by Sam Crescent
“Okay, hit me with it.”
“Have you ever shot a person?”
He glanced over at her and saw her cheeks were bright red. “You have?”
“It was an accident. I shot Riley in the leg while he was training me. It was a complete mistake, and I took him to the hospital. He wouldn’t talk to me for so long. For a time I thought he’d never talk to me. He did though.”
Even though Lou had a fuck off attitude, he saw that she was a good woman, a kind one. Tamsin had been calling him asking if she was going to be stopping by the house any time soon. His sister was a good judge of character, and she liked Lou.
“I can see Riley not talking to you, maybe even having a pet lip.”
“He did. It stuck out like right out here.” She smiled. “It took me three months of ice-cream making, cooking his favorite foods, and sitting with him watching old movies before he’d forgive me. There was also some begging, and groveling. A lot of groveling.”
Jacob liked this. He liked talking with her, and he loved the sound of her voice.
I’m fucking pussy-whipped and I’ve not even gotten the chance to screw her yet.
Once again he was left gripping the steering wheel while his dick throbbed against the front of his pants. Just another night of struggling through with a hard-on for him.
****
The rooms were dark when they entered the brothel, and it did look like something on one of those seedy films that she’d seen. Lou stayed beside Jacob as he walked down the long hallway. There hadn’t been anyone to greet them on the door, and that had pissed him off.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Someone should be on the door. How the fuck are they supposed to monitor the men who come in if they’re not fucking there?” He snapped each word out, and his body was tense.
Keeping silent, she followed him down the long corridor until they came to a door. Moans, groans, and the occasional cry filled the air.
Heat filled her cheeks as she imagined what was going on behind closed doors.
“Don’t say anything. Do as I ask, and don’t argue.”
“Got it.”
Jacob opened the door, and she noticed he held onto the gun at the base of his back but didn’t make a move to pull it free.
Glancing into the room, Lou’s stomach rolled. There were drugs, sex, and alcohol all around. The room was covered in filth, used condoms, and she was sure some men hadn’t even tried to clean away their cum stains. It was gross, and nothing like what Jacob had described in the car. This was exactly what she had imagined, and it didn’t disappoint even if it did turn her stomach.
“What the fuck am I seeing?” Jacob asked.
The room froze, and Lou watched as a man pushed a woman off his cock, and got to his feet. “Mr. Denton, I didn’t know you were coming.”
“No, yet as far as I’m concerned it shouldn’t matter when I turn up or not. We have a standard. Where is the guard on the door? Why the fuck are there drugs? And why, David, have I heard that you’ve stolen women off the fucking streets?” Jacob stormed up to the man, grabbing him by the lapels of his stained jacket.
Lou grabbed the gun behind her back and waited until she would need to use it. She changed her attention from looking at Jacob to around the room. He had a gun pressed to David’s throat.
“I want fucking answers now.”
Several men had their hands held up.
“Lou,” Jacob said.
“Yeah?”
“Call Maddox, tell him we’ve got a serious problem with David and the red zone, and I need some backup.”
She caught the phone that he threw her way, and found Maddox’s number. She relayed the message and waited.
“He says to hold down the fort. He’ll have backup to you in ten.”
“Take care of him, Lou. Is it bad?”
“Yeah. This is just, wow, it’s awful, Mr. Denton.”
“Maddox. You’re working with Jacob. You get to call me by name.” He hung up, and she stared down at the blank screen.
Charming man.
“I want you all to separate. Women, over there, men, over there,” Jacob said. “You, stay the fuck there.” He pushed David into a seat and stepped back. “Where is everyone?”
“The bitches are working,” David said. “We’re doing good for business.”
“You call this good? I call this a fucking shithole. This is not what we handed to you, David. We gave you the rules, and now we’ve got rumors of people stealing women. Not good.” Jacob kicked over a table that had lines of coke and straws. “This is not what we’re about.” He walked over to a woman that looked completely fucked. Her eyes were glazed over, and drool was coming out of her mouth. Jacob grabbed her face. “What’s your name?”
Slurring ensued, and Jacob let her go. She dropped to the floor and passed out.
“This is fucking disgusting. The women undergo health checks. They’re not allowed to take drugs, and so far, it looks like you’re breaking those rules. We offer them a life, a chance to make their way in the world.”
“They’re fucking whores!” David spat the words out.
Jacob grabbed a wooden chair and threw it at David, who then collapsed on the floor, screaming in pain. “They’re not fucking whores. You treat them with respect. They’re damn good workers, and we promised them respect. You’re fucking with our name with this shit.”
With each second that passed, Jacob clearly got angrier.
Lou stayed silent, watching the man at work. He looked terrifying.
“Who are you?” he asked, grabbing a man’s cheeks.
The guy mumbled something, and Jacob sighed. He looked totally disgusted.
“What did I miss?” Abel asked, coming up behind her. “What the fuck!”
Okay, she had no reason to doubt Jacob with the way Abel was reacting. Clearly, this was not how the brothel was supposed to be.
