Do you know that expression, “it can’t get any worse”? Maybe. It always can.
I thought I’d hit rock bottom the day I ran away from “Bellerose”. The day the mafia bastards grabbed me, beat me almost to death, and left me wishing they would just finish the job.
But then an Angel saved me.
But his “salvation” turned out to be not at all the freedom I had hoped for. Two months later, I am his prisoner in the gilded cage of his house. His pregnant mistress.
Angelo Ricci, my Angel, holds my life in his hands. He’s both protecting me and ruining me, and if his father ever finds out about our secret deal, death will seem like a blessing.
I’m tired, scared, and I don’t know who I can trust. All I know is that I miss the Bellerose guys.”………..”……….. Grayson and Rhett still hold parts of my heart, even if I would happily kick Jace… well, you get the idea. And Flo? She’s dead to me.
Literally.
Like dead, dead.
Food for worms.
Fate suddenly turns in my direction when “Bellerose” has a new owner, and I get an unexpected chance to cross paths with the band again. Being trapped on a remote farm with guys who think I abandoned them for my abusive ex sounds like a recipe for carnage, but I have no choice.
Only this time I’m not alone. Angelo is coming with me, and it looks like he’s going to wreak havoc. We all need to get out of there alive somehow… but it’s not that hard, is it? After all, I’m Billy Bellerose.
“Bellerose Boys” is a reverse harem story about rock stars and the mafia, in which the main character finds happiness forever with more than one lover. This is a four-book series, so you should expect cliffhangers throughout the story until they find their happy ending.
This series touches on darker themes, and it includes both graphic sex scenes and graphic violence.
Some of the characters have a traumatic past, and mention is made of miscarriage, drug use, addiction, and murder.
— Tate and Jamin
one
JACE
The blonde chick screamed as I pushed two more times before the dull rush of my release made me release my fucking charge. She kept moaning and squirming under me, no doubt hoping that I would make her cum too, but I was done.
I didn’t make excuses about who I was these days. They wanted a rock star’s dick, and they got it, but that dick didn’t give a damn about them and their pleasure.
Rolling off her, I found my pants in the next few seconds, pulled them on, and headed for the door. She called after me breathlessly, “Jace, baby, but I’m done.” Finished. I even forgot her damn name.
Did I at least ask her what her name was? Probably not. In any case, she was a bad choice. At first glance, she looked too much like me. Billy fucking Bellerose.
The guards were waiting for me outside, and one of them handed me a leather jacket, which I pulled on. Lately, I’ve been without a T-shirt more often than I’ve been in it, but these guys were well trained. No one said a word as they followed me to the car that was waiting at the entrance. I paid for the whole night, but I never stayed longer than it took to cum.
I kept my head down as I slid into the back seat of the darkened SUV—not wanting to become an easy target for the paparazzi constantly chasing me—so I didn’t realize I had company until the car door was closed.
“Don’t fucking start,” I growled, pulling a roll—up out of my jacket pocket. I raided Rhett’s stash before he even woke up this morning; he was so fucked up these days he didn’t even notice.
Grayson sighed miserably, but said nothing. While. He just waited for me to light a cigarette, and then stole the joint from my lips before I could even take a full drag.
—Asshole,” I muttered, waiting for him to take a drag before handing it back.
He exhaled heavily, filling the back of the car with thick, musky weed smoke. —Great shit,” he grumbled. “Retta?”
I just tilted my head back, filling my lungs with air while my head was swimming. I’d been using drugs and alcohol harder than usual lately, but that was nothing compared to Rhett. The poor bastard was suffering from a broken heart. I understood him. I’ve been through it myself, with the same ruthless bitch.
“Why are you here, Grey?” I drawled, shifting my gaze to the broad—shouldered bastard next to me.
He gave me a hard look. “Do I need a reason?” I thought we were a band, Jace.
I snorted contemptuously. “Don’t give me shit, Grey. Hurricane “Billy” destroyed us, and you know it.
His mouth twisted in anger. He liked that temptress bitch more than he ever let on, but I could see it in his eyes every time I said her name. I almost wished she’d show up again, just to see Gray rip her ass apart.
“Billy is not responsible for this,— he said in a low rumble. — Flo. And Tucker. If they hadn’t…
—Bullshit,” I spat. —That’s bullshit. Flo and Tom screwed up trying to sell her back to Richie, but look how it all turned out. She wasn’t abducted, she ran away. Voluntarily. No one forced her to leave, Grey, she left of her own free will. The sooner you two accept this, the better it will be for both of you.
Grayson’s fist clenched in his lap, and I had the feeling he would happily punch me in the teeth right now. I didn’t care. Maybe it would be good if he did that… He made me feel something other than numb.
“What makes you so sure?” “What is it?” he asked softly. — Of all people, you are the one…
- yes! I shouted, sitting up and throwing daggers at him. — Of all people named. I know her much better than you do, no matter what tempting stories she lures you into. I know you got it into your head that her video message was forced, but you’re fucking delusional. No one forces Billie Bellerose to do anything she doesn’t want to do.
Grayson didn’t say anything in response, but his silent disagreement was deafening. Even after Billie sent a special video message asking him to stop looking for her, he couldn’t accept that she wasn’t in some kind of danger.
I always knew Rhett had a crazy hero complex, but Gray took it to a whole other level. In that first week after she disappeared, he turned into a complete stranger. A scary, cruel stranger. The only thing that stopped this madness was Billy’s text telling him that she was fine and please respect her choice.
Fucking whore.
However, they couldn’t say that I hadn’t warned them. None of them. I’ve been saying this since day one—she was playing with them and sooner or later she’s going to run back to Angelo. That smug son of a bitch was always on top.
—The label has been trying to contact you,— Gray said, changing the subject. “Did you call them back?”
I made an exasperated noise. “To hell with the label.
Grayson’s elbow hit me in the ribs and knocked the air out of my lungs, making me choke on the smoke I’d just inhaled. —Fuck you, Adams,” he growled. — This band is more than just you. You’re ruining all our careers while you’re sulking at the girl who broke your heart seven damn years ago.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You should be telling me that, asshole.”
“Call the main office back, Jace. In case you forgot, we have signed contracts and are currently violating them. His expression was impassive. Cold. Introverted. I envied him this ability.
It annoyed me that he was right. Not only did we cut our tour short — right before we went international — but we also owed our label a new album, and right now I have a lot to present.
The problem was that I also had no desire to write new music. Before Billie came along again, I was struggling with a writer’s crisis. I couldn’t keep writing music about her; it took a hell of a long time, and I was tired. But then she broke into my life again, and now every time I held a pen, all I could think about was her.
“I’m fucking sober for this shit,” I grumbled, reaching out to tap on the safety glass separating us from the driver. “Drop me off here.”
Gray was two seconds away from smashing my head against the window, I could see it written all over his face. I’d rather clean up on my own than deal with a broken nose.
“Jace, you can’t just keep pretending. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to become a man and face your own shit.
I chuckled. “That’s where you’re wrong, Grey. — I opened the door when the car pulled up to a stop in front of another busy nightclub, and got out on slightly shaky legs. — I’m young, rich, famous, hot. I’m living my best fucking life, and I don’t have anything to deal with anymore. She’s back in the arms of her treacherous lover— so I’m just washing my hands of it.
Without waiting for his reply, I slammed the car door and walked past the queue to the club entrance. The guard put out his hand to stop me, but after a couple of seconds he realized who I was and let me in. Sometimes being famous is very convenient.
Ralph, my bodyguard, followed me, as always, and I, as always, ignored him. Gray got under my skin, and I was suddenly too stressed to go home. Rhett would be there, wallowing in self-pity, and I couldn’t accept that yet.
I’ve never regretted sharing a penthouse with my best friend, but damn it, it was getting more and more uncomfortable.
My gaze swept over the crowd as I pushed my way to the bar. I needed to drink some liquor, and then maybe something stronger. I looked over my shoulder and nodded to Ralph. “Find me a coke or something,— I ordered him. — Gray really ruined my mood.
Ralph was a professional. He just nodded briefly, then disappeared into the crowd to do my bidding. He wouldn’t be far away if anything happened. But I wasn’t worried.
