Bad Boy Prince: A Modern Fairy Tale (Twisted Royals Book 3)

by Sidney Bristol

  If he handed her a lollipop she’d cry.

  He grasped his cock. She almost pumped her fist for joy. The unmistakable sound of latex stretching over skin had goose bumps breaking out on her arms and legs.

  She grinned and lay back on the mattress, surrendering the last of her thoughts to this moment between them. He didn’t talk a big game, he acted. A girl could get used to that.

  Jaxon hooked his arm under her right knee, bringing it up almost to her chest. It left her open, vulnerable. He leaned over her, staring into her eyes as he fit his cock against her pussy. She slid her hands up to his shoulders.

  He bent his arms, his weight alone doing the work. He slid into her. She sucked down air and gripped his arms. He bent his head, kissing her cheek. At the same moment, he thrust, sinking farther into her body.

  Freya groaned, her vision going fuzzy around the edges.

  Holy shit. Maybe round two wasn’t such a great idea.

  Jaxon hooked his arms under her shoulders, imprisoning her body with his. His hips flexed, withdrawing and thrusting. She gasped and held tight to him.

  The mattress squeaked and the headboard thumped against the wall. Jaxon whispered words she couldn’t hear.

  She planted her other foot on the bed and lifted, moving with him. Each thrust pushed her hips back to the mattress. She felt the him soul-deep, like an invasion of her very person.

  Jaxon placed his hand at the base of her throat and pushed up, applying the barest amount of pressure. She covered his hand with hers and stared up at him. His eyes seemed to flash in the darkness, the need written in the deep lines of his face.

  He thrust so hard she scooted several inches across the mattress. She cried out, feeling the joining of their bodies down to her toes. He pulled her back to him, treating her like his personal play thing.

  Jaxon pressed her down into the mattress and thrust again and again, staring deep into her soul. Freya’s body went tight, the orgasm so sharp she screamed his name. Jaxon leaned down, sealing his lips over hers, muting her voice.

  He rocked into her, the long groan of his orgasm lost in the rush of blood past her ears.

  Holy shit.

  She clutched him close to her chest, burying her face against him, doing her best to blink back tears.

  She hadn’t had sex like that in...never.

  Jaxon wrapped his arms around her and rolled them further onto the bed, their limbs tangling.

  He cleared his throat as though to speak.

  “Sh.” She laid her finger across his lips. “This is perfect.”

  She couldn’t handle words right now, not after feeling that deep.

  Jaxon downed the cup of coffee, doing his best to chase the grit from his eyes.

  Six hours of sleep wasn’t cutting it. Probably because he’d woken up horny and alone at his apartment.

  “You hear me?” Zach peered sideways at him.

  “Yeah.” Jaxon cleared his throat. “You were saying, condos on the waterfront? Some number you traced from Donny’s phone?”

  “Like five minutes ago. You sure you’re okay?”

  “Long day, not enough sleep. Sorry.”

  “Hey.” Shelby slid onto the stool next to Jaxon, Kade not far behind her. “Start without us?”

  Their little quartet now took up a corner of the big, communal table. Jaxon checked his watch. Ian and Ryan were supposed to stop by, though for all he knew plans had changed.

  “I’ve narrowed down the list of condos that have waterfront views. The biggest problem I’m going to run into is, rented or owned? Even then, how will we be able to know if there’s an alias, or what?” Zach scrubbed a hand over his stubble.

  “One thing at a time,” Shelby said.

  “Hopefully we get some better information from the phone, right?” Jaxon asked.

  “Right.” Zach nodded.

  “Hey.” Owen approached from the side entrance. He rapped his knuckles on the table and slid onto a stool. His badge was notably gone, and his partner was nowhere to be seen. It had to be Owen’s day off.

  “Hey,” Jaxon said slowly.

  “I’m here to help, I promise.” Owen held up his hands.

  “What about Donny?” Jaxon drummed his fingers on the table top. If the wrong people saw or spoke with Donny, it would be Jaxon’s hide on the line.

