by Esme Devlin
“He really will flip, you know.”
“We’re counting on it, darlin’.”
Then I left, not saying another word to her and being sure to flick the lights off before I locked the door.
If what she claimed was true- that Jed Campbell hadn’t hurt Sarah- then Davie needed to know about it. She’d given Davie the upper hand, and she hadn’t even realized it.
Chapter 3
MEGAN
Darkness, again. I stared at that fire exit sign like it was a full moon on a dark night. Tapping my feet. Rattling my nails. Running my fingers through my limp, ratty hair. I fucking hated that man- Kimber. I hated my brother too, for dragging me into this whole sorry mess. I hated every man who ever used women to play their little games, to fight their wars for them. I’d fight my own fucking wars. I was smarter than all of them.
I knew about men. Men like Kimber, men like my brothers, men like the man who’d just cut my hair. Men who loved power and fed off any weakness. You just had to work out how to play them. But which one to play?
Davie would be difficult, but James had potential. The latter looked like a man your mother would instantly warn you about, but he didn’t come across as the overly evil type. Not to the extent Davie did, anyway. Davie had years of experience on me. Davie was the top of the food-chain. I wasn’t naïve enough to think anything I could do would change what Davie wanted to do with me. But James, he was obviously the second in command. Could he be useful to me if I played my cards right and got on his good side? I had to try.
What did he want? I racked my brains as I tapped my nails, my thoughts traveling a hundred miles a minute. He was in this business and there had to be a reason for that. I’d bet that what drove him was exactly the same fucking thing that drove the lot of them: power.
That was how this had all started — my idiot brother deciding he was entitled to more power than he had. He’d broken the rules by taking Sarah, rewritten them. Now it was anyone's guess how far Davie would go to recover his reputation.
I had been stupid though, which isn’t usually like me. Jed’s my weakness, and I saw the pain and hurt written across his face. Pain I had caused. I’d taught Sarah how to play the game, and she’d played it well. I hadn’t expected Jed to fall for her though, or for it to rip my brothers apart. The whole thing was a mess of epic proportions, and now I was in the middle of the mess.
I stared at that fire exit sign, getting lost in my own thoughts until the door opened, and Kimber stood in the entrance. I could tell it was Kimber now I knew his build. James was much bigger.
He didn’t put the light on, and we were both plunged back into darkness when he closed the door.
“On your knees.”
“Fuck yourself.”
They liked it when we resisted. Made them feel strong. I prayed I was correct in my assumptions and hadn’t just signed my death warrant.
I heard his footsteps approach and the fire exit sign disappeared from my view when he was in front of me. Before I could realize what was happening, he lunged forward and grabbed me, forcing me down on to the floor with him.
The impact knocked the breath out of me, the cold concrete floor slamming against my shoulder blades. He gave me no chance to recover; he was already on top of me, pawing at me like he was a vicious animal. I screamed and kicked for dear life but he used his weight to his advantage, parting my legs with his own. His hands roamed over my body, his lips came down to my neck and terror ran through my veins. I wasn’t in my safe place. I wasn’t someone else. I was me, and I was utterly fucking revolted.
I screamed again, frantically, and his hand came down to my mouth to cover it while his other hand fumbled with his belt. My arms thrashed against him and I caught his face. I couldn’t see him, but I could hear his rage build with every deep breath he took. He smelled like cigarettes and whiskey. My heart was pounding out of my chest. His hand came down across my cheek and I screamed from the shock. I bucked my hips in an attempt to push him off me, but it was useless. The metal buckle of his belt dug into my thigh and I focused on that. The pain. Focus on the pain, and not what he’s doing.
Suddenly, the door swung open, and for the second time tonight James walked in on Kimber with his hands all over me. I watched him stiffen as he took in the sight of us.
“Come and hold her hands for me, boy.” Davie demanded.
James watched us for a moment. “There is someone in the bar who you will want to see.”
“They can wait. Help me.”
James shifted but didn’t move.
“Her brother is here.”
Davie stared at James and then looked down to me. Jed was here. Thoughts of escape lit up inside me and I felt a rush of adrenaline and hope run right through my body. How did he know I was here? Did he even know I was here?
Davie started to get up, and I lay still, my breath panting, pretending I was too terrified to move while I tried to think straight. When he straightened and turned his back on me to walk through the door, I jumped up and stormed past him. I made a run for the door; and thought no further ahead than getting through it.
James was fast, faster than me. He stuck his arms out to grab me and caught me in his grasp, his thick arms circling around my body easily. I elbowed him in the chest, but my legs were already dangling inches above the ground.
It didn’t stop me thrashing though, how could I give up when my saviour was on the other side of the door? Even when it slammed shut behind Davie and the pair of us were plunged into darkness, I didn’t stop.
“Fucking settle down.” He said in my ear, his voice strained because of the constant thumps my back was making on his chest.
“Fucking make me.” I demanded, forcing my head back, so it cracked him on his jaw. I didn’t even feel the pain I was so hyped. He dropped me and I stumbled forward on the ground. I flipped myself over quickly. I couldn’t see him move, but I could hear his breath panting above me.
