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“No, she knew him by name.”

“Again, so? I get the feeling a lot of people know Jet by name. Did you forget he just walked right over to us and told the bouncer to let us in, and the guy actually did? Maybe he’s just friends with the guy and he did him a favor, but a lot of people have been giving him plenty of space. Something is up with that man.”

“Maybe, but it felt like there was more to it than that.”

“Just text him your hotel number and be done with it. Go have a mind-blowing orgasm or three and call it a successful night. Alex can drive us over there. She hasn’t had anything to drink. We’ll drop you off and get our own room. Maybe go grab a bite to eat.”

“Well… an orgasm
would
be a nice way to end the night, right?” I asked, pulling my phone out.

“The best, babe.”

I’ll be there. Room 206.

The three of us walked down the street toward Sophie’s car, dodging a myriad of catcalls as we went. Had anyone in the history of womankind ever heard a strange man shout out, “Hey, baby, sit on my face,” and actually said to herself, “Yeah, sure. Why not? Seems like a good time.” Seems to me that it works just about as well as a dick pic does.

We hurried as fast as our heels would take us to the safety of Sophie’s Prius.

Just as we got to the parking lot, the sound of a motorcycle caused my head to snap to the left. There, to my absolute surprise and utter disgust, was Jerney, sans helmet, on the back of a bike that looked a hell of a lot like Jet’s, clinging to a helmeted man wearing the same jeans and dark shirt Jet wore. They sped by without so much as a glance in our direction.

Son of a bitch.
I stopped dead in my tracks, locking my jaw together in an effort to keep the contents of my stomach from making an appearance.

“What’s wrong?” Sophie asked.

“Yeah… That was Jet and that crack whore-looking thing that just went down the road on that motorcycle.”

“How do you know?” Alex asked. “It went by so fast I couldn’t see who was on it.”

“Trust me. It was them.” One didn’t forget being on the back of a bike with a man like that or the face of the bitch who’d claimed him.

“Fuck him,” Sophie said. “You don’t deserve to be dicked around by this guy again anyway. You’re so much better than that… Let’s go get something to eat and forget all about him.”

“Just take me to my room, please. I’m so done with this day.”

“Do you want us to room with you or get our own?”

“You should probably get a room in case he shows up later.”

“Don’t give him another second of your time or attention, Evie. He’s not worth it.”

Quietly getting into the car, I closed the door. I just wanted to go home. I’d had enough of Jet and Oakton and
Passion
and all the memories assaulting my mind. I didn’t care if I ever went back to that fucking city. As soon as the rental car place opened the next morning, I’d be on my way back to my life and out of Jet’s.

Now if I can just manage to not open the door if he comes knocking.

CHAPTER 13 – JET

Could my day get any more fucked than it already was? I had to ditch Evie twice, both times because of Jerney and her lying ass. Amused, I was not.

I pulled up into an alley behind a brick building outside of Oakton and shut off the bike. Jerney got off and straightened her dress as I set the kickstand and took off my helmet, hanging it on the handlebar. I stood and swung my leg over the bike. Jamming my hand into my pocket, I grabbed my wallet and started to pull it out. Her fingers grazed my shoulder as she pressed her body against me.

“What are we doing out here? You could’ve just taken me home, but you can certainly have me anywhere you want me.”

“Get the fuck off me,” I said, stepping away from her. I threw two hundred dollars at her. “Here.”

“You know you don’t have to pay.”

“Jesus Christ. I’m not fucking you. This is for you to go around the block to the bus station and buy a ticket that’ll take you as far away as you can fucking get.”

“Why would I do that? Oakton’s my home.”

“Because you lied to Niall.”

“I didn’t—”

“Save it, sweetheart. The guy spilled his guts, and by the looks of you, I’d say he was telling the truth.”

“What do you mean, baby?”

“Don’t call me that… And you know exactly what I mean. Not nearly as banged up today as you were yesterday.”

“It’s make-up covering it all up,” she stammered. “I never faked any of it.”

“Maybe not, but Niall knows you okayed it, and he knows you got paid two grand for it without giving him his cut. Come to think of it, I don’t even
need
to be buying you a goddamn ticket, do I?”

