Hot Redemption (18 page)

I'd been under the impression that he was either going to take me home to his bed, or maybe even stop into a shady hotel, but even that wasn't fast enough for Epic's liking. He abruptly pulled off into a dark alleyway and bent me over the front of the scooter. In no time flat, my bare ass was in the air and he was sliding into me from behind. There was no use in me protesting. My level of wetness would tell him I was up for exactly what he was giving me. His fingers bit into my hips as he moved my body along his rock-hard dick. I felt like a teenager again, trying to get it wherever and however I could with my boyfriend. Just then Epic's palm slapped my ass and I moaned louder.
None of my boyfriends ever worked me over this good
.

“Nixie baby, fuck, you feel so good.”

My thighs began to shake and I gripped the front of the scooter for fear of falling off. I was about to lose control and Epic was already long gone. “Nix, I'm close, I want to feel you come all around me—please, baby.”

As if his words gave me permission, my orgasm ripped through my system and I screamed while I rocked back against him. I felt him climax mere moments later, accompanied with a strangled moan.

In the afterglow, while little aftershocks made my thighs quiver and Epic still held himself inside me—I wondered if maybe, possibly, Epic and I could make our relationship work and
if
I was falling for him.
Am I?
I wasn't even sure if I'd know it if I was. Things were moving so fast between us—impossibly fast. It was either the biggest mistake of my life—bigger than Teddy—or the best thing to ever happen to me. I was praying it was the latter.

CHAPTER 17

Epic

Get your mind on the hit and off of Nix.

I rubbed my face. Her scent stuck to my fingers. I had to force myself to not lick them or allow my mind to linger to the moment on the scooter.
Fuck.
She felt so good, so soft, and all mine. My dick throbbed with the thought that I'd be lying next to her again that night.

Concentrate.

I headed down the staircase. Red screens decorated the walls. Each held a pre-recorded image of a naked woman gyrating. I opened the door to the bottom level. Perfume mingled with smoke. I couldn't figure out where the smoke was coming from—hash, tropic, or marijuana.
Maybe cigarettes.
People were reverting back to the old-time paper cigarettes stuffed with tobacco leaves instead of the electronic ones that heated the leaf with vapor. Music pounded, a hard-hitting guitar with a metaled bass.

Red light bathed the area. I was really starting to get tired of the color. It was all over this club and in the district. It was hard to see with so many shades of red. But what I knew for sure was that women crowded the room and wore almost nothing but sweat and their hustle. Cube disks stuck to some of the dancers' breasts as if the guys sitting on the blood-red couches outlining the walls had slapped the money on those jiggling mounds. A DJ stood in the center inside a huge booth plastered with mirrors that reflected everything happening around him.

“Epic!” The blonde that Ain had brought over the night before ran up to me. A diamond bikini top strained to hold up her huge jugs. A diamond thong covered the area between her legs. She held an electronic cigarette between her fingers. Those candy-red lips widened into a huge smile. “Ain said you would start tonight. I've been looking all over for you.”

“Why?” I stepped around her and scanned the area. Nix either danced on this level or the ones above it. I hoped for the higher one, not wanting any trouble since things between us were going good. Besides, the plan for the evening was to check out the club, familiarize myself with the layout, as well as search for weak points and hidden exits. I had no time for whatever this chick desired.

I glanced up. Glass served as the ceiling. Men fucked women on top of it. It was an orgy fest up there. Palms of different sizes pressed against the see-through ceiling. Knees smeared the glass as they moved within their own rhythm. Breasts bobbed. Fog misted some areas. White liquid squirted near the spot I stared at.
Nix better not be in that area.
I formed my hands into tight fists.

“So how do you like it so far?” the blonde yelled into my ear.

“What girls work up there?” I pointed to the ceiling.

“The ones that Rodney owns.”

“Owns?”

She exposed the inner part of her wrist. Someone had embedded a barcode into her skin with digital ink. It gleamed in the red light. Earth had outlawed this form of slavery last year. Removing barcodes was big business.

“Trinity hasn't banned the slave trade here?”