“I’ve been nothing but nice to you.”
“When exactly have you been nice to me?”
“I just saved your arse a minute ago. I could have waited until he finished.”
“He’ll be back.” I said nonchalantly.
“Then I’ll stop him again.”
“Hmm. And why would you do that?”
James didn’t answer.
“Do you have a little soft spot for me already? Hmm?”
“Not a fucking chance, little girl.”
“Your cock when you held me a minute ago said differently... You should find someone to relieve that for you.” I got up and moved forward until I stood inches away from him.
I could feel his warm breath on the top of my head. He said nothing, just stood in front of me taking deep, slow breaths. I tried to settle my own in time with his.
When I looked up I could just about make out the shadows of his features in the dim light. I parted my lips, he’d barely notice but if he felt even a fraction of the tension I was feeling then it would be enough.
“Maybe I’ll do that right now,” he whispered.
“Maybe you should.”
His hands grabbed the back of my neck and crushed me towards him forcefully. His lips came down on my own. I didn’t resist, not at all. Every ounce of anger and rage I had felt tonight came to the surface in the form of that kiss. I kissed him like I was starving, frantic, out of my mind. He matched it completely.
His arm circled around my neck and the other gripped around my waist, forcing me closer to him. His tongue invaded my mouth, dominating it completely as his soft lips rocked against my own.
My hands came up to feel his arms; hot to the touch and clenched tightly. I was so utterly lost in the smell of him, his cologne faint but dark and woody and dangerous. The sound of him as he groaned when his hand slid down to clench my ass-cheek was like music to me. I wanted him to lift me up, to take my legs and wrap them around his body. I wanted him to fuck me until I forgot about the whole fucking thing.
B
ut it wasn’t meant to be. Just as quickly as he’d taken me, he cast me off to the side and turned around to walk out the door. I stood there, fixed to the spot and panting like a spent animal, wondering what the fuck had just happened.
“Are you feeling relieved?” I breathed.
I thought he would ignore me as he opened the door and walked through it. It was just starting to close when he shouted, “You’re playing with fire, baby girl.”
Maybe I was. Maybe I’d burn like fucking Pompeii and get buried in the ashes. Maybe this was a mistake. What choice did I have?
I’d fight fire with fire.
Chapter 4
JAMES
“What did Jed want?”
I sat down in the chair opposite Davie in his office, his expression gave nothing away.
“No fucking idea. I think the little shit just wanted to wind me up.”
“You let him go?”
“I did.”
“Not like you.”
“I want to see him alive long enough to know we have his sister. I’m picturing his reaction now,” his tone was jovial.
“What do you want me to do with her?”
Davie shrugged. “Not thought about that yet. She needs to be kept alive though, to trade her for Sarah.”
“Megan let something slip earlier. I’m not sure he’ll trade.”
“Aye? What is it?”
“She said he didn’t really fuck her up. That video, it was makeup apparently.”
I watched as Davie connected the dots.
“This is good. We’ll do the trade, but keep the both of them.”
“And then what?”
“Then I’ll make the pair of them sorry they were born.”
“The pair of them? There’s three of them.”
“Sarah and Megan. People should know what happens to those who are disloyal.”
“And the brothers?”
“You can kill the brothers once they grow tired of looking for them.”
I nodded and left his office.
His plan made sense, not that I ever really questioned his plans, anyway. Davie would never let Megan go in exchange for Sarah now he knew Jed had feelings for her. We had thought Sarah was disposable to him; the things he had done had all but proved it. But Megan said he hadn’t done it.
I wondered how Sarah felt about him, though? I didn’t know her at all, but it was a cruel fate Davie intended if she wasn’t actually guilty of reciprocating those feelings.
I gave the box of hair to Davie’s driver and instructed them to wait until the early hours of the morning to deliver it. I didn’t want them to beat Jed home.
I’d take Megan to a house in the arse end of nowhere, some place her brothers would never think to look. One of Davie’s many brothels that were dotted around the country. The thought of her being put to work there with the lowlife scum who frequented made me feel… something. Couldn’t put my finger on what exactly.
The thought entered my head that I could easily just take her for myself. Would that be so wrong? From the way she’d behaved earlier, I doubted she’d be complaining. I don’t know what had gotten into me, but there was something about the little blonde. One night, and those deep green eyes and brave face had captured my attention. She was small, vulnerable, but also fearless and completely her own person. I liked that about her. I wanted to feel her mouth choking on my cock, but I also wanted to know what went on in that pretty little head of hers.
She might prove herself even more useful to me in future too, if she played her cards right.
Fuck it. She was mine.
I went back to the basement and had almost forgotten I’d left her in the dark. I switched the lights on and found her on the floor in the corner of the room, watching the door expectantly.
“Did you miss me?” Her lips turned up at the corner into a smile.
“A little. Come, we’re leaving.”
She stood up. “My clothes..”
