by KC Kean
“Sakura, get Rafe on the phone,” I say, still not looking up from what I’m doing. Out of the corner of my eye I see Parker place a bottle of water besides the laptop. Always thoughtful.
Roman rolls in my suitcase, as Luna nods with Rafe on the phone. I take both of them and continue to work away. I’m really glad I made the decision to set one of these suitcases up in each of our rooms, full of all the essential tech pieces I may need. Rafe stays on the phone and is surprisingly helpful and impressed with the systems I’m using. I need to remind myself to set up these cases for Luna and Jess too.
One last click and I’m all set. Turning to the others they’re all sitting staring at me, except Luna and Roman who are both pacing the floor.
“Okay, I can’t get an actual visual, but someone is definitely in there. Accessing Luna’s surveillance system, I can see a heat signature coming from the kitchen. Scanning for tech is a little harder seeing as I’m not in there, so I’m going to give you a few gadgets to help us out.” I look to Luna for her agreement, and the nod she gives will suffice.
“I’m nervous now,” Jess murmurs. She’s been quiet throughout, but it’s not the time to speak up when shit’s about to get real. I don’t say it out loud because I know it would piss Luna off. Surprisingly Oscar comforts her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, all she gives him is a tense smile in return.
Standing I wave Luna over too. “I have a detection sensor, so while you’re in there I’ll be able to pick up what they’ve attempted to install. A listening device, so we know what exactly is going on and this little thing will stop them from blocking your surveillance feed so we can see where you are and who is with you.” She nods along at the three small devices I pull out, and waves her hands for me to place them on her.
“I would have preferred my own stuff but appreciate this.” She murmurs, and I get it. I always feel more in control with my own systems.
“Angel, can you give us a safe word? Something that means you need us over there with you immediately, just in case?” Parker asks, rubbing the back of his neck, avoiding direct eye contact with her. It causes him a lot of stress when he can’t protect her, the thought of a safe word definitely helps. Luna must see the stress he is in and nods in agreement.
“Yeah, what did Roman put in the group chat back in Washington? Pineapple?” We all nod in agreement. Pineapple has always been the word that means shit has gone south. “Okay, then we stick with that.”
Heading towards the door, she gives us a quick backwards glance before stepping out. The tension in the room kicks up a notch as she does.
Oscar instantly regrets letting her go and starts charging for the door, but Jess keeps a hold of him.
“Fuck, Jessikins,” he growls as he glares down at her.
“I’m so fucking done with her having to go through everything alone. So fucking done. I’ll kill them all, every last one of them,” Roman rages, now he doesn’t have to put a relaxed appearance on for our girl. He pulls at his hair in distress, struggling with the situation. “Get her surveillance running through the television Kai, now. I need to see what’s going on.”
His fist slams into the wall in front of him in fury, as I fill the screen with the image of Luna’s room, and the person sitting in wait.
Fuck.
She’s not likely to be the one needing a safe word.
*****
(Luna)
Stepping inside my room I relax my body, forcing myself to act natural. Remembering the training Rafe gave me, I take a deep breath and find my center Although my mind has forgotten what I would usually do when I step in, because all I want to do is head for the kitchen and see who is here.
Deciding I want Kai to get a feel for what devices have been installed, I head to the left into my bedroom to hang my jacket up in the walk-in wardrobe. I refuse to give my back to the kitchen though, so it takes an extra minute to get into my room.
Pulling my handgun and switchblade out from my bedside table, I stuff the blade in my bra and the gun in the back of my pants. I can’t walk in casually carrying them if I’m trying to let the intruder think they’ve caught me by surprise.
Damn, I just want to tear in there. Trying to act casual is harder than I thought. Fuck it. Let’s go.
I wish I’d asked for a two-way device so I could hear them too, find out what they’re seeing.
I make myself walk at a leisurely pace towards the kitchen, and when I step into the space the shock on my face isn’t forced.
“Hello, my darling, Luna.”
“Veronica.” I say, schooling my features from shock to distaste at the sight of my fabulous mother.
She sits at my dining table in another one of her business suits. Her hair is pulled back, with one leg crossed over the other and her hands clasped in front of her, she thinks this is her territory. The smug as fuck look on her face has me wanting to knock her out, be done with it. My fingers itch to pull my gun out. After everything at The Pyramid, I know wholeheartedly that this woman may have birthed me, but she is not my mother.
I hold off for now, curious as to why she’s suddenly out of hiding and sitting in my kitchen.
“Have you missed me?” She asks in that disgustingly sweet voice she thinks makes her sound fucking loveable.
“Not even a little bit. Care to explain why you’re here?” I’m not wasting pleasantries on her. I want to get straight to the point of all this.
“I wanted to see how you were after such a marvelous show you put on in the trial.” I didn’t think it was possible, but her grin gets wider. She loved watching all that death, damage and destruction unfold.
“If you wanted to see me so bad you’d have stuck around, instead of sneaking off into the shadows like the coward you are. You’re here because you want something, and the answer is no.” Her face tightens in disgust at my instant dismissal of her.
“Listen here you little bitch, you need to start showing me some respect. I carried you for nine months and all it’s done is cause issues for me ever since,” she snaps back. Wow.
