Chapter 18
Corvus King
Istood there between Tempest”s legs, her thighs warm against my hips as she sat on the kitchen counter. The dim light from the single bulb above casted shadows over Nate, Trey, and Hammer, their faces etched with both loyalty and amusement.
”Say hi to my old lady,” I said gruffly to Trey, my voice low and gravelly.
”Old lady?” Tempest quipped, one eyebrow raised. ”You do know I”m younger than you?”
The whole room erupted in laughter, as I leaned in a gave her a small kiss, the sight of her swamped in my cut was making my dick hard.
”Alright, boys, get outta here,” I ordered. ”Tomorrow, make sure Tempest”s house is secure.”
”Sure thing, VP,” Nate replied, his eyes locked on mine, acknowledging the order. Trey nodded, flashing a quick grin before following suit. As they disappeared into the night, Hammer lingered, gaze focused on the broken front door lying on the floor.
”VP, you might wanna help me with this,” he said, bending down to lift the heavy wood. I walked over, muscles tensing as we hoisted it back into place, leaning it against the frame to create the illusion of security.
With the door propped up, Hammer gave me a nod and left, leaving Tempest and me alone.
”Thank you,” she whispered, her voice soft and shy as she hopped off the counter and approached me. Her eyes, those captivating yellow orbs, locked onto mine as if searching for something to hold onto in the chaos of our lives. I couldn”t help but smirk at the vulnerability behind that fiery gaze. ”Come on, princess,” I said, my voice gruff and fatigued, ”show me to this bed roll of yours. I need some sleep.”
She hesitated, then coughed nervously, her delicate fingers twisting together. ”Um, okay,” she murmured, leading me through the darkened hallway.
The house was a mess - peeling wallpaper cracked floorboards, and an air of abandonment that hung heavy in every room. But it was hers. And now, it would be mine too.
”Here,” she said softly, pushing open a door to reveal a large, dimly lit room. My eyes drifted to the makeshift bed on the floor, and I couldn”t help but chuckle. ”That looks like a yoga mat, princess.”
”Hey!” she protested, laughter bubbling up. ”It”s not a yoga mat, okay? It”s... well, it”s what I”ve got. If you”re staying, you might as well get comfy.”
”Comfy” wasn”t exactly how I”d describe it. The thin mattress did little to hide the hardness of the floor beneath, but I wasn”t about to complain. Crawling onto the makeshift bed, pulling Tempest to my side. Her body fit perfectly against mine as if we were two pieces of a puzzle that fate had finally put together.
”Jesus, this house needs a lot of work,” I mumbled, feeling the chill seep in from the cracks in the walls.
”Y-yeah,” she stammered, shivering slightly. ”But I”ll get it done slowly.”
”Fuck no, you won”t,” I countered immediately. ”The boys will be here tomorrow and they”ll get the whole thing done.”
She sat up, looking at me with disbelief written all over her face. ”What the fuck, Corvus?”
”Princess, the VP of Devil”s Cut cannot live in a house without a working front door,” I explained, my voice firm. ”This place needs to be a fortress, and the boys will get it done.”
”Wait, the VP of Devil”s Cut lives here?” she asked, her golden eyes wide with realisation.
I studied her face, those golden eyes glistening with uncertainty. ”If you think me claiming you as my old lady means I”m gonna sleep without you every night, you must be crazy,” I told her, raising my brows.
”Corvus, I don”t want to be owned,” she shot back, her voice tense.
I couldn”t help but chuckle. ”Oh, I don”t own you, princess. You own me.”
She frowned, confusion painting her features. ”I do not own you.”
”Princess, the second you walked into that interview room, you owned me. I just didn”t know it yet,” I admitted. ”But now I do.”
My heart raced as I leaned in and pressed my lips against hers, sealing our connection. The taste of her was sweet and intoxicating, igniting a fire within me. Her body shivered in response, a soft moan escaping her parted lips.
