Rory
Forty-One
After I finally came out of my low, I apologized to Cinder and I FaceTimed Hades.
I told her I was sorry for detaching and pushing her away.
Hades would be the first woman I truly communicated with and expressed my feelings with other than certain Vipers, my sister, and my therapist. My feelings for Hades were intense, and I didn’t want anything to ruin what we were working on, even my brain.
There were men at the racetrack staring at my ass, not that I could blame them.
I was in my leather pants with my thong showing, and a halter top that made my boobs look great.
I was hot, and didn’t have a problem showing off my body like this.
When people could inspect my scars, it was a different story.
I stopped, dismounting my bike and pulling my helmet off, shaking out my pink locks.
A chill raced down my spine as I looked around the track.
To say I wasn’t paranoid would be a lie.
I liked to pretend that I was a badass who never got scared or intimidated, but I was scared.
And in that moment, I felt eyes on me that didn’t belong to the guys checking me out.
Maybe this was a tactic. Jude liked tormenting me psychologically as well as physically.
I wanted to remember who the other man was and what he did to me.
If our brains could repress certain things, did that mean he did more than Jude?
Did he…I shook the thought from my mind.
I didn’t want to remember. I knew I would need to remember it one day, but right now, I would live in ignorant bliss.
“Damn girl, you ride like a pro,” the redhead said as his other two friends circled around me. I didn’t feel like kicking anyone's ass today.
“Thanks. It’s a craft.”
“Yeah, it is. What else do you ride?”
I arched my brow. “My girlfriend’s face.”
“You want a boyfriend so you can ride his dick like you ride your bike?”
“Nope.” I'd ask Vesper for forgiveness later, but I was about to use her. “My other girlfriend has a strap bigger than what you three have, so I’m good.” They looked at each other, and apparently, my blatant refusal wasn’t enough for them.
The one with a shaggy, rocker wannabe haircut stepped forward, but before he could do anything, my phone rang. Thank God.
I answered, and before Vesper could speak, I sang into the line, “Hey, sexy. How far away are you?” Vesper wasn’t on her way, but she might break all traffic rules to get to me if I needed her.
I didn’t, but I looked at the three guys as Vesper asked me what was wrong.
“Eh, nothing. I just have three guys asking me to ride their dicks. Do you want to come and shoot them or can I stab them? I don’t think they know my sister is Cinder Bourgeois. ”
One of them sucked in a breath. So he was from around here, then. “You have a nice day. We’re sorry.” He grabbed his friends and pulled them away from me. Their sudden eagerness to vanish almost made me laugh as I watched them all but run off the track.
“Crisis averted. What did you need?” I asked Vesper.
“I was just checking on you. What are your plans tonight?”
“I have a few tattoos to do today, but after that I’m home free.”
“Do you want to spar?” I think that was code for: we will be training regardless because some psycho is after you.
It took me a moment to process Vesper’s request as my mind flashed with different versions of a hot and sweaty Vesper on top of me. “So I can have you sweaty and on top of me?” I did a happy dance like she could see me. “I’ll be back at the clubhouse around 11.”
I finished the tattoos at 10:30, plenty of time to make it back to meet Vesper.
I hadn’t felt like I was being watched at the shop this time, and there weren't any more vague or creepy text messages, which had been a relief. The sooner we can get this fucker, the better. I’m ready to enjoy my life again.
When I walked into the gym, my knees almost gave out seeing Vesper doing a pull-up with her back to the door and no shirt on.
Her back muscles were defined, and the tattoos I could see were breathtaking.
I did her back, but goddamn did I forget how gorgeous they were on her.
It was abstract art. Vesper wanted something different, so I laid out the ink on her spine and let it drip.
It reminded me of Venom from SpiderMan, which technically worked with the Vipers.
Vesper peeked behind her with a smirk as she did one more pull-up before jumping down and turning towards me.
My eyes went directly to her nipples. Jesus good goddamn.
The spider web tattoos around her areolas were not my work, and I was envious of the lucky bastard who got to do them. “My eyes are up here, Rory.”
“Oh, I know, but I like those a little more right now.” She rolled her eyes as she pulled on her black tank top, ruining my show. “Tease.”
“Uh huh, now why don’t you stop talking and let’s get to sparring.”
I dodged a fist to the face, but Vesper got the upper hand and tripped me, sending me careening to the floor.
I landed on my back with a hard thud. She lowered herself onto me, crushing my body with hers, her hands on either side of my head.
Her choppy hair fell over her face as I watched her lips with interest. I shifted slightly enough to get my legs spread so she could get comfortable between them.
This was going to bite me in the ass later, but in this moment I didn’t care.
Her fingers trailed up my neck where my love bites marred my skin, courtesy of Hades.
They were still prominent, with hints of yellow from healing even two weeks later.
Hades knew how to leave her mark. I saw something in Vesper’s eyes.
Was she jealous? Why was that so damn hot?
Everyone knew I wasn’t monogamous, but for some reason I had my heart set on women I couldn’t have, and now Hades.
I wouldn’t call myself demisexual because I could sleep with people without that connection, but a relationship was something I only wanted with specific people.
She shifted her hips, her pelvic bone hitting mine, and I swore I saw stars. “Vesper,” I breathed. “Please.” Who was this woman, and why the fuck was she begging?
She pressed her lips together. “This is a bad idea.”
I moved my hips against her. “You started it. But who’s gonna tell? Besides, bad ideas make for better stories.” Vesper shifted her hand on my wrists, lowering her face to mine until our lips were millimeters away. “No one has to know.”
“Cinder would kill me.”
“Is Cinder here?” She looked up just to make sure my sister hadn’t magically sneaked in. “I’m a big girl, V. I can handle myself, and I know what I want.”
“Rory.” Her voice became more stern. I knew when I needed to stop. “If I kissed you, if I did anything with you, I wouldn’t be able to stop. Last time was a mistake.”
I lifted my head up, slightly brushing my lips teasingly across hers. “Who says I want you to stop?”
She stared at me, and for the smallest second, I thought she was going to cave, but she had more willpower than I had.
She pulled back, running lithe fingers through her dark hair.
If sin was reincarnated into someone, it would be Vesper because goddamn.
I propped myself up on my elbows and watched her.
She was fighting internally with herself.
The difference between the two of us was that I didn’t care what Cinder said.
“You’ll crack eventually,” I teased, trying to hide the hurt in my voice. It was something I should be used to by now, yet it still stung every single time.
“I already am, mariposa.” And then like a demon in the night, she was gone.
I slammed myself against the mat, groaning. Fuck.