“Nope.” She placed her hand on my chest. “You're huge. I'm Ice, by the way.”

“How many years do you owe?” I moved her hand away.

“Too many.”

I directed my attention back to the ceiling showing the group sex. “So only slaves are up there?”

“Yes. Why? Are you thinking about buying one tonight? It's expensive and to even enter that level is half the mortgage on your average house.”

“No.” I forced myself not to curse as she returned her hands to my chest and slid them over the curves of my pecs. “I'm wondering if my cousin was placed up there.”

“The new girl with the bird tattoo on her back?”

I nodded.

“No. She's over there.” Ice gestured to my left. I zoomed my eyes into the area, shifted the light setting to bright, and spotted Nix instantly. Nix's gaze had already been focused on mine as she danced for the couple in front of her. A frown expanded across Nix's face when she looked at Ice's hands now fondling my abs. I shoved them away. Nix shifted her focus to the customers. The guy and girl pair appeared like the typical couple that would come to a club—fat, old-looking guy, sexy young lady. The guy stuffed a cube into the pocket garter on her thighs. His girlfriend giggled, raised her hands, and teased Nix's rosy-pink nipples. My dick jerked within my pants as Nix climbed on top of the girl and began to rock into her.

“Just your cousin, huh?” Ice laughed.

“Yes. Just my cousin.” I battled with not licking my lips while the girl grabbed on to Nix's ass and squeezed.

“Well, at least that's what we want Rodney to think, right?”

I snapped my attention to Ice. “It's not what I want him to think. It's simply a fact.”

She leaned into me, so that her sugar-scented perfume enfolded around me. Her lips brushed against my ear. “Ain isn't good at keeping secrets. Once his dick pushed into my mouth, he told me everything.”

“Everything?” I feigned a bored expression, but inside fear swelled in my chest.
What the fuck did you say, Ain? I'm going to beat the shit out of you.

“He told me that you all are planning a robbery here. The more I sucked, the more he said.” Ice bit my earlobe. I tensed, mainly because I didn't want her touching me, but also because Nix's head turned my way and witnessed the nibble. Anger flickered in her eyes and she made no attempt to blink it away. Ice licked the side of my neck. “Ain promised me my freedom too.”

“Back up.” I shook her off me. “What do you mean ‘your freedom'?”

“There's a safe near the exit that you all should escape from. Ain and I worked this change in the plan last night. While you are holding the place up, one of you, maybe your brother Shade or what-was-his-name—Toy, I think. Maybe one of them can go into the safe and cancel out all of the slave contracts.”

I scanned the area with my eyes. The music was loud. People focused on either getting money or being turned on, but still, I was uneasy about discussing this. “Is there somewhere private we can talk, a place without cameras?”

“All the way in the back of this level is an old changing area that isn't used anymore.”

“Let's go.” I motioned for her to show me the way.

She landed a peck on my cheek and sashayed off. Nix's gaze remained on me as we left and I hated that I couldn't explain. This chick Ice was dangerous. I had to get control of her. How, I didn't know, but something needed to be done. There was no way she was joining our group. I didn't trust her. I doubt Shade or Toy would be pleased, and with the way Nix scowled at Ice as I walked behind her, I didn't think Nix would support the idea either.
I'll have to pay her off to keep her mouth closed and probably promise to take away Rodney's claim of her.
After that, I planned to stomp Ain's dick into his center.

We arrived at a black door in no time at all. No bouncers lingered around. Ice opened the door for me and we slipped in undetected, at least I prayed no one saw. The music sounded faint from inside the closed room.

“I don't want any money just to be released from my barcode.” Ice pushed a button. A white light came on above us. The room was huge. A few vanity tables were pushed up against each other on the side of the room. Racks of dresses rested on the other walls. Brown dust stuck to the pink carpet. Ice opened the front of her bikini top, snatched it off, and flung it my way. The diamonds clanked against each other when they fell to the carpet.

“And what do you want now?” I dug my hands into my pockets.

“I'd like to find out why they call you Epic.” She stepped forward, tweaking her nipples with her fingers.