“Fuck,” she exclaimed, pacing back and forth. She stopped just in front of me, her face turning from scared shitless to calm and cool in an instant. “He’s lying. Just let me wash this makeup off, and I’ll go talk to Niall. He’ll listen, especially when he sees what that fucker did to me again.”

“If you believe that, then you’re fucked in the head. He’s gonna kill you. Get out of town now while you still can.”

“He won’t kill me. I make him too much money. Besides that, anyone who crosses Niall faces you. He doesn’t kill them, and he’d never put a woman up against you.”

It was partially true. I only faced men, but Niall also employed a female fighter named Rose who I knew could take out Jerney with little effort. Apparently, her reputation hadn’t grown like mine had if Jerney was unaware of her. And as far as Niall not killing, that was a load of bullshit. He rarely ever did the deed himself, but he had people working for him who would. Why he’d chosen to make me do it made me feel uneasy, like I was being set up somehow. 

“Go,” I yelled. “If you don’t go now, you’ll end up dead. You really think you can’t be replaced? You really think he doesn’t have at least a dozen other girls lined up? Niall might be a prick, but there’s a reason why you wanted to work for him in the first place. You knew you’d make more money than you’d ever dreamt of and that you’d be protected when shit like this goes down. Well, that money and protection comes at a price when you cross him, and you’re about to pay it if you don’t leave.”

Grabbing the helmet off the bike, I placed it on my head.

“Where are you going?”

“To see an old friend.”

“You’re just going to leave me here?” She narrowed her eyes at me and placed her hands on her hips.

“Would you rather I kill you? Because that’s what I’m supposed to be doing.”

Her mouth dropped open as the weight of my words hit her. She took a few steps backward before turning and heading toward the bus station.

My eyes shot down at my watch.
Shit. I’m already late.

Speeding off toward Evie’s hotel, I just hoped I wasn’t too late.

Too late to say goodbye for good. Niall had never requested I outright kill someone like that before. When I killed, it was a kill or be killed situation in a fight, and I was fighting to survive. His order had done nothing but drill into my head that Evie didn’t belong in my life. I might’ve been able to get out of it this time by convincing Jerney to leave, but I couldn’t guarantee I’d be able to next time. Evie deserved more than a cold-blooded killer for a partner.

CHAPTER 14 – EVIE

I begged for the sweet release of unconsciousness, but even that didn’t help to clear my mind from the day’s events. I drifted off into a sort of twilight sleep where I was aware I was dreaming, yet I felt like I was still wide awake.

My reminiscing about our first kiss earlier in the day had brought along the events that transpired after that to the forefront of my mind. Now I could see the two of us as plain as day in my dream.

I saw myself standing up and tossing the washcloth I’d used to clean him up into the sink. Knowing he’d had sex with at least one other person didn’t really bother me. I assumed he had, but there was a part of me that worried he was too experienced for me and that I’d disappoint him.

“Your skirt’s ruined.” Jet rose to his knees and touched the fabric covering my outer thigh.

I glanced down to see green streaked across where my knees had hit the ground. “It’ll be fine. I should probably go treat it and throw it in the washer though.”

His hands skimmed my legs, making their way up to the top of my skirt. His fingers hooked my waistband and began to slowly pull it down. I wanted him to strip me naked and make love to me, despite telling him I wasn’t ready. Whether I was or not, I couldn’t deny the swelling between my legs that ached for him to be one with me.

The skirt fell to the floor, his hand sliding behind my knee, coaxing me to lift it so I could step out of the garment. He stood, picking my skirt up in the process.

“Where’s your laundry room?” he asked.

My chin dropped as I pointed to my right. He disappeared, leaving me standing there all hot and bothered. Thank God my parents wouldn’t walk in on me standing in the middle of the kitchen in nothing but my underwear and a shirt. There’s really no way I could’ve talked my way out of that one.

Returning a few minutes later, he said, “Took care of it.”

“Sexy
and
you do laundry? You’re going to make someone a very happy woman someday.”
Me, please?

“I do it all,” he said. “I have to.”

He bent over to pick his tattered shirt off the floor. Purple and black blotches marred the skin on his back.

“Jet,” I whispered. “What happened to you?”

