“Good job, babe,” Diesel congratulated. He assisted Joplin back into the chair and returned her shackles. “I have a special surprise for you.”
Wrung out from her orgasm, she smiled and nodded.
Taking the bone cutter and the stiletto, he got to his feet and walked to the autopsy table, near the drain. He set the tools next to his sword. “Crawl to me on your hands and knees, Gail.”
Uncertainty crossed her face. She swallowed.
“Come, love,” he encouraged, waving her over. “Remember, there’s an art to submission. Don’t crawl too fast or too slow.”
He watched her painstaking movements in her pathetic effort to please him. She didn’t halt and fixated on his gaze, a cat’s smile on her face. The closer she got to him, the more of a wiggle she put into her efforts. In front of him, she settled back on her haunches and gazed at him through her lashes.
“I didn’t tell you to look at meorstraighten.”
Panic flitted in her eyes, then she heaved in a breath, and got back on her hands and knees.
“Turn and face Joplin.”
His cock rising from his jeans amused him. He’d forgotten to cover his dick.
“Wh-what?” Gail called.
“Nothing that concerns you, sweetheart. Stand up and bend over.”
Without questioning him, she followed directions. Diesel sank into her, his mind whirling. He thought about asking which one of them made the fateful decision to add all the extra ingredients to CJ’s drink or was it acollective effort. Not that it mattered.Joplinhad that can of Sprite andthatbitch poured the poison into CJ’s cup. That was the only thing that made sense. Everyone else came out unscathed. Rubbing alcohol would’ve sickened all of them. Diesel also knew what a coke high was. The pitchers contained regular lean—such as it was.
The angrier he became, the more punishing his thrusts grew. He ignored Gail’s renewed sobs, pushing into her one last time and exploding. He took a moment to catch his breath, then tucked his cock away.
He winked at Joplin. Her eyes were wide and fearful. “Stand up, Gail. Face me. Good girl,” he said when she complied. “Give me your hand, sweetheart.”
Hesitating a moment, she pressed her lips together.
“Your hand.”
“Diesel—”
Sighing, he grabbed the bone cutter, snatched her hand and managed to capture her pinky, despite her struggles. The bone crunched. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a clean cut. Fuck, he hadn’t thought this through. He wasn’t about to exert his energy onthiscunt. Joplin had it coming to her for more reasons than one. Best of all, she was fucking tied up.
Gail’s screams annoyed him. He exchanged the bone cutter for his sword, stalked to the door, where she was trying to open the locks, and swung, lopping her head off much cleaner than he had her fucking finger.
Tuning out Joplin’s hysterical scream, Diesel stepped over Gail’s head and walked to Joplin, bloody sword in hand. “Your turn.”
Chapter Thirty
Sitting on the edge of CJ’s bed, Rebel snapped the book closed. Sometimes to amuse themselves during playtime when they were younger, they read to each other. Especially when they were with Aunt Kendall. She’d sit them in a circle, play different games, act out Shakespeare, draw, and read. When she grouped them off, Harley and CJ had always ended up together, just as Rebel and Rule had.
Those times were long past, but not the comfort of reading. Not the good memories that outweighed the bad, no matter the fuckery that cropped up lately.
“That’s it?” CJ asked.
It was late, near midnight, almost the exact time she’d heard her mother’s scream because of a perfect storm. Her parents’ bedroom door was opened because of Uncle Digger and Rebel was in the hallway having just come upstairs from thekitchen with a warm cup of milk. She hadn’t been able to sleep. A feeling she couldn’t describe had left her unsettled and awake.
“Reb?”
“I-I can read more.” Balancing the book on her knees, she opened it again and fumbled through the pages. She’d forgotten a bookmark and hated to ruin a book with dogears.
Ignoring CJ’s movements, Rebel found the next chapter to be read and cleared her throat. Before she could start, her brother loomed next to her and wrapped his arms around her.
Bursting into tears, she laid her head on his shoulder and hugged him back. “I was so scared I would lose you.”
