Page 12 of Wicked Games of Desire

“This shit isn’t in my job description,” Maddox’s deep voice grumbles as I hear the key in the lock, then the door handle turns.

Ricky swaggers in first, carrying crutches and a bag, followed closely by Maddox, also carrying overstuffed paper bags.

Maddox’s dark gaze lands on me, his brow furrowing. “Alex wants you downstairs for dinner in half an hour,” he says, a no-shit tone to his voice.

I quickly look at Ricky in a panic. For the last three days, he’s brought my meals to me, given me pain meds, and made sure I was as comfortable as possible. Except for the dinner yesterday, when I had the pleasure of Maddox’s company. Who the hell knows how long it takes to recover from a bullet wound? Either way, I don’t think I’m up to having dinner with whoever Alex is.

Ricky’s kind smile reaches all the way to his mischievous dimples. “Harley, we have supplies for you. Change clothes, have a shower if you like?” he suggests, sitting on the edge of my bed. His voice is a calm change from Maddox’s.

I glance at the big guy leaning against the door frame with arms crossed. He throws Ricky a what-the-fuck look, and I get the impression he’s wondering why Ricky’s being so kind to his prisoner. “Not if she would like. She’s fucking doing it,” he grumbles under his breath. It’s clear having to help in my babysitting is a major fucking inconvenience for him. Well, good, asshole, you can just let me go.

Ricky ignores him, smiling at me. His fingers glide across my back in a gentle stroke as he massages my skin. “How about it, baby doll? Time to get up?” His expression is hopeful.

I stare back at him, feeling suddenly frail. A shower sounds nice, but I hardly have the energy to lift my hands, let alone make it to the bathroom and stand under the water long enough to clean myself. I’m shaky and woozy from not taking the meds, but Ricky seems to understand, smiling toward me with a warmth I appreciate. He’s so kind for a thug.

He pops two pills in my hand. “You’re going to want to take this dose,” he says with a wink.

I close my eyes and let out a pained groan. Okay, so he was obviously paying more attention than I thought. And he might be right. If they are really going to force me to see this guy tonight, I’ll need all the help I can get. He takes a glass of water and hands it to me.

As he watches me, I drink down the pills, hoping they don’t totally knock me out.

Maddox clears his throat, breaking my and Ricky’s eye contact. “Lana, get the fuck out of bed and in the shower now,” he threatens, his voice holding an angry edge I don’t like the sound of.

My irritated eyes land on him. How dare he call me Lana! For the past six months, I’ve been going by the name my brother used to call me, but this goon has no right to call me anything, much less talk to me like I’m the shit scraped off the bottom of his shoe. He’s about to learn he can’t tell me what to do.

“I’m good here, thanks,” I reply, my tone laced with bitterness toward the motherfucker. I pat the comforter down over my legs like I’m really comfortable in here and there is nothing he can do to get me to move.

His lips twitch at the side in annoyance. “Alex won’t be kept waiting for some spoiled little temptress who was dumb enough to get shot,” he growls out, losing his temper. “He’s waited long enough.”

An uneasiness washes over me. Clumsily, I pull myself up to sitting, my filthy glare not leaving my face for a second. If looks could kill, he would be a dead man. And when I’m back on my feet properly, he will regret ever thinking he can talk to me like that. “Who the fuck is Alex?” I spit back at him, demanding answers.

Ricky takes my hand, trying to calm me. “I’ll help you to the shower,” he offers, his eyes pleading with me to cooperate. But why should I do anything either of them say?

I pull out of his grip angrily. “You can’t expect me to shower with you two pervs in the same damn room as me. So, unless you plan on unlocking my shackles and leaving me to it, I’m staying in bed.” I direct most of my venom at Maddox. It’s easier to hate a man who’s not being so kind to me. Ricky, on the other hand, is my only chance of surviving until my wound has healed.

“Unlock her,” he tells Ricky. Thank God he listened to me.

Ricky takes the key and undoes the chain attached to my arm, massaging the spot where the metal digs in, the same way he does every time he removes it.

Maddox shoves past him. His shadow towers over me, his nostrils flaring in a raging-bull kind of way. As much as I hate to admit, it’s a sexy-as-hell look on him, even though it scares the shit out of me. I scurry back, but he’s too swift for me. His hands slip under my ass and around my back, scooping me up out of the bed, sheets and all. Then he’s striding toward the bathroom, a man on a mission.

“Put me down,” I yell, struggling against his tight hold. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I shove him, trying to scratch at him with my long nails, but it’s like a tiny kitten playing with a tiger. Myferal attempts to break free do nothing but feed his overindulged ego. By the sly smile now gracing his rugged face, I know he’s getting a kick out of this.

“Not a fucking chance. You’ve been told to have a shower. So, you’re having one.”

“Maddox,” Ricky calls his name, trying to reason with him.

He shoves me to my feet in the shower, and as I struggle to find my balance on my shaky legs, the asshole flicks on the cold tap. It blasts a spray of icy water over me, soaking through my pale threadbare T-shirt and panties in seconds. I grip hold of the tile wall, trying to balance on my uninjured leg, a fresh wave of pain digging into my side. My bitter gaze meets the smug motherfucker. “I hate you,” I seethe, my teeth chattering from the freezing cold already.

He shrugs like he could give a fuck what I think and walks away, his job done.

Pain radiates through my left side. I flick the warm on, praying it will heat quickly, before I’m frozen to the bone.

“Watch the dressing,” Ricky calls, passing Maddox on his way to check on me. Where was he when his brother was shoving me in here? He let him do it.

“I’m sure you can change it when the temptress is done cooling off,” Maddox calls back over his shoulder, no remorse at all. He thinks this is funny. It’s a fucking game to him.

I don’t miss the way Ricky smirks back at him before shaking his head. “Real tactful, asshole. Can you get the toiletries bag and a robe?” he tells his brother.

---