by Erin Trejo
“Need you to take all those clothes off,” I say. Bray stands slowly and for the briefest of seconds I think she’s going to fight me on this. She doesn’t though. She slowly pulls the jeans down her legs and steps out of them. Next her shirt slides over her head revealing the other marks I’ve left on her body. Hickeys, bites, bruises. You name it, I’ve left it. My dick hardens as I take them all in. When she stands in nothing but a bra and panties, I’m lost in her. I want to drive my dick so far inside of her that she won’t know what hit her. Not now, though the idea sparks something more inside of me. I have other plans.
“We’re goin’ in the livin’ room. Don’t fuckin’ fight me or my boy.” I warn her in a growling tone. Her body visibly shakes when I say it. She thinks I’m sharing her with him. She had asked about it before. I reach out for her and as soon as my hand comes in contact, she jumps. I’ve done a good job at scaring the shit out of her. I wrap my arm around her waist as I lead her toward the living room.
“What’s happening?” she asks, her voice low and trembling. She doesn’t try to hide her fear of what I told her. She must think I’m sharing her.
“You’re gettin’ that sexy skin of yours marked,” I tell her. Her body tenses but she keeps moving along with me.
“What kind of mark?” she asks once we make it into the living room. Brady is our local tattoo artist. He glances up and gasps when he sees her. She trembles in my arms as I lead her toward the chair.
“Goddamn, man,” he says as his eyes move up and down her nearly naked body.
“You can stop eye fuckin’ her anytime now, motherfucker. You’re here to tat, not fuck,” I growl. What the hell? Why do I even give a shit is beyond me? Yeah, I do. That flicker of fire that dances inside of me is only for her. How can I want something so much that doesn’t belong to me? I can be man enough to admit that this feeling goes well beyond the revenge aspect of this.
“Got it, Smokey. Fuck.” As soon as my name leaves his mouth, I swing my free fist. It collides with his jaw, rattling his teeth together. “What the fuck, man!” He’s on his feet holding his now bloodied mouth.
“What the fuck part of ‘don’t say names’ don’t you get, motherfucker!” I push Bray down on the couch and move in again. I pound the hell out of him when I feel a hand on my arm. I spin around ready to throw another punch when I realize it’s Bray. What the fuck is she doing? She have a death wish? How the hell did she even realize she was grabbing the right man?
“I won’t say anything. I promise,” she says softly.
Why that means anything to me, I wouldn’t know. But the way she says it, it sends a jolt through my chest. Pride? Is that what the fuck I feel cause my girl wouldn’t tell anyone? My girl? What the hell is happening right now!
“I know you won’t.” I shove her back onto the couch when I turn to face Brady. Her promise. She fucking said she promised not to say anything. Why does that send so much pride rushing my system?
“Get the fuck up and do what you were told to do.” I watch Brady pull his ass off the floor before going back to his machine. When he’s all set up, I grab Bray and lift her off the couch. I set her in the chair in front of Brady as the machine begins to buzz.
“You ever had one before, darlin’?” Brady asks, dipping the tip in the ink.
“No.”
“It’s like a bee sting. The more I work, the less it’ll hurt,” he tells her before reaching for her chest. My heart pounds in my chest, blood rushing my ears. The world is one big fucking ball of energy around me. Something is shifting. Something I’m not sure of, and I don’t fucking like it.
“What else am I puttin’?” Brady asks as he begins the outline of the skull that makes our logo.
“Property of Smokey,” I tell him. Bray sucks in a breath when I move around the chair. I rest my hands on her shoulders and lean down close to her ear and whisper, “Did you think anyone would be inside of that pussy after me? After you’re marked with everything I believe in?”
Her body shudders, her breathing shaky. “I like the name,” she says softly, almost to the point I almost didn’t hear her.
“Do you? Do you like the monster that’s attached to it?”
“No.” Her word comes out stronger than I expected it to. I like that she hates me. That was the point of all of this. To make her hate the one who will ruin her. To make her hate herself for letting it happen. To hate it all.
I kneel down next to the chair as Brady does his thing. I slide my fingers up her thigh until I reach her panties.
