No.I’d keep my mouth shut, just like I always did. And she’d think I was a just psychopath with a thirst for blood. I was better off staying out of whatever the hell was going on with her. She didn’t give a fuck about me, and her problems weren’t mine to handle.
“Ready?” Cyrus asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I waited for Stevie’s inevitable rebuttal but when nothing came from her mouth and she continued to stare at the blank wall, three of eyes glared at her. In the little time we had gotten to know her, silence was not one of her strong suits.Something was wrong.
“Is there a problem?” She asked, her voice lifeless.
“No,” Ez offered, piercing his eyes at her, “but you’re coming with us.”
Cyrus and I both looked at him like he was the stupidest motherfucker on the planet. We agreed to stop by to check on her. That was it. We never agreed to bring her with us.
“Okay.” She said, moving towards the door, as her hunted eyes focused on anything but the three of us.
Ez loved playing with his toys, but even he had to know that bringing her to Hell’s Tavern wasn’t a fucking game. It would be like throwing her to the lions.
I wanted to stop him, but when the crazy fuck sets his mind on something, there was no talking him out of it. I just hoped that for her sake, she could still fight like she did when she was sixteen.
Chapter 13
Stevie
When we loaded up into Ezra’s grey G-wagon, they didn’t blindfold me, which was surprising. Ezra sat me in the passenger seat while Cyrus and Tristan stuffed their large bodies into the back. Every few seconds, I’d glance in the rearview mirror and notice one of their eyes on me. I was in a car full of men that looked like and probably were deranged killers, but that wasn’t what scared me.
On the drive into town, I realized The Reapers had to seriously value their privacy. Their home was so deep in the forest that it would be impossible for someone to stumble upon it by accident. We drove for miles at a steep decline down windy roads surrounded by dark, lush forest. It wasn’t until we leveled out that I started to see signs of civilization. I now knew that if I tried to make a run for it, it would take hours for me to make it down the hill on foot.
After another ten minutes of driving through downtown Caspian, the car finally stopped and pulled up behind a large brick building.
Ezra seemed relaxed as we made our way towards the building’s back entrance, but Cyrus and Tristan were on edge. They walked in behind us and though I couldn’t see their expressions under the dark night sky, I could feel the tension radiating off of them. Neither of them seemed to like whatever was about to happen.
Ezra slipped his hand into his pocket for his access card. It was the same card the guys used to enter and exit the house, and as the light turned green on the card reader, I could see that it also worked to access whatever this building housed.
Ezra’s arm reached out to push the heavy wooden door open, allowing me room to enter before him. The pitch black hallway vibrated with the steady hum of house music playing in the distance. I hesitated for a few beats in the darkness until I felt Cyrus’ arm slide across my back. His hand was gentle yet firm as he guided me forward, and his distinct scent of warm citrus and spice put my mind at ease. I had no idea why my body zinged every time I felt his touch, but I lavished in the assurance he gave me.
As we made our way down the hallway, a small beam of light radiated from the end of the hallway. I moved to follow that light and prayed that whatever was about to happen wouldn’t make things worse for me.
After a few feet, my eyes made out a small figure standing in the distance. It was a woman, and she was stunning. She had warm olive skin, a dark wavy bob, and bright emerald eyes that reflected the club’s hypnotic lights. She was wearing a ruby spaghetti strapped, floor length silk dress that hugged every curve and paired it with a dazzling pair strappy and probably designer heels.
“Who do we have here?” She asked with a smile as her eyes carefully assessed me.
“Jessie, meet Stevie. Stevie, this is Jessie, the manager of this fine establishment.” Offered Cyrus.
“Welcome to Hell’s Tavern.” She said, giving me a toothy smile.
“Thank you.” I responded, relieved that there was at least one kind person in their world.
“Hey Jess, can you do something about Stevie’s attire?” Cyrus asked, giving me a once over, “She doesn’t quite fit the dress code.”
I hated the embarrassment that flamed my cheeks. Out of the five of us, I was the only person in the room not dripped head to toe in expensive designer clothes and for the first time in my life; I gave a fuck about what that said about me.
“Of course.” She nodded, slipping her hand into mine. “Come with me, love.”
I glanced at the guys, unsure if I should go. Then immediately cursed myself for looking to those assholes for permission. They may have bartered to have me in their home, but they didn’t own my thoughts or my body.
???
“That looks great.” Jessie said encouragingly as she squeezed my shoulders and looked at my reflection in the mirror.
As I stared into the reflective glass, I barely recognized the girl staring back at me. The dress was a short, silky number in all black. It hugged every curve of my body, accentuating my hourglass figure and thick thighs. When the light reflected on the material, it almost looked like a dark pool of water rippling across my body. The outfit was sex incarnate, and it made the Halloween corset I tried to pass off as sexy, look cheap and comical.
