The Complete Tempest World Box Set

by Mankin, Michelle

  I lowered my gaze to the rug. He had my number. He knew I felt responsible. He used that knowledge to manipulate me, to keep me where he wanted me, under his thumb, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. My mind wasn’t on him anymore anyway. I no longer saw the pattern of the rug beneath my feet. I only saw the coffin, the one that’d been way too small, and I felt that choking sob rising again, the one that never seemed to end, especially whenever I allowed myself to remember how lonely and lost I had felt as they lowered her tiny body into the ground.

  I didn’t remember taking my clothes off or climbing into the bed. I didn’t even remember how long I waited for him to come and give me the punishment I always felt like I deserved. But when the blackness inside my heart was like a bottomless void, I knew that he was there.

  I tried not to acknowledge the dark pleasure that glistened in his eyes. The fact was that he enjoyed hurting me. That was the cut that sliced the deepest.

  I turned my head to the side when he put a knee to the mattress. For a moment, the sting of his open palm on my breast registered as did the hot tear that trickled down my cheek. But then I just shut off my mind, pretending that it was happening to someone else. That I was only an observer.

  From deep inside that dark place, I saw that other someone’s head snap back and her skull slam into the headboard. But it didn’t matter. It wasn’t me who needed the oxygen my husband’s hands were depriving her of. It wasn’t me who felt the sharp pain when he shoved into her without getting her ready, without any tenderness, without any love.

  Maybe this time he would choke her too long.

  Maybe this time she would pass out and never wake up.

  Sometimes I was afraid that’s what I really wanted.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Dizzy

  “And King made up this rap about me.” Mel giggled and her laughter tinkled like crystal. “He performed it up on stage in front of everyone at the party. It was so cool.”

  I hadn’t been as amused. But then again King’s rapping wasn’t a novel experience for me. Besides I’d been damned pissed at the time, after Mel told me April had bagged out on the train from Whistler without telling me.

  “So you’re more than just a rocker?” April had been distracted during most of Mel’s retelling, but she arched a brow at King as she mopped up a spill on the bar. “I’m sorry I missed it.” I noticed a dark shadow slide across her eyes. It didn’t mesh with the teasing lilt of her voice. “Maybe you’ll try your luck at the Mine next time it’s open mic night?”

  “De Veras!” King laughed. “I only perform on special occasions or for mucho dinero.”

  Sager chuckled, but he continued to watch Mel out of the corner of his eye. I’d noticed him doing that the night before. Our reserved bassist was definitely interested in the outgoing pixie. Where that would ever go given their divergent personalities was anybody’s guess. But that look in his eyes certainly explained why he and King had driven out to Whistler. I hoped Mel would take notice of his interest. It might make the blow softer when I had to let her down.

  “Here you go. Three Molsons and a Diet Coke.” April set the last mug on the bar tray. Her gaze tangled with mine for a brief moment, flags of red staining her cheeks before she made a point of deliberately looking away.

  That wasn’t the first time I’d tried to hold her gaze since last night. But she wasn’t having any part of it. She’d completely shut me down.

  “Where’s Justin?” April asked, her ponytail swishing across her back as she tilted her head to the side.

  “You asked me that earlier.” Mel gave her friend a funny look. “He’s with his girlfriend. The one I told you about. The one who just inherited Crystal Hotels.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, no more cash flow problems for her. We were just over at Lace’s apartment celebrating with the three of them,” Sager explained.

  “Three?” April asked.

  “Bridget has a five year old boy, Carter,” King explained. “Wants to be a rock star, just like me. Muy Inteligente el chavo. I’m betting his mom can get me a gig at the Crystal Las Vegas.” King smiled. He was always working an angle.

  “Be better odds of that working out for you than what we got so far on the new album,” Sager bemoaned.

  “It’s not all bad.” I remembered what Mary Timmons had told me. I needed to do my part to make sure this transition went smooth for Justin and the rest of us. Unfortunately, I hadn’t made much progress on that front. My headspace was way too clogged up by a certain bartender. But if Justin was going to work out, we were all going to have to make more than a half-ass effort to include him. “’The Girl in the Glass’ is better than good. It’ll be a Billboard top 100 for sure.”