“Tell me who owns this pussy now, Bray,” I growl. Her breathing catches in her throat. Brady chuckles but doesn’t stop what he’s doing. Bray sucks in a sharp breath every time the needle touches her skin. “Stay still,” I grumble. I slide my finger under her panties to find her soaking wet. I wonder what makes her wet? The pain? The sound of my voice? My touch? It has to be something. I’ve tortured the hell out of her little body for a while now and that doesn’t seem to faze her when I get near. Her panties are always soaked. I slip my finger over her clit as I listen to her gasp. I twirl it around before reaching up with my other hand and grabbing her already hardened nipple through her bra. Her body arches slightly as I let out a deep vibrating growl. “Stay still for him, Bray,” I tell her once more. Brady looks to me, a silent question of if I want him to stop but I shake my head. No, we need to get this done so I can get inside of her. I need my dick wet with the come that she offers so goddamn freely. I circle her clit a few more times while plucking and tugging at her nipple. That’s when I feel it. Her body shakes slightly, gasps falling from her lips. Bray comes all over the chair. Her body turning on like a fucking faucet.
I twirl my fingers around the wetness before slipping them from her panties. I drag my hand up to her lips.
“Open your mouth,” I demand. Bray does as she’s told. I slide my fingers in and demand her again, “Suck.” She does just that. My eyes roll back as I clench them shut tightly.
“Fuck! I need a smoke,” Brady mumbles.
Chapter 15
I’ve watched him ink her. I’ve watched her sit and take all the pain that comes with it. We took a break a little while ago and I took her to the bathroom. I heard her cry when she had obviously seen the mark that she’s getting permanently inked into her skin. There was a small part of me that hated it. I hated hearing her cry because of that. In our world, that is something to be honored and cherished, and here I am stamping it on her, unwillingly, for life. A life that may not last as long as it should. Somehow, I feel like that’s my fault too, but I brush those feeling away quickly. I watch as Brady cleans her up.
“What do you think?” He grins over his shoulder at me. I stand from my chair and walk over with my cigarette hanging from my lips. I take in Brady’s handy work. The skull with a cigarette hanging from his lips, the blue blaze coming from his eyes. Fuck, it makes me hard seeing it on her. Her chest is rising and falling quickly as she waits to hear what I have to say. I cock my head to the side and study her when Brady decides to speak again.
“You good, man?” he asks. I nod my head once before I say, “Yeah. You did good. Now get the fuck outta my house.” Brady huffs and grabs all his shit in a rush. I watch him leave but my eyes fall back to Bray. Her hands grip the sides of the chair until her knuckles turn white.
“You wanna see it?” I ask her.
“Yes,” she says softly.
I walk over and help her stand before walking her toward the bathroom. Something inside of me is splintering. It’s crumbling and falling apart and I can’t place what it is or why it’s happening. As much as I’ve done to and forced onto her, Bray has never disobeyed me. She has never gone against my orders and has never denied me her body. What does that mean for me? For us? Is there an us?
I open the bathroom door and just as I’m about to step out, I change my mind. I step in behind her, closing the door so that she thinks I’m gone. Her hands move up to remove the soft black silk from her eyes. Her
head’s tipped forward. She’s bracing herself for what she’s about to see. She swallows hard before lifting her head, her eyes still closed.
When she opens them, she gasps and jumps. Her eyes lock with mine in the mirror. There’s a heat that sizzles between the two of us. There’s a connection that I can’t put my finger on. We’re lost in each other’s eyes. Her breathing kicks up a notch and so does mine. I try to slow it. I try to calm myself but when she lowers her eyes and sees the tattoo, I almost come on the spot. Her mouth hangs open. She examines it in the mirror before bringing her fingers up to touch it.
“They’ll kill me,” she whispers softly. I step closer, her heat wafting off her. It all slams into me at once.
“Who says they’ll get the chance?” I ask her. Her eyes move back up slowly until they meet mine again.
“I understand why you’re doing this,” she says. My heart does something crazy in my chest. It leaps and skips.
