Chapter 30
A cold dread washes over me as I open my eyes to the harsh morning light.
The room is too bright.
Shit, I have missed my alarm.
In a rush I go to sit up and race out of bed, but an arm comes down over my bare stomach, trapping me against a solid body.
I throw a glance to the side to find Onyx’s tattooed arm squeezing me to his body like a vice.
“When did you sneak in here?” I grumble, not ready to deal with one of them already this morning.
“You were up to no good last night, Sloane,” his voice rumbles over my body, a warning in it.
“That’s not an answer,” I huff back, shoving against his arm.
Of course he watched me with Reef and Romeo.
I should have known he would be lurking around someplace.
“You were having a nightmare,” he grumbles.
My body stiffens. I haven’t had a nightmare for years.
“Are you lying to me?”
“Why would I lie about something like that? I came in here when you were screaming down the house and found you in a cold sweat, tears streaming down your face. I stayed with you so you could go back to sleep. Do you really not remember?”
“No,” I whisper, trying to remember the night, but after I left the other two, I fell into a deep sleep, and the next thing I recall is waking up in Onyx’s arms right now .
“What happened in the kitchen with Reef and Romeo?” he asks, a challenge in his voice, like he’s testing to see if I’m about to lie to him.
“If you’re asking me, I think you already know the answer to your own question.”
From the position our bodies are in, I can feel his cock harden, pressing into my ass.
“Tell me, Sloane,” he demands, his low growl vibrating over my body.
I let out a heavy sigh, knowing he won’t let me go until he gets what he wants.
He’s more damn stubborn than I am, and since I don’t have the energy for a fight this morning, I tell him.
“I walked in on the two of them together. It was hot, so I…”
He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his hand ghosting down my side, settling on my hip.
“You what?”
“I started playing with myself. I got a little carried away, and they worked out I was watching. And then the three of us ended up screwing on the kitchen counter. It’s no big deal, Onyx.” Again, I try to pull out of his grip, but he holds me strong, his fingertips pressing into my side.
“Let me go. I’m not being held hostage in this bed while you question me because you’re jealous or turned on, or whatever this is.”
Reluctantly he releases his grip on me with a grumble.
I waste no time in getting out of bed, pulling the sheet with me since I’m butt naked and not ready to parade around for him this morning.
But that’s not any better because as I glare back at him lying half naked in my bed, all I can see is how gorgeous he is this morning, with his chest on display, and also a very obvious tent in his boxer briefs.
His eyes travel slowly up my body, finally settling on my face, his expression unreadable.
“Drop the sheet.”
I hug the sheet a little closer to my chest defiantly.
“I’m not playing games with you this morning, Onyx. Last night was confusing enough. ”
He quickly leaps from the bed, the covers swirling around him as he rounds the corner toward me.
“I thought this was what you wanted, trouble?”
I blink back up at him, my heart fluttering stupidly.
“I want you, not all the rules and shit.”
“There is no in between,” he spits back.
I gape back at him, and I know he’s deadly serious, but I don’t know how to handle Onyx like this.
This side of him is so new to me, but so is a relationship of any type.
I jump as his hand makes contact with my arm, the touch sending a shiver down my spine and goosebumps erupting on my skin.
“Drop the sheet, Sloane, you’re not to hide your beautiful body from me anymore.”
“Another rule?”
“Yes.” He tugs at the sheet, and I allow it to drop.
“Is this what you want, Sloane?” His hungry eyes eat up every inch of me, challenging me.
“I want you,” I whisper, the words getting caught in my throat.
“Then you agree to my rules.”
“I don’t even understand your rules. Are you annoyed at me for hooking up with Reef and Romeo, or does it turn you on?”
His eyes bore through me.
“Both.”
Fuck, what does he want from me?
I bury my head in my hands, frustration overwhelming me.
“See, that’s confusing.”
“I never said our relationship won’t be complicated. My past with Reef and Romeo and their interest in you blurs the lines, but we can make this work if you want to.”
“What if I don’t agree to your rules? I know you couldn’t walk away from me right now even if you wanted to,” I throw back at him because fuck him.
Why does he get to call the shots just because he says it’s the only way he will have a sexual relationship with me?
Doesn’t mean I have to agree.
His brow rises, and his dark eyes lock onto mine in a way that has me sucking in a labored breath.
“Do you want to call my bluff, trouble?”
“You know me, Onyx. I can’t be the girl you want me to be, it’s just not possible, so why would you make me?”
He closes the gap between us, his hand lacing into my hair.
