Chapter 23
Ashley
The moment I open my eyes in the morning, I sense that something’s going to happen. I have a bad feeling that today will be a disaster, and everything that can fail, will.
I’m a person who takes my instincts very seriously. This time, however, I ignore it completely, and it’s a huge mistake.
“We need to meet,” Alex says over the phone.
“Okay. I’ll call you as soon as I can—”
“Are you with him right now?” His tone is harsher than I would like.
I automatically turn over in bed and look at Ryker sleeping on his stomach. In the daylight, the skull tattooed across his back, with empty eye sockets surrounded by ivy and flames, looks stunning. With each breath, the muscles in his back rise and fall a little.
My mouth waters. Just a few hours ago, we were having wild sex, and now I want to lick him again.
“It’s none of your business, Alex,” I hiss.
“So you are. Excellent. We need to meet today, preferably as soon as possible.”
“I don’t even care how you know where I am, whose bed I’m sleeping in. I can’t right now; maybe I’ll drop by the pub later.”
“Start thinking with your head, not your pussy, Ash. I’m waiting.”
Alex’s icy words end our call; he hangs up.
I stare at the phone in disbelief. He never acts like this. What’s gotten into him? After everything we’ve been through, now he’s going to tell me what to do and with whom? Maybe there’s something going on that I don’t know about?
I slip slowly out of bed.
A little later, without waking Ryker, I sneak out of his apartment. I have a few things to take care of, and I need to clear my head. The close relationship between us is messing with my mind.
Ryker has very quickly gone from being my rival to someone I care about.
It’s not just about the sex, although that’s amazing.
With his mission-driven attitude, he’s worming his way into my heart, and I can’t help it.
Continuing what we have could complicate things even more.
Except he doesn’t see it as a problem, but as an issue that needs to be solved.
He refuses to accept the fact that no good can come of it.
When the parking lot in front of the pub is full, I park my car on one of the side streets. Dusk is falling, and the tall buildings don’t help to keep the daylight in. However, I find comfort in being in the shadows, in the darkness.
A few minutes later, I step into Black Thorns. The song “Citizen Soldier” is blaring in the pub, and cigarette smoke wafts through the air along with the scent of beer. Quite a crowd has gathered here this evening.
I glance around at the faces of the club members; a few of them nod at me in greeting. Those who don’t know me are eyeing me with curiosity. What could someone like me be doing here? Newbies. I’ve been coming here longer than they’ve been wearing the club badge on their chest.
Passing the tables, I head straight for the counter. Before I can say hello, though, the bartender nods toward the back. “He’s in his office,” he says, cleaning a beer mug. His name is Rick or Ron. I’m not sure.
I push my way along the bar, already crowded with people. The girls here are trying to get someone to buy them a drink. The men see what they can get for that drink. In a small space, two women are dancing with each other, touching and kissing, putting on a show for three men sitting on the couch.
Rolling my eyes, I ignore the longing gaze from one of them.
I head toward the back. Passing the bathrooms, I turn right. At the end is the door to Alex’s office. I’m about to knock but decide not to. Instead, I step inside as if I own the place.
Alex’s head snaps up. His angry gaze turns to surprise, eyebrows raised.
He’s standing straight in front of his desk, a blond woman kneeling before him.
Her black leather skirt is hiked up to her waist, a strip of red thong visible between her ass cheeks.
Her white tank top is pulled down enough to reveal her full breasts spilling out from the neckline.
The blonde doesn’t even notice my invasion, or maybe she doesn’t care. She leans forward as Alex’s hips thrust forward. He hasn’t even bothered to take off his pants while she’s giving him a fucking blowjob.
An unpleasant lump forms in my throat. I’m about to turn on my heel and give them a few minutes when Alex tilts his head back and continues to watch me from under his half-closed lids. Grabbing the blonde’s head, he moves it faster than before.
I read the challenge on his face. He’s asking me if I’m going to do anything about it, if I’ll have the balls to keep watching him fuck her mouth. I don’t particularly want to, but I won’t give him that satisfaction.
Closing the door behind me, I approach the armchair in the corner, and sit down, crossing my legs.
Alex’s gaze darkens, his jaw clenched. The plan doesn’t work.
“Fuck you,” he snaps at me. Holding the girl’s head, he thrusts his hips a few more times and cums deep in her throat, letting out a low growl. The blonde takes everything he gives her.
Disgusting.