The scent of her hair, apples and cinnamon, filled my nostrils as I pulled her down onto my chest. The warmth of her body against mine made my heart race, the weight of her anchoring me. Our lips locked in a soft, tender dance, a moment stolen from the chaos around us.
”Corvus,” she whispered, breaking away from our kiss. ”We need to sleep. We both have work in the morning.”
My fingers traced patterns on her back, a smirk playing at the corners of my mouth. ”Just call in sick to the boss,” I suggested a mischievous glint in my eye.
A laugh bubbled up from within her, the sound like music to my ears. ”You really think he”d buy that?”
———————————————————————————
As the sun broke through the clouds, we walked into work together, the door to the bar slamming behind us. I leaned in, gently pressing my lips against Tempest”s. ”There should be a shipment in the storeroom waiting for you to put away,” I murmured softly.
”Alright, Corvus,” she nodded, her ponytail bouncing as she turned toward the storeroom. Today, she was wearing short shorts and a singlet top, revealing more skin than usual. The sight of her, confident yet vulnerable, stirred something deep within me.
My eyes traced the small scars that peppered the tops of her thighs, barely visible under the dim light. I noticed some on her upper back. I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to ask her about them. If I knew their origin, there”d be no stopping the rage inside me. Someone would pay dearly for hurting her.
The scars haunted me, like ghosts trailing behind her. Tempest moved with purpose, unaware of the way my gaze lingered on each imperfection. To others, they were invisible, but they now held a permanent place in my vision.
I strode toward the back office, mind racing. There was work to be done—arranging the party at the clubhouse for Killer”s patching in and contacting Mr Pavlov about his missing shipment. Someone had been stealing from him, and I wanted to know who.
Grabbing my mobile I dialled the first number. One of our head whores.
”Hey, babe,” she purred. ”What can I do for you?”
”Clubhouse tonight,” I said, cutting her off. ”Killer”s patching in. Make sure it”s one hell of a party, and it’s Corvus or VP from now on, understand?” I said in a sharp voice.
”Of course, Corvus.” Her tone shifted to business-like. ”Booze and drugs?”
”Plenty of both,” I replied, grinning.
”Consider it done.” She hung up, and I dialled the next number. Our local patch maker.
”Patchworks,” he answered, gruff as ever.
”Need a patch made up for Killer,” I said. “tonight clubhouse.”
”Got it,” he grunted. ”I”ll get it there this afternoon.”
”Good man.” I hung up, leaning back in my chair. Party handled. Now, Tempest...
Would she come tonight? I wanted to introduce her to everyone as my old lady. But would she be ready for that?
”Fuck it,” I muttered, pushing away from my desk. Decision made. My heart pounded as I stalked down the hall, determination fuelling each step. I”d ask her.
A haunting melody floated through the air, a siren”s call. Her voice. My feet moved on their own, drawn to the sound. The storeroom door stood ajar, the song laced with pain and longing, echoing off the walls. She was inside, unpacking boxes, her ponytail swaying as she stacked bottles onto the shelves. ”You put a spell on me” was being sung in a slow, twisted version, making it something dark and chilling. Beautiful.
Goddamn. This woman... She was mine. And her voice – better than any siren. It hit me like a fist, stealing my breath away.
”Shit!” she screamed, spinning around as she caught sight of me in the doorway. The bottle of whiskey slipped from her grasp, shattering on the floor. Glass and amber liquid spread in a chaotic pool at her feet.
”Fuck, sorry,” she stammered, her eyes wide with fear. ”Take it from my wages. I didn”t mean to...”
”Tempest,” I said, cutting her off. ”Don”t worry about the damn bottle.” My heart raced.
Seeing her like that, vulnerable and flustered, spurred me into action. I strode across the room, boots crunching over broken glass, and stood in front of her. Grabbing her chin, I forced her to look up into my eyes. ”Tempest, I”m in love with you,” I said, my breath ragged.
Her frown gave way to surprise, and then a goofy smile lit up her face. Unable to resist her any longer, I leaned down and kissed her. She tasted like mine.
