Devils Cut

Chapter 22

Corvus King

The world slowly crept back into focus as I woke up, my body entwined with Tempest”s. Her arms and legs were wrapped around me like a lifeline to a drowning man. I pulled her closer, breathing in the scent of her hair.

”Morning,” she mumbled sleepily, nuzzling her face against my chest.

”Morning, princess,” I replied, the love for her swelling inside me like a tidal wave.

It was a love I”d never experienced before, one that consumed every part of me. It was passionate and deep, fierce and unrelenting. Her closeness only intensified those feelings; it was a drug I couldn”t get enough of.

”Did you sleep well?” I asked, tightening my grip on her.

”Like a baby,” she murmured, pressing her lips to my skin. ”You?”

”Best night of sleep I”ve had in years,” I admitted, knowing it was the truth. And it was all because of her, the woman who”d stolen my heart and claimed my soul.

”Good,” she whispered, smiling against my chest. ”I”m glad.”

”Me too.” But even as the words left my mouth, I knew they weren”t enough.

”Tempest,” I said, lifting her chin so her eyes met mine. ”I need you to know something.”

”What”s that?” she asked, her gaze searching mine for answers.

”I love you,” I told her, my voice raw with emotion. ”More than anything in this world, I love you.”

Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked stunned. But then she smiled, a radiant glow spreading across her face. ”I love you too, Corvus,” she whispered, her hands reaching up to cup my face. ”So much.”

”Good,” I murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. ”Because I don”t know what I”d do without you now that I have you.”

She looked at me and blushed, as the alarm on my phone started to blare loudly.

“Shit” I exclaimed and disentangled myself from Tempest”s warm embrace. As much as I wanted to stay in bed with her all day, life had other plans for us.

”Need to shower,” I announced, kissing her forehead before making my way to the bathroom.

The shower was invigorating, the pulsing jets of water pounding against my skin. But as I stepped out, dripping wet and naked, Tempest appeared in the doorway. Her eyes flicked down to my body before darting away, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink.

”Sorry,” she stammered, looking anywhere but at me.

I closed the distance between us, water dripping onto the floor with each step. Gently, I tilted her chin back up, forcing her to look into my eyes. ”Don”t say sorry to me,” I told her, my voice low and firm. ”You”re allowed to look at me naked, princess.”

I pressed a soft kiss to her lips, feeling her blush deepen beneath my touch. She laughed then, the sound light and musical, as she pushed me away. ”Corvus, you”re all wet!”

Her gaze dropped to her now-damp singlet and shorts, and I couldn”t help but tease her. ”Pity the singlet isn”t white...”

She laughed again, playfully swatting my arm before walking off. I watched her go, a small smile playing on my lips.

I walked back to the bedroom, dripping water as I went. Grabbing yesterday”s clothes, I pulled them on, mumbling to myself about needing to get my stuff brought over today.

As I made my way to the kitchen, the smell of bacon and eggs hit me. Tempest was at the stove, her brow furrowed in concentration as she poked at the pan with a spatula. I couldn”t help but chuckle when I saw the state of our breakfast – the eggs were overdone and the bacon was barely cooked.

”Hey,” I said, leaning against the counter with a teasing grin. ”What happened here?”

Tempest shot me a pointed look. ”I tried.” She said with a shrug.

”Clearly,” I laughed, earning a huff from her. ”Sit down, princess. Let me fix this.”

She begrudgingly took a seat at the table, watching me with narrowed eyes as I salvaged what I could of our meal.

I finished up the bacon and eggs, setting a plate in front of her and taking a seat across from her.

After taking a bite of her food and looking at it in amazement, Tempest listens as I tell her, ”I have to leave soon, so I”ll drop you off at work at 11. But don”t worry, I”ll be back in time to hear you sing.” Curious, she asks me, ”Where are you heading off to?” Then, realising her mistake, she adds quickly, ”Oh sorry, you probably can”t tell me.”

”Princess, you can ask me anything you want,” I told her, locking my gaze with hers. ”If I answer, then I answer. If I don”t, it”s for your own safety.”

”Okay,” she said, smiling softly.

I reluctantly confessed, ”We deal in drugs, guns, and other illegal items.” Our bar serves as a front for laundering our profits. ”Today, I have a meeting with the Russian mafia,” I stated, observing her reaction closely.

