Vicious Little Darling (Love So Cruel #3)

23. Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

JAXTON

I t’s taking everything I have not to fucking destroy Josh right then and there, but somehow, I manage to pull away from the curb, doing nothing more than squeezing Ember’s hand to show my support—and for that reason, I have to ask…

“Do you want to go to the police?”

She eyes me and then shakes her head.

“I don’t think I want to deal with the cops twice. It’ll make them think I’m crying wolf.” Disdain riddles her face as she leans back against the leather seat. I’m fairly certain I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful in my passenger seat.

Fuck, I’m going soft…

But only for Ember.

“What do you think I should do?” she asks it in a meek voice, like she’s looking to me for guidance. For the first time in my life, I feel as if someone trusts me to be in control.

“I think…” My voice trails off as I navigate my way through the city. “I think that you should let karma handle it. I’m sure he’ll get what’s coming to him.”

She falls silent in the seat beside me, and then angles her body toward me. “You don’t think he’ll try to come and find me? He knows where I work…”

I shrug. “He won’t be able to touch you again, Ember. I’ll take care of you, I promise. No one will touch you but me.”

Her cheeks turn a deep shade of red, and my cock hardens at the sight. It’s amazing the things that this woman can do to me. I’ve never wanted to keep someone alive so bad—and now I just have to handle all my shit so it can stay that way. Well, that and Josh. That asshole is gonna have to go.

And I’ll enjoy every fucking second of it.

Every. Fucking. Second.

“Do you want to stop and grab some food?” I throw the offer out there at her continued silence, trying to gauge how she’s feeling. “If you’re hungry…”

“I’m okay,” she says, letting out a sigh. “If anything I’d like a bit of normalcy. I really wanted to go to work today, but Josh said he called in sick for me.”

I grit my teeth, not wanting her to go to work, but also… As long as I take care of Josh pronto, then she should be safe. I mean, I knew something was wrong with that Josh guy the moment I interviewed with him. He worked way too hard to act like a damned saint.

“I can tell Rich not to let Josh in,” Ember says, squeezing my hand.

Nodding, I take a right to turn around and head back in the direction of the bookstore. “If you want to go to work, then you should. I’ll pick you up when your shift is over. I don’t think Josh will bother you there, but he might once you’re off work.”

“That sounds fair.” She smiles up at me softly. “I just can’t believe that I’ve told you all my secrets, and you still want me.”

My stomach rolls with guilt. “Everyone has things in their life that they aren’t proud of, or that maybe don’t represent them in the best way. I don’t know.” I shake my head, wondering if it’s possible to hide my dark secret from her forever. I’m obsessed with Ember—but I don’t know what would happen if she walked away.

Keeping her alive might not matter so much.

I rub the back of my neck, desperate to relieve the tension, as I put the car in park outside of the bookstore. “Do you want me to walk you in? I don’t mind.”

She shakes her head. “Megan is probably working today, and I’m already going to have to explain so much to her. I’m not ready to explain you, as well—I mean, introduce you. I’ll have to explain you in order to—”

I cut her off with my mouth, giving her the best fucking goodbye kiss that I can manage. Going up against women is one thing, but going up against brawny Josh… I don’t know what kind of fight I’m in for.

Ember lets a light moan out in my mouth and as I break the kiss, she looks up at me with lust sparkling in her eyes. “You’re kissing me as if you’re not going to see me again.”

I chuckle, running the pad of my thumb along her jaw. “No, Ember. I’m kissing you as if I don’t want you to forget how fucking amazing we are together.”

She rolls her swollen lips and then lightly brushes them once more across my mouth. “Good, because you’re the only good thing I have now.”

A lump forms in my throat as I manage to mutter, “Me, too.”

Then, she releases my hand and slides out of the car, giving me a wave as she jogs up to the front door of the bookstore. I watch her walk in; my eyes stuck on the door long after she’s gone. A rush of emotion sweeps through me after our encounter, and I can’t believe what’s happened…

I’ve fallen for Ember.

I pull out my phone as I head back in the direction of the bar. I’m sure Josh is probably thinking that cops will be showing up, and unlike most, my guess is he’s going to play the “ her word against mine” card. It’s a solid one to use in this instance—other than the ripped shirt. Ember being worried about crying wolf is a real possibility, and I’m certain Josh will use that to his advantage.

