Red Hot(Sex & Mayhem #5)(88)

The sound of Jack’s phone ringing was an instant mood killer, and the shrill scream of guitar pulled them apart. Loki caught Jack’s gaze and smiled, letting him go.

“Back in a sec.” Jack gave Loki one more kiss before rushing inside. Loki didn’t mind the view one bit. Jack had that perfect shape, with his shoulders much wider than his ass. His back was muscular, and so were his strong, thick thighs. Loki trailed behind him, slightly more at ease now that he’d decided to go with Jack’s plan.

“Okay, I’ll call you back about it.” Jack looked over his shoulder, but he wasn’t smiling anymore.

Loki rushed inside and squeezed Jack’s hand as soon as he reached him. “What is it?” he mouthed.

Jack turned off the phone and looked into Loki’s eyes. “Monster’s tracked down Rodney.”

Loki drew in a sharp breath, and his hand clenched around Jack’s. This was their dead man walking number three. Loki’s gums itched. “Okay.”

“Would you prefer that to the doctor visit?” Jack looked strangely pale, as if he were about to pass out. “There’s only so much time, so it’s up to you. I know these guys are on your bucket list… even if you didn’t write them down.”

Loki exhaled, unable to uncurl his hand from around Jack’s. “He’s the one who did the cuts on my face. He won the game.”

“You wanna play some tic-tac-toe?” Jack whispered and squeezed Loki’s fingers.

“No. This is more important,” said Loki, looking at his feet. He’d give Jack all the time he had in the world. “I want to go to the doctor, and... try. You’ll kill them for me, if I don’t make it, right?”

Jack’s blue eyes darkened, and he made a jerky, somewhat awkward movement, grabbing Loki’s shoulder. “I promise they won’t have an easy death.”

Loki didn’t doubt for a second that Jack would keep his word, and he pulled up his meaty hand, kissing each rough knuckle He would sacrifice his vengeance for Jack. It wasn’t nearly enough to make up for the havoc he’d brought into Jack’s life, but it would have to do. “I know.”





Chapter 26



Red Jack’s hands were slippery with sweat, and he probably stank like a pig from all the nerves evaporating off his body. He couldn’t care less though, if the surgery was to work. He had no idea what kind of future he would have with Loki, but he couldn’t imagine one without him. They fit together like a bullet and a gun. Loki took his fits with understanding yet could also speak his mind and give Red Jack hell. As awful as it was at the time, Red Jack loved the thrill of being with someone who spoke their mind like that and wasn’t afraid. Who, even with a serious illness, decided to go all out to get what they wanted from life instead of wasting away while clinging to useless treatments.

But right now, it was Red Jack who wanted Loki to do any and all treatments the world had to offer. It would be the worst type of karma if Red Jack was to go soft for someone only to lose them. It was by sheer luck that Red Jack had found out about Doctor Arvelo.

Red Jack was sceptical about the amount of money he had to pay for the procedure. Arvelo claimed that the bulk of his earnings was donated to local charities, but even if he drove a Porsche at home and lived in a mansion, Red Jack didn’t care as long as the surgery improved Loki’s health. Who knew, maybe this would end up as one of the miracles when yet another PET scan revealed a brain free of cancer, surprising all the licensed doctors? Those things happened sometimes.

Red Jack discretely looked around the full waiting room. There was no A/C in the small alternative medicine centre, and so the air was a mixture of sweat, sharp-smelling ointments, and infected flesh. The waiting list held over fifty names, but the moment Red Jack opened his wallet and pulled out a wad of cash, Loki only had to wait for thirty minutes or so before walking off to the pre-treatment room. It had been two hours since then, and Red Jack’s nerves were slowly exploding with tension. He’d been told Loki would have to go through a special bath, inhale a concoction that would make his body more ripe for the surgery, whatever that meant, and cleanse on top of that. The whole thing was bound to last long. Red Jack would stay the night if necessary.

The hangaround who’d mentioned Arvelo to Jack claimed he permanently cured her of migraines just by holding his hands on her head. Headaches were one thing, but what got Red Jack truly intrigued was the person who referred the girl to Arvelo, her uncle whom Arvelo had cured of cancer. Maybe there was a chance the doctor’s abilities could help Loki as well?.