Текст книги "Falling Away"

Автор книги: Penelope Douglas

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Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 24 страниц)

CHAPTER 21

JULIET

Jax had turned on me.

He’d morphed into a loose cannon, and I saw the same fierce temper I’d seen on Jared. The same temper I’d seen on my father. But strangely, neither of them had come to mind.

The moment he pulled the knife, all I thought about was how to get him back. I didn’t think about running. I was scared for him, not of him.

All I saw was Jax. What had happened to him, and how was I going to catch him when he fell?

I walked up the stairs, smiling at the sound of dishes clanking and a pan crashing to the floor.

Someone was in a rush.

I liked him. Man, did I like him!

I remembered Tate’s dad sitting both of us down to talk about the birds and bees. We were fourteen or fifteen, and someone at school had taught us what a blow job was. Mr. Brandt deemed it high time to give us the talk, even though I wasn’t his daughter and it wasn’t his call to educate me. He’d said when my mother emerged from 1958 she could come and kick his butt. Until then …

Anyway, he gave us three irrefutible pieces of advice about the male species:

1. Boys will lie, cheat, and steal to get into your pants. A man will stand the test of time. Make him wait, and you’ll see which one he is.

2. They will try to tell you that it feels better without a condom. You just tell me where they live.

3. And relationships are supposed to make your life better. You don’t drag each other down. You hold each other up.

When we’re little, we think true love is Romeo and Juliet, together in life or together in death. They couldn’t stand not to have each other, and when you’re young it’s romantic to think of suicide as the answer. Better not to live at all, etc.

When you grow up, you realize that that’s bullshit. I mean, who really wins there, right?

Jax was happy to see me happy. I didn’t need him to survive, but I liked him. He made my life better. Happier. He also challenged me to grow.

Coming to the second floor and turning for his bedroom, I glanced behind me, noticing the padlock on the office door.

I walked into his bedroom, still uneasy about everything he’d done in my life without my knowledge. And everything he was doing. He was mistaken if he thought he was going to continue to keep an eye on me.

And the people who’d hurt him and what he’d done to them? I knew I should be nervous or even scared that he was capable of violence, but I knew he didn’t rush to react. The only thing I was worried about was how far Jax had to be pushed to do it. And would he do it again if he were pushed hard enough?

I didn’t fear being on the receiving end, but I didn’t want to worry about him in trouble, either.

I stopped in the middle of the bedroom, taking a minute to look at my surroundings. The only other time I’d been in here was the night he’d gotten in the fight on the front lawn. It had been dark and I hadn’t wasted time exploring. Now, as I looked around, my eyes fluttered at the warmth pooling in my stomach and farther down.

His bedroom.

Everything was dark. I loved how the cherrywood furniture made the black bedding and curtains seem warm. And with the drapes drawn and a small lamp lighting the desk in the corner, the whole room glowed like an old chapel, lush and elegant with its carved furniture but cozy and secluded as if it were some room lost in the middle of a thousand other rooms buried deep in a mansion, never to be discovered.

I felt as though if we closed the door, I’d never want to leave. I’d never want to be found.

Jax had a king-size bed, and I instantly sucked in a breath at the thoughts of him. There. With me. For hours.

Running my hand down his dresser, I savored the cool, smooth wood beneath my fingertips, reminding me of him. His skin, so fluid but so hard under my fingers, and I closed my eyes as the desire swamped me.

My chest rose and fell hard, and I reached up, running a hand over one of my breasts. My core started pulsating, and I touched the hard flesh of my nipple.

Jax.

Warmth hit my back, and I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off.

“Don’t open your eyes.”

I could hear the smile in his voice.

He was behind me, his breath warm on my neck. His musk scent made me want to bury my nose in his skin and crush my chest to his. I kept my hand on my breast, but my head started floating away from me.

“I’d rather be touching you.” I smiled, keeping my eyes closed.

“You still like me?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Good,” he replied calmly. “I like you, too.”

