Eva chuckles. “You trying to get rid of me?”
“I’m trying to get rid of this conversation.”
“Okay, I’m going, but this topic is not closed, Ivy.”
“Bye, hermana.” <Sister.>
Dash glances over, and with a slight snicker, he says, “Siblings, huh? They wanna know all your shit.”
I groan. “This Ol’ Lady business is going to her head. She’s always been in charge, but now it’s giving her even more of a reason to boss me around.”
“You don’t seem like the submissive type. I see you as the take-the-bull-by-the-horns type, in a sense?”
“Exactly. I like being in control. It’s not easy for me to give that up.”
“Well, I, for one, like it when you take charge. Bossing me around gives me the tingles.”
I snort out a laugh, shoving him playfully.
Dash might be an idiot, but at least he’s not an asshole.
Chapter Nine
VOID
I’ve been in my room for a while. After I woke up to Ivy’s hand down my pants, I nearly lost fucking control. The urge to pin her to the bed and fuck her like a damn madman washed over me in such a fierce adrenaline rush that a red haze enveloped me.
In a flash, it could have gone either way.
For me to revert to the man I once was.
But seeing her gorgeous, innocent face pulled me back and woke me from my past.
Usually, I wouldn’t be concerned about it happening with a woman. They might understand, they might not. Hell, some even get turned on by it. But the first time I take Ivy, I need to be gentle, and honestly, I don’t know if I fucking have it in me.
Her first time would be better with someone like Dash. A man who can be attentive to her needs. Not someone like me who’s too far fucking gone to give Ivy the first she deserves.
I take another sip, straight from the whiskey bottle. A quarter of the Jack Daniels bottle now seeping into my veins. I shouldn’t have left Ivy the way I did. I shouldn’t have spoken to her the way I did. But if I hadn’t left, I would have done something I’d regret even more, and then she would never forgive me. As it is, it took me forever to deal with the hardcore fucking boner I had from her almost touching me.
The thought of her hands on me—goddamn! I clench my eyes shut, trying to stop my mind from wandering off again. Ivy tears me apart in all the right ways. She doesn’t understand the effect she has on me.
I wish I could tell her.
Fuck! I wish I could show her.
She’s not ready for that.
I take another sip from the bottle as my door slams open without a knock. Usually, I’d be annoyed at whoever’s breaking into my room without knocking, but right now, I just don’t give one fuck.
“You need to get your shit into gear,” Nycto grunts out while walking over, shoving my feet across the bed.
The whiskey spills from the bottle with the force of Nycto’s shove as I bring it away from my lips. I let out a groan, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I need to do fucking nothing.”
“Can you ride?” Nycto asks, swiping the bottle away then screwing on the lid.
I shrug. “I’ve had a quarter of a bottle. You’re fully aware I handle my liquor.”
“Good. I need you to go to the café. Trixie called, said some people are hanging around acting suspiciously.”
I stand yanking my cut into place. “On it.”
“And Void?” I raise my brow. “Don’t get pulled over for a breath test.”
I dip my chin, taking off for my ride. If Trix is in trouble, at least there’s something I’m good at, and that’s letting unwanted people know how much they’re not wanted.
Hopping on my ride, I turn over the engine. My baby purrs beneath me, and for some reason, I wish Ivy was on the back of my ride. It felt so right when she was clinging to my back, holding on tight. I take off, anyway, the kick of the alcohol buzzing through my system.
The ride doesn’t take long, and as I pull up to the café, a couple of men inside the store are obviously screaming at Trixie, so I jump off my ride quicker than I thought possible. Hoisting my gun from my jeans, I storm off. Thrusting open the door so quickly it hits the wall with a thud, their loud screeching reaches me seconds later.
“Hand it over, you stupid bitch, or I swear to God—”
I aim the gun, cocking it right at the stupid fucker who doesn’t see me coming. “You swear to God, what? You better choose your words carefully, asshole, or this bullet will choose them for you.”
The loudmouth and his friend snap their heads toward me, their eyes widening as they take in my club cut. Both their hands shoot up in surrender as they start backing up.
“Hey man, it’s a simple misunderstanding.”
“Yeah… I figured. You better get the fuck out… and if you come back, I’m gonna put a bullet in your cock, so you know what it’s like to be the dickless idiot you are, then I’ll shoot you between your eyes for good fucking measure.” I point, aiming at the loudmouth’s foot, then squeeze the trigger.
My gun recoils, the bullet flying out with speed and precision.
The idiot screams out in agony, jumping on the spot, leaving a trail of blood on Trixie’s freshly mopped floor.
“What the fuck did you do that for, you fucking maniac?” loudmouth’s sidekick hisses reaching out for his friend, wrapping his arm around him for support.
“Because I’m a bastard. You cross us, we don’t give you a second chance. Fuck up again, that little warning will be higher up and hit a vital organ. Now… Get. The. Fuck. Out.”
Loudmouth keeps his mouth shut as his friend pulls him out of the café, his bleeding foot dragging behind him. I flick the safety back on my gun, stowing it away, as Trixie rushes out from behind the counter. She lunges at me, wrapping her arms around my neck, pulling me to her in a tight embrace.
I tense, hating fucking affection as I stand uncomfortably. I’ve only just gotten used to letting Ivy touch me. I’m not on board with this, so I reach up grabbing Trixie’s arms, pulling her back as she exhales dramatically. “Thank you, Void. You’re a lifesaver. It didn’t look like they had guns or anything, but they were starting to become pretty damn vocal. I was getting scared.”
I take in the café, trying to see if there’s any damage other than the blood trail. “Did they take anything? Do any damage?”
“No, they were after cash. Honestly, maybe they were junkies after a fix. I don’t even think they’re aware of what’s out the back ‘cause they didn’t come looking for it… just the cash.”
“If it’s any consolation, I don’t believe they’ll be back, but I will have a brother sent to stand guard during the day for a while.”
“Thank you… I appreciate that.”
“Sorry, looks like I made a mess. Got caught up in the moment… I’ve had a day.”
Trixie grips my bicep. “Well, I’ve just made a batch of macarons. You wanna take some back to the clubhouse and try them for me, make sure I got the ratios right?”
I chuckle. “Oooh, ‘macarons’…” I use air quotes, “… I’m sure they’re awesome.” These are definitely not for front of store sale. She wants to make sure the ratio of sweet treat to weed is good to go before we sell them.