”Corvus...” she whispered against my lips.
”Shh,” I replied, running my hands down her back and grabbing her ass. Lifting her up, she wrapped her legs around my waist, her body pressed tightly against mine. We moved out of the storeroom, leaving behind the stench of spilled whiskey and shattered glass.
In my office, I sat down with her still in my arms, her legs on either side of me. Her kisses were just as desperate as mine, full of a need we both felt deep in our bones.
My lips left hers, the air between us heavy with desire. ”Tempest, you have to sing here,” I told her, my voice husky from the raw emotions coursing through me. ”Your voice is perfect. I need to hear it every single night. Please.”
Her cheeks flushed, eyes wide and vulnerable. ”Oh no, that”s scary,” she protested.
”Fuckin” bullshit,” I countered, my grip on her tightening possessively. ”Sing me one song after work on stage, then we can head home. Please.”
She hesitated, biting her lip. ”I don”t know...” Then, a flicker of determination crossed her face. ”How about this? All the work the boys are doin” on my house--singing one song a night on stage can go towards paying for it?”
I smirked at the unexpected bargaining, feeling a swell of pride for my woman. ”Deal,” I agreed without hesitation.
”Okay.” She smiled a hint of mischief in her gaze. ”But I have one request.”
”Alright,” I said, curiosity piqued. ”What”s your request?”
”No one is allowed to film it, put it on social media. I can”t be seen on there.” Her voice was firm, her eyes serious.
I furrowed my brow and wondered what the fuck was going on in her past that she needed to stay off the grid like this. But I didn”t ask. Not yet. She”d tell me when she was ready. ”Okay,” I agreed. ”I”ll make sure it isn”t recorded.”
”Thank you,” she whispered, relief washing over her face.
”Can you promise me something?” I asked, feeling a sudden vulnerability in my chest.
”Anything,” she replied without hesitation.
”That one day you”ll trust me enough to tell me your whole story. I would love to know.” My heart hammered in my chest as I awaited her answer.
She blew out a breath, her eyes shining. ”Okay. I promise. One day, I”ll tell you all of it.”
———————————————————————————
The mountain of paperwork on my desk finally started to shrink. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I dug through the mess, trying to make sense of this goddamn chaos. Tempest and Amanda were out front, handling business in the bar, while I dealt with the shitstorm behind the scenes.
”Corvus,”Mr. Pavlov”s gravelly voice echoed in my head. He had told me they still hadn”t found the rat in their ranks. But at least the latest shipment arrived without a hitch. Fuckin” finally.”I want to shadow the next one again,”he”d asked, and I agreed. No point sayin” no; it was just part of the game.
”Hey, Corvus!” Amanda popped her head into my office, her bright eyes a welcome distraction. ”It”s 4:30.”
”Thanks, Amanda,” I replied, my voice rough from lack of use. The thought of Tempest singing on stage sent shivers down my spine. God, I couldn”t fuckin” wait to hear that angelic voice of hers fill the room. It would be like a fuckin” drug to me.
I”d tried to get Tempest to come to the clubhouse party tonight, but she shut me down quickly – said she”d rather not. Didn”t wanna push her too hard, so I cooked up a different plan to make her mine in front of the boys and the club without dragging her there.
The problem was, I didn”t know her whole story. What if takin” her to the clubhouse triggered some bad shit for her? I sighed, shaking my head. No point dwelling on it now.
Finally, time”s up. I pushed away from my desk, my boots heavy on the floor as I made my way outta the office, down the hall, and into the bar. The familiar scent of booze and smoke wrapped around me.
”Hey, Corvus,” Amanda grinned, wiping down the counter. But my eyes were locked on Tempest, my beautiful angel, pourin” a beer for one of the regulars. I walked up behind her, close enough that her sweet scent filled my nostrils, and leaned in.
”You”re up soon, princess,” I whispered, watchin” goosebumps rise on her arms as she poured the golden liquid. Her breath hitched, and her cheeks flushed pink.
