“I will come over there and make you fucking tell me. You have twenty-four hours for her to show up. Then shit’s gonna get real serious.” Cruz hit end on his phone, slipping it inside his rag anger pouring off of him.

“What’s going on?” Pops asked before I could.

Cruz stepped up to Pops saying something quietly in his ear, and Pops nodded.

Pops turned to me. “You okay?”

“I’m good.”

“I need you to do something for me,” Pops said, almost nervously, which wasn’t his style.

“Sure, anything.”

“I need you to contact that Deara and get any and all information on Mindy and Babs recently. You think you can get it quickly?”

“Yeah, I have an outside contact that can get to her. I’ll see what I can do.” I couldn’t help the happiness that fell through my body knowing they trusted me to get the information.

* * *

Lying in bed, I couldn’t sleep for shit. My mind kept thinking of all the shit I’ve dealt with the past two weeks and two years. It was all because one bitch was jealous. She was flat out jealous of my life. I tried to shy away from this life and be manlier, like the guys, just to fit in with them. She was so jealous of a life in which I had to try relentlessly to escape from being called Princess, even though it grew on me. I loved this life. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to it. There had to be.

Who the hell could hate me so fucking much that would work with her and help her destroy me… ‘cause I knew there had to be more to this.

Thinking back two and a half years ago, my life was simple. I had my studio, the club, the brothers, and my family. We didn’t want for anything. We were pretty well set. If I wanted to get laid, I’d find some unsuspecting fool at the bar, get my kicks, and never call again.

There wasn’t anyone that I personally had any beefs with, at least any known beefs. I knew the club had tons of haters. That was a given, but I didn’t stir up trouble. I just dealt with the trouble when it came.

I had to throw out a few guys from the studio because they got too rough with the girls, but nothing stood out. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that Babs was working with someone, because considering Babs and I were not even classified as friends in my eyes, it had to be more. My mind kept reeling trying to come up with some rhyme or reason to this madness, but came up blank.

Cruz left on club business a while ago leaving Coop and me to hang out. I really loved my time with him.

These damn dreams I kept having were killing me. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him and felt him. I just wanted to take a scalding shower and let the water melt the skin off my body. I didn’t want to close my eyes in fear of seeing the replay.

Having enough, I needed something to take my mind off all this shit. Walking into the clubhouse, Rhys, Becs, Breaker, and Buzz were all around the bar in some deep conversation, but immediately stopped when they saw me. Rolling my eyes, I slowly approached seeing the two women lying on the far couch. It’s like they never left that fucking spot.

“Hey, Princess. How the hell are ya?” Becs asked as he strummed his fingers on the bar. His red hair made him stand out among all the other guys. It wasn’t fire engine red, but a reddish-brown and with his piercing green eyes, he was a very attractive man. His nose had been in a couple of fights and not set quite right causing a large bump in the center, but to me it gave him character. He always acted like a second big brother to me throughout the years.

“I’m hanging in there,” I said as I sidled up to the bar. “Can I have a Jack, please?” I asked one of the B.Boys. One of these days I’ll be able to tell them apart, but tonight wasn’t that night.

“You and Cruz, huh?” Becs asked as I shot down the Jack, feeling the burn down my throat, and slamming the glass to the bar. I needed another. I motioned to the B.Boys.

“Never thought I’d see the day when you finally gave in to a brother.” He swigged his beer and shook his head.

I smiled. “Shocked the hell out of me, too.”

“You do okay, inside?” Rhys’s deep voice sent shivers down my back. There was always something about a deep baritone voice that had my body quivering. Rhys wasn’t like the other guys to me. To me, he was far more dangerous, far scarier, but I never let that show to him. I’d heard stories that I wasn’t supposed to hear growing up, of how he dealt with people who fucked with him. And shit if those didn’t freak me out, I was ultimately glad that Rhys was on my side.

“The first few weeks were rough. I had to find my place, and it didn’t come easy. But once that was over, it got a bit better. Then when Pops got the Warden to give me my own room, it got much better. Sleeping with one eye open is a lot harder than I thought. But I survived.”

“You sure did girl. We’re real proud of you. Not many women would have been as strong.” Rhys wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and part of me wanted to cringe away, but I’d never be disrespectful to him.

“Thanks…”

“You get ahold of that chick for info?” Becs asked, taking a pull of his beer.

