Page 87

EIGHTY-SEVEN

XERO

We arrive through the back door just as workmen carry Amethyst’s sofa through the window. A small team is working on removing the entire door frame, since they can’t override the security I installed.

I stride through the kitchen, cocking a shotgun with a sharp click. “What the hell are you doing?”

The men at the door freeze. Their spokesperson, a round-faced bastard resembling a shorn Santa Claus, raises his palms. “Calm down. We’re under orders from the owner to change the locks and empty the house.”

“Without an eviction notice?” I ask, my lip curling with disgust.

Bald Santa studies my features. My hair is still darkened from the temporary wax, and I’m wearing the dental prosthetics from earlier, so I’m no longer a mirror image of my mugshot.

Amethyst pushes past me. “This is my house. I’ve lived here for six years.”

“I don’t know about that,” he mutters.

“Call my mother,” she spits.

Bald Santa sighs. “Tell you what. Me and the boys will take a break while you sort out your differences with the owner. ”

“And you’ll return the living room furniture and put back the window pane—along with everything else you’ve taken,” I snarl.

“Sure,” he mutters. “Whatever.”

The men pack their tools and file out via the living room and out of the window. I clench my teeth, wondering what the hell is wrong with Amethyst’s mother. Someone needs to inform her that twenty-four-year-old women are free to fuck whoever they please.

Leaning into Amethyst, I murmur, “What’s the name of your psychiatrist?”

“Why?” she asks.

“Your mother’s behavior isn’t adding up. A strict parent would have ordered you back home, but she’s gone from overprotective to casting you out without a cent.”

“Monica Saint. Her practice is on Main Street.”

“The one close to the Phoenix nightclub?” I ask.

She nods. “What are you going to do?”

“If I can’t question Dr. Saint personally, then we’ll download your files.” I pull out my phone and tap out instructions to Tyler, telling him to dredge up anything related to the Crowley family.

“Thank you,” she murmurs.

I glance down at her and frown. “For what?”

“You don’t know how badly I’ve wanted to access my records. I’ve seen Dr. Saint since before I can remember. She knows why I lost my memory.”

A knot forms in my gut at the amount of information I’m withholding. The letters and photos we’ve intercepted paint a picture of a child who was institutionalized and subjected to horrific abuse, along with electroconvulsive therapy.

I can’t share this with Amethyst until I can authenticate those pictures with other evidence. She already has enough issues trying to sift through reality. Adding fake images from the past, no matter how convincing, might shatter her fragile state.

“There’s only one way to deal with your mother,” I mutter.

She whirls around, her eyes widening. “What are you talking about?”

“I just want to talk to her. Find out why she’s so determined to control every aspect of your life or cast you out into the street. ”

“Fine, but I lead.”

I grin.

“What?” she says.

“I love it when you take charge, little ghost.”

I guide her upstairs to pack her most precious items in case the removal company returns. As much as I want to post an army of sentries around her home, the most important thing I need to protect is Amethyst. That includes monitoring X-Cite Media, luring out the recruiter, and digging through their computer systems to trace who draws down all the funds.

Jynxson, Tyler, the Spring brothers, and their teams are all busy trying to locate the power behind the snuff movies. I also have multiple people working on getting operatives from the Moirai to defect, along with another team following every lead they can to locate Father and his facility of child assassins. I haven’t even considered the operatives who are bringing in money from assassination work–our manpower is stretched thin.

We continue upstairs, where Amethyst puts together her valuables for storage. I plan on buying the house for her when it goes up for auction, but I don’t want her to lose anything precious. An hour later, I carry her boxes down to the cupboard under the stairs and open the door to the space directly beneath her living room.

“What?” she whispers, her eyes wide. “This is just like my bedroom.”

She’s exaggerating. The walls are black, as is the four-poster that dominates the space, but that’s where the similarities end. I placed a black leather sofa beside the bed, for relaxing during the day, and a dining table large enough for two, where I took my meals.

“Your room is a boudoir. This is a lair.” I gesture at the skeleton in the corner. “Look at the bones of my victims.”

She giggles. “Then what are you doing with my cushions?”

“They’re infused with your scent. I couldn’t exactly sleep in your bed during the day,” I mutter.