“I know.”

I felt his laugh on my shoulder and leaned my head back against him as I reached behind me and took his hands, placing them on my breasts.

He instantly cupped them and started moving them in circles.

“You’re so incredible,” he said, nipping at my earlobe. “I look at you, and I can’t think about anything else beyond having you.”

And he took a hand off my breast and grabbed hold between my legs.

“Oh, my God,” I groaned, excited at the possessive feel of his hand there. Touching me. Taking it. “Jax,” I gasped.

“Fucking mine,” he whispered in my ear.

“Yes.” I licked my dry lips, panting.

His hand got more demanding, urging my whole body backward flush with his as he rubbed me hard and kneaded my breast.

“I have lots of fantasies about you, Juliet.”

I heard the edge to his voice. The one that told me he was trying not to lose control.

“Lots of different ways I want to see your body move,” he said. “And I want to do lots of it tonight.”

It sounded like a warning. A warning I was definitely going to ignore.

I opened my eyes, seeing his head bowed down next to mine, staring at me with that fucking intensity as if I were his favorite toy.

His hands moved behind me, and the next thing I knew he’d unfastened his belt and yanked it free of the loops of his pants, startling me as it whipped through the air.

I laughed nervously.

“You okay?” he taunted, still holding the belt at his side.

I nodded, speaking softly. “That, um … it makes me …”

“What?”

I shifted my eyes, searching for the word. “A little excited?” I confessed.

His amused eyes narrowed. “She likes belts,” he said to himself. “Duly noted.”

My faced warmed, embarrassed, but I arched an eyebrow.

“We’re going to need water,” I advised. “I have my own fantasies, too, so hydrate.”

Pulling out of his grasp, I took him by the hand and led him to the bed. Sitting on the end with my feet on the floor, I put my hands on his hips, holding him in place in front of me and dropping my head back slowly to look up at him.

“Jax?” I whispered, smiling a small, playful smile. “I want to show you how good I can move.” I nipped soft and slow at the button of his pants. “I want you in my mouth.” I licked my lips, looking up at him and rubbing my cheek against his pants. “I want to taste you.” And I slipped my tongue out, licking his pants with the tip, watching his eyes flare and turn intense. “I want you down my throat.” I bared my teeth, nipping at the bulge in his pants. “I want you everywhere.”

He clasped my pigtails at the back of my head, and I continued to rub him with my face and lips, feeling him grow thick and hard through his pants.

I loved watching him watch me. His abs flexing, his thick biceps tightening, his nipple rings gleaming at me, and even though I wanted that body all over me, I loved this view. I could appreciate his beauty, touch him where I wanted, make him feel good …

And that was what I wanted. I wanted to know that I made him feel good.

Moving slowly, I unfastened his pants and slid my fingers under the waistband, gently pulling down his clothes.

I could feel my eyes widen, seeing his erection spring free, standing hard, full, and ready for me.

I knew it was long. I’d felt him through his pants before. But the thickness kind of shocked me.

He wasn’t my first—even though I wished he had been—but I couldn’t say it was fair to compare him to Liam, either. Jax felt so much better. They were on different planets.

He started running his fingers back and forth in my hair, and I looked up at him and wetted my lips.

“I want it.” I darted out my tongue and licked his tip. Again and again, so slow, enjoying the hot taste of him.

His head dropped back. “Oh, fuck, Juliet,” he murmured, gripping my pigtails tighter. “More.”

I took him in my hand, running my palm up and down his shaft as I sucked his tip into my mouth, getting him wet.

And then I dived down, taking him to the back of my throat and holding his hips.

I held him there, trying to ease down and take it all. I wanted him to love this, and I wanted to give it to him. It was almost funny. I never liked doing this for Liam, because it had felt like an obligation. I wanted to keep him, so when my heart wasn’t in it, he could tell.

But I really wanted to do this for Jax.

