A Commitment to Love, Book 3 (4 page)

“Thank God I’m not in a Disney movie.”

He tilted that huge frame my way. “Are you sure about that?”

“Yes. I’m not a Disney princess or
your
queen
. I’ll be right back. See you at the table.” With confidence, I turned around and stalked off.

If the music was low, I would’ve heard the click.

If I’d been facing him, I would’ve seen him press the button on the remote control.

But neither happened. Yet, that freaking toy came on inside me. Vibrations throbbed between the hungry space between my thighs. I stumbled again.

Christ, it feels so good.

My whole world shifted into a tornado of pleasure. And I stood at the center, the vortex, the very eyes of a hurricane, spinning over and over. Wind whipped past my skin. My senses heightened. The succulent aroma of high-end dishes assaulted my nose. The orchestra’s playing increased and blocked out all of the chatter.

Oh my God. When will it stop feeling so good?

And at the center of my pussy, pleasure drummed so hard, I gritted my teeth and clenched my fingers into fists.

Chase appeared behind me, wrapped one arm around my waist, and pressed his thick erection into the curve of my behind. “Here, my queen. Let me show you to the bathroom.”

“I hate you,” I moaned.

“I like when you say it that way.”

“Ummm.”

“Can I do laps between those lips? I want to kiss your flower, let my tongue play between those petals.”

A gruff male voice sounded behind the both of us, and ruined the moment. “I’ve never been one for flowers.”

Is that Benny?

Tension thickened within my shoulders as I glanced behind me.

Benny’s angry expression met my gaze. “You look beautiful tonight, Jasmine.”

Chase clicked the remote control, and all of the vibrations stopped, as well as the calm beating of my heart.

Please, don’t hurt anyone tonight, Benny.

C
HAPTER
2

Jasmine

“
B
enny
, what are you doing here?” I stepped around Chase. He blocked me, and pushed me back behind him.

“Stay back, Jasmine.” Chase blocked me again.

“Yes, stay back, Jasmine.” Benny nodded and stood right in front of Chase. If he’d been a cartoon character, smoke probably would’ve been seething from his nostrils. He looked pissed. His signature smile spread across his face, the smile that warned of blood and broken bones to come.

“Why didn’t you invite your mother?” Benny asked.

“What?” I took my mask off. “Forget all of that. Please, don’t start any—”

Chase got back in front of me. “I don’t even want you talking to this sick man.”

“Let me talk to him.” I tried to knock Chase’s arm away as he walled me into his back.

“I wish I could kill you right here, little Stone. Just for your hands being all over my daughter’s body.” Benny’s voice delivered chills to my skin. “You should definitely stay behind him, Jasmine. I don’t want you to accidentally get hurt, when good ole Chase is my target.”

“What do you want?” Chase asked.

“Have you not received my heads?” Benny’s smile widened. “I gift wrapped them all in Beatles’ paper. I figured it added a good touch. Perhaps, the images could make you forget about the smell. Did you get the heads I sent you?”

“Heads?” I shoved Chase away and got to their side, keeping them both in my view. “What do you mean heads? Tell me you’re not talking about actual heads.” I turned to Chase and then Benny.

Neither said anything.

I waved my hand. “Hello? What is going on?”

Chase kept his gaze on Benny. “You need to leave.”

“I have things to say tonight.” Benny shrugged. “I’ll leave when I’m done.”

“Heads?” I glanced at them both again. “Someone answer me!”

They remained quiet. Both just stood there, appearing almost like mirror reflections, if not for the difference in age and pedigree, they could’ve been related. Both stood tall with broad shoulders and heavy, muscular builds. Chase exuded youth and wealth. He was chiseled muscle and a piercing green gaze, sex simmering on top of success.

Benny showed aging. He had been dyeing his gray hair for years, until Vivian and I joked on him so much, that he gave it all up and accepted his age. Gray hair covered his whole head and was combed back and cut on the sides in a military style.

He could’ve been a great extra in an old military drama, if not for those cold eyes. It was Chase and Benny’s biggest difference. Benny had the ice of cold streets rumbling within his gaze. And when he blinked, the promise of violence lingered. There was just no other way to describe it. Years ago, when I’d been a kid, it was hard to see it. Once I became an adult, the edge of Benny became hard to ignore.

In these past months, as I was faced with the horror that he’d done to Dawn, I had to admit that Benny scared the shit out of me.

Unlike the other guests, Benny wore no mask and had on regular clothes—blue jeans, white buttoned up T-shirt, and a brown leather jacket. Black gloves hid his hands and made my stomach tighten.

Is it cold enough outside for gloves? Maybe. It’s windy. I don’t know. Benny with gloves can never be a good thing.

Benny’s words ripped through my thoughts. “Did you get my heads?”

“I did,” Chase replied.

“Any suggestions?”

“I’m not big on threats, Benny.”

I directed my attention to Chase. “What heads? What threats? You told me that Benny hadn’t contacted us this whole time. You said that everything was okay and—”

“He’s a liar,” Benny interrupted. “This is nothing new. He’s deceitful. He lied and did everything to get you in his life, and now he’ll continue.”

“Oh really?” I looked at the man that I’d just learned was my father a few months ago. “You’re not the only one that lies?”

Benny’s smile straightened into the neutral expression that he always used with me. “Have you received any of my calls?”

