Sinners' Playground (The Harlequin Crew, #1)

by Caroline Peckham

"I love Fox like a brother. But I have an issue with him laying down a claim on you like me and Chase have no right to try and win you for ourselves. You were our girl ten years ago, we all wanted you just the same. I'm not gonna roll over like a little bitch and let him play the boss card when it comes to you. So if I get to be the one you've picked then I'm not gonna back off."

"I wanted you so much back then," he said, kissing down to my navel and making my hips buck as he kept using his mouth for all the wrong things. I needed him to get to the point and fast, no more of this teasing bullshit. "So fucking much. And I never stopped. Even when you were gone you were still the fantasy I always pictured. Still the one I thought of first every time I felt turned on."

"I'm gonna make you scream for me, pretty girl,"

“I’m not your whore, JJ,” she snarled and I paused in the doorway as she scowled at me. “I know, sweetheart. There’s no price on earth that would ever be enough to pay for a girl like you.”

So I flicked the safety on and pushed the pistol into the back of my shorts. Please, Lord, don't let me shoot my ass cheek off by accident.

“I love spending quality time with you guys,” JJ whispered and I snorted. “Nothing like stabbing up some assholes to warm your cockles, right?”

But if I ended up dead tonight with nothing but blood and metal pouring out of me, I kinda wished I’d stolen a kiss from her. Just once in my life. And if I was lucky enough to stand in front of her again after this, I’d steal the dirtiest, filthiest kiss I could and make sure she never forgot the name Chase Cohen. Dead or alive.

I kicked off my shoes and dove from the boat, crashing into the water. I swam toward her through the cool waves, tugging her against me and she clung on without complaint, panting heavily. “Wow,” she said breathlessly. “I didn’t know badgers could swim.” I’d never thought I’d be glad to hear her calling me that as I hugged her against my chest and kissed her forehead. “Any creature would figure it out to save you, baby.” She chuckled. “Even a pigeon?” “Even a wingless, legless pigeon.”

"Don't tell me you're all stalking me now too?" I snapped in return. "I'm gonna overdose on big dick energy if this goes on much longer."

“Are we even now then, little one?” he taunted. “Does this make you hate me a bit less?” “No, I still hate you plenty,” I assured him as I wound my arms around his neck and pushed my fingers into his dark hair. “But the way you knocked that dude on his ass earned you one day of me pretending I don’t.” “What if I enjoy hating you?” he asked, tugging me a little closer as if we were dancing, but we weren’t moving enough for that to be the case. “No worries, Ace. I’m a big girl. I gave up on being loved a long time ago and I don’t really care if I’m not liked either.”

"JJ," I breathed, meaning it as a refusal while it came out as a plea. "Five minutes, pretty girl," he growled. "Let me show you why I charge so damn much for my time."

"We were just a bunch of kids!" Chase shouted, ashing his cigarette aggressively and standing up too. "We did the only thing we could. You should be grateful-" "No. You just took the easy way out," I spat. "You cut me loose and forgot about me while becoming that motherfucker's little pawns. Well I hope you're all as happy as I am with the outcome because as far as I'm concerned, the decision you all made for me was worse than him killing me. You gutted me, ripped my heart out and stamped on it before sewing me back together and forcing me to go on living without it beating in my chest. And you seriously expect me to thank you for it? Fuck you."

"Stop trying to boyfriend me, JJ. We're fucking. Not falling in love. You don't have to pretend you give a shit about me just because you put your dick in me." He lurched back like I'd punched him in the face, but instead of getting angry like I hoped he would, he just seemed even fucking sadder. "You know that's bullshit, Rogue," he said. "You know I'm here for you and I hate what happened between us when-" "I don't know that!" I yelled. "All I know is that I'm dead inside because you and your friends killed me ten years ago."

“Hate me, pretty girl,” I growled. “But have me too.”

“It’s never too late. I’ll fight my way into the underworld for that girl and destroy any demon who tries to keep her from me,”