“You couldn’t possibly understand why,” I tell her. She licks her lips, and fucking hell, I want them wrapped around my dick.
“They took your family and now you’re taking theirs. Why mark me like this if you are going to kill me anyway?” she asks with a hitch in her voice.
“Who said I was gonna kill you? I just want to break you, Bray. I want you to be so fucked up that you can’t be fixed. I want you to feel what I felt. I want them to look at you feel what I felt,” I tell her the truth in the coldest tone I can manage.
“Why not just kill them?” she asks. I know what she’s doing. She’s trying to save herself. It’s highly respectable, if I’m being honest.
“I will kill them. Eventually. I figured I could have a little fun with you first.” I shrug. She looks down not wanting to look at me anymore. I let my hands slide around her waist letting out a groan when my hands come in contact with the softest skin I’ve ever felt in my life. Bray’s eyes slowly come back up, but it isn’t me she’s looking at. It’s her. She’s looking at herself.
“What do you see?” I ask her. Her body trembles. She shakes in my arms and all I can think about is burying my dick so deep inside of her.
“Death,” she whispers softly.
My world is rocked when the word leaves her mouth. Is it because of me? Of the tattoo? Is it because she knows what’s going to happen when she goes back home bearing my mark? When I can’t think anymore, I grab her hips, jerking her back. I shove her panties down her legs before bending her over the bathroom counter. I make short work of my own clothes before grabbing my dick. I tease that little puckered hole that I have yet to explode. Dipping two fingers into her pussy to wet them, I pull them out and slather her hole. Figuring that’s all the prep I need to get my dick in there, I thrust quickly, taking her by surprise. Bray screams out in pain.
“That’s what I want to hear,” I growl as I fuck her ass roughly. I reach around her, grabbing her nipples between my fingers. Tugging and rolling, flicking and pulling. I take her harder and harder.
“Please, stop,” Bray cries, but I can’t. I don’t want to. My body is too turned on to turn it off now. The feeling is too intense to let her go. I slide my hand down her chest and between her legs. I find her clit throbbing and waiting for attention. I give it to her too. I roughly work her over as I fuck her harder. Her body jerks and trembles.
“Smokey!” She screams my name and that’s all it took. I come in a blur as I fill her ass full of me. Her body convulses as her orgasm takes her over the edge. I look at her in the mirror as the tears stream down her cheeks. Something different, unknown, slams into my chest. Before I can think on it too much, I pull out of her and notice the blood that now slowly seeps out of her along with my seed. Bray stays in the same position as I reach over and turn the shower on. I let it heat up before I reach for her. She tries to jerk away from me, but I don’t let her. I hold her tighter as I yank her into my chest. Her face burrows against my chest as her tears wet my shirt. What am I doing? What the hell am I doing to her? What the hell is she doing to me? I shake my head and blow out a breath before pulling her small body away from mine.
“Take a shower. Then get some rest,” I say, my voice catching slightly. I have to get out of this bathroom before I lose my goddamn mind.
I grab my jeans and yank them back up before storming from the bathroom. I head straight out the front door before I roar. I look around and see that no one is out here. Why would they be? It’s late now. I grab the cigarettes out of my pocket and light one up as I let what just happen play out in my head.
Chapter 16
“So, what we know is someone is after the enforcers. Why? We don’t fuckin’ know. Who? Again, we have no fuckin’ clue, but we are onto some leads. Declan up north has some guys on it, too. We do have a Rage Ryder out in the warehouse. We’re tryin’ to get some shit outta him, but aside from that, we got nothin’.” Hawk looks pissed even as he says the words.
I sigh before knocking back my shot. I set the glass on the table before I look to Ninja.
“I appreciate all the extra help. We don’t have much to go on either, but I’m sendin’ out a few guys tonight,” Ninja says.
I lean forward and rest my elbows on the table. “You want some extras?” I ask.
Ninja grins and nods his head. “Fuck yeah. This is your turf.”
I chuckle as I nod my head and sit back in my seat. I need to get out of here for a little while at least. I need the break.
“Good. Take Smokey and Draven and anyone else you want. We’re good here,” Hawk says.
