Despicable by Rory Miles

RONAN

Trix and I are sitting in the guard tower the next time Chad makes himself known. He shows up around three in the afternoon, waltzing down the street like he’s hot shit. Trix seethes in her seat, shooting daggers at him.

“I’ll get rid of him,” I say, already out of my seat and heading toward the ladder. Ever since the incident a few days ago, I’ve been waiting for a moment to rip into him. The things he said to her still roll around in my head, making me angry every time I think about them.

“I’ll go with you.”

“You don’t have to,” I say, stopping on the first step down and meeting her fiery gaze. “I don’t want him near you.”

The further away she is, the more I can protect her from his douchery.

She smiles at that, but stands. “He’s an alpha, and if he wants to start shit, someone needs to be there to have your back.”

Solid point. I’m only a beta, and no matter how much muscle I have on him, he’ll be stronger and faster. Worst case scenario, she can run and get Dax.

“Stay behind me.” I continue down the ladder.

With a soft chuckle, she begins her descent. “It’s cute you think I’ll listen to you.”

If it weren’t for the bastard on the ground, I’d take this moment to show her exactly how much she’d listen to me if I really wanted her to. Something about her fated’s arrival makes me feel like proving myself to her, like I can make her happy even though I know she deserves better than me. It doesn’t make any sense to want her this much when it’ll never work out.

I wait for her to get down before heading out of the trees, cutting Chad off.

Trix links her arm through mine and leans into my side, surprising me and him.

“Settling in, dickwad?” Her tone is sugary sweet, but the words are sharp like a knife.

“Fuck you, cunt.”

I swear this motherfucker is going down.

“Listen, Chad. You have three seconds to tell me what the fuck you want before shit starts to get real.” I pull out of Trix’s hold and press into his space. “Seeing as I’ve been here for a lot longer, I have some pent-up frustration I’d be more than happy to take out on your face.”

His eyes flash yellow again, telling me how much control he lacks. “Try me,” his voice is raw, like he’s nearly ready to shift, so I step to the side, completely blocking Trix from his line of sight.

“Ronan!” Dax’s voice cracks like a command, and I take a step back, whipping my head in his direction.

“What?” I ask, hating that he interrupted my moment.

“Take Trix home.”

“Like hell,” she sputters. “If anyone gets to hit Chad, it’s me.”

The man in question snarls, and I shove his chest, hoping he’ll turn and leave. I don’t want him around Trix, especially when he’s this feral.

Can we take a moment to hate his audacity for being impacted by the rejected bond? This fucker doesn’t deserve an ounce of kindness.

“I came to talk to you.”

Dax eases between him and I, looking at Trix. “Do you want to talk to him?”

She shakes her head and some of the tightness in my chest eases. Of course she doesn't want to talk to him. Why am I so worried?

Probably because he’s her fated and there’s potential for a life altering bond. It’s hard to compete with fate and my friends.

“Well then, that’s settled.” Dax turns back to Chad, who is vibrating with anger.

“I don’t have any food.”

“Ronan, get the man some food.” Crossing his arms, my friend stands in front of the asshole, daring him to snap or snarl at Trix again.

Self-loathing creeps in because I’m not an alpha, and Chad was ready to brawl with me rather than standing down. I can’t protect Trix. Not like she needs.

Reluctantly, and because I have to do what the alpha says, I go to the store. He didn’t specify what food to get the prick, so I fill a paper bag full of anchovies, gluten free bread which I know firsthand is dry as hell, and cucumber water.

“Here,” I say when I get back, shoving the bag at Chad. “You can go now.”

He inspects the contents, scoffing when he sees what I got him, but he’s smart enough to keep his mouth shut. “We need to talk soon, Trix.”

I step in front of him when he tries to meet her gaze, and point in the direction he came, not bothering to tell him to leave, because he knows he’s unwanted.

Good.

The fucker can suffer.

He’s an idiot for letting her go, and he’s not going to sweet-talk his way into her good graces. I know without a doubt, even though we only met a little over a week ago, Trix would never let him.

And neither would I.

I’ll kick his ass every day of the week if I have to in order to keep him away from her.

To protect what’s ours.

The thought barrels through my head like a bull, and I take a step back, eyes shooting between Trix and Dax, who are watching me with concern painted across their faces. Who am I kidding? I know she’ll never want me like that. I’m worthless.

