Crushing Beauty (Harbingers of Sorrow MC): Vegas Titans Series (5 page)

Jagger stayed in bed, contemplating his revenge. He knew how
to handle people who betrayed him. He had tortured before. He had killed
before. But, she was different. He thought about hurting her the way he'd hurt
so many men. It pained him. He didn’t know if he could bring himself to do it. Maybe
he would let his family handle it. No. He got himself into this mess, and he
would get himself out.

Plus, no matter how infuriated he was, he didn’t want anyone
else to touch her. She was still his. How did he let himself fall back into
this habit so quickly? He hadn’t seen the woman in ten years. Still, he had
dreamed of this reunion every day since he left her. It was exactly how he had
imagined it; except for the red dress of deceit. He felt her breathing slow
against his chest and knew she had fallen asleep.

It pleased him to know that she still felt comfortable
around him. If she were about to betray him, why would she have fallen asleep? Wouldn’t
she have been on high alert? He would have to get answers before exacting his
revenge. This would be new for him, but he was willing to try a different
approach if it might prove her to be innocent. But how would he get her to
talk?

Britton opened her eyes. She had fallen asleep. How did she
fall asleep? Where was she? It was Jagger’s hotel room. The memories of passion
came rushing back to her, and she lost her breath at the thought. She couldn’t
believe how much she had enjoyed him: his touch, his passion. What was she
doing? She was instantly reminded of her initial fight with David after he had
dropped Jagger’s file in front of her. She didn’t think she was ready for this
case back then. The stream of emotions rising to the surface of her body proved
that her original fears were, in fact, accurate. She knew she couldn’t let this
affair last much longer; she might get sucked deeper into his trance.

It was dark, except for a small light coming from the
bathroom. Should she go check out the room for evidence? Was Jagger asleep too?
Where was Jagger? His arms were not wrapped around her as they were before she
had nodded off. She slowly turned her head to the other direction. Nothing. Where
had he gone? She tried to reach out. Her arms were stuck. Why were her arms
stuck? She tried to pull her knees to her chest. Her legs wouldn’t budge. She
was bound. How did she not remember this happening? Was it during their love
making? No. She remembered every second of their passion. This must have happened
later. How deep was she sleeping?

“Jagger?”

The bedside lamp flashed to life. He was sitting alongside
the bed, staring at her. He held up her dress.

“What is this?”

“The dress I wore tonight. Why am I tied up?”

“I’ll ask the questions. Why did you wear this dress?”

She knew he had recognized it. Damn. Why had she wanted to
tease him with their past? Of course he would think that she was up to something.
She needed to think of a back story, and fast.

“I was hoping I’d see you.”

“You knew I’d be here?”

“When Larry offered me the promotion, he mentioned a few of
his favorite clients. You were the first name he threw out.”

“Why did he bring me up?”

“He only gave me your first name. He told me I should get to
learn everyone’s name so it felt more familiar and welcoming in the high roller
room.”

Jagger didn’t know whether to believe her. Her story made
sense, but it seemed too easy. He wasn’t used to things being easy. He crawled
over her, and reached for her wrists. Britton thought she had passed his test. She
wanted to let out a sign of relief, but knew it would make her seem guilty. She
held her breath. Without warning, she screamed. He had tightened her bindings. The
rope was digging painfully into her wrists.

“Why?” she whimpered.

“I don’t know if I can trust you.”

“What else can I say? I only know my truth.”

“Why did you wear that dress?”

The only escape she could think of was to confess to him
that she had been thinking of him all these years. “If I saw you, I wanted you
to recognize me.”

Now he knew. She was still hurting from him. Why hadn’t she
thought of a stronger cover story? Hell, why did she have to wear that dress
and make everything so complicated now?

He pulled in close to her, allowing his breath to warm her
neck.

“Britton, why wouldn’t I recognize you? You were my first
love.”

The word ‘first’ stung her. She had wanted him to say
‘only’. She scolded her heart for thinking in such a childish way. Who cared
what he said. Did he believe her? She wanted to tell him that she thought of
him every day. She wanted to ask him why he left her. She wanted him to hold
her and tell her everything would be all right. Britton looked into his eyes,
hoping they would soften. Instead, his hand clutched her face.

She couldn’t move her head, his grip too strong. She tried
to struggle, to fight back, but her binds were so tight she was losing feeling
in her arms. Jagger reached for her bag. Had she left her badge in there? Was
she that stupid? Did she have a government I.D.? Was she unaware of a bug they
had put in her bag? She tried to think of another reason for him to be angry,
but her vision started to become fuzzy.

“What is this?”

She squinted and tried to focus.

“My phone?”

“Thirteen missed calls from David.”

David. She had forgotten to call him. She had fallen asleep.
He must have been so worried.

“Whom do you work for?”

“The casino. Larry.” She squeaked out.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“Please…”

His features began to soften and he loosened his grip on her,
beginning to believe the sincerity in her eyes.

“Jagger…” She began to cry.

