Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
“Oleander: “It is one of the most poisonous common garden plants… the entirety of the plant, including the smoke it produces when burned, is highly toxic.”
-Fez Inkwright, Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow Lives of Plants-
Thea
I had waited anxiously for Ace to exact his punishment for me getting off with Law but it seemed the anticipation was actually the best form of punishment.
“If you keep bouncing around like that I’m going to kick you out.
” Athena calls out as Logan adds another piece of ink to her skin.
She and I hadn’t hung out since the fateful bar night, and when I had texted her the next day if she made it home okay she told me to inform Ace the next time he “tells that fucker Ghost to take me home I’ll cut off his balls. ”
“Sorry.” I respond sheepishly.
“Why are you so on edge anyway?” She asks with a long, relaxed sigh.
Logan chuckles. “Tink broke the rules and is waiting for Ace to rain down his punishment.”
Athena’s eyes glitter at the juicy news. “Oh I’m going to need allll the details girl. Spill.”
“Yeah Tink, give the details.” Logan jokes as he continues to tattoo Athena’s hand.
I shake my head, swinging my legs back and forth from the countertop I sit on at the front of the shop.
“I’m not saying anything.” My friend pouts, batting her eyes at me in an expression I’ve learned gets her just about anything she wants.
“It’s not working.” Lies. It’s working but she doesn’t need to know that.
“Oh come on. I need something. Throw me a bone.” The pout gets more intense.
“Fine. You tell me what happened between you and Ghost and I’ll tell you about why Ace is pissed.” I say with a raised eyebrow.
The glare she levels me is frigid. “Rude Thea. Just rude.”
Logan laughs, pulling back from the tattoo to shoot me a wink just as my phone starts to vibrate. “Do tell the class, I’m dying to know if Ghost is a kinky fucker or vanilla. Because honestly it could go either way.”
She lets out a laugh as my phone starts to vibrate again. Distracted, I answer it without thought. “Hello?”
Silence. And then. “Hello little doll.” The world seems to speed up and stall out all at the same moment.
I can’t seem to get enough air into my lungs, my body forgetting how to function normally as I sit in stunned silence.
“I never thought I’d find you slumming it in the local dive bar.
In fact, I won’t lie, I was furious when I saw you.
But then I remembered how smart you can be and I thought to myself, she misses me. She wants to be found.”
Silence builds, more and more, the air trying to crush me. “Is that it Theadora? You wanted me to find you? Because you did such a good job and now it’s time to come home.”
The words must force some sound from me because Logan is suddenly in my face, concern etched over his own as he rips the phone from me.
I see his lips move before a dark, dangerous look passes through his eyes.
He sneers at whatever Royce is saying before letting out a devious laugh that has the room coming into sharp focus.
“You’ve got no idea who we are. And if you even think of contacting her again, or showing up here, we’ll show you exactly the type of darkness that molded us.
” Logan hangs up the phone, tossing it to the side just as Athena moves up next to us.
“Tink, I need you to breathe for me okay. Focus on me. You're safe.”
The words make sense, in theory, but all I can think about is Royce’s voice and the idea of him finding me. Logan curses and looks towards Athena who is gripping my hand in her own. “I need you to get Ace and Law.”
Athena squeezes me once before she’s moving. Logan drags me into his body as my panic attack drags me down…
My mind is hazy as consciousness drags me from the dream world. Voices filter in and out of my brain as everything comes back online. My body aches, each and every inch of it and I can’t ignore the disappointment that I’m not dead.
“Ah Theadora how nice, I was beginning to worry I provided you too high of dosage.”
My eyes fly open and even with the blur to my vision Royce’s form comes into view. He looks deceptively perfect with his dark hair slicked back and the tight dress shirt covering his upper body. Every part of him is cut and honed into making you believe he’s harmless.
“What did you give me?” I croak out.
He smiles, sitting down on the bed next to me.
His perfectly manicured fingers flit over my skin in what would be a comforting gesture from anyone else, but him?
His touch makes me want to vomit. “It’s a lovely little combination of drugs I’ve been testing out for a few clients of mine.
” My body feels heavy, unable to respond even as I desperately want to move away from his touch that grows bolder by the moment.
“While I enjoy the fight occasionally, this drug helps make sure you listen like a good little doll.”
