But that’s fucking stupid. These things will only kill me with time. Unless something else gets me first.
“I think it would be a good idea to teach your sister self-defense.”
I choke on my cigarette, tossing the unsmoked half out the window and shaking my head while leaning toward the wheel. Once the window is up, I squeeze the steering wheel to keep myself from losing it. “You’re fucking nuts, Alex.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Because it sounds like you want her to be like you.”
She huffs with frustration and retorts, “Everything going on around me has blindsided me. Do you really want that to be your sister?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“I wish I hadn’t been so sheltered. I wish someone had taken the time to pull me aside and actually prepare me for what my life was going to be.”
Anxiety grips my heart like a vise. She has a point—and I hate that she’s right. Adelaide isn’t prepared for the crime world. She hardly understands why people wander through the house at all hours of the night and why she’s forbidden from the offices on the first floor. Although she’s growing into a sharp kid, she’ll be rudely awakened once she witnesses exactly what kinds of things happen outside the fortress in which we reside.
I sigh loudly and say, “That’s not going to be her.”
“You need to wake up, Tommy,” she says sharply. “Because being clueless is exactly what put my life at risk. That’s going to be Addie if you don’t do something—and quickly.”
Sincerity lingers in the air between us. It’s hard to deny Alex when I just witnessed her genuine interaction with my sister. I might not know where I stand with this bitch, but she’s good to my family, and she’s doing her best to be as protective of my sister as I’m trying to be. As much as I don’t want to accept the truth, I have no other choice.
Adelaide’s naivety will get her killed. There’s no doubt about that. And trying to think of all the ways I could provide a shield is only going to double those odds. If I try to stay by her side, then I leave her defenseless when I have to leave. Teaching her how to protect herself will be the key to her survival.
Especially since I have no idea what might happen with all that Persian nonsense.
Glittering lofts rise high around us as I maneuver the truck through Capital City. Much of the mucky underbelly falls away and we’re left in the opulence of drug dens, inheritance kids, and older yuppies from overseas. The nearest parking deck provides shelter for my truck and leads to the party I want with Alex at my side.
In the elevator, she loosens the straps of her top and pulls the fabric down a bit to reveal voluptuous cleavage. The sight of her tits makes me hungry and I lick my lips, trying to keep myself under control. I have to keep my mind sharp tonight. Killing Moe caused my cred to rise while putting me at risk—and Alex, too.
But I don’t regret it for a fucking second.
The elevator dings before the doors slide apart, exposing a lavish loft made entirely of white, housing a decent crowd. Alex slides her arm around my waist as we wander to the drinks table, the warmth of her body on mine putting me into an amorous mood. It sucks to stick to bottled beer, but it’s smart, especially since we have no idea when the Persian is going to strike again.
Fuck me; being sober is boring. I’m sipping an IPA while Alex wiggles on the dance floor in front of me, tilting her head back to expose the length of her neck. Soft flesh beckons me toward her and I move without really thinking about it, feeling my core heat up the moment I’m within an inch of her body. Grinding on her feels like a damn dream.
Her hands rise to my chest and push. I’m not tipsy, but I feel loose enough to handle just about anything and I return without hesitation, flipping her around to press my hardening cock to her ass. I nuzzle into her ear while looping my arm around her waist, saying over the music, “I’m sorry.”
She flips around and frowns. “You don’t mean that.”
An angry snarl escapes my lips before I can stop it. I snatch her arm and drag her across the room, sliding into a little divot in the wall near the wide windows. No one can see us in this shadowy corner, and it gives me the perfect opportunity to show her exactly what I think of her.
She tenses against the wall while my fingers crawl up her skirt. I know what I’m going to find here—it’s the same every time—but I still get excited when her hips buck slightly despite her resistance. That’s what I find so entertaining about her. She wants me even when she doesn’t. And I can tell by the way her body responds.
I slide past her thong and plunge into her pussy, no teasing necessary. She accepts my fingers as if they belong there, and I nestle into her neck as I grind to the rhythm of my fingers. “You’ve always been so agreeable.”
“Fuck off, Tommy.”
“You can’t be that mad if you’re using my nickname.”
She whines while trying to push me off, her fingers curling over my shoulders instead. “I’m still mad at you…”
“No, I don’t think you are.”
I tug her thong aside and grab her hips, hoisting her into the air. When I nudge between her legs, she loses some of her tension, her top sliding another inch to reveal the black lace bra beneath. Multicolored lights flash over her face, where her emotions war between annoyance and pleasure. The sight of her conflict inspires me to unzip my jeans and procure my cock. I’m so hard that I’m dizzy from how fast my blood has flooded my dick.
Seconds later, I’m buried inside her, the warmth of her channel caressing my shaft as I buck. She’s more than compliant, thighs twitching while I pierce her for the whole party to see—if anyone is bothering to look in our direction. It’s my wet dreams ignited, every denial she ever dished out at me from previous parties culminating in this very moment.