Текст книги "Beautifully Loyal"

Автор книги: Nicole Edwards

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Текущая страница: 7 (всего у книги 25 страниц)

Chapter Fourteen

There’s no harm in watching. Right?

Present day

Thursday, November 5 th

Leyton swallowed hard, forcing back the lump that had formed in his throat when he’d gotten an eyeful of Ashlynn’s delectable bare pussy. He’d always known the woman had a centerfold body. Big, beautiful tits, a ripe, round ass, and legs that went on for fucking miles… Curvy in all the right places. Although he’d seen her in various states of dress (and undress) over the years, even watched her fuck Jase in the VIP room, he’d never had an unobstructed view of that sweet spot until now. And he couldn’t fucking look away.

And there definitely wasn’t a damn thing in his way at the moment. As she sat on Jase’s lap, Ashlynn had placed her heels on the edge of the cushions, spreading her legs wide. He couldn’t look away from the glistening pink folds of her pussy. He had to rest his drink on the arm of the sofa or risk dropping the damn thing.

“Do you like me in this position?” she asked.

It was obvious that Ashlynn was drunk, but he knew her well enough to know she would’ve done the same thing had she been sober. It seemed to be her mission in life to drive him fucking crazy with lust. He wasn’t sure she could do much more than she was now, her legs spread, Jase’s tanned hands cupping her gorgeous tits, squeezing them while he pinched her small pinkish-brown nipples.

“Would you prefer I touch myself?” Ashlynn asked, apparently not needing him to participate in the conversation. Which was a good thing, because he didn’t think he’d be able to find his voice.

When her fingers slid between her legs, separating her labia and giving him an even better view of her, he thought he would swallow his tongue. He damn near did when she began circling her clit with her middle finger.

“You haven’t stopped me yet,” Ashlynn said, “so I’ll take that to mean you want me to continue.”

He should’ve told her to stop. Hell, he should’ve gotten up and left the room, but he fucking couldn’t move, couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe for wanting her.

The only question that came to mind was whether or not Max would kill him if he found out Leyton had a front-row seat to her masturbating. Max had said he couldn’t touch her, which he wasn’t. He’d said he couldn’t fuck her, which he wasn’t. But Max had never once said Leyton couldn’t watch her.

His dick throbbed painfully, but he didn’t give it the attention it craved. Instead, he continued to observe as she slipped one red-tipped finger into her pussy, her eyes locked on him.

“It’s so much better when Jase uses his fingers,” Ashlynn said as she fucked herself a few times. “But maybe you should be the judge of that.”

Ashlynn retrieved Jase’s hand from her tit and pushed it between her legs. Leyton watched as Jase’s thick finger grazed her wet lips a few times, then disappeared inside her body. Okay, so he was on the fence on which was better. They were both hot.

Fuck.

Ashlynn moaned. “Feels … so … good.” Her eyes never strayed from Leyton’s face. As she rocked her hips, she instructed Jase to use two fingers.

Jase did as she asked, curling his hand and sliding two fingers deep into her, shallowly penetrating her by slowly jerking his wrist.

Ashlynn grabbed Jase’s forearm. “Harder. He wants to watch you make me come.”

Yes, he did. In fact, Leyton wanted to crawl on the floor and put his face between her legs so he could smell her while Jase masturbated her for his viewing pleasure.

“Do you wish you could taste me?” Ashlynn asked.

Leyton looked into her eyes, but he didn’t respond. There was no need. She already knew the answer to that question.

“That’s what I thought,” she rasped. “Fuck me, Jase. Make me come.”

Her eyes remained locked on his face, but Leyton knew she was probably blinded by the pleasure, unable to focus thanks to the booze and the sensations flooding her.

Jase’s fingers moved more rapidly, sliding deep, over and over, as Ashlynn writhed and moaned on his lap. Her head fell back on Jase’s shoulder, and Leyton wished he could’ve been the one bringing her to orgasm. What he wouldn’t give to give in to the aching need that made his balls throb.

