Fighting Conviction by Greer Rivers

Chapter Twelve

The club’s pounding bass vibrated the pleather chair up through Devil’s arms and into his jaw. He scrubbed his beard hard, working his mouth open and shut to stop his teeth from grinding as he forced his eyes forward to watch the stage.

Anything to get his mind off the gorgeous blonde he’d traumatized the week before. He’d put off the two lessons they were supposed to have since then because he was too much of a coward to look into those innocent caramel eyes and see the hurt he’d caused. Because he’d let his need for her make him lose control. That’s why when Phoenix had invited him to Original Sin, Devil jumped at the chance for a mind-numbing fuck.

He was waiting for just that while his usual request finished up her last set. His eyes wandered to the silver-haired vixen pushing her ass into his teammate’s lap. Charity turned to straddle Phoenix, moaning obnoxiously, like she was coming solely from him stroking her spine. Devil hated that fake shit. He didn’t need a woman to stroke his ego. Just his cock.

Phoenix winked at him and chuckled. “Wanna join, man? You look awful tense over there.”

Charity’s smile widened, her pointed teeth glinted in the strobe light. A demon succubus measuring up her prey. “Y’all can share me, Devil baby.”

Devil scowled before whipping his head back to the dancer on the stage. He’d shared with Phoenix once before but Devil had quickly realized threesomes with another alpha male weren’t his thing. He needed control in the bedroom and when Phoenix had tried to take over, it’d only pissed him off.

But even without that hang-up, there was no way in hell he’d ever fuck Charity. The woman was a conniving bitch at the best of times and he didn’t trust her not to brag about adding him to her client list. He didn’t need word of his extracurricular activities to get back to Ellie.

His chest hollowed out with guilt and he rubbed his sternum through his thin, black Henley. Goddamn, it hurt to see her upset. That plump pink lip trembling the last time he saw her fucking destroyed him. He hadn’t even been able to get a full sentence out. The onslaught of emotion he always kept tamped down and the overriding fear he’d fuck up his angel’s life was more than he could handle at the time.

Punching the window had been totally uncalled for but fuck him if it hadn’t felt good to fixate on the pain in his hand rather than the one in his chest.

Devil breathed in deeply despite the sickeningly overpowering scent of coconut, cocoa butter, and body odor. He relaxed knowing he didn’t need to be afraid of ruining any angel’s innocence at Original Sin.

Every dancer at the nicest strip club in Ashland County—whatever that meant—wore either white or black wings, calling themselves Sinners. Charity, Phoenix’s soon-to-be good time, always wore white with a silver wig, making her easy to remember even in a building full of beautiful women. Smart business move if you thought about it. Easier to remember, easier to request.

But the woman on stage doing anti-gravity shit on a pole was the one Devil wanted. Jezebel was a bartender and despite dancing not being her usual gig, every time he came around she made sure to be available for him.

They’d go to a confessional, a small private room, so it could be just the two of them. She was one of the few at Original Sin who was good with her mouth and didn’t run it. Devil wasn’t secretive about his conquests, but he didn’t like his business spread around town like Charity was liable to do. Good for her that Phoenix didn’t mind. Hell, he seemed to encourage it.

Jezebel performed a split on the pole while also somehow shaking her ass to the music. He would’ve been impressed, if his mind wasn’t on someone else entirely. Instead of the raven-haired temptress on chrome in front of him, his thoughts were still on the blonde, wingless angel he’d left in a broken heap the week before.

Devil closed his eyes against the bright lights and was thankful the music covered up his sigh. He’d let himself get carried away. Lost control. Ellie had been so tempting he’d given in to his desire to finally taste her. Getting so caught up he didn’t even realize he was hurting her was a clear sign it could never happen again.

Loss of control was completely new to him. Since he was seventeen, Devil had worked to perfect his discipline and it’d always served him well. He’d devoted his life to his country, and after Draco recruited him, his team with MF7. His carefully chosen professions thrived on his ability to compartmentalize and disengage.

Knowing that about himself, he should’ve never agreed to train Ellie. It was fucking with his system. She made him feel, and feelings were distractions. Distractions were fucking dangerous.