“Hey, you’re Jace Adams, right?” A hoarse female voice made me turn my head. My undoubtedly bloodshot eyes looked the girl up and down. She was young, no more than twenty-one, and her mouse-brown hair was pulled back in two high ponytails. Her whole appearance screamed innocence, but the calculating gleam in her eyes said she was more than ready to hang out with a rock star.
—Of course,” I replied with a sly, flirtatious smile.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and she licked her lips. “Are you here with the rest of the Bellerose?”
It ruined my mood. Another girl who would rather fuck Rhett or Gray than me? Maybe I was losing my appeal.
—No,— I replied, turning back to the bar and coldly ignoring her. However, it didn’t last long, as her gentle fingers wrapped around my wrist to once again attract my attention. – what?
Her eyebrows rose at my harsh tone, then she lowered her eyes in a practiced, shy gesture. “Can I suck your dick in the bathroom?”
God. It’s not even a challenge anymore.
—Of course,” I agreed, shrugging my shoulders. She grinned and tightened her grip on my wrist, impatiently pulling me along with her as she walked to the toilets. Ralph handed me a small packet of coke as I passed by, and I grinned, letting him know where I was going.
five
Billy
Three weeks have passed since that incident, and the only reason I even knew it was Friday was today’s grand fundraiser for the homeless of Siena, a charity gala celebrating the position of the Ricci family as pillars of this community.
It’s ironic, considering that eighty percent of their income was generated illegally, and only twenty percent legally through their restaurants. They were obsessed with looking like model citizens, firmly entrenched in the highest circles of Siena, and no one could—or would dare—stand in their way. Especially some cheap lover of their son.
Giovanni’s words, not mine.
“You’ll make sure she’s there, showing off the future heir,” he growled at Angelo after I suggested that maybe it was better for me not to show up. The head of the Ricci family made great efforts to never address me directly.
—You know Vee’s going to be there,— Angelo reminded his father. “Maybe it would be better to postpone the drama for another evening.”
His wife. His fucking wife was going to be there, damn it. There had never been a worse idea than this, and considering the agreement that Angelo and I had made, that said a lot.
Resisting the urge to speak again, I crossed my arms over my chest and sighed, sinking deeper into myself. For the last two and a half months, I’ve been slowly losing the pieces of who I was. Piece by piece. Drop by drop. I vented my pain in tears and heartache, suffered in silence, screaming and sobbing into my pillow, and now I’m numb.
Sometimes I wished I’d been exposed to one of those bullets back at the restaurant. Better me than Liz. She didn’t deserve to die and probably would have continued to lead at least a half decent life. At least, not like someone’s prisoner with a ticking bomb over her head.
—Don’t ask me any more damn questions,— Giovanni snapped at his son and heir. “If you don’t come tonight, I promise there will be serious consequences.” We can never let them know that there are cracks in our armor, otherwise they will destroy us.
Obviously, flaunting his pregnant lover was fine, not a single crack was visible, but God forbid, hiding her in the house when the event was going on. And immediately there are cracks everywhere.
The next moment, Giovanni was gone, and I didn’t feel the tension leave me as it would have a few weeks ago. I stopped feeling relieved in any way. Now there is only pain and duty. And if that debt didn’t pay off, I couldn’t even find the strength to worry about it.
The lack of fear of my own death was beginning to bother me. Or at least it would have worried me if I really had any strength left.
—Bella,— Angelo said, loud enough for me to realize it wasn’t the first time he’d addressed me. “What’s wrong with you?”
Blinking slowly, I tried to return to my own body. It was almost as if a part of my soul had left, as shit was getting more intense these days, and it was getting harder to come back every time.
“What did you say?”
There was very little fire in my voice, and when he came closer, frowning, I swallowed convulsively.
“I said we don’t have a choice about tonight, but I’ll make sure to protect you from anyone who might want to harm you on V’s behalf.” An expression of concern froze on his face.
—Cool,” I said listlessly, putting my hand on the bulge of my stomach. “I’ll find something to wear.”
The only thing I didn’t lack was clothes, shoes, and accessories. An entire room, as big as my old apartment, was filled to the brim with every designer outfit you could imagine. They were all tagged, as I’ve been more comfortable in sweatpants lately.
Turning away, I thought Angelo had said something else, but I had already closed my mind and feelings to him, mentally preparing for the terrible shit I would have to go through at Ricci’s event tonight. I’d be dressed like a mafia princess, but they’d all know I was a whore.
—Damn it, Bella!
He growled a curse loud enough to actually be heard, and before I could react, Angelo wrapped his arms tightly around my shoulders and spun me around, leaning in at the same time to press his lips to mine. It was a hard, aggressive move, and it reminded me a little of how Grayson liked to dominate my mouth.
Of course, it wasn’t Grayson. Even damn close. Angelo’s kiss only filled me with fear and disgust for abusing his power over me.
With a scream, I punched him in the chest, trying to push him away. Except it was like moving a fucking building. I would never have been able to move Angelo if he hadn’t wanted to move.
In fact, the strength of the body under my palms took me by surprise. He was always fit, even when we were teenagers, but now he was all muscle. Muscles that refused to let go of me. The firm grip of his hands dug into my biceps, holding me firmly in place.
Horror ran down my spine, for the first time in a long time, a truly strong emotion. But there was also a faint sense of familiarity lurking in that fear, which sent a shiver through his chest.
Angelo growled again and slowed down the aggressiveness of his kiss, slowing down the pace as his lips parted and he thrust his tongue forward, demanding entry. I wanted to bite him, but for some reason I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Moreover, it was harder not to open his mouth and give him the access he wanted.
I felt dizzy when the taste of whiskey with plums caught up with me, and I realized that he had drunk before meeting his father. Probably a good idea, considering what happened after Giovanni arrived.
However, under the alcohol, there was that hint of spice that I’ve always associated with Angelo. My Angelo. The ones who loved me and held me together when my life was falling apart. He treated me like a jewel, and not at all like Jace. At some point in time, just before that fateful day when I ruined everything, I was on top of the world. Those two guys loved me. Loved, fucked, adored and cherished. They told me about my heart, soul, and especially about the desires and needs of my body.
Until it all exploded into a literal fireball. The flame that took away what was left of my family… and my child.
A therapist would probably say that I was spiraling down next to Angelo because old wounds and losses were being opened that I still hadn’t dealt with. Especially considering that I’m now firmly stuck in the role of the mother of the child of the mafia heir. Although, on the other hand, a therapist could just call me weak, pathetic and advise me to pull myself together.
Both were undoubtedly true.
—Angel,— I growled, finally abruptly turning my face away from his. He almost doubled over to get on my level, and he wasn’t surprised when I swung and slapped him. If anything, when he pulled back and blinked down at me from his normal height, he looked… pleased. With that damn grin and all.
He took a step closer to me again, and my stomach twisted as I fought the urge to run away or… maybe kiss him again. Pitifully. It’s a complete mess. It was the truth.
His eyes were closed as he leaned closer, the grin remaining in place. “If you disappear from me again, Bella,” he drawled softly, and I shivered at the sudden chill in the air. “I won’t hesitate to fuck you so that you feel alive again, do you understand?” I need you to throw yourself into the game, and I need it now. There’s no room for error here, or we’re both dead. Do you fucking understand?
I nodded, but all I could think about was, “I’m going to fuck you so that you feel alive again.” Why did my body tense up at that phrase, and not out of fear… How could I feel anything for this man, who was now a stranger to me and part of the very family that worked hard to destroy me.
Fighting the urge to scream, I choked on my next breath before storming out of the room and heading to my private quarters. Angelo gave me my own room, a bathroom, and a huge walk-in closet. It was more than I had ever had before, and I longed for the security, no matter how false it was, that I felt in my prison.
I stumbled into my room, slammed the door behind me, and leaned back against it. For a second, it seemed to me that a light flashed outside the window, but when I went to close the curtains, I saw nothing on the other side of the small balcony.
Not knowing what to do, my energy surged inside, I paced back and forth across the room, my feet sinking into the plush gray carpet, while I fought the urge to scream. My skin throbbed and itched, irritating me until I had to resist the urge to scratch my own flesh, scraping it off my muscles and bones.