I can’t help it, I slow clap her for her misfortunes. Stupid bitch. The glare I get for my efforts only makes me sneer back at her.
“Veronica, I’m so fucking done with you it’s not even funny. I would love to put a pretty little bullet right between your eyes right now. You better leave before I can’t hold back any longer,” I taunt, but she doesn’t move.
“You’ve always been an ungrateful little whore. I never wanted you. You were a family agreement, one that made me look a fool. It didn’t even come with marriage,” she scoffs. “Instead, I had to standby and constantly watch as those two gave you everything, leaving me with nothing.”
What the fuck is she talking about?
“Now I’ve had enough. I’ve found some men to love me, and in return they want you on their team.”
Again, what the fuck?
“Veronica, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I understood none of the shit that just came out of your mouth.” I sigh, resting my hands on my hips. I want to slip my finger to the trigger of my gun, but like a moth to a flame, her words have me intrigued.
She starts to laugh, and I feel it in my bones. There is something big I don’t know about it, she’s about to take great pleasure in letting me in on the little secret.
“He’s babied the fuck out of you hasn’t he? I knew all the boring shit about you blocking your childhood memories, but the fact that he played along to be whatever you needed him to be is fucking embarrassing.” Her cackle gets louder and it sets me on edge. “You want me to tell you little Luna?” She murmurs, standing from the table and walking around to me.
I pull my gun from behind my back, but she’s unfazed as she gets right up into my face.
“You can’t remember that dear old dead daddy and Rafe were fucking can you?” She sneers, her face scrunching as her upper lip curls in disgust at the thought. “Used me as a pawn, everyone fully aware except me. When I found ou
t, I did everything I could to have you aborted, but here you still fucking stand.” She leans back staring into my eyes, waiting for me to explode. I refuse to give in to her.
Forcing my emotions deep down, I act bored as though her words haven’t just changed everything.
“Have you finished? Or was there something else you wanted to discuss?” She frowns at me, furious with the fact she’s not getting the reaction she wanted out of me.
Veronica’s eyes burn a path from my head to my toes as she gets more frustrated with me.
“I was sent by my lover, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. He thought you have the right attributes to stand with the new movement that’s coming. I can see that’s wasted on you,” she says, grabbing her handbag off the table and swinging it over her shoulder as she prepares to leave. Thank god.
“Rico also asked me to pass a message on to you. He LOVED your performance in The Pyramid and his demand is for you to stop opening your legs for that bastard son of his. Rico wants you for himself. He’ll know if you violate his wish.” She goes to step around me and I’m beyond done with her shit.
Swinging my gun I hit her across the face with it, the crack bouncing off the walls around us. As the impact knocks her to the ground, blood splatters around her. This motherfucker is just making a mess now.
“You fucking bitch, what have you done? You’ll pay for this,” she screams, and it makes me smile. Crouching down beside her, I rest my arms on my knees with the gun aimed at her.
“Veronica, the next time I see you … I’ll kill you, you won’t even get to open your mouth and I’ll have pulled the trigger. Even if it’s a complete coincidence that our paths cross, it’ll be too late.” I say casually. “Now. Get. The. Fuck. Out.” Grabbing her by the arm, she barely manages to get to her feet as I drag her to the door. I can hear her verbal attack, but I’m not actually listening.
Opening the front door I throw her out, causing her to hit the floor again.
“You’re going to regret ever being born, you fucking cunt,” she growls, spitting at my feet. How pleasant.
Pointing my gun down at her, I grunt.
“You’ve got till the count of five before I pull this fucking trigger.”
She stumbles as she tries to get to her feet. I can see she’s about to say some other shit, but I can’t with her right now. So I slam the door, shutting her out.
I quickly pull my phone out, my hands shaking as my emotions finally start to get the better of me. Dialing Kai, he answers on the first ring.
“Hey Sakura …” He starts but I interrupt.
“Where in this room are there cameras?”
“Bedroom, bathroom and dresser nothing in the main areas. Sakura, after what she just said, it makes me think the cameras may be for Rico,” he murmurs gently. Placing my phone on the coffee table, I rest my head in my hands as I take a seat on the sofa.
“Is Rafe still on the phone with you?”
“Yes.”
“You tell that fucker I want him here in record time. Understood?” I growl.
“He’s already on his way, Sakura. Do you want some privacy or can we come over?”
“Come over.” I end the call. Red has a key so they can get in.
Picking up the pillow beside me I scream into it. It beats stabbing a bitch.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
(Oscar)
We’ve been sitting on Luna’s sofa staring at the blank tv screen together for what feels like forever. She’s not okay, I can see it in her eyes. We heard every word in Roman’s room with the listening device Kai gave her, and we saw everything from Luna’s own surveillance system.
The second her bitch of a mother was thrown out of the room, Luna’s body language completely changed. Her emotions got the best of her as she processed the bomb that had just been dropped.
How do I even comfort her with this? She’s trying to act cool and relaxed, but I can feel the internal battle she’s dealing with by the way her hands keep clenching at her side.
