Page 105 of Lucky's Trouble

“This is my boyfriend,” I say to the gun-wielding woman. “He loves me.”

Lucky’s eyes soften just a fraction. I’m putting words into his mouth, but I read somewhere that in situations like these, it’s best to humanize yourself.

“Sir loves me,” she bites out.

“With all I am,” Sir says.

I roll my eyes. “This isn’t love. Locking you up in this house, not allowing you to see your friends or family, forcing you to be in this room every night isn’t love.”

“Sir is my family. He took me from off the streets. He brought me to this house where I’m fed, given a beautiful home to live in, and have free time to do whatever I want.”

I vaguely see her point. If Sir had taken me before I met Lucky, I can see how easy it’d be to fall in line here and genuinely believe I’m better off. There’s no question this place is superior to being under Neal’s thumb.

“A gilded cage is still a cage,” I say.

“I’m happy, and I’d rather die than go back to my life before him.” The steel drives harder into my temple.

“You have other options. It’s not this or living on the streets.”

“For me, it is.”

“I used to think that too. Men have taken advantage of me my whole life. I assumed that was just the way it was because I never knew anything different.” I lock gazes with Lucky, talking to him now. “Then I met that big lug over there, and he gave me my life back. While he made it crystal clear he wanted me, what he wanted more was for me to be happy, and he would’ve made that happen even if I hadn’t chosen him. That’s what someone does when they truly, honestly love you. ” I smile softly as a tear streaks down my cheek. “I’m pissed it took a man to help me realize that. I should’ve figured it out on my own.”

“Don’t listen to her nonsense.” Sir’s voice nears, telling me he’s on the move. “This man works at a brothel, and when he’s not selling women’s bodies, he’s working on cars. He lives in a disgustingly small cabin that barely has running water. This perfect picture she’s painting is a lie.”

If Lucky’s surprised he knows all that, he doesn’t show it.

“Context matters, asshole. I’m a part-owner of the brothel and the women who work there choose to be there. They’re paid well, giving them the opportunity to travel, own their own homes and cars, and go to school if they want. The point is, it’s their choice. I work on cars because I love it, not because I have to. And I live in that cabin because it’s where my brothers live, and family is important, even if that family doesn’t share your blood.”

Sir’s responding chuckle is condescending. “Yet none of that could ever measure up to this.”

The sound of chains clinking together fills the room, leaving me to believe Sir is doing something with the other two pets.

“Pet, eat her ass while she sucks my cock,” he says.

Rigger and Lucky’s mouths gape while I purse my lips and close my eyes. Sir’s blatant audacity pisses me the hell off. This whole situation is just another dramatic display of a spoiled child.

Real men don’t need power and control because loyalty and family will win every time.

The woman behind me pivots us just enough so I can witness what’s happening next to me. Sir has his own gun pointed at Lucky while one of his pets is on her knees in front of him, clawing at his belt. The other is on the ground with her face buried between the ass cheeks of the first.

Sir’s cock is hard when she releases him from his underwear, and she greedily sucks him down, making obscene slurping noises and moaning loudly. I don’t know why, but it embarrasses me that Lucky’s witnessing this. He must be thinking the worst, judging by my lack of clothes and Sir’s display.

When I glance at him through my periphery, though, he’s not watching the performance at all. He’s focused on something directly behind me. I look over my shoulder and furrow my brow, seeing nothing. Then it hits me. He noticed my wounded butt.

“I’m fine,” I say.

“The hell you are.” His nostrils flare as he jerks his head over to Sir. “You think this impresses me?

“I do,” Sir says. “And had you not interrupted, it would’ve been my newest pet on her knees begging to suck me dry.”

If I don’t end this soon, someone will make a mistake. If Lucky or even Rigger gets hurt because of me, I couldn’t live with myself. It’s my fault we’re in this mess, and it should be me who gets us out.

Taking a calming breath, I form a plan. I have to move fast and be precise, or this will blow up in my face. Clenching my hands into fists and straightening them out again, I work out the shakes that just started. This isn’t the time for nerves to get the better of me.

Three, two, one. Here goes everything.

In one fluid motion, I throw my elbow back into the woman’s gut. When she doubles over, I swing my right arm over her outstretched one holding the gun. Pinching her arm between mine and my body, I wrap my hands around hers, my right finger covering her own and pressing the trigger.

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