Unmask (Adrenaline Series (Stand Alone) Book 4) (14 page)

“There are other responsibilities-”

“Cooking for the
hostage
is not one,” he growls. “Just in case you've forgotten that's what he is. Not a guest.”

Melody press her lips together momentarily. “There are other responsibilities that require action now in order to be used later. This is not the only delivery The Devil has me filling in a timely fashion, so I will ask you again. When?”

Omar shoves his hands in his pockets. “This evening. Before dinner. You have been asked to escort the package as well.”

She whispers, “Shocking.”

“Wear something nice.” Surprised by his words both of us lift our eyebrows. “The Devil has requested you as his date.”

I fight the urge to lunge at him about it.

No good in whooping the shit out of the messenger just yet. Don't get me wrong. It's on the fucking to do list too.

“Fine.” She nods. “I'll be ready.”

Omar turns around and strolls out the way he came. The second the door shuts, I look at her and whisper, “Date?”

Mel denies, “It's not what you think.”

Anger rises in my tone. “I think The Devil is changing your job description...are you gonna...are you gonna sleep with him?”

“Why is that the only thing your brain can come up with?” she snaps.

First instinct. Is that wrong? I don't want anyone touching my girl but me. Especially not that fuck.

“I'm not in the 'fuck him' division of his operations. If he wants me there, it's because he plans to poison someone and wants me to watch. He does this occasionally to remind me of my place in his world.”

Seeing the anguish and trepidation in her eyes, I quickly try to apologize. “Mel I'm-”

“Don't.” She raises her hand. “Just, shut up and follow me.”

I do as I'm told. We make our way back into my room where she turns on the television screen. Unexpectedly there's a sight on it that brings a bit of relief to my system.

“Triple D,” Madden sighs his own reprieve obvious. “You're both alive...You got all your limbs?”

With a small smirk I raise my fingers. “Ten fingers. Ten toes. One large and still functional cock.” There's a squeak from behind me, which makes me smile brighter. “Yeah I'm alive.”

“Daniel said he'd send us a tune,” Madden announces the code. “Jackass has the nerve to joke about Bon Jovi at a time like this.”

Clever. When we were first trying to avoid cops, we made sure we had code phrases we could drop that wouldn't raise suspicions. Things about music. Movies. T.V. Shows. Way of communicating between the lines. Daniel basically promised to send him a GPS signal the moment he could. My guess? The night of the heist. We're smarter than we look and always planning to escape less than pleasant situations.

I try not to smile. “What about you two? Surviving?”

“Barely,” Destin whispers as he shakes his head. “The Devil is fucking us hard. Between spending most the day justifying all our spending to some dickhead auditors and spending most of the night searching for you two, I haven't slept. I forget to eat until Knox shoves a plate of food in front of my face.”

Quickly noticing our female McCoy missing, I tilt my head. “Where is Knox?”

“Dealing with
actual
customers,” Madden informs. “And I'm trying to deal with actual mechanic work. At this rate the shop won't stay open very long.”

“Which is what The Devil wants,” I sigh. “Don't worry. We'll be home soon.”

“That's what Daniel said,” Madden informs. “You better be. And your asses better be in one piece or when I glue you back together, I'm gonna rip you apart again.”

He's loving in his own way. Just...go with it.

I chuckle. “Noted.”

“Who's the chick?” Destin acknowledges.

“That's Mel,” I quietly answer before turning around to give her a smile. She tries to hide the soft one she's developing. “She kinda likes me.” When she rolls her eyes I turn back around to see a scowl on my big brothers face.

Him and Omar sure have that look fucking patented.

“Drew...” Madden warns.

“We're gonna save her too.”

Destin slowly questions, “We are?”

“Yup.” I answer and watch Madden's jaw twitch even though he doesn't say anything. “She's trapped just as much as I am in this place. She's been...good to me.”

Fucking amazing, but they don't need to know that. I damn sure ain't sharing once she's out of here and I would hate for either of them to get that idea for even a second.

“How is it even while you're kidnapped, you and Daniel still get your dicks touched?” Destin complains. “I'm losing sleep trying to fucking find you. You're losing sleep trying to fucking find pussy.”

“Don't talk about her that way,” I snap, which stiffens both of them. “It's not like that. And that's the only time I'm gonna warn you.”

Destin surrenders his hands, which is when Madden sighs, “I know that look.”

That's because Merrick had it. Back then I thought it was a terrible thing to have. Now? Now I know it's worth every bit of shit he stirred up to keep it.

Leaning into the camera he grouses, “If you swing at me, I will not hesitate to lay your ass out.”

The memory of Merrick throwing a punch at him over Jovi causes me to smile and nod. “Fair.” After a brief pause I add, “Just don't give me a reason to.”