Lou left them alone, and curiosity got the better of her. Growing up, she’d always been told that her curious mind would get her in trouble. But no matter what, it never stopped her. She found a door going through to a kitchen. There were no one around, but then she heard a faint cry. Frowning, she moved a little closer into the kitchen, and the cry became a sob, and louder.
She found another door partially opened. “What the hell is with this place and doors?” Slowly, she opened the door a little wider.
“Please, stop, I just want my mommy. Please, ouch, it hurts.”
The cry tore at Lou’s heart, and without thinking, she stormed down the basement stairs. There was a young girl, dressed in a school uniform, who was screaming and crying to be released. A man, twice the girl’s size was trying to force his dick inside her, but the girl was wriggling. The man had a belt in his hand and was whipping her.
“I told you, cunt, you’re going to give me what I fucking want.” He brought the belt down on her, and the young girl kept on screaming for her mother.
Every protective instinct within Lou came alive, and she charged at the man, grabbing the leather of the belt in her hand, and tightening her fist even as it hurt more than she could have ever imagined. She didn’t have a clear shot of the man as both were moving, and Lou’s hand was shaking.
“Stay away from her.” She fought the pain in her hand.
The man turned, slamming his fist against her face, and Lou collided with the wall, screaming out in pain.
“Look, an older bitch. I’ll deal with you later.”
The gun dug into her back, and she watched the man slap the girl. Reaching for the gun, she quickly pulled the safety off, and aimed at the man’s leg. It was the only way she knew she wouldn’t hurt the girl as well. She fired the bullet. He immediately went down, and the girl screamed.
Getting to her feet, she urged for the girl to come to her, which she did.
Lou heard the men running toward her, and she held the gun shakily in her hand, pointing it at the man. The girl had her arms wrapped around her
, and was so scared her body shook with fear.
“What the fuck?” Jacob asked.
“He was attacking this little girl. She just wanted to go home to her mom.” Loud held the girl tightly.
“Fuck! I’m going to kill those fucking bastards.”
“No one is going to hurt you,” Lou said, trying her hardest to comfort the young girl.
Jacob came forward, asking her name.
“Sh, it’s okay. He’s one of the good guys. He’s my friend.”
“He was hurting me. I was just walking home, and they snatched me. Told me I was a whore and all whores had a place in the world.”
“I’ve already put a call into Luke,” Abel said.
“Who is Luke?”
“He’s a cop we know on the force. He’ll get her home, make sure she’s safe. I’ve also talked to Dad. He’s going with Luke and Mom to make sure she’s taken care of. They’re pissed, Jacob. I don’t think this is going to be opening for some time,” Abel said.
“They broke every single rule.” They made their way out of the basement, and Lou did her hardest not to show that she was in any kind of pain. Waiting in the main hallway she was surprised that they didn’t have to wait long. Maddox, Charlotte, and an officer in uniform came through the door.
Lou handed the girl over and stepped away. Her face hurt, as did her side. She hurt all over.
“What the fuck did that bastard do to you?” Jacob asked, taking hold of her chin, and turning her head this way and that.
“It’s nothing.”
“Fuck if that isn’t nothing.”
She took his hand. “He hit me, that’s all. Do we have to stay or can we move on?”
Jacob looked over her shoulder toward his father.
“Go. We’ve got this. This needs us to clean it up. I’ve already contacted my brothers. They’ll be here to help me.”
Jacob took her hand, leading her away from the brothel.
“I take it tonight is a really bad night?”
“It’s the worst fucking night. Everything I told you we weren’t was completely fucking twisted inside that bastard place.”
“You sound pissed.”
“I am.” Jacob started up the car, and Lou turned toward him, watching.
“Where are we going now?” she asked.
“I’m heading over to Frank’s.”
Lou reached for the visor and flipped it down, seeing the bruise already forming on her cheek.
“That bastard will pay for what he did to you.”
“It’s no big deal. I shot him.”
“I’ll handle him.”
“When?”
“My father knows to keep him safe for when I’ve finished tonight.”
“We’re not going to dinner?”
“We are, but you see, a Denton never finishes work.”
Ten minutes later they walked into Frank’s strip club, and she was pushed at the bar. Seconds later, Riley was there, and he was cupping her face.
“What the fuck happened?”
There was a lot of what the fucks going on. “We found a bad guy who had no problem hitting girls or women.” She cupped her cheek and winced.
“Will you keep an eye on her while I talk with Frank?” Jacob asked.
“Sure. She’s my sister. Of course I’d take care of her.”
Ben handed her a shot of whiskey, and she took it graciously, throwing it to the back of her throat, and swallowing it down. She needed the burn.
“Are you going to tell me what happened?”
Lou gave him a rundown of what went down.
“I’m going to kill the prick who touched you.”
“Calm down, Riley. I shot him in the leg. This is—it’s dangerous work what you’re going to do with Jacob. Please, promise me you won’t do anything stupid,” she said.
“Lou, this is me.”
“Exactly, it’s why I’m asking.”
“I’m not going to do anything stupid. I promise.” He wrapped his arms around her, and she winced. Her side was hurting.
Jacob chose that moment to come out. “I need to borrow your office, Frank,” he said. Without asking for her consent, he grabbed her hand, and pulled her into the small space of Frank’s office.
