Page 84 of Elicit (Decadence After Dark)

“Now go on. Get out of here.” He gestures with his blond head. “Go misbehave so I can take care of you later,” he orders, his words dripping with sexual innuendo.

I glance at the door one last time.

“Don’t worry, robin. I’ll take care of her, too. And everyone else in this house.”

I lock eyes with Jett. “I’m holding you to that.”

He smiles confidently, his pearly white incisors visible. “When will you learn?I-run-shit.”

I mirror his expression. “Maybe tonight, when you show me exactly what happens when I misbehave.”

His gaze darkens. “I can’t fucking wait for that.”

Me neither.

MY MASTERLY CRAFTED UNIVERSE ISfalling apart piece by fragile piece, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.

I stand silently in London’s doorway as she once again nurses Jenna after another brutal night with Javier. I may barely be able to hear her whispers, but I can feel her consoling tone ripple through the room. It blankets it like a warm mist chasing away the cold.

With a deep breath, I stride across the threshold and hand her the topical ointment we needed to treat the lacerations. That fucking lowlife took sexual sadism to a whole nother level tonight. A level above and beyond anything Jenna is used to.

London takes the little yellow tube robotically and applies the clear cream gently all over Jenna’s broken skin. He whipped her so severely she can’t lay on her back. If a client had pulled this shit, they would be carried out of the house unconscious and unrecognizable. But because it was Javier, we have to turn a blind eye. We have to suck it up and let it slide because we are so close to El Rey, Kayne and I can both taste it. Years of work and millions of dollars have brought us to this point. There’s so many layers, so much at stake, we need to push on as much as it hurts. And it does fucking hurt. Seeing Jenna suffer is killing me. Seeing the look in London’s eyes is absolutely destroying me.

Once Jenna’s back is covered and she is calm, London slips off the bed and disappears into the bathroom without so much as an audible breath. The silence is frightening. I follow right behind her, hot on her heels.

I stand behind her as she washes her hands in the scalloped sink, that vacant stare haunting us both. She’s lost, someplace dark, someplace distant, in a nightmare that will follow her forever. A nightmare where she’s powerless, and I’m helpless to aid in her escape.

London dries her hands, flustered as I curl my fingers around her lean hips. As soon as my palms connect with her waist she spins defensively on her heel. “How can you let this happen?” Her hiss is more deadly than a cobra’s. “Where are all your promises of choice and safety? Where are theyright now?”Hot tears pool in London’s eyes and my heart weeps for her.

“I know you’re upset—”

“I’m not upset! I’m pissed off!” Her tears tumble. “I’m pissed at you and Kayne and Javier and myself! I’m pissed at Jenna because she thinks she has something to prove. I’m pissed off about this whole fucked up situation!” London explodes, crying a torrential downpour of angry tears.

“I know you are.” I attempt to hug her, comfort her, but she pushes me away. “Do you know who’s lying in that bed right now? Not just Jenna.Me. She’s exactly where I was, traveling the exact same path. And we are just watching it happen.Why?”For the first time in a long time I have no answer. London searches my face with so much anguish it causes another bout of destruction in my soul. “I have endured all kinds of punishments, Jett, but the worst kind of torture is seeing someone you care about suffer.”

No truer words have ever been spoken. I’m sharing in her affliction right this moment.

I try to pull her to me once more.

“No,” she fights. She fights until there’s no more fight left. I push until she finally allows me to tug her into my arms.

“I know you’re hurting.” London sags against me. “I know Jenna is hurting, but I need you to be strong,” I implore. “For the other girls, for Kayne, for Ellie . . . and for me. I need you to be my support.” I cradle her face. “There are things going on. Things as critical as life and death. I promised I would tell you everything when the time is right. And I will keep that promise, but right now, right this second, Ineedyou. I need you and your blind faith.”

“I don’t know if I can do it.” She whimpers. “I don’t know how much longer I can last.” London drops her head on my shoulder and releases another river a tears. “I’m so tired.”

“I know you are, baby.” I support us both by leaning against the lip of the marbled vanity. “But I also know you’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. You are a fighter, and that’s who I need in my corner right now. Can you be my heavyweight?”

London sighs exhausted. “Featherweight, maybe.”

I chuckle lightly. “Featherweights can still throw a deadly punch.”

“I’d like to punch Javier,” London muses menacingly.

“Me too, little bird. Me too.” I’d like to do way more than punch him. So would Kayne.

“Will you stay with us until we fall asleep?” London requests.

“Are you actually going to sleep?”

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