23. Chapter 23
Thatabsoluteasshole.
Cock blocked again from finally getting what I want with Diego by Captain Asshole himself. Not just that but then he had the audacity to kiss me. And what a kiss it was. Dominating and intoxicating all rolled into one.
”I fucking hate you, Jackson.” Those are the words that left my mouth as he stormed away, leaving me horny and unfulfilled.
Bane walks into the back room and looks me over, taking in the blood still smeared on my lips. Pulling me into his arms, he holds me close. My anger settles back to a simmer as he runs his fingers through my hair.
“Thanks, big guy.” Shifting my head, I tug him down and lay a soft kiss on his lips before pulling away.
Bane smiles at me and takes hold of my hand. Lifting my arm up, he inspects my wrist. Apart from the dry, flakey blood, I wouldn’t have even known what had happened. After drinking from Diego, I all but forgot why I was doing it in the first place. Bane running his fingers over my wrist sends shivers through me.
“Come.” One day I’m going to get more than a few words out of Bane, but I’m guessing it’s not going to be today.
Turning on his heel, he walks out of the back room and down the hall towards the restrooms with me close behind him. Instead of heading there, he pulls me to the other side of the corridor. We head through a black door marked ‘Employees Only’ revealing a small single bathroom with only a toilet and sink.
Grabbing a few paper towels from the dispenser, Bane runs them under the tap before taking my arm and rubbing the wet towel against my flesh. Once all the blood is gone, he runs it over my lips, gently dabbing the mixture of blood from them. Snatching a few more towels, he dries my arm before throwing them in the trash.
“So, does this mean I can go back to work?” I’m not hopeful after what happened, but I really don’t want to go back to the apartment just yet.
“Okay.”
Yes, score another point for Demi.
I look down at my skirt. There’s no way I can go back to the bar wearing just this, especially since Diego destroyed my panties. Dick. I remember him pocketing them after he ripped them from my body.
“Eh, big guy. I’m gonna need something to change into. Diego kinda destroyed my panties.” I gesture at my lower half, and he nods.
Bane is out of the door and back again before I can even comprehend where he went. He thrusts out a folded piece of black material and I take it. Opening it out, I see it’s a pair of shorts with the ‘Dark Desires’ logo on one side. Good enough. Slipping them up my legs, I pull them on. I hoped I would be able to wear them as panties, but my skirt is too tight to wear the extra fabric underneath. I shimmy out of my original outfit and Bane takes it from me.
Bane holds the door open for me, and we head back down towards the main bar. Harley is serving a couple of customers down the other end, and Diego is standing just inside, a bottle of blood in his grasp as he chugs it down. Even in the low light, I can see some of the cuts on his face slowly knitting themselves back together. It”s amazing to watch what blood can do for a vampire.
I wonder how many people know that drinking a vampire”s blood can heal their wounds as well. It”s not exactly something the Council advertises. Can you imagine what would happen if people knew that small tidbit of information? Some asshole would probably think it”s a good idea to capture and drain a vampire to sell their blood on the black market.
As I get closer to the bar, Diego turns his attention to me, dropping the empty bottle of blood in the trash.
”I”m sorry.” I blurt out.
”It”s not on you, Demi. It”s Jax. He”s got a goddamn stick rammed so far up his ass.”
Cradling my cheek in his hand, he runs his fingers over it. A smile adorns his lips as he leans down and kisses my other cheek. His lips are only there for the briefest of moments before he pulls away from me again.
”Now, get your ass back to work. We got customers to serve.” Dragging me the last few feet behind the bar, he pulls me past him and smacks my ass.
I”m still horny, and also panty-less, but it”s better than being locked up in the apartment again, pulling the guys away from their real jobs. I get straight to work, busying myself with putting some of the clean glasses back on the shelves. After the incident with blood bottle guy, I”m getting a few looks from the patrons, but I ignore them and get on with my task.
Pouring a few glasses of beer, I stack the glasses on a tray and hand them over to the waiting customer. Once he”s paid and gotten his change, he”s replaced by someone else. The night seems to rush by, making and serving drinks, cleaning and restocking glasses, wiping down the bar top. It”s not long before the club finally closes and Bane and the other bouncers usher the last few stragglers out.
”Do I expect to see you again, Demi?” Harley”s voice rings out behind me as I put the last few glasses away.
”As long as Captain Asshole doesn”t decide to keep me locked in his tower again.” I laugh at the thought. Fine, he”s protecting me from the wolves, but Harley doesn”t know that.
