Page 52 of Clover

“You can fucking wait, or you can get the fuck out.” Wisely the man shuts up and waits silently.

Beau carefully picks up the box and shakes it next to his ear. We all take in a collective breath, holding it, waiting for a tick and boom. Nothing happens.

“It’s too light to be a bomb. There’s no ticking or rattling.” He sets it back down on the bar top, waiting for me to open it.

Reluctantly I pull at the green ribbon and remove it before sliding the lid off the box. On top of the matching green tissue paper is a black card envelope. Pulling out the card, I read it to myself slowly.

You will always be mine. My ripe strawberry. I can’t wait to taste you again. See you soon. Braxton.

My stomach curdles as if it’s filled with spoilt milk. I want to vomit.

“What does it say, Clover?” Lily’s soft sweet voice pulls me out of the sinking vortex his words sucked me into. I hand her the card because there’s no way I can say those words out loud. She reads, and her soft features harden into a scowl. I’ve never seen her scowl. She’s a little scary if she wants to be.

“Oh no, he did not.” Rosie is reading the card along with Lily now. Beau snatches it and sneers before ripping it into tiny shreds of paper.

“Fucking dirtbag. Seems he may need a refresher course in manners already.” He says to himself.

Returning my attention to the green tissue paper, I have a guess as to what I’m going to find underneath. It causes me to flinch a little, reaching in and digging through the tissue until my finger brush against it. The smooth leather, the cold metal, and this time there’s something delicate and ruffly. Pulling out the collar, I see Braxton has stepped up his game in the fashion accessories department. This collar is crisp black leather trimmed with delicate green lace ruffles. Dangling from the center ring is a clover-shaped tag. The arrogant bastard even had it engraved.

Property of Braxton Shaw.

Yeah, fucking right. That’s never going to happen ever again.

“That fucking asshole. I’m gonna kill him.” Beau is practically growling through his teeth. It warms my heart to see them as pissed off as I am. Their rivalry with the Shaw’s is much deeper and long-standing than mine. Yet we’re both ready to say fuck it and take him out.

“Same,” Lily adds quietly. Her face is flat and serious. Her normal soft warmth is gone, replaced with a cold indifference I didn’t know she possessed. I suppose all Colton’s possess it deep down.

“Not necessary. If I ever see him again, I’ll fucking kill him myself.” Gripping the butt of Lucky, who is securely holstered back under my right arm. I’m still not one hundred percent sure what being a protected asset means or what repercussions I might suffer if I kill him. But at this point, I’m willing to find out.

With my newfound resolve, I pull a small metal wastebin from under the bar and set it on the counter. Tossing the collar, box, and tissue inside, I dump whatever alcohol is nearest over it. We always keep matchbooks behind the bar for the smokers, and I grab one striking a match and dropping it in without hesitation. A flame erupts from the metal bin as the contents crackle and burn inside.

“Best bar ever.” I hear the woman from before whisper yell to her friend. This time I glance up to see what the woman looks like. She’s pretty. Big thick curly brown hair cascades around her oval face. Light eyes sparkle as she watches the flames coming from the trash can. Intrigue and carnal delight shining behind pinprick pupils.

Her instinctual draw to the fire and chaos making me pause and watch her. To see someone on the outside looking in and desiring the madness and anarchy that is now my life, a feeling all too familiar to me. I, too, was once on the outside, in the normal world of nine to five’s and following the rules. It was dull and lifeless. No matter what happened with Braxton, I would never change a goddamn thing. I would take the bad that comes with being part of the Colton’s because I would much rather live with Nix and feel everything life has to give me than skirt the edge of life and be safe.

My eyes leave the brunette and turn to stare at the fire, burning my past and heating up my future.

Chapter 28

Braxton

The ache in my balls finally subsides as the painkillers kick in. I’m finally able to sit without wincing after a couple weeks of recovery. Nix and Beau did a number on my ass, and I have plans to pay them back. I will not let them ruin fucking for me. I still can’t get hard without wincing. Once I can fuck again, I will. Ridding my body of the memories of coming a dozen times by Nix’s hand. First, I have to get back to top shape and replace all the men they slaughtered when they came through to take my pet away from me.

I thought I would hear something after I sent her the new collar. Not a fucking peep. Clint never did make it back that day, though. Probably should have seen that coming and sent someone less important. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to disturb Clover by having Clint deliver the box. I knew seeing him would trigger her, and I wanted to throw her off balance. From the reports Clint was sending me, she was doing well and back to work. I couldn’t have that. She needed to be broken. I hadn’t given up on breaking her yet. The collar would do that to a degree, but I wanted to push it a little bit farther. For that, I lost my best guard and head of security. One of the last of my original security detail left. Now my second in command’s second is the head of my security.

The ranks haven’t been fully replenished yet, but we’re getting there. Currently, three new guys are stationed in my penthouse watching over my little impromptu celebration. Doc said I still can’t fuck, but my balls are almost back to their normal size and color. Still don’t know what the long-term damage is, but I hate kids anyway. Never fucking wanted them, so not being able to spawn tiny demon babies is no skin off my nose.

So, to celebrate and distract me from the remaining throbbing in my pants, I had The Jewelry Box send over a few girls to entertain me. It relaxes me to watch them and make them do my bidding. Maybe I’ll even let one of the new guys participate since I can’t yet. Fucking might be off the table, but watching is still on the table. The itch to take and control scratches at the back of my mind, and I need to do something to placate it.

The lights are dimmed, and two women stand on the raised platform in the center of my living room. Touching each other and gyrating against one another to the rhythm of the music playing. The third girl sits on my left, tits pressed against my arm and her hand resting gently on my thigh.

The past couple of weeks have been hell, and I’m just glad to be home and not having to wear sweats anymore. All my pants were too tight and restrictive on my swollen testicles, so joggers and sweats are all that I could wear. Not to mention sitting was a literal pain in the ass. To be able to wear my own slacks and not have to sit on a cushion-shaped like a fucking donut is well worth a celebration.

The half-naked girl next to me pulls a pill from her cleavage. It’s small, round, and pink and, from anyone else’s perspective, just looks like an aspirin. If they were to look closer, they would find the image of a serpent in the S shape. The logo for the Syndicates pills. It’s how we know what’s ours. She slips it on my tongue, and I welcome the rush. When the molly clings to my bloodstream, I melt into the couch. The brunette at my side in the pink sparkly thong watches me with matching sparkling eyes. I’m not sure how much time passes, but the world is a rainbow of colors and light twinkling around the two playing tonsil hockey in the middle of my living room.

I’m half bombed when I check my security just to make sure they’re focusing on their job and not the girls.

“Weren’t there three guys here tonight?” I ask my new head of security, who stands to my right and off to the side. I haven’t learned his name yet. But I could have sworn I hired more thantwoguys. Either that or I’m trippin’ balls. I vaguely hear footsteps and talking, then only the music again.

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