Page 23 of Bleed for You (Bloody Desires #6)

A month had passed since that day at the cabin and Jinx was still a free man, so he had to assume Craig hadn’t reported him to the police.

Why, he wasn’t sure, but he hoped it was because Craig still loved him like Jinx loved Craig.

Jinx hadn’t contacted him since the two messages he’d sent the day Craig had found out what he did.

There had been nothing from Craig, and Jinx had accepted that their relationship was over.

He’d known it would happen, but he didn’t regret doing what he did.

Those men deserved every second of pain and terror they felt, and Jinx was more than happy to do it.

He liked seeing the fear etched on their faces, liked hearing them beg and scream.

He knew he wasn’t wired right, and he didn’t care.

He was the way he was, and Jinx embraced all the parts that made him Jinx.

Shifting where he stood, he leaned on a spade, watching the casket being lowered into the ground.

He felt nothing as he watched. Those gathered around, weeping softly, didn’t make him feel any empathy toward them.

He had stood in that spot many times before, so scenes like this didn’t move him at all.

Not like they had before either. He knew what he was and accepted it.

When the group slowly left, Jinx and his team finished their job and moved the dirt to cover the casket where it lay in the ground.

Once it was covered and the area made safe, Jinx left, stored his equipment away, and drove home.

He knew he wasn’t going to stay there. He needed to go out, drink, fuck.

He needed to release the tension that had been growing since Craig had ended their relationship.

The one job he’d done hadn’t been enough to release the tension inside.

Showering quickly, Jinx stood naked in the bathroom, water running from his body, and stared into the mirror.

His stubble had grown in, and he ran his fingers over it, liking how it looked.

Deciding to keep it, Jinx walked out of the bathroom and into his bedroom.

He’d already laid his clothes out on the bed, and once dressed, he splashed on some aftershave—ignoring who had bought it—then left his bedroom.

Downstairs, he put on his shoes, picked up his wallet and jacket, and left his house.

Getting in the cab, Jinx ignored the ache in his chest as the driver headed toward the club Jinx knew he’d have no problem picking a man up in.

He tapped his fingers on his thigh when the club came into sight and after paying the driver, he got out and headed inside.

He knew the bouncer so was let straight in, and he headed to the bar to order a drink.

Beer in hand, Jinx scouted the area, looking at the men already there, and saw a couple who would do for a quick fuck.

Mouth dry at the thought of touching a man who wasn’t Craig, Jinx took a mouthful of beer and pushed away from the bar and hit the dance floor.

Not to dance, but to move closer to the blond who looked like a twink Jinx could fuck.

When the twink saw him, Jinx smiled, and the blond returned it, his eyes roaming over Jinx’s body.

When Jinx reached him, the blond turned toward him and moved closer, his hand sliding up Jinx’s stomach. Leaning closer, he shouted, “Hi!”

Jinx heard him over the pounding music and let his lips touch his ear when he spoke.

“Hi.” He slid his lips over the blond’s cheek and hover over his lips.

The blond tilted his head up, their lips brushing, and Jinx pressed closer, applying more pressure to his lips until they parted.

Tongues touching, Jinx kept his eyes open, watching the blond, feeling him move closer.

“Want to take this somewhere else?” He wasn’t sure the other guy had heard him over the music until he took Jinx’s hand and pulled him from the dance floor.

Jinx quickly finished his beer and placed it on a table as he walked past. They entered the restroom and found an empty cubicle.

Jinx shut and locked the door, then pushed the blond up against it before kissing him.

Thrusting his tongue inside the twink’s mouth, Jinx ran his hands over the other man’s body, then broke the kiss to turn him around and rub his dick on his ass.

“Back pocket.”

Jinx eased back and shoved his hand into the other man’s pocket, pulling out a condom and lube.

“I like a man who comes prepared.” Undoing his jeans, Jinx pushed them down and pulled his cock out, watching the other guy do the same to expose his ass.

Jinx rolled the condom on his dick then lubed up his fingers and pushed two inside, hearing the twink gasp, then moan, as he pushed his ass out.

A few seconds later, he pulled them out, then lined his cock up with the guy’s asshole and slid inside. The other guy groaned, muttering, “Fuck me.”

Jinx grabbed his hips and pulled out, then thrust back in, setting up a hard and fast pace.

He wanted to get off quickly, then leave.

He had no plans to hang around once he’d come.

He watched the other guy move his hand then groan as he pumped his dick, and Jinx gritted his teeth, his orgasm building, and as soon as he began to come, he thrust in deep, his hands clenching the other guy’s hips.

When he’d finished, he pulled out, removed the condom, and threw it in the toilet. Flushing it, he quickly dressed and waited for the blond guy to dress. Blond turned around, smiled, and opened the door. “Thanks for the fuck,” he said as he left.

Jinx grinned and followed him out of the restroom, and took the time to wash his hands, then went back to the dance floor before heading to the exit.

As he was leaving, he looked back at the dance floor and stopped.

There in the middle was Craig. As soon as their eyes met, Craig stopped dancing.

Jinx watched him as Craig stared back, then Jinx turned and walked outside.

“Fuck.” He ran a hand over his face, his heart hammering in his chest, pain slashing through him.

