3. Chapter 3
Chapter 3
***** Demon *****
“Shit, Brandi,” I called out, running into the night after her. I heard the grunt as she tripped over something, then the twisting of the ground as I imagined she rolled down a good few feet, then a howl of pain.
With that, I took off, having grabbed a flashlight I kept by the door. I had explored these woods so much and throughout various hours of the day and night. Being me, sleep didn’t always come easily so I went out walking, being one with nature was always a way to quiet my mind and let me rest.
I followed the tracks down and then saw her against the tree.
“Seemed your escape didn’t work,” I teased as I knelt down next to her. There was already a bruise forming on her foot, so I was going to go out on a limb and say she at least sprained it. Which meant that riding a bike was going to be a no go, because there was just no way to sit comfortably.
“Screw you,” she hissed, and I could admit that I liked that little ball of spitfire. It was nice to see she had it, especially after that bombshell of a statement. I had all kinds of questions, but I didn’t think now was the time for me to ask any.
“Later, Vixen, later.” She glared at me, and I have no doubt that if she wasn’t in pain, she’d try to punch me. “I think I need to carry you back to the cabin.”
“You can see? It’s pitch black out here.”
“It is. But it’s also what I do almost every night, take walks and enjoy my peace.”
With ease, I lifted her into my arms, letting her cling to me. She was the lightest thing and smelled beyond amazing. Something sweet, and yet flowery. Whatever it was, I wanted to breathe it in constantly.
And we all knew that wasn’t a good thing!
But did it stop me?
Not even a little bit.
“It is quiet out here.”
“And that’s why I heard you loud as day,” I told her, walking back to my cabin. “I’m going to set you up in the master bedroom. The bed is softer, and it’s far more spacious so you can stretch out like you need too.”
“I don’t want to take your room, Hugh.”
“I’m giving it up. The guest bedroom isn’t bad, so don’t worry. But my bed is just bigger. And you need to rest because if I’m right, there is no way you’re traveling, at least tomorrow. I’m sure you did something to your ankle. And the way you landed, I’m going to say something to your ribs or back. But I can tell a little more when I lay you down and have some light.”
I walked back into the cabin, grateful for her silence, and headed back to my room. She hadn’t even gotten the whole tour yet. Not that the place was some huge building, but there were still amazing sights. Like part of the wall in the master bedroom had huge floor to ceiling windows as well. And both the guest bathroom and the master bathroom had big skylights.
Yeah, it might seem crazy and totally not cool, but I liked the views around here, and when I made this place, I wanted everything I loved.
Screw what other people thought. Personally, I had spent far too long letting other people dictate my life.
“Thank you, Hugh.”
The words were soft, almost surreal coming from her. And the breathless way they felt across my neck had me feeling other things that were not good at this moment.
“No thanks needed,” I grunted, sure that my rough demeanor would turn her off. It wasn’t my choice, but at the same time, she should have known that coming through here wasn’t wise.
“Sure, it is,” she mumbled, and I had to fight the smile. She was tired and sore; I had no doubt about that. But she couldn’t sleep till I checked her over, making sure she was okay and didn’t need medical attention.
“Here we are.” I entered the house and headed back to my room, flipping on the light before laying her on the bed.
Her eyes opened and she looked around, lifting a brow as she took in the window. My gaze followed and I couldn’t help but feel a wave of pride at having created something like that.
“You really like outside, huh? I mean, your open plan on the house, the windows, all the walking, it suits you. I can see you find a peace in it as well.”
“When you’re at the compound, it’s just a big building, nothing too nice or too welcoming about it, and it shouldn’t be. But I didn’t have anyone, so living off site didn’t make sense.”
I took a deep breath in, recalling too many lonely nights and too many wishful dreams. The ladies that were always chasing the men around the place didn’t do shit for me. I could probably say I was one of a very few men who didn’t screw anyone there, married men included.
“I hate the life. I’m glad mom left and that I don’t have to go back very often.”
Honestly, I hated it for her too.
“Don’t blame you there, Brandi. It’s not a place for kids. Hell, it’s not a place for young ladies. Especially ones who have a target on their back like you did.” I gave her a pointed look, letting her know we weren’t done with the conversation from earlier. “I need to check you over, are you okay with that?”
“You mean get me naked?”
I rolled my eyes, knowing that she was teasing, and I liked it. But it didn’t need to sound dirty. At least, for the moment. In the future, who the fuck knows.
“I’m going to start here,” I told her, taking off her shirt, easily spotting a few new tattoos, along with some scars.
But a growl passed my lips as my eyes trailed over her chest, easily catching the tell-tale sign of barbells through her nipples underneath her bra.
***** Vixen*****
I licked my lips as I saw his eyes darken with desire. That was a heady feeling. One I wanted more of. Screw the age gap.
I mean, I knew he was older, far older. Could be close to my dad’s age.
But you know what?
I didn’t give two shits about that.