  “He’s going to get out in an hour or so unless you can give me something to hold him with.” Owen spread his hands. “I couldn’t find so much as an unpaid parking ticket in his name to hold him with.”

  “No. Shit.” Jaxon grimaced.

  “I did come bearing gifts.” Owen slid a piece of paper out of his pocket. “I took the name Zach got me for that rapper Michelle was dating and got a current address and phone number.”

  “That’s great.” Shelby snatched the paper up.

  “It’s—what? Late afternoon in Miami?” Jaxon pulled out his phone.

  “I’ll call,” Shelby said. “Look, I know you’re all twisted up about this, but this guy isn’t going to tell you anything if he thinks you might be Michelle’s new hook-up.”

  “What about Rusty? The FBI saying anything?” Jaxon still had a little hope the FBI might help them.

  “Rusty and the FBI are two separate things right now.” Shelby grimaced. “The FBI still don’t have shit. Rusty...his access has been completely revoked, pending review.”

  “Damn.” That was not what Jaxon wanted to hear.

  “He’ll be fine,” Kade said.

  Shelby’s mouth twisted up. She didn’t seem quite so certain as she jabbed in the digits for Michelle’s last known boyfriend.

  Erik slid a plate of fries onto the table. Deep creases marred his brow.

  “Hey, where’s Liv at today?” Jaxon wanted to pick Liv’s brain a little. She’d tended bars and pubs all over Europe and had a wealth of knowledge that wasn’t exactly common place. Maybe she knew more than she’d volunteered before, or perhaps he just needed to ask the right question to jog her memory.

  “She needed a few days off.” Erik shrugged and glanced away.

  “Everything okay?” Kade asked.

  “I guess. She didn’t offer any reason why.” Erik dragged his hand across his jaw. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

  “It’s going through to voicemail.” Shelby sighed and turned away.

  Jaxon stared at the light gleaming off the table top. There were too many plates spinning, and too much at stake. They had to rescue Freya, but they couldn’t before they found Michelle, and to do either Jaxon had to pretend he was okay beating people to death and working at a brothel.

  Was Freya okay today? Had she gotten enough sleep? Would Yuri come to hassle her while he wasn’t there? And what about the man, Charles? They couldn’t run a background check on him without more information. So far all they knew was his first name. He might as well be a ghost.

  Jaxon’s phone lit up and he groaned.

  What did Thomas want now?

  Jaxon frowned and picked up the phone. He slid off the stool and walked a few feet away before answering.

  “Yeah?” He glanced over his shoulder at the others, their conversation trailing off in favor of watching him.

  “Hey. You got a minute?” Thomas’ voice was strained and the sound of the club thumped in the background.

  “Sure. What do you need?”

  “I need you to make a house call. I’ll text you Keith’s address. Swing by and see if he’s home. Second day he’s a no show.”

  “I’m on it.”

  Jaxon ended the call, took a few steps back to the table and swiped his keys off the edge.

  “Something up?” Owen asked.

  “Yeah, one of the guys at the club hasn’t shown up for work in two days. I’m going to go make a wellness visit.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Owen said.

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “You’ve already made me part of this. I can’t let you go by yourself. Zach has to keep working
on leads. Kade and Shelby are familiar to Yuri.” Owen stood. “Let’s take my car. Just in case.

  “You’re sure about this?” Jaxon couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. “This whole thing could blow up in our faces.”

  “I can’t let you go alone. None of us would. You’re lucky the others aren’t here, or it’d be all of us going.” Owen slid into his jacket. “Let Ian and Ryan know what we’re doing, and we’ll touch base later.”

  Jaxon followed Owen out of Trinity Hall and to the curb where Owen’s Charger was parked. Thomas had already sent the address over, so all Jaxon had to do was start the GPS once they were in the car.

  “I’m just going to say this, so we’re both on the same page, but there’s a chance Donny and this guy we’re going to check on were working together.” Owen cranked the wheel and merged into traffic.