He gathers it up so I’m staring up at him.
I blink back, getting lost in the depth of his eyes.
There is so much pain hidden behind them.
For my brothers he hides it, but us being in this apartment with his two old buddies is bringing shit to the surface for him as well, I can see it.
“It’s not about making you do something you don’t want to. I can help you, Sloane, this isn’t just about me. We both know you’re spiraling, your reliance on your pills is out of control. Let me take some of the pressure off your hands. I can give you everything you desire, you just have to trust me to take care of you and know what you need.”
He has a fucked-up way of showing it, but I can see how much he cares.
“Why do you need my submission?”
“I need to know you’re safe,” he huffs back.
“You don’t trust me to keep myself safe?”
“Maybe the question should be, do you trust yourself?”
My heart kicks up a beat because I know he’s right, and I hate him for it.
I hate that I have gotten myself into this situation.
But right now, I don’t trust myself.
I would run from this place and straight into danger just to prove he wasn’t right.
If they hadn’t taken my pills off me, I would still be taking more than I should be, just so I can cope with all the demons in my head.
His face softens. “You can’t, can you?”
My face hardens, and I glare back at him.
“I trust myself, of course I do,” I snap back.
One thing I learned long ago from him was never to show any signs of weakness.
“Okay, prove it. Let’s see where this morning takes us.”
My eyes narrow in on him.
What kind of test is this?
“I don’t have anything to prove to you. I’m going to get on with my day as normal. I have the women’s health center opening this morning, then final preparations for our VIP event at the club this afternoon.”
His brow rises and his lips form a thin line.
“Sloane, we’re not leaving this place until your stalker is located and taken care of. Your brothers are hunting him down, but until I get the call, I’m sorry to say you’re stuck here.”
My face turns icy cold.
“Like fuck I’m staying here day in and out. Have you forgotten who you work for?”
“I work for your brother. You’re not my boss, Sloane. And we have decided this is for the best.”
My fists ball, and I search the room for something to fucking hurt him with.
“Fuck you. You know what? Whatever this was between us, it’s done. I’m not having you control my every move, or my fucking brother for that matter. I’m going to take a shower, and when I get out, you better be ready to take me wherever the hell I want to go,” I snap back at him, every word getting angrier as I go.
“Or what, trouble? You don’t hold the power here.”
“Or I’m going to make your life hell.” A bitter laugh escapes me.
“You think you can happily go about your day without me? Good, because you no longer get to touch me. I really hope you can get all you need watching, Onyx, because you’re going to have to watch a lot of me with your two buddies. I have years of fun to make up for, and I intend to do every depraved thing under the sun with Reef and Romeo. ”
I feel the way his body tenses, and I know I have him.
Not giving him a second to recover and come back at me, I shove out of his grip on me and stalk for the shower, slamming the bathroom door behind me.
It vibrates so hard I think the mirror is going to fall off the wall.
I flick the lock, needing to block him and his bullshit out.
Sucking in ragged breaths, I try to get my anger under control.
I’m not sure if I’m about to burst into tears again or lose it completely and start stabbing shit.
All I know is I feel more out of control than ever.
Onyx and I don’t fight, we never have.
Maybe he was right, we never should have fucked in the first place.
It’s turned our relationship upside down in a way we can’t come back from.
With a sniff, I suck back the threatening tears, and I turn on the shower, my hands shaky as hell from that ridiculous confrontation.
But how fucking dare he.
I step under the spray, making sure to get my hair wet as well.
I need to scrub every inch of my skin to get rid of this icky feeling I’m left with.
Why does he and every other man in my life have to be so damn infuriating.
Suddenly, with a loud crash, the bathroom door is ripped from its hinges, splintering wood flying everywhere.
Onyx stands in the space, raging like the fucking hulk.
I jump in fright; he’s gone motherfucking crazy.
His eyes, filled with a burning rage, meet mine.
“Don’t fucking lock me out again,” he growls like a demon before storming away, his loud footsteps echoing down the hall.
I finish my shower in a rush, too pissed to even enjoy it.
Fuck. Every bit of the control I used to have over my life is slowly being stripped away.
Even if it was just an illusion, a lie, at least I thought I had some control.
Now I know these assholes are running my life, but they have another thing coming if they think I will just lie down and take it.
I wrap a towel around my middle and carefully pick up the heavy bathroom door, resting it against the bedroom wall so I can move back into my bedroom.
Without even getting dressed, I find my phone on the dresser and send out a quick text to Harley.
SLOANE: Sis, I know today is massive for you, but I need your help.