There's a buzzing sound from behind me. In a calm voice, Melody says, “Say goodbye.”

“I'll see you in a few days,” I say with a wave.

The two of them offer me the best nods of solace they can before the screen goes black.              

Turning around to face Melody, I'm surprised by the livid expression that's returned to her face. In a low tone she says, “I don't appreciate how one minute you can say shit like that and treat me like you do, think I'm not like every other female you've ever met, only to do a 180 and constantly wonder am I sleeping with everyone around me. When I told you I had been with one other person it wasn't so you would take pity and screw me.  It wasn't a lie to make you feel special if we ever fell into bed together. It was one of the most truthful, more embarrassing things I've ever had to admit out loud. So make up your mind on which side of the equation you want me to sit on, Drew. Am I really someone you think is worth a damn or am I just like everything else that keeps crossing your path, disposable?”

Not shocked by the content of her speech, so much as the fact she made it, my mouth twitches to respond.

“I have work to do. If you need something, I'll be in Eden.”

Melody spins on her heels and turns away without a second glance.

Was it that out of line to even let that cross my mind? In a world like this can you blame me for being curious every now and again if the sweet routine is an act? I don't think it is. I don't want it to be. When we're together, she feels like she would welcome an escape at the drop of a dime, but she's just given up. Then I look at her and see the way Omar says shit without saying it and can't help, but wonder what's the other side she's hiding? I know it's there. I ignore it the best I can. But I'm not a complete idiot no matter how blind love can make me.

Melody

With another heavy sigh, I scoop the powders together, the assignation mixture, not one of the easier creations I've come up with.

It's time consuming not just loving these plants, watering, them and insuring they grow properly without killing each other or me, but chemically stripping them into the different healing purposes and death functions The Devil desires. Sometimes I think he considers himself God instead of Satan.

I seal the small Ziploc bag before wiping off the outside of it. Once any excess residue is removed, I tuck it in the brief case beside the other two mixtures that were requested of me.

All properly labeled. Don't worry.

As I pull off my latex gloves I hear the sound of the door opening across the greenhouse. Curious if Omar returned early I peer around to see Drew with a hurt expression on his face.

It's like looking at a wounded puppy. Ugh. Okay, so I snapped earlier. Maybe a little too harshly considering the fact I know he shouldn't trust me, but it hurts. It hurt to kind of let someone in, to risk your life for them, yet still have them assume every time your turn your back you may or may not be fucking the enemy. Which I'm not. I may be doing my job, less and less well every day, but I'm not screwing The Devil in the aspect recently implied.

Drew sighs, steps away from me. “I'm sorry.”

His brown eyes begin to melt my will to stay strong. To keep the guard I just put back up. “Apology accepted.” I turn around and close the briefcase. “I need to shower and change, but if you're hungry-”

His lips brush the side of my neck. “I am. For you.” When my breath hitches he states, “You're the only thing I've been craving every minute since I've been here.” A long lick slides up my neck. “And you're the only thing keeping me alive.”

Oh...oh how wrong he is there. In fact...I'm the very thing killing us both.

Guilt rises in my throat, but is washed away by a warm kiss close to my ear. “Cameras. Where?”

“Th-there's one by the entrance and one...” my voice trails off at the feeling of his hands caressing my hips and ass. “In the opposite corner.”

“Where can we not be seen?”

Glancing over my shoulder, I let our eyes meet. “There's a spot by the first aid station.”

His eyes that are swarming with desire scream louder than his voice ever could. “Go. There. Now.”

I nod and casually stroll away from him, past my work station, past the rows of plants mainly used for healing, to the small area I built for tending to the wounds I could receive while I'm in here. The second I reach the destination Drew's body is pressed against my back. Bracing myself I plant my hands firmly on the table.

The heat from his body almost scorches my own flesh that seems to be burning. In a whisper he asks, “How long do I have you to myself?”

“Not long,” I whisper back, head falling forward at the feeling of my pants being dragged down.

“Then I'll make it count,” he declares. Drew's palm pushes me forward, so my chest is against the table before he helps my lower half out of my scrub bottoms. Growling, he runs a finger down the back side of my pussy. “You don't wear underwear with your scrubs?”

Panting from the simple touch I answer, “Not usually.”

His hot breath is against the area that can't wait a second longer to experience what it's like to have a tongue on it. “When we escape...you keep that fucking habit. Got it?”

“Got it.” My compliance is rewarded with his mouth clasping onto the stickiness I've already created and allowing my juices to seep into his mouth instead of on my legs. “Oh my God...”

Drew hums his approval, whether it's of my taste or my response is unknown, and begins to consume the craving he claimed he had. Mercilessly his tongue rolls around, presses against my clit, turns and twists until my knees wobble. My cries of his name are quiet not because I'm afraid of being caught, but because my own voice seems to have been sucked from me.

