Page 20 of Bastard

“Can you bear my weight?” I draped myself over her back, trying to keep most of my weight in my legs.

“Yes! So close.”

With both hands free now, I was able to massage her clit and tease her nipple, tugging and pressing until a moment later she began to gasp, her inner muscles fluttering around my dying erection, and came.

“We should clean up.” She sounded drunk.

Or exhausted.

“Shhh. Go to sleep.” I pulled her down, spooning her, my dick still inside.

“That’s…what?”

“It’s a fantasy of mine. Please?” Was there anything more intimate than sleeping inside your lover?

“Yeah…” And then she was asleep.

8

The warehouse stank like old hay and dirt. As one of the Devil’s Wrath properties that technically didn’t exist, it sat in the middle of fucking nowhere off Highway 17. The Chubbies used it to store their drugs and unfortunately it was my turn to oversee a pickup. Riddick rode with me. Rocket and Spades were already here when we arrived.

I thought the assholes were old as dirt when I was a teenager. Now they reminded me more of dead men walking. Like skeletons or zombies. How they still rode baffled me. But I never turned my back on them. They were old but they were ruthless.

“How long’s this going to take?”

Spades sucked his teeth. “Why the hell do you care? Got somewhere to be, pretty boy? With your bitch?”

I ignored the shot at Sam. “Naw, just don’t want to donate all my blood to the mosquitoes.”

He ignored me. “You’re turning Devil’s Wrath into a bunch of pussies with your pretty boys and business meetings.”

“Because we don’t chain-smoke and fuck everything that walks by?” Riddick laughed. “Okay old man.”

Spades got in his face real fast. “Your cock couldn’t find pussy in a whorehouse. All that pretty skin?”

Spades in particular took offense to our “no visible tattoos” policy. It wasn’t a blanket policy. We didn’t stop anyone from putting ink wherever they damn well pleased, but we encouraged them to keep it clean. No naked women and no curse words on the visible parts of their skin—necks and forearms mostly. The point wasn’t a dress code, it was a costume. We fooled civilians into hiring us because they didn’t know we were Devil’s Wrath.

It pissed the Chubbies off, mostly because they loved being outlaws. They got off on scaring civilians. They didn’t give a shit about being legit…except when I paid them.

Riddick stared Spades down while I laughed at his rage. “You like my business meetings just fine, Spades. Or do you want me to keep your paycheck from now on?”

He sneered at Riddick one last time then threw it all my way. “You know what the plan was for your girl? Back then? Kinda ironic considering her real story, isn't it?” He glanced at Rocket who was chuckling in his black leather, sweating through his grey t-shirt. At least when my guys dressed the part, they looked the part. These old assholes would always look like they were playing dress-up bad guys. “Guess it’s just her destiny to get kidnapped.”

It got harder and harder to keep my emotions in check as I realized exactly what they were saying. The Plan was Todd’s plan to make me join and keep me in Devil’s Wrath.

“Wait, what am I hearing?” Riddick pushed his way physically into the conversation. “They talkin’ about Sam?”

Spades locked eyes with me. A little bloodshot from last night’s binge. “His pretty bitch has always been the easiest way to fuck with the bastard. Probably why you won’t let us near her.”

So that’s what this was about. His goal wasn’t so much to piss me off as it was to tell me he noticed my maneuvering. “Yeah,” I gave Riddick a shrug so he wouldn’t go off, “I know about the plan. Todd made sure I knew.”

“We don’t kidnap kids or women,” Riddick snapped. “That’s bullshit.”

“I always thought Savage had a soft spot for the bastard, but hey, family’s family. Turns out he was right. Bastard is as good as he promised. It would have been worth bending the rules if that’s what it took. Lucky for us, threats were enough.”

When our eyes met again, Riddick looked at me differently. The understanding, the pain he felt on my behalf.

“And you’re right,” I said to Spades. “I won’t let you anywhere near her. Never. It’s part of the deal, right? I make you money and you give me freedom. Part of that is Sam.”

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