THE CLOSER Kace got towards Freya’s face, the higher her anxiety and anger rose. Without allowing herself to rethink her decision, she unleashed an inner instinct she didn't even know she possessed.
She spat in his face.
Apparently she had a talent for it as it landed directly between his eyes. For a moment, Kace gave no reaction; simply continued to stare at her, his eyes dark and empty. Finally, with slow, calculated movements, Kace closed his eyes, raised his hand and wiped away small amount of liquid.
Before he opened his eyes again, he let out a deep breath, the kind that let you know just how hard he was working to restrain himself in that moment.
"Okay," he said, his voice deathly calm and his eyes still closed. "Fine."
He opened his eyes, focusing them on her face before making distance between their bodies.
"Fine," his voice turned venemous as he raised a finger to point in Freya’s direction. "I guess you'll need a little more persuasion. But I'll have you soon. You can count on that."
Without another word, Kace stormed out of the room, leaving Freya confused and trembling.
Was that all it took? It couldn't be that easy. She was so sure he was going to do something; the look he had had in his eyes was crazed. Psychotic. Yet he had given up for now. Almost like he wanted her to actually... Consent.
Freya shivered with evident disgust. If that mad man thought she would ever willingly let him touch her, he had another thing coming.
~~
Walking into the bar, Falcon almost felt as if he had never left. He recognised most of the faces that littered the inside of the establishment and it seemed that he hadn't been completely forgotten either.
"Falcon," a hard hand clamped down on his shoulder and Falcon turned to face a man with a bald head and a toothy grin.
Falcon steeled himself for a moment, quickly formulating a plan in his head before giving the man the best smile he could conjure. He clasped his hand on the man's shoulder in a friendly gesture, nodding his head in greeting.
"Don," he swallowed down the disgust he felt as he remembered the things he had witness this man do. "How has life been?"
Don's hand fell from Falcon's shoulder, as Falcon's did from his, and Don waved his in dismissal.
"It's life," he said in his usual growling tone. "Same old bullshit."
Falcon nodded his head as if he understood. Don stopped for a moment to raise his eyebrow and eye Falcon with curiosity.
"I couldn't say I ever expected to see you back around these parts though," his statement sounded more like a question. "You looking for someone?"
Think, Falcon, think.
"Yeah," Falcon started off. "Kace called me here. Said he had some girl we could have some fun with."
The words made him sick to his stomach, but he had to do what he had to do. Anything and everything was worth Freya’s safety.
Don's eyes narrowed for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. His eyes were still cautious, but he directed Falcon where to go.
"Kace is out the back," he said, thrusting a thumb over his shoulder in the right direction. "He's lounging in the main room."
Falcon nodded and made a move to go, but another thought struck him before he could.
"You know," Falcon lifted a hand to scratch at the fine stubble that lined his jaw. "I was thinking I could see what we have to work with before I see him. See if it was even worth the drive here."
Don let out one hearty laugh. He clapped Falcon on the shoulder as if he had just told the funniest joke he had ever heard.
"I'm not about to get myself beat up for you," he grinned. "You know your brother. If he called you here, you better go to him first. It's his girl."
Falcon had to curb the urge to cave in his grinning face. Freya was not his brother's girl. She was his. The fact that Kace had had the gall to call her his own had his gut twisting with rage. He was so ready to deal with his brother's psychotic self.
He gave Don a short nod and began heading to the back of the bar. His fists were clenched at his sides and his patience hung by a thread as he drew closer to the door that lead to the one man he had ever truly wished death upon.
Falcon didn't bother knocking, simply let himself in and immediately set eyes on his brother. He was sprawled out over a couch, a blunt in one hand and a drink in the other.
The sudden opening of the door didn't seem to alarm him, in fact, a smile seemed to grow on his face as his bloodshot eyes took in the figure that had just entered the room. There wasn't a single trace of surprise on his face, only satisfaction.
"I was wondering how long it would take you to figure out where your precious girl was," Kace chuckled quietly to himself before throwing his legs off the couch and sitting up. "Have a seat, brother."
Falcon crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to move from his position near the door.
"Where is she?" he asked in a low voice.
This only made Kace laugh and throw back his head so it was supported by the couch as he closed his eyes. He took a long drag from the blunt between his fingers before opening his mouth to speak.
"Deja vu, huh?" he grinned. "The first time though, what I wanted was for you to come back to your family. Now..."
His smile grew and he opened his eyes, focusing them on Falcon's face.
"Now what I want is your girl," his smile turned smug. "And I think I'm feeling a little possessive over her, so, I pass on letting you see her."
It was quiet for a moment as Falcon tried to rein in his anger. He needed to do this with a clear head.
"Plus," Kace continued. "I don't really think you're in any kind of position to be making demands."
Falcon's face grew darker as he took a threatening step forward towards his older brother.
"I swear to all that is holy, Kace," Falcon growled. "I'll kill you."
Kace let out a laugh.
"You can't touch me, brother," he said, spreading his arms out. "The people here? They're loyal to me now. You're on the other side, Falcon. You touch me, they'll kill you."
Falcon really did try to keep a hold on his temper, but the next few words that escaped Kace's lips chased out all the restraint he had ever owned.
"Especially since I brought them a gorgeous gift," Kace bit his lip, disgust and fury filling Falcon's stomach as he witnessed him get turned on by the simple thought of her. "They can't wait to get inside that little bitch."
Falcon's fist had collided with Kace's face before his mind had even fully comprehended what he had said. The force of the hit sent Kace off his well balanced position on the couch and onto the ground.
Falcon picked him up by the collar of his shirt, throwing him into the glass coffee table that shattered beneath Kace's weight.
The sound must have drifted into the bar, because not even a moment later, three men came barrelling through the door, two of them grabbing Falcon's arms and the third going to Kace's aid.
Kace shrugged the man off as Falcon violently struggled in the men's hold. Kace got up from the bed of glass he had created and straightened out his shirt and hair before glancing at Falcon.
"You want to see her so bad?" he said through clenched teeth. "Fine. But I promise you, you aren't going to like what you see me do."
Kace nodded to the men who were holdi g Falcon back.
"Bring him," he ordered them before walking out a different door than the one Falcon and the men had come through.
As they walked him down a hall, Falcon could feel the guilt began to eat him from the inside. He had the sinking suspicion that he had just done more harm than good.