Dark Destiny (Dark Brothers Book #4)

by Botefuhr, Bec

  Anything at all.

  ~*~*~*~*

  WILLOW

  “Oh, god, Ace.”

  I flutter my eyes open to the sounds of a woman’s cries. It takes me a moment to register where I am, and what the hell it is I’m hearing.

  “Ace, more.”

  Seriously? Is Ace banging Jenny under my roof? I slide out of bed, sure I’m hearing things. I tiptoe to my door, and creak it open. I can’t see anything, so I sneak out further. Maybe it was a dream. I walk into the kitchen and flick on the light, might as well get myself a drink. I scream when the scene before me comes into view. Ace, jeans down, ass on view, having sex with a blonde woman I do not know. He spins around when the light comes on and I get a full sight of Ace front on, pants down. I scream, the woman screams and I slap my hands over my eyes.

  “Oh my god! Ace!”

  “Fuck it, Willow!”

  “Oh my god, I should leave!” The girl cries.

  “No, wait on.”

  “No…I’m going, thanks, err, Ace.”

  I hear her pick up her things, I hear Ace’s belt and when I dare to peer through my fingers, I see Ace glaring at me. Why is he glaring at me? I drop my hand, happy to see he’s pulled his pants up. The girl is gone, and a moment later I hear a car start up. I turn to Ace, shocked and kind of angry at him.

  “You fucked someone else?” I cry. “What about Jenny?”

  “Fuck Jenny!” he snarls, then storms off down the hall, shirtless, jeans undone, and hair all sex ruffled.

  “Oh no you don’t!”

  I chase after him, and when he gets to his room, he slams the door in my face. I grip the handle, throwing it open and I stomp into the room. Ace turns angrily, giving me a truly fowl expression.

  “Not now, Willow!”

  “Listen to me, Mr. Pissy. Don’t get all emotional because I caught you out. Sit your ass down and tell me why you were screwing some random woman!?”

  He crosses his arms and glares at me.

  “You don’t scare me, Ace.”

  He tilts his head and continues glaring at me.

  “Speak up, or I make myself at home in that big ass, comfy bed of yours.”

  With an angry huff, he starts pacing the room, so I make myself at home on the edge of his bed and watch.

  “I was out, after you and Jagger went down, I thought I’d go have a beer. Jenny and Ava showed up, they were lookin’ for Angel. I got into it with Jenny, and she told me she slept with that fuckin’ lunatic she’s been seeing. She said it was a mistake, that he wasn’t right for her, but she wasn’t sure I was either. She said she was sorry, and wanted to spend more time with me. Seriously? Spend more fucking time with me, after she fucks someone else. What the fuck, Willow, I thought Jenny was better than that?”

  So’d I. My sister was getting her ass kicked.

  “I’m sorry Ace, I don’t know why she’s doing that.”

  “I like her Willow, quite possibly more than I’ve liked anyone but I can’t keep playing this little hot and cold game. She wants me, but she doesn’t want the life I have. I can’t change who I am, I fuckin’ can’t.”

  I pat the bed beside me. “Get over here, come on.”

  He walks over, flopping down beside me. He puts his head in his hands and growls angrily.

  “So your way of revenge was banging hot blonde in there?”

  “She fucked him.”

  I sigh. “I know honey, but did it make you feel any better to do the same?”

  “Yes!” he snaps.

  “Ace…”

  “Fine, no it fucking didn’t. Can we drop this now? I’m done. I’m tired. Can you leave?”

  I lift my fist and hit him in the shoulder. He snaps his head up and drops his mouth open.

  “Honest to god, what’s with you men tonight? Big pussys. I’m going to kick your ass if you speak to me like that again, Ace.”

  His brows go up, then he bursts out laughing. He wraps an arm around me and pulls me close to his side.

  “Only woman that could hit me and get away with it, I tell ya.”

  “Tough ass.”

  “Sorry about that before…”

  “Yeah, there are parts of you I did not need to see, Ace. By the way, I now know it’s not your nozzle that keeps the women away.”

  He bursts out laughing again. “Why is it that I don’t even find it disturbing that you saw…my nozzle.”