She turns around, her eyes bright. “Is this where we’ll sleep until we’ve fixed things with my mom?”

My brows rise. “I thought you found this space creepy. ”

“This is a palace compared to the catacombs, and I’d sleep easier knowing that X-Cite Media won’t reach me down here.”

Claws of guilt twang at my heartstrings. No woman of mine should ever feel fear for anyone other than me. Those murdering bastards and their snuff movies are distracting my little ghost.

Cupping her cheek, I gaze into her green eyes. Her pupils are so wide that her irises are rings of emerald flames.

“I would raze the entire city to ashes if it meant keeping you safe,” I say, meaning each fucking word. “But first, I need to gather every lowlife who wants to do you harm.”

“You’ll let me watch them burn,” she says, her voice breathy.

“I would hand you the canister of gasoline and let you cleanse their sins in an almighty blaze. And I’ll sacrifice those motherfuckers as an offering to my dark queen.”

Her eyes widen. “Me?”

“Are there any other goddesses in the room?”

She backs toward the bed, her chest heaving. I advance on Amethyst, already picturing her bound and naked.

“You have two choices,” I say. “You can strip for me and kneel for me on the bed, or I’ll slice through your clothes and throw you into position.”

“Wait. Why?” she says, her cheeks darkening.

“You’re about to learn how to break through zip ties.”

“And I need to be naked for that?”

“No. I need you to be naked so I can punish you for failure.”

She shivers, her fingers drifting to the zip of her hoodie. “What kind of punishment?”

“Edging.”

“Shit.”

I chuckle, already knowing how much she hates to be sexually frustrated. “You have a countdown from five to strip. Anything left on your body will be sliced off, and I won’t let you come. Five.”

“Wait!”

She tears off her hoodie without even pulling on its zipper. The garment falls to the concrete floor.

“Four.”

“That’s not even fair. ”

She kicks off her boots, yanks down her panties and leggings in a single motion, and leaves them in a puddle of fabric. Her movements are frantic and clumsy, but then everything about her is endearing.

My gaze drops to her round ass, which only shows the barest traces of red from her spanking, and all the blood in my head rushes south.

“Three,” I mutter, my voice thickening with desire.

Her sports bra and tank top come off next, revealing her belly and perky breasts topped with pink nipples that are already erect. Goosebumps rise as a draft caresses her skin.

My breath hitches. My hands itch to touch her exposed flesh, but I hold back, wanting to savor the anticipation. I never thought Amethyst would be so eager to get naked for me. It’s like witnessing the birth of a goddess.

“You’re such an asshole,” she says.

“Is this your way of begging me for anal?” I ask, lifting a brow. “Two.”

With a shriek, she scrambles onto the bed and positions herself on her hands and knees. “I did it. Please don’t punish me.”

My heart pounds in anticipation, and the pulse in my groin throbs at the sight of Amethyst waiting so impatiently. I take in the curve of her waist, the swell of her breasts, and the flush of both sets of cheeks. She’s never bared herself to me like this before.

“One.”

She squirms, her ass wiggling from side to side. “Xero, I did everything you wanted!”

“You did.” I lay a hand on her bare back, my fingers skimming skin softer than velvet. She shivers beneath my touch, sending another surge of arousal to my cock.

“Good girl. Now, I’ll teach you to break free of zip ties.”

She squirms on the bed, her teeth worrying at her bottom lip. “What if I can’t do it?”

“We’ll start with the basics. Turn around and put your wrists together.”

As she shifts into position, I move to the bag I discarded on the foot of the bed and pull out a bundle of zip ties. Amethyst whimpers but doesn’t move from her spot, and I wonder if she’s thinking about Lizzie Bath.

“Are you ready?” I ask.

She swallows, her breath quickening. “Yes.”

“This will be counter-intuitive, but if there’s no hope of fighting your way out, then the next step is to surrender on your own terms.”

“What does that even mean?” she asks, her pretty features creasing.

“Hold out your arms to your captor in the way that most benefits you.”

Nodding, she sticks them out, with the fists facing each other. “Straight in front of me?”

