Page 40 of Brightness

“How are you? You sore?”

My hand instinctively moves to my ribs. “Nerve thinks I might have broken a rib or two.”

“Good. Maybe it’ll remind you how much of a fucking idiot you were the next time you go to do something stupid. If you ever, and I mean ever, pull a stunt like this again—”

“I got it, Pres. You don’t need to tell me twice. I got lost in my own head. I wanted to… I dunno, disappear for a while. Not have to deal with shit. Real life, you know?”

“I know… we’ve all been there, but wasting ourselves isn’t the fucking answer. And sure as shit nearly killing yourself isn’t either. Without you, I’d have to promote Whiskey to VP, and fuck knows how that would go.”

I chuckle. “It’d be a party every night.”

“And every damn day.” Nycto takes a deep breath. “In all honesty, I’m happy you’re okay, brother. But you also know I can’t let this go unpunished. You’re on shine duty for the next month.”

I go to argue but quickly realize I deserve it. Cleaning everyone’s rides is a prospect’s job, and with potentially broken ribs… fuck. I’ll be hurting for a while. “Yeah, fair call.”

“You start tomorrow. Take today to rest. You’re lucky I’m in a good mood, this is a damn light punishment.”

He’s right. I could’ve been given something much, much worse. Then again, I’m sure my brothers’ scrutiny as I shine their rides while the prospects stand back watching me do their dirty work is going to be fucking torture enough.

Maybe it is the perfect amount of punishment… or should I say fucking torment.

Nycto stands and turns to walk for the door. “By the way, Eva told me to give you a message.”

I raise my brow.

“She said if you hurt Ivy, you’ll have her to deal with. You upset Eva, you’ll have me to deal with. So, mull that shit over in your mind a little before you lose control, VP.”

Starting something with Ivy makes my stomach flip. If I fuck up and hurt her, it’s not just Ivy on the line—it’s my patch.

I can read between the lines.

I hear what my president is putting down.

If I fuck up, and it’s too fucking big, Nycto won’t hesitate to show me the door.

He’ll choose his Old Lady’s wishes over me, and Eva is a package deal with her sister.

Ivy has the power to destroy me.

She is this perfect, precious cargo, who came off a ship all beautifully gift wrapped. She was innocent, sweet, and yet, there’s something so tantalizing about her that pulled me in, right from the start—a glimmer of darkness.

I can’t tell what’s going to happen between Ivy and me, but I do know, if it doesn’t turn out just right, one of us is going to end up fighting for survival.

And I’m not sure anymore which one of us it will be.

Chapter Eleven

IVY

Four Days Later

Void’s stronger than I give him credit for. He took one day to recover from his accident, but since then, he’s been up and about. Sure, he grimaces, his face contorted in pain, but he gets shit done.

Like cleaning the bikes… a lot.

I assume the brothers are making them extra dirty as punishment. I have to admit, standing back, watching him with his shirt off as he scrubs the shining chrome—his body lean, muscled, and covered in still-healing bruises—it does something for me.

While we’ve shared a few passionate kisses here and there over the last four days since our earth-shattering first kiss, he hasn’t laid a single finger on me. Not in any way to move this along, at least. It’s like he’s scared, and I’m on the verge of losing my damn mind. All I want is for him to rip my clothes off and ravish me.

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