Roses & Thorns: Women Read online

  Lacey nods with bright red cheeks, snapping me back to the present. Without sparing me a second glance Lacey ushers Rose out of the room.

  I hear Rose ask Lacey if she’s sure she wants to go outside as they exit the room. I don’t hear Lacey’s response, but I know she’s sure. And I like that I played a small role in that.

  When we are sure the girls are gone I turn to Nix. Everything about my demeanor changes in a heartbeat. I fall right back into the role I know well; cold, heartless, business.

  “What did you want to discuss?”

  I glare at him, letting him know I am very much a threat. Even though I really can’t do shit, because of my promise to Lacey.

  “Well, first, you and Lacey, huh?”

  His lip twitches. He looks so damn smug.

  “There’s no me and Lacey. I'm making things right. That’s all.”

  Nix’s smile grows, but this time along with Sven’s. Sven leans further back in his chair, looking cockier than ever.

  “Since when do you ‘make things right Boss’?” Sven asks, grinning.

  “If you want your cock to stay intact for Rose’s return you better keep your fucking mouth shut.”

  “Jesus!” Nix scowls, throwing his hands over his ears. “That makes me want to shoot you both. She’s my sister you fucking idiots.”

  Amusing. I give him no reaction, but I don’t hate this guy. Which is a fucking relief since I can’t get rid of him. Not to mention, I admire the hell out of the fact he didn’t just write Sven off based on his job before meeting him.

  Not that I necessarily think Sven is best for Rose, but I admire the principal.

  “Why are you here?”

  “To protect Rose,” Nix says, knee-jerk, “but I do have to discuss something with you.”

  Nix turns to me directly.

  “You won’t care about this. At least not at first. But seeing as that you have Lacey, and Rose is Lacey’s best friend, you may find yourself taking this a little more seriously.”

  My fingers itch for the trigger.

  “I don’t have Lacey, and don’t use her as a way to try and manipulate me. This is your only warning.”

  Ironic that the only reason he’s getting one is because of Lacey.

  “I’m trying to do whatever it takes to protect Sage and my sister!” he screams, eyes red with fury. I know the look well. Furious desperation.

  “Well, what do you need? Don’t hold back now,” I say with a flick of my wrist, feigning disinterest.

  “Rose’s father is planning something,” Nix says, not skipping a beat. Panic seeps into his features. Which, I don’t know him well, but I know enough to know that is concerning. Sven has been quiet this whole time, but he shoots to his feet in an instant with this news.

  “What the fuck is he planning?! Is Rose in danger? How do you know this?”

  Sven’s eyes are virtually black with rage.

  “I know this because I’ve grown up with him! You think he gave Rose a good childhood for no fucking reason. Please,” he rolls his eyes, “Everything he does is done to benefit him. Now one of his goons has Sage too. Meaning he has me in the palm of his hand. I can’t do shit without getting Sage killed. And, send me to hell, but I don’t love Sage less than Rose.”

  “Why the fuck do you think I’d want to get wrapped up in this shit?” I growl.

  Sven turns to me quicker than I am prepared for, gun at the ready. “We will fix this Boss,” he seethes, eyes tiny black slits.

  I cock an eyebrow. “You gonna shoot me over this? Haven’t we done this already?”

  I step forward, showing no fear. Sven won’t shoot to kill. Worst comes to worst he’ll shoot a limb. Not that I want that, but I'm not about to show fear over it.

  His eyes flash with anger, but it’s what I see behind it that has me backing off. Fear. He’s scared of losing Rose. For Sven, this is a big fucking deal. Sven’s not a guy who feels. Everything about him shouts trauma. I'm guessing Rose is the first person he’s genuinely felt for since he chose this life. Because he’s my main man I back off. I'm a fair Boss, for those that are loyal to me.

  “What do you know Nix?”

  I avoid Sven and his gun altogether. Nix turns and slaps a hand on the wall.

  “Rose’s life is on the line.”

  Chapter 15:

  Rose:

  A Week and a Half Later:

  “Lacey,” I squeal from the other side of the pool as water soaks my blonde hair. Who even knew they had a pool here? That’s how big this place is.

