Page 53 of Wicked Court

“I’m not going anywhere?—”

And just like that, Wilder’s large hand clamps down on my thigh, digging into the muscle. Kaspian re-winds the necklace around my neck.

“What a pretty garrote it makes, too,” he muses with enough nonchalance that I whimper.

“You wouldn’t,” I stutter. “You wouldn’t do anything to me in public. I’ll scream.”

Cav chuckles at the same time Kaspian tightens his improvised noose. Wilder digs in and I wince.

“Do you really believe I don’t have the power to pay off every single one of these people?” Cav says. “Or get the TFPD to turn a blind eye? I have all their resources and more, butterfly.”

“And if that doesn’t do it,” Axe says quietly. “We can always go after your friend. Do you think she sings so beautifully when she’s in pain?”

I cut him a long, hard glare.

I knew it. I knew he was the worst one.

The ambient music changes to something darker, more brooding, as if playing along with the mood.

Through the small cracks between their bodies, I see people grinding against each other, writhing on the dance floor.

I no longer have an eye on Sasha, but I have no doubt Axe does.

Wilder releases his painful clamp, his palm sliding under my dress and fingers pressing into my exposed panty line. His pupils dilate when he finds me wet.

“You really think I can’t fuck you right here and now?” he asks in a whisper, his voice rumbling like thunder from his chest. “With all these eyes on you?”

Wilder bites my earlobe, then licks it as if to taste me. He knows I’m already turned on. Knows how much he affects me and uses it against me so well.

Cav smirks at Kaspian before I feel Kaspian pull down the zipper at my back a few inches. His touch is feather-light, but it sends a shudder through me as he exposes more skin to the cool air-conditioning of the bar.

Kaspian’s hand slides over my shoulder and slides into the front of my dress, cupping one breast as if to test the weight while his thumb rubs over my nipple.

Though I try to choke it down, the moan comes out anyway.

Wilder gives me a lopsided grin as he retreats, then takes my hand and pulls me to a stand. Kaspian zips me back up with a quick yank, his expression when I glance over my shoulder schooled into apathy.

I struggle against the others, pushing against them, but they don’t budge, their grips iron clamps on my skin.

Sasha’s clueless about what’s going on. Is that a good or a bad thing? Probably great for her, but it’s not looking so good for me.

They all escort me out of the bar, never breaking stride. The chilly night air dissolves the sweat beading on my brow, my back. The smell of cigarette smoke and late-night greasy food fills the air.

There’s an unmarked car waiting for us at the curb.

Wilder grabs my ass in a tight grip. “Get in, or I’ll have to show everyone on the street what happens to little girls who play hard to get.”

I get in the car, trying to keep up a straight-faced front, but inside, I’m quaking.

The drive is long and silent except for the low hum of the engine and roads flying by outside of the window.

I keep my eyes on Axe’s arm resting behind me on the backseat. It’s heavily muscled and tense, anticipation rolling off him in waves.

Wilder growls at me on the other side when I try to move away from them even though I’m in the middle, possessiveness stretched thin over all their faces, including Kaspian and Cav in the front.

Oh, Mavvy, I plea silently to my dead brother. I know I put on a brave front. I know I said I could handle them. But I really wish you could help. Because I think I've gotten myself into a world of trouble.

Chapter 18

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