SIX
Nyx
"Wake the fuck up asshole!" I kick the bed that Kenneth lies on, waking him from his slumber. "I want answers, and you're going to give them to me."
"What the hell, Nyx!"Ken dares to send me a glare.
Apparently, he hasn't learned his lesson yet. I take hold of his broken finger and twist, causing him to scream like a little bitch. Something isn't adding up where Raya and this fuckface are concerned, so I figured I had better come and try to get some answers.
"You're pretty fucking brave getting an attitude with me, Ken.
Have you forgotten who I am? What? Did you think I'd go easy on you because I didn't bring our little devil with me?
"I twist his finger the other way, pulling another scream from him.
"News flash, if I come alone, it's because I am pissed the fuck off, and I want to get my hands dirty. "
"W-what do you w-want to know?"he stutters as his face screws up in pain.
"I want to know why you married Saraya if all you were going to do was beat her?"
"I loved her…we l-loved each other…"
"Bullshit!"I yank on another finger, breaking that one, too.
"AGH!!!!"
I pull my gun out from the holster I wear under my suit jacket and cock it. Slowly, I press it to Ken's forehead, not giving a shit if he lives or dies at this point. Yeah, Mara will be butt hurt, but too fucking bad.
"Now, I will ask you one…more…time. Why did you marry Saraya?"
"I'm not supposed to speak of it to anyone—ever!"Ken stammers .
"Do I look like I give a shit about whether you are or are not supposed to say anything? The way I see it, you're not in the position to be able to say no to me, now are you?"
"Please, Nyx, if it was just your father, then I would tell you since he's dead, but there are more people at play here."
What the fuck?
I almost break character at what he says, but I remain as is, the tick in my jaw becoming more pronounced.
I press the barrel harder against his forehead and say, "You're not leaving here alive regardless, so it's up to you how you want to die.
I can make it quick and painless, or we can draw it out; the choice is yours, Ken. "
Sweat beads around the barrel, and the fucker closes his eyes briefly before opening them back up and pinning his stare on me as he states, "You can find the answer to that yourself if you look hard enough, but I can't be the one to give it to you.
Just know that your father was a sicker fuck than you realize. Just ask your sister."
"You're going to regret this, McNally,"I tell him as I raise the gun and then slam it down on his head, knocking him out.
"So, what's the plan now, boss?"Cale asks as he looks over at Ken.
Tucking my gun back in its holster, I reply, "Find out who all my father associated himself with around the time Raya and I broke up.
That fucker is scared of someone more than he's scared of me, and I want to know who the fuck it is.
If someone is trying to run this town behind our backs, I want to know about it immediately. "
"Yes, Sir. I'll get right on it and have answers for you as soon as I find them."Cale walks out of the warehouse with me, but he stays and makes a phone call while I get into my car and head back to the Hall.
I walk into the main living area of the Hall, and I hear music coming from the billiard room.
Fucking great. Loud music means Cray is entertaining.
Sure enough, as I near the room, I hear a female's laughter.
Expecting to walk in on a naked woman, I stop in my tracks when the only woman I see in the room with Cray is Saraya.
"What the fuck is going on here?"The question comes out a bit rough.
Saraya is standing by the pool table, leaning on her pool stick while Cray is getting ready to take a shot. It all looks harmless, but I don't care; I know Cray and trust him around Raya as much as I trust Mara. My entrance wipes the carefree smile off my stepsister's face.
"What's your problem?"Cray asks as he takes his shot. Making the ball into the pocket, he walks around the table, looking for his next shot.
"Oh, I don't have a problem. Just wondering what you're doing in here alone with my sister."
" Stepsister…" Saraya corrects.
Cray doesn't let my tone bother him as he shrugs. "I found her wandering around, bored, so I asked her to play a game of pool. What's the big deal?"
What is the big deal? Why does it bother me so much?
"It's not a big deal. I just don't want Raya to be late for work; we have to go in early today, remember?"I look at them pointedly because Cray must also be at the meeting.
"That's in like three hours."Saraya rolls her eyes, and I feel my anger rise.
"May I have a quick word with Raya, Cray?"I ask as I continue to stare at the woman that I can't seem to get out of my fucking head.
"Uh, yeah, of course. I'll go grab something to eat real quick."Cray, finding the situation amusing, whistles happily on his way out.
"So, what did I do now, oh mighty one?"
I smirk, because I find it cute that she thinks she can roll her eyes at me and get away with it. Now, on top of that offense, she's getting smart with me. Tucking my hands inside my dress pants, I stroll over to where she stands, trying to be less threatening.
I have to give her credit; she doesn't move a muscle. However, I do pick up on the slight hitch in her breathing, the only indication that my presence is affecting her in some sort of way. Her doe-like eyes stare unblinkingly at me as she waits for me to say something.
After an uncomfortable amount of time, I say, "For someone who should be acting grateful for the help I'm giving her, you're sure doing a lousy job at it."
"Oh?"
"Is that all you have to say?"I scoff.