  Lacey laughs quietly to herself. She’s evil. Pure evil. I swim over and push her under the water by the top of her head. She doesn’t even fight me. She goes eerily calm. Then, when I start to get nervous, she drifts closer to me and tickles the back of my legs. I squeal and let her go. She pops up out of the water, smirking at me. She’d deny it’s a smirk, but it’s totally a smirk! Her and her dang smarts. She’s too smart to even have fun with. And too controlled. Too everything. Except secure.

  Her body, which I haven’t seen since she was taken, is fully covered in a wetsuit. Sven showed me the pool right after I got here. He said it was to help entertain me. That may be half true, but come on, this is Sven we’re talking about. I'm sure me roaming around half-naked in a bikini has something to do with it. Let’s be real here. Sven’s changed, humbled, matured a bit, but not that much.

  Plus, I demanded my own room. You know, since this is some weird twist of fate where he actually cares about my view on things, even if he acts like he doesn’t.

  I still don’t know how I feel about Nix. Even though none of this is really his fault and he got dealt a much worse hand than me, I'm still angry he didn’t tell me he was my brother sooner. He’s strong. He could have stood up and told me. He knows I’d never tell anyone if he asked me not to. He knows I’d never slip and get Sage killed. He’s a criminal too. Like my dad. But not. I'm confused. And it hurts. All I’ve wanted since the day my world was turned upside down is to have a family. People who care about me. Now it seems every day I'm surrounded by more people who care, love and protect me... and I'm terrified. The relationship I had with Nix was good before, surface level with genuine affection. Loving him like family is what scares me. What if he goes to prison too? He still hasn’t told me exactly what kind of criminal he is. I don’t know anything about him, and I’ve been too pissed to talk to him and address it. You know, deal with this like a mature adult.

  When I told Lacey how I felt all she said was ‘he’s good people Rose.’ She has a way of getting straight to the truth. Skipping through all the emotions.

  I want to believe she’s right and I think she is, but unlike Lacey, Sven and just about every other man here, I run on emotions, not rationality. I can’t help it.

  “You don’t play fair Lacey.”

  “What?” she says, feigning innocence.

  “Oh, don’t play me. I know you’re smart.”

  Lacey throws me a rare, teasing smile before kicking her legs up to float on the top of the water. I should really let her have her moment, but while Lacey has her smarts, I have my ability to be sneaky, and admittedly cheat a little.

  I quietly swim over.

  “Announcing myself,” I squeal before poking her wetsuit to push her under the water. She screams playfully before becoming fully immersed in the water.

  Our friendship works because we know each other's weak points. She’s been there for my darkest moments, and I’ve been there for hers. If I hadn’t announced myself before pushing Lacey under the water I would have seriously traumatized her. She would have shut down from the sheer amount of panic coursing through her system.

  Her body slowly floats to the surface, quickly surfacing to suck in a deep breath. In a flash, Lacey is at the side of the pool. She grabs the ball from the cement and throws it so it bounces right off the top of my head. A vibrating sensation courses through my body. When it passes I turn to her with narrow eyes. I'm planning revenge in my head…
that is until I lay eyes on her. Her adorable little hand is over her mouth. She’s trying to hide her laughter from me because I know she’s making fun of the face I made when the ball bounced off my head.

  I cup my hands and splash as much water as I possibly can in her face. Her adorable giggles echo throughout the vast backyard. I'm beaming as I look at her. There’s water dripping off the ends of her ashy hair. She’s out here breathing in the open hair with no fear. She deserves the world. It feels so freaking good to see her happy.

  The sound of footsteps stop me. I cease splashing and glance over Lacey’s shoulder. The Boss is standing there with his arms and ankles crossed casually as he leans against the back wall. There’s a look on his face I can’t interpret. One that almost looks… soft? I quickly back up. He may have feelings for Lacey none of us understand or trust right now, but I'm not dumb enough to think his feelings or guilt for Lacey change anything for me. I still see him as the man who shot me. And gave Lacey up for slaughter.

  But Lacey feels safe with him. Even if she has her doubts. Even if she tries to deny it. When he enters the room her wall goes down. She visibly relaxes. The protective shield she wears like a mask lowers.