Rafe’s on his way, I think that’s what she’s most concerned with. Although, Rico getting her mother to mention that he wants Luna all to himself is bat shit crazy to me and sickening. That’s my priority here. That sick fucker is not touching my girl, he’s not even allowed to look at her.
Luna, Red and Parker are all sitting side by side on a sofa while I’m sitting beside Kai on the other. He’s running data on the devices that were set up while Veronica was here. He tried to explain in more detail, but that shit just goes over my head. Roman is in the kitchen still on the phone. I’m not sure who to, I know he was chatting with Rafe and he wanted to speak with his father too.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, but I ignore it. Everyone I want to hear from is in this room. Besides, it’s likely my father, and I’m not wasting my time on that right now. He fucked our family up when the scientist in him took over.
He’ll forever be lost to Featherstone. I was a sibling of four, now only two of us remain. I’m the eldest, and there is no way my family is losing another child to their fucked-up ways. I have to do whatever it takes to get into The Ring and start making some fucking changes around here. If only so my little sister doesn’t have to be subjected to this Featherstone crap.
I subconsciously run my fingers up and down my forearms, remembering the prick of the needles over and over again. Fuck. I do not need to be getting lost down memory lane right now. I need a distraction and so does my baby girl.
I’d usually go down to the gym and box my way out of this mindset, but I’m not leaving my girl right now. I’ll be here in silent support for her or I could help distract her too.
“Where are we at with the techy shit, Kai?” I ask, turning slightly to try and see what he’s doing, which is pointless because all the lines and dots mean nothing to me.
“Yeah, almost. Give me another sec and I should have them all disabled.” He doesn’t lift his gaze from the laptop in front of him, until Luna suddenly speaks.
“Do not disable the cameras, I want to send a message.” The determination in her gaze is hot as shit.
Not the time Oscar.
Not the time at all but try telling my dick that. I shuffle around trying to readjust myself without drawing any attention. Luna spots the movement straight away. She doesn’t pull her gaze away from the front of my grey joggers, even when Kai responds to her.
“There aren’t any listening devices so they can’t hear us, but there are three cameras, Sakura. They have all been positioned to catch you in a state of undress. The one in the bathroom is in the corner above the bathtub, catching the whole room. The camera in the dresser is fixed into the lights around your mirror. While the one in your room is in the light fitting in the ceiling, directed down at your bed. I don’t think it was Veronica who set them up, but I’m trying to run diagnostics to get the back up feed working from that time.”
I get angrier the more he describes the location, it all points to Rico after what that cow said. We all know it, we just haven’t said it outright yet because we’re worried about Parker. I glance in his direction, and the pink flush flaring up on his neck tells me he knows what everyone is thinking but no one is saying.
“Kai, if you could disable the one in the bathroom and the dresser, would that be enough for you to play around with? I have plans for the last one.” She sounds so hot when she is all vengeful and shit.
Kai nods in response which seems to be enough for Luna, who turns to Parker and climbs in his lap. Jessikins scrunches her face up at them beside her, and jumps off the sofa, striding into the kitchen. A large part of me wants to tease the shit out of her, but my eyes won’t stray from the way Luna is straddling Parker.
“Parker Parker, please don’t think that what your father says or does ever has a reflection on you. Understood?” She murmurs, arms wrapped around his neck as she forces him to look at her.
He continues to look in her eyes without saying a word, but I watch as his hands lift to her ass. His knu
ckles turning white as his grip tightens. Fuck that’s hot, especially when my baby girl instinctively grinds against him ever so slightly.
She brings her lips down on his softly, trying to pull him through the fog that takes over sometimes. He doesn’t respond to her touch at first, his grip remains the same, his lips not moving against hers.
Leaning her forehead against his, her voice drops to barely a whisper as her hands cup his face. I can’t hear what she’s saying this time, but I can see the pain in both of their eyes. Parker’s because of what his father is doing to his angel, and Luna’s because she’s trying to get him out of the hole his mind is creating.
My heart aches for him everytime he loses himself to the pain. Roman is usually the one to help pull him out of his funk, but they’re all adamant Luna is like magic to him in comparison.
She leans back slightly, dropping her hands back to his shoulders and stares into his eyes. I can’t help but hold my breath as I sit watching them peer into each other’s souls. I don’t know how much time passes when Parker finally leans forward bringing his lips to Luna’s.
I don’t know what she said to him, but she made him climb out of his head and come to her. Fuck, I’m shocked at how that level of intimacy affects me.
He grazes his lips against hers, slowly giving her more and more with each pass. It doesn’t take long for him to start taking from her. Parker keeps one hand tightly gripping her hip, as the other wraps around her ponytail pulling her head back for better access.
Fuck, this is turning from a little lip on lip action to hot and heavy in seconds, and my dick is rising to the occasion.
Damn, maybe this is the distraction we need?
Kai and Rome are busy, but I could get down with some share time with Parker. Help take our girl's mind off of all this shit, while we all get some satisfaction.
Parker’s hand rises, going under the back of her top and my dick pulses at the thought of touching her skin right there. Luna leans back, stroking her thumb over his lips, making me squeeze myself tight to ease the pressure before I embarrass myself and explode.