“No.”

“He’s blocked me from your phone.”

I shook my head. “He wouldn’t do that.”

“He did.”

Chase didn’t say anything during our exchange, which didn’t make me feel any better, but at least the two men weren’t trying to stab each other to death.

I sighed. “Back to these heads.”

Chase cleared his throat. “Your father … and I use that word lightly. In fact, let’s just call him
madman
, this madman has been mailing cut-off heads to my office.”

“Don’t forget the Beatles’ wrapping paper,” Benny added.

I touched my chest. “Human heads?”

“Human heads.” Chase nodded.

I edged back from Benny. “What is wrong with you? W-whose heads are these? Why … why would you do that?”

Benny winked at me. “You know that part of a wedding ceremony where the reverend asks the audience if they support the marriage or not?”

It was hard for me to speak, but I managed to whisper, “What does this have to do with anything?”

“Those heads are my response to your relationship with Chase. I’ve had enough, and tonight, as Chase announced you both to the world, I will declare a few things, too.”

“Get out of here.” Rage radiated from Chase’s heated glare. “You’re a psychopath and I won’t let you bully me.”

“Why are you sending him heads?” My whole body shook.

“Chase has been sending people to murder me. I’m only defending myself. I’m just sending his guys back to him. Nothing more,” Benny continued. “The heads come, when his little contract killers appear on my doorstep.”

I edged back again. “Chase, you hired people to kill Benny?”

Chase ran his fingers through his hair. “He’s a psychopath.”

“You told me that everything was okay, and you’re hiring contract killers?” I pointed to Benny. “And you’re cutting off these killers’ heads and sending them to Chase?”

“Don’t forget the Beatles’ wrapping paper,” Benny chuckled to himself.

My lungs swelled with stress. It was hard to breathe. “Chase is right. You are sick. Stop sending them. Trust me, Chase will no longer—”

“What?” Chase asked. “Chase will no longer what? Stop sending people to kill him? No. Chase has just begun.”

“Chase apparently also likes to talk in third person now,” Benny muttered.

“Send your heads.” There was no denying the sharpened edge in Chase’s voice. “Send as many heads as you want. I won’t stop being with Jasmine, and I’ll never give up trying to wipe you off the face of this earth. So send them. But here’s some advice—next time send body parts that I like. Heads are so last year.”

“Good point.” Benny bowed. “What would you like me to send? You said that you have favorite body parts. Are we discussing pussy? You can’t mean that. Clearly, you’ve had more than enough pussy cut up in any man’s lifetime.”

“Stop it!” I got between them. Both appeared ready to explode. Heat swarmed on both sides. My skin and whole body sat on edge.

Where the hell is security? Maybe, they just think Chase and I are talking to a regular guy and there’s no problem.

Benny shifted his neutral expression back to one of joy. His eyes brightened and mouth widened, showing his teeth. That was never a good sign. It was always the moment right before he yanked out the normalcy. The little hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention.

I’d seen him smile just as wide and displaying all his teeth, long ago. When he’d done it, he’d broken a teenage boy’s legs minutes later. Both of them. One at a time. Just ’cause the boy had been caught sneaking into Vivian’s room.

Chase clapped and I jumped. “Each time I meet you, Benny, you reach a new low. I think I’m going to stand back and let you continue to sink yourself. Just let you show Jasmine how much of a monster you are.”

I’ve already seen how much of a monster he is.

Several men in black masks and plain tuxedos appeared and surrounded us. Each one held a gun that was targeted right at Benny’s head. There must’ve been ten of them. A few of the guests gasped. Many moved out of the way.

“You even have your guards masked tonight?” Benny glanced at one of them. “They look like Batman’s rejects.”

“They are his rejects,” Chase said. “I picked the best for you.”

“They won’t shoot me in here.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because this is your precious event to showcase my daughter as your newly bought item. You wouldn’t want to cause a scene.”

“I wouldn’t care if a scene is made, as long as you’re dead.”

I waved my hands. “Both of you stop. No one has to die tonight. Please, let’s figure this out right now and just try to get over it all. We’ve been through enough. Don’t you think?”

Neither answered me.

One of the guards tapped me on my shoulder. “Ma’am, you’ll need to come with me.”

I shoved his hand away. “I’m staying right here next to Chase.”

“But, ma’am—”

“Leave her alone.” Chase kept his focus on Benny. “Go ahead as planned.”

All of the guards raised their guns a bit higher like they were better positioning their target.

I touched Chase’s hand. “What are they going to do?”

He didn’t respond.

I whispered to him, “Please, don’t kill him. I … I can’t watch Benny die. I’m already trying to forget about everything else. I can’t take anymore.”

Chase raised his hand and flicked one finger in the air. The guards lowered their guns.

Footsteps pounded around us. More men appeared, but these weren’t Chase’s security. They had to be Benny’s. They all gathered around us, too—huge men with scars on their faces and death wrinkled around their eyes. None wore masks, although it would’ve been more soothing if they had. I would’ve given any amount of money to cover up those terrifying glares.

“So …” Benny cleared his throat. “You have guns and now I have guns. Initially, I was bored out of my mind at this gala. I’ve never much liked frilly men in masks.” He placed his hands in his pockets. “Masks hide things. I prefer everything to be out in the open.”