  “Lacey, can I speak with you a moment?”

  Lacey was having a moment of quiet so his voice startles her. She leaps around, feet floating back to the bottom of the pool. When her eyes meet his, a look of complete adoration crosses his face. Her laughter. He likes the sound of her laughter. It’d be cute if it wasn't crazy confusing. How does Lacey handle this man? At least Sven is consistent with how he feels. Albeit crazy, but consistent. How can the Boss look so madly in love with her when he’s the one who hurt her the worst? I don’t say anything of course. I like the air in my lungs thank you very much, and I don’t think Lacey has any more answers than I do. Feelings are little devils. They own you even when you don’t understand them. Lacey’s shoulders slump, clearly relieved it’s him and not somebody else. She turns to me with a ‘he’s so annoying’ look on her face. Which, I admit, is amusing.

  “I’ll be right back.”

  She steps out of the pool, water dripping all around her from the wetsuit. Her slightly freckled face stands out with all the hair glued to her head. The Boss leans over and grabs a towel, wrapping it around her when she gets close enough to touch. She blushes and makes sure not to look at either of us.

  He touches her arm and leads her to the side a bit, looking over his shoulder at me. Eyes narrowing, making sure I'm far enough that I don’t hear a word they’re saying. I don’t engage at all. When his eyes meet mine I duck under the water. The blurry blue surrounds me. My lungs slowly start to constrict. I can’t hold my breath any longer. I sneak back up to the watch them talk. The boss has a very serious look on his face and is watching Lacey carefully. About three-quarters of the way through their conversation Lacey’s spine goes alarmingly straight.

  I feel myself drifting to the edge of the pool. I’d be more alarmed if the Boss didn’t look as shocked as I am worried. I see him trying to comfort her in his own way, but she’s pulled away. Mentally and physically. She dries off, gives me a quick wave and goes inside. There’s a tense, awkward silence between the Boss and I. It’s only the two of us left out here, and we don’t exactly get along. The way his eyebrows pull together tell me he’s stressed, but of course other than that, he’s a picture of composure.

  He doesn’t spare a glance my way. He loses himself in thought. I watch his jaw tick as he stares at the wall in front of him. He lets out a frustrated groan and slams his fist into his thigh. He throws the back door open, and storms inside just a couple minutes after Lacey.

  I swim to the side of the pool to pull myself out of the pool after that. I mean what else is there to do? As my foot finds the first step Sven walks out. Shirtless. In his swim trunks. Instantly I feel my body come alive. I’ve been avoiding him for exactly this reason. I can’t have sex with such mixed emotions coursing through me. That would be so stupid. I can’t fuck myself up even more. But he’s making it pretty damn hard right now.

  That is until I shift my gaze from his body to his face.

  He looks stressed. I’ve never seen him stressed. Nothing even remotely close, and I was with him when he was locked up in a treatment center. God, that feels like ages ago.

  I back into the water so it comes up to my hip instead of my ankle. He walks right in without stopping or speaking.

  “Sven, what’s wrong?”

  He doesn’t stop until he gets to me. Pinning me against the side of the pool with incredible force.

  “Sven you’re…”

  White. The world goes white.

  It always goes white. Every dang time he plants his lips on mine. He silences all my thoughts. I feel his erection pressing against my thigh. I whimper against his lips as his tongue slides inside me. He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me into him. His hips grind into me, and I don’t, can’t stop it.

  When he pulls away he glares at me, hips still pressing into me. Which is… a lot since I'm wearing a bikini that’s basically nothing but a small strip of yellow fabric.

  “Quit pulling away from me,” he growls. “I came for you. I gave you a fucking choice. And you came back.”

  “Don’t flatter yourself I…”

  His finger slides inside my bikini bottoms. Placing pressure there without moving. It takes everything in me not to grind my hips against him. My body is literally shaking with need. With one fucking touch from him and his cocky ass mouth.

  “You what, huh?”

  He pushes down harder. My eyes drift closed like I'm in pain. Because I damn well am. He’s messing with me.

  Please touch me.