  I stand, spinning around and gripping his face in my hands. I press a kiss to his head and look him in the eye. “Because me and you, we’re like…two halves and all that bullshit. Besides, Jagger’s is way better.”

  He head-butts gently me and I giggle.

  “Jagger must have a nozzle made of chocolate, the way you beg him for it. Oh Johnny, Johnny!”

  I shove him back and laugh as I spin towards the door.

  “Jealousy’s a curse honey.”

  When I get to the door, he calls out my name. I turn and face him.

  “Thanks kid, this time I owe you.”

  “Never. Night handsome.”

  “Night.”

  I leave with a smile on my face. I also leave knowing I need to give my little sister a pep talk. The girl is clearly dealing with some shit right now.

  It never ends.

  Sheesh.

  CHAPTER 9

  WILLOW

  “Don’t start on me, Willow!” Jenny grumbles.

  “Don’t start? Are you serious? Jenny, what’s wrong with you?”

  She crosses her arms, and glares at me. We’re sitting outside, in the garden, drinking latte’s and eating cake. It’s good cake too, all gooey chocolate. Jenny is giving me her best ‘I’m pissed off with you’ look, but I’m not backing down. Hell no, she’s going to tell me why she’s been playing around with two men. That’s not my sister. She just doesn’t do things like that. She never has and she’s certainly not about to start. I know I haven’t been sister of the year in the past few weeks, but things are better for me now, so it’s time for me to focus on her.

  “It was a mistake!” she cries, huffing.

  “Jen, talk to me. What the hell’s going on? I thought you liked Ace?”

  “I do like him, I really do, but that’s not the problem.”

  “Then what is?”

  She sighs and puts her head down, stabbing her cake with the silver fork in her hand. “It’s…this lifestyle. I don’t know if it’s for me, you know? I’ve seen what you’ve been through, and Willow, it’s fucked up. I know you deal, because Jagger is your one and only, and that you would go to the ends of the earth for him, but look at how hard it’s been. I don’t know if I’m made for it. It takes a good kind of special to live this life, you are that kind of special, I am not. I’m one of those girls who likes fancy things, I like to be wined and dined, and I don’t think I should try and change who I am. Ace is the opposite, he’s rough, he’s dangerous and he’s not what I planned on having.”

  I understand this, I do. My sister has always wanted the fancier things in life. She’s never been much for a rough lifestyle, she’s always been prissier than me.

  “It’s ok to know what you want Jen, but you lead him on and that wasn’t fair. You should have told him it would never happen, because you let him fall for you. That wasn’t fair on him, he gave you a lot of himself and you slept with someone else, and didn’t even tell him you were planning to do it. That is what’s wrong, not the fact that maybe he’s not right for you.”

  “I know, ok? I know I fucked up. The thing is, even though his life isn’t the life I wanted, I still find myself wanting him, craving him. I don’t want to hurt him, I don’t want to lead him on, but I’m finding it hard to let go.”

  I sigh. “Jen, you need to make a choice, and you know it. It’s not fair for you to give him false hope. If you can’t deal with his life, then walk away, it will be hard, it will hurt but it’s better for the both of you. If you decide you can handle his life, then you need to be sure and give him all of you.
Ace isn’t a man that settles for second best, he was hurt the other night, he really was.”

  “I know, I was drunk, I spat out that I slept with Michael and I know it hurt him.”

  “Where does Michael fit into this picture?”

  She drops her fork, giving up on her cake. “I met him through work, he’s sweet, charming, rich, and everything I thought I wanted. Then, I slept with him and that spark wasn’t there. It was nothing like what it felt like with Ace. I was put in a situation then, I’m being forced to choose…the lifestyle I want with no passion, or the lifestyle I don’t want with passion. I don’t know how to choose, I really don’t.”

  “You need to take some time,” I suggest.

  “I know that, trust me, I do. That’s why I told Ace for now, we’re going to take a break. I know I’m risking him not being here when I get back from that break, but right now it’s the only option I have.”

  I nod. “I think you’ve made the right choice.”

  She smiles, but it’s weak. I decide now is a good time to change the subject.