”I”m sure if you show him a good time, he”ll let you do anything you want.” She runs her tongue over her ruby red lips and flutters her eyelashes.
I can”t stop the laughter that bubbles through my lips. Even after that kiss, I”m pretty sure there is no way Jax is ever going to want me to cross that boundary. He says he doesn”t hate me, but he certainly doesn”t like me either.
”Ready to go, preciosa.” Diego”s arms wrap around my waist as he kisses the top of my head. ”Harley, we can walk you out.”
”That”d be great. Thanks, boss. Let me just get my things.” Harley throws a wink my way as she drops the towel and rushes through a door I hadn”t even noticed between the counters of the bar.
Diego turns me in his arms and smiles down at me. At some point, he cleaned up his face so there”s no blood on it anymore and nearly all of his wounds are completely gone. Only the deepest wounds are still healing. There”s not a single trace of the bruises that covered one side of his face either.
Leaning down, he kisses me full on the lips. It”s not like our other kisses - it”s soft and sweet. His tongue brushes across the seam of my mouth and I open them for him. A clearing throat has us both pulling away. Harley is standing there staring at us, a huge smirk on her face.
”Can”t leave you two alone for a minute, can I?” Harley shakes her head and moves off towards the front of the club.
”Guess that”s our cue to leave as well.” Diego grabs my hand and tugs me along.
It”s cold when we get outside and a shiver runs through me. I can see my own breath each time I exhale. I didn”t even think of bringing a jacket when I left the apartment. It was so much warmer earlier, but now, even without a single cloud in the sky, the air is chilled. Diego wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close as we follow Harley to her car.
She stops in front of a silver Civic and clicks the locks. Turning back to me and Diego, she gives me a one-armed hug.
”Told ya, Demi. Head over heels.” She whispers next to my ear. When she moves back, she”s grinning like the Cheshire Cat. ”Treat her right, boss man. She”s a keeper.” She winks at Diego before spinning around and getting into her car.
Once she”s inside, she starts the engine and gives us a little wave before pulling away from the curb. Diego leads me down the side of the club to the steps I know lead to the apartment. He”s quiet for once, which is very unlike him. He clearly isn”t going to listen to Jax, but I think their fight earlier has made him take a small step back.
I swear Captain fucking Asshole needs to stop impeding my orgasms.
There”s only so much more I can take. He”s declared me as his, even though he doesn”t seem to want me himself. Maybe it”s time we had a proper talk and I find out what the hell is going on.
When we reach the bottom of the steps, Bane steps out of the shadows, making me jump back.
”Jeez, big guy. Are you trying to give me a heart attack? Gonna have to fit you with a bell or something.” Diego snickers at my comment and I glare up at him. ”Don”t start. I”m thinking I”m going to need to get myself a chastity belt. At least that way you can”t start anything that Jax is going to interrupt, again.” I huff, folding my arms across my chest.
Brushing past them both, I stomp up the stairs, my two shadows following closely behind me. When we reach the top, Bane leans over my shoulder to input the code. I really should ask the guys what the code is in case I ever end up in a situation where they aren”t here and I need to get in.
Entering the apartment after the second security door, I let out a breath. It”s late already, but I know after the night I”ve had, I won”t be able to settle. It”s not like the hospital when I come home from a shift and collapse in bed. I”m still wired and need something to help relax me.
Leaving the two guys at the door, I head to my room to change into my PJs and preferably put some underwear on. Rifling through the drawers, I can”t find a single pair that isn”t something my grandma would wear. I barely had any as it was when I got my things from my apartment. Most of them were ripped to shreds by the wolves, and those I did salvage weren”t the nicest pairs - probably why they were still there.
Pulling on some plain, black cotton panties, I slip into some sleep shorts and a tank top, throwing my hoodie over the top. I head back into the living room: Diego is already gone, but Bane is sitting on the couch with the TV on. Grabbing a drink from the fridge, I make my way over and lower myself down beside him.
Bane”s arm loops around my shoulder, pulling me close. I rest my head on his chest, feeling the heat of him through his thin shirt. I welcome the warmth. His fingers run through my hair, soothing me.
”I need to go shopping tomorrow, if I”m expected to work in the bar tomorrow night. Between Diego and those damn wolves, I”m lacking in the panties department.” I think about the panties Diego ripped off me earlier, and the fact he pocketed them. Dick.
