I lean against the passenger seat. “I’m not used to sleeping in a moving vehicle.”
He chuckles, and it’s then that I see the gold tooth in his mouth. He’s a big boy. A little short for my taste, and obviously too old, but he’s attractive. “There’s going to be a lot that you will need to get used to, Little Bird.”
I tug my hair out of its ponytail and throw it all back into a high twist bun. “I’m sure there is. Do you drink coffee?”
“Black, please.”
“Cool.” I turn around to head into the kitchen as Kingston walks down the stairs, wearing only grey sweat shorts that dangle way too low on his hips.
Focus.
I ignore him and start the coffee. I’m grabbing two mugs when I feel the heat radiating from him. He’s right beside me, reaching for something above my head.
I freeze at his proximity. The smell of lathered soap, honey, and ash quickly becoming a heady combination of sin.
Jesus.
I close my eyes and exhale, rolling up the sleeves of the hoodie I’m still wearing. I reach for the pot of coffee and pour two cups. I need to get the fuck—The side of his midsection brushes against my arm, and I involuntarily flinch away from him, unwilling to acknowledge the zap that coursed through him to me.
“Sorry,” I mutter, stepping away.
King doesn’t answer. He doesn’t so much as pay me any attention as he pours granola into his bowl. His proximity is toxic, the invisible grip of his fist around my throat, threatening to choke me. Giving a whole new meaning to take my breath away. After pouring black liquid into mugs, I turn for the cutlery drawer when the RV swerves, and I fall into his warm chest.
“I’m sorry.” I shove away from him, but then yank my hands back when the feeling of his skin almost electrocutes me.
He shoves me away, glaring at me like I’m an annoying child, and he’s the hot babysitter who can’t be bothered with my shit. “Stop fucking apologizing.” He grabs a spoon for him and then one for me, tossing it across the kitchen counter.
“Thanks.” I take the spoon and stir sugar into my mug. He lowers himself onto one of the stools, ignoring me while spooning mouthfuls of granola into his mouth. Deciding to leave it at that, I turn to head back to the front of the RV when his voice stops me in my tracks.
“Oh, and Dove?”
I turn over my shoulder. “Yeah?”
His tongue flicks over his lower lip as he points to my back with his spoon. “Take my fucking hoodie off.”
“Sure,” I reply sharply, hiding the fact that his words stung and that I didn’t know it was his hoodie. He can have it back as soon as I’ve finished my coffee.
I hand the driver his coffee and take a seat on the passenger seat, blowing into the mug. There’s a long silence before he says something.
“I’m Justice.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say, keeping my eyes fixed on the passing trees and farmland.
“You don’t have to lie to me, little girl. I know damn well it’s not nice meeting me, considering your circumstances,” he grunts, taking a sip of his coffee while keeping one hand on the wheel.
I run my palm over my forehead. “What makes you think I had a life worth losing?”
Justice pauses, and I watch as the corner of his mouth turns into a smile. “Touché, Little Birdie.”
“Dove!” Kingston barks from the back. I don’t turn. I’m not one of his groupies. I don’t like being treated like shit when he barely knows me.
“What?” I call out, my monotone voice a dead giveaway on how much I care about his annoyance.
“Hoodie!”
I take a long sip of coffee, swallowing past the burn that each gulp ignites.
“Little Bird, don’t provoke the wolf when you’re a sheep,” Justice whispers.
I stand, turning to face King. His legs are spread wide, and his glare is dead set on me. He’s lounging backward, his head tilted slightly. A couple of the other Brothers begin walking down the stairs.
“Oh, did you mean now?” I ask, reaching for the zipper and sliding it down. I’m well aware that I have nothing but my white lace bra and booty shorts beneath it.
Kingston nods his head. “Yeah, Little Bird, now’d be good. You can come shake your ass around me, too, but you ain’t getting paid.” He cocks his head in challenge.
I unzip it all the way down and shuffle it off my shoulders.
“Jesus Christ, girl,” Justice growls beside me.
I fold the hoodie in my arms, and that’s when I see the name printed on the back. AXTON. And then below that is THE BROTHERS OF KIZNITCH. My eyes shoot up to where Killian is standing still, a mug in his hands, but his eyes on my body.
“Asshole,” I murmur, walking forward and shoving the hoodie at Kingston’s chest in passing.
Killian laughs as I stroll past and head straight for my room.
It was Miami Beach, and I was single, so naturally, I found myself sucking face with a random stranger after a night out with Rich and a couple girls from the club.
I pulled the guy in closer as he reached behind him to unlock the door, swinging it open until it was crashing against the wall.
We both laughed, and it was the first time I noticed he didn’t have great teeth. Hell, the tequila must had been wearing off, but fuck it. I was here, drunk. I needed a distraction. Sure, picking up a random dude from the club wasn’t classy, but tonight, I wasn’t looking for class: I needed to be taken away.
We were fumbling to his bed, and I was falling onto the mattress when he started reaching for a condom. I went with it, because that was why I was here. Once he was naked and rolling on the condom, I yanked him down on top of me and lost my way for all of—five minutes. If that. The song “one-minute man” started playing in the back of my brain when random guy fell asleep beside me, but not before muttering that I could stay the night and go home in the morning, which I was more grateful for than the epic failure of whatever it was that he just fucked me with.
I crawled up his bed and yanked the covers up with me, rolling my eyes when his snores gained volume.
I wanted to go to sleep, but I couldn’t. The window in his room was open, allowing the ocean air to drift into the room. After ten minutes, my eyes began to get heavy.
So heavy.
I was chasing the sleep I so desperately wanted, when a rough hand clamped over my mouth, bringing me back to life.
My eyes popped open as fear rippled through me. I could see the outline of his hoodie, but a black rag was wrapped around half of his face, hiding it from his nose down.
He leaned down to the side of my ear, his hand squeezing my mouth. “Let’s play heads or tails, Little Bird…” The Shadow teased. I felt his knee come between my legs. Even though I had a light sheet covering me, I could feel everything. “Heads, I suck your pussy until you scream, to show this fool how a real man fucks. Or tails, I cut off each of your fingers and fuck you with them. Both will have you screamin’, baby. So, what will it be?”
I kicked and turned, but I knew it was no use. The Shadow would come, and he would go. It was what he did.
He shoved me away, and I swiped the saliva away from my mouth, tears pricking my eyes. The day he started was the day my parents died, and I knew that it had something to do with them, but I wasn’t sure how long I could hold on until he finally took the one thing he craved.