Page 44 of Seven Graves

The Executioner

I like this place.

Now, we’re squabbling over Scrabble and my fucking life is complete.

A cherry-vanilla lollipop raked back and forth over my bottom teeth while I smiled and shook my ass on the floral print couch across from bitchy Bridget.

“C-O-N-D-O-M…triple word, thirty-six points. And …fantastic advice from me to you. Suck it, Bridget Byrne.” Seven giggled from her spot beside me, checking her tiles while I spun the Scrabble board towards my sister.

“Oh, look…C-U-N-T.” She placed her tiles, and I grinned past the lollipop stick, watching her. “Perfect word for you, and twelve more points for me. Get fucked.”

“Sorry…that word isn’t found in the Webster’s dictionary. And vagina would give you twenty-two points.” I winked at her.

“It is a fucking word! You’re such a cheating bastard!”

“Is it weird that I always find the word ‘slut’?” Seven smiled, sliding the tiles on her rack and studying them.

“Hooker gives more points,” I grinned, teetering my lollipop… suggestively …with my tongue. I made sure she saw my dimple before she whacked me in the arm.

“I’ve got nothing. Here.” She started spelling out the word ‘late’ and my eyes boggled. Lollipop frozen in between my teeth. “A whopping eight points. Slayin’.”

“Wholly inappropriate time to use that shit, Seven Grey. You tryin’ to gimme a heart attack?” I don’t think she realized what I meant…until she did , and added an R so fast I thought she’d knock the board off the table. I snorted. “Now you have ten,” I laughed.

“This game sucks,” Bridget whined, shoving potato chips into her mouth.

“Or you just suck at it.” I barely got the last word out before a pillow hit my face.

I looked up and my bratty sister was pulling a blanket over herself, clearly done with the game.

Always a sore loser. I picked a few tiles from the board and made another word at the bottom of it, turning it towards Viper.

B-E-D…

We locked eyes, and I raised an inquisitive brow, pulling my lolli out of my mouth slowly and swirling my tongue around it.

It got a smirk, and an eye roll out of her, but she nodded.

I’m choosing to give myself all the winning points for this move.

You can’t tell me it wasn’t clever as fuck.

I’m just shocked it worked . She set her tray next to the board and got up.

I watched her walk to the stairs, hair damp, every sexy tattoo on her bare legs showing in that tiny pair of black shorts and an oversized t-shirt…

I know she’s not wearing a bra. I’m willing to bet she skipped another thing she knows I’ll tear off too.

She stopped at the bottom of the stairs, hand on the rail and tipped her chin over her shoulder.

I crunched on what was left of the lollipop.

“Night loser,” I barked, snapping up from the couch. Bridget shoved her middle finger up from beneath her blanket. I grabbed a handful of lollies from the jar I’d brought into the living room and practically sprinted up the stairs behind my daydream.

The room she led me into kinda feels like stepping into a time machine.

There’s another four-post bed, this one heavy wood with matching bedroom furniture and a ruffled ancient bedspread.

But it’s cozy. “Gotta be your parents’ room,” I grinned, unwrapping another lollipop and sticking it into my mouth.

“It’s the biggest bed. And the softest mattress.

I offered it to Bridget, but she said she didn’t wanna sleep upstairs if that’s where we’d be.

Can’t say I blame her for it.” I might be superstitious, and I know all about what they say happened to the fucking cat, but my curiosity’s always been an incurable thing.

I started pulling the first drawer within reach and Seven slammed it shut.

“For the love of God, please don’t. If you find anything close to what you were looking for in my house, you’ll scar me for life. ”

“Valid.”

She shut the door and hopped onto the bed, sitting Indian-style while I meddled with ceramic figurines and lace doilies, slowly pacing around the bedroom. I really do like it here. The time warp is so much fun.

“So. Tell me more about this game.” I turned around, candy working in my mouth while I leaned on the long dresser and gripped the edges.

“It’s more fun than Scrabble,” I grinned. “And everybody also wins.”

“Let’s play.”

Oh, yes…let’s.

“Alright. Bet. I’ll even let you go first, Viper.

” This isn’t gonna take long. We’re both already ahead of the game as far as what’s left to take off.

I’m in loose black sweats and a white tee.

“Make your move.” I’m wondering about her most pressing questions.

If they’re anything like mine. But my money’s on her starting with the little things and I’m completely fine with that.

I plan on answering honestly…and I’m hoping she’s got secrets she wants to keep, so that I can take my time dragging them out of her while she comes on my face again.

“What’s your favorite color?”

Right on cue. Fuck, I love this game.

“Startin’ out light, aren’t ya, pet?” I grinned, twirling my lollipop. “It’s blue. But my favorite is Bombay Blue. It was a paint color my Ma chose for my room as a kid. Guess it’s um…sentimental.”

“Hmm…never pegged you for a sentimental guy.”

I winked. “I’m full of surprises. What’s yours? Don’t say black. I know it’s bullshit.”

“It’s actually not. I’m a sucker for anything green.”

That clicked all of a sudden and I paused my gnawing on the stick, cocking my head. “ That’s why your coffin is green on the inside.” She smiled at me, winking back. “Interesting.” I crossed one foot over the other. “‘Kay. Of all your tattoos…which one’s your favorite?”

“Oh, easy.” She pulled her left foot from underneath her and stuck it out towards me, pointing her toes at the ceiling. I dunno how I missed the tiny mass of squiggles tattooed in the arch of her foot. “This one.”

“What in the fuck is that?” I laughed.

“It’s a squished bug. I did it myself when I was sixteen.

Stick and poke.” I barked a laugh while she held her foot with her hand and tried to convince me the shit actually looked like a bug.