What the hell was Angelo thinking, kissing me, bringing back old memories, his hands pressing into my flesh so hard that I could still feel their touch on my skin? How the fuck does he dare! How dare he think he has the right to fuck me so that I feel alive. I don’t need it. I didn’t need any of them.
In the end, I could only rely on myself—and that would never change, no matter how many handsome, rich, and talented men appeared and disappeared from my life. I’ve learned my hypertrophied independence the hard way, and if anything, the last few months have only reinforced that belief in me.
“What the hell do you mean?” I exclaimed. Without a doubt, the expression on my face was comical when I blinked stupidly at Angelo. But he had just given me some amazing news, and I had no idea how to deal with it.
“”The Ricci Corporation just acquired several record labels as part of a merger deal with Sunrise Enterprises, and one of them was Big Noise Records.” “
“Are you the owner of Bellerose?”
I mean, why did the fucking universe hate me? And Jace, obviously, because this was going to be his worst nightmare come true.
Angelo shrugged his shoulders. — The Ricci Corporation is the owner. My father decided to make more efforts to diversify our interests, and it looks like he’s headed into the entertainment industry.
The timing of this was suspicious, to put it mildly. “It’s not like Giovanni Ricci didn’t know about Angelo and me being involved with Bellerose.” Damn, that name was my last name, and that old asshole knew it. The fact that he was trying to control the band was a power play, and I couldn’t believe Angelo was so… calm about it.
—Come on,— I said, barely resisting the urge to roll my eyes. “As if he’s not using Bellerose as another means to control us both.” “Seriously, there’s no way I should have explained this to someone with his level of intelligence.
Angelo’s expression barely changed, but I knew him well enough to notice how the skin around his eyes tightened. His lips tightened slightly. And the way the deep, intense brown eyes seemed to have become even darker. Oh yes, Angelo understood perfectly well what his father was doing, but he decided to just agree without asking Giovanni. We all chose our own path of survival, and Angelo’s path was to suppress his instinct for leadership, allowing his overbearing father to keep him on a short leash.
“What else did he say?”
It was the day after the charity event, and while I was meeting his wife in the bathroom, Angelo was introduced to the bigwigs of the recording industry. Including the director of “Big Noise”. It’s all part of a merger that was supposed to be completed by the middle of next week.
“He said I’d have to take over this newfound business until everything was sorted out, probably within the next six months. I will be traveling to check our assets and put everything in order. It’s a pain in the ass, but for now we just have to do the work, and eventually he’ll lose interest.
Why did I have the feeling that this asshole wasn’t going to lose interest this time? It was personal for Angelo and me, and Giovanni used it in everything.
After I rubbed my face, the stress instantly gave me a headache, I finally looked up and saw that Angelo’s expression had really darkened. “You don’t have to strain yourself, Bella. He can’t hurt Bellerose.”………..” They are famous, rich, and powerful. His anger turned to annoyance. “They’ll drop Big Noise as soon as they hear about the merger, and they’ll probably go off on their own under an independent label.” It would be wise to do so with their power and resources. Jace has never liked being controlled, and I’m honestly surprised he’s been under the thumb of some asshole for so long.
Forcing the muscles of my face to relax, since, obviously, I was not as good as Angelo at hiding my emotions, I tried to imperceptibly shake off the tension from my cramped limbs. “Jace isn’t the guy we grew up with anymore,— I informed him. “What I did to him… it broke him. I think he’s just been going with the flow ever since. He’s lucky that his outstanding talent and charisma save him from, to put it mildly, the shitty management at “Big Noise”.
I mean, someone appointed Tom Tucker as tour manager, and that was the only proof we needed to know that whoever was making the decisions was a fucking idiot.
Angelo waved me off as if he was more than done with this conversation. — We will find out the opinion of the rock star about this soon enough. Dad wants me to go straight to “Big Noise” and deal with them first. Other labels can wait until the beginning of the new year.
Of course, they can wait. There was absolutely no reason why “Bellerose” was at the top of the list. No reason at all.
To hell with my life.
“When are you leaving?” I asked. It’s not like I’ve seen Angelo a lot in the last few weeks, but this time it felt like I was going to be completely alone..
—We are,— he said, crossing his arms over his chest so that the plain white shirt he was wearing stretched over his broad shoulders. “You’re coming with me.”
If I thought I was terrified before, it couldn’t be compared to how I felt now.
—No,— I breathed, shaking my head. — no! Are you crazy?
It was a rhetorical question, because it was clear that this was exactly the case.
“There’s no other way, Bella. You’re not safe here without me. Period.
“I’m not safe there,— I blurted out. “Bellerose hates me.” How…They hate you. If we run into them, you won’t have a chance to settle anything. They will fight us every step of the way.
—That’s enough! “Stop it!” he growled. “Just stop it, damn it. You’re not telling me what to do, Billy. I am the one who controls the situation here. “Bellerose” is going to be a problem, even if it’s just me, but they have the same fucking choice in life as I do. No. We are all puppets in the hands of a supreme master, and nothing else can be done at the moment. So shut the fuck up, pack your bags and get your ass downstairs. We’re heading to Naples.
Great. It’s just great. “Naples,” Illinois, was a few hours away from Siena and was home to both the headquarters of “Big Noise Records” and all the Bellerose members.
His tone sent shivers down my spine. Angelo fucking ended this conversation, and he let me push him as far as he was willing to go today. If I had continued, there would have been consequences. They’re shitty. It’s not like he’s raised a hand against me since he made me his lover, but the threat was there all the time. Maybe he wouldn’t have done it himself, but there were a lot of Richie’s goons who would have done it.
—Okay,— I replied shortly, and the word went through my parched throat. “Give me twenty minutes.”
Without waiting for his answer — because fuck him! I turned around and stumbled out of the living room, hating this fucking day. My whole fucking life. When I got to my private quarters, known as the “gilded cage,” I pulled out a small suitcase that was at the top of my wardrobe and threw in a bunch of random clothes. I didn’t give a damn what I was wearing, and since I was wearing huge hoodies and a jacket most of the time—thank you, winter, for helping me hide my small tummy—it didn’t matter what was underneath.
By the time I added my toiletries and shoes, the suitcase was almost bursting at the seams, and I had to sit on it to close it. With a little effort, I succeeded—I was breathing heavily because I was in terrible shape—and then I just waited for my landlord to come and order me to get in the car. I sold my soul to the devil a long time ago when I got involved with this family, and the irony of it all was that I still had no idea why they were trying to kill me in the first place. It wasn’t just that I witnessed the murder, because they knew I wasn’t going to tell anyone, and the police were in their pocket anyway. It was more than that.
I asked Angelo, and he gave me the same vague nonsense about me waiting at a table and supposedly overhearing an important conversation. I didn’t believe it for a second, especially when no one tried to interrogate me after Angelo saved me from torture.
Judging by the snippets I heard during the dinners with Ricci, they were waging a quiet criminal war with their new family in Siena. The one who rose quickly, accumulating a ton of power in a way that seemed unnatural. It was as if they were supported by another older and richer family who wanted to keep their hands clean. Or as clean as possible.
The Wilson family was in deep shit, even darker than Richie, and that was saying something. Maybe Giovanni thought I was working for them, that I was working as a waitress for the Wilsons that night and was somehow spying on Ricci. No doubt he assumed that my relationship with Angelo was just part of a plan, and everyone was waiting until they could get rid of me in a less obvious way.
After the birth of their heir, of course.
Or maybe I was just no longer considered a threat compared to the Wilsons? No one at Ricci’s house explained anything to me, but I had ears, and from the snatches of conversation I could hear, it was clear that their main goal now was to destroy the Wilson family. The new player has become too strong, which means he will be completely wiped off the face of the earth.
Tension reigned in Ricci’s house almost every day, and it seemed to me that we were in a terrible calm before the storm. Inter-family gang politics was a whole tangled web in this underworld, and maybe it was for the best that Angelo and I were given the chance to retire. At least for now.
