Page 133 of Jace
Grant shakes his head. “Axel’s fucking crazy if he thinks his plan will work. Even if he and Remi are tight, the cousins hide more skeletons than we do. The last thing they need is to put their company’s name on federal documents testifying that Sasha’s been working for them for years.”
I wince. “It is kinda ris?—”
“Well, hey there, big fella,” a voice gushes as a hand gropes my ass. I reel around to three women, a little flushed fromtesting brews. One with her lips barely slurring, “Anyone ever tell you you look like that big sexy Reacher guy?” The brunette eyefucks Grant next. “You too, big boy. Are you twins?”
Annoyed, Grant lies to her, “Yeah.”
“And we’re taken.” But I tell the truth. “Thank you, ladies, but hands off and move along.”
“But why?” She drags her long red fingernail down her amply exposed cleavage. “With the size of you two, there’s plenty to enjoy. We don’t mind taking turns.”
“ButImind.” My favorite voice interrupts her. Vivian returns, nestling between us, proudly hooking her arm around my waist, then Grant’s. “These aremymen, ladies. Go find your own.”
To emphasize her claim, I reach down and cup her ass. To piss me off, Grant does the same.
But in this instance, I don’t mind.
Neither does Viv.
She’s Grant’s as well. He adores her. Vivian’s about to be my queen, my lioness, who’s defending Delphine’s man from hungry cougars when she’s not here.
It’s what the queens do for each other. They guard their mates as much as we do.
But the brash brunette scoffs, narrowing her eyes. “They can’tbothbe yours.”
“Oh, but we are.” I smirk. “And together, we treat her like a queen.”
“Both? Together?” A younger blonde twists her face in disgust at Vivian. “What a whore; you’re a cum bucket.”
I tense—so does Grant.
I’d never hurt a woman, but for Vivian, I’ll kill anyone.
But her touch pulls me back, Grant as well.
Vivian lifts her chin and proudly schools her. “You know, my whole life, I’ve feared being slut-shamed like this. Cruel peoplelike you have made others want to take their lives. Do you realize that? Your words can hurtthatmuch. You think you’re so morally righteous with your judgment, when really, you’re the sinful one causing harm.”
She tilts her head. “But then I realized, your scorn is hurting yourself. You’re miserable becauseyou’retoo ashamed to ask for what you really want. It makes you jealous and bitter and probably fuck like a dying fish, because if you had a love like this…” On cue, I lean down, kissing her neck; Grant does the same, and she smiles. “If you actually felt love likeyoudesire, you’d be happy for everyone to feel it too.”
I see it flash across the blonde’s eyes. Her friend’s as well. Vivian dropped a truth bomb on their lives.
But the brunette sneers. “No God-fearin’ woman would ever whore herself out like that.”
Vivian licks her lips like a lioness on the savanna before she purrs, “Oh, honey, I don’t fear God. I thank him every night for giving me three holes to fill, and I love it whenallof my kings do.”
The brunette angles back like she was bitch-slapped, hissing, “You little, fucking?—”
“My sestra!” Sasha shocks us, charging our way with her shout. Somehow, she’s gotten a hold of a bread knife—must be from the loaves they serve here—as she jabs it against the brunette’s throat. “Touch her, and I shoot your dick.”
“Andnot with that you won’t.” Out of nowhere, Remi appears. Gently grabbing Sasha’s wrist, he lowers her culinary weapon, telling his customers, “Ladies, run. These are my friends, who you don’t want to fuck with.”
They hesitate until he casts a sinister glare that could freeze fire, so they storm off in a huff of slurs and curses.
I mutter into Vivian’s ponytail, “You okay?”
She gazes up at me, grinning. “Never better.”
I believe her, wrapping tighter around her as we turn to catch Sasha wordlessly gazing up at Remi.