  “How’s Huck?”

  She nods. “He’s good, we’ve been catching up more and more.”

  “That’s awesome.”

  “Willow, yo, you got a visitor.”

  I turn, facing Rusty, who is walking towards me with a puzzled expression. We’re still staying out at the house for now, but we will go home soon and begin our lives once more. For now, we all just want the break. Ava and Jenny come and go, Ava is mostly here with Angel, but otherwise she’s at work or home. The guys go to and from work, and Jagger went back to work today, insisting he needed to do it. I get out of my seat and walk towards Rusty, before I reach him, I see a woman step around the side of the house and into view. I stop in my tracks, horrified. It’s Aunt Mary, aka, Aunt Satan, Aunt Haggard, Aunt…whatever.

  “What the fuck is she doing here?” I hiss at Rusty.

  “Fucks me, she showed up begging to speak to you.”

  “She has some nerve,” I say, walking around him and making my way to Aunt Satan.

  She stands, her expression carefully blank as I all but charge towards her. When I stop in front of her, she clutches the handkerchief she’s got tightly bound in her hands. Seriously? She is going to try this bullshit? I have no sympathy for the woman, none at all. She’s nothing but a snake in my eyes and will be treated as such.

  “You have some nerve showing up here,” I growl.

  She nods, actually looking like she understands. “I know I have no right…”

  “No right!” I cry. “You betrayed your own nephew, you could have had his blood on your hands, don’t you dare tell me about rights.”

  “It was a mistake! I was frightened! I love Johnny, I want him to…”

  “How. Dare. You.” I snarl, clenching my fists. “Do you have any idea what he’s been through in the last year? Do you have any fucking idea?”

  Her eyes well up, and she nods her head. “I know what I did to him, I don’t want his forgiveness, I just want him to know I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sorry now? Now that you’re free? Now that you don’t have Mick breathing down your throat? That’s not good enough, and it will never been good enough for him. He’s been living through hell and he’s coming out the other side. I won’t have you coming in and forcing him to go back to hell. It won’t fucking happen, so my suggestion to you, is leave. Get out of our home, and don’t ever come near him again.”

  “I just…”

  “I won’t ask you again, Mary. I don’t play nice with people like you. Get out, or I’ll make sure you never come near him again. What’s it going to be?”

  “If you would just listen…”

  “Get out!” I scream.

  Rusty comes up behind me, putting his hands on my shoulders. Ace and Angel round the corner after hearing me scream. Their eyes widen when they see why. They both hurry over, their expressions tight.

  “What the fuck are you doing here, Mary?” Angel growls.

  “I just wanted to see him, to tell him I’m sorry.”

  “You have no right. I suggest you do what Willow has asked, and leave. You are not welcome to come anywhere near Jagger, and if you do, we’ll find you and make sure you pay,” Ace snarls.

  Rusty steps forward and waves a hand for Mary to follow him, reluctantly she does. Before she gets to the house, she turns to us.

  “Just tell him I’m sorry, it’s all I want him to know.”

  She disappears around the corner before I can yell obscenities at her. When she’s gone, I turn angrily towards Jenny. She’s staring at Ace, he’s staring at her. My temper is out of control and so I snap, “I’m going out. I need a break. I’m going into town for a few hours. You two,” I indicate between Jenny and Ace. “Sort your fucking shit out.”

  Then I turn and walk off, leaving them all speechless. Yeah, well, whatever.

  ~*~*~*~*

  JAGGER

  “Where is she?” I ask, throwing my work pack to the ground.

  “Went out, in a hiss,” Angel grumbles.

  “Where?” I grate out.

  “Fuck’s me bro, she was angry.”

  “About?”

  “Let her tell you.”

  “The kids?”

  “With her.”

  I roll my eyes, Angel and his one word, let’s protect Willow, answers. I dig out my phone and punch in Willow’s number before pressing it to my ear. She answers on the second ring, slurring.

  “Baby, where the fuck are you?” I say, before she can get a word in.

  “At, home.”

  I look around the massive house. I guess she means the other home, ‘coz she sure as shit ain’t here.