Fuck. Now I sound pathetic. I can’t subject her to how fucked up the inside of my head is. Between my mom and my fated mate, I’ve been thoroughly ruined.

“Ronan?” Trix asks, and the soft affection I hear there scares the shit out of me.

So I run, ignoring Dax’s shouted reminder that my shift is far from over.

I run from the truth, hoping she won’t chase after me because I don’t think I could deny her answers if she asked me what I’m thinking, and I don’t want her to pity me because I’m fucked in the head.

She deserves better.

* * *

BELLATRIX

I shiftin Creed’s hold when I hear the door open. It’s late, and Ronan stayed out until he thought I would be asleep, but he doesn’t know me as well as he thinks. I thrive on confrontation, and he’s not going to get away with disappearing without telling us what the hell he was doing. He’s sure as shit not going to run from me because he’s scared.

At first, I thought he’d gone after Chad, but Creed went to look for him and couldn’t find any trace of him by the house Chad took over. The way he looked at me before he took off, eyes wide with fright, makes it clear what he was feeling. He was afraid, and I have a sneaking suspicion it has something to do with me and it might explain why he continues to flip from hot to cold. What he told me about his mom makes me so angry, and I think part of his reaction is driven by that.

She fucked with his head, and he doesn’t think he deserves affection.

Well, he’s about to find out the hard way that I don’t give up easily. I mean, if he truly doesn’t want me, fine, but I’m going to him and dealing with this now. I’ve been sick to my stomach wondering where he was and if he’d come back. Not to mention the murderer is still out there.

I bite my lip and nudge Creed. He hums, tugging me closer and sliding his hand over my ass.

“I’m sleepy, but I can be persuaded,” he says.

“As tempting as that is, Ronan is here.”

His eyes pop open, and we stare at each other in the moonlit room. “You should go talk to him.”

The way he understands without me having to explain makes my heart skip a beat. I kiss him, thanking him for being amazing, and slip out of the covers, tossing on one of his shirts and padding to the door.

“Go easy on him.”

Turning back to Creed, I nod and head to Ronan’s room, which is two doors down from Creed’s. Dax is in the middle, but he’s on guard tonight. We were all worried about Ronan running off while the killer is still out there, so hopefully he noticed Ronan’s return. Creed was supposed to stay with Dax, but since Ronan was gone, they decided Creed should stay with me.

I don’t like the idea of Dax out there by himself, but if anyone is capable of handling danger, it’s him.

I knock before I open the door, deciding to give Ronan a fair warning but not giving him the chance to pretend like he’s asleep. The lamp on the desk by the door is on, casting a soft yellow glow over the room. He’s in the middle of taking off his shirt when I enter, and he pauses, hesitating for a second before ripping it off his head and tossing it on the floor.

No shouting or telling me to leave, so I shut the door and lean against it, watching him as he undoes the button and zipper of his shorts.

“You’re staring,” he comments, hooking his fingers in the top of them and slowly dragging them down his thick, muscled legs.

I gulp, shamelessly staring at his ass in his boxer briefs. “I heard there was a show.”

Turning, his eyes track over Creed’s shirt, stopping where the material ends mid-thigh. His hands tug out his ponytail, and he runs his fingers through his thick strands, taking one step forward.

“What are you doing?” he asks, placing his hands on his hips and reminding me it’s absolutely not polite to stare at his dick when he’s trying to talk to me.

“Where did you go?” I push away from the door and close the distance between us, stopping a few inches away from him and tipping my head back to keep his gaze.

“I needed space.”

I bite my lip, studying the little line forming between his eyebrows. “From me?” I guess.

“Maybe.”

“Why?” I step closer, making my own breath hitch when our chests brush against one another.

His jaw ticks, and he runs his knuckles over my biceps. “I don’t know.”

“I didn’t peg you for a liar.” I go up on my toes, brushing my lips over his cheek and moving to whisper in his ear. “I won’t let you run away from me.”

I realize that sounds a little psycho, but he needs to know he can’t hide from me. We’re adults. We can handle this like grown-ups, fucked up parental trauma aside.

“Do you always get what you want?” he asks, a little bit of humor bleeding into his voice.

