Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
Layla
T he crystal tumbler shattered against the wall in a glittering explosion of glass, sending shards skittering across the floor. The lingering scent of expensive whiskey filled the air as amber droplets trickled down the wall.
"You son of a bitch!" I snarled, my voice raw. "You let him walk away?"
Sarge straightened slowly from his defensive crouch, hands raised placatingly. "Layla, listen to me. I know you're angry?—"
"Angry?" I laughed, the sound harsh and brittle. "Angry doesn't even begin to cover it."
My hands trembled as I paced the length of the hotel suite, bare feet silent on the plush carpet. The early morning sunlight streaming through the gauzy curtains felt too bright, too cheerful. It mocked the storm of emotions raging inside me.
"He was right there," I hissed, whirling to face Sarge. "You could have ended this. Could have put a bullet in his lying mouth and been done with it."
I grabbed another crystal tumbler from the minibar, hurling it at Sarge's head with all my strength. He ducked just in time, the glass shattering against the wall in another explosive burst. Tiny shards rained down, glittering in the morning light like deadly diamond dust.
"You stupid, gullible bastard!" I screamed, my voice cracking. "How could you fall for his bullshit? After everything he's done, everything he's put us through!"
My chest heaved as I glared at Sarge, tears of rage burning in my eyes. The ache of betrayal that I'd been carrying for months roared to life, threatening to consume me. I wanted to tear the room apart, to feel something break beneath my hands.
Sarge straightened slowly, glass crunching under his boots as he took a cautious step towards me. "Lala, please. Just listen?—"
"No!" I snarled, snatching up a heavy crystal ashtray. "I'm done listening. I'm done with lies and excuses and false promises."
I hurled the ashtray at him, but my aim was wild. It smashed into an ornate mirror, spider webbing cracks across the reflective surface. Our fractured reflections stared back at us—me with my wild eyes and disheveled hair, Sarge looking weary and resigned.
Alex's strong arms wrapped around me from behind, pinning my own arms to my sides as I struggled and thrashed. His tattooed forearms flexed as he held me tight against his chest. I could feel the rapid beating of his heart, smell the lingering scent of sweat and sex from last night.
"Easy, Lala," he murmured in my ear, his breath hot against my skin. "Let's hear him out before you destroy the entire suite, yeah?"
I cursed so colorfully I didn’t even know what I said once the words were out. Alex chuckled. CHUCKLED. The motherfucker thought this was amusing.
"How the fuck did we not see him on the security cameras?" Alex asked, addressing Sarge over my shoulder. His voice vibrated through his chest, rumbling against my back.
Sarge ran a hand through his hair. "I think he manipulated the cameras before approaching me. You know how good he is with tech. He probably looped the footage or something."
"Fuck," Alex swore softly. His arms tightened around me reflexively.
I sagged against Alex, suddenly exhausted. The fight drained out of me, leaving behind a hollow ache in my chest. Tears pricked at my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn't give Gage the satisfaction of making me cry again.
"Let me go," I said quietly, my voice hoarse from screaming.
Alex hesitated for a moment before slowly releasing his hold. I stumbled away from him, wrapping my arms around myself as if I could physically hold the pieces of my shattered self together.
Sarge took a cautious step towards me. "Baby, I know you're hurting. But there's more going on here than you realize. Gage had information about your mother?—"
"Don't," I cut him off sharply. "Don't you dare use my mother as an excuse for letting that lying piece of shit walk away."
But even as the words left my mouth, I felt a flicker of doubt. My mother had always been a ghost, a painful absence in my life. The thought that Gage might know something about her twisted my insides into knots.
"What did he say?" I asked finally, hating the tremor in my voice.
Sarge's eyes softened with sympathy. "He says Carlos is going after her. Planning to use her as leverage against you and Raul."
I staggered back, my legs hitting the edge of the bed. I sank down onto the bed, my mind reeling. Carlos going after my mother? It seemed impossible, yet the mere thought of it sent icy tendrils of fear creeping down my spine.
"That's not possible," I said, hating how small my voice sounded. "He doesn't even know who she is. I’ve kept her hidden, and I killed the man who stole me from her in the first place."