But he couldn’t.

“Oh, fuck!” Ashlynn cried out. “That’s it!” Ashlynn’s features pinched as she closed her eyes and came all over Jase’s fucking hand right there in front of him.

Leyton didn’t move, didn’t say a word as she came down from her sensual high. Jase helped her to adjust her dress, then curled her up against him.

“I’m guessing that didn’t work out the way you had planned,” Jase stated, his expression bland.

No, it hadn’t. Not by a long shot.

“Let me see if I can guess how this was supposed to go.” Jase’s tone was harsh, not at all amused by the situation. “You called us up here while Max was out of town, planning to let us know that we needed to back off because we’re making you uncomfortable. Since you’ve convinced yourself that you can’t have what you want—what’s being offered to you—you were gonna try and put some distance between us. Am I close?”

That was the reason he’d called them up there.

Leyton nodded.

Ashlynn watched him, her head resting on Jase’s shoulder. She tilted her head to look up at Jase. “Then I guess we should be going.”

Without a word, Jase helped Ashlynn to her feet, and Leyton instantly got up. He followed them toward the door but took a step back when Jase whirled on him after Ashlynn stepped out into the hall.

“Tell me how watching her is okay but being with her isn’t?” His anger was palpable. “You’re a fucking idiot, Leyton. She wants this. And trust me, sex with her … it’s indescribable.” Jase lowered his voice. “And it’s her way of expressing the emotions she keeps bottled up. You know it as well as I do. But fuck if you can’t see past your own goddamn loyalties.”

Leyton didn’t see the point in arguing. He would never be able to make Jase understand just what he owed Max. And if Max didn’t want Leyton to be with his sister, he had to respect his wishes. Even if he didn’t agree with them.

“Going forward, I’ll drop it,” Jase said. “Just know this…” Jase stabbed a finger into Leyton’s chest. “Those things you want? The things you never thought were attainable because you’re just a little different than everyone else… You pass this up and you might never find it again.”

Leyton took a deep breath as Jase stormed out of the penthouse, slamming the door behind him.

Several minutes passed as Leyton stared at the door, replaying those words over and over in his head. Based on those words, it was evident Jase knew exactly what Leyton was going through. They were one and the same. They’d both been captivated by a woman—the same woman—but there was something else they both needed, something only they could provide one another.

And Jase was right, Leyton knew it. He would probably never find it again, but there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about that. He’d promised Max that he’d keep his hands off of Ashlynn. As much as he wanted to go back on that promise, Leyton would never be able to. He owed Max too damn much. The man had given him a life he’d never expected, a family he’d never thought he could have.

Leyton had let down a lot of people in his life, but the one man who’d saved him would never know what it felt like to be let down.

At least not by him.

Chapter Fifteen

Remorse? No. None at all.

Present day

Friday, November 6 th

Leyton arrived at the warehouse ahead of Tony, bringing with him Rock and Sal, both for backup. Tony wasn’t supposed to arrive for another half hour, but Leyton wasn’t willing to chance his guest showing up before him, not with a man known for his tantrums that generally resulted in gunfire, a man who seemed to have little common sense and even fewer scruples.

Once inside, Rock did a cursory check of the place to ensure no one was hiding out where they shouldn’t be, and when he returned, Sal was close behind, having checked the perimeter of the building.

“Is everything set up?” Leyton asked, his question directed at Rock.

“It is. The room’s all ready and Snarly’s in the back.”

Richard “Snarly” Johnson was the man who handled most of their dirty work for them. The guy was big and bald with beady eyes, and Leyton hadn’t known what to think of him at first, but through the years, Snarly had proven his unwavering loyalty to Max. Not only was he quite skilled in interrogation, he also handled cleanup. But for reasons he didn’t care to share, Snarly preferred not to talk to anyone directly, not even Max. So they didn’t speak directly to him unless they had to. After all, who were they to question Snarly’s work ethic? The guy was efficient, so explanations weren’t necessary.