I park down the side of the bar where the car can’t be seen from inside. I scroll through my contacts. There’s one person who needs to know what I’m about to do—and why.

“Jax,” my uncle answers. “How nice of you to finally call. Pitman said you had a decent session.”

“Uh, not sure if I’d go that far with it,” I tell him, letting out a chuckle. “But actually there’s something you need to know.”

“And what’s that?”

“I think I love her,” I blurt out the words, regardless of how fucking elementary they sound. “And I’m about to do whatever it takes to protect her from an asshole in her life.”

“Don’t hurt yourself—”

“Shut up,” I snap, cutting him off. “I’m not going off myself. I’m taking care of some prick that thought he could touch what’s mine. I’ll give you the address. God knows what kind of fucking mess this is going to be.”

“Okay,” is all my uncle says.

“Okay,” I echo him, pulling the phone away from my ear to drop the pin. I’m just about to hang up, when his voice catches my attention.

“One more thing,” he calls out.

“What’s that?” I put the phone back to my ear.

“I’m proud of you. I told you it’d just take the right one to straighten it all out.”

“Yeah,” I mutter, and then hang up.

There’s nothing about this situation that’s straightened out, but this is one step in the right direction. I grab my hoodie from the backseat, and consequently my mask. I fully intend not only to annihilate this motherfucker but also to scare him shitless in the process.

I gear up, put the mask in place and climb out of the car. I head around to the back entrance of the bar, rather than the front. It’s the entrance that Josh uses, allowing him to park his car a few feet away; probably thinking about a safe exit. For that reason alone, I think this might be an easier fight than I think.

But, I have backup.

I tuck the pistol in my belt and try the door handle, surprised that it’s unlocked. You fucking idiot. I grin under my mask as I slip inside the bar, and I lock the door behind me. The backroom’s lights are off, which gives me another advantage. I listen to the stillness, and then just like that, Josh’s voice rings out.

“I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking, man,” he groans. “But she’s clearly willing to give it to everyone else, so I don’t understand why she wouldn’t do it for me.”

I clench my fists, but force deep, even breaths. Nothing will be accomplished if I fly off the handle right now, but I’ve already decided one thing now. I’m confronting this bastard head on.

“She literally has the loosest pussy,” Josh breaks out into laughter. “And she had the balls to say she didn’t—but the sick slut fucked her stalker and assailant. I don’t know why I’d be any different. Besides, we’ve been friends for years. She doesn’t understand what I could give her.” The fact that I hear only one side of the conversation tells me that he is speaking to someone on the phone.

I wait just outside the area for a few minutes, while Josh bashes Ember a little more, ensuring the most painful death I can give him. Finally, the motherfucker hangs up, and I step into the light. He doesn’t notice at first, and so I clear my throat, the sound cutting through the silence.

Josh spins around, his eyes going wide. “What the fuck? Who the fuck are you?”

I chuckle, deep and unsettling. “I thought I’d come here and size up my competition.”

Josh’s face flashes with recognition. “You’re the sick fuck who’s been screwing Ember in the shadows, huh?” He gives an evil grin.

“I don’t have to fuck her in the shadows anymore,” I say, breaking into a wicked laugh. “She lets me fuck her any time I want after she moved into my place.”

Josh is silent, as if he’s trying to piece together what I’ve just said. As the seconds tick by, he shakes his head.

“It’s fucking ingenious. Does she know yet?”

“I think you should be more worried about what’s going to happen to you,” I growl, taking a step toward him.

He tilts his head at me. “Why? You and I should be fucking friends. Cut from the same cloth.”

“Wrong.” I pull out the pistol and point it straight at his crotch, firing off two silenced shots. “We’re not the same. I don’t pretend like I’m a good guy.”

Josh doubles over, screaming with pain as blood seeps from his appendage and runs between his legs. “You’re a fucking psycho.” He glares up at me as the color drains from his face. “And you are playing the good guy. If Ember doesn’t know who you are, you’re no fucking better than—”

He doesn’t get to finish.

I put a bullet right between his eyes. My sanity might have snapped completely if I’d have let him keep running his mouth. Because, for a minute there, he was starting to make sense.

And I can’t have that.