Iwas in serious amounts of shit. They had me over a barrel, and they knew it. Because there was no way on God’s green earth I would let Darcie be involved with them now. And they knew it. Hell, they had been counting on it.
I didn’t want to be involved in that shit. They knew that as well, which was why they hadn’t mentioned diamonds until they had me where they wanted me.
Guns, drugs, anything like that I would have been absolutely fine with but diamonds? Even the Savage Sons stayed away from that.
I knew Darcie thought they meant actual diamonds, which was why she had been looking at me strangely all morning. She didn’t understand my sudden foul mood, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that the word “diamond” was just a family code word.
The Judge’s employers were trading women.
The thought made me feel physically sick.
And I had agreed to help them. Even when it went against every moral fibre I had. What other choice did I have? I wanted Darcie as far away from that as possible.
Glancing at her from my place lying on the bed, I watched as she brushed out her hair. Perched on the end of the bed by my feet, in nothing but a towel, she turned her head slightly and her eyes met mine, and the brush in her hand hovered in midair.
One eyebrow arched as she caught me staring at her. “Havoc?”
Forcing myself to smile, I softened my features. This was my trouble to bear, not hers. I couldn’t let it affect my relationship with her because we did have a relationship. And not a pretend one either; she had even said that she wanted to see where this was going. That seemed like a big step for her, especially as she had only known me less than a week.
What did people call it?
Insta love?
I had always been sure it was just the word guys used when they wanted to fuck a girl on the first night, and she wouldn’t put out, but looking at Darcie, I wasn’t so sure. I was attracted to her, I had been from the moment I had seen her standing awkwardly at the bar, but it was more than that. The more I got to know her, the more I actually liked her as a person and not just as someone who could keep my dick wet.
“Come here.” I crooked my finger at her, and the worry on her face evaporated into a small knowing smile. She came eagerly, crawling up the bed towards me and giving me the best view yet of her ass.
Impatient, I pulled her over the top of me, my arms tightening around her waist.
“You smell good,” I admitted, sucking in great lungfuls of the scent of her freshly washed skin.
“You seem in a better mood.” She studied my face with a sigh, her body relaxing against mine.
“I was never in a mood with you.” My sigh was louder than hers. “Just those assholes.”
For a second, she just stared at me with her eyes half-closed. “Look, I don’t even pretend to know anything about this life, but I’m guessing I will have less chance of getting caught smuggling whatever it is they want smuggled.” She chewed on her fingernail thoughtfully. “I mean, I don’t have a criminal record, and…”
I flipped her with a growl, pressing her body down into the mattress. “No.” Softening my voice, I tried to hide the blind panic her words had put in my heart. “No Darcie. Your record and your conscience stay clear.” I waited until she nodded before loosening my grip on her arms. But I didn’t let her up.
I liked the way she felt underneath me, and I liked, even more, the way she looked up at me with unbridled lust making her eyes cloudy.
“Just no.” Leaning down, I caught her bottom lip between my teeth, tugging on it.
“Ok.” She didn’t fight against me. Just stayed where she was.
“How about me and you get out of here for a few days?” The words left my mouth before I could even think about them, but the moment they did, I knew it was a good idea.
A few days away from this town was just what I needed; what we needed. A chance to really connect. It would give me a chance to figure out how I was going to get out of the mess I was in as well.
“Where?”
I shrugged, moving my bulk off of her to sit on the edge of the bed. My head fell into my hands. “I don’t know, we just pack a bag and get on the road. Vegas?” I cocked my head in her direction, gauging her reaction, and she didn’t disappoint. Her lips did a kind of strange twisty thing, and then there was a flash of white teeth as she grinned.
“Sure.” She rolled her eyes until they were mostly white. “Let’s go to Vegas and get married.”
“We could,” I mused out loud “It’s probably a bit soon for that though don’t you think? Unless you’re pregnant? Then I will have to make an honest woman out of you.”
How was it possible that I hadn’t even asked if she was on some form of contraception? I liked her, but there was no way I was ready to be a father.
