: Chapter 32

My girl is a natural, she dazzles the room. Not just with her quick wit and smart mouth, but she drains the rich old pricks dry. She takes their money with a cheeky smile and a dirty word. They don’t know what to make of her, she holds nothing back. She’s rude, she’s loud, and she’s fucking perfect.

She cleans the table at poker, and sits in her chair like a fucking queen, her legs crossed and flashing long, lean limbs that were wrapped around my head not too long ago. Knowing she has no knickers on leaves me in a constant state of arousal, not to mention how fucking good she is. A girl after my own heart.

She knows when to fold and when to bluff.

It’s hot as hell. Our snakes gleam in her ears and on her neck, marking her as ours. I split my attention between her and the crowd, looking for threats. Normally, I wouldn’t care, I would enjoy a good fight, but with her with me, nobody is getting close enough for that.

Nobody touches her.

She wins another hand and winks over at me, sending desire right to my cock. “Looks like these rich bastards really like to part with their money. I gotta say, I expected them to be better at this shit, seeing as they wanna keep their money to stay rich.” She laughs, and the other women laugh with her. “What are you laughing at, Karen? We all know you lie on your back for those jewels.” She snorts at a youngish woman, who’s with the old, wrinkly bastard glaring at my girl.

The woman gasps, looking shocked, her mouth opening and closing, but she’s not denying it. Everyone knows she’s a gold digger, though I don’t actually think her name is Karen. “You play as good as you fuck,” I tell my girl, and the men hear, looking uncomfortable while I smirk.

“So do you.” She grins. “If they do also, I feel sorry for their wives. That’s clearly not why they married them.”

I laugh so hard I almost cry. God, this is amazing. Roxy was never going to blend in here. She’s got a brain, she’s too opinionated, and she doesn’t stay quiet, but her mouth? Fuck, I love it. She doesn’t give a shit that these are the most influential people in the city. She acts the same around them as she does us and the patrons in her bar.

It’s refreshing and so fucking alluring.

She stands. “I’m bored, they are too easy.” She looks at me. “How about one-on-one.” Her eyes run down my body. “Give me a real challenge, you’re a rich prick, after all. What do you have to lose?”

Laughing, I toss back my drink and stand. “You’re on, darling. What’s your price?”

“Everything.” She grins. “I win, I get everything, I get you.” It reminds me of when we first played, and that’s the point. Fuck.

“And I if win?” I murmur, pressing against her, uncaring about the disgusted eyes aimed our way for breaking social protocol. Fuck their judgement.

“You get me,” she murmurs seductively.

“Oh, darling, I already have you, but you’re on.” I lead her to a private table and get started on showing her why everyone hates betting against me.

I win.

It pisses her off, but she accepts it as we stand again and make our way around the room. I purposely steer her to people I hate and introduce them to see what she will say. It’s my favourite new game, I never know what will come out her mouth. When we approach people, they actually try to back away, not out of fear like normal, but out of disgust for what my ‘trash-mouthed whore’ will say.

The man who said that might currently be knocked out in the toilet, my handiwork. “Darling, this is Mayor Brentworth,” I inform her, introducing her to him and his wife.

“It is nice to meet you, Roxy. I hear you’re making a real stir.” The mayor laughs.

“Maybe, or maybe you rich people aren’t used to hearing the truth. I know you ain’t. When was the last time you looked past your skyscrapers to the people sleeping rough, your people? Next time you bet ten grand on a game, think of what it would do for those in need, hmmm?” she offers, angry now.

Ah, my little viper. Always trying to save people.

He whitens like a sheet, even though his wife laughs. “I like her. I’ve been telling him he needs to invest more money in the outskirts, and less in these rich men.”

Roxy blinks as a slow grin stretches across her face. “I like you.” She nods, looking back at the mayor as she adds, “She’s smart, you should listen to her once in a while, Mayor, and maybe less people would hate you.” She tosses back her drink and turns to me. “I’m bored, wanna leave?”

Smirking, I circle an arm around her waist. “Hell yes, let’s get out of here. I can fuck you on a bed of the money you won.” Her eyes light up as I hear those around us gasp, making me laugh harder as I lean into her. “Never change, baby, tonight is the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

“Shocking old men?” She grins.

“No, laughing while I work. This life…I sometimes hate the money side of it and the people it brings around like vultures. Tonight…tonight I got to be me and have fun, thank you,” I drawl, as I lead her from the room.

When we get outside, the valet runs to get our car, and it’s just her and me. She leans into my chest. “Thank you for bringing me. I had fun, it was nice to get out, to be helpful, and it wasn’t hard to insult those fuckers for you. I don’t like the way they were looking down at you.”

I snort. “I come from old money, darling, but they know it’s blood money. They have and always will look down on us. We gave up trying to fit in years ago.”

“So? They don’t get to look down on you, not while I’m around.” She grins as the car pulls up.