I moaned, already so wet from just the idea of him in my mouth, filling me up thick and hard.

I worked him up and down, taking him in slowly, knowing that if I eased into it, I could take him all the way, and then back out, running my tongue back and forth on the underside of him.

“Baby, you feel so good,” I groaned, licking him from base to tip, and then taking him back into my mouth.

“Juliet,” he gasped, his faced pinched as I started bobbing up and down on him faster and faster. “What are you doing to me?”

His hands stroked my face, and I looked up, locking eyes with him. Dragging my lips slowly off his cock, I teased the tip with my tongue, holding his gaze as I licked, kissed, sucked, and nipped.

And when I lifted up his cock and sucked the flesh underneath into my mouth, he cried out.

“Fuck, baby,” he exclaimed, pulling away from me and looking at me as if I had done something wrong.

“Wh … ,” I choked out. “Wh-what’s wrong?” My clit was throbbing so hard, and I groaned, rubbing my thighs together.

What the hell?

“Nothing’s wrong,” he barked, yanking his clothes completely off and standing there erect and ready.

I stood up. “Then why did you stop me?”

He pulled me into him, crushing our bodies together and growling with his mouth an inch from my lips. “Because I don’t want to come that way yet. I wanted to make love to you in a bed tonight. Slowly,” he said, holding me firm.

“You liked it, didn’t you?” I pressed.

“But you got me too excited,” he complained. “You’re fucking with my plans.”

He snatched up my lips, and I arched up on my tiptoes to meet his mouth head-on. His strong arms wrapped around me tightly, and before I could control it, I started rolling my hips into his erection that had slipped between my thighs.

“Oh, God,” I breathed out, the tease of him there making me shiver. “I can’t wait, Jax. Please,” I begged.

He pulled his mouth away, looked down at me, scowling with his sweaty hair sticking up in all directions and his fire blue eyes looking at me like the calm before the storm.

His hand dipped under the string of my thong at my waist, and my heart jumped when he yanked, ripping the material clean away from my body.

The pathetic black lace scrap fell to the floor, and I had enough time to wrap my arms around his neck before he picked me up and started carrying me for the bed.

We crashed down onto the mattress, and he wasted no time in nestling himself between my thighs and sinking his lips into mine. His hands were everywhere as he leaned over me, keeping his chest just a few inches above me.

“I love to look at you,” he whispered between kisses, grazing a hand over my nipple and down to my stomach.

I lifted my head off the mattress. “I want to fucking feel you inside me, Jax.” I squirmed, bending my knees up.

“Do you?”

I closed my eyes, trailing kisses up his neck. “Yes.”

“Tell me what I want to hear,” he demanded, thrusting his hips and making me groan.

“You’re driving me crazy,” I cried, the rod between his legs relentless where it pressed against me.

“That’s not what I want to hear.” His teasing voice laughed at me.

“You’re an asshole?” I ventured, dragging my nails over the soft skin of his ass.

“No,” he grunted, grabbing my hands and pinning them over my head. “Say it.”

I smiled, loving how worked up he got. Loving how much he wanted to hear it. And as I looked over his face, falling into him with my heart swelling in my chest, I felt more at home, more safe and more cared for, than ever before in my life.

I swallowed down the tears in my throat, trying to whisper, but it came out barely audible. “Only. Ever. You. Jaxon Trent.”

Peace settled in his eyes, and his jaw twitched with a smile.

Holding my gaze, he reached over and grabbed a condom out of the bedside drawer, ripped it open, and slipped it on. And my eyes fluttered as he positioned himself between my legs and slowly sank into me, inch by agonizing inch.

The vein in his neck bulged, and I closed my eyes against the onslaught of sensation, feeling him stretch and fill me and then ease back out slowly.

“Keep your eyes on me,” he ordered.

Holding himself up on one arm, he reached down to cup my ass with the other and brought me in tight as he sank back into me, hard and deep.

“Please,” I gasped out. “Again.”