This hurt him. He did not want to put her through this, but
he needed to know the truth. He laid his head on her chest.

“Shhh. Just… stop crying. I just need to know why you’re
here, it's all too coincidental.”

He could feel his anger slowly leaving his body. How was he
doing this to her? He didn’t want to hurt her; after all these years he still
cared about her.

“Britton, just tell me who David is.”

She couldn’t tell him that he was her superior at the FBI,
but why else would he have called her thirteen times? She would need to come up
with something. Something. She couldn’t help the tears streaming down her face.
She was in pain, both physically and emotionally.

“Britton.” he repeated, raising his eyebrows.

“He’s my boyfriend.”

Jagger sat back. She knew he wouldn’t be happy to hear that,
but she needed to remind him of his jealousy. She knew this would hurt him, and
right then, the only thing she wanted to do was hurt him back.

“Your boyfriend?”

“He’s the reason I moved back to Las Vegas.” That was a more
likely story and it explained her return to the city she had promised to never
look back on.

“How long?”

“We’ve been together almost four years.” That would explain
her moving back three years ago. She was thinking surprisingly fast, in spite
of the train wreck of emotions crashing over her.

Jagger stood up and walked toward the door. He paced for a
second and then kicked the small corner table into the wall. His hands moved to
his head and his face crinkled.

“But you slept with me.”

“It wasn’t planned.” It actually was, but he didn’t have to
know that.

“But you slept with me.”

“David and I are fighting.”

He moved closer to her. “And you wore this dress.” He was
still clinging to it.

She fought the next words that would come out of her mouth,
but she knew she had to say them.

“I’ve never stopped loving you. How could I pass up the
opportunity to see you one more time?”

She carefully selected those last three words hoping they
would burn. She wanted him to fight her, to force her to stay with him. That
would be how she would finish this case and take him in.

He reached over her naked body and undid her wrist tie. He
still felt uneasy about her sudden return to his life, but he couldn’t keep her
tied up anymore. It was making him nauseated to see her like this. He finished
untying the ropes. She didn’t move. He leaned into her, hoping to feel her lips
against his. He needed to know that she was okay.

Without warning, she slapped him across the face as hard as
she could. It felt so good to do that, she'd been wanting to physically hurt
him for so many years, the feeling was exhilarating. She stared at him, her
eyes level with his, in this moment she wasn't afraid of him or what he was
capable of—he knew he was acting like a motherfucker and she wanted him to know
she wouldn't stand for it anymore. She smacked him again even harder, drawing
blood from his lip this time.

He stood up, looking absolutely crushed, clearly hating
himself in this moment.

“I'm sorry Britton, but this is who I am. You have to
understand that I have to be careful. But I want you to stay. I hope that
you’ll consider spending the rest of the night with me.”

Britton didn’t say anything; she just stared at him. If she
were any normal woman, she would run out of there. If she didn’t, he would be
suspicious. Was he still testing her?

“Can you please hand me my dress?”

She reached out, and he cringed as he saw her wrists were
burned and bleeding from the coarse rope. Why was he so good at hurting her?

“Please stay.” he pleaded.

It was a sincere request. He truly wanted her forgiveness and
he needed her touch. But why would she stay with him after what he had just
done to her? After what he had done all those years ago? He wasn't worthy of
her forgiveness.

“I apologize if you didn't hear me. Can you please hand me
my dress?”

She wasn’t budging. Jagger slowly passed on the red satin and
hung his head. Had he lost her again? Had his dark soul cost him the love of
his life twice now? He was so used to ordering people around that he had
forgotten what it was like to lose. Britton slowly stepped into her dress, her
ankles as torn as her wrists. They stung, and she didn’t hide the pain from her
face. She wanted him to see what he had done to her. She turned her back to
him, willing him to zip the dress closed. As he did, he felt his stomach drop. He
did not want to say goodbye to her. He didn’t want their reunion to end this
way.

Jagger quickly turned her around and grabbed her shoulders.

“Britton, don’t leave. I am sorry.”

“Jagger, look at this.” She presented her wrists. “Why would
I stay here with you? To subject myself to more of your sociopathic abuse?” she
started to cry. “You used to have a hold over me...but not any longer, I don't
need you, and you don't scare me—you can't possibly take anything more from me.”

She was in character, but the tears were real. She couldn’t
believe what he had done to her. Although she knew this side of him from her
research, she had hoped the words were a lie. They weren’t. He was a monster and
she wouldn't stop until she took him down.

“Because I need you, Britton. I need you.” he tightened his
grip on her shoulders.

“Let go of me.”

“No.”

“Jagger. Let go of me.” She shook free, grabbed her bag and
pushed through the door.

The door slammed shut, and she ran. She didn’t want him to
catch her. She wanted to get away. She raced to her car and turned the key. There
was that sound again. His sound. She hated him more today than she had
yesterday. She sped away, knowing that he would come after her. It was the trap
she had laid. She knew he couldn’t resist. He always got what he wanted, and
right then, he wanted her.