki went dead silent. He felt the warmth of a presence and looked over his shoulder to see Jack standing back to back with him. He turned around.

  “Jack?”

  Candy gasped. “Um— when did that happen?”

  “I’m gonna fucking skin you!” Jack hissed.

  Loki stepped back, and his legs turned into lead when he realized what was going on. The tattoo. The tattoo on his back. He stumbled into Candy, weak in the knees. Now that he might actually live, getting his whole back inked with something that so blatantly declared his and Jack’s relationship was beginning to seem like a bad idea. He had imagined himself getting buried with it in a few months, but now it seemed that he might carry it for much longer.

  Candy held on to Loki’s arm. “I mean… You’re having sex with your cousin? Jack!”

  Lucy groaned. “He’s clearly not Red’s cousin.”

  Loki pushed out the air that was burning his lungs, staring at Jack’s tense, muscular back. “I— Jack...”

  “Fuck!” Jack aired his frustration and put his hands in the air. “Any of you say a word about this to anyone, and I’m dead, so keep those lips shut.” He pointed to Candy and Lucy. “Fucking hell…”

  Candy whimpered. “Oh, I… Sure, I wouldn’t tell anyone. It’s so sweet though.”

  Red Jack shook his head. “Sweet? Seriously?”

  She blinked and pressed her plump lips tightly together. “Well, yes. I wouldn’t tattoo anyone’s name on my body.”

  “Oh, yeah? You’ve got that fucking Jake guy’s name all over your ass. I saw it when you went skinny dipping!” Jack’s body looked as stiff as if it was carved in stone.

  Loki pushed his hair back, trying to calm his lungs, which constricted rapidly as his mind fought find any appropriate words.

  Candy suddenly charged at Jack like a harpy. She pushed him at the wall and delivered a hard slap to the back of his head. “How dare you! I was seventeen! And I don’t have it anymore!”

  Lucy cocked her head to the side. “I guess it all makes sense now. You were just trying to overcompensate for what your real sexuality is. I’m kinda happy that you found someone in the end.”

  Jack turned around and punched the wall so hard, his fist made an indent. Loki stared at it, shocked by the power behind that blow. Even more so when he realized it was actually aimed at him, even if Jack unloaded his anger on something else.

  “Jack, please. I’m sorry...”

  “Fucking fuck!” Jack took a deep breath, staring at the wall. “I’m not gay. I think about both your pussies every now and then!” The way he ignored Loki was hard to stomach.

  Candy scowled. “I am so telling Sam what you just said! I’m practically your sister-in-law!”

  Lucy smirked. “Right. Just like Mr. Tic-tac-toe is his cousin.”

  “What did you call me?” Loki exhaled, staring at her with his hands balled into fists. “You jealous, or something, bitch?”

  “Over him?” Lucy pointed to Jack with a sneer.

  That was it. Loki screamed and bolted at her, but before he could even reach Lucy, Jack grabbed his waist and pulled him back.

  “You ever call him that again, Lucy, and you’re gonna become Mrs. Tic-tac-toe,” he said in a surprisingly calm voice that sent a shiver down Loki’s spine. Lucy’s face froze, and she walked off to the window.

  Loki licked his lips and inhaled Jack’s scent as he stayed close to him, letting the skin on his waist burn where Jack held him. Would it be not laughable, he’d gladly faint right there and wake up with Jack holding him.

  “Jack’s right this time, Lucy. That was cruel,” said Candy, stepping forward with her hands folded underneath her breasts.

  Lucy opened her mouth when the sound of a door opening tore through the uncomfortable silence.

  Sam walked in with a smile. “What’s for— what the hell?”

  “Burgers,” said Candy, strolling past Loki in her pink apron. “Hi, baby. You got me the spices?” she asked, clearly trying to resolve the tension, but the high pitch of her voice didn’t help to hide the dent in the wall, or the fact that Jack was hugging a topless Loki.

  Sam passed a little pink bag to Candy, and she disappeared in the kitchen as if there were a pack of wolves chasing her.

  Jack let go of Loki with a deep sigh. “Shit got messed up.”

  Monster looked over Sam’s head and pushed him to get in. “Lucy,” he said, with a slight nod, and she nodded back, as if there was some kind of telepathy going on between them.

  Loki folded his arms across his chest and backed away until his ass hit the wall. He’d fucked up bad, but at least it seemed Jack was more angry at Lucy than at him.

  “Are we set?” Jack asked, combing his beard with his fingers. “Are you gonna help out or not?” His gaze swiped over the floor and finally settled on Lucy.

  She exhaled and looked between Jack and Monster. “I don’t really have a choice, do I? You might be an asshole, l but I don’t want you to die either.”

  “Did you tell her what we want her to do?” asked Sam.

  Lucy spread her arms. “Go to Paxton’s house, tell her I wanna rat on the Nails, and get her to eat a pastry?”