Obviously, Angelo sensed the danger too, or perhaps he didn’t like the idea of his captive being out of his control for weeks or months while he dealt with this new merger. I wasn’t going to argue again. The devil I knew was better than the one I didn’t know, and even if “Bellerose” beat the crap out of me, I could deal with it. They weren’t murderers. Angelo was there. It wasn’t difficult to make a choice.
Hell, we probably wouldn’t even see them. I was pretty sure they didn’t hang out at the recording studio regularly, even if it was in the same city where they all settled.
At some point the next morning, I was woken up by loud voices. After Rhett fainted when he saw my stomach, I decided to take a cowardly path and ran into the bedroom, citing fatigue from the trip. No one argued, so I had to assume that they were happy to see me go.
I avoided eye contact with everyone, damn it, and almost ran into the spare bedroom to hide. Then I fell asleep—because it was too damn late—and didn’t even wake up when Angelo came to bed. But he definitely slept here with me because, first of all, his side of the bed was rumpled. Secondly, Brenda warned us that “Big Noise” had installed several surveillance devices while they were setting up a studio in the basement. None of the “Bellerose” members knew about this, and we were not allowed to give anything away. But it was the only way that Brenda was able to persuade the group to come here, and not to the glass aquarium of the content house.
So Angelo and I had to play a role. And that meant sharing the same bed.
Sleepy, I rubbed my eyes and sat up. The screams were so loud that it felt like they were right outside the door, but after a moment I realized they were downstairs. It was just that the walls here were so thin. Fine.
—…do you really want us to believe that this is your child?” Rhett was screaming. “Oh, shit, it was because of me.
“…I don’t really give a shit…— Angelo didn’t shout back, but his voice sounded firm. — … nothing to do with..
I slipped out of bed and quickly changed into a warm oversized knitted sweater and leggings. Winter was amazing for camouflage. It’s not as amazing as the Christmas decorations shimmering on the streetlights and in the shop windows. There’s nothing like a festive mood to remind you that your life is a bucket full of… balloons. And far from those that are good.
I hurried out of the room, I needed to go downstairs and deal with this before the shit got any worse. If only it were possible.
Angelo was crazy. Neither did Brenda. Damn crazy.
Taking a deep breath, I ran my fingers through my tangled hair and left the bedroom. Apart from the screams in the living room, the rest of the house seemed empty. From the window above the staircase, I saw several horses covered with blankets in a nearby field, and it was pleasant.
I understood why Brenda had sent them here. Being in nature is relaxing. At least, that’s what I used to think. Now I was creating havoc just by existing in this space with so many men I had mistreated. By my own choice or not, the damage has been done.
The conversation stopped when I entered the room, and I nervously bit my lip. All eyes were on me, but I still couldn’t make eye contact with anyone. Except Angelo. He knew what he had gotten me into, but he didn’t care.
“If there’s anything you want to ask, Rhett,” I said quietly, “you can ask me.”
The silence between us was suffocating. Rhett then pushed his chair away from the wooden floor with a loud screech.
“To hell with it,” he growled. —Fuck you, Billy Bellerose.” He came closer, stopping only when he was right next to me, and bent down to make sure I could hear his next words clearly. “Jace was right about you all along. I should have listened to him.
The sheer venom in his voice made my knees go weak, but he didn’t wait for an answer. The house shook when he slammed the front door, and I flinched as if he had physically slapped me.
In his absence, Grayson and Jace exchanged a long look. Then Gray sighed heavily and got to his feet.
“I think I’ll make sure he’s okay,” he murmured in a resigned voice. “Behave yourself.” — This warning was addressed to Jace, who completely ignored it.
Gray shook his head, then walked over to me, who was standing in the doorway. I braced myself for even more hatred, but instead he wrapped me in a gentle embrace.
It was so unexpected that I almost burst into tears.
—I’m glad you’re safe, Thorn,” he said softly, “and you’re doing well. But you have to talk to me.
I nodded, not trusting my voice. He was absolutely right; I owed him a lot more than just talking, but my hands were tied. Moreover, Brenda was unable to find out exactly where the “Big Noise” surveillance was installed. And now that Angelo’s father had taken over the company, the “Big Noise” cameras were actually Ricci’s cameras.
Gray accepted my silence by kissing me on the cheek before following Rhett out of the house.
—Billy,” Flo said in a weak voice, “could we talk?” I need to tell you…
I shook my head, a flash of icy anger filling me. – no. I have nothing to tell you, Flo.
Dejected, she just accepted it, lowering her head and picking at the tear in her jeans. “That’s only fair,— she murmured. Then she stood up. —I’m… just going to… um… check on Gray and Rhett.”
She left before I could realize that it meant being alone in a room with Jace and Angelo for the first time in almost nine years. Damn.
Jace narrowed his eyes suspiciously at me. – why?
I looked at his collar, unable to hold his accusing gaze. “Why what?”
Jace shook his head, then looked from me to Angelo and back again with a suspicious glint in his eyes. —Why don’t you have anything to say to Flo?”
I licked my lips. Then he caught me. If I admitted that she had set me up.… that it was her fault that I was abducted and tortured so cruelly that I thought I was really going to die… then I would also admit that I involuntarily returned to Angelo because I was pregnant with his child.
And we were being watched.
I couldn’t forget this important part. There was no way in the world these cameras were left unattended, no matter what they told the Brand.
“She knows why,— I muttered, trying to sound vague, then changed the subject. —Look, before you start ranting about us being here, you should know that it was Brenda’s idea. “Sort of. “So if you want to yell at someone, it better not be me.”
Jace stared at me with a hard stare, then looked down at my stomach. “Is that Retta?”
Damn. I swallowed and just shook my head. What else could I say?
Jace’s lips curled, as if he was trying to decide if I was lying or not. Then he sighed. “He won’t believe it without a paternity test.”
“We’ve already done one,— Angelo replied, not taking his eyes off me. “My father demanded it.” I can get a copy if Rhett needs confirmation.
Jace’s lips curled into a grin. — Because we trust your family doctors so much.
Angelo rolled his eyes. “Jesus, Jace, it’s been almost ten years. Get over yourself; we’re all adults now.
Jace bristled with anger and indignation, and I groaned to myself.
— You know what? You two can handle this on your own,” I muttered. “I don’t have the energy to come between you today.
“Where are you going?” Angelo asked, getting to his feet and frowning.
I smiled weakly in response. — I thought that I would go crazy, visit several strip clubs, take drugs. Maybe I’ll find another ex-mafia boyfriend and get pregnant. Who knows? Then I snapped my fingers, letting out a low chuckle. —Oh, wait. It’s a little late for that.
Turning my back on them, I headed back upstairs to the bedroom I shared with Angelo to find my boots. I didn’t want to run into Rhett or Gray right now, but I needed some fresh air. So I pulled on my warm boots, grabbed a down jacket, and headed for the back door.
I couldn’t see any of the missing “Bellerose” members, so I zipped up my jacket to escape the cold and headed for the stables. Brenda told us before we arrived that this farm belonged to her godparents and that they took care of the animals while “Bellerose” used the house. It gave me confidence that I could approach the horses and not worry about them belonging to the neighbors.
However, as I approached the stables, a low hum of voices made me stop in mid-step. Then I acted like an adult and quickly hid behind a haystack to eavesdrop.
—… there’s something else going on here,” Grayson was saying.
Damn. They were in the stable, of course; where else could they be if I hadn’t seen them outside? You’re an idiot, Billy.
“Like what?” Flo asked in a timid and worried voice. “She doesn’t even look at me, let alone speak.”..
“She doesn’t look at any of us,” Rhett growled, “because she knows she has something to feel guilty about.” Jace warned us, all this time he was trying to tell us, ami… and you too, Grey, we were too fucking blinded to notice the red flags.
—Bullshit,— Grayson growled. “None of this is working out, and you know it.
—What I do know is that Billie is fucking pregnant right now. And she went back to Angelo, who she swore—damn it, swore—she wasn’t with. She lied to me, Grey. To us. She fucking looked me straight in the eye and said she hadn’t been with him, and now it turns out she’s carrying my baby?
—Presumably,— Flo commented. “If you take their word for it.”