Memories from the previous evening whirl forward as I’m reminded of the party he tried to show me off at and my refusal to be paraded around. But after that it’s nothing but a gaping black hole. “You are a monster.” I manage.
And when he drags from the bed with all his strength, unleashing his anger on me, I can’t help but pray for the drugs again. Because anything is better than this.
“THEA!”
I gasp at the sound of my name, the loud voice dragging me from the flashback abruptly. Ace, Logan and Law all stand in front of me.
“Thank fuck.” Logan mutters, dragging me into his body for a hug. “Fucking hell Tink you scared the shit out of me.”
Law pulls Logan from me gently, his eyes searching me as if he can see the invisible demons I was fighting. “What happened?” He asks softly.
A shuttering breath moves through me and I swallow back the bile that rises in my throat. “He said he saw me at the bar.” I close my eyes to avoid actually puking all over Logan’s shop floor. “He said I must have wanted him to find me.”
A crash from behind startles us all, eyes flying open and landing on Ace breathing hard as rage seems to flutter over his body.
Logan pushes from Law’s arms and moves towards him but Ace holds up hand to stop him.
“No.” The word crushes Logan and the look on his face has me moving off the table to come between them.
“Please don’t. I can’t have you two fighting on top of everything else.
” I look between them but it’s Ace I linger on.
Ever so carefully I reach my hand out towards him, a move similar to what I did with Katana.
When he doesn’t flee, or tell me stop, I grab his hand, pulling him into me. “I need you.” I say quietly.
His body relaxes into me and his arms wrap around my body. “Fuck.” He says under his breath. “You always have me.”
From behind I feel more heat, Logan’s scent washing over me before I spy his tattooed hands work their way between Ace and I so he can rest them on my stomach. “And me. I’m not going anywhere.”
Law comes next, wrapping himself around all of us the best he can.
“Darlin, we will never let anything happen to you. And we are never leaving you.” And standing between them all I could believe it, truly, but reality exists outside their arms and I know that once they let go of me the world will come crashing down.
“What do you need Cricket?” Ace asks. The hidden question lingering behind it.
Forcing the boys to loosen their grip on me I stare up at Ace. “All of you.” I don’t let anyone question my sanity right now and instead I press up on my toes and claim his lips. The kiss is fire in my veins, burning Royce’s voice free of the spaces it was haunting.
He pulls back from me far too quickly for my own good before Law is turning my head gently towards him. “You sure darlin'?”
I nod. “Erase the things he said, remind me I’m yours.”
The words are all the permission they need.
Someone drags my sweatshirt over my head before Ace scoops me up, reclaiming my mouth with a fierce, possessive growl.
My legs wrap around his center as he walks us through the shop.
I feel him lower us down, my legs brushing against one of the benches Logan uses to tattoo on.
Straddled over his lap I refuse to break the kiss, my hands fisted around his neck as if one slip and I’ll fall back into that dark hole in my mind.
From behind I feel Logan’s lips trace down my neck, the cool metal of his lip ring making him easy to identify. His hands move forward and scoop handfuls of both breasts up, his fingers brushing over the tips of my nipples as they pebble through the shirt.
“Fuck me Tink, no bra?” He groans against me before his mouth is devouring my skin again.
After a heartbeat I break the kiss with Ace, frowning as I search for the one missing. “Right here darlin', just enjoying the view.”
My eyes track to Law who is positioned in a chair off to the side, his cock out and hard in his hand.
Ace takes that moment to drop down as Logan leans me backward and gives him space to claim my breast through my shirt.
I arch up with a loud moan as my full body weight is supported by Logan and Ace’s hands.
“Take her shirt off.” Law commands gruffly. The room pauses, before Law is cursing and starting to apologize.
“No,” I say on a breathless whimper. “I want it off.”
“Are you sure? You don’t have to.” Logan says from behind, his hands still holding me up.
I wiggle my way free of them, hating the distance as I drop down off of Ace’s lap with the help of Logan.
My hands cross as I grab the hem of the oversized shirt, one of Ace’s if I’m not mistaken, and pull it upward over my head.
Nervous energy tickles my spine and I can’t seem to look at them as I stand in nothing but my sweats.
What if they don’t want me?