  Sam nodded and approached the dent in the wall. He scowled, punching Jack’s chest. “You are repairing this.”

  “I’m not your handyman.” Jack groaned and pulled out a twenty dollar bill. “There. That should cover it,” he said with a tiny smirk.

  Monster nodded toward Loki. “By the look of it, I’m guessing you know what’s on his back?”

  Sam snarled at the money. “On Loki’s back?”

  Loki groaned. “Can someone fucking lend me a T-shirt?”

  “You laid your be
d, now you sleep in it.” Jack grabbed Loki’s arm and turned him around for Sam to see.

  It felt as if he were stripped naked and pushed out on stage. Loki curled his shoulders. “It’s private,” he muttered, spinning out of Jack’s grip.

  “Fucking hell,” growled Sam. “Are you two insane? You need to have him cover it up!”

  Jack took off his T-shirt and put it on Loki. “There. Covered.”

  Only now, wrapped in Jack’s warm T-shirt, it hit Loki that maybe Jack actually wanted to show off that tattoo to Sam in yet another bid to out-do his best friend, not to humiliate Loki.

  Loki pulled up the front of the shirt and put the collar over the bridge of his nose. He sometimes used the T-shirts Jack left for washing, and he definitely smelled them, but wearing it in the presence of other people felt different altogether.

  Sam stepped closer, gesturing toward Loki. “That doesn’t change anything. What if some of the other guys see it? They’re gonna eat you two up and then spit you out in front of the clubhouse!”

  “They’re not gonna see it, are they, Loki? You’re gonna wear a fucking vest under your T-shirts every day, aren’t you?” Jack grabbed Loki’s nape and squeezed. Loki gasped, breathless. As irritated as he was at the treatment he was getting with everyone else present, the pleasure of Jack’s touch, wearing his clothes, somehow made it all less disturbing.

  Sam stepped closer. “Listen to me, just have him cover it with another tattoo. Of... I don’t know, a big fox if he needs to have you somewhere on him all the time, but this is too damn risky!”

  “Don’t bother,” said Monster, picking up a cookie from the platter. “He’s not gonna do it.”

  Instead of answering, Jack pointed at the cookie with a silly grin. “Those are sure as fuck not gluten-free.”

  Monster stared at the cookie, turned it in his hand, and eventually put it back to the plate.

  Loki slouched against the wall, watching the Coffin Nails logo on Jack’s back move, the demonic hand trembling with each of Jack’s breaths.

  “Are we doing this, or not?” asked Lucy. “How can you be sure Paxton’s even at home?”

  “She is. They’re broadcasting the Golden Bloodlines marathon tonight. That’s her favorite show, and she took the evening off,” said Monster, settling for a few nuts from a bowl on the coffee table.

  Loki never understood how, but Monster was the guy who knew everything about everyone, from Loki’s obscure exes to local police detectives. It was freaky as hell and combined with the stories about Monster being into BDSM created an image Loki didn’t want to explore.

  “What’s the deal with Paxton? You wouldn’t tell me over the phone. What did Jack do?” Lucy asked. “And please, hide those pecs, they’re staring right at me,” she complained, gesturing toward Jack without looking at him,

  “Just stop looking south of his beard then,” said Loki.

  Monster shrugged. “Jack and Loki got filmed fucking, and she wants him to talk about the club or else.”

  Lucy shook her head. “That is so typical.”

  “How is that typical, huh? Never happened to me before!” Jack spread his arms. “Sam, I need a shirt.”

  “I doubt that’s gonna help. Just have him lend one to your little boyfriend, and wear yours. You’d look weird in a crop top,” said Lucy.

  “Hey!” Candy frowned at her from the kitchen door.

  Sam’s sigh sounded like Lucifer himself was starting a fire somewhere in his chest.

  Jack pointed at Lucy. “Bitch managed to insult me, Loki, and Sam in one sentence. Let’s just get ready and go, or I’m gonna slap her. That would end in even more bickering, so let’s get on with the plan.”

  Lucy smirked. “Why do I even bother?”

  Monster continued talking about the plan and ignored all the other digressions whatsoever. “When you get Paxton to eat the spiked pastry, Jack’s gonna pretend to eat her out on camera.”

  Lucy shook her head. “Wow, what a great plan, you’re gonna try and shame her sexuality. ‘Cause it’s so bad to have sex.”

  “It’s not about it being shameful to have sex! She’s the one blackmailing me for fuck’s sake, and I’m the one who’s supposed to have qualms?” Jack spread his arms. “It’s about her doing it with a Nail, don’t you get it? With me actually, ‘cause she won’t be credible if she’s seen sleeping with a guy like me. Her fight against us would look personal.”

  Loki cringed, but Jack continued digging a hole for himself.

  “And for the record, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with getting fucked. If a girl likes it, she should go for it. I’m not judging. People should do what makes them happy. Maybe it feels good, or fucking great. I mean… I wouldn’t know. But it could,” Jack finished flatly, and licked his lips as Sam and Monster looked at each other with slightly raised eyebrows.