“It's short for my first name. Mystery solved.” I leaned back on the wall, knowing where this was going. Ice had Ain wrapped around her little finger just by sucking his dick. She must have figured I was equally easy, maybe assumed she would spread those legs and I would do anything she asked. I let my view travel down her body. Ice's nipples perked up at the attention. Her body boasted decent-sized hips and a reasonably sexy pair of legs. Too bad Nix had destroyed me for any other woman. I doubted any other woman but Nix would be enough.

“Put your top back on. I'm not interested.”

“'Cause of your fake cousin?” She wiggled her shoulders. Those breasts jiggled with the movement.

“Yes. My cousin is quite a woman. No other could do.”

A muscle in her jaw twitched. “Why not have us both? I can keep a secret.”

“I don't need another.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Definitely.”

She pinched both of her nipples. A deep moan escaped her parted lips. “I bet you have a huge cock.”

My dick hardened with a hint of interest. “Let's get down to business before I start to get mad.”

She rolled her eyes. “I want my freedom.”

“Okay. I want you out of this hit. I'll get you released and you leave the planet without a word about this hit. How do I get into the safe?”

“I have the code. All you have to do is—”

Nix burst through the door and slammed it behind her. One gun lay in each hand. One pointed at the center of my forehead. The other targeted Ice between her bare breasts. My dick went limp. My breath lodged in my throat. The only sounds that could be heard were the diamonds on Ice's thong clinking against each other as she shivered in fear and the erratic thumping of my heart as I tried to figure out a way to stay alive long enough to explain to Nix why we were in there.

Nix pressed both buttons on the butt of the guns with her thumbs, triggering the siphons to charge and prepare to be fired. “This is quite disappointing. And I have a tendency to get an itchy trigger finger when I'm disappointed. Care to explain, Epic
baaaby
?”

CHAPTER 18

Phoenix

I ground my teeth together and tried to resist the very real urge to pull the triggers on both guns. I couldn't decide who deserved my anger more—Epic or the dumb slut who seemed determined to get underneath him.

You can trust me. Tell me what I need to do to prove it to you. I'll do anything. I'll be your anything. Just tell me what to do, Nixie baby.

Epic's words ricocheted around in my brain, and quite effectively stirred up even more anger in me, which I hadn't thought possible.

“This isn't exactly making me think I can trust you, Epic.” I growled in response to his phantom words. “Or did you think that once I trusted you, I'd be more easy to fool?” My body began to shake. “You better start explaining, dammit!”

“Nixie—baby—please—look at me.”

I flicked my gaze up to meet Epic's. His eyes met mine head on and without any signs of guilt that I could read. “Fine. Start explaining. Now.”

I'd give him one chance to explain. One.

“I don't want her. I only want you. I can't control who comes on to me. I can only control my own actions.”

“That doesn't explain why the fuck you came in here with her. If—”

“Ain fucking blabbed. She knows why we're really here. She wants to be a part of the hit.”

The truth of the situation snapped into place. Oh, yeah, I knew her type. I swung both guns to point at the blonde slut's chest. I heard Epic exhale in relief and I chuckled. “And what—you thought you could fuck your way into control of him? Just like Ain?”

Her blue eyes widened with surprise.

“Answer me!” I hissed.

“I, well—I—”

“Spit it the fuck out!” I had absolutely no patience left. I was beyond sane thoughts at the moment. This stupid blonde slut thought she could seduce
my
man? The man that—yeah—I loved.
I love Epic
.
Shit
. I knew I was falling for him, or that I could fall for him, but it looked like I'd fallen.

“I just want my freedom!” the slut blurted out, the terror in her eyes increasing with every passing moment.

I smiled. “Your freedom, oh, is that all? What's your name?”

Some of the tension in her body expelled as she released a shaky breath. “Ice. My name is Ice.”

“Well, Ice, today is your lucky day, because I'm about to give you your freedom.” I pulled the triggers on both guns. The soft hiss of the siphons discharging into her chest echoed through the small space. Ice's eyes widened in shock briefly before they slid shut and her body slumped to the ground.