”Okay,” she murmured, her eyes meetin” mine briefly before lookin” away. God, she was somethin” else. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline already pumpin” through my veins at the thought of hearin” her sing.
With her hands on her hips, Tempest turned to face me with a defiant smirk. ”You do know I could tell the boss about possible sexual harassment here,” she said, pointing at me.
”Is that so?” I asked, my grin growing wider. Fuck, I loved it when she challenged me like this. Made everything more exciting.
”Absolutely,” she replied, her eyes sparklin” with mischief. Before she could say anything else, though, I leaned down and planted a deep, possessive kiss on her lips right there in front of everyone. The men around us cheered and hollered, clearly enjoyin” the show.
”Ok, pay up fuckers!” Amanda yelled, holding out her hand to collect the bets some of them had apparently made on me.
As we broke apart, breathless and flushed, I smirked at Tempest. ”It”s okay, princess. I”m friendly with the boss. I”m sure he”ll believe me and not you.”
She rolled her eyes but smiled, tryin” to hide the fact that my touch affected her just as much as hers did to me. ”Whatever you say, VP.”
I turned my back on her, walkin” away with purpose. My boots thudded against the hardwood floor as I made a beeline for the stage. The bar”s patrons parted like the fuckin” Red Sea before me, their eyes watchin” me with curiosity and anticipation.
”Attention!” I barked into the mic, my voice commandin” silence from the rowdy crowd. ”We got ourselves a special treat tonight. Our beautiful bar lady, Tempest, will be singin” a song for us every night after her shift.”
The whole place erupted in cheers and whistles, the air crackling with excitement. I could feel the power surgin” through me. This was my fuckin” kingdom, and I was showin” off my queen.
Amanda whispered into Tempest”s ear, leanin” close to be heard over the din of the crowd. I couldn”t hear what she said, but whatever it was made Tempest blush and look at me with wide eyes.
I held out my hand to her, beckoning her to join me on stage. ”Let”s give a warm welcome to our girl, Tempest!” The bar went wild as she walked up, her eyes locked on mine.
As she reached the stage, I shrugged off my cut, draping it over her shoulders like a cloak. The entire room went dead quiet, holdin” their breath. ”Now listen up,” I growled into the mic, ”This here”s my old lady, and ain”t nobody gonna record or film her up here. You wanna try that shit? Go right ahead, but you”ll be leaving with a bullet between your fuckin” eyes. You got that?”
I stepped off the stage, takin” my place right in front, my eyes never leavin” her. The crowd roared back to life, whistling and cheering, making her blush a deep red.
Fuck, she”s beautiful, I thought, feelin” a possessive growl rising in my chest. She looked at me for reassurance, and I nodded, givin” her the go-ahead.
”Show ”em what you”re made of, princess.”
She raised the mic to her lips and began to sing ”Stay” by Rihanna, her voice slow and hauntin”. The power of her talent resonated through the room, silencin” even the rowdiest of patrons. Every word felt like it was meant just for me, pullin” me under her spell.
Jesus Christ, her voice... My pulse raced, knowin” she belonged to me, that we belonged to each other.
The silence that followed her song was deafening—a testament to the powerful grip of her voice. It was like the world had stopped breathing, waiting for its next cue.
”Fuckin” incredible,” someone whispered, breakin” the trance.
”Tempest! Tempest!” The chant spread through the crowd, roaring louder and wilder. My heart swelled with pride.
”Thanks, everyone,” she said, her voice shaking. She stepped off the stage, walkin” straight into my arms. I wrapped her up, lettin” her feel my strength, my protection.
”Ok, let”s go home,” I murmured into her ear. ”I don”t have to be at the clubhouse till 9, so I got a few hours to help you move some furniture around that I”m sure the boys have dumped into your place by now.”
”Thank you, Corvus,” she said softly, pressin” a chaste kiss to my cheek. ”I appreciate it more than you know.”
”Anythin” for you, Princess,” I replied, squeezing her tightly.