Page 33 of Crow
“Cameron’s been fucking with the routines. Wanted me to come to Tease early to do a few practices with the new lights,” I said quietly, not meeting his eyes.
“Mmhmm. And where’re you off to now, with that duffel bag of yours?”
“Back to Tease. I just had to come pick up some outfits. For the new routines.” My tongue felt too big in my mouth. I swallowed again, trying to think of a detail that would make this seem real. “Cameron’s been watching some show, says it’s given him some big ideas.”
“Really? Funny, that’s not what Cameron says.” Ray held up his cellphone, a twisted smile on his face, and my heart sank. “In fact, he says that you’ve been skipping a lot of shifts recently, and that if you don’t stop leaving early, you’re gonna get fired.” He started walking toward me. “So, where are you going, Jade? The truth this time.”
“Um.” I licked my lips, trying to think of something to say. Ray loomed over me, and I felt very small.
“Wanna know what I think?” he asked, his casual tone completely at odds to the hand suddenly holding my upper arm in a punishing grip. “I think you’re runnin’ off to that boyfriend you think I don’t fuckin’ know about. Little whore.”
My eyes widened and my stomach dropped. I looked around, panic and betrayal warring in my chest. Jess was the only one who knew and I hadn’t seen her—what if it was because Ray had gotten to her, done something horrible to make her talk.
“Jess?” I called, voice shrill. I breathed a small sigh of relief when she appeared in the kitchen doorway, looking unharmed except for a small cut along her jaw.
“I didn’t tell, I swear,” she said. Breaker had her curled under his arm, and she was watching me with wide, terrified eyes. “I promise, Jade, I didn’t.”
“Shut up!” Ray roared, and she flinched back. Breaker hushed her and tucked her further behind him. Ray stepped closer to me, and all of my senses tunneled in on him. All I could hear was a ringing in my ears as I stared up at him, my stomach in knots. I couldn’t think. My arm hurt where Ray was holding it. His other hand came up to grab my face, the force of it sending shockwaves through my face.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t figure it out by myself?” He gave a joyless laugh. “You ain’t that fuckin’ sneaky, bitch, walkin’ round here reekin’ of some other guy and your work ringin’ up complaining about you. So, I had some of my boys follow you a few weeks back.”
“No…” I felt faint, my heartbeat drumming in my ears.
“Oh yes. They stuck around a bit too, followed him right to where he and his Rebel buddies hang out.” He pulled my face closer to his, grin sharp as he told me, “I know where your boy hangs out, whore. You led me right to him.”
Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes, and I bit my tongue to keep them at bay. Crying only ever pissed Ray off more. His fingers were digging harshly into my cheeks as he snarled at me.
“And I’m gonna take your advice, you cokehead whore, and burn him.” He leaned closer to me, a dark light in his eyes. He spoke quietly, like a vow. “I’m gonna burn everything to the goddamn ground.”
Fear clenched around my heart as I pictured Crow disappearing in smoke and flame. I surged into action, dropping my duffel bag to the floor and trying to rip Ray’s hand from my face. I screeched, I struggled, I kicked and I bit, trying to wrench myself free so I could get to Crow. I needed to stop this, to warn him, for him to be safe.
Ray’s hand didn’t budge. Almost casually, he thrust his arm forward so that the back of my head knocked against the hallway wall, sending black spots shooting across my vision as I went limp in his grip. He kicked the duffel bag to the side then used his hold on my face to drag me back toward the stairs. As we passed, I could see expressions of disgust and pity on the other girls, whereas the bikers looked smug and anticipatory. They knew what was coming as well as I did.
I tripped several times on the stairs, not able to see where I was going. When I yelped, he told me to shut the fuck up. Once the daze from hitting my head wore off, I continued tearing at Ray’s hand, but he just ignored me, towing me back toward the bedroom. Lab Rat was half awake now, sitting against the wall and watching us with interest in his beady eyes as he pushed his greasy hair away from his face.
Ray took us into the bedroom, slamming the door behind us. I continued to struggle, ribbons of skin catching beneath my nails. He threw me onto the bed, the impact knocking the air from my body. I gasped, rolling onto my front and trying to crawl away, but he caught me by the ankle and pulled me back. The tears finally spilled over as I pictured Crow doing the same, the feeling behind it so different.
“You goddamn whore. Bad enough you strip for strangers, but now you actually sleep with the literal goddamn enemy?” he snarled, pulling my jeans down my legs and tearing the button in the process. “I’m gonna remind you who you belong to. You’re mine, Jade, and I’m gonna make sure you never fuckin’ forget that again.”
***
I just lay on the bed when he was done with me. Somewhere in the middle, my brain had just tapped out, and I had laid there and taken it. I felt like crying, a weight in the pit of my stomach, but the tears wouldn’t come. I could hear Ray zipping his jeans back up behind me. I felt numb. He walked into my field of vision, picking up a full baggie of coke from the bedside table. He grinned at me, making a point of tucking it into his pocket.
“No more for you,” he said. “Only well-behaved whores get treats.” Then he raised his voice to call for Lab Rat, who came crashing through the door so quickly I knew he had to have been on the other side, listening to the whole thing. I couldn’t bring myself to care.
“I want you to watch her, Rat,” Ray was saying. “She’s not allowed to leave this room, and no matter what she promises you or how she begs, do not give her any of the coke.”
Lab Rat nodded, looking seconds away from doing a goddamn salute. His eyes kept flicking to me, lying naked on the bed. Ray walked back over and crouched next to my head. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and pressed a kiss to my forehead, and I felt sick.
“Detox is gonna be a bitch,” he whispered to me, almost tenderly. “Have fun, whore.” Then he was gone. Lab Rat stood with his arms crossed as he guarded the door, and I started to cry.
Chapter Nineteen
Crow
“Vegas, for the last fucking time, leave those girls alone! They’re here to check the appliances, not be traumatized by your ugly mug.” Archer stormed over to where Vegas was leaning against the bar, the broom he was supposed to be using to sweep the floor forgotten by his side.
“I’m sorry, brother,” Vegas said, holding his hands up. “You said the wedding was gonna be an all-you-can-eat buffet. I just assumed that applied to the ladies, too.” He shot the catering girls a wink, and both of them giggled behind their hands as they turned away.
