I will not go against the wishes of the beautiful Uma R. Crane.
He’d said those words to her, in the back of his truck, and he’d meant them, but he hadn’t fucking known. How could he have known what he was promising?
Oh God.His arms clung to the bag, and the sound that came out of his mouth…the sound was bad. He knew it when Squeak whined and moved away. But he didn’t know how to stop. He couldn’t stop.
If he didn’t kill him—Joey—then the fucker’d get away with it. And Ive couldn’t handle that. No justice. No fucking justice in this world.
“No justice,” he said over and over as he pummeled the bag, wishing he could spew the poison, until his chest hurt and his hands were numb and there wasn’t a dry spot on his body. But it wasn’t working. It wouldn’t work, and by the end, without his really noticing the change, his strikes took on the ring of his own brand of justice, and that felt infinitely better. Infinitely right.
Swallowing, he pushed himself off, noticed Squeak curled up in the opposite corner of the porch, as far from him as possible, and headed to his truck, still soaking, but what the fuck did it matter?
The gym. He’d go to the gym. Find Steve and maybe pummel his ass. That might do it: cut out the fury, burn it or cauterize it or…
No. No, first to the forge for some clothes. He couldn’t show up looking like this, even at the gym. He grabbed a shower, changed, made a quick phone call, and, at the last minute, picked up the container of dog food by the door and threw it into the truck. Just in case.
First, he’d go by Jessie’s, to look something up. No big deal. He needed to know. The man’s full name, if nothing else. Just his name. As he steered toward his sister’s, he didn’t let his thoughts stray from the road itself—his hands on the wheel, his eyes hyperalert, his foot on the pedals. Motions that meant nothing. Just driving. Just going for a drive.
In front of Jessie’s, he took stock. Breathing fine, pulse a little weird, but, hey, he’d beat the shit out of his bag for probably—a glance at his dash shocked him.Three hours?One spent in his forge, shaping hot iron, then another couple on the porch, pounding leather. Was that possible? The sun, high in the sky, confirmed it, and suddenly, what started as an idea became an urgent mission, a crusade, burning brighter than reason and promises or anything else.
For Uma. For justice.
* * *
All day, Uma thought of Ivan. His hands on her, his cock inside her, his expression when he came. The night spent in his bed, safe and warm in his arms. Andsleep—he’d given her real, honest-to-goodness sleep, like a miraculous gift. That alone would have been enough to make her fall for him. But then, there was the way he’d calmed her, taken on her troubles, how he took on everyone else’s.
Her body was shaky and tired as she worked at Ms. Lloyd’s, but it didn’t matter. It was a good tired. Emotional and wrung out, but also…thoroughly fucked, she thought with a giggle. She’d heard him earlier, hammering and then pounding at his punching bag, which hadn’t helped her oust him from her thoughts. Not that she wanted to, she thought with a secret smile. Even here in Ms. Lloyd’s creepy basement, folding laundry, it was easy to bask in the bright glow of him.
Could she reallylovehim? Was it even possible after so short a time?
Yes. I love him.
A noise from upstairs startled her out of her thoughts, flushed and excited and a little bit…lovesick.
It was no surprise that her mind went straight to Ivan when she heard it again and identified it as knocking. She was so convinced it was him—missing her, wanting to see her face, the way she wanted to see his—that it took her a moment to process his sister standing at the top of the stairs.
“You sure she’s down here?” Jessie asked, peering into the dark basement.
“Got a visitor, Irma.”
Even that stupid name couldn’t bother her today.
“Right here!” she called from below.
“No need to walk me down, Ms. Lloyd. I just want a few words with Uma.”
“Oh? What’s she done now?”
“Nothin’. Didn’t she tell you we’re friends?”
Ms. Lloyd scoffed. “Never seen anyone make faster time in this town.” Uma couldn’t hear the rest as Ms. Lloyd walked away from the top of the stairs.
“Wow.” Jessie sounded breathless as she came down the stairs. “This place. It’s…”
“I’d invite you to sit, but it’s…not very inviting.”
“Yeah. Listen. I need to tell you something.” Jessie’s voice was low and urgent, her eyes a little frantic.
“Okay.”