He slid out, gripped me hard, and dived back in deeper and deeper every time.

I planted my palms on his chest, rubbing my fingers over his rings, and arching my neck as he drove deep again and again, my back burning from being rubbed against the sheets so hard, but I didn’t care.

His hips started working faster, shallow thrusts and then a deep one, keeping the same rhythm until I was clenching around his cock, feeling the heat swarming in my belly like a storm.

Reaching down, I grabbed his hips and then leaned up and took his mouth.

His lips. God, his fucking lips. I lifted my chest off the bed to wrap my arms around him and held his mouth, not letting go as he fucked me harder and faster.

I rolled my hips, urging him on as we kissed and tasted each other. Our sweat mixed together, molding his chest to mine, and my clit throbbed at the feeling of his rings against my nipples.

I tore my mouth away, holding on for dear life. “Fuck me, Jax,” I cried. “God, don’t stop.”

He growled against my lips, his body working like a demon on mine. “I haven’t even fucking started.”

His hips pounded against me, taking me, and I moaned, feeling him sink so deep, hitting that spot again and again.

“Harder, Jax.” I sucked in air fast and hard, the orgasm building in my womb, and I couldn’t control myself anymore. Throwing myself back down on the bed, I rolled my hips, meeting his thrusts until the orgasm crashed over me, making my center clench and tighten, pulse and throb. I cried out, stilling as he kept fucking me, not stopping or slowing down.

“Jesus,” I moaned. “I love you.”

Wait. What?

I snapped my eyes open, seeing him smiling down at me.

“I … no … I … I.” Fuck!

“Don’t worry.” He chuckled. “I don’t trust postorgasmic I love yous.”

He stopped thrusting, pulled out of me, and got off the bed. I instantly covered myself, confused. But before I had a chance to question him, he pulled me up, picked me up, and guided my legs around his body.

“What are we doing?” I asked, kissing him.

“I need to watch you.” He looked so desperate, as if he needed more and more.

And feeling his hardness rub the sensitive area between my legs was making me needy again.

He led us to the low lounge chair in the corner of the room. Slight recline on the back and no armrests to get in the way, the dark wooden chair with black cushions looked like something that might sit outside, but it was perfectly at home in his room.

Sitting down, I took his cue and unlocked my legs from behind him, and straddling him, I hung my legs over his thighs, planting my feet on the floor.

“Oh.” I let out a nervous laugh, grabbing his face for a kiss. “This is going to feel good.”

He sat back, looking relaxed and holding my hips. “You’re going to look good, too.”

I didn’t waste any time.

Lifting myself up, I held his eyes as I lowered myself back down, taking him back inside me.

His eyes drifted closed. “How can you still be so tight?”

“This feels different,” I said, moving up and down, finding a steady pace.

“It’s deeper.”

I bobbed faster, my breasts bouncing against his chest as I let my head fall back.

“Damn, look at you,” he mused, and I grabbed his face, covering his sweet lips with mine.

But I needed more. More contact.

I started rolling my hips into him, feeling his length massage my insides, making me groan as I withdrew, reveling in the skin on skin.

I whimpered thoughfully. “I like this,” I taunted. “I’ll have to ride you more.”

His eyes closed, his head fell back, and his white teeth peeked out with his little smile. “Now, that was a mistake.”

And I yelped when he wrapped his arms around me and shot off the chair—surprisingly easy since he was carrying an extra hundred twenty pounds—and he stomped to the bed, dumping me on my ass.

“Jax! What …?” I trailed off, confused.

His devilish grin pinned me for two seconds before he hooked my knees, yanked me down to the end of the bed, and flipped me over.

“Jax!” And I gasped as his cock crowned my entrance and his shadow loomed over me.

Oh, shit. My muscles clenched, and I could feel the warmth pouring out of me. “I’ll never hurt you,” he whispered in my ear. “But you’ll ride me when I say you can ride me.”

And he pushed into me, sinking deep and fucking fast.