I look over at him and nod my agreement. “I’ll meet you at the bikes,” I say to Ninja. I shove out of my chair and head out into the main room when I spot Ruger. His sister sits next to him looking the spitting image of the bastard.
“Ain’t you a pretty thing.” I grin as I walk up next to them.
“Not in the mood, Smokey.” She rolls her eyes making me laugh. She may hate this world but we all know her.
“Never are, darlin’. Hey, Ruger. Keep an eye on Bray, yeah?” His eyes come to rest on mine.
“Yeah. Where you headed?” he asks.
“Out with the Aces for a while. She shouldn’t give you any shit.” He nods. I walk past them both and out the side door, taking in the clear night sky.
“I never fit in there,” her voice startles me. I cock my head to the side and look at her as she stands a few feet in front of me looking up at the sky.
“Don’t fit here either,” I tell her. She sighs and blows out a breath before tipping her head to face me.
“Can’t you just kill me now?” The tone of her voice is soft but the look in her eyes tells me she’s thought this over. I don’t know why that thought bothers me, but it does.
“Why would I ruin the fun?” I keep my ass in check with this girl. I’m well aware of certain things that could bring a man like me to my knees, and a woman like her is one of them.
“They’ll just kill me when you send me back. Wouldn’t it be better if you did it yourself?” She stares into my eyes making me uneasy. I don’t want to deal with this right now.
“You know, Bray, I thought that too. I thought about slittin’ your throat or puttin’ a bullet between those pretty brown eyes, but at the end of the day, I figured, why should I? Why should I make things easier on you? Your family is my enemy. They make up everything I hate in this world. I want you to hurt,” I growl. I grind my teeth together as a tear slips down her cheek.
“I do hurt, Smokey. More than you know, and it’s not all because of you.” She turns on her heel and walks back toward the house as I follow. What the hell else could be hurting her? What else could make her feel like death was her only option? Bray walks in the front door and sits on the couch. I look down at her but I can’t force myself to ask the questions that run rampant in my head. There are far too many and I know she won’t answer even if I did.
“I gotta go out for a while. It’s late. Stay in.”
She looks up at me and nods. So much sadness
in those eyes. If I was a softer man, I would take her in my arms and hold her. If I was my old self, I would kiss her and tell her that everything would be okay because I would make it okay. But I’m not the old me. I’m the new me. The dark me. The me who wants to watch her bleed. The me who wants to see her eyes flicker with fear whenever I come near her. How fucking sick does that make me? I shake my head and walk to my room. I grab my keys and another pack of smokes before I head back into the living room. Bray sits in the same place with her head in her hands. The old me would run to her and comfort her. I have to keep reminding myself that those bastards, her bastards, are what took my family from me.
“Things could be worse,” I tell her. She doesn’t look up but I didn’t miss the little laugh she let out. Maybe they couldn’t. I storm out the front door slamming it for good measure. My body hums with unused energy that I need to expel at some point. I’m breaking apart from all the pain and everything she is making me feel and there won’t be anyone left in this world that could put me back together. When I lose it, that will be the end of me and some twisted part of me is ready for it.
“You good?” Ninja asks when I walk over toward the bikes.
“Yeah. Always, brother. Let’s go bust some fuckin’ heads, yeah? I need the release.”
Ninja laughs before he says, “I hear that.”
Chapter 17
I’ve always wondered how much anger one person could hold inside of them. How long they could keep it bottled up before that bottle shatters, leaving only slivers of the fractured glass behind. I can feel the fragments of my world as they slowly begin to press against me. The ache in my chest, the way my heart stammers when I think about it. My end is coming. It’s only a matter of time before I’ll see those beautiful brown eyes and be reunited with my family. At least that’s what I tell myself. I know they were good and pure. I know they went to a better place than I’ll be going. My place is in hell. I’ve known it for a long time now. The devil has a way of sneaking into your dreams and giving you reminders of what he has in store for you. The heat of the fire that he plans to burn you with for eternity. There are days when I wished it didn’t have to be that way. At the end of the day though, I know my rightful place. Redemption isn’t a reality for people like me.