The sound of a car out front announced someone’s arrival. Glancing at his watch, he didn’t think it was Tony. It was too early. He retrieved his gun from its holster, just to be safe. Both Rock and Sal took their positions in front of Leyton, M4s at the ready, and though he found their stance a little awkward—at least from where he stood—he reminded himself that this was his new position within the organization. Whereas he used to be the man standing in front of Max, he was now the man standing behind the enforcers.

A door creaked open, then the sound of heels clicking on the concrete floor echoed through the space. Since he knew Tony didn’t wear heels, Leyton frowned his displeasure, moving around Rock in time to see Ashlynn approaching, with Jase—wielding his own semiautomatic—close behind.

“What the fuck are you doin’ here?” Leyton growled.

Ashlynn smiled. Although she was gorgeous regardless, this particular smile wasn’t meant to enhance her beauty. “I was thinkin’ this was my issue to deal with.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Leyton told her. He was quite capable of handling the issue on his own. There was no reason for her to be there.

Coming to stand directly in front of him, Ashlynn kept her eyes locked with his. He could smell her perfume—something floral yet spicy—and see the green flecks in her hazel eyes. In her heels, she was probably close to five ten, and still he had to look down at her. He ignored his body’s untimely response to her nearness. He’d become accustomed to the discomfort he felt when she was near, more so after recent events.

“Since Tony’s been stealin’ from me,” Ashlynn stated, “I thought it only appropriate that I get to dish out the punishment. Was I wrong?”

“Snarly’s here,” Leyton said, his eyes sliding over to Jase momentarily.

“Good. I’ll need him.”

It was obvious that Ashlynn wasn’t happy, but Leyton wasn’t sure whether that was due to him being there to handle the problem she saw as hers to deal with or simply because she was going to have to face Tony herself. The woman was more than capable of handling matters such as this, and on more than one occasion, Leyton had seen grown men cry because of her. She was as ruthless as Max. The only difference … most men didn’t expect her to be because of how she looked.

Because he respected her choice to handle the problem on her own, Leyton nodded, offering her the lead. “And I’ll be here if you need me.”

“I will need you,” Ashlynn said, her eyes glittering, only this time there was something other than annoyance reflected there, but he pretended not to notice. “Leo and Teddy are outside. They’ve been instructed to bring Tony in. Alone.”

Leyton nodded to Sal, a silent instruction for him to join the others. When Tony arrived, if whoever he brought with him felt the need to follow him in, it would be Sal’s call on how to handle it.

“Then I’ll be in the room with you,” Leyton informed Ashlynn.

“I’d appreciate that.”

Less than a minute later, another car arrived, but no one came in immediately. When the door did finally open, Tony was being manhandled by Sal.

“He alone?” Leyton asked Sal.

The other man shook his head. “They’re bein’ dealt with.”

“Goddammit!” Tony exclaimed as Sal forcefully frisked him. “I came willingly, didn’t I?”

The much shorter man reminded Leyton of Danny DeVito. And next to Sal—six feet tall and built like a brick shit house—Tony looked that much shorter. And rounder.

“You should,” Ashlynn noted, turning to face Tony. “You owe me that much.”

“Ms. Adorite.” Tony looked surprised to see her.

“We need to have a chat,” she told Tony, then turned and walked toward the back of the warehouse.

Leyton didn’t want to admire her, but he couldn’t help himself. She was wearing a black, knee-length skirt, a red silk blouse that accentuated her impressive breasts, and a pair of red pumps. The woman knew how to draw a man’s eyes; there was no disputing that.

Jase was behind her, walking backward as he guarded Ashlynn with his body, keeping himself between her and everyone else. Leyton knew that when he’d told Jase he was forsaking her safety for his sexual proclivities, he’d been talking out his ass, just as Jase had accused him of doing. Without a doubt, Jase would lay down his own life for hers, as would anyone else who worked for the Adorites. But Leyton got the feeling Jase’s need to take care of her came more from his feelings for her rather than simple loyalty to the organization.