  But I know he won’t. Not until I say it. Not until I let him in. I can’t. I can’t.

  “You’re scared,” he breathes in my ear.

  “No, I'm…”

  “Scared.”

  “Terrified,” I breath. His finger flicks me just the slightest bit before going back to freezing in place. “Oh God, please Sven…”

  “Please what. Say it Rose, and I’ll make you come right here.”

  “God Sven stop,” I plead as my head falls onto his shoulder. Sweat breaks out across my forehead despite being practically naked in the cool open air. His hand finds my hair and pulls me back, my breath two inches from his face.

  “I need you to say it, Rose. You want me. Just fucking say it. We’ll work the rest out.”

  “I… can’t. Please don’t make me.”

  Tears slip down my cheeks. He kisses me right where they fall, but it’s rough. Possessive.

  “I think we’ve proved I'm not making you.”

  “Please let me come, Sven. Please.”

  His eyes go wide. I know he didn’t expect me to say that. Still, that’s not what he wants from me. Not me to beg for a useless fuck, he wants my word. My commitment to try and see if a relationship could work between us.

  “I can’t fucking say no to you,” he growls before placing a finger inside me. I sound between a cry and a scream escapes my lips. He curls his finger inside me, stroking in this exact right spot. The tension leaves my body in a blinding orgasm.

  The second I come down Sven is gone, exiting the pool gracefully.

  “Wait,” I say, admittedly breathy from the orgasm. Sven turns back to me. His voice void of all emotions except for the hurt I see in his eyes. It’s masked by coldness, but I know him too well for him to hide it from me.

  “I'm sorry,” I say, ashamed. Damned if I do, damned if I don’t. I feel guilty for hurting him, and I’d feel guilty for being with him.

  “Whatever,” Sven says, getting out without looking at me.

  I cower back in the back of the pool. I don’t know why this is the moment I decide to spill what has been secretly bothering me for days. I’ve been able to have moments of happiness, like when I play pool games with Lacey, but the worry has been sitting in my gut constantly.

  “Sven?”


  “What?” he snaps, hands balling into fists by his sides.

  “Can we talk? Just for a second.”

  He doesn’t even turn back around.

  “I'm not your fucking girlfriend Rose! And we are not friends with benefits. I'm not gonna sit around and give you orgasms and talk with you like a chick while you dick me around! Talk to me when you make up your damn mind.”

  He throws the towel to the side and starts to storm inside, radiating frustration. Desperate, I swim frantically to the edge of the pool.

  “I’ve been getting weird texts,” I call after him, leaning over the top step. Sven freezes. Slowly, he turns on his heel. The intensity I see his eyes steals my breath.

  “What?” The tone of his voice sends chills down my spine.

  “I’ve been…”

  “Out of the pool. Now!” he snaps, vibrating with rage and other emotions I'm not understanding.

  I'm too surprised to argue. I walk out and wrap a towel around my half-naked body. Sven is standing there pacing, letting out sounds of indignation. As I'm wiping down one of my legs Sven turns to me suddenly, eyes full of rage.

  “Are you really this fucking naive? Jesus Christ, you really never stood a chance. Me getting involved with you, your family, you never stood a chance. Jesus!”

  He spins, running his hands through his hair. I feel so stupid, but I have no clue what’s going on or why he’s so upset. Yes, the texts are weird. Yes, it’s happened a couple of times. But it’s just weirdos. Who else would it be? I mean my greatest threat is right here in this house. I mean it freaked me out, no doubt, but I'm by no means panicking.

  “I'm sorry, I…”

  Sven grabs me by my hair and pulls me inside, forcing the towel to the floor behind me.

  “What are you doing?” I snap as he drags me down the hall by my wrist. I try and squirm free, but his grip tightens, becoming unrelenting in his hold. He doesn’t stop once. He’s on a mission to get to his room and no one is stopping him.

  When we get to his room he kicks the door shut, and practically shoves me on the bed so I'm sitting in front of him. The only other time I’ve seen him this genuinely upset, and not cockily playful, is when the boss was holding me. When I was truly in danger. And I know in this moment those texts weren’t innocent. I freeze on the bed, watching Sven with wide eyes.