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CHAPTER 225
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Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 226
AustinWhen I’m inking her skin, I enter another zone where the normal world is dreamlike. My entire focus centers on the flesh beneath my fingers. Tattooing has always been my escape. With her, it’s different in so many ways—the softness of her skin, the shiver that occasionally passes along her back and shoulders, and the timbre of her voice. The dark swirls of my past infiltrate her skin just like the ink. But unlike the ink, she absorbs the darkness and turns it light. She’s playing havoc with my thoughts and this isn’t a good thing. She isn’t as malleable as she lets on.It was stupid to allow her upstairs. I didn’t give it thought when the words spilled from my mouth. It’s something about her that I can’t put my finger on. It felt right to have her walking around my home. Not that she was able to explore, but her presence reminded me of the way Cindy filled a room and made me feel welcome.Melina complied so beautifully with my orders and I’ll probably do it again. And yes, it w
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 227
AustinI’m careful about the blood as I begin systematically removing his fingers. The plastic tarp beneath him flows red and his screams are deafening. I’m tempted to cut out his tongue even without the information I came for. Only two fingers remain on his left hand when he starts talking. Diego Fernandez has his fingers where they don’t belong and those fingers will come off one by one too. The bullet I place between the man’s eyes cuts off his final scream. I look at the three men standing in the warehouse with a dispassionate stare. This is my business now and I’ll respond exactly as Victor would. Death is a gift. The men in my world respect that. They know Victor held me on a tight leash and I don’t want them to see all of the monster quite yet.Without a word, I wash my hands in a small sink, remove the rubber apron, roll down my sleeves, and place my jacket back on. I casually pull my shades over my eyes and walk from the warehouse, leaving the men to dispose of the body. A st
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 228
MelinaMy back hurts. Hell, my entire body hurts. The stone floor is hard, cold, and uncomfortable. All I do is sleep in the darkness or lay with my eyes open staring at nothing. Even exercise is no longer helping. The slow tendrils of insanity threaten me. I don’t know how much longer I can handle the boredom of living in the dark with limited mobility. Now I only want to scream. If I start, I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop.The door opens above the stairs and I wait for the light to go on, but it doesn’t happen. Austin carries down a tray with a penlight providing direction. He rests the tray on the cement and leaves without a word. On the tray is another small flashlight. I click it on before his light clears the basement.Victory. Something I’m doing is getting through to him. It could be my stories or my submission. I laugh at the thought. I don’t have a submissive bone in my body; it’s a complete sham. Not the stories, though. Those are true and it’s comforting to finally sa
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 229
MelinaI don’t cry. I can’t. Tears never help anything. Reliving the day at the zoo was good for me. My mom was happy that day. She was a shy woman with no backbone. My father kept her easily in line by threatening me. I often wondered why she didn’t kill him. I wondered the same about myself as I grew older.Austin begins wiping down my skin and tapes on more plastic wrap when he’s finished. I take comfort in his touch. For once I appreciate his silence. He eventually leads me back to the wall. He gives me to the darkness without a backwards glance. Remembering is exhausting and I sleep like the dead.The next morning he turns on the overhead light when he brings food. After breakfast I feel refreshed for the first time in days. My heart thumps in anticipation at what the overhead light means. I crave the release the needle brings.Austin doesn’t speak. We have a routine now and I offer no trouble when he leads me to the bed. Even his eyes appear somber today. He prepares his equipme
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 230
AustinAfter three weeks, the tattoo is almost complete. Melina’s stories always begin when I push the pedal and fire up the Dragonfly. By now she knows I won’t offer comfort. That doesn’t stop the words from pouring into the room. It’s hard not to believe her. The horrifyingly real details paint a life of fear and survival much like mine, only hers carries on today. My nightmare ended when Victor picked me up from the juvenile facility.Diego Fernandez will die by my hand for what he did to Cindy and now, for what has been done to Melina.Every two days I bring her upstairs, allow her time to wash in the bathroom sink and eat a meal at the table. The hard part is taking her back into the basement. I enjoy seeing her walking in my home. When she’s up here, I think of the house as mine and not Victor’s. Maybe I like having her up here too much.All I have left to ink is the top and bottom parts of the design. One skeletal hand will swirl over her shoulder and settle on her breast. The
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 231
AustinI ease the pressure while looking into her stark, brown eyes. They’re flaked with gold and hold an entire world I know nothing about. I only know the bad parts and I know she’s unafraid. She may be the only person who doesn’t fear me. It’s one of the reasons I believe the stories she’s told me. Her lack of fear could only come from a place that’s lived with ongoing terror. I had the same demeanor when Victor brought me here. Nothing done to me could be worse than what I had already survived. She’s like me—a survivor. Her brother won’t be the end of her. His death will bring her freedom. No, I won’t kill her even if the thought of squeezing her throat until she’s unconscious has my cock going rock hard. The biggest problem is I don’t trust myself to stop before it’s too late and that would ruin my plans. Yeah, the old Austin is still here and scarier than ever.I work on her shoulder connecting the tapestry to a skeletal arm matching the one on her ass. She inhales slowly and gr