”They”ve had issues with their shipments. The issue wasn”t on our end, but theirs. They shadowed a few shipments to see where the problem was, and now their Boss wants to meet to discuss what they found. We mainly try to talk in person since phones can be tapped.”

”Wait...guns? Like, actual guns?” Tempest asked incredulously, her eyes wide with amazement.

I couldn”t help but laugh at her innocent expression. ”Yes, princess.”

”In Australia, we don”t get much exposure to guns. They”re mostly illegal unless you have a license. Even then, they stay locked away in cupboards or lockboxes,” she explained, her voice tinged with disbelief.

I could feel the weight of my pistol pressed against my lower back as I smiled back at Tempest, a constant reminder of the world we lived in. ”I wish that was the case here in America, princess. But we”re so used to carrying these damn things 24/7, it”s like second nature now.” I paused, meeting her eyes with a fierce determination. ”But you don”t need to worry about any of it. I”ll keep you safe, okay?”

”Okay,” she whispered, her gaze never leaving mine.

”Promise me something,” I said, leaning in closer. ”No matter what happens, trust me to protect you.”

”Of course I trust you, Corvus,” she replied, her voice soft but full of conviction.

”Good.” I squeezed her hand tightly, feeling the warmth of her skin against mine.

”Corvus?” Her voice pulled me back from my thoughts.

”Yeah, princess?”

”I... I love you,” she said, her cheeks flushing a beautiful shade of pink.

My heart clenched painfully in my chest. ”Tempest... I love you too,” I murmured, my voice thick with emotion.

———————————————————————————

The sun glinted off Tempest”s hair as she slid off the back of my bike. She pulled off her helmet, revealing those green eyes that always seemed to pierce right through me. ”I”ll see you later,” she murmured, leaning in for a gentle kiss.

”Later, babe,” I replied, taking the helmet from her and watching as she sauntered toward the front door of the bar. Killer, held the door open for her with a nod, disappearing inside once she”d crossed the threshold.

Shoving the helmet back onto my head, I gripped the clutch tight and clicked down once, taking off down the road. The wind roared in my ears, drowning out everything but the rumble of my engine - it was pure fucking freedom, something I craved every goddamn day.

The dirt road stretched ahead of me, kicking up dust like a cloud behind me as I road towards the old abandoned warehouse. The sun beat down on my back, sweat dripping from under my helmet.

I pulled up to the warehouse, the sound of my engine echoing through the emptiness. Trey and Hammer were already there, leaning against their bikes as they waited for me. I killed the engine and swung my leg over, pulling off my helmet.

”Where”s Nate?” I asked, scanning the area for any sign of him.

”Trouble at home,” Trey replied, his face tightening into a grimace. ”His sister”s pregnant.”

”Get fucked,” I muttered, disbelief etched in my voice. ”She’s what, 14?”

”Nope, 16,” Hammer corrected. ”Nate wants to know who the dad is so he can go slice his dick off.”

A laugh escaped me, despite the gravity of the situation. ”Keep me informed.”

As we talked, a black car started its way down the dirt road, kicking up dust of its own. Our focus shifted, tension prickling at the back of my neck.

The black car rolled to a stop, dust settling around it like a shroud. I narrowed my eyes, taking in the vehicle and its occupants. Mr. Pavlov stepped out, his polished shoes sinking into the dirt as he approached me. A dangerous man, but an ally for now.

”Corvus,” he greeted, extending a hand which I took firmly. ”I have some good news. That shipment we followed has disappeared, and we have an idea who”s behind it. But I”ll release all the information when I”m 100% sure.”

”Good shit,” I replied, nodding. My thoughts raced with possibilities, but I held back any questions. Trusting Pavlov was a necessity, but only to an extent.

”What do you need from us?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

Pavlov glanced around briefly before meeting my eyes again. ”I need to shadow one more shipment. Can you put fake stuff in it? We”ll pick up the real guns before. I want to put some of my men in the containers.”

My mind churned, weighing the risks and rewards. It was a bold move, but if it led us to the culprit, it could be worth it. Besides, it wouldn”t hurt to have more leverage on Pavlov.

”Alright,” I agreed. ”We”ll do it.”