“Shut up, fool. I never said I was artistic.” I palmed my face, running a hand through my hair and couldn’t stop giggling at her. “Oh, my God…enough. Tell me yours.”

I tugged the neck of my shirt down a bit and gave her the left side of my neck, pointing at some script. “That one. I like the placement, but the quote is what’s special about it.” Seven leaned up, peering at it and reading it aloud.

“ Divinity is not ours …” She eased back. “I actually love that. What’s it from?”

“My brilliant mind,” I smirked. “That one I had done about seven years ago. I went through some shit.”

There was a tense silence between us, and I knew that just lifted the latch on the gate to more serious questions. I can see it stirring in her eyes. “What was her name?” There it is. I stared into her for a minute and then dropped my eyes to the floor.

“Shavonn.”

“What happened to her?”

The lollipop stilled, and closing my eyes, I saw a brief image of an angel in a box. I half wondered about all the ways Sev would have taken care of her and didn’t realize that it brought a small smile to my face while I glued it to the floor.

“She died.” Call me a coward. The silence is enough without having to face whatever pity or regret is in the eyes I know aren’t Shavonn’s.

I don’t want her to feel any type of way about the question I know has been burning a hole through her mind.

She asked, and I answered. It’s over with. “My turn.”

“Y-yeah.”

I pushed slowly off the dresser and raised my head, making a slow break for where she sat on the bed, that leg still extended and those eyes pinned on me while I smirked.

I climbed onto it, into her personal space and she leaned backward until I’d successfully trapped her between both arms. “The night I met you…did you leave my house with your pussy wet?”

Got her.

Her throat bobbed and I know she knows she’s fucked with this one. Because she can try to lie all she wants and keep her clothes on, but we both fucking know better. Her lips pursed and I wondered if she’d actually answer, but…

She reached down between us, crossing her arms and pulling her shirt up.

I made room for her to drag it up and over her head, and then it hit the wooden floor.

My dimple is showing. I can feel it. She looks defeated, and damn near pissed about it.

This is the first time I’ve ever seen her bare chest. The only word that keeps crawling through my mind, other than ‘flawless’?

Mine.

She’s a fucking priceless canvas of quotes, death, roses and squished bugs.

And I think I’m way past falling for her—I’m pretty sure I’ve hit the fucking bottom.

She broke me out of my deep revelation, reaching up to take the lolli out of my mouth and stick it in her own.

The face she made nearly sent me laughing myself off the edge of the bed.

“This tastes like cough syrup! What the fuck?”

“Then give it back,” I laughed, attempting to take it from her. It got me a hand slap.

“No. My turn.” I nuzzled into her neck, nipping her skin with my teeth, distracting her while she tried to come up with something to level the board. “Tell me why you killed Mr. Nightshade.” I paused, raising my head. “Conor. Why’d you torture him that night?”

“I told you that already. He disrespected you.”

“Yeah, but you never told me how .”

I cocked my head and leaned it into my palm, smiling down at her.

“I think the word he used was…cute? Or somethin’ to that effect.

And I watched the video feed from when you’d first arrived at the house.

That was an extremely thorough pat-down.

” Her eyes rolled and her tongue clicked on the lollipop.

“You can’t be fucking serious.”

“Why not?”

Her brows relaxed, and I knew right then she’d got me.

“You tied him to a chair and cut off his fingers—one of them distinctly marked with one of the tattoos I’m assuming you all have—and you’re gonna try and tell me it was because he complimented me?

” I opened my mouth to argue, but…nothing came out.

“What was the real reason?” Clever wee shite .

My smirk stretched. I raised up onto my knees between her legs and tugged my shirt over my head. “Ahhh… interesting .”

Time to get a bit more serious.

I settled on top of her again, taking the lollipop stick between my teeth, and this time she let me have it.

I flipped it with my tongue, leaving her wide-eyed while I sucked the candy part of it into my mouth.

She should see me with a cherry stem. “Would you let me take you on a real date?” We’ve already exchanged bodily fluids in a morgue, fucked in a hearse, and buried bodies together…

but this…this changes everything. If she says yes, she confirms the idea that she wants more from this after the job is done and her end of the deal is over.

And I can tell…she’s not ready to reveal what side of that war is winning.

Some part of me was almost disappointed to see her slide her hands to her hips and start slipping those tiny shorts down. But I kind of expected it. I lifted off of her enough to give her room…and I’m right. Naked as the day she was born. “Guess I lose… shucks .”

I smiled and let the lollipop drop out of my mouth…right between her tits. She flinched. “Oops…” My eyes stayed glued to hers while I dragged it down her body…past her navel…over her pelvic bone. “Ask me my favorite flavor…”

“No.” I slid the candy through her slit and she started breathing harder. “Show me.” My cock went rogue as soon as she raised her knees and spread them apart. “ Show me …” she whispered.

I leaned forward, keeping my eyes on hers while my tongue pressed the hard candy into the bud of her clit, swirling around the nerves I knew were twisting her into a fucking disaster.

She cursed under her breath, blindly riding my face and I moved the lollipop lower, sucking her clit into my mouth and shoving it inside her.

Her head fell back, and I smiled, my tongue moving furiously over that spot until I didn’t taste cough syrup anymore.

Her thighs held me hostage…me and my lollipop…

while she dragged out a shattered moan and came on her parents’ bed.

That’s my good girl.

I soothed her with gentle strokes of my palm down the side of her thigh until she stopped shaking and kissed that perfect pussy as I eased back, slipping the lollipop out.

Seven raised her head, panting, and watched a trail of her cum follow the candy back up to my mouth.

I made a show of savoring every drop of it until it cracked between my molars and I swallowed it down like fine whiskey.

“See?” I smiled, tossing the stick over my shoulder and kissing the inside of her raised knee. “Everybody wins, baby.”