  “Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of.” Jaxon sighed. “Still, if they are, it’s not like they will want to run back to Yuri and tell them I didn’t do my job. Donny would want to get out of his reach, first.”

  “How does this all end?” Owen asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, are you guys going to run in there like vigilantes again? Kade could have died.” Owen glanced at Jaxon, his blue eyes piercing deep.

  “I hope not, man, but I don’t know.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not going to keep quiet about this for long.”

  “I don’t expect you to. Honestly, if we find Michelle or not, I’m probably taking Freya out of there tonight or something. I can’t leave her in that place.” Jaxon feared for Freya every second they were apart. She’d become his obsession.

  What would have happened if he weren’t there last night? What would that creep have done to her then? What if Charles came before Jaxon started work?

  He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if she were hurt.

  “How have you been lately?” Owen asked.

  “Me?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Fine.”

  “Just making conversation.” Owen shrugged.

  Jaxon shifted in his seat. With his history, he’d expected Owen to keep an eye on him, give him the rough treatment, heap on the suspicion, and yet...Owen hadn’t. He’d even stood up for Jaxon more than a few times.

  “I don’t know if I ever said it, but thanks for what you said. Back then. On that morning show.” Jaxon stared at the dashboard.

  “I just said the truth. You can’t be guilty of something, just by knowing the people committing the crime.”

  “It was more than that...”

  “Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t. You were—what? Sixteen?”

  “Seventeen.”

  “You were a kid. Things couldn’t have been easy for you. You made a mistake. You realized it and you made it right. That’s what matters, Jax. You’re a good guy. No, I’m serious.” Owen shook his head. “Working homicide... I see a lot of bad people. Intentional and accidental. You aren’t that way. You shouldn’t have to keep paying for an accident. You still thinking about going back to fighting?”

  “Not so much anymore.” Jaxon glanced out of the window. No one knew the truth. Because he’d worried that telling the others, anyone, would just set him up for failure. But now Freya knew. So did Yuri. Shouldn’t his friends?

  “I’m going back to school.” Jaxon turned his head, watching Owen’s face.

  His jaw went slack, brows rose and he glanced at Jaxon.

  “Really?” Owen asked.

  “Yeah.” Jaxon grimaced. Awesome. Owen didn’t think he could do it.

  “That’s great. When?”

  “I’m about to pass the summer semester.”

  “When have you been going to class?”

  “They’re early in the morning and online.”

  “Does Andre know?”

  “Not yet. I...didn’t want to say anything yet.” Maybe Jaxon should have told his cousin first, but Owen was here. And Jaxon needed a test run before he told his cousin about what he wanted to do.

  “I won’t say a word. That’s really cool. What are you studying, may I ask?”

  Jaxon and Owen talked school, his schedule, the hoops Jaxon jumped through to keep himself on track. It was actually nice talking to someone about it. Maybe his plan wasn’t as crazy as it sounded in his head.

  By the time they pulled up to Keith’s address, Jaxon had taken a couple of notes based on Owen’s suggestion for scholarships. He’d known they were out there, but hadn’t looked into them yet.

  “I thought this was supposed to be an apartment.” Owen stood on the sidewalk and they both stared at a brownstone.

  “He couldn’t afford this place on what we make.”

  “Maybe there’s an apartment in the basement or upstairs?” Owen glanced at Jaxon’s phone again. “Yeah, see? B. I’m guessing that’s a basement apartment. Let’s check around back for an entrance.”

  They circled the condos to the back alley. The mini-yards were sectioned off with tall privacy fences. Each condo had a two-car garage. And a few had sectioned off basement entrances.

  Jaxon didn’t dare get his hopes up until they reached the condo Keith lived in. Sure enough, flowers lined a little path to a basement entrance.

  “Here, this is it. No cars.” Owen glanced up and down the street.

  Jaxon approached the basement door and knelt, peering in through the glass panes.

  “Inside’s dark.” Jaxon descended the stairs and cupped his hands around his face. “No lights on inside. I don’t see anyone.”

