Vicious Little Darling (Love So Cruel #3)

25. Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

JAXTON

G od, how I want to fuck her. I stare at the ceiling, my cock so fucking hard it hurts. I’ve had blue balls since she came on to me yesterday evening, but the moment she got her fingertips close to the wound—which is close to healing, I was immediately reminded that while I’m giving her all the truths she’s asking for, I’m not giving her all of it.

I should just tell her.

I turn my head to take in the sight of Ember, her face peaceful and thick lashes closed tightly. Ever since I turned her down, I’ve noticed her pulling away from me. I hate it. I hate the way it’s pushing us apart.

My phone vibrates against the nightstand, and I pick it up, seeing a text from my uncle.

Roman Marks: Bring her to lunch. 12:30PM. I want to meet her.

“Fuck,” I mutter, running my hand over my face. I flip through the other notifications, noting that I’ve missed seven calls from my mom. I sigh, and do the one thing I should’ve done a long time ago…

Block her.

I set the phone back on the nightstand and turn to Ember, wishing I could give her what she wants. But there’s still a lingering concern that she’ll know I almost killed her—and even though I know I’m never going to try that again, she’s not going to understand. With that thought, I flip the covers off and head for the bathroom, hoping to relieve more than just my fucking bladder.

I lock the door behind me and strip down, noting that the hamper in the corner has Ember’s clothes on top. I make my way to the top of it and find her underwear from yesterday. I wrap them around my shaft and lean back against the counter, stroking myself in rapid succession.

But it’s not enough.

I want her.

I grimace as I grow more and more frustrated with the entire situation. Had I just not fucked her with that stupid fucking mask, things would’ve been way easier between us now. How long will it take for her to forget about the masked man?

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I toss the underwear back into the hamper, and jump into the shower, making quick work of it. My hard-on is relentless, but I do my best to ignore it. I catch sight of the healing gash on my side. It’s better, but it’s still really noticeable. I rub my brow as I pull on a black T-shirt and dark wash jeans.

A light knock on the bathroom door draws me from my thoughts. I walk across to unlock and open it. Ember peers up at me with sleepy eyes, slightly squinted and her hair a mess. She’s fucking gorgeous.

“Sorry, I just didn’t want to barge in on you,” Ember says, her voice groggy.

I lean down and tip her chin back for a kiss. “Never. You can barge in anytime you want. How’re you feeling this morning?”

She lets out a light sigh. “Fine, I guess.”

“Good, get dressed, because we’re meeting my uncle for lunch today. He wants to meet you.”

Her eyes widen, and she suddenly appears wide awake. “What?”

I laugh. “Don’t sweat it. It’ll be fine.”

Ember looks nervous. “I don’t know… I’ve never met anyone’s family before, and we haven’t really been together very long… I don’t… I don’t know what to do—or how to act. You saw where I lived… I don’t… I don’t fit in with the upper crust crowd.”

I smile. “Neither do I, and for the record,” I say, slipping past her. “I’ve never introduced anyone to my family either. It’ll be a first for both of us. I’ve never actually, um… had a girlfriend.”

She frowns. “Boyfriend then?”

I burst into laughter. “No, I don’t swing that way. I just haven’t met anyone like you. I’ve been waiting for you my whole fucking life, and I never even knew it.”

She nods, her eyes dropping to the bulge in my pants as her upper teeth press into her lower lip. “How soon do we have to go?”

“Unfortunately, very soon,” I grumble, not bothering to hide my disappointment. “Otherwise, I would be bending you over this damned counter. I’m dying to be inside you.”

Her cheeks flush and she smiles. “Maybe when we get back then?”

“Yes,” I say, kissing her forehead. I sure fucking hope so. I leave her to get ready and head upstairs to my own bedroom. I have every intention of bringing her up here soon, but at the moment there’s just too much evidence of the other me. As soon as I step inside, I see the skull mask on the dresser.

Part of me just wants to take it right down and show her, but I know she needs to meet my uncle first. One step at a time, and taking my uncle is much easier than taking the fact that I tried to murder her. I blow out a sigh and grab my jacket from the closet. The sight of the row of hoodies inside makes my stomach hurt, now, for some reason.

