Unmask (Adrenaline Series (Stand Alone) Book 4)

by Neal, Xavier

  He hums.

  “Why were you watching the feed anyway?”

  “I told you. The way you look at him-”

  “Hasn't stopped me from fulfilling my obligation.”

  “Yet.”

  “Which is what matters. I would appreciate a little respect. We may not trust anyone in this business, but I've at least earned that much respect from you of all people.”

  A brief hurt look crosses his face before he nods. Afterward he adjusts his jacket. “You need to pack an overnight bag. We're leaving.”

  Doing my best to hide my annoyance I question, “When?”

  “After their call.”

  “Where?”

  “Wherever The Devil wants us.”

  I roll my eyes. “What am I supposed to bring?”

  “He wants a Truth Serum and a Mind Eraser. Two of each.”

  “Painful?”

  “Extremely,” he replies. “We are leaving immediately after the call. Do not linger.”

  “Who's going to keep an eye on Drew?”

  “Drew?” Omar raises his eyebrows. “You mean McCoy.”

  I like his first name better, don't you?

  “Yes.”

  His eyes glare, but he doesn't poke the subject. “He can fend for himself for two days. Melody-”

  “He's not Jimmy,” I whisper before he can start with the speech.

  “He's not.” Omar nods. Slowly he leans forward and growls, “He's worse. Do. Not. Forget. That.”

  He doesn't say anything else as he stomps out the way he came.

  There's no way he can be worse than Jimmy unless he sets baby orphans on fire, which would be the only way I think of that he could be worse. Is Drew messing with me? Is he using me as a pawn in a chess match with The Devil? I know. I know. I should be able to tell the difference and I thought I could until he kissed me. When he did that something inside of me snapped. Something I wasn't expecting. This is bad, isn't it? So very bad...

  With my steel case now packed as requested, I head back into the main house where Drew is at the kitchen table, shirtless, clay clinging to him in such a fashion I'm hoping when he needs help scrubbing it off he asks me.

  Oh God...what is wrong with me?

  “You know when you blush you look even more beautiful,” he mutters, eyes still on the terrible replica he's created. “Just saying...”

  The redness to my cheeks deepens. I do my best to shoo it away. I grip the case tighter. “How's it coming along?”

  “Well...this version looks less like a dick, so that's something,” he claims with a crooked smile. Looking over at me he tilts his head at me. “How was Eden?”

  I wiggle my bandaged finger at him. “Dangerous as always.”

  A look of concern crawls on his face as he rushes across the room at me. “Shit, you okay?”

  “Just a prick.”

  “No need to name call me for caring,” he playfully says. When I roll my eyes with a smile at his humor he lifts my hand. “You sure you're okay?”

  My body shutters at the touch rendering me silent. I nod.

  “Okay,” he whispers softly, giving it a gentle stroke. His lips are slowly met by his tongue as he leans closer to me. Anticipating exactly what I want, exactly what I shouldn't want, I carelessly close my eyes and lean forward too. At that moment there's a ringing that seems to echo throughout the house.

  “Right!” I snap and jump back. “Follow me.”

  “What is that?”

  Informing him on our way to his bedroom, I state, “The video conference ring tone.”

  “Video conference?”

  In a hushed tone, I explain, “You were only supposed to get one more call with Daniel before the event. I scored you another. Make it count, but remember it's being monitored.”

  Drew's jaw slips open. “You...you did that for me?”

  Slowly I nod. “But if The Devil gets wind that this call wasn't necessary, the consequences will be astronomical. Be. Careful.”

  See? Stupid mistakes continue. The Devil didn't believe me when I told him that Drew needed the call. He's suspicious. Not as bad as Omar, but enough that I need to make sure nothing else happens between Drew and I. Call this my attempt at penance.

  “Why?” Drew whispers. “Why did you risk this for me?”

  “I know what it's like to miss your family and not be able to get to them. No one deserves that. Especially not you.”

  “I-”

  “Melody says you need to speak to the other one,” The Devil snaps on the screen a cigar dangling from his lips. “Why?”

  “Sculpting your piece of shit art work is a bit harder than it looks,” Drew growls back.

  “So?” He tosses a hand in the air. “How would talking to your look a-like help?”

  “He's more informative than he looks.” When The Devil doesn't blink, Drew adds, “Or you can give me access to the outside world? The internet maybe?”

  “So you can leave a trail for your computer genius brother to find you. I don't think so.”

  The Devil pushes a button and Daniel's face appears on the screen. His face looks like it's healing faster since I recommended Nina treat with a special mixture I came up with myself, back in the early days to help Omar.

  “Middle Man,” Drew sighs, relief clear as day on his stressed face.

  That. That right there. That glimmer of hope is what The Devil feeds on. And that small glimmer of hope is what Drew needed to stay alive in this hell. That's what he needs so he doesn't become the heartless harlot I am. His hope...his hope might just get him out alive. Well that and if I stop doing my job.