Rhett let out a low, mirthless laugh. — great. So it’s just fucking awesome. Do you think she could be carrying my baby and lying about it? I do not know which is fucking worse now. There was a crash, as if he had just kicked something. Then he swore. “I need something to drink.” Or something to smoke. Grey, do you have any more alcohol stashed?
“Sorry,— the big man rumbled. “There’s nothing left.
“I have a couple of joints in my bag,— Flo offered uncertainly. “Brenda didn’t even check mine.”
—Sold,— Rhett muttered.
After I ate, I took another long shower. Brenda was absolutely sure that there were no cameras in the bathrooms, so the shower was one of the few places where I could relax and breathe. Rhett’s strange courtesy in the kitchen baffled me. Then came Angelo’s threat…
The hardest thing with Angelo was that I couldn’t figure out if he was full of shit or not. He threatened me regularly, but he never brought the matter to an end. The worst thing he ever did to me was the way he grabbed my wrist this morning, leaving small bruises that Jace only made worse. Otherwise, he only chatted, but did not take any action.
Not that I’m complaining. I really didn’t want to know what he would do to remind me that I was little more than a prisoner with invisible chains. Beat me up? Rape me? I shuddered at the thought of one or the other. The angel I knew—and loved—as a teenager would never even utter that threat, let alone physically carry it out. I had to remind myself regularly that this wasn’t the guy who whispered promises in my tree shelter while I sobbed into his T-shirt.
However, I was pushing the boundaries of what was allowed, and I knew it. Thanks to “Big Noise”—and therefore Giovanni himself—who was watching us around the clock, Angelo couldn’t let him let me off the leash. As far as they were aware, I was his submissive lover. I had no doubt that our lack of sex was already causing a stir, but I think some women hate being touched sexually during pregnancy.
The health of Ricci’s heir should come first, right?
In the end, I forced myself to get out of the shower and change into warm clothes. I’d go crazy if I stayed at home all day, so I decided to go back and look at the horses. Would they like some carrots or apples?
Smiling to myself, I pulled on boots and a down jacket, then filled a bag from the refrigerator to take to my new friends. “Bellerose” might not want anything to do with me, but I could entertain myself. I was resourceful.
Earlier, I accidentally heard some of the new music coming from the basement, and it stuck in my head. I hummed it to myself as I made my way across the grass to the horses that were grazing in a nearby paddock.
I chatted with the horses for a while and fed them the treats I had brought with me to buy off their friendship. They really liked being scratched behind the ear, so they seemed content to be petted even after all the food was eaten.
When the sun started to set, I said goodbye to the horses and headed back to the house. Then she stopped when she noticed a bonfire in the distance.
Like an idiot, I looked around. I had no idea what I expected to find. We were in the wilderness, and there weren’t even any neighboring houses within sight. If someone lit a bonfire, it had to be someone from the group. Maybe Rhett? I needed to talk to him, and what better opportunity could there be than here, away from watching eyes?
Having made a decision, I changed my trajectory and headed towards the campfire. My fingers were crossed in my pockets, and my heart was pounding nervously as I approached, but I soon calmed down after hearing the gentle sounds of a guitar. It was Rhett, without a doubt.
Controlling my nerves, I moved faster and almost stumbled when I saw that he wasn’t alone.
Jace sat across from Rhett by the campfire, resting his head on a log and closing his eyes as he sang the lyrics to a song I’d never heard before. It was immediately obvious that this was a personal creative moment between friends, which I would undoubtedly have ruined just by being here.
If I had been faster, quieter, I would have just stepped back and left them alone. But when Rhett’s eyes met mine across the small campfire, my knees buckled and I couldn’t leave.
“…burn me once, and it’s your shame.” Burn me twice in your fucking game. Trust is destroyed, lies are desires that fall like a rain of ashes. Jace’s singsong voice struck me right in the heart, and I gasped at the pain it caused.
His eyes opened at my soft sound, but there was no surprise on his face when he saw me standing there.
“Well, if it’s not everyone’s favorite prickly rose,— he commented, yawning. — Join us.
I frowned, preparing to leave. Then Rhett put down his guitar and held out his hand to me.
I was weak and emotionally exhausted. Against my better judgment, I took his hand and let him pull me closer. He sat me down next to him, hugging me to his warm body, as if we were back to where we were before. Even before Flo framed me, before I was subjected to indescribable torture, before Angelo offered me a deal to save our skins.
At the time, I thought I might be falling in love with Rhett and Grayson.
—Rhett’s high,— Jace informed me, giving me a sarcastic look. “Don’t attach too much importance to his behavior. He’s affectionate when he’s stoned. And always has been.
I glanced at Rhett’s face, noting the lazy smile on his lips and the redness in his eyes. Jace was right, but I didn’t mind playing along with him. Just now, where no one else could see us.
—Jace thinks there are cameras in the house or something,” he said in a low, sleepy voice as his arm rested on my shoulders. —And what do you know about it?”
I looked across the fire at Jace and licked my lips. Sooner or later, I had to trust them. Isn’t it? Angelo wasn’t the only one I could lean on. Jace might be a bastard who would happily run over me with his car, but Rhett… he was my knight in shining armor. He would have understood, wouldn’t he?
“Jace’s right,— I whispered after a heavy pause.
Jace sat up, his eyes wide and sharp, but Rhett just grinned as his fingers danced on the sleeve of my sweater.
—Typical,— Rhett muttered. — I do not know why any of us believed the label when they said they would leave us alone.
Jace shook his head, frowning. Rhett might have been high, but Jace was dead sober. And smart, too. “Why should you and Angelo care what Big Noise thinks?” I know you two better than either of you thinks. Neither of you is behaving as usual in this house. Why?
I frowned. “Has the Angel explained it yet?” Jace just raised his eyebrows, and I shook my head. “Obviously not because of the surveillance. But surely he explained why we’re being careful here?
—He said he came because of his father,— Rhett drawled.
“That’s right,— Jace agreed. “Then I hit him again.”
—You mean he let you hit him?” I teased, unable to help myself.
A flash of annoyance flashed across Jace’s face, then he grinned. — That’s right. So… I take it there’s something else we need to know?
I nodded. “Yeah, the Ricci Corporation or whatever the fuck they’re called just bought a bunch of businesses from some other company with a stupid name, and as Angelo said, Big Noise Records was one of them.” He was sent to Naples to deal with some guy who worked for other bad guys or… something like that. I shuddered, remembering the blood on my skin. “Anyway. It’s not easy for “Big Noise” to record you guys for behind-the-scenes filming. It’s Giovanni who’s looking after his heir.
Jace’s gaze slid down to my stomach, and I nodded.
Rhett sighed dramatically. “We need marshmallows.” I fucking love toasted marshmallows.
Jace and I exchanged confused glances, then I giggled. Rhett was really high.
“I need to take a leak,” Jace muttered, getting to his feet with a groan. “Play Rose that tune we just came up with; let’s see what she thinks.”
He left before I could recover from the shock of not only hearing my old nickname out of his mouth, but also the fact that he was at least being polite to me. Ever since the incident in the kitchen with Rhett, it seemed to me that I had fallen into a strange alternate reality.
“Hey, Thorn?” Rhett muttered as Jace walked away from the campfire. “Do you know that you broke my heart?”
Damn. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered, shifting my position to look up at him. “But Rhett… you didn’t love me.” You didn’t even know me. We were together for just a moment, and..
“And sometimes that’s all you need.” When you know… you know. He shrugged casually. “I don’t think it matters now. You’re… living your best life as a mafia mistress. Or who the hell you are to him. Even though he doesn’t deserve you.
My God, was he trying to kill me? At a loss for words and still too scared to admit the truth, I did the only thing that came to my mind. I grabbed the back of his head with my hand and pulled him to me for a kiss.
The moment our lips met, I knew I’d screwed up.
Rhett groaned, leaning into me as his hand found the back of my head. His tongue expertly parted my lips, and I turned into a puddle of mucus. All the thoughts about Angelo, about the baby, it all just disappeared from my brain, because this was exactly where I was supposed to be.
