Chapter 7
Chapter
Seven
ANVIL
It goes down smoother than I expect. Three tires are shot up, but no people.
Trick convinces Rachel to come back to the castle while other members of C Crue distract Frank’s guys and disable their vehicles.
We make it back to the compound with no losses. And when we bring Rachel into the house, she and Zoe run to each other, hug and start crying.
Now she and Zoe are cuddled under a blanket together on a couch in the media room. C has brought them a tray of gin and tonics. They talk and drink nonstop. C likes it. When Zoe’s animated and laughing, he’s happy.
“Anvil,” Zoe says.
I walk past the media cart.
“We’re going to watch a movie. Would you like to join us?”
I shake my head.
Zoe makes her lips pout, and I smirk because I know it’s the reaction she wants.
I leave the media room. Trick and C are drinking Jack and Coke and playing pool.
“C’mon,” Trick says, waving me over. “Play me.”
I pick up a cue.
“So it’s all good for the night?” C says, his gaze cutting to me.
“Good that she gets to see her friend,” I agree.
Trick breaks, sending balls in every direction.
“What’s on your mind?” C asks.
I shake my head, not interested in telling C the other shoe hasn’t dropped yet.
Zoe and I have been on good terms, but I’m not sure we’ll stay that way if Rachel tells her the details of what happened last night.
Zoe’s been protective of Rachel from the jump.
There was no reason for us to clash before, but there is now.
I take my turn at the table, biding my time.
RACHEL
It feels so good to unwind. I know there’s a lot to still sort out, but for once I’m not letting that get to me.
“Let’s take a road trip,” Zoe says wistfully. “What about somewhere back woods? Arkansas? Alabama?”
“The Appalachians? Deliverance country? I’ve been meaning to go.”
She wails with laughter.
“Z,” Connor says.
“Oh, my baby.” Zoe jumps up and hustles to C. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him. “My girl and I are planning a road trip.”
“Hmm. Let’s go to bed.”
“Not yet,” Zoe pouts. “It’s her first night in the castle. I have to keep her company.”
“I need you to keep me company.”
“I always keep you company. You’re very—”
C lifts Zoe and flips her onto his shoulder, walking out with her still protesting.
I can feel Zoe’s happiness, and it makes me happy too. I stretch out on the couch gratefully, languishing in the moment because I never get to have this. I never get to feel safe and content. I lick my lips, the fuzziness in my head effervescent and endless.
Through the haze, I hear men talking in the hall. After a few moments, Sasha enters and sits on the ottoman across from me, putting his big hand on the side of my face. “You ready?”
I rub my cheek against his palm, liking its rough calluses. He’s a monster, but sometimes I feel like he’s my monster. “Ready for what?”
“To come to bed with me.”
I smile and blow out a breath through buzzed lips. “Should I do that?” I whisper, raising my hand to touch his lips. “You kidnapped me twice. It’s a lot.”
He moves his face so my fingertips catch on his chin instead of his mouth.
“Why’d you leave the cabin?”
“I had to. I thought I had to,” I mumble, my lids suddenly so heavy.
“And look what happened. You caused a standoff.”
“No, you did. All of you did.”
He strokes my hair. “You’re a bad girl.”
“I have to be.” I lick my lips again, the room spinning. I close my eyes. “I need to. Bad men all around.”
I fell asleep in a mansion. I wake in a concrete-walled studio apartment.
The king-sized bed is luxurious, but the rest is Spartan to say the least. Next to me, Sasha is awake and reading from an iPad.
He sets it aside when I sit up. I slip from the bed and go to the bathroom.
I’m wearing one of his shirts again and nothing else.
My face is bare of makeup. When I finish and wash my hands and face, I try to remember the night before. It’s blurry from the G that warm wet mouth welcomes me back. It’s more than I can handle. I come in thick gushes. She struggles to swallow it all, some spilling past her lips.
When I let go, she sits back and uses the front of her shirt to wipe her face. It’s filthy and adorable.
“You’re good at that. It wasn’t your first time giving someone head.”
“I’m glad it was good for you,” she says, standing up.
“Who else?”
“Are you going to tell me about all the girls you’ve been with?” she challenges.
I don’t know if I even remember all the girls I’ve been with, I think. “I’m not gonna lie to you, so don’t ask questions unless you really want the answers.”
She pauses and then nods. “I’ll think about it.”
“I do want to know,” I say, pulling my underwear up.
“No, Sasha. Why?”
“So I’ll never have to wonder.”
“Wasn’t taking my virginity enough?”
“With you, there’s no such thing as enough. There’s only not enough and more.”