Free An Eye For An Eye (The Club #11) by M.C. Cerny

hard chest.
    “That, sweet Jude is just the beginning of what it’s like to submit to me.” If I’d known this was what I’d been missing all this time I would have pushed him sooner all those times he visited me in the dark silence to get my reward.  
     

Ten
     
    LORAND
     
    She slept soundly, and for the first time I am content not pacing the floor or my mind crawling the walls to escape confinement. No outstanding job clouds my mind. I don’t think about my obligations waiting for me in Austin or at the house on Lake Huron when daylight emerges. Not even Sorenson’s ultimatum permeates the time with her. There will be time enough for that, the regular shit will still be there, but these precious moments are mine.
    “Good morning.” She rolled over into my arms and I tucked her safely underneath me.
    “Mmm, hi.”
    “You seem well rested.”
    “I feel rested except for the soreness.”
    “The bruises?” She nods and my anger flared something fierce.
    “Do they look bad?” I leaned up rolling her over to face me and turn the bedside lamp on to examine her in decent lighting this time. My jaw clenched seeing the damage to her otherwise pale and flawless skin.
    “No, barely noticeable.” I lied and her face puckers in a sour expression.
    “You’re a bad liar. I can hear it in your voice.” I’m caught and the realization makes me smile because it means she knows me. It’s an odd and heady feeling, one I like very much.
    “They’ll be gone in a week or so, no more. I promise.” I traced the outline of her finely arched eyebrow. It fascinates me and I let my finger linger following a path down to her nipple watching it harden under my gaze. She stiffens and wiggles under me, a flush spreads over her chest mingling with the purple and yellow bruises showing me a rainbow across her skin. I’ll call Tally to see what she can tell me about this man named Ken who hurt her. Confidentiality be damned, I think she’d agree he was no longer worthy of being a member. 
    “You’re thinking something.” Drawing my attention back she reaches up and pulls me back down to her.
    “What makes you say that?”
    “I can…feel your body tensing. You’re going to find him aren’t you?”
    “Jude.”
    “Lorand.”
    “Can we not argue?” I would beg her but it’s pointless, she knows I’ll go after the son of a bitch for hurting her. It’s my nature and I have no desire to alter that part of myself.
    “Can you answer the question?”
    I brushed hair back from her face, lifting her chin and examining her stern expression which makes me smile. Her frustration is stunning. “I’d rather not.” Teasing her is easy.
    She clutched my hands with her much smaller, colder ones. “But I prefer you did.”
    “Well we don’t always get what we want, now do we?” My goal is to distract her from asking me things I’m not ready to share with her and she’s good at sorting me out, almost too good that I know it’s going to be a problem. I come close to forgetting myself and my objectivity flies right out the window with this girl.
    Guilt nipped at me and I know she’ll figure out sooner rather than later that her uncle is also my contact. I have a feeling that this is why he knew I would take this contract whether I wanted it or not. Something ties all of this together in a neat little bowed package that I’m about to tear wide open.
    From a distance, I watch the ambulance pull away taking her to the nearest hospital. I will follow them there to check on her after I find my target and finish the job. Behind me I hear a rustling and turn.
    “You’re going to owe me, Lorand.” Sorenson is twisting off the silencer on his gun.
    “Did you get him? The last target?” I’m worried he might come after Jude.
    “No. He’s going to be a problem.” Sorenson pockets his weapon grunting.
    “Kendrick Halstad is a dead man walking.” It’s said with conviction and he will be my mission the rest of my life.
    “It