—Damn it, Thorne… He breathed out the words, pulling me into his lap, his hard length rubbing against my crotch, but the bulge of my stomach between us was like a bucket of icy water poured over my head.
“Damn it.” I pulled back, putting my fingers to his lips. —Rhett… we can’t do this.
His brows furrowed in anger. “You.”..
“What the hell is going on?” Angelo growled, his hand grabbing the back of my neck and almost pulling me off Rhett’s lap.
Then he threw me when Jace appeared out of nowhere and punched him right in the face, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the fire.
It’s been a long time since I’ve slept properly. From when I was with “Bellerose” to Angelo and the fake pregnancy. Before I lost my heart again.
Waking up in the cocoon of a bed on a farm to the soft whispers of voices was so soothing—I felt completely rested.
And it was very warm.
Until Rhett’s hoarse voice, “… said she was dead,” made the events of last night flash through my mind.
This bubble of calm awakening that I found myself in burst when I realized a few things. First, I was naked in bed with Jace. Second: I fucked Jace. Or maybe Jace fucked me. There was a fuck, and it felt so damn good that my pussy still hurt in all the right places. And not in those. The third: I wanted to fuck him again, but I also hated him. Both moments were equally disturbing. Fourth, Rhett was alive, and it made my heart soar. I would thank God if I didn’t consider religion to be complete crap. Fifth, Florence was dead, and it touched my soaring heart. We had our problems, but she didn’t deserve to leave like that. It wasn’t fair, and I hated thinking it had anything to do with me or Richie.
My mental list was interrupted when Rhett growled, “But seriously, what the hell are you doing in bed with her, and with a needle.” He tried to keep his voice low, but anger still broke through in every word. “You hate her, remember?” Billy will kill you when he wakes up.
“She’s frozen,— Jace replied shortly. “When we got here last night, she was almost hypothermic, and I had to put her under hot water to raise her body temperature.
“It’s dangerous to do it so abruptly,” Rhett still sounded annoyed.
Jace shrugged, moving me slightly with him because his hand was still on me in that “cocoon.”
“Either fast or death.” I chose quickly, and fortunately, she’s warm now and seems fine, so I think it worked. He paused. “She has a lot of scars that are still healing.
Damn. Fucking hell. Did he see the burn scars too? They were faded, bulging in places, but older and less noticeable, especially in low light. The new scars from Giovanni’s thugs were more visible in this place, still wrinkled and red. They still hurt on occasion. I hope those were the only ones he noticed.
“Do you think the scars are Angelo’s doing?” Rhett continued softly. “Because I’m going to fucking kill him.” Or I’ll try really hard, because this Italian jerk is almost as scary as Grayson.
Jace didn’t answer for a while, but now his fingers were tracing soft patterns on my arm, and I tried not to squirm, wanting to hear this conversation. “The Angelo I knew would never hurt Billy. He adored her. I always knew that his love for her was as strong as mine, but I was a selfish, spoiled bastard and kept trying to take over her heart. His laugh was mocking. “Karma dealt with this shit quickly, tearing me into fucking pieces.
“He’s not that Angelo anymore,— Rhett said. “He’s gloomy now, man. It gives me the creeps, and I don’t like it.
Rhett may not have been a murderer like Angelo, but he also didn’t grow up in a family with a white fence. I didn’t know his story, but it was pretty obvious that there was terrible shit in his past that he was still running from. It was only in his dreams that it caught up with him—those moments of fitful sleep that I calmed down for a moment. Until I became the one who deepened his darkness.
I must have moved in my desperation, because Jace’s body tensed and the touch on my arm disappeared. “She’s awake,— he said flatly.
The weight settled on my free side as Rhett pulled back the blanket that was covering my face. —Thorn, baby, damn it. Are you okay?
I blinked at his haggard face, surprised when a genuine smile touched his lips before he bent down and kissed me hard. Some of my panicked thoughts disappeared under his touch, and I found myself relaxing into the kiss, even as I heard Jace curse as he pulled away from me, untangled himself from the blankets, and dragged his ass out of bed.
“I’ll leave you two alone,” he said abruptly, and I got a glimpse of his perfect, toned ass before he walked into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.
Considering that and the taste of Rhett lingering on my tongue, I wasn’t surprised to feel the wet heat between my thighs. Under other circumstances, I would have squirmed and dragged the hot rock star under my sheets, but we still had a few urgent matters to deal with before having sex. Last night with Jace was under extenuating circumstances, and it probably won’t happen again…
“Is Gray okay?” “I asked him. “Did you see him?”
Rhett kicked off his shoes anyway before crawling under the covers with me, and I gasped when his cold body made contact with my very warm one. Another stimulus in my obviously overexcited state. “He’s fine. They killed everyone, and now they’re going to find out who hit us.
Angelo and Grayson are together. The mental image worked better than I expected. “Do you think they’ll kill each other?”
Rhett didn’t answer right away, his hands slowly slid over my stomach, and I panicked for a second. He didn’t know about the pregnancy. How will he react?
“So, yeah, I probably should have mentioned it… I began hurriedly.
—That your pregnancy was fake,— he said casually.
In the faint early morning light filtering through the blinds, I could see his expression, and he didn’t seem angry. Well, not as angry as I expected.
“Did you know?”
A slight smirk appeared. —Gray told me before I brought my ass to you.” Why did you lie to us?
—To protect you,— I confessed. “Angelo’s family is very dangerous, and there were eyes and ears everywhere in this fucking house. To make sure that none of us were killed in our sleep, we had to play our roles very well.
The irony that I was almost killed did not escape me. That’s why the belly disappeared and will never come back.
“In the end, I would have brought you back to our world, even if the child was his,” Rhett told me seriously, rolling onto his side so that we were facing each other, resting our heads on the pillows. “My brain was exploding that he wasn’t mine, but I would have loved that fake little asshole anyway.” My pulse was racing from coming back to him like this, and I desperately wanted to bend over and kiss him again, play with the lip ring, take Rhett of everything. But now was not the time. We had a lot of questions that needed to be answered first.
“I’m really sorry I lied,” I whispered, my voice breaking. —I’m sorry that I really planned to leave that night in New York, even if it was just to save you all.
Pain distorted his face for a moment before he swallowed convulsively and pulled himself together. “Were you planning on going back to Angelo?”
I shook my head violently, knocking over several blankets around us. – no. Not a fucking chance. I was going to disappear, change my name and hair color, and hope no one caught me. Tom and Fl actually sold me to Richie. They grabbed me at a concert, and yes… Let’s just say that if Angelo hadn’t found me where his father’s thugs chained me up, I would be dead right now. I was close to it then, too.
He raised his hand to cup my face, his touch was harsh, as if he had almost lost control. “Did they hurt you?”
I nodded in his arms. — Yes, what is light torture between friends, right?
Except they weren’t friends, and the torture wasn’t easy.
Rhett didn’t smile at my attempt at humor. “And Angelo saved you?”
“It was,— I confirmed. “And he killed them both without asking a single question.” I do not know if we can trust him completely, but he took a big risk to save my life. For example, a fake pregnancy. Mafia mistresses are protected, especially if they are carrying the heir of the family.
Rhett’s eyes narrowed, and he took several deep breaths. He probably counted to ten. “I can’t say I’ll ever like that bastard, but I might worry a little less about Grayson now that I know Angelo has some integrity.”
“He’ll keep his word as long as they’re both working towards the same goals,” I assured Rhett. “And finding out who attacked us is a pretty serious goal.
Rhett nodded. — Yes, and we also have to contribute.
“What exactly does that mean?”
His thumb brushed my cheek, sending goosebumps all over my body. —Gray wants us to contact Brenda and then lay low. He said that eliminating these guys wouldn’t stop the attacks. He said he would tell Brenda where we should hide until we could get back.
I nodded, but inside, all I could think about was hiding with Jace and Rhett. What could have gone wrong?
And should I be angry at fate right now? Or send her a fucking thank-you gift basket?
The bathroom door slammed open, and Jace appeared, wrapped in a towel, steam pouring out of the door. “We need to find some clothes,” he said shortly. “We can’t keep running around in dirty pajamas.