“Oh, Jax,” I moaned, the thick heat of him filling me, giving me what I needed.

He pumped his hips, going rough and fast, spearing me, and all I could do was sit there and take it.

Or not. I turned out one knee and planted my hands on the bed, arching up.

“Damn, Juliet,” Jax grunted, driving into me. “You feel so good.”

The orgasm was starting to rock my insides, and I just held on, loving the feel of his fist gripping my hair.

I squeezed my eyes shut, my sex tightening and then slowly exploding in waves. “Oh,” I cried out. “Oh, God!”

And I let it go, feeling Jax’s arms wrap around me, holding me as I shook.

“Juliet …” He fell apart, jerking into me and breathing hard on my neck. “Only ever you.”

CHAPTER 22

JAXON

I grip my arms tight, huddling in a ball and squeezing my eyes shut so hard tears seep through the lids. The blasts of cold air cut into my ears as the fans blow around my face.

I’m in a freezer.

A deep freezer in my dad’s house, and this isn’t the first time.

“Please.” I can only whisper, my teeth chatter so hard. “Let me out.”

How long have I been in here? It feels like an hour, but I don’t think it’s been that long. I can still hear my father yelling at Jared outside in the kitchen. Oh, God, it hurts! I rock back and forth.

He’d hit our father. That’s why I’m in here.

Jared knows how I’m being hurt, and he’s mad. He lunged for our father as he sat on the couch, and it took them no time to get him under control. I don’t even want to think about what they’re doing to him out there. Jared’s angry about what our father makes us do, he’s mad about what happens to me, and I saw my father bring out the belt to punish him. I’m scared.

My brother. He tried to protect me.

The cold air burns my nose, so I inhale through my mouth and feel my lungs fill with ice. I cough, gasping in shallow breaths.

Reaching up, I press my hand against the lid and push harder and harder, the muscles in my arm stretching and aching as I hunch over and cough. It hurts to breathe, my ears sting like a million needles, and I’m shaking with the frozen air on my skin.

“Please,” I cry. “Please!”

Two thuds pound on the lid, and I try to open my eyes to see if they’ve opened it. “Dad?” I quaver.

But my eyes open, and the freezer is still black. No light.

I shake my head, my long hair coated with frost. “Please, please, please!” I scream, my throat hoarse from the roar.

“Please!” I scream, clasping my hands over my frigid ears. Burning, aching, air …

“Please!” I shout again. “Jared! Jared, please!”

My body shakes with the cry, the wail coming from much deeper than my stomach. It’s sick, like an animal’s. “Please!”

I thrash, throwing my arms against the walls of the freezer, slamming and jabbing my fists again and again and again. “Let me out!” I roar, pounding the walls left, right, left, right, again, and again. “Let me out!”

Light brightens the inside of my cage, and I clench my fists and grit my teeth. Down, down, down, the rage sinks back down my throat, swirling in my stomach.

I look up, eyes burning with fury.

My father’s girlfriend and his friend peer down at me, smiling at what they, no doubt, have planned.

Sherilynn reaches down and caresses my hair, and I let her. Strangely, it doesn’t scare me. She doesn’t scare me.

Why don’t they scare me?

Gordon licks his lips. “Basement, Jax,” he orders.

I nod.

I know what’s going to happen. As if there’s no other choice.

It felt like that at the time. There was no choice. No other way for me to survive. It was as if a curtain had fallen in my brain, signaling that the show was now over. I didn’t descend those stairs to the basement knowing what would happen. I simply knew what I wasn’t going to let happen.

With every muscle in my body, I knew it would never happen again.

I looked over at Juliet, making no sound as she slept beside me. The room was black, but with the glow of the alarm clock, I could make out her form. Legs curled and lying to one side. Back flat on the mattress with her head facing me. Her arms bent at the elbows and hands resting on her stomach.

And my heart firmly lodged in my throat.

I let out a sigh and ran my hands through my hair. Why had I chased her?