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 232
MelinaI say nothing. It’s been a bad day. Yeah and that’s laughable. The days have been bad since I found myself in this godforsaken hellhole. My thoughts have been crazy, and the hours stretched on and on. There’s a berserker rampage happening inside my head. It’s the certainty that I’m going to die. But first, my brother will peel the tattoo from my skin. The picture in my head is so real, I actually feel the burn.I pull the shirt down as far as it will go and pull the blanket around the rest of my body. Today my feelings are raw and I don’t want Austin seeing any of me. I won’t deny I have quasi-feelings for him and it’s not just hatred. I hate admitting this to myself because Austin has given me little to like. Then he’ll do something that shows he’s human. I’ve never seen a man how I see him. It’s not only his looks which would attract any woman, it’s something about him that brings out tender feelings in me where once there was only hatred. I want to soothe his demons. If ther
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 233
MelinaVery slowly his eyes change. They no longer appear cold. It’s like he’s seeing me for the first time, and his mouth widens into a full grin. “Where has your feisty side been hiding?”That’s all it takes for me to unleash. I hit and kick then bite his arm until I taste blood. The hard slap he gives my jaw jars my teeth. It doesn’t matter, I keep fighting.“Need help, boss?”I barely hear the words. I’m going to kill Austin or die trying. His hand in my hair and arm around my throat cutting off my air finally stops me. He shifts his body so my back is to his front, pulls me against him, and continues squeezing until I have no oxygen. It’s impossible to fight when you can’t breathe.“You finished?” he whispers gruffly.All I can do is nod. He lets me go and I fall to my knees inhaling air like it’s chocolate. Slowly, I glance up. He doesn’t even look angry. His hand comes down in front of me. “Come on, tiger, let’s get inside. My guards are having a field day.”I look behind us an
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Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 333: Extra Scene
I rolled over and yawned, my arms coming from beneath the soft white cotton of the bedding and bumped the hard body next to me. Moon’s hand went into my hair and he moved his leg between mine and something very hard hit my belly making me smile. The smile lasted a few seconds before I covered my hand and jumped from the bed trying to get to the toilet before I lost the contents of my stomach. Yep, that was sexy. This time the hand in my hair pulled it back away from my face while I heaved my guts. He didn’t say anything and just waited for me to finish. It was horrible and at the same time endearing because I loved him so much. I stood and leaned back against his body. “Crawl back into bed and I’ll grab tea and crackers,” Moon said gently. I wanted to bitch and moan about the morning sickness but held it in. When I had my shoulder injury that took me from my career as a cop, I had a small amount of control. I could do my physical therapy and ice as needed and it worked. There was
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 332
Duke The wedding night was at the cabin and our honeymoon at the property. We had a week to ourselves. Cori laughed when I carried her over the threshold and straight to my bed. “Do not touch that dress,” I typed into my phone before checking the house was secure and I could fuck my wife for the first time. Her laughter followed me. When I walked back into the room, she was waiting exactly where I left her, smart woman. She opened her legs wide, the stilettos going to either side of the bed. A bit of red showed. The dress was fucking perfect. I crawled between her legs and pushed the yards of black lace up higher in the bed and snagged the red G-string with a finger. The garter wasn’t in my way. Cori sat up suddenly and stopped my exploration. “You spoke your vows.” I smiled even though my dick throbbed. “Thank you,” she added and lay back. I planned to fuck her until she couldn’t walk or talk. I didn’t remove the red nothing lace. I lazily fingered her, then took a long, slo
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 331
CoriIf I weren’t lying down, I would have fallen. Of all the things she could say, it was the last I expected and I couldn’t hide my shock.“No, I’m not pregnant yet but we’ve decided to try. We’re leaving and starting a family. Alex and Celina are taking over Moon’s operation.” She turned to Celina. “I’ll call it Alex’s operation eventually.”“Are you sure?” I asked softly.I was having trouble processing.“I’m absolutely positive. I thought I never wanted children but when Moon brought it up, I knew I was wrong. I want Moon’s babies.”“As in multiple?” I asked in horror.Children wasn’t something I ever wanted. I was not a rug rat fan and could tolerate Sofia’s rug rats for a limited time only. I thought Mak and I were on the same page.“We’ll decide if we want another after the first.”“Congratulations,” I offered, my voice uncertain.Melina started laughing.“You’re taking it how I did. The last thing needed in this world is a mini Austin.”I could most definitely second that.“O
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 330