”I”ll take you.”
”Thanks.” I”ve seen the way Bane has protected me, so he”s probably the best to go with.
Curling up against Bane”s side, I let my hand rest on his chest. The feel of his heart rhythmically beating under my fingers soon has my eyes closing as I drift off to sleep.
When my eyes open again, I’m in my bed. It”s already well into the morning, and the sun is peeking through the curtains. Warmth at my back tells me one of the guys slept in here with me last night. I don”t think I had any nightmares, their presence always seems to keep me calm in my sleep. Letting out a yawn, I stretch my arms above my head.
The temptation to snuggle deep into the blankets and close my eyes again is real, but raised voices coming from down the hall have me climbing out of bed. Bane is laying on his side, his hand reaching out to the empty space I just made. When he doesn”t find me, he grabs onto my pillow, pulling it back into his chest.
How much would he hate me if I took a picture of him while he sleeps? He might look big and scary, but really, he”s the sweetest guy I”ve ever met. He’s always jumping in to protect me, even from the other guys. I still don”t get why Jax has so much of an issue with Bane and Diego showing me attention when he doesn”t give me any. But that”s his problem, I guess.
As I move out into the hall, the voices die down. Jax and Diego are in the kitchen looking equally pissed off at each other. I shoot Jax a glare as his eyes lock with mine. I”m done with his bullshit.
”Good morning, Demetria.” His voice is rougher than usual, but man if I can”t help but want to shudder when he says my name. He”s the only one who calls me by my full name. Even my parents used to call me Demi.
”Captain Asshole.” I mock salute him as I walk over to the coffee machine and make myself a cup. Diego smirks, and I roll my eyes at him.
”May I ask about your plans for the day? I have some things I need to take care of.” Jax doesn”t even comment on the fact I saluted him.
”You may not.” Turning my full attention to Diego, I sip my coffee. ”So Bane”s taking me shopping later. After the incident last night with my panties, I”m gonna need some more.”
”I”d love to go with you, beautiful, but some asshole,” Diego glances in Jax”s direction, ”has given me orders to clean up the backroom. I think it”s so he can keep me away from you.” A snarl has my eyes moving to Jax. I stick my tongue out at him.
”Guess it”s just me and the big guy, then. I suppose I”ll have to ask Bane what color panties he”d like to see me in.” I pop a few slices of bread into the toaster and lean back against the countertop. ”Want me to see if I can find you something to get that stick out of your ass, Jackson?” Cue another smirk from Diego. After what happened last night, I”m going to call him Jackson from now until the end of time.
”Just be careful.” Guess that”s the only response I”m going to get from Jax considering he”s already taken off down the hallway toward his office. Shrugging, I push off the counter and grab the butter and some strawberry jelly out of the fridge.
”Fucking asshole,” I murmur as my toast pops up.
Grabbing it from the toaster, I take it over to the breadboard and slather it in butter and juicy strawberry goodness. Taking a bite, I moan as the sweetness of the jelly hits my tongue. I can feel Diego behind me, his arms loop around my waist as he pulls me to him.
”He can”t help how he is sometimes. Jax went through a lot with his sire before he met me and Bane.” His lips press against the side of my head, and I lean back into his warmth as I take another bite of my toast.
”Doesn”t mean he should be telling me who I can and can”t sleep with, then claim I”m his. I”m my own person, Diego. And once this shit is over with the wolves, I”ll be going back to my life, and you”ll be going back to yours.” Diego turns me suddenly, his hands on my shoulders.
”Do you really think I”d let you go now I”ve had a taste of you?” Diego lets out a laugh. ”You couldn”t get rid of me even if you tried.”
I”m at a loss for words. Even though I feel a weird connection to them, even Jax, I figured once all is said and done everything would go back to how it was. But maybe not. A throat clears across the room and I find my giant standing at the end of the hall, leaning up against the wall.
Bane has changed his clothing. He”s wearing a navy blue shirt that stretches deliciously across his wide chest. If he flexes, I”m sure he”ll burst out of the damn thing. His charcoal gray jeans hug his legs and his blond hair is brushed to one side, flopping down slightly over his forehead.
”Ready?” Bane angles his head toward the door.
”Guess so.” Rising on my tiptoes, I give Diego a small kiss on the cheek. ”Enjoy your punishment.” I”m out of his reach before he can move, grabbing the rest of my toast and joining Bane.
”Totally worth it,” Diego shouts out at our retreating forms.