Holy. Hell.

Feeling the end is near, I whimper, “Drew...”

His tongue pushes at my entrance before the tip teases my clit into submission. In a harsh breath my body trembles on top of his tongue, feeding the brute appetite he seems to have. Without allowing me a moment to catch my breath, Drew's dick invades my still pulsating pussy, in sheer declaration. Arching upward, I grip the sides of the table for leverage as he roughly thrusts repeatedly. Lost in the furor of the sex, my eyes shut and surrender to the pleasure being passed between us. Suddenly my pussy starts to tighten. Drew's cock swells in response. Before either of us can stop, our orgasms erupt causing savage cries and callings to echo in the greenhouse.

Completely spent, I fall forward again, thankful the table is there to catch me. After my breath starts to settle, Drew slowly pulls out. “Is that how you really apologize?”

He lightly chuckles. “I don't know. I've never really had to say it often to anyone other than my brothers.”

Just as my lips turn upward, there's a cloth cleaning the remains of our latest tryst. “You're really good at that.”

“At what, baby?”

“All of that.” I giggle. Feeling my pants being pushed at my feet, I step into them as I'm directed. “Like really good.” Once they're securely up, I turn around and question, “How'd you get so good?”

Drew who's already tucked his dick away replies, “Lots of practice.”

A brief concern that should've hit me sooner comes to mind. “Should-”

“Clean,” he cuts me off. “I had a shot of EA the morning I was kidnapped.”

I was here that morning. Mixing the very thing that's going to tear us apart.

“What about...birth control?” Drew barely breathes out. “Ya know, little mini McCoys someday might not be a bad thing, but right now-”

“I'm sterile,” I blurt out.

The sadness that fills his brown eyes is one I battled in my own for months.

Any longer and suicide would've been more than just a constant passing thought. Maybe I should've just done it. At least it wouldn't be me killing him, right? I'm gonna stop that. I promise. I just...I have to tell him first and after that, he might actually trust me enough to let me fix the mess I've made.

“What?”

“There's a sterilizing shot that I was given when I first got here.” My fingers toy with the end of my braid. “They told me it was for the flu, but I wasn't that stupid. Eventually The Devil explained how it was best in case I ever decided to give in and explore the options around me. He couldn't afford to have me pregnant.”

Rage replaces the sadness as he nods. “One more reason to kill him.”

Did we need another?

“So if we want kids someday-”

Swiftly my hand lands gently on his cheek. “One step at a time. Let's focus on getting out of this alive before we start discussing the idea of procreation.”

He smiles against my hand. “Alright.”

With one more hum and a quick peck, I move past him back the direction we traveled from. I check the contents of the case one final time before shutting it. Once it's closed, I nod my head the direction of the cottage.

As we enter the house, we're startled to see Rex inside, arms folded tightly across his chest. With an irritated look he snaps, “Where the fuck were you two?”

“In Eden,” I bite back. “Unlike you I require a little more subtlety for my weapons of pain.”

“I like to think you require a little more subtlety for more than that,” Rex tries to flirt, which causes Drew to tense beside me.

“You wouldn't know,” Drew snaps.

Rex growls, “You wouldn't fucking know either.” His eyes lower to a glare, “And you? Why the fuck were you out there?”

“Dinner,” he states without missing a beat. “Needed to know if she was cooking before she left or if I needed to fend for myself.”

“What are
you
doing here?” I redirect the conversation. “Omar's picking me up.”

“Yeah. He said he was on his way. I'm here to babysit,” he sneers at me. “So since she's not cooking you can eat shit for dinner.”

“Maybe you eat what you are, but I'm more a pizza man myself,” Drew's joke gets a smile from me.

Nonchalantly I point. “There's a frozen pizza in there for you.”

He nods slowly his eyes getting swept away in mine. Rex clears his throat.

Shit. We have to stop acting like that where actual people can see.

Turning back to him I snip, “Maybe if you're nice, he'll share with you.”

Drew whispers behind his hand, “Probably not.”

I chuckle and roll my eyes. “Whatever. I have to shower. I'll see you tomorrow, Drew.”

Rex grunts, poorly hiding his jealousy. “Drew?”

“Believe it or not McCoy is my
last
name.” The smart ass remark is proceeded with him shooting me one final smile. “See ya then.”

Walking away with the briefcase dangling from my grip, I try to hide the glow I'm sure is painted on my face. In my doorway, I give Drew one final glance to see him give me a small eyebrow rise.

Yup. Definitely have to shower away this momentary joy. The Devil senses happiness even faster than he senses fear. Do me a favor and remind me of that tonight when my brain wanders to its happy place in desperation to forget the person I'm helping him kill at dinner.