Sarge approached slowly, as if afraid I might bolt. He crouched down in front of me. "Gage says he's been keeping tabs on her ever since he left. Making sure she was safe."
A bitter laugh escaped me. "Oh, how fucking noble of him. Watching over the mother of the woman he betrayed."
"Layla," Sarge said gently, reaching out to take my hand. I let him, too numb to pull away. "I know you have no reason to trust Gage. But think about it. What does he gain by lying about this? He knew coming to me was risking his life. Why would he do that if it wasn't true?"
I wanted to argue, to scream that Gage was a liar and nothing he said could be trusted. But a small voice in the back of my mind whispered that Sarge had a point.
"What exactly did he say?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
As Sarge recounted his conversation with Gage, I felt the world tilting on its axis. Carlos going after my mother, a safe house in Tahoe of all fucking places, and some woman named Sarah who was supposedly helping Gage. It all felt surreal, like a fever dream I couldn't wake up from.
"And you really believe him?" I asked finally, my voice sounding hollow even to my own ears.
Sarge sighed heavily. "I don't know if I believe him. But I believe he thinks it's true. And if there's even a chance your mother is in danger..." He trailed off, but I understood the implication. We couldn't afford to ignore this, no matter how much I wanted to dismiss anything Gage said as lies.
"Fuck," I muttered, dropping my head into my hands. The pounding in my skull intensified.
I felt the bed dip as Alex sat down beside me, his warm hand coming to rest on the small of my back. "Hey," he said softly. "We'll figure this out. If my father really is going after your mom, we'll stop him. And if Gage is lying, well, I'll personally help you feed him his own intestines. How does that sound, gorgeous?"
A strangled laugh escaped me at that. I knew he meant every word. He'd help me eviscerate Gage without hesitation if this turned out to be an elaborate lie. The thought should have been horrifying, but instead, it sent a sick thrill through me.
"Thanks," I murmured, leaning into his solid warmth for a moment. But I couldn't let myself linger there. There was too much at stake.
I stood abruptly, my mind already racing through scenarios. "We need to verify this somehow. I can't just take Gage's word for it, even if he believes it's true."
Sarge nodded. "I've already got feelers out, trying to confirm their movements. But it'll take time."
"Time we might not have," I growled, frustration clawing at my insides. "If this is real, my mother could be in danger right now."
"Rushing in blind could make things worse."
I paced the length of the room. "What about this Sarah person?" I asked suddenly, whirling to face Sarge. "Did Gage give you any way to contact her? Maybe she can provide more details."
Sarge shook his head. "He said she'd reach out when it was safe. Didn't want to risk compromising her position."
I cursed under my breath, resuming my frantic pacing. The walls of the luxurious bedroom seemed to close in around me, mocking my helplessness.
"There has to be something we can do," I muttered, more to myself than the others. My fingers itched for a weapon, for some tangible way to fight this invisible threat.
Alex cleared his throat. "I might have an idea," he said cautiously. "It's risky, but it could get us the information we need faster."
I turned to him, hope and suspicion warring within me. "What is it?"
“I could reach out to some of my father's associates. Play it off as curiosity about his recent moves. If he's really planning something big, there might be chatter."
"No," I said immediately. "It's too dangerous. If they suspect you're digging..."
"They won't," Alex assured me, his confidence unwavering. "I've been working my way deeper into his inner circle. This kind of inquiry wouldn't be out of character. Besides, you’ve got the motherfucker tied up in your little torture room. He can’t do shit to you from in there."
I felt my jaw clench, torn between the desperate need for information and the fear of Alex putting himself in harm's way.
River's low voice cut through my internal debate. "It's not a bad plan," he said, his single eye fixed on Alex with grudging respect. "Carlos expects his son to be ambitious. Asking questions could be seen as you asserting yourself, positioning for more power."
I ran a hand through my tangled hair, fighting the urge to scream. "And what if it backfires? What if Carlos decides his son is getting too nosy and decides to tie up loose ends?"
