Spark ( Book 3: Stronger Series )

28. Snow

My knuckles ached. After my night with Jaden, I still had too much energy to dispel, though I had no idea how. Fighting with her always put me on edge, and while I had to be somewhat gentle with her, it wasn't required for the scumbags who owed me money.

Every now and then, when I was in the mood, I'd handle the debtors myself and take whatever pent-up rage and violence I'd been harboring out on them. Some survived, some didn't. Some were never the same again. If they happened to have the money, I might just break a bone here or there for making me wait. Interest didn't have to be in the form of money. It could also be in blood. And it was always at my discretion.

Scott would sometimes have too much fun with them, to the point I would applaud his creativity. The more blood he spilled, the more satisfied he seemed. He was a sick son of a bitch, and I loved him for it. But tonight wasn't about blood loss; it was more of a blunt force trauma kind of night.

I'd cracked three skulls in the last hour, each one worth about ten grand in comparison to their gambling debts from the underground poker parties—money I didn't give a shit about. I'd made that in an hour alone. I didn't hide from my urges to create pain; I didn't deny myself the enjoyment of instilling fear in others and then reminding them of why they had good cause to be afraid. It was exhilarating. Choosing whether to grant life or death and then act out that choice was an experience to behold.

My father had always taught me about the importance of life—that it was important to give and important to take. When their purpose was gone, they no longer held value and instantly became a liability. We didn't deal with liabilities—we eliminated them without hesitation. You didn't leave the family simply because of this principle. You might be granted leave to retire past a certain age, but if you were called upon—no matter the reason—your loyalty remained unquestionable. No one ever wanted to become a liability, yet I had granted one exception. The only liability worth all the trouble.

By the time we got back to the house, and I was satisfied, I couldn't help but look forward to finding Jaden naked and asleep in my bed. I wanted to feel her soft skin against mine, her solid tiny frame in my arms while her glossy hair draped over my shoulder. She had the ability to calm and enrage me at the same time; it was a dangerous combination, but feeling her against me was one of the best feelings in the world.

So when I passed the guards standing post at my bedroom door and opened it to find her not in my bed, irritation and a small amount of panic set in because she wasn't where I expected her to be. My eyes quickly scanned the room until I found her sitting on the floor in the moonlight by the window. Her pale naked skin practically glowed in the light, making her look like something straight from Heaven. With her red hair draped down her bare back, the light of the moon changed the hue of the colors, making them darker, almost blood-like. Beautiful.

She didn't turn around as I entered, but I had a strong feeling she knew I was there since I noticed her go hands move to wipe her face as she sniffled. She'd been crying again. Regarding her carefully, I kicked off my shoes by the couch and removed my blood-stained t-shirt, not wanting to taint her perfect skin.

"You should be in bed," I said as I approached her.

"Couldn't sleep." Her voice was quiet, reserved, submissive. She wouldn't be fighting me much anymore tonight. I'd successfully extinguished those flames again.

I moved to stand over her, my hands in the pockets of my jeans as I smirked down at her. "I fucked you for nearly three hours. How can you not sleep?"

She scoffed. "Because my mind is stronger than my body," she said.

And wasn't that the goddamn truth. Her mind was racing again. She was likely thinking thoughts she shouldn't be thinking, plotting, deliberating with herself about me and what to do with her life. She was still clinging to that resistance, and I was prepared for that fight, but sometimes, it pained me to know she was only making everything worse for herself.