“Not always.” I draw back, lifting an eyebrow at him. “But I know what you want, and I want it too, so, I’m not sure why you ran.”

“It’s complicated. I don’t want to talk.”

Fucking fated mates, ruining the fun for the rest of us. I have no doubt he’s worried I’ll end up rejecting him in some way too.

“Okay,” I say, nodding and trying to follow his lead. “What do you want?”

He sighs and grabs my shoulders, slamming his mouth into mine with enough force that we almost knock teeth. I gasp and grab his neck, not letting him pull back. Our lips meet and tongues lock. Heat unfurls in my stomach, races through my blood, and brings forth a moan. His hands grab the backs of my thighs, and I jump up, wrapping my legs around his torso, loving how his muscles are layered with a small cushion of soft skin. He’s undeniably strong, but at the same time, he’s a teddy bear.

Spinning, he walks us toward the bed, kneeling on it and gently laying me down. I keep my legs locked around him, tugging his middle to meet mine. His cock presses against me, and I writhe beneath him, trying to find the friction I need.

Breaking away from our kiss, he moves back and yanks his boxers off before yanking on my panties. I giggle when he practically jumps back on top of me, but he kisses me again. He moves his hips so his head brushes against my center, but I shove him off of me and onto his back.

“Get over here,” he says, but I ignore him and crawl between his legs.

Grabbing his dick, I lower my mouth to his tip, rolling my tongue over it and watching him watch me. His eyes are hooded, and his hips lift off the bed ever so slightly. The best part about giving head is watching them come completely unraveled. I hold his gaze while I take him in, hollowing out my cheeks.

He grunts when I start to bob my head, and his hands fist in my hair. I hum in approval, closing my eyes and moving the fingers I have wrapped at the base of his cock in time with my mouth.

“Trix,” he says around a moan, tugging on my hair to get my attention.

I glance at him, and he gives me the sexiest smirk.

“As much as I love seeing you with my dick in your mouth, I want inside of you.”

Slowly moving my lips up his length, I pull off with a pop, kissing the very tip of him.

“Maybe next time, my friend.”

He laughs at me and lets go of my hair so I can straddle him. “This is why I ran.”

Taking my shirt off, I wrinkle my nose at his words. I stroke him and lean forward, hovering my hips just out of reach.

“Because you don’t like to come?” I ask, kissing him once before carefully placing him in the right position.

“No,” he says, voice strained as I tease him against my entrance. “Because you’re unforgettable.”

“Good thing we’re stuck here together then.” I slide down his length, gasping when he drives his hips up, forcing himself the rest of the way in. “Oh fuck.”

“You like that?” he asks, doing it again.

“Yeah,” I breathe, pinching my nipples and leaning back slightly and grinding down on him.

Our bodies fit together perfectly, like they were made for this moment. His thumb swirls over my clit without warning, and I jerk against him, starting to pick up my pace. He matches me, using the bed as leverage to drive into me from below, his pulsing cock begging me to come all over him.

“Look at me when you come,” he demands, and I slam my hands on either side of his head, staring down at him and pressing my body fully against him, grinding and writhing on him.

He grins when I whimper.

“You’re so pretty when you take my dick,” he growls.

Oh moons, I love a dirty talker.

I kiss him, then move my lips to his neck, sucking and biting as his hands find my ass. He squeezes me, spreading them a little and continuing to thrust into me with the force of a wrecking ball.

“You feel so good,” he says, moaning when I start to tremble. “Come all over me, beautiful.”

“Ronan,” I gasp, rolling my hips faster and faster, chasing that warmth building in my core. Chasing that slow tingling starting in my toes, chasing the moans, chasing the throbbing of his cock inside of me until my walls clench around him and I cry out, collapsing against him.

“Fuck,” he grunts, holding my hips steady and driving into me so fast all I can do is hold on to him, letting him slam into me again and again until he jerks to a stop, burying himself deep inside of me as he comes.

I lie on top of him, moving my hips back and forth, helping him get it all out and laughing against his chest, kissing his pec before propping myself up on my forearm.

“You’d run away from this?” I ask, giving him a sultry smile.

He shakes his head. “I’m not running again.”

“Good,” I say, kissing him to cut off anything else he wants to say.

He’s not worthless or pathetic.

He’s hilarious and sweet and hot as hell.

Ronan is mine.