32. Kiera
KIERA
Lucky Strike was quiet today, making it nearly impossible to drown out the flashbacks from my date with Leo. It had been a few days, and my body still ached for her.
Ached for both of them. My eyes flicked over to Spencer whose arm was halfway into an engine block, grease and sweat filling in the blanks of her patchwork sleeve. Everyone else had errands to run, so it was Spence’s day to babysit me.
“Kind of ridiculous that I need a babysitter at this point. I’m already a part of Violence.” I shrugged, twirling a red curl in my fingers as I watched my captor.
Her free hand gripped the grill of the sports car as she met my gaze. “Would you prefer it if I left you alone in that mansion? Knowing you, you’d probably like it best if I strung you up from the ceiling. Isn’t that right, Bunny?” Winking at me, she wiped her hands on a dirty towel.
With a shrug, I pursed my lips. “Who could say? Maybe I’d like it if you could catch me.”
Spencer scoffed as she started to close the distance between us, the bright overhead lights casting a dark shadow on her face. “Seems like my friend didn’t satisfy you on that little date. Need me to finish the job?”
Now she was towering over me, her pulse visible in her throat.
Licking my lips, I was looking for a challenge. “Oh, so you think I’m work?”
Leo had been holding back on me, afraid to show me how she really wanted to take me. But I knew that I really — really — wanted to see it.
And I knew that Spencer wasn’t holding back, wouldn’t hold back even if she wanted to.
Spencer pinned me in place, pressing my arms into the metal cabinet behind my head. “When did you get so bold, Bunny? Not so shy about your little lesbian captors now, are you?”
Opening my mouth to answer, I couldn’t stop the heat from rising in my chest. She looked unbelievable, flexing muscles and burning desire flaring through her body as she looked at me.
I’d never felt more wanted.
Before I could think of anything witty to say back, the side door of the garage swung open. “Getting started without me?”
Spencer pushed off the cabinet and moved back toward the cabinet. “Just finishing what you started.”
“Oh trust me,” Leo laughed as she winked at me. “We finished just fine.”
With a loud thunk, Leo set down a big pallet of cans on a metal table by the side door. She scooted over a few trinkets on the shelf nearby. Once there was some space, Leo ripped open the plastic covering over the cans.
“Dog food?” I moved closer, coming up behind her and peeking over her shoulder. She stacked them two cans high and placed them gently on the shelf — yellow cans with a picturesque labrador staring back.
Jaw dropping, my eyebrows lifted. “You found the dog?”
Leo shook her head, planting a small kiss on my forehead as she kept stacking. “Not yet, Princess. Didn’t mean to get your hopes up. But Spencer and I were talking and thought this might help.”
“It’s gotta be hungry by now.” Spencer added from behind us, back to work on the car.
That had to be true. At most, the poor baby was eating trash scraps. Which was so dangerous. All I could picture was her scarfing down some chicken bones and ending up in pain and alone.
“Thank you. Both of you.” My throat was tight with anxiety at the horrible thought. I just wanted to make sure it was okay, after everything it must have been through with that fucking horrid man.
The door swung open again, this time revealing Dom. Her face was already turned up to a snarl as she walked into the garage, her eyes immediately catching sight of the dog food cans.
“No.” She shook her head as she stopped in her tracks. “Absolutely fucking not.”
“Oh, come on.” Leo rolled her head back with a laugh.
“We’ll get strays.”
Laughing, Leo pointed both of her hands at Dom. “Yes, that’s the fucking point.”
Dom growled. “No.” Turning her fiery gaze, she was ready to start flinging the blame on me. “Your little plaything is enough of a rabid bitch for one house. We don’t need another.”
“Fuck you.” Rolling my eyes, I couldn’t help but find her absolutely ridiculous. And insulting.
Moving toward me, Dom’s stature forced me to take a step back. I clattered into the metal desk against the wall, giving away my nerves for me.
Her blue eyes burned with anger, the thought of my happiness clearly inspiring a desire to annihilate it. My ass was digging into the sharp corner of the desk as Dom huffed hot air into my face.