“Heard back a while ago. She’s got her person on it. I don’t know who that person is, but hopefully we’ll have what we need in the morning.” After the shit that I got for even using her, I was surprised I was asked to get more information from her.

“Good. I hate going into shit blind,” Rhys added.

Shooting another shot of Jack, I felt eyes boring through me. Looking up, one of the B.Boys was eyeing me. “What?”

“You’re the only chick I know that can take out two men and rip one’s balls off without breaking a sweat.” His admiration was funny, so I laughed.

“You’d be best to remember not to piss me off,” the guys groaned. “Oh, come on, it’s not like I did it to you.”

“Oh, Honey, just the thought of it sends pains to my dick.” Rhys grabbed his pants, adjusting himself.

“You are a pain in the dick,” I said, smiling.

“You realize you and Ma are the only two chicks who can pull that shit, right?” There were no words that I could say to that because I knew it was totally true. Rhys didn’t take shit from anyone.

“Got her!” Cruz’s voice came through the clubhouse. Jumping out of my seat, I went to see exactly who he got. Walking in front of him was a very disheveled looking Mindy. Her hair was matted, and clothes torn. She was scratched up and black and blue.

Before I was able to ask any questions, Cruz said, “Come on, Baby. I’m beat.”

I couldn’t help myself and had to ask, “But what about her?”

Cruz leaned down to my ear, “Let them handle it.” Each word he spoke sent shivers down my spine and made my panties wet.

Conflicting thoughts set in. I wanted to know what this woman had to say, but my body wanted Cruz. My body won. “Let’s go.” Cruz wrapped his arm around my shoulder leading me to his room. Looking in on Coop, we were glad to see he was sound asleep.

I needed something from Cruz. Something he’d yet to give me. We’d always had a passionate lust-filled no holds barred time in bed, but this time I needed something else.

Walking up to him as seductively as I could, I pushed him to the bed as he fell with a bounce. “Baby, whatcha doing?” He smirked up at me as I began to take my shirt off slowly, inching it up until I whipped it off my body. His hands started to touch my body, and I shook my head.

“Leave them on your thighs,” I whispered as I turned around unbuttoning my jeans. Placing my thumbs inside my pants, I slowly pulled them down bending at the waist giving Cruz the ultimate view of my ass, only covered with a thong.

Cruz’s breath hitched as I turned around staring into his beautiful eyes. Leaving my bra and underwear on, I slowly moved closer to the bed as my knees touched the edge. With my fingertips, I lightly grazed his chest starting at the neck and making my way down to the bottom hem. Those same fingertips reached under his hem, finding his thick chest waiting for me. As I moved my hands up, I took his shirt off feeling every contour of muscle he had on the way.

“Lift up,” I whispered as he complied and stared into my eyes.

“You havin’ fun?” I nodded my head, not uttering a sound. My hands found the side of his face feeling the scruff of his beard. Pulling his lips to mine, I kissed him passionately without being too rough. I didn’t want rough this time. I sucked and nibbled his lips as his hands came up to my head. I instantly pulled away.

“Hands on your thighs,” I ordered winking at him.

“So this is how we’re gonna play tonight?”

“Yeah, Baby. Just lay back and enjoy.” Kissing down his chest, I paid special attention to his nipples. He groaned as my tongue gave them one hell of a workout. Running my hands along the top of his chest were the words, Live and Let Live. I smiled kissing each word. I inched slowly lower until I reached the buckle of his belt.

As I kissed his abs, I methodically undid the belt and his pants. Reaching underneath both his pants and boxers, I pulled them down slowly, not allowing my mouth to touch anywhere near his dick. He’d have to wait for that, but my lips grazed every other part as I moved.

As I traveled back up his body, my tongue and teeth gave him slight nips and bites along his legs, thighs and chest. I was pretty proud he was able to keep his hands where I told him, even though he was clenching them repeatedly into fists making my body warm. At least he was trying. I knew it was hard for a man like Cruz to give up control fully, and I accepted the gift he had given me.

As I reached his dick, my hand wrapped around it as fully as I could, slowly stroking him up and down. My tongue reached out sweeping it from base to tip causing his entire body to jump. As my hand wrapped firmly around the base, I slowly began turning and pumping my hand rhythmically. He was fully erect and ready for me, but he was going to wait. I needed this. My hand moved back and forth ever so slowly, feeling the velvet of his dick move with it. Watching his fisted hands, his knuckles were turning white. I decided to give him a small reprieve.