  “You think?” King drummed his fingers on the bar. “I hope you’re right, culero. But it’s a ballad. We need stronger shit than that if we’re gonna take Tempest to the next level.” King picked up the tray and we all headed back to our usual spot. I snuck an over the shoulder glance at April, but she was still ignoring me.

  I tensed when we got near the table and Mel threaded her arm around my waist, unaware of my aversion to uninvited physical contact. She looked up at me and batted her lashes playfully. I did want to play, just not with her.

  King and Sager slid into the booth. I grabbed Mel’s hand before she could slide in after them. I needed to explain things. About the touching, for one. But more importantly, about the limits of my feelings for her.

  “Dance with me, Bluebelle.” I needed to tell her straight up and give my bud Sager an opening should he decide to take it.

  “Sure.” Her face lit up. I almost sighed. She was too young and naive for my tastes, probably for Sager too, from the rumors I’d heard. But that was his business, not mine.

  I led her to a good spot next to the stage and twirled her around. She laughed and lifted her arms above her head, moving her body in perfect sync with the current pop groove. She definitely had a feel for tempo. I leaned in and spoke near her ear so she could hear me. “I’m gonna get Remli to change the music.” Remli was the regular DJ, and two minutes was about all I could take of that auto-tuned Pharrell shit.

  “Alright,” she mouthed, and without missing a beat spun around and started dancing with a group of chicks behind her.

  After I slid Remli a twenty to spin some Arctic Monkeys, I turned and scoped out the bar, surprised to find April actually looking my way.

  Bloody hell.

  I felt the pop and the sizzle of our connection, even with just eye contact, even across the length of the club. The heat and need were unmistakable. Was she feeling it too? She’d seemed immune earlier, but now she stood still like I’d zapped her with a freeze ray, her lips parted the same way they’d been last night. We stared at each other as if we were the only two people that existed, until some loser broke the spell, putting his hand on her arm to get her attention. She turned away to fill his order and the moment was gone, though I continued to sneak glances at her as I danced with Mel. But she didn’t return the favor again, so far as I could tell. She was totally focused on her customers, leaning in, smiling occasionally, making each one feel special. You could tell by the easy smiles and laughter they returned.

  April was sexier to me than any of the Mine waitresses flirting around the edges of the dance floor even though they wore much less. Who would’ve thought I’d find a tee shirt and jeans provocative. But I did. I think it was because of who was wearing them. She had a unique style. Inner city. Urban. Chic. She’d cut out the neckline of her tee so it was wide and raggedy and kept falling off one shoulder like the sweater she’d worn to Whistler. She had a sleeveless tank on underneath, exposing just enough of her ivory skin to hold me enthralled.

  I imagined running my tongue along her neck, and I really wanted to undo the green scarf she had tied around her throat. It was cute in a fifties pinup kind of way, but it was interfering with my fantasy.

  “Mel.” Sager scooted sideways between two
couples to get to me and my dance partner. “Wanna dance?” Looked like the talk would have to wait.

  Mel looked at me. When I nodded my approval she moved to Sager and lifted her arms to wrap them seductively around his neck. He liked that. You could tell by his expression that the dude was definitely into her. Mel, not so much. The look she shot me as he turned her made it pretty clear she was only dancing with him to try to make me jealous.

  Dammit. Sager where the hell’s your finesse? I wanted to give Sager a pep talk and myself a kick in the ass for missing my opportunity to set Mel straight when I noticed April ducking into the door to the storage room.

  Alone.

  Showing little sense and less moral fortitude, I followed her in.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  April

  The storeroom door clicked closed behind me. The limes forgotten, my heart in my throat, I whirled around reaching in my bar apron for my cell and opening my mouth to scream for help before I realized who it was.