“Not quite.” I turn her hands so the palms face down and attach the zip tie around both her wrists. “This position offers you the most amount of slack.”

I step back, letting her turn her wrists inward, releasing the tension.

She wriggles one hand out of the zip tie, followed by her fingers. “Don’t the attackers know this, too?”

“They do, which is why you want to create as much leeway as you can.” I push her forearms together and attach another zip tie. “This is what you want to avoid.”

Her plump lips form a perfect O. “I’m trapped.”

My fingers slide over her breast, and I squeeze a nipple hard enough to make her wince. Sensation rushes to my cock, leaving me lightheaded. It’s this kind of vision that haunted my nights in prison—a bound and naked Amethyst, eager to fulfill my desires.

“And I’m free to take whatever I want,” I say, my voice deepening.

She shivers, her lips lifting into a smile.

“This isn’t a game.” I slap her breast, making her flinch. “You’re supposed to be trying to escape.”

“How?” she squawks.

“Grab the loose end of the zip tie with your teeth.”

“Like this?” she asks, her eyes widening.

I nod. “Position the locking mechanism between your hands and pull it taut. ”

She shifts the zip tie into place and pulls them so tight they’re digging into her skin.

“Well done. Now, watch me.” I raise my joined forearms above my head and bring my arms down to my stomach, yanking my elbows so far apart that my shoulder blades touch.

Amethyst mirrors the movement without the required force and scowls. “What am I doing wrong?”

“Try again with more speed. Remember, your life depends on this.”

Determination hardens her gaze, and she sucks in a deep breath. This time, when she raises her arms, her expression loses all traces of uncertainty. I step back, watching the beginnings of her transformation. She pulls her arms down and wrenches them apart. The zip tie breaks open with a snap.

“I did it,” she says, her eyes widening.

“That’s my girl,” I reply with a smile. “Are you ready to try again?”

We run through the exercise once more to make sure she’s perfected the movement, then I roll her onto her front and tie her arms behind her back.

Amethyst shivers, her breath quickening.

Her excitement is fueling my own, and my body hums with desire. I would pound into her from behind, holding her hair like reins and making her scream my name, but we have a whole lifetime to fuck. I only have a window of time to teach Amethyst to survive.

“Stay in the moment, little ghost,” I say and push her wrists together. My fingers linger on her skin for longer than necessary as I ask, “How will you position your arms?”

She pushes them apart, laying her fists on her ass cheeks.

“That’s right.”

I tie her up and sit back, letting her release the slack and wriggle free. Next, we run through the exercise again before I push her wrists together and tie the restraint tight.

The sight of her naked and tied on my bed is intoxicating enough, but watching her struggle against the restraints is like having a hungry mouth around my cock. Her muscles flex and strain as she tries to break her bonds, and I can almost imagine her beneath me as I fuck her into submission.

She clenches her wrists so tightly that her knuckles turn white. “This one is more difficult,” she mutters and rolls to the side. “Can you demonstrate?”

It takes a heartbeat to remember this is an exercise drill and not a private showing of the most beautiful woman in the world. With a reluctant sigh, I bend over double with my arms raised behind my back and perform the reverse of the first movement.

“Oh.” She shifts to the edge of the bed, drops her dainty feet on the floor, and stands.

I step back, resisting the urge to shove her on the mattress. My cock presses painfully against my zipper, begging for release. My mind races with images of every possible way I will claim Amethyst, but she needs a taste of success before I add any distracting challenges.

When her eyes meet mine, they’re shining with vitality. I can’t tell which is driving more life into her—the impending danger or this exercise in hope. Either way, I retain my composure. She’s more alive now than she’s ever been in the entire time we’ve been together.

Muscles tensing, she repeats the maneuver, her arms moving in a precise arc. The zip tie opens with a satisfying snap, and she straightens.

“I did it again!”

“Good girl.” My voice comes out huskier than intended, but desire has broken through my restraint. I unbuckle my belt and pull it out through the hoops.

“Next time, combine everything you’ve learned. I’m going to come at you and try to tie you up. If you can escape me, then you’ll get a reward.”

“And if I fail?” she asks, her gaze dropping to the belt.

I flash her my widest grin. “You may not like the punishment, but I sure as hell will.”