Fucking smart-mouthed little bitch. He couldn’t deny her snarky response gave him a raging hard-on. He adjusted himself. “How ‘bout we ask Tar?” Take that!
“I want to tell him the truth more than you know. But if I do, he’ll insist I quit. You cool with that?” Her snide expression screamed, You’ve just been served.
Hell. He really had. “You jeopardize many lives with that flippant attitude.”
“Oh, no you don’t,” she huffed. “This is in no way on my shoulders.”
She was right, of course. Being the douche that he was, Leith went for a different angle. “The fact that you need not just a sexual sadist but a tyrannical one as well, to satisfy your sick little habit, will force him to leave your sweet ass. You know it, too.” He gave her a trumped nod.
Defeat wove its treacherous fingers around Keeley’s throat, making words impossible to form. He called it. Damn bastard held all the cards. Leith studied her, causing her stomach to churn like a washer set to high spin. Any minute she was going to throw up. Her timid voice barely carried over the noise, “I want this over with as soon as possible.”
“Do you?” He cocked his head. “Then how will you feed the beast in control of you?”
She shot to her feet and raced to the ladies’ room. No time to hit the toilet, so Keeley emptied the contents of her stomach in the sink. She was in too deep.
The demon leaned against the wall, watching. Leith was becoming quite the adversary.
Worst part of it all, the emotional turmoil she was experiencing was having the same effect on her as physical pain. A splash of cool water to her face helped settle the uneasiness snaking its way up her body. Her eyes darted to the blood spreading along the gauze inside her arm. She pressed hard against it, bringing a drawn out hiss through her teeth. The self-induced pain along with the blood, now sprinkling in droplets, calmed her. Keeley regained control and wrapped her wound with the hoodie she wore. Odds were, she just discovered yet another addictive tendency. But at the moment, she couldn’t care less.
Leith followed the sway of her hips as she approached. The lack of color on her face told him something was off. Way off. His gaze caught the awkward makeshift bandage she’d made with her hoodie. He continued taking inventory as he searched her from head to toe with his eyes. The blood drops on her Chuck’s told him more.
“You’ll meet me at eight o’clock sharp a block from the club tomorrow night. The sooner I get the info, the sooner I can stop this nonsense and get back to my life.” She turned on her heel and traipsed out of the coffee shop.
Leith couldn’t help but admire her tenacity. He had to wonder how magnificent she would be healthy and whole. Fucking unbelievable if she was this spectacular wounded and lost. Tar better hold onto her tight. That seemed oxymoronic considering Leith wanted her for himself. Yet somewhere inside, he knew who she belonged with.
Tar could not believe his eyes when Alex Strand walked into the bar. He finished off his Jack and Coke as Alex spotted him, signaling he was grabbing his own drink. The two men shook hands before sitting down.
“I know I’m not who you were expecting,” Alex assessed.
“True,” he confirmed. But I have a feeling I get why.” Tar had a wry grin on his face. Figured, considering he and E were actually good friends.
Alex took a healthy swallow of his gin and tonic before responding. “Investigations is a specialty of mine. And to be frank, I’m all for bringing down these motherfuckers, but not at the cost of our Keeley.”
Amazing. How did Keeley miss all this love? Then it hit, she was running from it due to her feelings of unworthiness. His broken girl had so much to learn, so much healing to do. Yet he could relate. He’d been there once before himself. True the situation was different and he didn’t battle an addiction, but wrestling a demon was still all-consuming. Harder you fought, the more it tried to hang on. “Glad to hear that. Nice having someone on the same page,” Tar admitted.
“E and Nik are, too. But I get why E needs to stay a little in the dark on this one. Though, you should know, he’ll be pissed off when he finds out.”
“Hell yes, he will.” Tar rubbed the stubble on his chin. “If this were in his club, I wouldn’t withhold anything.”
“I understand that. So, you think Keeley is doing what exactly?” Alex queried.
“Honestly, I’m not sure. I do know that fucker Leith is involved somehow,” he grit out. “But to what extent, I’m clueless.”
“Why do you think he’s assisting her?”
“Because he wants to fuck her.” Alex’s eyes widened at that little gem. Tar continued, “He’s helping her cover up wounds.”