Devil wasn’t concerned about himself, but it wasn’t the first time his losing focus and lack of control ultimately hurt someone he cared for. He’d be damned if he let his weaknesses affect Ellie.

The week before was the perfect example. He’d gotten lost in the feel of her tight, round ass against his cock and the promise of finally being with her, and he hadn’t realized she was having a panic attack until she was already hyperventilating. Ellie hadn’t had one of those in a long ass time, and that one had been his fault and he fucking knew it.

Since then, Devil had come up with a plan for how to prevent another mistake from happening. The team was focused on crashing the secret elite Ashland County scholarship function so he’d dive his focus headfirst into that. He’d keep training Ellie on a strictly professional basis. Not working with her simply wasn’t an option. Jaybird had been right that Devil was the best, and he didn’t trust anyone else for the job at this point, either.

Meanwhile, Devil would make sure he worked out with one of the other agents to get the sense beaten back into him and he’d go to Jezebel every time he needed to release the control valve on the need consuming him.

Every time he saw Ellie, his need flooded through him. If the other day at the shooting range was any indication, the dam holding back his control was on the verge of breaking. He was terrified of the devastation his emotions would leave in their wake.

Devil sipped his whiskey before he pulled out his switchblade and flicked it open. The music was so loud and Original Sin was so crowded no one paid attention to the guy with the knife, a thought which was in no way comforting except for the fact he’d be left alone. His fingertips ran down the smooth flat blade while his thumb glided below the sharp edge. Freedom from his guilt was just a cut away, attempting to seduce him. But he didn’t deserve the absolution.

“Hey stranger. It’s been some time since you came ‘round.” Jezebel’s husky whisper heated his ear and his grip on the knife slipped, biting into him enough to break the skin. His breath released in a hiss and Jezebel smoothed her hands down his chest from behind him pulling his head against her large breasts, thinly veiled by black lace.

As he shoved his knife back into his pocket, he realized he had no recollection of her finishing her set. He looked to his right to find Phoenix and Charity were gone, too. Goddamnit, even thinking about not thinking about Ellie made him fucking careless. Pathetic.

“I’ve been busy,” Devil growled out. Jezebel’s tongue swirled around the shell of his ear as she threaded her hands through his hair.

“Shame.” She tightened her grip, tugging and causing a burn in his scalp. He had to hand it to her, she knew exactly what he liked. “I’m never too busy for what you can do to me.”

He tried to lose himself in Jezebel’s touch, but when he closed his eyes, images played unbidden across his mind, Ellie’s smirk after she shot a bullseye for the first time. Ellie laughing even after she was knocked on her ass, smiling every time he teased her, or blushing when he flirted with her. Ellie trying to hide her soft gasp when his hard cock pressed against the curve of her ass.

Devil re-situated himself in the chair. His cock had twitched to life, but not for the woman pressed up against his back.

“Come on, Devil, baby. You know you want me.”

The husky whisper in his ear was all wrong. The arousal that’d spiked for Ellie, flattened for Jezebel. He blinked his eyes closed for a moment and willed his cock back to at least half-mast, to get what he came for. But it was no use. It wouldn’t work unless Ellie was in the picture. The idea to use her to get off with another woman flashed through his mind only to have his stomach twist in rebellion at the thought.

Devil slid his hands over Jezebel’s and extricated himself. “This isn’t a good idea.”

Jezebel laughed over the beating bass and circled around his chair, her hand never leaving his body until she stopped to straddle his lap. Devil jerked his hands back and away from touching her, but Jezebel used the opportunity to shove her hands underneath his shirt. Her claws scratched at his chest and Devil tried to give himself over to the sting of pleasure and ignore the utter insanity telling him he was hurting Ellie by being at Original Sin at all.

Black wings enveloped him, blocking out the strobe lights and muffling the music to a thick thumping his pulse’s cadence increased to match. Breasts pushed up against his chest and dark curls, thick with hairspray, crunched against the side of his face. Closing his eyes, he willed the whiskey to give him enough buzz to let loose. Gripping the shapely thighs on either side of him, he worked his way up to her hips and tried not to think about the lithe body he’d held on to the week before.

