but it's true. And I can't let you leave again, wildcat. You get that, don't you?"
There was a warning in his voice though I almost imagined there was a hint of concern there too.
I pursed my lips at the feeling of more ties being placed upon me, but I shrugged the feeling off. I wasn't staying here because Luther Harlequin demanded it. I was staying because for better or worse, this was my home. I had no idea what that meant long term, but I could reassure him on that much.
"I'm not going anywhere," I promised, closing the envelope as I finished confirming that all my cash was accounted for. "You don't need to worry about that."
Luther nodded, accepting my word and I slid off the hood of the car, heading towards the exit.
"It's not safe out there for you with Shawn still lurking in the shadows," Luther called, moving into step with me and pointing to his truck which was parked up outside. "Let me give you a ride home. Fox is losing his shit over you giving his guys the slip earlier anyway."
"You know about that?" I asked.
"Yeah. And don't worry, I told him you were running a job for me, so he isn't tearing the Cove apart. But I should get you home safe."
I nodded, climbing into his truck. For a moment I considered asking him to take me to Rejects Park instead of Harlequin House, but I held my tongue. I had one more thing to achieve today and the rage burning inside me wouldn't stand any chance of lessening until I did it.
Luther dropped me to the front door and I used my key to let myself inside, the darkness in me building and building with every step I took as I withdrew into myself.
Fox and JJ were both sitting at the kitchen island as I walked in and they looked around at me with a mixture of relief from Fox and barely concealed rage from JJ who I guessed had been called home following my disappearing act.
I didn't give a shit if he was angry at me for running off though. In fact, I no longer gave a single shit about him at all. If I was nothing more than a client with an unpaid tab to him then he would be nothing but the memory of a long-lost boy to me.
Fox wrapped me in his arms and a little piece of my heart tugged as the familiar scent of him coiled around me and my heart ached to take comfort from him. But that was the mistake I'd made with JJ. I'd let him in and now he was done with me all over again. I couldn't keep being a playing piece for these boys and their wayward emotions. I couldn't keep letting them in when all they ever did was hurt me.
Just be a good little whore and we won't have any problems, will we, sugarpie? Shawn's voice echoed in my ears and I knew he'd seen something in me when he'd spoken to me like that. He'd seen my worth and it had amounted to what lay between my thighs and how much control he could take of it. Which seemed to be pretty much the same as what these men saw in me these days too.
I withdrew from Fox's embrace, my gaze falling to my feet as I tried not to listen to the memories which were creeping in. All the worst thoughts and feelings I'd ever had about myself and all the ways Shawn had made sure I knew that was what he thought of me too.
It hurt. It fucking hurt because I could see it in them now as well. JJ didn't think I was worth more than the value of the cash I had wedged in my back pocket and I was still struggling to figure out what Fox wanted me for.
"Are you okay, hummingbird?" Fox asked, seeming to catch on to my mood without me even saying anything. "You want me to run you a bath or something?"
"Yeah," I agreed, biting down my anger with JJ because of course I couldn't just tell Fox why I was so pissed at him thanks to all the bullshit secrets we'd been keeping. “That would be nice.”
"I'm on it." Fox pressed a kiss to the top of my head and I was so glad that he'd reined in his freak out reaction to me going missing that I caught