Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 46500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
“How much longer do you think that’s going to take, Ink?” he asked me. “You going to make Joey lose his VP all because you and Jessie can’t get your shit together?”
I clenched my jaw. “I know what I want,” I told him. “I fucking want her. But I want her to be healthy, to fucking take care of herself. Jesus Christ, Alejandro, I just want her to fucking trust me, and she doesn’t—not completely, not where it really fucking matters. So, it’s not me. It’s her. And I hate saying that because she’s always been so goddamn perfect to me, but it’s the honest fucking truth. I keep putting myself through the fucking shredder for her, and for what? Just for her to keep changing her fucking mind on what she wants?”
“Joey said she wears her hair up twenty-four-seven now to keep your claim on full display.”
I shrugged. “Alejandro, as much as I want to feel like that means something, right now, it doesn’t. Because she agreed to get that tattoo, knowing it made her my old lady, knowing I was staking a claim that would assert dominance over her. She’s been in this life for as long as she can remember. She knows what my name on her body symbolizes. We even have tattoos for each other,” I said, holding out my arm for him to read. “And hers says he is mine to call on. But we keep going through this same vicious ass cycle.”
“Maybe she doesn’t like the kind of sex you’re into?” he asked me. I narrowed my eyes at him. “Maybe she doesn’t like to be dominated in that aspect, Ink.”
I snorted. “Alejandro, the only experience she’s had with any man controlling her during sex is when Joey’s old VP fucking tried to kill Joey and ended up beating her, raping her, and controlling every goddamn thing she did.” I shook my head as he just silently stared at me. “It’s been years since that incident happened, and she just recently let me actually be with her that way.”
“You mean to tell me you kept your dick in your pants that fucking long for her?” Alejandro asked me. Even he looked appalled at that idea.
I shrugged. “My hand did what it needed to.” He shook his head. “For me, there’s no one else but her—never will be anyone else. So, if she decides that she can’t handle me and all that being with me entails, then I’ll have Joey black my name out on her neck, and I’ll let her move on.”
“But you won’t,” Alejandro noted.
I shook my head. “No, I won’t,” I admitted. “But I’ll let her go if it’s what she really wants.”
“Jesus, Ink. You’ve got it fucking bad.”
I sighed. “I’ve always had it bad for her, Alejandro.” I rolled my neck. “I’m done talking about it,” I told him. “I’m going to use the gym. I’ll be ready to go by eleven.”
With that, I downed the rest of my beer, threw the empty bottle into the trash, and moved out of the kitchen, heading towards my room to change into workout clothes so I could lose myself in the only thing I knew to do anymore these days—fucking work out.
9
Jessie
Alejandro met me on the circular drive in front of his massive home. He was wearing a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt, looking like a normal man rather than the cold-hearted killer he actually was.
He tilted his head to the side, studying me for a moment before he spoke. “Ink has no fucking idea you’re here.”
I shrugged at him. “I figured this was a conversation we needed to have in person,” I told him. And I was nervous as hell for it.
He grunted. “Judging by the panicked phone call I received from your brother, you didn’t tell anyone you were leaving either, did you?” I grimaced. I knew Joey would stop me from coming out here, or at the very least, insist on protection. I didn’t want to draw any attention to myself. And I didn’t want to give Ink the chance to turn me away before I could talk to him.
“I just need to see Ink,” I told him. “Are you going to let me inside, or am I going to have to call him and tell him you’re stopping me from seeing him?”
“You got balls enough to actually make the phone call, Jessie?” Alejandro bluntly asked me, calling my bluff. I scowled up at him. God, he was an asshole. “Because you’re twisting Ink all around. The man is basically a shell of himself. Eat, sleep, drink, kill, and work out is all he fucking knows anymore.” I winced.
Alejandro sighed. “Come on,” he grunted as he turned towards the steps. I followed him up to the front door. “Ink is dealing with something for me at the moment. He found the fucker that shot Gloria. Joey has been notified, so they’re meeting up to do a transfer of custody. Your brother wants to deal with him.”