Alex's lips quirked in a humorless smile. "Then I suppose I'll have to rely on my charm and dashing looks to talk my way out of it. It's served me well so far."
"This isn't a fucking joke, Alex," I snapped, my nerves frayed to the breaking point.
"You think I don't know that?" he shot back, his eyes flashing. "Your mother's safety is on the line. But so is mine, and I'm still willing to take the risk, are you?"
The room fell silent, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air. I felt a pang of guilt, realizing how selfish my reaction had been. Of course Alex understood the stakes. He was putting his neck on the line for me, for my mother—a woman he'd never even met.
"Fine," I said finally, the word tasting like ash on my tongue. "But you better be careful, Alex. I mean it. No unnecessary risks."
He nodded, a ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he lifted my chin and brushed the pad of his thumb over my bottom lip. "Careful, gorgeous, for a moment there, it almost sounded like you cared about me."
Alex stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his phone pressed to his ear as he spoke in a hushed voice. The city lights twinkled beyond the glass, a sea of neon and street lamps stretching as far as the eye could see. His reflection in the window looked haggard, dark circles etched beneath his eyes.
"Yeah, that's right," he murmured into the phone. "Wheels up at 0600. No, just the four of us. Keep it quiet."
Sarge paced near the door, his heavy boots muffled by the plush carpet. He ran a hand through his loose, wavy hair, jaw clenched tight as he listened to the voice on the other end of his cell phone.
"I know it's late, Raul," he growled. "But this can't wait. We need to talk."
I sat perched on the edge of the bed, feeling River's intense gaze on me as I methodically cleaned my gun. My fingers trembled slightly as I reassembled the weapon.
I risked a glance at River from under my lashes. His broad shoulders were rigid, muscles bunching beneath his tight black t-shirt. One large hand clenched and unclenched at his side, and I couldn't help but imagine those rough fingers on my skin, leaving bruises in their wake.
Our eyes met for a brief, electric moment. River's pupil was blown wide, his gaze dark with hunger. A shiver ran down my spine as I recalled the sound of the bathroom door slamming behind him, the muffled curses and the rhythmic thumping that followed.
I shifted on the bed, suddenly hyper aware of the ache between my thighs. River's nostrils flared, as if he could smell my arousal from across the room. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, and I had to bite back a whimper.
The way I needed that man was fucking insane.
There was something seriously fucked in my head.
He wasn’t interested in fucking me. Not really. He’d been passed around from one sadistic sexual predator to the next his entire adolescent life, and killed and slaughtered his way through his adult one. The last thing that man needed was some fucked up cartel princess lusting after him.
His chest rose and fell with each measured breath. A bead of sweat trickled down his neck, disappearing beneath his collar. I found myself transfixed, imagining tracing that same path with my tongue.
River shifted in his seat, the leather creaking softly. The sound sent a jolt of electricity straight to my core, igniting a fire low in my belly. I crossed my legs tightly, trying to alleviate some of the ache.
It went on like this for the next two hours, until we finally decided to get some sleep. Alex booked us the jet for the morning, so we had several hours to kill. I dressed in a t-shirt that I was pretty sure I stole from Sarge at one point, and nothing else, plopping down onto the bed.
Alex had already passed out cold with his arm thrown over his eyes. Sarge was in the shower, leaving River and I alone.
River settled onto the bed beside me, the mattress dipping under his weight. I kept my back to him, hyper-aware of his presence. The heat radiating from his bare skin seemed to sear through the thin fabric of my shirt.
I could picture him perfectly in my mind's eye—shirtless, his chiseled torso a canvas of intricate tattoos and brutal scars. Jagged white lines criss crossed his skin violently, and yet lovely.
My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it. I held myself rigidly still, afraid that if I moved even an inch, the tenuous thread of my control would snap.
River shifted closer, the warmth of his breath fanning across the nape of my neck. Goosebumps erupted along my skin as he leaned in, his lips barely brushing the shell of my ear.
"I wanted to fuck you," he whispered, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. "When I watched Alex sink into you, I imagined it was me."
I sucked in a sharp breath, desire coiling hot and tight in my belly. River's tattooed hand came to rest on my hip.