"What would you like me to say, and I'll say it. I forget you like your women submissive…"
I reach out, grabbing the hair at the back of her head, not too rough, but enough to make a point.
"You see, that's where you're wrong. I like the women I fuck to be submissive, but I love a woman with her own mind and who can think for herself.
"I notice her eyes soften, but I change that with my next words.
"Regrettably, I don't look twice at those women anymore because they're also conniving little bitches.
"I release her hair roughly, causing her to catch herself on the edge of the pool table.
I almost don't hear what she says because she says it so softly. "You will thank me one day…"Saraya tries walking away but I grab her by the elbow.
"Why do you say that? What makes you think I will thank you? Do you think I'm going to thank you for giving away the one thing you promised me and ripping the heart out of a young man's chest? You think I can forgive such betrayal?"
Squaring her shoulders, Saraya glares at me. "Mark my words; you will thank me."
"What is it, Raya? What are you hiding?"
"I'm not hiding a damn thing."
"That's a fucking lie. You forget, sweetie, I know you better than you know your fucking self.
"I push a strand of her brown locks back away from her face, dragging my finger down her neck and over her collarbone.
I stop in the center of her breastbone, staring at my finger as I continue to say, "I know you inside and out.
"My eyes jump to hers, andanother smirk dances across my lips when I feel her heart speed up.
"Nyx…"
"Idon't want to hear anything come out of that pretty little mouth unless it's the answer to my question."
"I'm not hiding…"
I slide my hand up, my fingers wrapping around her slim neck, and I lean in real close, our lips almost touching. "I will find out the truth, and if I find that you're lying, you better believe that I'll take you over my fucking knee, and you will feel my wrath."
My eyes dip to her lips, which look so soft and inviting, and for a minute, I remember what they felt like years ago. That was before they became stained with the filth of Kenneth McNally. Before that fucker stole what was mine.
"Let me go, Nyx."
I raise my brow at her demand, and instead of doing as I'm told, I squeeze just a little more and move my mouth to her ear, letting my lips graze her lobe briefly. She shivers at the contact, and I grin. She isn't unaffected by me. This will make the game so much sweeter .
"I take orders from no one, Lil' Sis, especially when they're coming from you. You, however, will take orders from me. You forget I know your little secret. This is the Heirs' town, and I can cuff you right here and call the authorities to come get you. Is that what you really want?"
She tries jerking away, but I still have her by the throat.
I breathe in her scent for a moment longer before backing away.
Staring at my hand around her throat, I suddenly have a picture of her lying under me with my hand on her throat and my cock nine inches deep inside of her as I plow her thoroughly.
My cock stirs, and I inwardly curse, letting go of her neck and stepping back.
She thinks her order is what got me to let go.
I'll let her believe that before letting her be aware of just how much I want to fuck the shit out of her.
Maybe I should listen to Adrik and fuck her finally.
Perhaps it will get her out of my system.
It is only sex, after all, because I sure as hell can't trust her.
Stepping away, I remind her one last time before I leave her, "We will be leaving soon; your dress should be here any minute. If something doesn't fit, let me know immediately."Looking at her one last time, I leave the billiard room.
It'slike I've been holding my breath since I breathed in the scent of Raya so I could savor it as long as possible. As soon as I step out into the hallway, I can breathe so much easier. I haven't the slightest idea why I let her get to me.
I jump when Cray speaks up from my right side. He's leaning against the wall by the door, munching on a turkey sandwich. The glare that I give him doesn't faze him at all.
"Just do it, Nyx."
"Do what?"
"Take her. She owes you."He shrugs.
"You know I don't sleep with unwilling women,"I scoff.
"Who says she's unwilling? The way I see it, you both want each other."My friend shrugs again and then pushes his body away from the wall.
"Have you forgotten what she did to me?"I ask Cray incredulously.
"That's just it. Have you ever had revenge sex? Fuck —that shit is better than hate sex."
"Craydon…"I warn him, using his full name .
"Hey, all I'm saying is that it will eat at you until you get it out of your system."We study each other briefly before he continues, "Adrik and I were talking…"
"Oh, you were, were you?"
"Just hear me out, buddy. We all know that you still feel for Raya. You don't ever lose the kind of love you had, okay. I understand that she burned you, but even you can't deny that there is still something there. We've all seen it."
I sigh, the tick in my jaw becoming more pronounced the more pissed I get. "What are you getting at, Cray?"
"Your parents aren't here anymore, Nyx. Take her as your wife and fulfill your responsibilities. Marry her, breed her, and be done with it. Is there anyone else that comes close to her?"
That's neither here nor there. Why doesn't anyone get that?
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I respond in a tight voice, "You're one of my best friends, Cray, but I will cut your tongue out if you ever bring this up to me again."
I hear him chuckle and say, "Whatever, man."
When I look back up, he's moving toward the door to the billiard room. "Despite everything, Raya is still off limits."I don't wait for him to say anything, but I hear his laughter as I turn and walk away.