“I love the way you hold me down, Devil. Don’t you want that?” Jezebel breathed hot air against his neck. “I know I do. You, fucking your Sinner from behind, like the devil you are.” She pulled one of his hands from her hips and threaded it behind her neck. “You rip my hair in your hands, and I come on the spot.”

Jezebel was right. She knew exactly what he wanted and he knew she could handle it. Hell, Devil had never had a relationship, but Jezebel was probably the closest he’d ever come. The first time he’d choked her, she’d let him until she’d nearly passed out. She would’ve, too, if he hadn’t lost his shit and dropped her like a rucksack with a target on it. It’d been the first time he’d ever given into his urges during sex and it’d freaked him the fuck out. But when she’d rubbed her neck, smiled, and insisted he do it again, he thought he’d hit the jackpot of sexual partners. Since then, he’d fucked her too many times to count.

There was no way in hell Ellie could take that kind of abuse and he wasn’t sure he could control himself to protect her from him. Ellie had been traumatized by evil men enough. She didn’t need him to victimize her, too. Pain, inflicting, receiving. Fuck, she was too damn innocent for him. She was only eighteen to his twenty-seven for Christ’s sake. She wasn’t ready for what he needed to get off. Rough, unemotional sex was the only way he ever grew hard.

His eyes closed at the last thought. Because that wasn’t true, was it? All Ellie had to do was fucking exist, and even in a sweaty sports bra and loose shorts, he was hard as steel at one touch.

Fingers entwined in the strands, Devil imagined it was Ellie’s soft blonde hair tangled in his grip instead. He grew harder and lifted his hips up into the heat above him, groaning when he made contact.

Jezebel’s knowing chuckle dimmed the haze. “There you are. I was beginning to worry I’d lost my touch.”

Her voice was all wrong and Ellie faded from his imagination. If Jezebel kept talking, he’d never get it up. As it was, his dick was only hardening when it had other things to think about.

The deep charcoal orbs in front of him were empty black holes compared to the rich caramel he craved. Jezebel rested heavily on his softening cock and moved around with a slight frown, before forcing a smile. Every inch of her golden skin was covered in glitter that stuck to his hands as he tried to pull away. Devil squirmed into the plush pleather chair, not ready for her assault. The urge to push her off when she dove in to whisper against his lips was overwhelming.

“Want me to get us a confessional, baby? You know I have a few tricks to make sure you’re ready for me. I’ll get a room with the ropes.”

“Enough,” he growled in protest. It was no use. His cock was hiding at this point and it didn’t feel like it was ready to come out to play anytime soon. His hands widened to grip her thighs and lift her off, but Jezebel grabbed his face and giggled.

“Hard to get, huh? Mmm, we haven’t done this one before. You usually have a one-track mind.” She kissed him, biting his bottom lip, reminding him of how he’d almost come on the spot when Ellie had done the same thing. This time he felt nothing but annoyance.

“The fuck are you doing, Jezebel?” He pushed her shoulders back with enough force that when she tore away from his lip, he tasted blood. “You know the rules.” He swiped at his mouth with the back of his hand, confirming he was indeed bleeding. He’d fucked her plenty of times, but never had he allowed her to kiss him. Why she thought she could do it now, he didn’t know, but it pissed him the fuck off.

“Get off. Now.”

She ground into his soft cock and laughed. “I’m tryin’ baby. You just gotta get with the program.”

Devil pushed Jezebel to the end of his knees, giving her the opportunity to detach herself from him instead of shoving her away.

“I said, ‘off.’”

Jezebel’s plush lips stuck out in a pout and her dark eyes narrowed in the flashing lights.

“Oh, come on, why not?” She leaned forward to push her breasts into his chest. Sequins poked through the fine fiber of his shirt to irritate his skin. “It’s been so long, fuckin’ months. I’ve missed you.”

