Chapter 18
Darryl likes to think he’s a gentleman himself. Instead of ordering us to strip and get to fucking, he tells us to take a few minutes to talk, to get to know each other, so that when he comes back, he can expect the show to get on the road.
If you believe that, I’ve got a bridge leading to Brooklyn to sell you.
I’m sure he can sense there’s some hesitation on our part. As long as he doesn’t get the idea that Chase and I already know each other, I think it’ll be okay, but he probably didn’t want to waste any time trying to cajole us—or threaten us—into having sex for his own enjoyment.
Not when he can get laid on his own.
How much do you want to bet that he went off in search of Chloe? For whatever reason—and I think I might have a guess—she basically threw herself at the grizzled leader. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to know that he decided not to wait to see what she was willing to offer him.
Maybe I’m being catty, but the big guy looks like a one-minute man. In that case, I don’t think we’ll have that much time to ourselves.
The moment Darryl is gone, I turn to Chase, taking him in again without anyone watching my actions with suspicion.
“You look like hell.” The words just come out. I point at the scratch on his face. “Where did you get that?”
He brushes me off with a wave of his free hand before reaching for me.
His actions are shy and gentle, and when his thumb nears my eye, it ghosts over the bruise I know is there.
I’m suddenly aware that, while Chloe’s make-up job was good enough to keep the men in the crowd from noticing the mark, Chase is only about a foot away from me.
He’s so close that, when he takes in that sharp breath of air, it’s like he’s stolen it from me.
“Never mind about that. This looks painful… and fresh.” His jaw clenches so tightly that I see lines in his neck as sharp as razors. “Who did this to you? Was it that Maverick prick?”
What? “Maverick? No… no, he didn’t do that to me.”
He exhales; I feel the heat on my skin. Chase wants it to have been Maverick, I can tell, but just because it wasn’t, that doesn’t mean he’s any less furious. “Then who? Who did this to you?” His eyes flash angrily. “Tell me. I want to hurt them back.”
I could tell him. I could let him know that Darryl punched me to get me up on the stage, but I know Chase.
From our own friendship, and everything Hallie used to tell me about him.
If I admit that it was Darryl, the next time that man walks through the door, Chase will go after him—and probably end up lurker chow for his trouble.
“It’s not worth it.”
“Of course it is.”
I shake my head. He doesn’t get it. He wasn’t there last night.
He doesn’t know about the lurkers.
“It’s okay. Chase, listen to me. It’s okay. It’s a bruise. It’ll heal. But we need to talk about this.” I shake the handcuffs. “There’s only one way to get these off. You heard him. We have to have sex.”
His entire expression shuts down. “I won’t do it.”
“If we have to—”
“They can’t make me.”
He’s wrong about that.
“I know this isn’t something we would ordinarily do.
” Unless we’re drinking and reminiscing, that is.
“I know I’m asking a lot of you. But, listen to me: this is a bad dude.
Okay?” I swipe my hand over my cheek. “A bad fucking dude. I saw him sentence one of his men to the lurkers last night. If we don’t listen to him, I don’t even want to think about what he’ll do to us. ”
Us.
His mouth parts, understanding written in his eyes. That’s right, Chase. He won’t only take out any defiance on you. If we don’t do what we’re told, it’s my ass on the line, too.
That’s all I have to say. After that, there is no argument. There’s no more talking. It’s just me, shivering in my bikini despite the weight of Rory’s jacket, and Chase glaring at the door as though he could make it unlock with the might of his will.
But he can’t, and as I expected, it isn’t long before Darryl walks back in, tugging the door shut behind him.
Chase stiffens. His gaze darts over to me, jaw flexing again as he glances at the bruise on my cheek.
I shake my head just enough to make it clear. Yes, this is the asshole who hit me. No, there’s nothing Chase can do about it while we’re handcuffed, trapped in this room, and expected to fuck on command.
In case I got it wrong, Darryl makes a big display of adjusting his crotch as he swaggers into the room. Instead of the same EJSP coveralls he was in before, he traded them for a pair of sweatpants and a white t-shirt that stretches over his belly.
That should’ve been a warning sign. At first, I thought he changed because he’d been naked with one of his wives, and while that might very well be true, I learn the hard way that that’s not the only reason why he changed when he plops himself down on the chair, reaches into his sweatpants, and pulls out his limp dick.
He settles it on his thigh, crosses his arms over his broad chest, and grins beneath his mustache.
“Alright, kids. I’ve given you enough time. Let’s get the evening started.”
