Vintage (Adrenaline Series Book 2) Read online

  Vintage

  Adrenaline Series 2

  By Xavier Neal

  © Xavier Neal 2015

  Published by Entertwine Publishing

  Cover by Entertwine Publishing

  Cover Model Griffin Kodors

  Photographer Jennifer Shelby

  All Rights Reserved

  License Note

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form with authorization of the author, Xavier Neal and or publisher, Entertwine Publishing.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Dedication: To the Universe. May you allow everyone to find their little piece of something vintage.

  Merrick

  You think you know how something feels right until the moment it actually happens. Like having a Desert Eagle pressed into your temple, ready to blow your brains out across a tropical paradise. Doesn't feel good in case you're curious. Neither does my heart beating out of my fucking chest.

  The Devil opens his mouth to say something else when he's cut off by Vicki. “Phone.”

  “I'm in the middle of something, pussycat.” His pet nickname causes me to sneer.

  Can you blame me? Who the fuck calls their lady pussycat?

  She adjusts her bright red one piece barely there swim suit. “Mr. Monroe is on the phone.”

  Immediately The Devil's face changes color. Shape. Intensity.

  Didn't know there was someone who could make The Devil cower. Not sure if I should find comfort in that.

  “Excuse me gentlemen.” He raises a finger to us. “Hate to be rude. This'll just be a moment.”

  “Take your time,” I sarcastically mumble resulting in the gun being dug further into my skin.

  Not the best time for jokes, I know.

  The Devil holds up a hand to the grape girl and takes his phone from Vicki. “Yes Sir.” His mouth tightens as he listens to the man on the other end. He scrunches his face. Fidgets with his clothing, clearly uncomfortable. “Yes Sir. Understood.” There's another brief pause and he states, “Not a problem.” Finally he hangs up and hands Vicki back the phone.

  Without another word she struts away back in the direction she came from like a designer demon.

  “Sorry about that,” he apologizes, leaning back in his chair. “Business. Where was I?”

  “About to kill us,” my reminder makes him smirk widely.

  “Right.” After a finger point he grabs another grape and tosses it in his mouth. “Tell me why I shouldn't.”

  Calmly I reply, “Besides the fact you would be out two drivers?”

  “Obviously.”

  “Because what a better way to find out the inside track of the man you hate than through one of the only people he fully trusts?” The minute The Devil looks intrigued I proceed. “You can play this many ways. You can have me look for insider information that you can use as leverage. You can have me plant seeds of misinformation in his daughter's head. You could-”

  “I see your point.” He replies reaching for another grape. Afterward he motions for his men to lower their weapons.

  Holy. Fucking. Shit. That was close.

  “Did you know killer whales like to toy with what they plan to kill before they actually do it?” The Devil smirks mischievously. “Learned that on the Animal Planet.”

  Of all the fucking things he could watch...

  “I like things about wild life. Documentaries about the ocean. I love learning how other animal kingdoms work and you know why?” Neither of us respond and he snaps, “Someone ask me why!”

  Knowing my big brother won't play this game, I bravely say, “Why?”

  “Because at the end of all this bullshit that's all we are. Animals. And the world we live in is our jungle.” He motions his finger once more and the guns are pressed back into our skulls. “Do not forget that as far as you two are concerned, I. Am. King.”

  That may be true. But you saw what happened when he took that call. You saw that look. He may be king, but he's not emperor. He's not a God. Even he bows to someone.

  Another flick of the wrists and the guns are lowered. “Now that that's out of the way. I have a job for the two of you tonight.”

  Madden speaks for the first time, “That's not enough time to--”

  “Make it enough time,” The Devil cuts him off. “In fact...” He pauses to look at his watch. “If I were you, I would stop wasting my fucking time and make the most of yours.” With a cocky grin he pops another grape in his mouth. “Tick-tock.”

  On a low grunt, Madden stands and storms off back in the direction we came.

  Quickly I go to follow him when The Devil calls out my name, “Ghost.”

  Stopping, I tilt my head at him.

  “It's best to remember where your loyalty lies in this jungle...” He winks before sliding another grape in his mouth.

  Even with a gun pointed to my head I know. It's where Jovi is. It's to protect and keep her safe. That's what's gonna get me killed. But you know what? I'd take a bullet for her any time and any day. I just have a feeling that's exactly what I'm gonna end up doing.

  In Madden's car, I don't say anything. He'll yell when he's ready.

  Yeah. I said yell. There will be no talking. Talking is what normal people do at a tolerable volume. I wouldn't be surprised if NASA called from space and asked him to tone it down.

