Chapter 16
Riptide
The weeks had passed quickly and I’d begun to figure this place out more and more.
There hadn’t been any more trouble, so my bruises and wounds had healed.
My back was going to be scarred for life, much like my wife’s.
I hated that Ethan had marred her beautiful skin, but not because I found it ugly.
It proved what a strong woman she was. I hated it because every scar was an indication of the abuse she’d suffered.
She had scars all over her body, of varying sizes, and I’d been studying them over the last couple weeks.
Every time she flashed skin, I cataloged the marks.
I knew better than to comment on them, even though they didn’t detract from her beauty in the slightest. She thought they did.
For me they made her even sexier. Each one accentuated a curve, like a toned muscle.
Only they screamed of more than a physical strength, but a strength of will.
Each spoke to me and I had the urge to trace each scar with fingertips and tongue.
I rolled over and bit back the groan that built inside my chest. I was waiting for her to come to me.
The last thing I wanted was to force myself on her—especially after finding out that happened often to the women here—I wanted her to show me some sign that she wanted to sleep with me again.
I tried to remind myself that we had no condoms, no birth control.
That this marriage wasn’t real and would end soon, and we’d have the real world to deal with.
Yet I couldn’t imagine going home without her as my wife.
Despite the fact that I knew I’d be killing Ethan, reality was still completely warped.
I refocused on the beauty next to me and tried to calm myself. My dick was no help in that. I was hard and throbbing, my morning wood raging out of control because of the gorgeous angel sleeping next to me.
Pushing out of bed, I went into the bathroom to get ready for my day. It was strange. If it wasn’t for a few things here and there I could almost forget that we were living out in the middle of the desert. Having amenities out here made it much more bearable.
I walked out of the bathroom and got dressed. When I turned I found my wife watching me with sleepy eyes. “I might not be around today.”
Her brows pulled low and she propped herself up on an elbow. Her little t-shirt she wore to bed was pushed up, exposing the soft skin of her stomach. It took all my control not to say fuck it to my plans and go back to bed with her.
“Where are you going?”
“I have a few things I need to do in the city.”
Sloane’s eyes widened. “Do…do you think Ethan will let you go?” Her voice was breathless and it sounded so sexy I had to adjust my hardening dick.
“He won’t have much choice. He tasked me with getting permits for this place.
I need to meet with the inspector in order to do that.
I won’t be alone, Mumbo and Jumbo will be with me,” I told her with a grin as I sat on the edge of the bed.
Giving into the need to touch her, I slid my hand under the blanket that covered her lower half and let my fingers drift over her calf.
I’d slowly started letting Sloane in on a few things here and there.
This was the first time I’d spoken with her about what I was doing for Ethan.
I’d also been touching her—innocently enough even though I wanted more—getting her used to my touch.
We flirted each time we were together. I was doing my best to win her over, but I knew I was the one who was going to have to make the first move as far as getting her to trust me.
The easiest way to do that was to give her information and hope she’d reciprocate.
“I’m also in charge of The Order’s finances.”
Her eyes widened even more, her mouth making a sexy little ‘o’. “I would have never imagined that he’d let someone he didn’t know have that kind of access.”
“Again, he didn’t have much choice. What they need done, none of them can do. It takes a particular set of skills to manage money in…the ways Ethan needs it managed.”
She nibbled her full lower lip as she thought about that. It was a habit of hers, one that drove me insane. I wanted to be the one nibbling on her.
“Sloane…”
She cocked her head and waited for me to ask my question.
She somehow just seemed to understand me, better than most people did.
She didn’t push, didn’t try to force anything with me, just accepted what I was willing to give.
I’d been testing her in small ways since after the incident with Mae.
Nothing had set off alarm bells, so it was time for me to see if she could be trusted with more.
It was a risk. If she told anyone about what I was doing, I’d be in deep shit. Somewhere deep inside, I knew she’d never betray my confidence. So I continued.
“Do you know where The Order gets their money from?”
She hesitated, studying me in the same way I’d been watching her just a few moments prior. She was coming to some kind of decision, just as I had. “They require any new man who joins to pay for the privilege,” she admitted.
My brows shot up. That actually made sense given the large amounts that were deposited into the bank account Ethan had set up. “That’s it? That’s a lot of money to only come from new members.”
“That’s it. Ethan never wanted us to interact with the public, so that didn’t allow for us to have businesses or sell items. He charges an exorbitant amount for these men to join The Order.
He makes the price high for a few reasons.
He refuses to allow many people in. He’d rather have our members born into the lifestyle.
He makes those from the outside sell everything they own and come in with the clothes on their back and all their money.
Complete devotion and reliance on The Order. ”
“Makes sense. That makes them easier to control,” I said thoughtfully.
“Exactly. And it also means that the men who are able to pay are stuck here.”
“And with the help of my skills, the money can grow and continue to fund the lifestyle you all live.”
“What do you mean by ‘your skills’?” she asked.
“I was an investment banker. Still am,” I corrected, even though the lie was bitter on my tongue.
I couldn’t tell her everything yet. All I could do was hope she’d forgive me once I was able to.
“I’ve been investing the money and making it grow.
I also move that money when I need to pay for inspectors and stuff.
” I had to be careful here. Other Derek did all that, all to get into this place and get his own wife.
The last thing I wanted was to lie to her, but if Ethan heard that I’d been telling my wife anything other than my cover story, it’d be my ass.
She nodded, scooting a little closer to me. My hand was still caressing her, but the shifting had my fingers moving higher up her leg until I was brushing her thigh.
