Page 36

Selene

It’s been three days since Blaze went silent after leaving all those rocks in my house. I’ve been splitting my time between Dante’s place and the boutique, researching with what little time I have in Ronan’s office. Ronan’s mind is a fucking marvel, all of the red string connecting dots I would have never picked up. This truly is a different, darker world than I’m used to, especially when Malik described in detail one of the men he plucked the eyes from and fed to another. I’m not sadistic . I make art. And it’s always for a reason.

I try to make sense of what I’m staring at, even as I shift in the oversized chair I’m stuffed in. My pussy is sore and my ass throbs from the thorough spanking Ronan gave me at the bar a few days ago. It didn’t help that Dante saw it yesterday and decided to recreate it until I was screaming through one of the strongest orgasms I had ever had.

Fuck all these men for knowing what breaks me.

Ronan had to save me shortly after, Malik getting a little too feral. One of his cuts was just a bit too deep, the man licking his knife as he fucked me into oblivion. Ronan’s made a rule that no one is allowed to touch me until Friday and while I appreciate it, my whore self needs dick. Stat.

At least, in the meantime I can focus on this investigation and ignore the moments when Harley tried to interrogate me on Monday. I lied my way through that until another detective saved me and said that I was free to go, which was great, except for the fact that Harley won’t stop calling. I wish it were Blaze instead of him and that’s saying something.

A small noise tears me from my thoughts as I turn my attention to Ronan sitting behind his desk, poring over a file. He’s different than the other two. He watches me, his eyes tracking me as I grab a coffee mug in the kitchen, as I sling my bag over my shoulder to say goodnight, but he hasn’t touched me since the bar. I see the hunger in his eyes, but he holds back for some reason and I’m too curious for my own good to let it just lie.

I also am too intrigued by this strange dynamic I’ve fallen into, trying to understand this hit list and Blaze’s intentions. We haven’t found anything yet, and that’s why I decided to distract myself.

With Ronan.

Just be blunt, Selene. Straight to the point.

I push to my feet and move toward him, Ronan looking up the moment I’m in his space. “Why won’t you fuck me?”

Ronan snorts, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands on the desk. “You’re not exactly lacking for attention, Selene,” he muses, his gaze flicking to a bandage on my shoulder and then back to my face.

“That wasn’t the question and you know it.”

“Because I want more than that. A one-night stand, sure. A regular fucking, I’d be glad to, but we both know that’s not what this is. Sweetheart, you say you don’t do feelings or whatever bullshit you keep spouting. Dante’s told me all about it, but it’s not hard to see you’re craving more than just touch.”

“Is this your version of an intervention? Because it’s a horrible one. I’m just doing this until I get the one guy I came for.”

Ronan laughs, the sound rumbling through his chest as he pushes away from the desk and then drags me onto his lap. I’m not used to this, the way he so tenderly holds me against his chest, tucking my head beneath his chin. “You keep telling that to yourself,” he says as one of his hands sift into my hair, pulling it from the ponytail, “but this is who you are. I’m not judging you. I’m telling you it’s a high you keep chasing and it’s impossible to leave behind. I should know. I’ve tried to get out so many fucking times. Hell, look at Dante. We don’t ever really leave. Tell me, when you find him and gut him, what happens next? Settle down, get married, have kids? Travel the world? What’s next, Selene? That’s what terrifies me with you, because there’s no end, and we’re a lot, but protecting you is impossible.”

“You don’t even fucking know me,” I say, sitting up in his lap. “Why would you protect me? I know why Dante would and Malik’s just crazy. But you? We’re jeopardizing your career, Dante’s, everything. What’s in it for you?”

Ronan’s expression softens, his hand moving to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing across my jaw. “I care about you,” he murmurs. “I had no idea who you were when I fucked you in my office the first time, but I’ve been hearing about you through Dante’s eyes for years. Spiced Coconut, I called you. I fell in love with you before I even saw your face, a fantasy of a woman I never met, didn’t even know your name or what you looked like.”

“You’re a lot sweeter than I thought you’d be.”

He snorts again as he tugs on my hair a little, dragging a gasp from me. “Sweetheart, I’m not sweet. I think I’ve told you that before.”

And yet, I know that there’s a sweet version of him, the one he shows me in moments like this or when Malik gets to be a little too much. Other times, he’s rough and he’ll fuck me hard and fast like I need. The duality of a man I could fall in love with.

Cut that shit out, Selene. We don’t do feelings.

I struggle to sit up a little further when Ronan starts checking my bandage, grunting at the state it’s in. I’m not telling him that Malik fucked me in the bathroom an hour ago because he doesn’t need to know. However, even with a full shower and a new bandage, it’s pretty obvious to tell.