  “What you doin’ there?”

  “Kids were tired, so I just decided to put them down here and stay a night.”

  “And then get drunk?”

  She giggles. “What? Not drunk.”

  “No, not much.”

  I am smirking now, I can’t help it.

  “Well, I had a bad day.”

  “So I heard, I’ll be there in a couple hours. I drove all the way out here, when you were there. Woulda’ saved me some time if you let me know.”

  “Sorry honey,” she murmurs.

  I fucking love how she calls me honey.

  “Well, I’m comin’. You better have something worth comin’ for,” I tease.

  “I got plenty for you, honey. You just wait.”

  “Be there soon, don’t drink anymore.”

  “Aye boss.”

  I hang up the phone and turn to face the guys, they’ve set up a poker table. Taking advantage of no women I see.

  “Goin’ to get my wife,” I say.

  Ace looks up. “She’s smashed yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Want me to give her some?”

  I raise a brow. “Some what?”

  He chuckles. “My angry voice, it works.”

  Ace and Willow have this friendship that most don’t understand. The way they communicate, the way they hug and hang out, most would find over the top. I guess sometimes it’s hard to understand that two people can be that close and just be friends. I understand it, because I know my wife and most of all, I know Ace. He doesn’t make friends easily, and he took a liking to Willow. They understand each other, and there are times he can help her when I can’t. I’ve never felt any sort of jealousy. I suppose it’s something I understand. I’ve seen friendships like it before. It’s good to know he’s got her back when I can’t have it.

  “Yeah, go on, wind her up. I’ll catch you guys later?”

  They all nod, give me cheers and goodbyes, then turn back to their game. I grip my keys, stare down at my greasy jeans and shirt, and smirk. I’ll leave these on, I know she’ll got bat shit crazy for it.

  And my wife bat shit crazy, is hot.

  ~*~*~*~*

  WILLOW

  I sway my hips to the music, smiling, happy. I hear my phone ring, and I stare down at
the screen. Ace. Great. Did Jagger tell him I’m drunk? He totally would have, because he’s a bully. I pick it up, pressing the answer button. I continue swaying my hips to the music.

  “Ace.”

  “Smashed, angry and makin’ her man drive to her. Bad form babe.”

  “Babe doesn’t suit you, honey.”

  “Honey doesn’t suit you, babe.”

  I giggle. “What do you want? Did he set you onto me?”

  “Nope. Just checkin’ on ya.”

  “He set you onto me.”

  “You should have stayed here and gotten drunk with us, it’s much better form.”

  “Nah,” I say, still swaying.

  “Well, your big man is comin’ for ya all greased up and lookin’ sexy as shit.”

  “Did you just call Jagger sexy as shit?”

  He chuckles. “I know what women like, and trust me, you’ll like.”

  “Ah, he knows what women want.”

  He snorts. “Big nozzles are the key.”

  I giggle. “Go and play, Ace. I’m dancing.”

  “Don’t break anything!”

  “Yes boss, I love you!”

  He’s silent a moment.

  “Yeah, love you back, kid.”

  When we hang up, I burst out laughing. I think I just stole the words right out of tough Ace’s mouth. That’ll teach him. I shimmy towards the kitchen counter and pour myself another drink. Then I continue to dance until I hear the front door open. I spin, stumbling, and see my husband standing at the door. Holy, sweet, mother, of god! Ace was right, holy fucking shit. Jagger is all greasy. His jeans have black streaks across them, his singlet shows off his arms, which also have grease smudges. His hair is ruffled, messy and hot. His eyes are twinkling with humor. Holy shit, I want to eat him alive.

  He saunters over, slow, sexy, teasing me. When he stops in front of me, his hand snakes out and catches my hip. He pulls my body flush against his and he leans down, crushing his lips onto mine. I can smell grease, and oh shit, it’s doing crazy things to my pussy. I press myself against him, reaching up and tangling my fingers into his hair. He growls and grips my hips, lifting my ass onto the kitchen counter and putting his body between my legs. His mouth slides down my neck, nipping a gentle path as he goes. I whimper and arch my hips, wanting everything he can give me.