Sal forced Tony forward, propelling him toward the small ten-by-ten room at the back of the building that held a metal table and a metal chair. Along the wall were chains and other “tools” that Snarly preferred for his interrogations, and in the center of the room, a drain in the floor explained how Snarly handled cleanup.

“Have a seat, Tony,” Ashlynn instructed, then turned to Jase. “Please wait outside. I’ll be fine. Leyton’s here.”

Jase nodded, then walked past Leyton, not making eye contact.

Leyton hadn’t seen Jase since last night at the penthouse. After the kiss they’d shared last weekend, he hadn’t been able to look at the man without thinking about their conversation. It had made things significantly more difficult for Leyton, and last night’s incident hadn’t helped one fucking bit, either. Ignoring his attraction to the pair was becoming damn near impossible.

Thankfully, Jase was a professional. Leyton had noticed that whenever they were handling something as critical as this, Jase never broke protocol. He was fierce in his need to protect Ashlynn, and it was clear he wasn’t going to allow anything—not emotions, not lust—to interfere.

Leyton appreciated that.

The door closed behind Jase, leaving Ashlynn and Leyton alone with Tony. Before the echo from the door latching faded, Ashlynn lifted her skirt, showing some creamy leg as she retrieved her trusty knife from the red holster that ringed her thigh. Tony’s eyes bulged as he ogled her.

Oh, hell.

If Tony thought Ashlynn was merely being a tease, the bastard had another think coming. That knife she gripped in her dainty hand was something Ashlynn Adorite was infamous for, mainly because when her knife appeared, at least one finger was going to disappear. It was a guarantee.

Apparently Tony knew where this was headed. His eyes widened as he swallowed hard, balling his hands into fists.

Like that would save him.

“That’s not necessary,” Tony sputtered.

“That’s for me to decide.” Ashlynn’s heels clicked on the concrete as she circled the table.

Leyton took a step forward, intending to lunge for Tony should he be stupid enough to put his hands on Ashlynn.

Ashlynn came back around and then stopped beside Leyton. She offered him a small smile, then turned her head to look at their guest. “Where’s my shipment, Tony?”

“I … I…”

Ashlynn faced Tony directly, her eyes narrowed. “We can get this over with and be on our way if you’ll just tell me what I need to know. You know me, Tony. I don’t play games.”

“Is Max coming?” Tony asked, his gaze sliding to Leyton.

Taking a step back so that Tony knew he was merely there as backup, Leyton kept his expression masked.

“My brother’s not gonna save you today.” Ashlynn said that as though Max might’ve been lenient on the guy if he had been there. More than likely, Tony would’ve already been strung up by a chain, dangling from the ceiling. By his thick neck. “I’m only gonna ask once more. Where’s my shipment, Tony?”

“I don’t know,” he blurted. “It never arrived.”

“It never arrived?” Ashlynn placed the sharp blade flat against her palm as she glanced down at Tony’s fingers. “Who’d you tell about it?”

“No one, I swear.”

Ashlynn’s head cocked to the side. “A little birdy told me you’ve been talkin’ to the Moroso family. That true?”

That was the first Leyton had heard of that, and he didn’t like the idea of Tony working with the second most powerful crime family in the state. As it was, they’d been on the verge of a war with them for the past few years because the Moroso family was attempting to encroach on the Adorites’ territory. When it came to guns and drugs, the Adorites maintained a large portion of the state. He’d thought things had simmered down after Samuel’s death, but apparently he’d been wrong.

“Of course not.” Tony’s denial wasn’t as genuine as he likely thought it was. The guy really was a shitty liar. Oddly, his sad excuse for a poker face was one of the reasons Max had continued their business relationship, because it was easy to tell if Tony was telling the truth or not.

Ashlynn sighed but didn’t say anything.

“I’ll find it,” Tony continued, his words rushed. “I just need until the end of the day tomorrow. After I procure the next shipment, I can focus on finding the last one.”

“So you do know where it is?” Ashlynn took a step closer.

“No! But I’ll find it! I just need more time.”