“I wish you wouldn’t have done that.”

“Maybe if you were fucking me instead, I wouldn’t find the crazy one to scratch the itch.” I almost feel bad for taunting Ronan and just as I’m about to say as much, my ass starts buzzing like crazy. It’s most likely Harley, asking for me to come down to the station again so we can talk so I’m mildly surprised when it’s Blaze.

Fucking finally.

“Hey, Blaze. Is there a point to this game or did you just want me to remember the weird little kid down the street?” I probably should have toned that down a bit but I don’t like getting jerked around.

“It was about time you figured it out, Doe but you don’t get a reward for that. You had help. However, I do have a present for you. Well, I guess another move. I should have let you go first, but I was too excited.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I switch to speaker so that Ronan can listen in.

“I have a name that you’ve been searching for,” he teases. “A name for a name. I suspect you know what to do with it and then I’ll give you something in return. If you think you’re going to get out of this with those men hovering around you, you’re wrong. I took out a little insurance policy. Enjoy yourself, Doe.”

The line goes dead, a text popping up on my screen.

Victor Crane

Blaze wants me to kill a fucking councilman. He’s planning something with all of these kills and while I could say no, outing my identity to the public would ruin me. Having Ronan, Dante, and Malik at my side will do jack shit at that point. Another text comes in and it’s just an emoji.

A lonely beating heart.

And then another one.

And then another one until my screen is filled with them.

His insurance policy is my hearts, the extension of my soul. “Ronan, he’s…” I don’t finish that sentence as I rush toward the front door, grabbing my keys, Ronan on my heels. There’s no words said as I rush toward my apartment, tears gathering in my eyes. He couldn’t have taken my babies, my precious treasures. Fuck, this is bad.

I burst through my apartment door and make a beeline for my bedroom, my heart in my throat as I come to an empty wall, one lone jar sitting on the middle shelf. It’s the one I bought for Blaze, the one he picked out himself but everything else is empty.

“He took them all. All of them!” I scream, yanking my phone out and calling him back. “Give me back my hearts!” I see red, immediately searching for something to stab this motherfucker with. I don’t even know where he is but he stole from me. I won’t let that happen.

“Now, now, take a deep breath, Bella,” he muses. “Watch the TV. That’s not all I’m giving you.”

A growl of frustration rips through me as Ronan comes to stand up behind me, gently massaging my shoulders. He places a kiss on the side of my head as my gaze falls on the TV. I turned it off before I left so it’s on a news channel I don’t usually watch, Blaze setting up all this bullshit for me to find.

The rolling headline at the bottom of the screen is announcing Ashthorne’s new mayor. I knew they would, the current Smission stepping down after his son died like he did. Smission starts making some kind of speech but I’m more focused on my missing hearts. “Cut the bullshit, you bastard. Give me back my shit. What is even the point?”

“Because I like games where you have to submit, Doe. Besides, someone wants you dead, and I’m trying to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“By having me kill all your opponents or whoever is standing in your way? This is a dumb game. I could just turn you in, Blaze .” He’s a fucking asshole if he thinks I’m just going to let him jerk me around. It was one thing when it was just directing a kill but taking from me is unacceptable.

There’s a cackle through the earpiece, my entire body shaking with rage. “Bella, Bella , you don’t even remember who I am! You think you do but I’m much more than the weird kid from Aven Lane. Now, let’s see. For Victor, I want him dead before 7pm tomorrow evening.”

“But…”

“Because I have a certain dinner I’d like to invite you to. It’s very important that you show up. After all, a queen needs her king. I told you when we were kids that you were mine, and I’d have you at my side. I always keep my promises, Doe. Always.”

The line goes dead, Smission’s speech ending as he turns to welcome someone on stage. My eyes widen at the man stepping forward, my entire childhood rushing back at me all at once. Horror curls in my gut at the white-blond haired man, a color that’s almost as silver as mine, clear eyes turning to face the public through the screen. A smirk curls on his lips as he winks at the camera and then starts giving his address, saying that he’s honored with this appointment.

Ronan tightens his grip on me. “I’m going to assume by your reaction that that’s Blaze and he just became the fucking mayor.”

I’m about to confirm that when Blaze’s speech turns into an invitation to the state dinner he just required me to show up to.

“I would like to really show everyone that I’m for the people, that I’m going to fix up Ashthorne and to really bring an end to the darkness here. It’s why I came here and why I’m going to start this new step with my girlfriend, Anabella Montaugh, at my side.” He throws a smile at the screen, one that an amateur would think is genuine but I see that he did more than just play his next move.

He trapped me from making mine.

Because not only does he have my lifeline, he just gave every last person here a key to my past.