Page 31 of Smoke

I text the video to Kane and then send a copy of it to myself as well, which makes her giggle for a third time. Looks like I’ve got Miss Cherry Bradley as giddy as a schoolgirl. And that’s no easy feat. Although, I can’t ignore the fact that she’s been in a better mood since Hawk finally fucked her.

I’m still a little salty about not being involved but I keep reminding myself that it’s been a long time coming for them. They needed it. And now, if we could just get Omen to stop hating her… Well, we all know he doesn’t actually hate her, but getting him to admit that might take a small miracle.

“I don’t understand why I can’t stay at my own apartment.” I hate not having my own things around me. There’s no reason why they can’t keep an eye on me there.

Hawk’s eye twitches. He’s been looking at me differently since the other night. The longing is deeper. The hunger, more feral. “Because after you and Scarrow decided to send your stalker a video of you giving him a blowjob, it’s not safe for you there. Kane doesn’t know our house.”

“You don’t know that,” I snap. I cross my arms and slump back against the couch. “He could be lurking outside right now.”

Omen grits his teeth, equally annoyed as I am that we have to occupy the same space. “This is pathetic. If she wants to die so fucking badly, just let her. I’m over the attitude.”

Scarrow shakes his head. “Look, the video was my idea. Sorry, it was a hot-headed decision. But Kane needs to understand who he’s messing with.”

Hawk kneels in front of me and rests his hands on my thighs. “We are better equipped to handle things here. Trust me. I don’t know your place the way I do mine. Please, just be good for me, Cherry. Do as I say for once.”

Something about the way he asks, assuming I can never say no to him, makes me wet. The ache in his voice hits deeper now that I know what his cock feels like inside me. It gives me goose pimples everywhere. I want to obey him, dammit.

“Fine. I’ll stay. But I need some more clothes and toiletries. This place looks like a stale bachelor pad.” I concede. I give in. Because that’s what I always do for Hawk. We’re like a broken record. He either saves me, covers for me, or fixes some wounded part of my soul, and then I get on my knees and do as he says.

He lets out a sigh of relief and stalks to the door. He grabs his leather jacket off the chair and motions to Scar. “We’ll grab a few more things for you later tonight. Just be good for Omen and we’ll see you in the morning.”

What the fuck? I bolt up from the couch. “Wait a second. That is not what I agreed to. You can’t leave me alone with the grim reaper again.”

Scarrow grabs my waist and pulls me to him. “Relax, baby girl. He’s all bark and no bite. Unlike you. So play nice and don’t leave any marks.” He winks before heading out the door.

I glare at Hawk. “When will you be back?”

“By the time you wake up tomorrow. Have a few drinks and get a good night’s sleep. Everything’s gonna be okay soon, Cherry. I promise.” He kisses my cheek and then ducks his head like the shy teenage boy he used to be.

I let out a loud groan when he slams the door behind him. “Fuck,” I mutter. I spin around to find Omen glaring back at me.

“You better chill, mama. I don’t like this either. Not one fucking bit.” He storms into the kitchen before I can retort with another snarky comeback.

I need a drink so I reluctantly follow after him. I can’t help but chuckle under my breath though when I hear him cursing to himself. It’s loud enough for me to hear, but all in Spanish so I can only make out every other word. Something about me being a spoiled brat who needs a muzzle and a leash.

I pour myself a double shot of tequila since it’s the only bottle I see on the counter. I don’t want to go rummaging around in their cabinets. The more comfortable I allow myself to feel here, the more I will normalize the situation. I’m not ready to admit my feelings for any of them just yet.

Omen shoots his drink then pours another one, all while glaring daggers at me. “Grim reaper. Fuck you, Cherry. You’re out here collecting way more souls than me.”

I grit my teeth and knock back two shots in a row, forcing myself to bite my tongue even though he enrages me just by breathing. “And oh how you won’t ever let me forget it.”

He rolls up his sleeves before bracing his hands on the table. It’s the only thing between us. The only object keeping him from grabbing onto me instead. I can’t help the flutter in my belly, the tingle between my thighs.

“Because your conscious is clean, mama. Ain’t that right?” He and I both down another shot of expensive tequila while locked in a glaring contest. But it’s hard not to let my eyes wander up the length of his perfectly sculpted forearms.

I blow out a deep breath. “Is that what you really think? That I’m somehow unscathed and unbothered by the fact that I murdered three people? Well, just because I don’t walk around moping about it like you do, doesn’t mean I sleep at night.”

He huffs and backs away from the table. “Could’ve fooled me. All you seem to care about is getting dicked-down by your own brother. You slept real good after that the other night.”

I feel my cheeks heat, my blood boiling. I spring up from the table. “Look, I’m sorry you got stuck with me tonight, but you don’t have to be so fucking mean. He’s my stepbrother. You know this. And that’s not all I care about. I have a life. A business to run. And a—”

He snickers. “What you have is a stalker, a bar that barely breaks even every month, and an obsession with a man who spent most of his life pushing you away. Oh, and let’s not forget your preacher daddy who can barely look at you because he’s so ashamed of what a slut you’ve become.”

I’m murderous. Again. Fucking bastard. All rationale goes out the window when I pick up my shot glass and chuck it at him. He ducks and it shatters behind him, creating a mess of jagged glass on the terracotta tiles.

Every inch of me is shaking. “Fuck you, Omen. You need to shut your fucking mouth. Yeah, maybe I’m not making as much money as the three of you, but at least I’m earning an honest living. You want to stand there and judge me for what I did? Well, what about you? How many people have you killed for money? Or for power? I was fucking sexually assaulted, Omen. I killed them so they would never do it again to anyone else.” I’m fucking fuming. I fear my face is bright red now.

He looks away, suddenly not wanting to make eye contact. “Whatever. I got work to do. Just stay out of my fucking way tonight.”