  The other end of the ringing phone is finally answered by Drew. Through the speakers in the car his voice sighs, “Speak.”

  “Family meeting. All McCoys.”

  He hesitates and then groans, “Now? I've got my hands under a hood and a wrench ready to help with a tune up.”

  I smirk to myself against my better judgment.

  Very rarely do my brothers ever just say they're getting laid. Ben either. Simplest subject to be blunt about and they do the fucking opposite.

  “Shut it down. Tell the rest of Triple D the same. Family. Meeting. All. McCoys.”

  Drew grumbles, but caves. “Fuck. Fine.”

  The line goes dead and my smile fades.

  Sadly, that's probably the only time I'll get to smile for the rest of the day. First Ben and his stunt with the mayor's kid. Punishment for that incident wasn't severe. This though? This makes me feel like if The Devil doesn't kill me, Madden will.

  Jovi

  Fresh out of a much needed shower and cloaked in my comfortable yoga pants with an old t-shirt, I try to erase the giant grin on my face.

  Ugh. It's permanently stuck. It's an obvious just been laid smile. At least that's what Hayli kept saying in between asking me questions that I'm not sure I should've answered. Do you tell your best friend your boyfriend's size? Width? Speed? Oh God, I'm blushing again just recalling the conversation. This smile isn't anything more than just a happy to be alive smile. What do you mean that's the same thing?

  Tossing my towel into the laundry basket I give my glowing reflection another glimpse.

  You can't tell I'm not a virgin anymore right? I mean not just from looking at me. You really can't! Stop making me blush!

  I exit my bathroom, grab my school bag, tablet, and head downstairs for the kitchen table where I prefer to do most of my homework. Immediately the soreness from my thighs screams, each movement harder not to groan about. Flopping down in the chair, I shut my eyes briefly remembering the way he had my legs parted. In the air. How tightly he gripped them. Nibbled on them. A soft whimper comes from me as my pussy, which is also sensitive, clenches.
/>
  “You okay?” Nadie questions dropping grocery sacks on the counter.

  Startled, I try to quickly brush it off by burying my attention in my bag. “I'm fine.”

  “You and Hayli have fun last night?”

  Not nearly as much as Merrick and I had.

  I reply pulling out an art book, “Yeah.”

  During the process of putting the groceries away, she asks, “Where did you two end up going?”

  “Olympus,” the casual lie stings a bit.

  Lying to Nadie isn't something I like okay? I wish I could tell her. I wish I could scream from the roof tops that I have the most amazing boyfriend in and out of bed. I wish I could tell her that Merrick street races and it's not as bad as Dad thinks at all. It's actually...well safe...ish. Safe-ish. But I can't. And it sucks. Almost as much as being rushed out of your boyfriend's apartment by his big brother and not having heard from him since.

  “...what do you think?” Nadie ceases her movements. With both hands pressed on the island she waits patiently for my answer.

  Oh no! What was the question? You don't know either? Well that's not helping!

  A small smile appears on her face. “You didn't hear a word I said, did you?”

  “Sorry,” I sheepishly apologize.

  She shakes her head slowly. “He must be some guy.”

  In a whisper I swoon, “He really is.”

  Cautiously she questions, “Is that where you really were last night?”

  My bottom lip slips between my teeth. I don't answer.

  “Jovi you're 21. If you spent the night with your boyfriend, that's...well to be expected. I just don't like you lying to me about it.” Slowly she walks over to me. “I know that with your father being who he is it makes you worry about these kinds of things, and honestly that's fair. When it comes to the idea of you dating your father get's a little crazy-”

  “Mental patient crazy.”

  “Pretty much. But I'm here for you Jovi. I know I'm not...” The end of the sentence seems like it pains her more than she wants to let on. “I'm not your...well not your actual-”

  “Nadie,” I interrupt. Putting a hand on top of her's that's resting on the table, I sigh, “You're as close as I'm gonna get. And that's not a bad thing. It's kind of amazing.”

  She sweetly smiles and tries again, “I want you to trust me Jo'. Even if it's not with his name. Or occupation. Or choice of wardrobe, I would like to know you're safe. I'd like our communication to stay open as best as possible. I'm already losing you to college. Don't make me lose you before it too.”

  With a crooked smirk I state, “You're gonna miss me.”

  Nadie quickly rolls her eyes and heads back to the task she was completing. “Not that much.”

  She's right. We've always been close. Other than Hayli she's all I've had. I can't tell her everything about Merrick for obvious reasons but maybe just a little? Don't worry the conversation won't be as graphic as Hayli demanded ours be.

  “I actually was out with Hayli last night, but spent the night at his apartment,” I confess.

