Page 5 of Forged in Rain

With a nasty chuckle, he reaches around and grabs me through my jeans, grinding against my core.

Whimpering, I arch against him, and he says crudely, “I don’t need to beg. I’ve got pussy lined up for days.”

Okay, that effectively killed the arousal.

Pushing up and away from the couch, I turn to him and say as calmly as possible, even though my stomach heaves, “Then I guess you better call one of them.”

His eyes widen and then narrow before he adjusts himself in his jeans. “Not a problem.”

With just that single action, my body pulses with need, and the savage part of my brain is screaming at me to beg, but I force it all into a box and say tartly, “Excellent. Are we done?”

“No. Ground rules,” he mutters.

“Huh?”

“I don’t like you. I don’t trust you, but we’re stuck in this until Jagger backs the fuck off. You fall in line and do as you’re told because if I find out you defied me again . . .”

“Do as I’m told? Right,” I scoff, turning away to hide my hurt because his words are painful despite everything between us. I should hate him, but I don’t, and it’s a miserable place to exist when he looks at me like I’m scum.

“Yes, Rainbow,” he says firmly, pressing against my back and grabbing me around the waist.

His warm palm rests against my bare stomach, and I bow my head, clenching my hand. I want nothing more than to lean into his embrace and feel, but the consequences aren’t worth the weakness, and it’s this I have to continue to tell myself.

“As of right now, you’re one of us, but I can’t fucking stand you, and I refuse to fuck you. If you betray this, I will make you hurt.”

Stunned, I pull away and cross my arms over my chest, staring into his hard green eyes. “If you refuse to fuck me? Then what was this all about?”

Smirking, he says, “Whores like you only speak one language.”

“You’re a fucking dick,” I scream, punching him in the chest.

He doesn’t even shift but merely lifts an amused brow, and I seethe, slapping him again.

“I hate you,” I say, averting my gaze, annoyed when tears surge once more. Fuck me. Will I ever look in his face and laugh?

“Whatever,” he chuffs, turning to the door.

“What does one of us mean?” I ask reluctantly because, despite his dick words, I have zero desire to see what happens if I step out of line. I can play the game if I need to while I figure out my shit, but when it comes to public displays, I know he means what he says, even if I don’t know what hurting me actually entails.

“You’re my crew. You answer to me. You’re loyal to me,” he sneers, “or at least you can pretend. Do not speak to my enemies, do not fuck my enemies, and you’ll be fine.”

“How exactly is this going to fly with Iris? She’s not stupid.” I wave my arms around to get my point across, but it’s lost on him because he’s not looking.

“Tell her the truth, her boyfriend ordered it,” he snarls before calling out, “Let’s roll.”

Sullenly I follow behind, getting into the backseat with Jig as Cyn grabs the keys from Bastion’s hand and gets in on the driver’s side. Once Bastion is seated, Cyn pulls out with a squeal of tires while I brood in the backseat and pretend that Jig isn’t sending me questioning stares.

“Where are we going?” I ask when we pass the turnoff to take me home.

“The Point,” Cyn growls, and before I can argue, he continues. “If you’re one of us, you go where we go. Don’t argue.”

“What?” Bastion barks, and Jig turns to me with a troubled expression.

“We have no other choice. I’m not fucking her. Unless you want to,” Cyn says grumpily.

Bastion casts me a seething glower, and I stretch my teeth into a bitchy grin as Jig says from the back seat, “I—”

“Shut it,” Cyn barks, and Jig sits back with a smirk.

---