  “Guess your guy’s not at home,” Owen said.

  Jaxon turned the doorknob and frowned when it twisted easily. He pushed the door in, listening for voices, movement, anything.

  “Shit,” Owen muttered behind him.

  “Stay here.”

  “Jax—”

  “You’re a cop. You have rules. I’m just here to check on a friend.”

  If one of them was going to get in trouble, it shouldn’t be Owen.

  Jaxon stepped over the threshold and paused. Still nothing. If Keith was inside, he’d likely already heard them talking. Either Keith was bolting, hiding, or he’d jump Jax when he got too close.

  The room wasn’t right.

  There wasn’t much in the way of personal effects in the space. The living room had a recliner, some cinderblocks set up as an entertainment center. The game systems were gone, as evidenced by the cords sticking out here and there, but the large TV was there.

  Keith had priorities.

  Either he was hiding out somewhere, or he’d sold them to fund his run.

  Jaxon glanced into the kitchen, but it was smaller than his. Nowhere to hide, nothing to see.

  He prowled down the hall, pausing to check the closet, bathroom and single bedroom.

  They were, for the most part, like the living room.

  Nothing personal, besides some bed sheets and a couple towels. No clothes, mementos, crap he’d bring home from wherever he was. Not so much as a receipt or spare change lying around.

  Keith was gone, but why? Was he connected to Donny? Or just trying to get out of Dodge while he still could?

  “Jax?” Owen called out.

  “He’s gone. Place is empty. Might have some luck tracking the game consoles.” Jaxon had heard of several people getting busted that way. He returned to the door, pausing to survey the living room.

  He hoped Keith was merely looking out for his own skin. If not, this could come back to bite Jaxon on the ass.

  10.

  Time seemed stuck in the mud.

  Freya had actually napped after Jaxon left. The woman who usually brought her breakfast never showed, so she’d woken up starving with no way of getting more than the peanuts Yuri kept in the bar. Freya showered, dressed and even went to the hassle of drying her hair, still with no sign of anyone else.

  Was something going on? Should she text Jaxon?

  They’d talked about keeping the p
hone use to emergency use only. Her being hungry didn’t exactly qualify. The real reason it bothered her was that for weeks Yuri had kept a strict schedule. Her only way to mark the passing of time was by the regular meals and visits. Suddenly, over the last few days, nothing was routine anymore.

  Was this because of her? Was something else going on? There was a shift in power, that much was obvious from the display Yuri had made of Jaxon and the other man.

  Freya kept pacing from one room to the next, back and forth, around and around, praying that it was all in her head.

  She returned to the bedroom, glancing at the bed.

  Her skin heated at the memory of Jaxon, his body against hers, the way he’d touched her.

  Things were different with him. She could feel it in her bones and the change in how she thought of him. That alone would make her restless under normal circumstances. The truth was, she was broken. She couldn’t love. She’d tried, but it never worked out for her. Jaxon...he’d want more from her. Something she couldn’t give him because it didn’t exist.

  She bit her lip.

  Nothing was right anymore. Least of all her.

  The door beeped in the next room.

  Freya quickstepped to the doorway, her nose alerting her to the promise of food.

  An older blonde woman stepped through the doorway, holding a tray with one hand and clean sheets tucked under her other arm.

  “Good afternoon, my dear,” she said with a cheerful smile.

  Freya stared.

  The woman was speaking to her.

  Was that allowed?

  “Hi...” Freya frowned.

  The door whisked shut.

  The blonde glanced at the door, then Freya.

  “Why don’t you chat with me while I take care of your linens?” The woman breezed past Freya into the bedroom.

  “Do...?” Freya turned and followed the woman since she was given no other option.

  “I’m Aunt Liv, dear. I do believe we have a mutual friend.” She smiled, her whole demeanor conspiratorial.

  The hair on the back of Freya’s neck rose.

  Was this a trap?

  Could Yuri be onto her and Jaxon?