I can’t speak, so I just kiss her. She was trying to protect us, to fight for us in her own way, and I can’t help but love her for that. Our very own little hitter.

A Viper like us.

I get her in the car before speeding away, but at the end of the drive I stop and look at her. “Tired?”

She shakes her head, leaning back in the seat and watching me. “Not even close, why?”

“Want to see where I really go? Where I am myself?” I ask.

She nods with a confused smile, and I pull away.

She lives in the moment. Roxy was never made for that life, she was just waiting until we found her. I’m only sorry it took so long. She belongs in our world, she shook it up and made us realise we were losing ourselves.

With her, I’m myself.

With her, I’m happy.

And now I’m going to take her to the one place I never take anyone. No riches, no clubs, or games. Just a place I go to escape it all sometimes, a place I don’t even tell Ryder I visit. It would make me sentimental, but it helps me too.

We drive through the city, but leave the music and lights behind. I know she’s wondering where we’re going, but I can’t bring myself to speak, even as we pull up at the cemetery. She gets out, and I silently take her hand and unlock the gate. I can feel her staring at me, but I walk with her silently down the path, finding the grave I want near the back. It’s away from others, with a huge angel reaching into the sky and a bench before it. I sit, and so does Roxy, her hand still in mine, her shoulder pressing against me as she undoubtedly reads the stone.

My mother’s.

“She wasn’t a bad woman, she loved us deeply. I think Ryder forgets that sometimes. He did pay for this, though, to look after her in death. I come here a lot to speak to her, to feel close to her. To never forget where we come from and the strength of love and bonds,” I whisper into the dark.

“Kenzo,” she whispers, pressing closer.

“She would have loved you, you know?” I grin. I used to find sadness here, but not now. I find it peaceful, my escape. I miss her, I always will, but she wasn’t made for this world. Too soft, too loving, too caring. My father destroyed it all. I will never let Ryder become that. He protects us, and I keep him humble…well, I try.

“You think?” she queries, seeming surprised. “I’m not exactly…on your level, babe.”

I snort. “She came from the streets. I guess I never told you that. She ran away from her father at fifteen after he raped her one too many times. She told me once when I was upset about my father, and I didn’t understand why she stayed.” She presses closer still, as if her presence can ward off the bad memories.

“He found her on the streets, saw her beauty. He lavished her with money and gifts at first, protecting her like no one else ever had. That’s why she stayed at first, darling, to be safe. Then, she remained because of us. She might have been weak, but she was also strong, so strong, because she stayed in a monster’s lair to protect us, to love us, even when it led to her death,” I whisper. Roxy sighs, and when I look over, there are tears in her eyes. “Roxy, she was strong, and so are you. But you’re stronger, so much stronger, and you are smart, savvy, beautiful, and kind, yet you also know how to hold your own. You’re mean, you’re angry, and so fucking amazing. If you want, this can be your spot, too, when it all gets to be too much. When you hate them, when you’re mad, you can come here. I’ll always bring you, even if you don’t wanna talk to me.”

I look back at the grave then, but she reaches out, cups my cheek, and turns my head. I lean my forehead against hers. “Thank you, Kenzo,” she whispers, before kissing me tenderly. “I can feel how much she loved you and you her. She was so lucky for that and so were you.”

“I know.” I grin softly.

“Tell me about her?” she requests, and kisses me again before leaning her head on my shoulder. There, under the moon, I tell her stories of my mother. Ones I have never spoken. Ryder doesn’t want to hear them, they hurt him. He won’t admit it, but he never forgave her for leaving him, for not saving us. I did. So it’s nice to share them with someone.

With my girl who laughs with me, and when I finally cry, holds me. Wrapping me in her arms and stroking my hair, she rains kisses down on my head. “I’m falling in love with you, darling,” I murmur, and she freezes.

“Don’t, love has a way of changing to hate,” she whispers fearfully, and I lift my head. It’s my turn to hold her.

“We started with hate, baby, I don’t think it’s going to go the other way for us. Love can hurt, I know that.” I look to the grave pointedly. “But it also gave me those stories, which I treasure to this day. Anyway, it’s not something you can stop, Rox.” I grin widely. “It’s happening, so get on board.” I wink, making her laugh.

“Idiot.”

“Ahh, it’s better than asshole, which is what you usually call me.”

“Oh, you’re still that too,” she whispers, as I kiss her again. “I’m scared,” she admits.

“I know, so are we. But you have never been one to let fear stop you, and neither have we.”

She nods, and we go back to sitting side by side, lost in our own thoughts, our bodies tangled together under the night sky. I should return home, the others will be worried, but I want to steal one more moment with just her and me. Because tonight, I have seen more of the real Roxy, of the person she tries to hide, the one her father tried to beat out of her, than I have since she came to me.

Us.

Every time I find another piece of this woman, I fall harder. The question is, will she love me back?