Ashlynn tossed a look at Leyton over her shoulder. He tapped on the door, and a second later, Snarly opened the door and stepped inside, his beady black eyes trained on Tony.

“No!” Tony yelped, launching up from his chair. He didn’t get far before Snarly was behind him, holding him in the chair with one beefy hand. Leyton had moved closer to Ashlynn, once again intending to insert himself between them should the need arise.

“From where I stand,” Ashlynn said, her raspy voice smooth as velvet, “we can do this one of two ways. You tell me what I need to know and you leave with one less finger.” With Snarly holding a squirming Tony in place, Ashlynn placed the blade over Tony’s pinky finger, dragging it slowly until blood oozed from the shallow gash.

“What’s the second option?” Tony squealed.

“The last person you get to see in this life is my good friend Snarly. Your pick. But you’ve got three seconds to decide.” Her tone was curt and to the point. It was clear she wasn’t interested in playing any more of Tony’s games.

Tony turned a rather unpleasant shade of green as sweat trickled down his temples. His eyes were wide as saucers, his hands trembling, but he didn’t answer.

Ashlynn nodded to Snarly.

“No! Wait!”

“I’m sorry,” Ashlynn said, her tone lacking any remorse. “You had your chance. I thought you had more respect for me than that, Tony.”

Ashlynn walked toward Leyton, taking his arm as he opened the door for her. Without a single glance back, they walked out of the room together, leaving Tony behind, screaming at the top of his lungs, but the sound was quickly cut off even before the door closed on the soundproofed room once again.

Call him a glutton for punishment or whatever, but Leyton didn’t pull away from Ashlynn even as they joined Jase and Rock, heading back to the main entrance. From the outside looking in, she appeared confident and completely unfazed by the incident, but Leyton could feel her hand tremble as she gently squeezed his arm, and he wasn’t sure he could’ve let her go even if Max had been there.

He knew what her actions cost her every time she had to endure another encounter with some asshole who thought he could railroad her. Unlike Leyton, Ashlynn did have some compassion deep inside. But Ashlynn was the type of woman who made sure her business associates knew not to fuck with her, a quality he’d come to respect over the years.

Leyton was almost grateful that Tony hadn’t spilled his guts, because taking off a finger wasn’t a pleasant sight, but it was something Ashlynn insisted on doing herself. At least this way, she could walk away and leave the dirty work to Snarly, who would no doubt get the information and take care of Tony, without ever batting an eyelash.

As they approached the armored Escalades parked out front, Leyton remained beside Ashlynn until they reached the passenger door. Rock and Jase were right behind them, neither man deviating from his post at their back.

“You okay?” Leyton asked softly, opening the door for her as she passed her knife over to Jase.

Ashlynn nodded, then looked up at him. For a second, he was lost in her beauty, mesmerized by the vulnerability he detected beneath that tough outer shell. She was, without a doubt, the only woman Leyton had ever allowed himself to love. It was a stupid emotion, something he didn’t particularly agree with, but he’d never been able to deny it.

“I’ll be fine,” she said, but her shaky hand belied her words. “Where are you headed now?”

“Devil’s Playground,” he told her. He had business to attend to there, more so now that Max was out of pocket.

“Thank you,” she whispered, easing into the seat.

“I didn’t do anything,” he said with a smirk. “You get all the credit for this one.”

“I’m still grateful you were there. I always feel safer when you are.”

Leyton wasn’t sure what to do with that information. Rather than ask, he pulled back and waited for her to get situated. Once she was, he closed the door behind her, turning to Jase.

“Take care of her,” he told the other man.

“I will. Always.”

That familiar spark of jealousy ignited in his gut. He wasn’t sure if he was jealous that Jase was the one who took care of Ashlynn or that Ashlynn was the one Jase turned to. Leyton had been torn for so long about what he felt for these two, but never more than he was now.

Locking eyes with Jase momentarily, Leyton studied him, then nodded before walking away.

He had no other choice, because anything else would likely get him killed.