She peeked up at me through her lashes. “I thought maybe you were mad at me.”
That had the motion of my hand pausing before I started up again. “Why would I be?”
“Because of the punishments.”
“I think you were incredibly brave in helping Mae,” I told her firmly. “No one should have the right Ethan has given those men.”
“It isn’t much better for the wives,” she commented, then relented, “most of the wives.” She fidgeted with the blanket that was still covering her legs. “If you aren’t mad at me…then why…”
She refused to look up at me, so I grasped her chin gently and forced her eyes up to mine. I rubbed my thumb over the curve of her jaw, then dropped my hand. Our gazes remained locked.
“Then why…what, Angel?”
Pink was creeping over her neck as she tried to gather the courage to speak.
I had a feeling I knew where this was going, but I needed her to say it.
The control had to be in her hands, even if it was difficult for her.
Otherwise it would be too easy for her to look back at this time and say that I’d handled things badly.
I was doing everything that I could to do things the right way.
Or as right as they could be given the situation.
“Why haven’t we…had…se-” She shook her head and huffed out a breath of frustration.
“Sex?”
She nodded, biting her lip. “I thought maybe you didn’t want to.”
“Oh believe me, Sloane. I want to, but I’ve been waiting for you to be ready.
” That was true, but I was also trying to be careful so I didn’t get her pregnant.
She was going to despise me if I got her knocked up and took the choice out of her hands at the end of this.
I wouldn’t leave behind a child. She would be stuck with me in her life even if she decided she didn’t want me.
She gave me a look of disbelief. “I’ve been ready!” She looked mortified that she’d just blurted that out. Her face turned a dull shade of red.
I chuckled and then groaned. “Of course you’d tell me this now. When I have to go.” My emotions were all tangled up and she was driving me insane. I shouldn’t touch her. It would be better to give her some excuse and keep my hands to myself. I just couldn’t seem to do that.
She started to move, then hesitated, before straddling my thighs. I straightened out my legs on the bed so as not to impede her movements. “Maybe tonight we could do that?”
I fisted my hand in her hair, jerking her head back so I could kiss her. Our tongues danced long enough that she started grinding against me. My dick was throbbing and leaking pre-cum into my underwear. I tightened my hand, not letting her move when I pulled away from the kiss.
My lips were still on hers as I muttered, “You’re driving me crazy, Angel. Tonight I’m going to fuck you until you scream.”
Her gasp was adorable. She was still so innocent and I couldn’t wait for all the ways I could corrupt her.
“But for now, I have to go.”
I kissed the tip of her nose, then set her aside. Adjusting my dick as I stood, I moved toward the door. I paused in the doorway and looked back at her over my shoulder. “How did you know how Ethan made his money?”
A guilty look flooded her face and her eyes darted away from me. My angel wasn’t very good at lying.
“You’re hiding something,” I said, thinking out loud. “You’re going to tell me what it is when I get back. Don’t worry, whenever you confide in me, those secrets will never be told to anyone else,” I promised her.
She didn’t say anything, so I left. It only took a few minutes before I was knocking on Ethan’s door. “Good morning, My Lord.”
“Brother Derek. What can I help you with?” His head was down as he studied documents laid out in front of him on the desk.
I wondered what he did all day. Every time I came in here he always looked busy, but what did he do? I had a feeling Sloane might know. It was time for both of us to do a little opening up.
“I need to head into Tucson.”
That got Ethan’s attention. His head snapped up and he shot me a hard look. “Why?”
“I’ve been in contact with an inspector that’s willing to push our permits through, sight unseen, but he’s insisting on meeting. And on being paid.” I sat down across from Ethan. “He’s supposed to text this morning with the meeting place and time.”
A muscle bunched in Ethan’s jaw. He wasn’t pleased with this announcement. “There’s no other way? You can’t just wire him the money?”
“None that I’ve found. He’s the only one my contact was able to find that was willing to take a bribe and do what we want.
But he wants cash. Nothing to be traced back to him.
The guy is paranoid. If I don't go myself, he’ll think he’s being set up by the cops.
” I took the phone that Ethan handed over after reading through the texts.
“Jacob will go with you,” he said. I was surprised it was only Jacob. I figured Bruce would be there, too. It was clear by his tone he wasn’t pleased about this, but like I’d told Sloane. There wasn’t much he could do about it.
“Thank you, My Lord.”
“He set the meeting for an hour and a half from now. You’ll need to leave immediately in order to make it. What is the price he’s set?”
“Ten thousand.”
Ethan’s lips thinned. He looked like he’d sucked on a lemon. I’d have laughed if it wouldn’t have disastrous results. He nudged the phone toward me on the desk. “I’ll have Jacob secure the cash and meet you at the truck.”
If I had set up a wire transfer, I would never leave the compound. By making this a cash drop, it gave me the perfect reason to go to town myself. There was no way Ethan would let me go any other way. So this was my only shot. It also meant I had access to the phone without his prying eyes.
Before I knew it, I was back inside Jacob’s truck heading back to Tucson. If only I was leaving for good. I frowned and realized I was at the point now where I wouldn’t go anywhere permanently without Sloane.
Taking the phone out, I shot a quick text with the address and time to Lockout. I quickly deleted the text after it was sent because Jacob was giving me shifty looks.
“What are you doing?”
“Confirming with my contact that we’ll meet him at his designated time and location.”
Jacob grunted in response, but he didn’t argue. There wasn’t much he could do about it. That was the theme of the day and I hoped my luck continued to hold out.