She’d been cagey, distant ever since the press conference.
And I was starting to think that she knew I was onto her.
For all of her attempts, she wasn’t very good at lying.
At least not to me. Maybe she’d mastered the art of deceiving Leo and Spencer, but she certainly didn’t have me under her spell.
Not yet.
Shaking my head, I laughed in Dom’s face. “What have you been up to today?”
“That’s none of your business, Viper.” Dom hissed.
“Just trying to be friendly.”
Pushing off the metal desk, Dom released me from the cage of her presence and walked across the shop.
But I wasn’t ready to take my teeth out of her flesh. “Don’t feel like sharing? Got something to hide?”
She stopped in her tracks and I knew I’d made a mistake. Her back heaved, straining the black tshirt that stretched across the miles of muscles.
Spinning on her heels, she crossed the shop in two paces. And I was overwhelmed by flashbacks of being strung up just feet from here.
Shit.
She’d make me suffer for that, take out her pains on me as long as she wanted. And I’d agreed to it.
As soon as she was within reach, Dom gripped my wrist and pulled me into her body.
A whimper escaped my lips under her tight grip.
Dom gritted her teeth, just as Leo and Spencer moved from their respective positions in the shop to stop her.
They knew how Dom worked, knew that she wouldn’t really hurt me. Not in a way that I wouldn’t quietly fantasize about. But that didn’t stop them from reacting.
Dom’s lips parted to speak. “Don’t worry, Viper?—”
A string of woofs echoed down the alley just outside the shop’s door.
“Is that her?” Spencer moved toward the door, all of the tension in the room crumbling as Dom’s grip loosened just enough for me to slip out of her grasp. I knew she wouldn’t let me get away again.
I slinked past the door, Spencer holding it open for me. Scanning the alley, I searched for the big Rottweiler that had been skulking around. And then I spotted it, face buried in a pile of garbage as it chowed down on scraps.
Spencer followed behind me as Leo cracked open one of the food cans she’d just stacked.
I knelt down, trying to make myself smaller to the scared dog. Lifting its head, it met my gaze. Orange eyes stared back at me. The small brown marks just above her eyes moved closer together as she focused on me.
Leo held out the open can, lightly whistling at the dog as she rolled the can across the asphalt. “Here, darlin’.”
The dog’s head lifted a little, trying to get a better look at the food on the ground. It must have smelled good, the curiosity beginning to get the better of the little rottie.
Lifting one of its paws, the dog considered getting closer.
“He’s gotta be about nine months old. Poor little puppy.” Spencer mumbled.
And then heavy footsteps joined us outside, forcing my head to turn and look at whatever was behind me. The sight of hulking Dom was enough for the dog to bolt. Taking off down the alley, I stood up to watch where it was headed.
Groaning, Leo stood up. “Damnit, Dom.”
“Not my fault that your stray is skittish.” Dom crossed her arms.
“You’re a scary looking motherfucker. Most people would turn tail and run just like that.” Spencer laughed.
Shaking her head, Dom turned back toward the door. “It’s better the beast left.”
As annoyed as I was, I knew she was exaggerating. Because for a brief moment, I could have sworn there was some excitement in Dom’s eyes. She could pretend to be a stone cold killer all she wanted, but I knew there was a way to crack that cement.
“You’re a beast, and we keep you.” Leo clapped Dom on the shoulder as a gust of cold air blew down the alleyway.
Dom shook her head and went back inside. “I’m off.” Without any further explanation, Dom headed out the front door.
She didn’t bother stopping the metal from slamming closed. The roar of her motorcycle’s engine coming to life and zipping away was all I needed to know it was safe to breathe again.
Sighing, Spencer slammed the hood of her project closed. “I guess now is as good a time as any to head home.”
“Looks like our girl needs some cheering up.” Leo licked her lips and she put an arm around my shoulders, guiding me toward the garage door.
I should have been scared to find out what they had in store for me, but in truth — despite Dom’s shitty attitude — all that was left was excitement.