"I'm so close to breaking, Layla…" His hand tightened on my hip, fingers digging in almost painfully. I bit back a moan at the sensation. I didn’t dare speak. Letting him run this.
His breath was hot against my ear as he continued, "I need you to hold very still for me. Don't move. Don't touch me back. Can you do that?"
I nodded mutely, my entire body trembling with the effort of remaining motionless. River's hand slid from my hip to my stomach, his calloused palm leaving a trail of fire in its wake.
"Good girl," he murmured, his lips brushing against the sensitive shell of my ear. "I need to be in control. If you touch me, if you move—I might lose it completely, and we both know that wouldn't end well."
His words had my entire body going utterly still. I knew the demons River battled, the darkness that lurked just beneath the surface. His iron control was all that kept the beast at bay.
His hand dipped lower, fingers ghosting along the hem of my shirt. His fingers slipped beneath the fabric, tracing patterns on my bare thigh. I bit my lip hard, fighting the urge to arch into his touch.
"That's it," River hissed. "Stay still for me. Let me explore you." When he finally brushed against my bare pussy, a strangled whimper escaped my throat. "Shh," River soothed, his lips ghosting along the curve of my neck.
His thick fingers parted my pussy lips, gathering the wetness there and spreading it over my aching clit. I sucked in a sharp breath, my hips twitching involuntarily.
"Don't fucking move," River growled, his voice rough and clipped. “Not a single muscle. You move, and this stops.”
I forced myself to relax, surrendering control to him completely. River's fingers worked in slow, torturous circles around my clit, never quite giving me the pressure I craved. My thighs trembled with the effort of keeping my hips still as pleasure built low in my belly.
"Fuck—" River groaned in my ear, his breaths coming faster.
He increased the pressure slightly, rubbing tight circles that had me throbbing. White-hot pleasure pulsed through me, and I had to bite my lip hard to keep from crying out. My hands fisted in the sheets, desperately seeking an anchor.
“Such a good fucking girl…” Two fingers slipped inside me and my eyes rolled back.
River's thick fingers sank deeper inside me, stretching me deliciously. I fought to keep my hips still as he began to pump them in and out in a maddeningly slow rhythm. His palm ground against my clit with each thrust, sending sparks of pleasure shooting through my core.
"Spread your legs wider for me," he ordered.
I obeyed instantly, letting my thighs fall open. The cool air of the room kissed my heated flesh as River shifted behind me. His broad chest pressed against my back as he hitched my leg up and back over his hip, opening me up completely to his exploring fingers.
From this new angle, he was able to drive his fingers even deeper. He sped up, and my eyes rolled back in my head. I bit down hard on my lip, tasting copper as I fought to stay silent and still.
River's hot breath fanned across my neck as he worked me higher and higher. The wet sounds of his fingers pumping in and out of my dripping pussy filled the quiet room. My inner walls clenched around him greedily, drawing him deeper.
He increased his pace, finger-fucking me with quick, deep strokes that had pleasure coiling tighter and tighter in my belly. His thumb found my clit, circling the swollen bud in time with the thrusting of his fingers.
“Do you want to be fucked, Layla?”
I whimpered and nodded, my entire body trembling with need. "Yes," I breathed, barely above a whisper. "Please..."
That's when I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head slightly to see Alex propped up on one elbow, watching us with dark, hungry eyes. His chest rose and fell rapidly, muscles rippling beneath his tattooed skin.
River followed my gaze, a low growl rumbling in his chest when he saw Alex. For a moment, I feared he would stop, pull away. But instead, he spoke in a low, commanding tone: "Alex. Come here and fuck her." He pulled me backwards so that I was lying on my back, my thighs falling open with his fingers still inside me.
Alex's eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't hesitate. He moved across the bed with predatory grace, settling between my thighs, pulling his thick cock free from his sweatpants.
River's fingers pulled out of my heat as he reached out and coated Alex’s dick in my wetness. Alex hissed through his teeth as River pumped his cock for just a moment, making sure he was slick and wet for me. Then, with one smooth thrust, he buried himself inside me. I gasped at the delicious stretch, my back arching involuntarily.