“Have you done your business?” she asked.
“Remove your shirt.”
“What?”
“You hurt when Riley hugged your side. Remove it. I want to see.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It was enough to make you wince.”
Annoyed, she pulled the shirt over her head. She wore a white vest, with a crop top underneath.
Jacob took over, gripping the edge of her shirt, and lifting it over her head. She froze. The bra she wore wasn’t padded. The room grew just that little bit smaller. Jacob pulled the crop top over her head, and she heard it fall to the floor. Staring into his dark brown eyes, Lou couldn’t look away. He held her captive.
She tensed up as his fingers touched her side, sliding up.
“Does it hurt?” he asked.
Forcing herself to look away, she stared down at his large, masculine fingers stroking up her side.
“No, it doesn’t. The guy, he pushed me, and I hit the wall. Just a few bruises maybe.” She looked at him and took a step back. Jacob moved closer to her, and the air seemed to thicken between them. He was taller than she was, making it so she had to tilt her head back to see him.
She took a deep breath as his thumb grazed the underside of her breast. Her nipple puckered, and she tensed up. For some strange reason, she wasn’t afraid of him.
He moved his thumb up, and traced back and forth over her nipple. Lou didn’t try to stop him.
“I’m not easy,” she said.
“I know.” Jacob moved his finger over the lace of her bra, and tugged it down so that her breast spilled out. He leaned in close, pressing his lips to hers. His gaze stayed on hers, and then he took her nipple between his lips, sucking it into his mouth.
Heat flooded her pussy, and she cried out as his teeth bit into the bud. He soothed it out with his tongue. She pressed her legs together to try to ease the need that had started.
Someone knocked on the door, bringing their time to an end.
“I think it’s time we go to dinner.”
****
Later that night, Jacob entered the basement of the red zone district. His father and mother were still there, as were his uncles. While he’d been with Frank, he’d put the call through to make sure the fucker who was shot in the leg was still alive and breathing when he got back.
The rest of the night had gone by without a hitch. He’d taken Lou with him on several runs, scooping up cash, and keeping an eye on basic business. All the while, her bruise had gotten deeper, covering her cheek.
Riley was pissed at him.
He didn’t need her twin to be pissed at him. Jacob was already pissed at himself. No one hurt his woman.
“Where is he?” he asked.
Maddox moved aside from the basement, and he walked down. Abel sat in a seat in the corner. The two men, David the manager they had put in charge, and the one who hurt Lou, were sitting in the middle chained to each other.
“I’m sorry, man, I thought I was doing a good thing.”
“A good thing? I checked the books, David. You’ve been scamming off these women for months,” Abel said.
“You touched my woman,” Jacob said, pointing at the man he didn’t know.
“Look, every bitch in here wants to be touched.”
Slamming his fist against the man’s face, Jacob thought about Lou, her smile, her face, now with a bruise. He’d been so busy dealing with David that he’d not been there to protect her while she’d been protecting an underage girl. Over and over he slammed his fist, alternating between his hands, landing against the man’s face. Jacob didn’t stop. He kept on hitting him.
Only when he’d had enough of hitting did he go for the bat that Abel was holding. This was anoth
er element that made the Dentons different. They were all more than happy to take care of business.
He didn’t stop, tuning out the man’s scream as he thought about Lou. No man was ever going to lay a hand on her, he’d make damn sure of that.
Chapter Seven
“Lou’s gone back to work,” Riley said, climbing into the car Friday evening. He carried two cups of coffee and placed them both in the cup holders. They had already had one night together, and Jacob was impressed by him. His father had done well picking Riley out of a lot of applications.
“What?”
“Lou’s back at work. She wouldn’t listen to me even though half of her face is black and fucking blue. Fucking woman, I tell you she just can’t stop. She’s always had to be doing something, as otherwise she goes crazy.”
Riley was dressed in an expensive suit, but Jacob didn’t accept anything less. “I told her that I spoke to Frank.”
“Exactly¸ and she spoke to him that she wanted her shift back. Staying in her apartment baking oatmeal cookies isn’t going to keep her going for long.”
“Lou bakes?”
“Yep, she has for a long time. It was something she learned when we were young. Mom and Dad employed a cook, and Lou would spend all hours in the kitchen with her. They got close, and then because our parents are fucking evil, they fired her ass, leaving Lou heartbroken about it for weeks afterward.”
“Speaking of your parents, we’ve got to pay them a visit.”
“What about?”
Jacob paused. He didn’t know if it would be a good idea to tell Riley his father’s suspicions. Landon had been approached in high school about doing more fights, and they believed it was the Moores who’d done it.
“Come on, just spill. I know you’re going to be wanting to have more than a date with my sister. Whatever else you’ve got about our family, just hit me with it. I know that our family isn’t the most liked.”
“Most liked?”
“Yeah, we’ve got older brothers that are petty criminals that just piss everyone else off. My parents are hungry for power and money. They find out that you’ve got a thing for Lou, and they would be all over it. They’re gaining enemies every single day.”
“How are you and Lou not affected by your parents?”