Devil rolled his eyes, not caring whether it was too dark to see his expression. She’d only ever been good to him, but miss him? Yeah—the fuck—right. He knew the score. Jezebel had taken a liking to him, for why he didn’t know, but she could be the best lay of his life and he’d still just be a client to her. If she missed him at all, it was for the same reason he missed her. The release.

“Come on, Devil. You came here for a reason. Don’t let another angel have you when I’m right here.”

And that did it.

“Off, Jezebel. Now.” He growled and stood, giving her barely enough time to stand up straight. His delivery wasn’t loud or disrespectful, but it was a tone that should have ensured silence in return. Jezebel had become too familiar though.

“Devil, what the fuck?” Jezebel huffed out, straightening her wings and checking around her to make sure no one had seen his clear dismissal. “What’s goin’ on? I can get someone else or you can fuckin’ leave if you don’t wanna do anything. Damn.”

A crowd began to watch their standoff. Devil became acutely aware of the linebacker bouncers taking their time to advance on him, as if they weren’t ready to tackle as soon as Jezebel gave them the signal.

Another Sinner came to comfort Jezebel and Devil slowly raised his hands, trying not to cause more attention than his weak idiot ass had already garnered.

“I’m going, alright? Everyone, just relax.”

He pulled out his phone to text Phoenix, and the light shined partially on the two Sinners in front of him. The one helping Jezebel had white wings and silver hair, and it took Devil a minute to realize who it was. Jezebel rolled her shoulders back, making her dark wings flutter before she sniffed and walked away. Charity scowled at him but Devil stopped her before she could follow her friend.

“Where the fuck’s Phoenix?” The bouncers were still advancing on him and Devil gave them a pointed look before continuing to speak. “When I find him, I’ll go.”

“Phoenix?” Charity asked. “I have no idea. He said he’d meet me in a confessional and never showed. When you see him, tell that asshole he owes me fifty bucks for the time I lost waiting for him. Honestly, I should charge a hell of a lot more for some of the shit he’s pulled.”

Devil frowned before hammering out a text to tell Phoenix if he didn’t show his ass in the next five minutes, Devil was out. They hadn’t ridden together, so it wasn’t like he’d be leaving him stranded. They’d realized early on riding together was weird as fuck after both of them got laid. The vibe in the truck was always off and it was best if they met up at Original Sin instead.

After exactly six minutes beside his two new best bouncer friends, nearly as big as he was, and no read receipt, Devil cut his losses and left. He looked around for Jezebel as he was all but escorted through the club, but couldn’t find her.

He might’ve burned a bridge, but then again, maybe not. It wasn’t like she could think he was a gentleman when he was the type of man who tied her up and fucked her while choking her from behind.

She was right about one thing, though. He’d come there for a reason, to fuck his need for Ellie out of his system. Even if it wasn’t in the literal sense, it was clear he was fucked. One touch from a different angel shook him. It’d been months since he’d even gone to Original Sin and his sex-deprived cock had still decided to pussy out. At this point, there was no way he could be with another woman until he figured shit out with Ellie.

The thought pissed him off as much as it excited him, making his cock twitch back to life. He slammed the door to his truck as he got in and as he started it, his phone vibrated.

“Fucking Phoenix.” Devil pulled it from his pocket, cursing as he thumbed the green button to answer without looking. “Hey, asshole, I’m leaving. Things went south with Jezebel—”

“Dev?” A harried whisper he could barely hear interrupted him. But he’d never mistake the voice.

“Angel?” After an infuriatingly long pause—his heart beating so loud he was afraid he missed her answer—he checked the phone and cursed, ready to hang up and call back until the voice whispered out again.

“Dev, please. I need you.”

Devil thrust the gear into drive before whipping out of his safety park. “El, baby, where are you? I’m coming.”

A beeping pounded into his ears, indicating the call had been dropped. He had one hand on the wheel, the other dialing a number he knew by heart before a text came through.

Sender has shared their location.

Devil pulled open the map, found Ellie’s icon, and immediately slammed his foot on the gas. A growl barreled up through his chest before he yelled in the empty cabin of his truck.

“What the hell are you doing there?”