Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
“When mourning dress was still common practice, violet was one of the colors worn in half-mourning… This association may have come from Persephone, and the grief she bore at being taken by Hades into the Underworld; it was violets she was gathering when she was taken, and she missed the most when trapped beneath the ground.”
-Fez Inkwright, Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Secret Lives of Plants-
Ace
Looking around my work space I realize it’s the cleanest it’s ever been.
Avoidance is a hell of a motivator. Letting out a long sigh I exit the lower level and head into the barn space.
The door slides shut behind me with barely a sound and when I turn around you can’t tell it’s anything other than a wall covered in tools.
It was the smartest thing I could have done to protect Law and Logan from any fall out should my other job become public knowledge.
While it helped that I was fucking the sheriff that didn’t mean the Feds wouldn’t become interested in me.
And now with Thea around… fuck. The anxiety of her discovering what I actually do outside of fighting fires keeps building.
If Logan is right, and she really didn’t give a fuck that we killed Rodger why would she care that I kill people for a living?
Because it’s different… you enjoy the kill now. It’s in your very marrow.
Shaking my head I try to push away the dark, creeping voice of my self-doubt away.
Heading out of the old barn I grab the bucket full of my last job and make my way to the pig pen.
The second they spot me they excitedly waddle over with grunts and squeals.
I dump the bucket into their trough. “Eat up!” Thank fuck for pigs that eat anything and everything.
As I come around the side of the structure I hear a long groan, the sound causing me to pause. My eyes travel the expanse of the pasture that sits between my work shop and the main barn. Another loud groan echoes out through the quiet air and my feet start moving towards it.
Slipping through the back of the barn I’m hit with the most beautiful sight.
“Oh daddy please!” Logan screams from the spot that Law has him fucking suspended from. His cock hangs straight down, dripping precum from the tip onto the dirt ground. His face and skin are flushed and he looks drunk on lust.
Law circles him, his jeans still on but shirt discarded. “You decided to be a brat, now you can deal with the repercussions." I watch as he trails his hand over his body before reaching down and giving Logan’s cock a hard tug.
Logan holds back a whine but I don’t miss the wince.
He’s edging him on the side of pain, and Logan is refusing to safe word out.
I watch for a few more moments, wondering if Law will notice the tension now ghosting over Lo’s body.
Law releases his cock and goes to step around Logan, pulling his own cock from his pants.
I watch as he forces the head past Logan’s lips, using the movement of the suspension to drive himself down Logan’s throat.
“Fuckkk.” He groans out. I watch for a few more moments, Logan’s body getting more tense before I finally step fully into the barn.
“Well this is something to behold.” Law looks over at me with hard eyes, our argument still boiling between us. “Tell me Law, what do we do about subs who don’t safe word when they need it?”
Law frowns, his gaze jerking down to Logan before he’s removing his cock from his mouth.
“Baby boy?” Logan doesn’t say anything which is signal enough for Law.
I watch as he gets Logan off the suspension with impressive speed.
Logan sags with relief as soon as his feet hit the ground.
Law checks the ropes he’s tied and when he’s satisfied they aren’t causing damage or issues he steps back from our little brat.
“Start talking.” Law demands.
Logan shrugs, a devious smile moving over his face that causes me to curse. “Are you fucking kidding me right now princess?”
“I don’t know what you could be referring to.” Logan says with a bat of his eyelashes.
Law looks between us, confused. “He did it on purpose so we’d be in the same place to talk shit out.”
Law looks furious but Logan shrugs. “It worked.”
“You do not put yourself in danger just to get us to talk!” Law thunders. “When we are in a scene it’s about trust on both ends, if I can’t trust you to tell me when you need to stop or take a break how the fuck can we keep doing this?!”
Logan flushes as he casts his eyes downward. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it through daddy.”
Law glances over at me. “Do you think that was a decent enough apology?”
“Hmm… I think he can do better.” I say, moving up next to him. Logan looks between us and I see the second he realizes he made a huge mistake. “Well princess, are you going to grovel for us?”
Logan nods quickly, dropping to his knees in front of us. “I’m sorry, I promise it won’t happen again.”
“You are fucking right it won’t. Now finish sucking your daddy’s cock.
Now.” I growl. Lo scrambles the best he can, still bound by his harness, and envelopes Law’s dick in his mouth.
Moving around behind Law I drop to my knees, pressing my tongue into his ass.
My own version of an apology in the form of tongue fucking.
Law lets out a long moan of pleasure as the two of us worship his body.
“Oh fuck this is so good.” Law moans out.
My hand creeps upward and I allow the spit and saliva to coat my finger before I’m slipping it past his tight ring.
“Oh shit I’m going to cum!” He cries out as I hit just the right spot.
I hear Logan’s own cry of release as his untouched cock releases on the barn floor.
I fall backwards from Law, catching my breath as I lie on the barn floor. “That wasn’t really a punishment but whatever.”
Law lets out a laugh. “Later. We can punish more later.” I sit up as he unbinds Logan from the ropes. “So are we good?”
Law turns to me and nods. “Yeah, we are. I’m sorry.”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I never should have forced you into the position like I did or said the things I did to Thea.”
“True. But we all make mistakes.” Law holds his hand out to me and I let him drag me up off the floor.
“Now that we are all one big happy family. We should talk about our girl.” Logan says, with a grim smile.
“What about her?” Law asks.
“Oh you know, just the fact that she’s spiraling so deep she can’t get herself out.
” The longer he talks the more my anxiety builds, she hadn’t sought me out since I stole her blades but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t needed to hurt.
And it’s not like I’ve made myself available to her. I’ve been in and out on jobs.
