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It shouldn’t have been so appealing, knowing he could manhandle and maneuver me so easily — it probably should have tripped something in my brain along the lines of self-preservation.
I splayed my legs so he could step between them instead of worrying about it. My eyes fixated on the way he swallowed, the tension making his jaw clench and his throat work, but he accepted the invitation and shifted closer.
When he leaned in, I let my head fall back — with me sitting on the counter, we were nearly face to face. The motion exposed my throat, gave him access to my lips.
He leaned past me and opened a cabinet to my left. Jayce was so large that he easily filled the empty space I’d left for him between my thighs, so just that stretch brought my body into contact with his bare chest — my hands flew up automatically, wrapping around his thick arms to keep my balance where I was perched.
The touch let me feel the way he shuddered, but his face didn’t betray his reaction when he pulled back.
It took a second for me to realize he had cotton and a bottle in his hand. My shock kept me silent as he soaked the swab, then gently brought it to my cheek — I was so baffled by his demeanor, I didn’t hold in the gasp when the liquid stung against my cut.
I’d expected him to be balls deep inside me by now — he’d bought me, and I’d known what was going to happen when I came here. I was ready to do whatever I had to do.
Instead, Jayce carefully cleaned the cut on my face and applied a small strip bandage. He was still so close, nestled in the space I’d left open for him, and his thumb swept my split lip. I barely contained a moan — the heat of his skin sent small shockwaves of pleasure dancing across my nerves.
“I can’t do much about the lip, sorry.” He brushed the swollen skin again, a ghost-whisper of touch that ran deeper than the pressure should have allowed.
“It’s fine.” My voice sounded faint, even to me. “I can barely feel it.”
That much was true. With him so close, with the scent of him flooding me — warmth and spice and car grease — I couldn’t concentrate on the fleeting pain. I could only focus on him.
“Good.” His eyes flicked to my mouth, and my lids fluttered. I wanted him to kiss me. I leaned into it, and his fingers feathered against my lips. There was a moment where his jaw clenched, then he pushed himself back from the counter.
I instantly missed the heat of him.
“I —”
“Come on. I’m sure you’re hungry. I don’t think I have much, but I’ll figure something out.”
And before I could protest, Jayce stepped out of the bathroom and left me sitting on his counter with my cheek stinging from antiseptic and my lips burning from an almost kiss.
Chapter 4
Jayce
My fingers twitched when my phone rang. It wasn’t the regular line, it was the work phone I kept tucked away in my pocket.
There was only one person who would call me on that number, and I wasn’t looking forward to the conversation. It was a damn shame I couldn’t blow him off the way I had Clay… but if I didn’t respond to Marcus Holden, he’d come to my house to get answers.
This was easier.
“Yes?” I kept my voice even when I picked up, and instantly heard the tsk of disapproval.
“You dislocated Nick’s arm. Two of the men threatened to quit.” My dad’s voice was full of disapproval. I couldn’t stop the laugh that barked out of my chest.
“So, you have two dead men on your hands?”
“You mean you have four men you need to take care of.” Fuck, there was part of it. “Since you decided to reveal yourself before I was ready, it would be better if you took all of them out, if we’re being honest. The only one you don’t need to worry about is Nick. I was told he pulled a gun on you.”
“Yeah.” Four people — he expected me to kill four people because I’d told them my name. He never worried himself with how stained my soul was, or if there was a heaven or hell. As far as he was concerned, souls were just another form of bartering, another form of payment. It felt like I'd paid his price until I had nothing left to give a long time ago.
“I’ll keep Nick here under my special care.”
I didn’t bother to tell him the other men had pulled guns, too. They were already dead. No need to make it worse.
“I’m a little busy here.” I probably wouldn’t have tried to contradict him if I were standing there in person, but we were on the phone. At least if I pissed him off, I’d have time to pack some shit and run.
“Ah, yes. You purchased yourself a plaything, didn’t you? Jayce, if you wanted someone to fuck, I could have delivered something more convenient. You didn’t need to almost blow our entire operation out of the water for some blond whore.” He said the words casually, and I felt my teeth clench painfully when I bit back my response.