CoriLife slowly returned to normal, though my new normal was much different than the old one. Things changed more after the cast came off and Duke could ride again. That’s when I became a true biker bitch.I blinged the shit out of my newly purchased black wardrobe and made that shit look good. I had standing orders from the other old ladies too. The club whores and I had a talk and we seemed to be on good terms. My end of that conversation was short.“Keep your hands off my man and we won’t have a problem. Touch him, even when I’m not around, and you’ll lose a fucking nipple, we clear?”They were fine with it. I understood their world. Respect was key. I had no problem with their choices as long as they respected me and my man.Dax’s club was a community of misfits and I fit in like I never thought I could. They didn’t care that I arrived in five-inch stilettos, looking like I was heading to a ritzy club. They accepted me as Duke’s old lady.Duke spoke to Dax and arranged a week off
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 329
Cori“How is Mr. Grumpy today?” Mak asked. She had her overprotective Pitbull at her side. I hadn’t seen Two-dogs since I arrived with Duke. I contained myself to the kitchen and Duke’s room. Two-dogs stayed out of Gabriella’s domain because the two of them stayed at war over what was permissible and what was not. I secretly thought Gabriella slipped the dog treats when no one watched but I had no way to prove it. I guess her new kindness made me think she was something other than Attila the Hun. I needed to watch those stupid fantasies.With assistance, Duke had made it downstairs for this morning’s physical therapy. He refused pain meds afterward and fell asleep exhausted. It gave me time to do something normal. I’d quietly left the room and gone to the outside patio to escape. The heat, even with the water misters, would make it too hot to stay for long but it was nice to be outside.I blinked at Mak who carried a towel. She took the lounge chair beside mine.“He’s sleeping. I’m es
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 328
DukeMy biggest problem was boredom. It almost went hand in hand with people poking and prodding constantly. I didn’t live at the clubhouse for a reason. If it weren’t for Cori, I would have found a way to escape Moon’s place the first day. Maybe. I was fooling myself. The ability to lift a spoon to my lips was pushing things.I remembered little about what happened at Wild Fur. Between blood loss and the damage to my stomach, I should have died in oblivion. Things were foggy since waking too. I remembered telling Cori I loved her. It just came out. I hadn’t practiced speaking in years. It was something I did when younger when no one was around. I never felt comfortable with the sound of my voice and eventually decided it wasn’t necessary. That was true until Cori. There were things she needed to hear. Cori hadn’t asked me to speak since it happened. I doubted she even understood what I’d said.My grandfather took me in when my dad went to prison for almost killing me. They were the b
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 327
CoriThe air in the room was soft if that were even a thing. There were four rows of chairs. There was a podium at the front. No crucified Jesus hung from the wall, only a large framed needlepoint with writing.“Enter in peace and leave your sorrow.”I sat in the front row and bowed my head. My prayer was to Jesus.“I’ve never asked for anything.”Tears gathered in my eyes and turned to sobs. I couldn’t go on and fell apart. So many thoughts tumbled through my head. I was the whore of Babylon. If there were a man who would hear me, it would be Jesus.“Please,” was all I managed the next time I tried.The quiet settled over me and I inhaled in and out slowly. Within a few minutes, I wiped my tears. The room, like Duke with his silence, gave me peace. It also gave me strength.I went back to ICU and held his hand again. He wouldn’t die because I wouldn’t let him. I spoke to him quietly and assured him all would be okay. I spoke of silly things. I had to keep the connection so he knew I
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 326
CoriIt took us more than three hours to get back to the city and another hour through rush-hour traffic to get to Wild Fur. Moon sent his men in first and stayed with me in the SUV. Alex and Austin were with the other women at his compound. Moon didn’t want them here. He’d also left a vehicle behind with four men on Duke’s property to dispose of the bodies.The men cleared inside the Wild Fur quickly. There were two female employees cleaning and handling inventory. The place didn’t open until eight at night. They weren’t harmed and they were assured they could leave after we found Duke. The men hadn’t located him when they cleared the building. Moon and I entered and were shown the entrance to the basement.A light had been turned on. It looked no better than the club upstairs. I saw a rat scurry along the wall. Moon found the hidden door within a few minutes. He pried it open and we entered the dark room.The smell of excrement and death hit us.Death.I couldn’t breathe.In the sha
Hotter Than Hell CHAPTER 325
CoriDuke never left my thoughts. If he was dead, so was I. My life changed that fast. We hadn’t known each other long and it didn’t matter. He was everything I wanted and most of all he was someone who loved me for who I was. I knew he loved me. He shared his silent world and refused to take advantage when he could have. From the time his arms wrapped around me in the car after my escape from Fernandez, we belonged together.My past didn’t matter to him because he lived in a world where endurance and hard work were part of life. Duke and the men like him respected survival.Moon brought more firepower than required and the guns we’d pulled from the cave weren’t exactly needed. I decided to stick with Duke’s weapons because he made sure I was familiar with them. A piece of him was with me.Our plan had been to ambush the vehicles a mile before the entrance to the property. Alex moved the attack to the house. I wasn’t worried about Cartwright’s men knowing the location. None would leav