He stood upright, hanging his head. Silence deafened my ears. There was no way he got that banged up from falling down, and I began to worry about what he’d gone through in the short time between leaving school that afternoon and showing up at my house.

“I have a shirt you can change into,” I said, changing the subject. “I’ll go get it.”

Entering my room a few seconds later, tears threatened to wet my cheeks, but I stood there holding them back as best I could. He couldn’t see me cry for him. Something told me pity was the last thing he wanted, but I couldn’t help the way I felt about him. Someone hurt him, and that hurt me. Maybe not physically, but my heart hurt for what he’d obviously been through, even if I didn’t know the specifics.

The softest touch to my shoulder caused one tear to sweep down over my cheek. Reaching up, I brushed it away before he could see it.

“Sorry, I was just trying to remember where that shirt is. I think it’s in my closet,” I said as I slid open the closet door. “Here it is.”

I handed him a black T-shirt I’d bought for him. It was of one of our favorite bands, one we’d talked about nearly every time we spoke. I originally wanted to buy it for myself, but it was a little too big for my tastes, so I’d gotten it for him instead. Not knowing when would be a good time to gift it to him, I stashed it in my closet.

“Thanks. I’ll bring it back to you at school.”

“No, it’s yours.”

“But you love Ferrum. I don’t want to take your shirt from you.”

“No, I mean I’m giving it to you. I bought it for you a couple weeks ago. Just hadn’t worked up the nerve to give it to you yet.”

His eyebrows raised slightly as a smile grew on his lips while he checked out the shirt. He had the most beautiful teeth I’d ever seen, and I realized then it was the first time I’d seen him smile like that. I’d grown so accustomed to his close-lipped grin that it nearly caused me to take a step back when I saw it.

He moved close to me. His height and his body made me feel small but secure. The end of his finger caught my chin as I tried to look away, tilting it up toward him. I shut my eyes, waiting for whatever he planned to do next.

“Evie,” he said, low and husky.

“Yes?”

“You better put some pants on.”

I opened my eyes and looked up into his granite-like eyes. Desire pooled in them. His chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. I couldn’t stop myself from putting one hand on his rock hard bicep before moving away from him.

“Yeah, good idea.”

“Thanks for the shirt,” he said and slipped it over his head, wincing as he worked it down over his body. “It’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

Really?
I found that hard to believe. Surely, his dad or his mom—a grandparent, an aunt, someone—had done something much nicer than spending twenty bucks on a shirt.

Slipping into some leggings I’d grabbed from my chest of drawers, I said, “I figured you’d like it. I wanted it for myself, but it’s too big. I did sleep in it once though. Sorry.”

“Just makes it that much more awesome,” he said as he sat down on my bed.

If I’d told the Evie of a couple months before that someday Jet Flanagan would be sitting on her bed, she’d probably call me a fucking liar, but there he was.

“So what do you want to do?” I asked.

He looked at me, cocking his eyebrow.

“Besides that.”

He took a deep breath, and said, “I’m gonna tell you what happened to me.”

“You really don’t have to. I mean, if you want to, sure, but you don’t have to.”

“I know, but I feel like I can talk to you about anything, and this is something I’d normally just keep to myself. It might be good to get it out.”

“Okay, I’m listening.”

He scooted himself back against my headboard and motioned for me to join him. I sat down on the edge of the bed, my hip brushing against his thigh.

“No, not like that,” he said. He spread his legs slightly apart. “Here.” Tapping the mattress in front of him, he nibbled at his bottom lip.

Crawling over his leg, I positioned myself where he told me. His hands touched my sides, skimming around to my belly, and he pulled me close to him.

“My old man cut me,” he said quietly, his voice vibrating through his chest as I lay against him.

His words sliced through me much like his father’s blade had sliced through him.

“Oh my God,” I whispered. “Why would he do that?”

“Because he’s a prick.”

“The bruises were from him, too?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m so sorry, Jet.”

“Don’t be. I’m used to it now, but today’s the first time he’s cut me… When I got home from school, he told me I was going with him and some woman he’s been fucking up to Oakton for the weekend for some investment he’s looking into. When I refused to go, he got pissed.”