“We can look for Billy while he takes a shower,” Rhett said, rolling off the bed and pulling me with him so that when he stood up, my bare ass was pressed against his chest. Jace’s gaze swept over both of us before he let out an exasperated sigh and left the bedroom.
—Naughty bastard,— Rhett said with a laugh, sounding more like his old self. It was just a brief glimpse, but it made me happy. — It’s going to be an interesting few days when there are only three of us here.
Obviously, we had the same thoughts about this.
I expected to be shocked. I just fucked Rett and Jace almost at the same time. After jumping from one of their cocks to the other and having three orgasms later, Jace walked out of here like the annoyed bastard he was. It was amazing.
“Are you okay, Thorne?” Rhett watched me with a gentle gaze, giving me time to sort through my messy thoughts.
“It’s amazing… But, yes. Actually, I’m more than fine. “I probably wouldn’t be able to walk and I’d be cumming for a week, but otherwise, I’ve had much worse days with the Bellerose guys.” “I expected to be more scared by what just happened, but maybe I’m a rock star like you guys now.
I sent him a flirtatious grin, and he immediately responded in kind. “Do you think I’d let my balls chat with Jace for any chick?” Hell, no, I wouldn’t let you. You’re special, Prickly Rose, and I’m going to stick a pitchfork through the next bastard who disagrees with me. His smile faded quickly as he grimaced.
“It’s too early,— I said softly, reaching out to hug him tightly. We needed to clean up, but comfort was paramount.
“I’m joking, through the pain,” Rhett confessed. — But yes, it’s too early for some things.
My response was to hug him tighter. — Everything will be fine. We just have to stick together.
It was a cliche, but in this situation, I firmly believed that if we wanted to survive the next few days, we had to start working as a team. Jace’s constant caregiving alone wasn’t safe, and this was going to be the last time.
“You’ll never get rid of me now,” Rhett said, and when I pulled back to see his expression, it was serious. That part wasn’t a joke. —And we should get cleaned up.”
It took more effort than I should have to pull away from him and stand on slightly shaky legs, the effects of that sexual session—coupled with the booze—were enough to make my limbs tingle, as if they were a little out of my control. We went to the same bathroom that we had already used, determined not to spoil the house of these poor people even more than we had already done.
Rhett followed me right inside, and, bluntly, the washing process took a lot longer than I expected, as he stroked my skin with callused fingers. Sending surges of pleasure through me.
“Fuck me,” I moaned, and his answering smile was so damn smug.
“Baby, I’m going to fuck you here, there, and everywhere.”
A snort escaped me before I moaned as his fingers reached the junction of my thighs. —What, we’re like in a Dr. Seuss novel now…” I trailed off as he slid one finger inside me, then the other, moving slowly before intensifying the movement.
—Jace interrupted us earlier,— he murmured, pressing his lips to my shoulder before sliding his tongue over my wet skin, tasting everything he could reach. It was a tiny shower stall, and we squeezed into it. Not that any of us are complaining.
“For me.”.. It seemed to me that… We fucked before.
His low laugh rippled down my throat as he raked his teeth against my jugular vein. “We did get laid, of course, but I need to outshine that bastard properly.” You’ll cum on my fingers, and then we’ll be even.
It really shouldn’t have been possible after having multiple orgasms in the living room before, but I was already squeezing his fingers, moving harder and faster on his arm, chasing the fucking pleasure pulsing through me.
“Rhett… Zep!”
He moaned, his cock getting harder between us as I jerked against him. “That’s how you can tame a rock star,— he moaned again.
A hoarse laugh and a groan escaped me. “By fucking them?”
Rhett shook his head. —By owning them, Thorne. Owning every fucking part of them.
The feeling in my lower abdomen grew until it covered my entire body—I could feel it in my arms and legs. And when the throbbing finally hit me, I broke down, shuddering and clinging to Rhett. He supported me with a hand that was not inside me, and I experienced my fourth, no less powerful orgasm in the last half hour.
A girl could get used to this kind of pleasure. Maybe even become a little dependent on them.
When I finally stopped clenching and shuddering all over, he slowly pulled his fingers out of me, and when I reached out to him, he stopped me with a strong kiss. “There’s no time for me,— he said. — There’s probably even limited water in the tank. Just watching you crumble in my arms is more than enough for me.
Despite his logic, I was disappointed that this moment was over. However, there should have been others, and with that in mind, we hurried to finish really tidying ourselves up this time, then jumped out and quickly dried off.
We dressed in the same clothes, since there weren’t many options, and went downstairs just in time to hear a scream from outside. Rhett stood in front of me, blocking me from those who were shouting as they ran up the porch and burst through the door.
I managed to look out from behind him just in time to see the familiar broad shoulders. Jace returned in his usual dramatic manner. “We need to get out of here,— he said, the screams we’d heard earlier now coming more clearly. “There are a couple of police cars parked outside the house, and I saw the barn being searched. It’s only a matter of time before they find everything and then expand their search to this place.
Damn. Damn. There were so many bodies, and “Bellerose” was too damn famous to be associated with this scene. Not to mention that I knew enough about the police and their position in the world of crime to understand that if we were taken into custody, our ability to protect ourselves from attack would decrease. Ironically. The Naples police were just as corrupt these days as the Siena police.
Until Brenda contacts us, we need to hide. “Then what do we do?” I asked, completely protruding from behind Rhett. I appreciated his concern, but the thought of him getting hurt trying to save me was destroying me. “Where can we go?”
“I managed to steal a harness, so we can take the horses,” Jace said calmly, refusing to look at Rhett or me. He was staring at a point somewhere between us, and it might even have seemed funny if we hadn’t been in another mess. Much less pleasant this time. “I let a couple of them into this pen, so if you two take away the evidence that we were here, I can lure them in with hay.” And then we’ll use them to get out of here.
“I can’t ride,— I reminded him, wondering if he’d thought this through. Jace took lessons when we were little, but my mother was terrified of horses. So when I asked, it was always a firm “no.”
“You can come with me,” he said, still focused on that place. — We’ll go straight to the gas station again to contact Brenda. She can tell us where to go next.
Come with me. Haven’t I been riding with Jace enough already? Okay, I could probably go for another ride.
“Are you planning to throw me off and trample me to death at some point?” I asked, only half joking.
Jace’s gaze jerked to find mine. When our eyes met, a thousand memories exploded between us. Or at least that’s what happened in my head, and I swear I saw the same thing happen to him. Our fuck may have been a hate fuck, but it broke the seal we had placed on our feelings for each other. Hatred was still an emotion, and a strong one at that. Would we really be able to survive being in close proximity for the next few days?
The look in Jace’s eyes told me that we were either going to kill each other or fuck again. Maybe both.
“I’ll meet you outside in five minutes,— Rhett said, breaking the awkward tension. Part of me wished I’d gone with him instead, but Jace was clearly in the mood, and it was easier to just go along with his wishes.
When I turned to leave, I thought I heard Jace say something, but by the time I turned around, he had already gone to get the horses.
Rhett and I didn’t talk while we made the bed, gathered towels to hang on hooks, and cleaned up the kitchen, where we fucked each other almost into a coma. By the time we were done, wearing the jackets Rhett had brought from another barn, Jace was standing in front with the brown and gray horses harnessed. But there were no saddles.
“The equipment I brought is not suitable for these two,— he said shortly. “They’re for small horses, so we’ll just have to improvise.”
Improvising meant fucking riding bareback? My pussy was already reminding me that we were fucked literally to a pulp and that some kind of close contact with the horse’s back was actually not the best idea. Get tense, I warned her mentally. It’s either that or prison.
Jace got on the horse first, climbing up an old tree stump to a suitable height so that he could swing his long legs over the chestnut horse. Rhett was the next to mount the gray, and he did it so smoothly that I realized he was also an experienced rider. It made me think about his past.
It turned out that I was the only one who needed a few lessons.
Jace used the rope from the bridle in his hands to guide the horse back to the stump, showing me where I needed to stand. When they were very close, I gasped at how huge the animal was. —Uh, maybe I’ll just run behind.”
His gaze slid over my body to my bare feet. The guys found shoes in the house, but nothing fit me. “Get in, Rose.