I have no problem with killing. But damn, if I don’t want to change my MO.

I reach in and grab the hoodies along with the skull mask and toss them into a heap behind the door of my room. I’ll throw that shit away after I take Ember to work tomorrow. That makes me feel a little better, and with that, I head downstairs to wait for her.

***

“Don’t be nervous.” I squeeze Ember’s hand as we walk into the same Italian restaurant I always meet my uncle at. The hostess gives me the same funny look, and then guides me to the private dining room.

“I feel as if I’m going to throw up,” Ember says under her breath, her hand sweating inside of mine. It doesn’t bother me—nothing about her does. I don’t know why she’s so fucking different, but she is.

My uncle gets up from the table to greet us.

“Jax.” He turns to Ember. “You must be his girlfriend. He hasn’t said much about you, but the fact he’s said anything must mean you’re very important.”

Ember blushes. “Thank you. I’m not sure if I’m his—”

“You are my girlfriend,” I say, gazing down at her. “We can make that official today.”

She laughs softly. “Okay then.”

My uncle shoots me a look and then gestures towards the table. “Shall we sit down and eat? I have a lot I’d like to talk about.”

“Of course,” Ember says.

I pull out a chair for her, eyeing my uncle. I have no idea what the fuck he wants to talk about, but the thought makes me feel sick. There’s so much he could say that could genuinely hurt my relationship with Ember. Would he do that? He always seemed like he was rooting for me, but now…

I’m not so fucking sure.

What if he wants her for himself? The thought makes my hands clench. I’d fucking murder anyone who tries to take her from me. She’s mine.

“So, I take it you’re both quitting the bar job, yeah?” Roman raises his brows as he takes a sip of his water.

“Yes,” I answer for us. “Seems like the right thing to do considering.”

“I agree.” He nods, and then turns to Ember. “And what do you do for your second job?”

You already know, asshole.

“Um,” she hesitates, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I work at a bookstore.”

“I take it you like working there?”

She nods. “Yes. I do.”

My uncle doesn’t press any more on that. “I think it’s important to work a job you enjoy doing, which is why I’d really like for Jax to come to work for me. I have the perfect job for you.” His eyes meet mine. “I think it’ll help you, greatly.”

Ember goes very silent, knowing full well what the family business is. I feel her eyes on me, but I don’t know what to do with the offer my uncle’s dangling in front of me. It does make sense to some degree. I could let out some of my murderous urges…

“I don’t know,” I answer him. “My primary concern is for Ember’s safety.”

“I see.” Roman stifles a laugh by coughing. “I’m sorry. The irony is killing me.”

I freeze in the seat, my expression fucking begging him not to go any deeper into the topic. Please don’t fucking sabotage me. Let me take care of telling her. Or never telling her.

“With all due respect, what would he be doing?” Ember asks carefully, her voice quiet. She peers between the two of us, and I realize the comment went right over her head, thankfully.

“Well, nothing that would cause you any concern, but it would allow you to continue working at the bookstore—or open your own?” Roman says, shrugging. “The man sitting beside you has the connections and capability to give you anything your little heart could ever desire, and I do hope—for his sake—that he does. It’s time for him to move on with his life.”

I nod. “It is time to move on. I’ve cut my mother off, though I’ll continue to let her live in the apartment.”

“I think that’s fair. She’s blood after all, but it can end there.”

“Agreed.”

Roman cracks his neck and takes a deep breath, leaning back in his chair. His eyes bounce between the two of us, as if studying how well the two of us match. “I like this pairing. I can bless it.”

“We don’t need your blessing,” I snort, shaking my head.

His expression darkens. “You damned sure do, Jaxton. There’s mutual respect between the two of us, and despite your goddamned fuck ups, I happen to think of you as if you’re my own son. I’m happy for you.”

Ember shifts uncomfortably in the chair beside me, and I reach out, placing my hand on her upper thigh, feeling her quad muscle beneath her denim skirt. Briefly, my mind conjures up the scenario of taking her to the bathroom and burying my fucking face between her legs, but I brush it off.

“Ah,” my uncle says as the waiter appears. “Let’s order.”