Tirone (The Night Skulls MC #2)(38)

He pulled away gently only to look into my eyes and smile. “There’s no trouble, my princess, my queen. I love you.”

“I love you, too. I swear.”

“I don’t believe you,” his finger ran down the middle line between my breasts, “not until you show me.”

“I’d love to, but can we do this later? I was mentally prepared for a punishment.” I scowled. “I need it.”

The back of his hand brushed my cheek. “You don’t need a punishment, baby. You need to be worshipped.”

If only he knew how much I loved what he was saying, how much it’d have turned me on… I wished I could have felt that way right now, but it was impossible. My shame wouldn’t allow it.

It wasn’t his fault, though. If I didn’t play along, he’d think something was wrong or he’d feel bad about it. I couldn’t let him worry or wonder. He deserved nothing but happiness, dedication, love and loyalty.

“Show me, baby. Tell me what you need,” he whispered.

Knock! Knock!

“Not now!” Laius shouted.

“Sorry, Prez, but you need to come down. Now. It’s Rex.”





CHAPTER 20


Jo



Relief washed over me when Marshall knocked on our door. Saved by the bell, so to speak. Then he mentioned Ty, and any sign of relief was brutally replaced by shards of fear and worry.

Laius and I got dressed swiftly. “That boy is going to be the death of me.” He burst to the door, music too loud with interludes of roars and screams flooding in. “What the fuck did he do now?!”

“Scaring the fuck out everybody!” Marshall yelled over the blaring sounds, a visible wound in his hairline. “It’s real shitty down there!”

“Stay here!” Laius slammed the door shut before I could object.

I stood still, staring at the door, my heart squeezing. Ty must be having one of his violent episodes, without a doubt, because of what I’d said to him, because of what he assumed Laius and I were doing in the privacy of our room.

I stalked to the door. I had to go and do something before he hurt someone or ended up in another fist fight with his dad. This had to stop, and I was the only one who could put an end to it.

My hand faltered on the doorknob. How are you going to stop it? Giving him a hug, asking him to come back to you, in front of your boyfriend and the whole MC?

Saving Ty was more important than my dignity. I couldn’t live with myself knowing I stood idle when I could have helped him.

What about Furore’s dignity? Have you thought about that? Humiliating him in front of his brothers and his crew, or does that mean nothing to you?

Clenching my jaws, I winced. Laius meant everything to me. I couldn’t hurt him either.

Stay here and let his father handle him. Tirone isn’t your responsibility anymore. Keep your distance and give both of you a chance to move on and heal.

That would have been the right choice if I hadn’t known what Tirone was capable of, the amount of damage he could do when he was hurt. I shouldn’t have said anything to him. I should have known better than to think he’d have listened to logic or decency.

My story with Tirone would never end. Not peacefully. I was trapped in a dangerous circle of fire he’d never put out, not without blood. There was no escaping us. Unless…

I nodded to myself through the tears. There was no other way than to end all of this once and for all.

I had to tell Laius the truth.





CHAPTER 21


Jo



My feet weighed a hundred pounds as I dragged them out of the room. The noises coming from downstairs curdled the blood in my veins. Shattered glass. Screams. Swears of wrath. Threats of torture to death. I held the banister and looked down at what seemed to be, despite the dark, a battlefield from hell.

Abruptly, Doc flew up the stairs and held my arm. “You have to go back inside. Rex is out of control.”

“I can help him,” I whispered.

“No. He’s incoherent and been attacking every single person who dares come near him, even if they’re trying to help. He injured Molar and Marshall.”

A tightness in my chest constricted my breath as remorse flooded through me. Tirone was angry and lost. He’d been hurting people. He could even hurt himself. And it was all my fault.

“I have to try,” I sobbed.

“Prez’s orders are clear. Keep you inside and as far away from Rex as possible. You have to stay in your room. I’ll lock you up if I have to.”

Something smashed against the ceiling, and another scream erupted. I used the distraction to escape Doc’s grip and darted down the stairs.

“No! Fuck! Jo!” His footsteps scurried behind me, but I kept going. My own guilt was eating away at me and I needed to get in there and fix this. This had to end. Everything had to end. Now.

I trudged through the narrow hallway that led to the bar counter near the kitchen, glass cracking beneath my shoes. The only light there was the faint glow from lamps that hung over the pool tables. I could see well, though. I was used to it, and it gave me an advantage over Doc. Men and woman stared at me like I was crazy for coming down. I didn’t care. I had to go in there.

“Get back, Jo,” Doc barked behind me.