  She grabs a box of my father's favorite crackers to put away in the pantry. “Was he respectful?”

  “Yes.”

  “Was he considerate?”

  “Very much so.”

  Making sure that I come first is super considerate.

  “Were you safe?”

  I was. Technically so was he, but I don't trust EA the same way he does. I'm not sure I believe all the hype about the reasons why it's not for sale legally. Regardless, I know it works. Hayli uses it.

  Nadie snaps, “Jovi!”

  “Of course I was safe!”

  “Safe where?” My father invades the conversation. He looks up from his phone with a displeased expression. “From what?”

  “While she was out with Hayli last night,” Nadie answers for me.

  “Safe from what?” His eyebrows shoot up. “Where were you? Were you drinking?”

  “Legally speaking that's allowed,” I remind him.

  He grunts, “I don't want you drinking.”

  Or having sex. Or falling in love. Or breathing without permission. College is sounding better and better every day.

  “Oh let it go,” Nadie insists opening a box of crackers. “She's going to drink.”

  “Do you know what they're putting in drinks at clubs now?” He puts away his phone to look me dead in the eye. “Retac or RC as we call it.”

  “Like the cola?” Nadie jokes.

  Dad glares briefly at her before looking back at me. “You thought roofies were bad? Do you have any idea what RC does?”

  “No. But I'm sure you're going to tell me,” I mumble looking back down at my textbook.

  “Imagine if you mixed roofies and ecstasy. And now it's making its way across college campuses and the party scenes like a plague. Another concoction we can't get a handle on,” he gripes. “I don't want you drinking. Ever. Do I make myself clear?”

  My face lifts. “You can't possibly be serious?”

  “I don't joke about drugs, Jovi.”

  “Wow. You're being ridiculous.”

  “You're being naïve.”

  “And who's fault is that?” I snip. “Who locked their beautiful little princess in the highest tower away from the big bad world?”

  Nadie's jaw slips open on a gasp.

  Shit. Shit! Shit! Shit! Why didn't you warn me there are side effects to falling in love? Now that should come with a warning label.

  On a slow grumble he questions, “Is that what you think I did?”

  I don't answer.

  Nope. Not gonna say another word. Apparently Merrick fucked my brains out in all the best and worst ways.

  “I asked you a question, Jovi.”

  Thankfully his cell phone starts ringing and being the man that he is, he can't let it go unanswered. After a glance at it he declares to me, “This conversation isn't over.” With a firm voice he answers, “This is Commissioner Carter.”

  His voice erupts into a roar.

  King of the jungle style. No other way to describe that.

  Nadie holds out the box of crackers for him to have. He snatches them and marches out of the kitchen, clearly chewing someone's ass out. “How is that possible? Are you an idiot?”

  “I am,” I whisper at Nadie once he's out of earshot. With a look of disbelief on my face I say to her, “I can't believe I said that to him.”

  “I'm kind of proud you did.”

  Clearly she's lost her marbles too. Not sure I wanna know who is fucking her brains out though. Highly doubt it's my father.

  “What?”

  “Look Jovi, you've gotta grow up sometime and that happens to include standing your ground with your father. You picked a light enough subject to start with. At least now when it comes time to tell him you've fallen in love with Mr. Perfect, you're better prepared to fight that battle. And believe me Jovi Carter, when you tell your father you've got a boyfriend, it's not gonna be anything less than warfare...”

  I vote we don't tell him, don't you? Or I'll make you a deal. We tell after I'm settled far away in my apartment, actively finishing classes at the university, and about to graduate. How's that sound to you? Pretty good?

  Merrick

  It's rarely a good thing when there are this many McCoys in the same room and it's not a party.

  “What gives?” Destin asks turning the kitchen table chair around to sit in it backwards.

  “We've got a job,” Madden grumbles with his back to us.

  From a safe distance across the room I watch him grab a bottle of Patron, pour a shot, and down it.

  Oh, I try to drink at noon 'cause I'm depressed and they look at me like I'm an alcoholic. He does it and they act like this is acceptable every day practice for non-Vegas vacationers.

  “What?” Drew questions from the couch where his feet are propped up on the coffee table. “When?”

  “Tonight,” he answers before downing another shot. />
  “Tequila sunrise over there,” Knoxie snaps. “How about you stop trying to get rock star wasted and explain what the fuck is going on?”

  I snicker and immediately he turns sharply, his eyes bulging. “It's not a joke, Knox.”

  “And I'm not a patient woman, Madden.”

  Daniel pipes up from the other couch beside Ben. “Why do we have a job out of nowhere?”