”Excellent,” Pavlov said, his expression unreadable.

“One hour good?” I asked, shaking Pavlov”s hand.

”Da, I’ll be back in an hour.” With that, Mr. Pavlov got back into his car and drove off, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.

”Right, that”s dealt with,” I said, turning to Hammer and Trey. ”I wanna go to the bar and listen to my old lady sing.”

Their smiles were almost teasing. ”Never thought I”d see the day you wifed up,” Trey remarked, amusement clear in his voice.

”Neither did I,” I admitted, chuckling. ”But now that I have, I”m hooked. You should consider it too,” I suggested, half-serious as I looked at Hammer.

He just laughed, shaking his head. ”Not for me, man. Not yet, anyway.”

”Suit yourself,” I replied, knowing damn well how much Tempest had changed my life.

”Get everything ready for the shipment, call Ben, Nate and Billy for the job” I instructed, my tone hardening. ”And make sure you keep an eye on Pavlov”s men. Don”t let them out of your sight.”

”Understood, Corvus,” Hammer said, nodding firmly. Trey gave a quick salute before they both went off to handle their respective tasks.

I swung my leg over the bike, feeling the familiar hum beneath me as I revved the engine. The wind was calling, and so was Tempest”s voice. With a quick nod to Hammer and Trey, I hit the throttle and tore off down the road.

The bar loomed in the distance like a sanctuary, its neon signs casting an eerie glow on the gravel lot. I pulled into my designated spot, killing the engine with a final roar. As I dismounted and removed my helmet, Killer stepped forward, holding the door open for me.

”Anything exciting?” I asked him, my eyes scanning the dimly lit interior.

”Nope,” Killer replied, his deep voice betraying a hint of amusement. ”Been nice and quiet.”

“Good,” I grunted, stepping inside. But silence never lasted long around here. It was only a matter of time before some shit went down.

”Hey, VP!” A couple of the guys called out from their spots at the bar, raising their glasses in salute. I responded with a curt nod, my focus already drifting towards the stage. Tempest would be up there soon, her voice soothing my battered soul.

Turning back to the bar, I pushed through the crowd, my eyes locked on Tempest, feeling the heat of her presence as she served drinks to a group of rowdy patrons. Slipping under the bar and around behind her.

“You are up soon, princess,” I murmured into her ear, slipping my arms around her from behind. She leaned back into me, a soft smile gracing her lips.

”OK, VP,” she teased, her voice like silk against my skin. My hand landed on her ass with a playful slap.

”No more VP, just Corvus. I like my name on your lips.” I couldn”t help but smile at the way she made me feel – alive, powerful, and utterly captivated.

”Whatever you say, Corvus,” she shot back, her eyes dancing with mischief before returning to her duties. With one last lingering touch, I retreated to my usual spot right in front of the stage, anticipation coursing through my veins.

Amanda, ever attentive, slid a whiskey across the sticky surface of the table. ”Here you go, VP.”

”Thanks.” My gratitude was curt, my focus elsewhere.

Ten agonizing minutes later, Tempest took to the stage, her hair framing her face like a dark halo. As she began to sing, her voice wove a spell that sent shivers down my spine. The song was haunting, dark, and raw.

”Fuck,” I whispered, goosebumps prickling my skin as the notes swirled around me. This was new, something I hadn”t heard before, and it only served to draw me in deeper.

”Who is she?” A stranger next to me asked, his greedy eyes fixed on my Tempest.

”Mine,” I growled, the single word laced with venom, my eyes never leaving her.

The final note hung in the air like a promise, and as Tempest”s eyes met mine, I saw something shift behind them. Suddenly, her gaze darted to the entrance, and all the colour drained from her face.

”Shit,” I muttered, springing to my feet and bounding onto the stage.

”Tempest!” My arms wrapped around her just as she began to collapse, her knees buckling under the terror that gripped her. I shot a glance at the door, where Killer stood – his eyes wide with panic as he looked at Tempest.

”What is it?” I demanded, hoisting her up into my arms and carrying her through the crowded bar. The world beyond us blurred as I focused solely on keeping her safe, shielding her trembling form from prying eyes.

”He”s here,” she managed to choke out, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. ”My brother.”

”Your fucking brother?” I said confused.