Under different circumstances, I might say it’s hot, but I have to make it clear to him where the line is.
Alex slides out of her mouth and tucks his cock into his pants. My gaze doesn’t stray from his face for a second, and that probably pisses him off even more.
And that’s fine.
“You can go now,” he throws at the girl, eyeing her as if she were dirt on his shoes.
She quickly hides her breasts behind the fabric, rises from her knees, and pulls her skirt back into place. And then her blue eyes meet mine, the corners of her mouth rising in triumph.
Seeing this, I smile and shake my head.
“Go!” Alex huffs with impatience.
Once she disappears behind the door, Alex takes a deep breath. A shadow flits across his eyes.
“You’re here,” he says after a moment and sits in his chair behind his desk.
“I’m here.”
“She didn’t mean anything, you know?”
“Alex, I’m not here for you to explain to me who you fuck and who you don’t. It’s none of my business, just as it’s none of your business who I fuck. We’re not together. I’m not your old lady, and I’m not your girlfriend.”
Alex winces at my words, spoken in a harsh tone.
I like him. I’m grateful for everything he does for me, but enough is enough.
“Don’t say that, Ash,” he moans in pain. “You know how I feel about you. I can’t believe you’re so blind you don’t see it.”
“Alex—”
“No, listen to me. We could be so good for each other. Not just as a couple, but also with work. The two of us could shake up the underworld of this fucking city. Give me a chance, and I’ll show you what I mean.
I’ll show you how good we could be for each other.
” He leans back in his chair, his eyes never leaving me.
I slowly shake my head. I can’t agree to this, but not because he’s wrong. Maybe if a lot of things were different... Maybe if I weren’t afraid of losing my soul completely with him. Maybe if Ryker hadn’t come into my life...
“It’s not possible, Alex.”
“Let me at least try, baby. Let me take you on a date to show you how much you mean to me. It seems sudden to you, but it’s not. I’ve been waiting for you for years, hoping.”
“Nothing good would come of it,” I explain. “Don’t ever call me ‘baby’ again. I’m not your baby. Don’t ruin what we have now.”
“I don’t want to ruin anything. Quite the opposite. I’ve been in love with you for a long time.”
I frown. “Don’t say that. Just five minutes ago, you had your dick in some chick’s mouth, and you didn’t care that I saw you together. You were hoping to hurt me with that. That’s fucked up. You’re confusing your feelings.”
“I wanted you to be jealous! Okay? I wanted you to feel what I feel, knowing you’re in his arms!” Alex bursts out. There’s no trace of his relaxed attitude anymore.
“How do you even know that, Alex? Are you following me?”
“I don’t have to, but there are always eyes in this city that follow you. The information reaches me anyway.”
That smokescreen doesn’t work on me. “Don’t bullshit me. You’ve known my movements for a long time. This is no coincidence!”
“All right, all right! I have my people monitoring you!”
For the first time, Alex blushes with anger. When he loses his temper, someone usually ends up bleeding. Someone’s ass gets kicked—or worse.
I’m not afraid of him, but this is too much.
“What does that even mean? You had me followed? That’s messed up.” I scowl, bitter taste in my mouth.
“It’s for your own safety, Ash,” he confesses. “I’m worried about you. Especially after the Pact started to affect you directly.”
This information chills me for a moment. I never thought about it that way. I thought I was being smart and clever in my actions. But there was a lot of proof that I wasn’t. “Is this all about Ryker? Is that why you wanted to meet?”
“Do you even know who you’re dealing with? Really? Do you know that he’s part of the Pact, and do you know about their drug activities?”
“I know that, Alex. It’s not uncommon in organizations like that, and you know it.”
“Sure. Do you know that the Pact is one of the two main drug suppliers in the United States? That they work with Loco Muerte? I’m not talking about dealers standing on street corners.
I’m talking about tons of drugs distributed across the country, coming from smuggling.
And there are only two players, one of whom is your precious boy. ”
“I don’t know the details, Alex. I’m not saying what the Pact does is good, but it’s not him. He’s not the one smuggling those drugs, he’s not the one selling them, he’s not the one responsible!”
“You’re looking at him through the prism of fucking or the fact that someone simply paid attention to you? Hasn’t it crossed your mind that he’s playing you? Or that he has a specific goal with this?”
My irritation is reaching the boiling point. It looks like I’m protecting my boyfriend from Alex when he’s trying to protect me.