Because Hugh ‘Demon’ Richards was a damn good-looking older man. He was still ripped, with muscles bulging for days. His abs were still defined; believe me, I felt those bad boys being carried. And I know those legs were built, because riding a bike was something that was natural to him.
“When did you get those?”
I chuckled and then winced, my hand flying to my ribcage. He pulled my hand away and then looked at it, lightly poking.
“Does it hurt?”
“Not a lot, but it’s tender.”
“I don’t think you got any broken ribs, but I do think you bruised some. In fact, I can see some colors popping out already.”
He moved down the bed, easing my shoes off and rotated a foot, making me flinch.
“Wiggle your toes.”
I glanced down at him as I did, seeing him nod.
“It’s not broken. But you sprained your ankle. So, I’m saying you need to stay in bed for the night, and then I will check you out tomorrow. Those ribs, though, are you going to make it impossible for you to move, I hope you know that. They aren’t cracked, but it’s far too tender for you to be twisting or moving.”
“Yes, sir.”
His eyes narrowed on me, and I couldn’t help but smirk.
Did I hit a nerve?
I sure liked it.
He cleared his throat before moving back to the side of the bed and I let my eyes roam over him. Sure enough, his dick was hardened and pushing against his jeans.
That was a nice feeling to have, making him hard, making him want me.
Not that I thought he didn’t.
Our one and only kiss spoke volumes, but it had been a few years ago.
It was nice to know he still felt the same.
“Where did you get those?”
“It’s not important, Hugh.”
“Wrong answer.” Before I knew it, he was over me, his arms on either side of my head. Usually, I hated being trapped, but with him, I felt my heart flutter and I wanted more of it. “Bad girls who disrespect me get punished, Vixen. Don’t be a bad girl. Be a good girl.”
The way he breathed that out over my lips, the way he said it, the way I felt it, had me flooding my panties. He had turned me on just as much as he was with nothing more than a few words.
And damn it, I wanted to be his good girl. I wanted him to praise me, to use me, to treat me like his good girl.
Okay, being honest, I wanted to be punished like his bad girl too.
Ah, fuck it, with this man, I just wanted it all.
“I was forced to get them. However, even after the act, I liked the way they felt and kept them in.”
“Who else has seen them?”
My kidnapping, if you will, was before I ever did anything with Hugh, and since no man could measure up to the one above me, there was no hope of anyone ever seeing them again but him.
“Just the people who did it. The artist who pierced them, and the one who made me do it.”
“Give me a name.”
“Hugh,” I started, not wanting to get into it, at least not now.
His body shifted and his hand cupped my neck, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip. And screw what I thought earlier. I was downright drenched now.
I had never had a hand around my neck, not for all the actions I was put through. And I didn’t think I would like it.
But I was starting to believe that with this man, everything I thought I hated wouldn’t matter with him. He would take all of that and make me crave it, but only from him, only ever with him.
“His name was Charlie, but I think he went by Shadow.”
I watched as Hugh thought over the answer before slowly shaking his head.
“He wasn’t from the Blood Hounds.”
“He was not. In fact, I’m not sure you recall an alliance my dad was trying to form with some gang out of Colorado, The Knights?”
“Yeah, bunch of dumb asses and ignorant assholes.”
“I thought so too. But my dad, he felt it best to try and take them over, thought he could get me in, and I could develop a supply line that would help his boys with bigger and better drugs.”
“That’s the summer you went up there, right? Trying to make it work?”
“Yup.” I popped the p, giving my thoughts a moment to calm down. “Shadow thought that meant he had the right to basically treat me like his own personal whore. That he could start his sex traffic ring with me, that he could let a few of his closer guys in on the action.”
“What the fuck?”
I could feel the anger coming off him and I smiled as he tried to hold back his roar. No one knew about that time, not even my dad.
Sure, there was hell to pay when I came back and told him the shit was over and off the table, but he trusted my word. I had just told him they would double cross him, because in truth, they had, so he paid them a visit, and the last thing I knew, The Knights were no more.
“Listen, Hugh, no one knows.”
“What happened?”
I let out a sigh and stared at him, before slowly shaking my head. “The first man of his that thought they had the right to lay a hand on me, lost a finger or two. When Shadow saw that, he was furious. He backhanded me so hard, said I was his slut, and if he wanted to share me, he fucking could.
“So, he stripped, right there in front of everyone. He grabbed my hair, forced me against the wall, and tried to stuff his dick back inside me. What he forgot was that I had a knife. To teach him a lesson, I shoved the knife in his dick. God, that was a lot of blood.
“He howled in pain, of course, but no one stepped up to me after that. With a bruised body, I jumped on a bike and headed back to Vegas, taking a few days to hide what evidence I could.”
“Shadow was dead when we got there.”
I lifted a brow then smirked. “The dick bleeds a lot.”
“He bled to death?”
“Pretty sure.”
“You’re…a different breed.”
“I am, Hugh, I am. Now that you made me bring it all up,” I started, grabbing the sheet and twisting it. “Think you can stay with me? Those thoughts always bring up nightmares.”