Dark (Beautiful Ashes #1)(40)
E leveled a nasty glare at him. “You deserved it. Man up and accept it.”
Leith nodded. “That I did.” He searched the gym until he spotted Tar and Keeley embracing and talking. Tar’s gaze met his. “Sorry, man,” Leith apologized.
“Don’t fucking do it again,” Tar warned.
“Copy that,” Leith affirmed, standing. He swayed a little and Keeley walked over to help. He shot her an are-you-out-of your-mind look.
She shook her head in response, glancing over to see E and Tar talking. Keeley took advantage of their distraction and whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I got exactly what I deserved.” He walked away without glancing back. Fucking idiot. That woman has me wrapped around her finger and I’m not even banging her.
Keeley paced nervously waiting for Lacey. She couldn’t tell her sister what she’d done the night before any more than she could tell Tar. Leith was the only one who knew, and she wasn’t sure he’d keep his damn mouth shut. Worst part, she wanted as far away from Ms. Jones and Braxton as she could be. What the hell was she going to do?
“Uh-oh, I recognize this.” Lacey eyed her sternly. “What have you done?”
Damn! “Why would you think that?” she asked defensively.
“Hello, you are my twin sister. And I’ve known something was up since the airport.”
Alrighy then, it was time to spin another web. Sooner or later she was going to get herself caught in one of them. Visuals of a big ass spider ready to pounce filled her mind. Ick! “I already shared what I’m dealing with. Don’t ya think that’s enough to cause a teensy amount of anxiety? Shit, Lace. Cut me some slack.”
Lacey gasped, “Oh, Kee,” and embraced her tightly.
For the most part that lie had some truth to it, so why did Keeley feel bad about telling it? She contemplated that for a moment and decided to change the subject. “So, you’re going to help out with this assignment? I’m surprised E would let you.”
“Let me?” Her indignation was written all over her face. “Even is my partner in life, the man I love with all my heart, we have mutual respect for one another, love and trust. I damn sure do not need his permission.”
Ha! Someone might want to let E in on that. She quirked her brow at Lacey. “He wouldn’t want you in any danger.”
“And I wouldn’t want him in any either,” she threw her hands up, “but sometimes in order to catch a demon you must go into Hell.”
No truer words had been spoken. Yet the image it conjured, gave Keeley chills. She could swear that the senator was standing right beside her ready to snatch her away. “Okay, so we’re going in this afternoon to work with the dancers on a new routine?”
“Well, I’ll be working. E is going to take you down to the dungeon and show you around.”
“Ah, so I have the lay of the land if I need a quick exit.”
“Ding-ding, give that a girl a prize.”
They both began to laugh, grabbing their purses and heading over to the night club.
Tar raked his hair. “I’m trying to wrap my head around this shit, E, but I just can’t seem to grasp it.”
“In your defense, when we worked on the other investigation together, you never saw this side of BDSM.”
“True that. I actually like some of it. Don’t mind kinky.” He winked.
E chuckled, clapping Tar on the back. “I love kinky, however, you need to understand that our definition of consenting adults having a mind-blowing experience differs from others.”
“I feel ya. And my girl would be one who associates pain with some sort of pleasure.”
“You know, there are ways to give her what she needs without taking it to the extremes she seems hellbent on doing.” E shook his head. “It’s become another addiction for her. Dammit I wish that girl would see she doesn’t need any of that shit.”
“Welcome to my mission,” Tar pointed out. “I need her healthy mentally and emotionally before there’s ever an us.”
“I’m not gonna tell you how to deal with this situation. She does need help, I agree. Plenty of people love that girl and wanna help. But you know as well as I do, until she wants it, we’re all spinning our wheels.”
“Yup. And doing doughnuts makes me sick.”
“Hell yes. I know you’re sleeping with her. Also know you’ve fallen in love, my friend. I believe she wants what you’re offering, but she’s not sure how. Takes a very patient man to deal with this shit.”
“Damn good thing I have plenty of it.”