Chase blows air through his nose. He already hated the idea of doing this, but now that Darryl plans on really turning this into his own porn show, complete with whacking off while he watches, I can sense the tension thrumming off of him.
He’s going to refuse. I know it. He’s going to—
His fingers go to my hair, slipping through the strands. Tugging lightly on his handful of curls, he tips my head back, leaning over so that he can slant his mouth over mine. His lips are soft. Sensual. His back might be tight, but his lips are gentle as he kisses me slowly, begging for entry.
I let him in, moving closer, throwing my hands up so that I can hold onto his chest.
To our left, Darryl snorts. “What the hell is this shit? You’re supposed to get her under you, boy. Stop messin’ around and get to it.”
Chase doesn’t release his hold on my hair, though he does break the kiss. His profile is sharp and daring as he snaps, “What am I doing? I’m getting her to relax. She needs to want this.”
Darryl takes his cock in his hand, stroking it slowly, bringing it to life. “No, she doesn’t. She just needs to lie still and take what you give her.”
Chase glares. “Is she my wife?”
“Once you’re done in here, sure. That’s how it goes in East Jersey.”
“I don’t tell you how to fuck your wives, sir. I’m going to be responsible for Alexandra. I’m claiming her as mine. I want her to trust me, not be afraid of me. So, if you don’t mind, I’ll take care of her the way I see fit, and you can wait as long as it takes.”
My eyes go wide. My heart basically stops. Chase basically just told Darryl to fuck off, and I don’t know how the ex-con is going to react. What if he changes his mind? What if he kicks Chase out? What if—
Darryl laughs. That holly jolly BS laugh. “Fair enough, Knight. You’re right. She’s your wife. I guess I can work on my patience.” Another stroke, rougher this time. “So long as you make the show worth my while.”
Chase doesn’t answer him. Instead, he looks at me, making sure that I’m okay.
I am. So far.
And then, so Chase knows exactly who the boss in this room is, Darryl says, “Take off her top.”
It’s not a suggestion. It’s not a request. The laughter from his voice has hardened into something that not even Chase can fight against.
It’s a command.
Will that stop him from trying to shield me? Of course not. And, this time, I have the feeling that Darryl won’t let him get away with more backtalking.
With my free hand, I take Chase by the chin, angling his head down so that he has to look at me.
“Do it,” I whisper.
They’re just tits. They’re just tits, Chase. If it keeps Darryl from deciding to retaliate, I don’t care.
He hesitates.
I nod reassuringly at him.
Chase swallows roughly before reaching under Rory’s jacket. His trembling fingers find one of the ties. He undoes it. He travels up my back, searching for the other. A quick tug and it’s falling forward.
“All the way,” says Darryl. “Let me see what your antidote bought you.”
Chase can’t bring himself to do it. I jerk my hand, grabbing the material, ripping the bikini top off myself. The moment my tits are on display, the big bastard starts pumping his hand faster. He’s fully hard now, and I want nothing more than to go over there and stomp my boot in his lap.
I’d pay for it. Oh, yeah, I’d pay for it.
But, damn it, it would feel so good.
It’s Chase’s turn to brush his fingers along my jaw, turning me back to face him.
“Focus on me,” he murmurs. “Only on me.”
It would be a lot easier if Darryl wasn’t grunting behind us.
I nod, and Darryl calls out another order.
“Take him out, sweetheart. Let’s see it.” When I don’t move, he clicks his tongue in impatience. “His cock. I want to see your pretty hands wrapped around his meat.”
Can he be any more crude?
If Chase could undress me even when he didn’t want to, I can do this. A quick peek up at his face, a stoic nod, and I have his permission to do just that.
My fingers shake so bad, the handcuffs jangle. I pretend not to notice as I undo his jeans, pull down the zipper, and reach inside of his boxer briefs for his dick.
The second I lay my fingers along his heated flesh, he jerks. By the time I release him, it’s easy to see that he’s also erect.
“I’m sorry,” he bites out.
For what? For his body reacting to being this close to me?
I’m basically in my underwear, the bikini is so revealing, and though he’s trying not to stare at my boobs, I don’t blame him for peeking.
For all I know, Darryl will call the whole thing off if he pretends not to notice they’re there for him to see and touch.
To make it fair, I switch his cock to my cuffed hand. Using my free one, I snag his wrist, lifting his hand, placing his palm on my tit.
An electric spark zips through me. Suddenly, I’m thrown back to the last time we were touching each other like this.