“Here.” I took off my leather jacket and held it out for her. It would cover her, mostly. I had to improvise. I wasn’t going to let her have her own clothes back only to take them away from her in an hour.
She took my jacket and wrapped it around her. It just covered her arse and no more. Anyone sitting down might just be able to see more than was decent. I didn’t like that, but I wondered how she would deal with things not going her way. Things were probably not going to go her way for quite some time.
I took her by the arm and guided her along the corridor. A barmaid passed by with a bottle of spirits and quickly cast her eyes down when she noticed us. When you worked in a place like this, you didn’t want to be a witness. I glanced down to Megan and chuckled, her face set in a determined stare, but she was blushing.
We made our way up the stairs to the ground level and I took the steps a few behind her. Her ass wiggled as she climbed, sexy as fuck. I imagined it bright red, with a little diamond peeking out from between her round cheeks.
What the fuck was she doing to me?
When we got to the actual bar, she paused. It was busy, and she was losing her nerve. She looked up to me and my stern look told her to move and move now. Her head started to shake, her lips unmoving but her eyes silently begging. We didn’t have time for this. I put my hand around the back of her neck and guided her across the room.
Her head dropped as everyone else’s turned to look at her. I hated them, the men who watched her like they wanted to fuck her, the women who eyed her up and down like they wanted to be her. I hated them all, but with my hand around her pretty little neck there was no doubt in any of their minds that she was mine.
We continued out of the club and up the street until we reached my car. It was cold; the ground was freezing, and I cursed not having a pair of heels for her. I’d get her some heels soon. Heels would make her feel even more vulnerable.
She jumped into the passenger seat and wrapped the jacket tighter around her before buckling herself in. I started the car and had to fight hard to keep my eyes on the road in front of me, and not on her creamy thighs that kept catching my gaze.
“Where are we going?”
“Home.”
“Your house?”
“No.”
“My house?!”
“The place that will be your house.”
She pouted and stared out of the window.
“Will you be there with me?”
She sounded nervous. As if she hadn’t wanted to ask that question, but she couldn’t quite help it.
“Would you like me to?”
“You said you’d stop Davie from...”
“Aye, I did say that.”
“So… what if he comes and you’re not there?”
“He’s a busy man. He won’t concern himself with you.”
“What are you going to do with me?”
I paused for a minute while I thought about how much to tell her.
“We will trade you for Sarah. Then you’re both going to work for Davie.”
“What do you mean? I’d never work for him.”
“I’m sorry, darling. You don’t get a choice.”
“Work? What do you mean ‘work’?”
“I mean the work girls do when they have no choices left.”
“So you’re saving me from being raped by Kimber, only to give me to any random punter who comes knocking? You’re fucked up.”
I laughed. It wouldn’t come to that.
“You’ll do very well indeed if you adjust your attitude.”
She looked out the window again, her face set in a determined stare. This wouldn’t be her fate, she’d do anything and everything possible to change it. And I could offer her those possibilities. She just had to want them.
“You said trade. What did you mean by that?” In the corner of my eye I saw she had turned to face me as she asked the question. Was she trying to read my expression? I kept my eyes on the road. At least if she was looking at me, she wasn’t paying attention to where w
e were going.
“You fucked up.”
“What do you mean?”
“Davie was going to trade you. Now he will keep the both of you.”
“Jed won’t let that happen.”
I chuckled. “Jed won’t have a choice.”
Chapter 5
MEGAN
I watched out the window, trying to piece together where we had been and where we were going. We left the city and were soon speeding along the motorway. The headlights of the car reflected on the road signs, turning them luminous as we sped by them.
We crossed over the road bridge that spanned the stretch of sea which linked the south of the country to the middle. I feared I would lose my bearings — the place was full of roundabouts and little towns. I had expected a large house, out in the middle of nowhere, secluded and private like Jed’s. That couldn’t have been further from where we ended up.
James parked the car in a street that looked like it could only be improved by taking a bulldozer along it. There weren’t two ramshackle houses the same color. Where there should have been grass or flowers, there were old dirty mattresses and burned out rubbish bins.
“This is it?”
“Home sweet home.” He chuckled.
He unclipped his seatbelt and came around the car to help me out. He opened the door and I stared at the pavement, not moving. The ground shimmered in the orange streetlight. It was below freezing but I couldn’t tell if the sparkle was frost or broken glass.
James must have sensed my alarm because he reached in and picked me up, one arm hooking around my legs and the other supporting my back. He kicked the car door shut behind him and then headed towards the house. I tried to memorize every detail. The white door, the roughcast exterior — painted a sickly shade of vanilla, the decrepit car that sat on the patchy grass in front of the window.
James chapped the letterbox while I clung to his neck for balance. A few moments passed, and I heard the door unlock from the inside. It swung open to reveal a woman. I’d estimate from the faint lines around her eyes she was in her late thirties. She had red hair and a scattering of freckles across her cheeks. Something darkened her eyes, like she hadn’t washed her mascara off yet and she wrapped her housecoat tighter around her small frame as the chilled night air sucked the warmth from the house.
