“Such a good boy, asking for permission,” I joke. It gets a quiet laugh out of him. “No, stay just how you are.” I take hold of his hand and start with the point in the webbing between his thumb and index finger, exerting gentle pressure. “I lived in China last year. It was only a few months, but I learned a thing or two.”
“Oh yeah?” he mumbles. “Feels good.”
I can’t help but smile from his praise as I continue holding the point. “There’s a belief that we have a life force inside us called Chi. There’s points throughout the body where the Chi can get stuck, which leads to all kinds of uncool shit.”
As I move my hand down his wrist to the point on his inner forearm, he hitches a breath and trembles slightly. I spend about a minute, quietly holding the point before gently massaging in a circular motion. The skin on his arm breaks out in goosebumps.
“There’s one last point I want to get.” I look him over, trying to figure out the best way to reach the spot. There’s really only one way with him laying the way he is.
“Uh, huh,” he says, barely coherent. Without overthinking, I climb on top of his torso, my knees on either side of him. Of course, his head snaps up, eyes wide. “We doing this?”
“Shh,” I say, pushing his shoulders down. “That’s not what’s happening here. Just close your eyes again.”
“You expect me to relax with you straddling me?”
“I’ll stop,” I warn.
“No, don’t.” He sounds so desperate that warmth spreads through my chest… and other places… lower.
I press the point between his brows, trying my best not to press my tits into his face.But, fuck.I really want to press my tits into his face. His body is so damn perfect. Abs like a goddamn washboard. All I’d have to do is scoot down a bit.
No.
The kittens start crying, breaking me from my train of thought. Thank fucking God.
Jasper starts to sit up again, but I push him back down. “Rest. I’ll go see if we have a box and some old newspaper from the move.”
That’ll have to do for a makeshift litter box for now.
“You hear that, girls? Mommy’s taking care of you.”
I let out a soft scoff, tucking my chin to hide the traitorous smile tugging at my lips. Whatever fantasy world Jasper’s living in, it must be quite the vacation spot. I almost want to join him. It would sure beat our current reality.
CHAPTERTHREE
ALEXANDER
The beautiful melodyof my fist cracking against Dominic’s skull helps my foul mood. His brother, Bruce, paces the perimeter of my high rise office with his head hung low.
Dominic’s body slumps, but before he hits the floor, I grab a fistful of his dark hair and yank him up. “Bruce, get over here and hold him.”
“But—”
“Now. Or would you rather I call Ace and tell him to pay a visit to a certain nursing home?”Ah, that gets his attention.Bruce shuffles over, the pathetic piece of garbage that he is. “Hold him up. I’m not done with him.”
He hesitates, but I widen my gaze, showing him I’m not messing around. These useless animals screwed everything and now Brennan is dead and my uncle is breathing down my neck for answers. I’ve been holding off our meeting for weeks, but I’ve run out of time.
“Please,” Dominic pleads. “I’ll do anything… I can find them.”
I stretch my arms over my head and rub my sore fists. “Shut the fuck up and be a man.”
I reel back and punch him along the corner of his eye, smiling as his head reverberates against the wall. Adrenaline floods my veins, and a laugh escapes my lips. This is exactly what I needed.
“Boss, I think he’s had enough,” Bruce says, not meeting my gaze.
“I’ll say when he’s had enough.” Blood streams down Dominic’s cheeks, saturating the collar of his tan Carhartt jacket. The sight only fuels my rage.
I draw my fist back and punch his gut over and over again until red stains his lips. His moans echo in the cavernous space.