HARLEY: Anything for you, girl, you know that.
SLOANE: I need to talk to Alex this morning.
Can you get him to set it up with Onyx and make sure it’s at your grand opening?
I don’t want to miss it, girl.
HARLEY: Done, I’ll have him call Onyx and organize it shortly.
You better spill when you get here, I need to know it all.
SLOANE: If we can get five seconds alone!
She loves my message, and I place my phone back on the side table, knowing what I’m doing is a little manipulative, but fuck it.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and I know she will forgive me.
Opening my bag, I find it empty.
I move through the room to the walk-in closet and discover my clothes neatly arranged, along with several additional items not present the previous night.
The new items are untouched and fresh, the tags still attached.
What the hell? I take one of the short black skirts and a white silk blouse and slip them on.
On a shelf I find a pair of low-slung ankle boots and I pull them on as well.
I fix my make-up and style my hair, sleek and straight flowing down my back, taking control of anything I possibly can to get myself through the morning.
As I walk past my bedroom door, the absence of the handle is a stark, unsettling sight, and a fresh wave of anger slithers over me.
Fucking Onyx and his control issues.
I waltz into the main living room, trying to appear calm despite the heated argument Onyx and I just had.
I find him sitting at the kitchen table with his laptop, his body so tense it looks like he’s about to pop a tooth.
I wonder if he just got a call from Alex.
Fuck, I hope so.
Reef slides a fresh tall, black coffee across the countertop to me, along with two little white pills, dropping a sneaky kiss to my cheek as he does.
“Thanks.” I smile at him brightly.
At least one of them seems to be on my side and willing to help a girl out.
His lips brush my ear.
“Now I see why he calls you trouble. You’re going to give the big guy a heart attack.”
I throw the tablets back and chase them with the glass of water he passes to me.
Grinning, I let my fingers dance up his forearm and into his soft hair.
“You wouldn’t happen to know why the walk-in closet in my room is filled with new clothes?”
Reef looks me over, the corner of his eyes creasing in concern.
“Romeo.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Don’t jump down his throat just yet. Your room was totaled, Sloane, including all your clothes. Trust me when I tell you, you wouldn’t want to wear any of them ever again.”
Revulsion fills me just from the look on his face.
I can only imagine what the sick motherfucker did to my belongings.
“Are you serious?” I lean into the kitchen counter, taking a sip from my coffee, hoping for something to settle my nerves.
His head drops. “Unfortunately, most of them were shredded.”
“You said this guy is after Ava, but what does he want with her?”
“That’s what we’re trying to work out.”
“Morning, doll face, I trust you slept well.” Romeo winks in my direction as he moves through the kitchen.
Making his own coffee, he comes to join us.
“Looking good this morning.”
I purse my lips, having to bite my tongue so I don’t snap out at him.
Reef’s right, he did something nice for me.
“You have good taste.”
“I’ll take that as a thank-you.” He grins cheekily at me.
Something has shifted between us; my pure hatred toward him is softening.
“You probably should, it’s as close as you will get.” I smirk back at him, a playful glint in my eyes to make sure he knows I’m still me.
Onyx stands and strides past us.
I watch as he shoves open my bedroom door, returning seconds later with my phone in his hand.
Our eyes meet, and I glare daggers at him.
“What are you doing with my phone?” I go to take off across the room to take it back, but Reef’s hand comes across my middle, stopping me.
He shakes his head. “Getting Alex involved wasn’t smart, wildcat,” he warns, and I take a step back from him.
“We leave in five. You better be ready,” Onyx growls, stalking across the room to throw on his jacket.
“You fuckers didn’t really give me much other option, did you?” I say loud enough that Onyx can hear me as well.
Fuck him. If I had to go over his head and do a little meddling to escape this place, that’s on him.
“Careful not to bite the hand that’s keeping you alive, wildcat,” Reef warns me .
I pat his chest, a slow smile crossing my lips.
He thinks me getting Alex involved wasn’t smart, but I’m getting out of this apartment today, so I reckon it was genius.
“Thanks for your concern, but I know what I’m doing with Onyx.” Just because I know the big guy is watching us and because I want to, I pop up on my toes and kiss Reef’s lips.
His hand runs down my back, settling on my ass as he pulls me in closer to him.
“See you later, Detective Hot Stuff.” I smirk at him.
“Hey, what about mine?” Romeo complains, and I just give him a shrug.
“Maybe later.”
Yeah, I know I’m playing with fire, but Onyx started this, and now he’s going to have to deal with the consequences.