The urge to turn around and go back in there was hard to ignore.

He wanted to see Craig again, stand in front of him and tell Craig how much he still loved him.

How much he missed him, but he knew there was no point.

Craig wouldn’t take him back, and maybe that was for the best. He’d kept quiet so far, and that gave Jinx hope that Craig would remain that way and allow him to continue doing what he did.

Continue to punish those who hurt the most vulnerable and to feed the darkness inside him that liked causing terror and pain.

There was no better sound than the screams his victims gave as he cut them into pieces.

If only Craig could only accept the darkness in Jinx, but he couldn’t and he never would.

Jinx had been a fool to think he could keep a man like Craig, but they’d had two years, and their relationship had appeared strong.

But then Craig found out Jinx liked to kill people.

“And that was it,” he murmured to himself.

“Jinx.”

Jinx stopped and slowly turned around to see Craig standing behind him. The tight blue jeans and blue shirt looked good on him, and Jinx fought the urge to pull Craig into his arms and kiss him. “What do you want?”

Craig glanced away, licked his lips. “How are you?”

“Good.” Liar. “You?”

“I’m…” Craig shrugged. “You know.”

“No, I don’t know.”

Craig winced, looked away again. “I’m moving on.”

“Me too. That’s why I was here. To move on. Find someone and fuck. Like how we met, yeah.”

Craig paled, swallowed. “So you…” he nodded to the club.

“Yeah, I did, and now I’m going home.”

“That was quick,” Craig bit out.

“And you haven’t been with anyone.”

Craig looked away, pursed his lips. With a shrug, he said, “Maybe.”

“You walked away, Craig. I didn’t. I’m single to do as I please and so are you. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? To move on like you just told me. You don’t get to judge me for doing what you yourself are doing.”

“I left because you’re not the person I thought you were. Our entire relationship was based on a lie.” Craig looked around. “You hurt people, and you like it. There is something wrong with you.”

“There is, and I know it. I own who and what I am, and I do what I do to satisfy that part of me. I’m not the same as you.

I never will be, and I’d rather use that darkness inside me to hurt those who go after kids.

” Jinx stepped slowly towards Craig and hid the hurt he felt when Craig backed away. “I know exactly what I am, Craig.”

“You’re sick in the head.”

“Why did you follow me outside, Craig? To tell me how sick and twisted I am? To tell me there is no future for us? I know all of this.” Jinx sighed and looked at the club. “Go inside and fuck as many men as you want. I’ll do the same.” Jinx turned away and ignored Craig calling his name.

“Jinx! Don’t walk away from me.”

Jinx spun around and strode over to Craig.

“I get to do whatever I want where you are concerned,” he said in a low voice.

“We’re through. There is no us, so you don’t have any right to tell me what to do.

I told you how I felt the day you left the cabin, and you never responded.

Don’t stand there now, acting like you give a shit. ”

“I don’t,” Craig snapped.

“Then why are you standing here? Why did you follow me outside?” Jinx stepped closer, ignoring the way Craig’s eyes widened. “Why are you here?”

“I wanted to see how you were, but you’ve clearly moved on.”

“As you have, otherwise, we wouldn’t have seen each other in the club.” Jinx shook his head. “What do you want from me? Want to hear how I’ve missed you? How many times I had to stop myself from calling you and seeing how you were? If you were okay? If you needed me in any way? How—”

“Jinx…” Craig opened and closed his mouth, then fell silent.

“You can’t accept all the parts of me, and I understand that.

It’s the reason I kept that part of who I am away from you.

I love you, Craig. I probably always will, and I only want the best for you, but I can’t stop what I do because it’s who I am.

I like who I am, and I like what I do. You can’t accept that. ”

“You’re a murderer.”

“Yes, I am.”

Craig stepped back, looked at the ground, then ran a hand over his face. Lowering it, he opened his mouth, then closed it. Sighing, he closed his eyes. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, but I can’t be who you want me to be, and you can’t be with me because of what I am.

” Craig opened his eyes, and Jinx reached a hand up, waiting for Craig to flinch away, and was surprised when he didn’t.

He palmed Craig’s face and kissed him gently on the lips.

“I love you.” Dropping his hand, Jinx turned and walked away.

“I didn’t tell the police.”

Slowing, Jinx nodded. “I know, and thank you.”

“Can we go somewhere and talk?”

Jinx stopped, his shoulders dropping. “What do we have to talk about?” he asked wearily.

“Us.” Craig’s hand touched Jinx’s, and he looked down at them, then over his shoulder at Craig, who stood behind him.

“I’m not going to change.” He turned toward Craig, drinking in the sight of the only man he would ever love. “I’m not going to stop doing what I do. I can’t. I’m not like you. I’m not a nice person.”

“You are to me, to Cat, to my parents.” Craig swallowed. “That’s all I need.”

Jinx furrowed his brow, his eyes narrowing. “What are you saying?”

“Can we do this in a place where there are fewer people around?”

“Not tonight.” Jinx tugged his hand free. “Come to my house tomorrow. If you want to talk, we do it then.”

Craig opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. With a nod, he turned and walked away. “Lunchtime. I’ll come then.”

“I’ll be waiting.”