"I said don't move," River growled in my ear, his free hand coming up to cover my mouth, muffling my gasps and moans as Alex began to move. He set a punishing pace, his hips snapping against mine with enough force to rock the entire bed.
The dual sensations of Alex's thick cock filling me and River's skilled fingers on my clit had my head spinning. Alex's eyes were dark and a little bit wild as he watched me struggle to obey River's command. His hands gripped my hips hard enough to bruise as he pounded into me relentlessly.
"That's it, take his dick like a good fucking girl. Don't you dare come until I say so."
I whimpered against River’s palm, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes from the overwhelming pleasure. My entire body trembled on the edge of release, desperate for that final push over the cliff.
Alex's thrusts grew erratic, his breathing ragged. "Shit, I'm close," he panted.
River’s eyes met Alex’s, and a feral grin stretched his lips. “Make her fucking beg for it…”
He slowed his thrusts, grinding deep inside me with agonizing slowness. "You heard him, Lala. Beg for it. Beg me to fill you up."
I whimpered against River's palm, desperate for release. When River slowly removed his hand from my mouth, instead, wrapping his fingers around my throat, I gasped out, "Please?—"
Alex's hips snapped forward hard, driving a cry from my throat. "Not good enough," he growled. "Tell me how badly you want my cum."
“Holy shit, please, Alex—River—Oh god?—”
Something in River snapped. With a guttural "Fuck it," he surged down my body. His mouth replaced his fingers, hot and wet as he sucked my clit between his lips.
The sensation was too much. White-hot pleasure exploded through me as I screamed. My inner walls clamped down on Alex's cock as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed over me.
Alex moaned loudly, his hips stuttering as my pulsing muscles pushed him over the edge. With a final deep thrust, he came hard, flooding me with his hot cum.
River growled against my oversensitive flesh, the vibrations sending aftershocks of pleasure rippling through me. His tongue lapped at my pussy, gathering the mixture of my arousal and Alex's cum. The sight of his scarred face between my thighs, his eye dark with lust, had me trembling all over again.
As the last tremors of my orgasm faded, River pulled away slowly. His lips and chin glistened with our combined wetness. He met my gaze, his eye blazing with a hunger I'd never seen before. Without breaking eye contact, he slowly licked his lips clean.
"Fuck," Alex breathed, his chest heaving as he carefully withdrew from me. "That was..."
River said nothing, but I could see the tension thrumming through his coiled body. His gaze roamed over my body. I ached to reach for him, to pull him down on top of me and feel his weight pressing me into the mattress.
But I knew better than to touch him without permission. River's control was a fragile thing, held together by sheer force of will. One wrong move could shatter it completely.
"River," I breathed, my voice hoarse from screaming.
He shook his head slowly, a muscle ticking in his jaw. "Not yet," he growled. "I can't... it's too much."
With visible effort, River pushed himself off the bed. His impressive erection strained as he backed away, fists clenched at his sides.
"I need some fucking air," he muttered, before disappearing into the bathroom just as Sarge was walking out. The door slammed shut behind him with enough force to rattle the pictures on the wall.
Alex and I exchanged a look, both of us still breathing heavily. Sarge grunted, shaking his head as he headed over to the bed with a towel wrapped around his waist.
“You guys are torturing that man,” Sarge said dryly.
I sighed, guilt twisting in my gut as I stared at the closed bathroom door. Sarge was right, we were torturing River, pushing him to his limits. Part of me wanted to go after him, to offer comfort or release. But I knew that would only make things worse.
"He'll be alright," Alex murmured, pulling me against his chest. His skin was slick with cooling sweat, his heart still pounding beneath my ear. "River's tough. He knows his limits."
I nodded, but the knot of worry in my chest didn't ease. River had been through so much already. The last thing I wanted was to add to his trauma.
Sarge settled onto the edge of the bed with a groan. "You two get some sleep," he said gruffly. "I'll take first watch."
I wanted to argue, to insist that I was fine to keep guard. But exhaustion was already pulling at my limbs, my eyelids growing heavy.