  Daniel, drops the wrench and smiles in the camera. “Triple D!”

  “You look...you look like you have all your limbs.” Drew smirks. “Impressive.”

  “Right? For three days in this bitch. Yeah.”

  The Devil grunts. “Enough of the sentiments. Get. To. The. Point.”

  Drew asks, “Hey, you remember our Jimmy Neutron routine for art?”

  Daniel looks confused for a brief moment, but then nods. “Yeah. Good old Jimmy Neutron.”

  “Was the trick to use a toaster oven or a hair dryer?”

  “Hair dryer,” he answers. “You want the flexibility. Just like a custom paint job. Always need not only the ability for an even color but an even dry.”

  Drew nods and The Devil snaps, “Is that it? Are you two finished?”

  “Yeah,” the two of them agree in unison.

  “Good,” he snaps. “Melody, I expect you out the door. McCoys, I expect my projects to be finished on time.”

  The screen goes black and Drew turns to me, knowing better than to smile or any other indicator that this was a bonus rather than a necessity.

  Unhappy, Drew folds his arms across his chest. “You're leaving?”

  “I have to.”

  “Be back for dinner?”

  With a brief shake of my head, I turn to exit the room not giving him an exact time, since I'm not even sure myself.

  “But you will be back, right?” The desperation in his voice, stops me in my tracks.

  Looking at his brown eyes that are losing the small light of hope that was just returned to them, I give the smallest nod possible. My body turns around and heads for my room to grab my always packed overnight bag.

  At least when the time comes and Drew sees me for what I am, he'll know that I did at least one kind hearted thing for him, even if it wasn't much.

  Drew

  Two days in this place alone haven't been fun. You don't realize just how much you hate solitude until it's not a choice. I haven't been completely alone. Two of the morons who helped kidnap me are always on guard, but Melody hasn't been back. There hasn't been fresh breakfast made or any meals for that matter. The frozen meal bullshit reminds me of being at home when Knox isn't around. It makes me miss them even more than I already do. I can't wait to get the fuck out of here. Do you think Knox will mind sharing the kitchen with Mel? I don't. But isn't
there a saying about too many cooks in the kitchen or some shit?

  Groaning, I rub my calf where the bullet grazed me. The simple action shoots more pain through my body.

  Why is my body so fucking stiff? And these aches don't seem to be fading. They only seem to be getting worse. It makes it difficult to work on shit when you feel like an 80 year old man. Melody's pain killers dulled whatever is wrong, but I haven't been given anything in her absence. I hope she returns home soon if not just to put the heartbeat back in this cell block, but to help make the other bodily pain go away as well. Two kinds of aggravation without her around. Fuck, that's new too. Is this how normal people feel when they're...whatever it is I am, with her?

  Through a grumble, I slide out of bed and head for the bathroom, each step more and more painful. As soon as I reach the bathroom, I grip the side of the counter top. Struggling to stay up right, I focus on the counter, eyes tempted to close. On a deep breath, I reach for my tooth brush, the aches pure agony.

  “You look miserable,” Melody's voice sweetly says.

  Instantly I turn my face to see her leaning in the doorway with a glass of water and two tablets.

  Knowing we're being recorded, I mouth, “That's what happens when I miss you.”

  She smiles brightly. “Take these. You'll feel better.”

  I motion my finger for her to come further into the bathroom. Instantly debate drags itself on her face. My mouth pleads without vocalizing the actual words, “Please.”

  Melody takes a few steps towards me, using the heel of her foot to nudge the door slightly closed. “Take these. Now.”

  “If I do, can I kiss you?” I mouth.

  She stifles her smirk, but nods.

  Without further hesitation, I take the pain killers, and two large gulps of water. As soon as I'm done, I wrap my hands around her hips and roughly press our lips together. A squeak comes out of her that I realize might raise suspicions.

  I need her to make more sounds. I'm desperate to hear her moan. To hear her cry out for me.

  Guiding her body to the bathroom closet door with one hand, I use the other one to start the shower in hopes it'll drown out most of the sounds. Fully embracing her with both my hands, I nip at her bottom lip for approval of my actions. When her tongue slips out to lightly tease mine, I groan and grind my hips against hers. Our tongues tangle as my hands slip under the waist band of her white scrubs. The second my fingers graze the outside of her underwear, a moan seeps out of her lips, pulling them away from me.

  Greedy for more of those sounds, I latch my mouth onto her neck, sucking and nibbling while my fingers slide through the front of her panties to graze her clit. Melody's nails clamp down on my side.

  A passionate growl comes from me. As quiet as I can, I command, “Open for me.”

