Page 39 of Bleed for You
“I didn’t tell the police.”
Slowing, Jinx nodded. “I know, and thank you.”
“Can we go somewhere and talk?”
Jinx stopped, his shoulders dropping. “What do we have to talk about?” he asked wearily.
“Us.” Craig’s hand touched Jinx’s, and he looked down at them, then over his shoulder at Craig, who stood behind him.
“I’m not going to change.” He turned toward Craig, drinking in the sight of the only man he would ever love. “I’m not going to stop doing what I do. I can’t. I’m not like you. I’m not a nice person.”
“You are to me, to Cat, to my parents.” Craig swallowed. “That’s all I need.”
Jinx furrowed his brow, his eyes narrowing. “What are you saying?”
“Can we do this in a place where there are fewer people around?”
“Not tonight.” Jinx tugged his hand free. “Come to my house tomorrow. If you want to talk, we do it then.”
Craig opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. With a nod, he turned and walked away. “Lunchtime. I’ll come then.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Craig hardly slept, his mind replaying their conversation from the night before. Seeing Jinx in the club had brought all the heartache and anguish that he’d pushed down deep inside to the surface and it had hurt so fucking much. Chasing after him had happened on an impulse. Stopping to speak to him had been to fulfill a need inside of him to make sure Jinx was okay.
He had missed him so much. Seeing him had forced him to face those emotions and then talking to him made him realize just how much he still loved him. But did he love him enough to turn a blind eye to what Jinx did in the cabin? The men he took there and hurt. The men he murdered. Maybe. Maybe he could because he didn’t want to spend his life without Jinx in it and, at the end of the day, right or wrong, Jinx was ridding the world of some truly awful people. People who deserved to die in the most horrendous way.
Staring out of the kitchen window, Craig sipped his coffee and blinked several times, but it made no difference to histired, gritty eyes. He hated sleeping alone on the weekends. He’d become used to waking up next to Jinx, rolling over and cuddling up to him, feeling Jinx respond by pulling him close.
All that time, he’d been torturing and murdering people.
Sometimes it was hard for Craig to reconcile the Jinx who did those things to the man Craig had been in a relationship with. Jinx had told him he kept it away from Craig, but to know he’d been sleeping with someone, had called him Daddy, had let him take care of him and hadn’t known this other, dark side of his? That was difficult to accept. Breathing out heavily, Craig took another sip of his coffee and ignored the tiredness he felt. He was going to see Jinx, had asked to see him, and he still had no idea what he was going to say. The only thing he knew was that he missed him.
But could he be with a man who enjoyed hurting others? Could he let that man kiss him, touch him, fuck him?
He’d been doing that throughout their relationship and never knew, so he had, hadn’t he? But now he did know, and he still loved Jinx. Still wanted to be with him, and that was why he hadn’t reported him to the police. Because he loved him and always would.
When noon arrived, Craig picked up his things and left his apartment, and got in his car. He didn’t move, though. He sat and considered what he would say, and how to say it. Just because you had something to say, things to get off your chest, didn’t mean you just blurted it out. You had to find the right words to convey what you wanted to say and make sure it didn’t cause offense.
Starting the engine, Craig drove to Jinx’s, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts, but nothing made sense to him. He couldn’t figure out what he wanted to say other than he loved Jinx and wanted to spend his life with him, but Craig murdered people. Kidnapped and tortured them. And Craig still loved him.
The journey passed quickly, too quickly. He hadn’t decided what to say or how to say it. Not really. Every time he had it figured out, he second guessed himself and began again. Pulling up on the drive behind Jinx’s van, he parked and turned off the engine, then sat and did nothing. Staring at the back of Jinx’s van did nothing to help, so he got out and slammed the door shut, then stayed where he was.
“I won’t bite. Unless you ask me to.” Craig’s eyes snapped up to meet Jinx’s, and he gave him a half smile that quickly disappeared. “This will be easier inside.”
“No bodies in there?” Craig retorted.
“No bodies out here either, but do you want the neighbors listening in to our private conversation?”
Craig laughed, but there was no humor in it. Following Jinx inside, he shut the front door behind him, then stopped, staring at the floor. Now that he was here, he had no idea what to say or do. All the things he’d planned to say had disappeared. It was only when Jinx stood in front of him that Craig looked up. He saw Jinx raise his hand, closed his eyes when he felt him trail his fingers over his cheek. He took a shuddering breath in. “I missed you,” he said, the words trembling as he spoke them.
Those fingers slid below his chin and tilted it up. Soft lips touched his own and Craig sighed, his hands reaching up to curl around Jinx’s biceps. God, he had missed this so much. Swaying closer, he whimpered when Jinx licked over his lips and parted them, letting Jinx’s tongue inside to slide against his own. The kiss was soft, gentle, with no pressure. Just two men reconnecting, but the passion was there, simmering below the surface, and Craig knew at some point they would be naked, their bodies coming together as one.
“I love you.” Craig trembled hearing those words, felt Jinx’s hands hold him, pull him closer, and he went willingly into his embrace. Tongues touching, caressing, hands sliding over eachother until Jinx eased back and rested his forehead on Craig’s. “Stay with me.”
“You’re not a good person.”