  It was high time to wrap up the conversation, because it was going downhill fast.

  Lucy smirked, and drilled Jack with her gaze. “So you’re saying getting fucked feels good?” She wanted to say something else, but Monster got to his feet, and one long look from him somehow managed to close Lucy’s mouth.

  Monster cleared his throat. “Candy, how long until you have the pastry ready?”

  “Uh, ten minutes,” she muttered, retreating to the safety of her 1950s-inspired kitchen.

  Monster nodded. “Jack, I have a spare T-shirt in the van. You can have it. Lucy, botch your makeup a bit so that you look like a convincing crier, all right? We’re leaving in ten minutes.”

  Loki bit his lip. “Can I do something before we go?”

  Monster frowned at him but his eyes trailed to Jack.

  “I’m gonna be so glad when this day ends.” Jack grabbed Loki’s arm and pulled him away. “We gotta talk.”

  Loki followed him like a sheep, mentally prepared for a red hot argument. But even so, he couldn’t stop feeling elated that Jack didn’t want him to cover the tattoo. The two of them were in this together.

  Jack stopped just down the corridor, as soon as they could talk without anyone overhearing a whisper.

  “You’re not going. There’s more than enough people already.” Jack’s words knocked Loki right off cloud nine.

  “Of course I’m going!” hissed Loki, searching for Jack’s gaze. “I want to help you.”

  “We don’t need you there. You have a fucking hematoma on top of that. What if you pass out, like you did in the car?”

  Loki stared at him, taken aback. “Oh, so out of all those people, I’m the only one you don’t need? Your third wheel? Me?”

  Jack looked straight into his eyes and grabbed his hand. “Out of all those people, I’m most worried about you.”

  That softened the blow a bit, but it didn’t mean Loki would just give up on going. “I know, but I’m worried sick about you, too. I wanna be there, just in case.”

  “With the plan being what it is… you don’t wanna be there. It’s gonna get ugly.”

  “What can possibly happen? It’s all of us against one.” Loki bit his lip, but his mind was racing. He’d be worried sick waiting for Jack to come home, and unable to do anything in case things went wrong. “Come on, every champion needs someone to pass him the ball from the sidelines.”

  Jack groaned and pulled his hand away. “I don’t want you there when I fake-eat pussy.”

  Adrenaline shot straight into Loki’s brain. “I wanna be there. I can’t just sit here like Candy, all doe-eyed, and wait for my man to come back.”

  “You shoulda become an outlaw then.” Jack crossed his arms on his chest, and even now Loki’s eyes wandered to the dark nipples. Lucy had been right - they were distracting as hell.

  He exhaled, knowing he needed bigger guns. “If you won’t let me come, I’ll tell everyone who dented your side,” he said, nodding at the still-fresh scar on Jack’s body. He found it strange that it was him who put it there, like it had happened in some alternative reality.

  Jack’s eyes went w
ide. “You have a death wish or something?”

  Loki swallowed and stepped forward, lowering his voice. “I don’t want to be on the sidelines.”

  “Fine!” Jack hissed at him and stomped off.

  Loki watched him disappear in the doorway to the living room. He knew he was playing with fire, but he couldn’t let it go, be more worthless to this mission than Candy, who at least made the croissants.

  Chapter 32

  Jack refused to talk to Loki for the remaining minutes in the house, but Loki knew his man would eventually come around. The big, fragrant T-shirt was a bonus.

  It took them twenty minutes to drive all the way to Paxton’s house. Just like Jack’s it was located by the beach, on a picturesque hillside, with the nearest neighbor’s windows shining in the dark far enough for them to feel safe about their mission. With everyone but Lucy banned from the front seats, the drive passed on Sam’s banter with Jack.

  They all sat in the back of the van when Lucy went off to Paxton’s house with a bag of croissants and a sob story about one of the Nails hurting her. She wore a wire, so they could keep tabs on the developing situation, and so far so good. Lucy was in the house, and in the shaky picture from a tiny camera attached to her button, they could see Paxton chew on her lip in a sparsely decorated living room. There were stacks of boxes in the background, and it almost felt as if she hadn’t unpacked since her last move, which according to Monster was over a year ago.

  Paxton put a glass of water in front of Lucy and sat back in the armchair. “Do you need medical attention?”

  “No, I think I’ll be okay, I just want it to be over.” Lucy sobbed and Loki had to admit that her acting was top-notch. “I overheard Red Jack bitching about you liking croissants over donuts, so I brought you some. He’s such an ass.”

  Sam snorted in the darkness, the pale light of the monitor giving the side of his face a white sheen. On the screen, Paxton raised her eyebrows. “Crude and unappetizing. Like all of them are. I’m sure you know much more about it than I do, considering your profession. No offense.”