  She spreads her legs, planting one on the side of the tub. Wasting no time, I glide two fingers inside of her, eliciting a sharp breath followed by a low cry of satisfaction. Before I can even relish the amazing sound, my name is sighed softly like a prayer. “Drew...”

  Certain, I've never heard anything so beautiful in my entire life, I relocate my mouth to hers, devouring every taste I can find. With my fingers and tongue working as a team, I steadily steer her towards the pinnacle of ultimate pleasure.

  Lost in the languorous laps our tongues seem to be engaged in, it doesn't register that she's managed to drop my sweat pants, until her warm hand is palming my cock. At that exact moment it's my lips that falter. “Fuck...”

  My eyes struggle to open, to see hers fighting to do the same. We're both desperate to see the other one swimming laps in the pool of arousal that's trying to drown us. Melody's hand begins stroking in such a way it gives me the illusion she's afraid of hurting me.

  Her delicate little hands couldn't hurt me if they fucking tried.

  Seeing the need for encouragement she's seeking, I nod and brush our mouths lightly together, whispering against her mouth, “Keep going, baby.”

  Melody's tongue touches my top lip. Her hand increases in speed. Suddenly I'm so engrossed with the feeling of her hand working my shaft and toying with the piercing on my tip that my fingers start to slip from their original mission.

  “So close,” she announces, dragging my mind back to the mutual goal we're sharing.I smirk and glue our kisses back together. Our hands and bodies rock against one another in a rhythm I've never experienced before. Somehow every time she takes a pleasurable pump from me, she returns it tenfold. The gift of gratification then causes me to strive to give something even better, which just repeats the erotic cycle, the pending orgasm just breaths away.

  Her body begins tensing and I know what's ahead. I know what's moments from presenting itself. Thankful since I'm only a pump away myself, I push her over the edge until her pussy is pulsating around my fingers while breath after breath is robbed from her to further flame the orgasm she's riding. If I wasn't about to come already, that sight would've done it. Letting go with her, I shower her fingers with warm streams, my face buried in her neck in an attempt to bury the bellowing roars.

  Satiated, we're suddenly statues, stuck together in not only one solid stance, but one solid moment.

  I've never experienced anything like that in my entire fucking life. There's getting off...and then there's whatever that was...I want more of that in my life. That's the kind of shit I want in it forever.

  After a cold shower, alone, I wander into the kitchen where Melody is placing bagels and fresh fruit on the table. Warmly I greet her, the one sight I could easily spend the rest of my life getting used to, “Morning.”

  She greets back, “Morning. Feeling better?”

  “I've never felt this fucking amazing in my life.”

  The compliment flushes her face and turns her away from me. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

  “They say that to me.”

  My correction causes her to look at me again. “I can see why.”

  Pleased by the compliment, I drop down into the chair. “They won't get that chance again, though.”

  A subfuscous look appears on her face. “Why do you say that? I thought you planned to make it out of this alive?”

  “I do.” Resting my arms on the table, I watch her sit down beside me. “I meant, as far as I'm concerned, you're the only one from this point on I wanna make feel that way.”

  Melody giggles and hands me a napkin. “That's crazy.”

  I drop it in my lap and grab my bagel. “Why's that crazy?”

  “Aside from the fact you just met me?”

  Candidly I point out, “I met you five days ago.”

  “Still...that's...crazy fast to wanna...whatever it is you wanna with me. I mean, that is crazy right?”

  Hey, my side. Don't go agreeing with her.

  My tongue licks away the cream cheese from the corner of my lips. “Maybe for some.”

  “For most.”

  “Maybe.” I shrug. “In all the years I've been around chicks, I've never once felt about them the way I do you. That means something to me. Just because it didn't follow some bullshit timeline or some bullshit predictable scenario, doesn't make it any less real. My old man used to say 'When you know, you know.' I used to think he was full of shit.” A dreamy look appears in her blue eyes. “But he wasn't wrong. And he wasn't just talking about chicks. He meant for life. When you know, you know. The right job. The right car. The right life. It's a feeling once you get, you don't let go.”

  To my surprise, she slides her hand over under the table. “And you know?”

  “I knew the minute you touched my face and promised the pain would fade. I just didn't know you meant more than what was in my leg.”

  My words seem to still her body. “What do you mean by that?”

  “Merrick died at the hand of The Devil, just months ago-”

  “I know,” she cuts me off. “I um...I was the one who tended to his girlfriend while she was being held hostage.”

  “Jo?” An u
nusual feeling cuts me as I remember the longing they had for each other. The excruciating suffering they felt when they were ripped apart. “You took care of Jo?”

  Merrick loved Jovi enough to give up his own life for hers. I feel like that's what a McCoy does. Dies to let something they love live. Mom died giving birth to Merrick. Merrick died trying to save the love of his life. Before you ask me is it worth dying for, I'm going to assume, you've never met something worth that kind of love.