The rich smell of coffee reached my nose even before I went outside. I cleaned myself up as best I could in the tiny bathroom, immensely grateful to the hostess for providing her with toilet paper. Even so, I could feel Jace all over my skin as I joined Rhett around the tiny campfire he had built to heat water for coffee.
“I thought it was necessary,” Rhett said with a smile, handing me a tin mug with steaming coffee. “I’m sure you know how Jace is in the morning.” Coffee makes it a little more tolerable.
I couldn’t even manage a weak smile in response to that, so I hid my guilt by taking a sip. Then I grimaced.
— Oh, yes, sorry, no cream or sugar. Rhett grimaced. “But… caffeine is still a bonus.”
—Great,” I croaked, taking another sip. This one was easier, now I was ready for the bitterness. “Um, so, I wanted to ask you something…
Better now than never, right? Tear off the Band-Aid. He said he was fine with it, so… maybe I was panicking for no reason?
—If this is about you and Jace fucking solving your problems, I’ll politely ask you not to go into details,— he told me with a wry smile. “Unless it’s an invitation to join, in which case consider me in business with bells at the ready.” But what do you two do in private? It’s personal. Just as I would like to think about our personal moments.
For a moment, my mouth opened like a fish out of water as I tried to shift gears. Then I quickly nodded in response to his statement. — Absolutely. And anyway, Jace and I… we’re just… I trailed off, having no fucking clue how to explain this mess. So I shrugged and wrinkled my nose. “We’re just getting things done.
Rhett looked unconvinced as he sipped his coffee. — Yeah. Well, we’re fine. He’s my best friend, and you’re the girl who stole his heart long before we met. Whatever you need to do to stop fighting all the time, do it.
I swallowed hard, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. —So, I guess you know that we’re just…
“They’re really thin, Prickly Rose. As thick as paper. He held my gaze, his expression cheerful and warm.
Taking a sip of coffee to hide my awkwardness, I pulled my knees up to my chest. The seats we found in the trailer weren’t particularly comfortable, but they were still better than sitting on the ground.
“Cool,” I muttered, not knowing what else to say. It was all new to me… sort of. Jace and I had already met when Angelo intervened in our relationship. Angelo and I had never been one-on-one together until I broke up with Jace. Even then, things were different. We tried, but we both missed a little too much, no matter what Jace thought about what had happened.
“So, speaking of paper—thick walls, I heard you play my song last night. I raised my eyebrows when he grinned.
“I like her,” he said by way of explanation.
I shrugged my shoulders. “Cool, I told Jace he wasn’t getting it.”
Rhett laughed, shaking his head. “That’s not what you mean. If he apologizes for being a shit, can we pick her up? You must have heard the words Jace put into the melody last night. It’s a fucking number one hit that’s just asking for it, and you know it.
He was not mistaken. But I couldn’t simplify the task that much. “He should apologize, admit he’s a stubborn, proud bastard, and kiss my ass.” But we both know that’s not going to happen.
“You’d be right about that,” agreed the sour—faced asshole himself, returning to our small camp, looking fresh, with wet hair sticking out in all directions. He took a bath in an icy river. — It’s not such a good song. Rhett and I can make up better shit while he’s high on acid.
Rhett just shook his head and handed over the remaining mug of coffee he had made. “Sit down, shut up, and drink this.”
For several excruciatingly awkward minutes, no one said a word. I buried my face in the mug and tried to take small sips so that it would last for a long time. Then my stomach rumbled louder than my stomach has any right to rumble, and both guys stared at me.
- what? I muttered. — I guess I’m used to Ricci’s staff making breakfast.
Jace rolled his eyes—of course he did—but Rhett just smiled and got up from his seat. “I’ll get you something.” I would have cooked, but I didn’t want to interfere with anything.
I cringed at the reminder that Rhett knew we were fucking, but Jace choked on a sip of coffee, which amused me endlessly.
— So, what are we doing today? I called out to Rhett as he ducked into the trailer to get some food. “Just sit there and pick fights with Jace over his shitty tattoos or…?”
“Hey! The rude jerk protested. “It was done…
“Nobody cares, Adams,— I drawled. — Literally no one. I was talking to Rhett.
His gaze was hot enough to amplify the sun by several degrees, and I found myself smiling happily at everyone in my life. For example, due to the fact that Jace Adams is not allowed to live in a world of universal adoration, as it has been for the last ten years of his life.
“I don’t remember you being such a snarky bitch, Billy,— Jace snapped, leaning back in his seat.
“Your memory isn’t as good as you think,— I replied flatly. “So are your reasoning abilities. Let’s take our breakup, for example. I mean, damn it, a comatose person could have read between the lines of my pathetic excuses that day, and yet you just brushed me off and walked away.
I shrugged, as if it didn’t bother me anymore. Another lie, which, of course, he won’t figure out.
His cold gaze was fixed on me, and by the rock gods, he was trying to fry my brain with a laser. “You could have reached into my chest and ripped out my heart, and it wouldn’t have hurt as much as it did that day.” I’m sorry that I didn’t fucking stop to analyze every word while you were stabbing me over and over again.
Here he is, my dramatic boyfriend. Well, not mine anymore, which was kind of the crux of our argument. “You’ve had eight—almost nine—damn years to analyze the conversation. More than enough time to get your head out of your ass.
I jumped to my feet, wincing slightly at the aching pain in my body. He’d been in a lot of trouble lately, from the attack on the farm, from rough sex, and from sleeping in the same bed, which wasn’t exactly designed for three people. Not to mention riding a horse bareback.
My body has finally said that I’ve had enough and I need to cool off from the insults.
Ignoring that warning, I stared at Jace, which didn’t seem to bother him at all. He remained sitting, leaning back in his seat, with an impenetrable face, as if he was waiting for what I would do or say next. The door to the Airstream slammed open, and Rhett came out carrying more bread and several cans that probably contained canned sausage. We didn’t have much choice, and my stomach rumbled again, letting me know that he didn’t really care.
—Sit down, Rose,— Jace drawled. “We can continue our pointless bickering while you’re singing.”
Wrinkling my nose, I sat down after a few seconds, just so he wouldn’t think I was obeying a command. “Don’t act like you don’t give a shit if I starve to death.” We already are…
Rhett cleared his throat, interrupting me, and this time I really shut the hell up. Because the look on Jace’s face just now told me that he clearly wasn’t in the mood to hear about me starving again. I completely forgot that he lost his temper yesterday, and that was the end of my anger.
“Let’s eat,— Rhett suggested cheerfully. — I found a thin grill on which you can toast bread over the fire. This camping shit is funny.
Jace chuckled, and I crossed my arms over my chest. The cheerful Rhett was my favorite, but I also hated realizing that he was working so hard to make up for the tension between Jace and me. Vowing to make amends, I plastered a smile on my face and leaned closer to the fire from my seat. “Show me this toaster,” I asked, and his answering smile was warm and sincere.
For a moment, he just held me captive with his fucking presence. Somehow.
We hadn’t brushed our teeth, there was no real chance to take a shower, and Rhett hadn’t had any hair care products for days to add shine to his blue mohawk. And yet he’s never looked as sexy as he does now, smiling at me in the early winter sun.
“If you keep looking at me like that, beautiful,” Rhett drawled when my gaze dragged on too long to be ignored, “you’ll get your lunch in bed.”
“She’s already had breakfast in bed,” Jace interjected, but this time he sounded surprised instead of perpetually annoyed.
Rhett stared at me, his lips twitching. “It was such a small snack,” he replied. “She needs to eat properly.”
Well, fuck me twice in the morning. Literally. Because the tension here started to pulse in my lower half. Hell, even fighting with Jace was stimulating, and I wasn’t sure how I’d survived for so many years without that spark in my life.
“Just focus on the food, asshole,— Jace snapped.
Rhett winked at me and then went back to what he was doing, placing the bread between the wire attachments that wrapped the piece on both sides and then holding it over the coals until it was lightly browned. The spaghetti went into the pan, still left on a low heat, and soon we had some hot food.
There was silence while we ate, but, as always, it didn’t last long.