Fuck what if she found other means because I wasn’t around.
“What do you think Ace?” Logan’s voice jerks me back into the room.
Law smirks when he realizes I haven’t been listening. “He was saying we should try to get her out of the house.”
“What we need to do is kill the bastard who did this.” I snap.
“I don’t disagree,” Law replies. “But it’s going to take time. He’s well protected.”
“He’s not protected against me.” I say with venom.
“Fuck that’s hot.” Logan mutters at the same time Law says. “You are not going into more debt with The Fallen!”
The words lay between us all like land mines we’ve avoided. They’ve never understood why I joined, but I’ve also never shared the conversation I had with Logan’s father all those years ago…
“I don’t want to ask this of you.” Reed says with a look of actual pain.
I snort, “but you are.”
Tarin lets out a long sigh. “It can’t be Logan, they know he’s our son.”
“And they know we are fucking, how is that any better?” I counter.
The two had contacted me with a job, one that would help the MC they used to belong to get a foothold back in Cedar Edge and drive out the corrupt people.
The same people my father seemed to enjoy the company of when he was alive.
But the job was risky, after all becoming a hired killer wasn’t exactly safe.
“Look, the debt that I have is my own. I’m taking care of it all, much like I’m going to take care of Royce.” I move to head out of the barn. “So take her out all you want but until he’s dead we can’t guarantee her safety.”
“We can keep her safe in this town.” Law counters. “It’s ours.”
Logan mutters an agreement before I’m turning around. “You are willing to bet on that?”
Law grinds his teeth together, his jaw locked shut. Logan shoves his hands through his hair, his own body tense as he tries to decide just how much he trusts the hold we have over this town.
When neither respond I nod my head, “That’s what I thought.” I say as I turn back around and keep walking with a singular goal in mind. Ruin Royce Ripkins the III.
Law
Standing outside of Haven’s Edge Tattoo with Thea pressed against my side I can’t help but curse Logan for this idea and begrudgingly agree with Ace.
Every part of me had wanted to tell Ace that no one would hurt her here, that this town was one hundred percent ours.
But people are fickle and money fucking talks, sometimes louder than fear of death.
So I kept my mouth shut. But I also couldn’t argue with Logan’s idea either.
Thea was disappearing and we could all see it.
The fear of Royce was crushing her right alongside the argument she witnessed between Ace and I.
So everyday for the past week we’ve come up with some excuse to bring her out of the house.
First it was to help with the horses. Then it was to go for a walk in the woods.
Followed by more horses. But today was the first time she’s ventured into town.
And now, standing here exposed, I fucking hate it.
“What are we doing, Law?” She asks softly. The night air is quiet in the late hour, which was purposeful on my part. Call it being overprotective but I had no interest in parading her through the streets bright with daylight yet.
“I needed to pick up something from Logan, sorry darlin'. I’ll be quick.” I pull her in for a kiss on the forehead before looping my hand with hers and heading into Logan’s shop.
The sound of In This Moment blares over the speakers and I’m hit with the familiar smell of antiseptic.
There are four stations in the shop but three are currently empty, the lights dark and all supplies put away.
The fourth however I can see has two ring lights on and just under the heavy metal I can hear the faint buzz of Logan’s tattoo gun.
Tugging Thea forward I step behind the counter top.
As soon as I do Logan pops his head up with a furrowed brow before a wide smile paints his face.
“Tink!” He puts the gun down before pulling his gloves off and running over to us.
Scooping our girl up he twirls her around pulling a squeal from her. “You came to see me!”
“Oh hey sheriff!” The twinkling voice comes from the female he was just tattooing. Athena Gold pops herself up on the table, shooting a wink at me as Logan puts Thea down. “I was just telling Logan that I hadn’t seen any of y'alls gorgeous faces in awhile.”
Dragging Thea from Logan’s embrace I pull her into my side. “Been busy.” Her eyes light up at the sight of Thea tucked against me, her red lips spreading wide into a smile that I fucking know means trouble. “Careful Athena or I’ll command Logan to make it hurt.”
She throws her head back laughing, “Oh Law hunny, you act like that wouldn’t make me love the needle even more.”
Logan snorts, shaking his head, as he heads back towards his station. I take a quick glance at Thea who keeps staring at the girl on the table. Curiosity burning in her eyes.
“Athena,” I call out. “This is Thea. She is our girlfriend. Darlin, this is Athena Gold. Also known as a general pain in my ass.”
“Hey! I am not. I resent that Law Kane! I’m a delight.” She sniffles before smiling widely at Thea. “Girl, if you ever need some female time you let me know. I’m sure we could find something fun to do in this town.”
“Nope!” I shout, quickly turning Thea from Athena. “We will not be doing that! Bye Lo, see you at home.” Logan laughs and waves goodbye, blowing Thea a kiss as I push us back onto the sidewalk.
The warm lights of the tattoo shop splash against the dark sidewalk. Thea shivers as I lead us towards my truck again. “I don’t remember her.”
“Athena moved here while you were gone.” I say as I open the truck door. Thea moves to climb in before I stop her. “We never fucked her. Athena has a complicated past that not even I know about. She’s trouble, namely because she doesn’t like to fit in, and you know how this town is.”
Thea snorts and nods. “Yeah, she certainly doesn’t fit the mold of a western town.”
“No,” I laugh. “But this is the town she chose. And I promise you. Nothing has or ever will happen with her.”
Thea presses up on her toes, shocking me, with a soft kiss against my lips. “I know Law, but thank you for telling me. Now take me home?”
“Your wish is my command darlin'.”