  “Oh, babe.” Dizzy’s velvety voice was soothing, his expression full of remorse. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. After what happened the other night I should’ve announced myself.”

  I stuck my chin up affecting an indifferent air that didn’t reflect my inner state. My heart continued its rapid runaway race. It hadn’t slowed in the slightest. If anything it might’ve picked up the tempo. “What are you doing back here? Tan doesn’t like the door closed,” I added nervously.

  “That so?” He arched a brow.

  I nodded.

  “Well, Kitten. That being the case I can reopen it if you’d like. But you and I are gonna have a little chat, and I’m thinking you might prefer it stay closed after that.”

  “I’ve got nothing to say to you.” I started to turn my back on him. Get the limes, April, and get the hell out of here. But his dark chuckle stopped me cold.

  “Yeah I can see where words might get in the way of your enjoyment. Standing in the shadows seems to be more your thing.”

  I gasped, mortification coloring my entire face flame red hot.

  “You might wanna pretend it didn’t happen.” His hip jutted out, his cocky stance mirroring his arrogant expression. “And I admit that was kinda my general plan until I walked in here tonight and caught you looking at me that last time.”

  “I didn’t,” I protested. “I wasn’t,” I lied.

  “You did and you were.” He pinned me in place the same way he’d done before with those overly observant deeply penetrating amber eyes.

  “You were with my best friend.” Unable to withstand the scrutiny, I looked away. “The direction of my gaze had nothing to do with you.”

  He was quiet and moved so fast I didn’t even realize he’d crossed the room until he was suddenly standing directly in front of me. “You lie.” He made those two little words sound like a proposition to get naked instead of an accusation. He came closer, so close I could feel the heat radiating off him. I inhaled the seductive scent of his minty cologne. “You look at me and imagine what it would be like to kiss me. I look at those perfect lips of yours and know the only improvement I could make is to stick my tongue between them and taste you. I want to have my dick in you, and you want to know how it would feel to have your palms against the wall and me pounding it into you from behind.”

  “Stop!” I shouted. “Stop.” A strand of hair escaped my ponytail as I shook my head, but I didn’t bother brushing it away. I couldn’t look away from him. Truthfully I didn’t try. Chocolate layers lying soft across his forehead, vanilla brushing his ears, earnest golden eyes, his wide shoulders in black leather, his long lean legs in jeans. The temptation to sin, to touch, to taste and experience it all was standing right there before me.

  “I don’t want to stop.” His gaze dropped to my mouth where the strand of hair still lay. My lips felt as if they’d swelled under his gaze. They buzzed with sensation, the wisp of hair across them becoming a titillating tickle.

  “Dizzy,” I whispered, intending to tell him to stop again, but when his gaze popped back up, his eyes a dark steamy concoction, I knew I’d made his name a plea instead. I wanted it so badly. A kiss. Just a single kiss might be enough. I couldn’t remember ever wanting anything more in my entire life.

  Fuck it. Fuck James. Fuck my fucking life. I was going to get what I wanted for a change. Just this one little thing. “Kiss me. Please.” I tilted my head back, peering directly into his gleaming eyes through my lowered lids. “I wanna know if the rumors I’ve heard about you are true.”

  “Ah, Kitten.” He touched my cheek softly, his warm breath spilling over me. “It’d be my pleasure to enlighten you.” The velvet in his voice was like silken ties that bound me to him.

  “Yes.” I practically panted the word, reaching for him, twining my arms around his neck, brushing against the cool leather of his jacket, and sinking my fingers deep into the thick soft hair at his nape.

  He tensed at my touch, but then groaned and grabbed my hips yanking me closer. His masculine rumble of approval and the hard length of his arousal made that corresponding part of me throb with need. Suddenly I was less certain that one kiss would suffice. “Tell me you’ve got one of those open marriages.”

  “No.” I lifted my gaze from that pierced lip and the piercing that I so longed to meld with my own.