“Fuck!” Epic swore. “What did you just do?”

A weird sense of calm washed over me. “I thought it was obvious. I just iced Ice.” Epic just stared at me and I wondered if I had effectively
iced
our budding relationship as well. He had to think I was completely insane. And hell, I kind of did too. I'd just killed someone because she was trying to seduce Epic. I could try to rationalize my motivations away and say she needed to die because she knew too much, but I would only be lying to myself.

“I'm sorry.” Tears stung at the corners of my eyes. “I'm so sorry . . . I just blew all of our plans to high hell. I don't know . . . I couldn't . . . I love you. Of course you probably think I'm completely nuts now. And I couldn't blame you . . . I just . . .”

Epic stepped forward and palmed the back of my neck with his huge hand. “I already knew you were crazy, Nix. Maybe I am too, because—yeah—I fucking love you too.”

My heart sped up as Epic pulled me into him, his lips slanting over mine. His tongue invaded my mouth and I savored the flavor of him that I thought just a second before I might never get to taste again. I was frantic for him.

Epic broke away from me and I whimpered.

“We have to take care of the body.” He ran his hands through his long hair and grimaced. “Shit. Now I know why couples aren't permitted to work here together.”

“What are we going to do?”

“I got this, baby. Alright? Just go back to work and I'll take care of everything.”

“Epic, no. It's my mess. I can't let you—”

Epic dipped his head to press his lips against mine briefly. “We're in this together. Now give me those guns.” I numbly handed them to him. He started wiping them clean of prints. “There aren't any cameras in here. We're just going to leave her in here. Alright? Now go back to work.”

“So you're thinking we should just let her body be discovered?”

“Yeah, it's our best option. Although I'm also thinking we're going to have to push this heist forward a bit.” Epic stared at the floor, deep in thought. “Yeah, it could just work.”

“What?” I asked nervously, shifting from foot to foot.

Epic's eyes blazed with excitement. “We're going to do it tonight. We'll use her death as a distraction. It won't be as clean and pretty as we had wanted, but it'll have to do.”

I bit my lower lip. “I'm sorry. I screwed up everything with my jealousy.”

“No, Ain did when he started blabbing our secrets as soon as his dick found solace in Ice's mouth. Ain is the one to blame here, not you.” Epic grinned at me. “Trust me, okay, Nixie baby?”

“Yeah. Okay.” My fingers itched to run through his hair and pull him to me. I wanted him inside me so much it almost hurt. It didn't matter about the dead stripper on the floor. Nothing else mattered except for me and Epic.

“Don't look at me like that, baby,” Epic said. “I don't think I'll be able to stop myself from fucking you right here if you don't stop.”

“You're just as insane as I am.” I stepped toward him and pushed my body into the length of his. Epic's erection pushed against my stomach through his pants.

“I don't think I can deny that.” His hands slid down to cup my ass before he gently pushed me away from him. “We can't get caught in here. You need to get back to work and I'm going to find Ain.”

“What do you want me to do about the rest? The heist and everything?”

“We're going to have to wing it, Nixie baby. You okay with that?”

“You know I am. I'll do anything for you.” I glanced down at Ice's motionless body. Hell, I'd already killed someone for him. What was left?

Epic's gaze followed mine. “Yeah, I know. And I'll do anything for you, baby. You know that, right?”

I nodded once and ran my thumb over Epic's heart key nestled between my breasts. How could I have doubted him, even for a moment when I wore something so important to him around my neck?

“I'm sorry.” I couldn't help but apologize again. I should have trusted him. What the hell had I been thinking? Well, really, that had been the problem—I
hadn't
been thinking.

“I don't want to hear you apologize again. I love you. Besides, doing the heist this way will probably be more fun.” He grinned, but the humor didn't reach his eyes. “I need you dancing as close to the DJ as possible. I'm going to bust in . . . and . . . just follow my lead.”

I couldn't help but laugh as I turned and left him to go back to my
job
. Again, I couldn't help but wonder if Epic was the best or worst thing to ever happen to me.