I knew it was going to be like this, after all. I knew once I got under her attitude, I would find someone who was my match and drove me crazy. I’d cut my hair, stepped foot in an Abercrombie & Fitch, and made love for the first time. All in one day.

She was breaking my routine. The routine that kept me safe.

I swallowed, looking over at her sweet, peaceful form again. There was simply no choice. I had to have her.

Leaning over, I ran my fingers down her hair, kissed her forehead, her nose, and then her lips.

My dick jerked, but I ignored it. We’d gone through four condoms already. She was the first thing I was going to want in the morning, so I let her rest.

I got out of bed, dug some black lounge pants out of the dresser, and slipped them on, before grabbing my spare keys off the dresser.

Leaving the room as quietly as possible, I unlocked my office door and tossed the keys on the worktable, rounding the room as I switched on all the monitors. I tipped my head left and then right, cracking the tension out of my neck.

I was behind.

E-mails were backed up, people wanting to sponsor operations at the Loop, not to mention communications about lacrosse, and favors I’d guaranteed to this person and that for shit I didn’t feel I had time to do now.

Things I did have time to do until recently.

I plopped my ass down in the chair, watching light slowly hit all the surfaces of the room as the monitors sparked to life.

And all of a sudden, I wasn’t interested in any of it. I sat back, running my finger over my lips, trying to work up the gumption to get back to business. To get caught up. But all I kept thinking about was Juliet, curled up in my sheets, always warm for me, and I let my head fall back as I nudged my cock back down.

“Shit,” I breathed out, my heart jacking up again as I stared at the ceiling.

I wanted to go to her, but I had things to do.

“Jax?”

I jerked up, seeing Juliet standing in the doorway.

A smile played at the corner of my lips. She looked like a damn meal.

Her hair was knotted up, falling in her face and down her shoulders. Her naked body looked smooth and tan. And her face was sleepy, eyes barely open. Completely fuckable.

“I’m here.” I held out my hand, and she started walking in as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

“Sorry.” She yawned. “I just didn’t know where you were. You have work to do?” she mumbled.

“Yeah.” But I took her by the waist and guided her legs around me, bringing her down to straddle me.

Her head immediately fell to my shoulder—she had to be exhausted and still half-asleep.

Her arms circled my neck, and I smiled at her peaceful little moan.

“Didn’t mean to disturb you,” she mumbled sweetly into my neck. “Your cell phone was ringing in the bedroom.”

I ran my hands down her side, the taste of her skin already in my mouth as I breathed her in. “Oh, yeah,” I responded, not giving a shit about my phone.

Her head nudged mine as she nodded sleepily. My hands drifted down to her smooth bottom, and I closed my eyes, feeling her slowly start to grind on my cock.

Her head stayed buried in my neck, almost as if she’d fallen asleep. But those little whimpers were vibrating out of her lips onto my skin, and I gripped her hips, pulling her closer …

“What are doing to me, girl?” I dragged my lips, keeping it soft and gentle, against her shoulder, feeling her grinding grow more urgent.

She reached her hand down, into my pants, and pulled my cock free, running her fingers up and down it.

I reached over and grabbed a condom out of the desk drawer, and watched—amazed—as she leaned back, slipped it on me with her eyes still looking sleepy, and slid me right into her hot and tight little body.

Her head fell back, and she moaned, placing her hands on my shoulders for support.

She was soft but fast, bobbing up and down on my cock, driving me nuts how she never broke pace or had to slow down. She never opened her eyes, and her sweet little moans filled the room, almost as if she were having a nice wet dream. I palmed her breasts, scooting down in the seat so I could see her better, and damn, I loved everything I was seeing. I could watch her all day.

She was using my body, and I didn’t care.

I didn’t care that she was in charge.

I didn’t care that she was riding me as if I was there to service her.

I didn’t care.

She came in here as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and thank God for that. She liked sex.