  “That’s too bad.” His voice was husky. He carefully slid the strand of hair from my lips, the tips of his fingers rough as he gently tucked it behind my ear. “Then tell me you don’t love him.” He stared deeply into my eyes searching for the answers he wanted. “Tell me your marriage is on the rocks, and that you’re about to get a divorce.”

  “I don’t love him, not anymore. He doesn’t love me either, but I can’t… I can never leave him.” I was barely able to string a sentence together. His caressing fingers made me ramble as they skimmed the arched column of my neck fanning my desire and coaxing secret truths from me that I shouldn’t have shared. My breath caught when I realized what I’d said. “Please, Dizzy I just need you to…” I trailed off feeling the sudden rush of cold air across my hot exposed skin.

  He’d untied my scarf.

  His fingers stilled on my shoulders. “What the fuck?” Dizzy exclaimed eyes wide as he saw the unmistakable evidence of James’ favorite game.

  “It’s not what you think.” I stepped away from him, swallowing hard as the silken camouflage fluttered to the floor along with the desire that had bloomed so rapidly and irresistibly between us.

  Before I could continue my excuses, the door to the storeroom burst open. We both jumped even further apart as Sager stepped inside. “Hope I haven’t interrupted something important.” His tone was heavy with innuendo, and his gaze glittered with accusation. “But I thought you might wanna know that Mel’s looking for both of you.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Dizzy

  The moment she walked out of her building. I felt a surge of relief. She didn’t appear to have suffered any further harm overnight. Had Sager not interrupted us, I’d have made damn sure she didn’t go home that night to the bastard who’d done that to her. But it wasn’t my choice. The whole thing was so screwed up.

  Sager was pretty pissed at me. He thought I was stepping out on Mel with her best friend. I’d tried to explain the situation without giving anything away, but he wasn’t having any of it.

  What he couldn’t know was that April, not Mel, was the one who truly needed protecting. She was in real danger. As far as I could tell Mel didn’t even know her big secret, and that meant it was all up to me to do something about it.

  Raindrops pelted her relentlessly as she moved hurriedly down the sidewalk in my direction. She had the hood of her rain jacket pulled up over her head so I couldn’t see her face, but I’d remedy that in just a moment. The Mine bartender and I definitely had some unfinished business. She was going to look me in the eyes and tell me what the bloody hell had happened to her. I was pretty certain I already knew, and that wa
s what had me so worked up. So much so that I’d been parked out on the street all night long, sitting in my car waiting for her like a fucking stalker.

  “April,” I called when she got close enough, stepping out of my car to intercept her.

  She kept going as if she hadn’t heard me. She had though. She had definitely stepped up her pace. I jogged behind her and grabbed her arm, swinging her around to face me.

  “Dizzy, go away!” she hissed her expression apprehensive beneath the shadow of her hood. She turned and glanced over her shoulder nervously. “James is home. He’s awake. Our window faces this way. He’ll see us.”

  Her fear of him revealed a lot. “I don’t bloody care,” I snapped. Anger toward him and agitation over what he’d been doing to her had me at the tipping point already. She tried to yank her arm free.

  “We’re getting soaked.” The rain was coming down harder now. Everything but my jacket was saturated, clothes cold and wet and plastered to my skin, rivulets of water dripping from my hair and into my eyes. I gestured toward the Panamera. “Get in the damn car so we can talk!”

  “No!” she protested.

  “Yes!” I insisted, dragging her by the elbow to the passenger side and clicking open the lock.

  “You can’t make me go with you, Diz.” That was the first time she’d used the shortened version of my name. I liked it, and I liked that spunk evident in her tone. She wasn’t afraid of me. What I didn’t like seeing were those red rimmed eyes. She’d been crying, a lot I think.

  Shit.

  “You wanna bet?” I wasn’t above a little blackmail at this point, so I laid it out for her. “You either get in the car with me or I’ll go up to your apartment and have a word with your husband myself. Which is it gonna be?”

  She ducked her head and slid in. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding and closed the door after her. Jogging around the rear of the Panamera, boots kicking up a big splash of water sheeting down the street, I folded into my side and closed the door.