The smooth, flawless curves of her breasts stood proud right before me, nipples hard as my cock, and as she started to come, I took one in my mouth.

She cried out, bringing up her knees as she spasmed.

I held on tight, feeling her come apart and closing my eyes, because I loved it so much. Every shake, every shiver, every whimper was mine.

My bed was hers. My T-shirts were hers. My house was hers. My dick was hers.

I squeezed my arms around her, breathing into her neck. And this was mine.

Her pussy pulsed, tightening around me as she shook through the rest of it.

I finally leaned back, taking control as she went limp, and I pulled her hips into me, grinding harder and harder until I felt every muscle in my body burning. I reached down, pulling myself out, ripping the condom off, and spilling onto her stomach, baring my teeth as I breathed hard.

Her stomach moved with her breaths and I looked up into her eyes that were now open, hoping she wasn’t put off. I kept having to remind myself that she wasn’t that experienced. Everything we did might be the first time she’d done it.

But she smiled and leaned her head in to kiss me. “I’d say you dirtied me up, Mr. Trent.” She laughed against my mouth, and I nibbled her lip.

“Happy now?” she asked.

“Not nearly.”

Her face lit up, and she shook her head, climbing off me. “You had a phone call,” she reminded me. “When you’re done, come back to bed.”

She walked off to the bathroom, and I got up, grabbing some tissues from the box and cleaning myself up before heading back to the bedroom.

My body felt loose again. The release helped. I might actually be able to get some work down now as long as she didn’t mind me waking her up in another two hours for round six.

Snatching my pants from earlier off the bedroom floor, I dug my phone out of my pocket and looked through the missed calls.

Three. All from a number I recognized.

Dialing back, I waited for him to answer.

“Jax?” Corvin, my police officer contact at the prison, answered.

“What do you got?” I asked.

“Sorry, man. I called as soon as I heard. Judge approved your father’s release. Tomorrow. Noon.”

I crossed the room, slamming the door shut. “Tomorrow!” I seethed, gritting my teeth. “That’s not the notice I paid for.”

“I called as soon as I heard,” he maintained. “This is your last chance. Ciaran already said it’s taken care of if you want to—”

“Fuck you.” And I hung up, slamming my hands down on the dresser and bowing my head into my arm.

I closed my eyes. Shit.

I was supposed to have more notice. That was what I paid him for, for Christ’s sake!

Corvin was Ciaran’s man on the inside, and when I’d started working for Fallon’s father a year ago, I made him my contact as well. Through him, I knew my father had been speaking to lawyers, turning on old contacts, and working out a deal. This had been happening for a while, and even though I expected the inevitable, I also expected more than twelve hours to prepare myself.

“Noon,” I whispered, sweat already coating my forehead.

He was going to be free. Three years early when he should’ve been put down, not let go.

For six years I’d known exactly where he slept and ate. Somewhere where he wasn’t a threat to me. And now, in a matter of hours, I would have no idea if he was a hundred miles away or right outside the window.

I heard the soft spray of the shower running, and my head filled with dread.

Juliet.

My Juliet.

I dialed Jared.

“It’s late. What’s up?” he answered.

I stood up straight, clearing my throat. “Meet me in the backyard. We have to talk.”

“Wh—”

And I hung up.

“Stop fucking hanging up on me!” Jared whisper-yelled, walking out the back door of Tate’s house and zipping up his jeans. “You’re always doing that, and it pisses me off.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, I’ll pencil in time to cry about that later, Princess.”

I walked through the garden door, meeting him before he’d even stepped off her back porch.

“Yeah.” He barked out a laugh. “I’m not the pretty one who now shops at the mall. Nice haircut,” he jabbed.

“Nice buzz cut,” I shot back, teasing. “You trading in the Boss for a minivan next?”

He dropped his head back, sighing. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to keep the smile off my face.

My brother and I had always gotten along before we lived in the same house. Since then, you could mistake us for five-year-old girls.