Super Bad (Completed 2013)

‡ Chapter 2 ‡

"You have something I want."

I searched Romane's dark sea-like eyes, afraid I'd get sucked into them if I looked hard enough. "What do you want from me?" I uttered in a single breath.

He rumbled a deep chuckle. "Why, Jessie. Known to be a very bright girl, I'm surprised you'd actually asked that," he lightly spoke, almost as if he was taunting me.

I always tolerated the taunts and teases. But today wasn't my kind of day.

"I asked you a question," I fiercely snapped. "Answer. It."

I didn't know why my bottled up anger was finally surfacing, it an attribute I usually remained tamed.

He viciously yanked my hair back, and I let out a short cry. His lips brushed up my neck, stopping exactly by her ear again. "Don't you dare talk to me like that," he hissed.

Another cry bubbling in my throat, but I gulped it down, and dug my nails into his trench coat for support. "T-Tell me. What do you want?" I managed to ask once more.

His icy eyes crinkled in amusement. "I thought it would be obvious by now," he smirked, letting my hair go.

My head throbbed from the rough release. Confusion thickened my features, adding yet another swell of emotion. I clenched my fists, both frustrated and agitated at his man's useless answer. "Quit avoiding the question."

"You," croaked the crazy boy from earlier. He lifted his head and stared in disbelief. "He wants you."

I drew a shaky breath. Me? But why?

Romane applauded the boy's perception. "My, my, Cameron." Cameron flinched at the sound of his name. "You could have at least let the lady figure it out herself."

Romane paused. "But known for your habit of taking control when others can clearly handle it themselves is hard to maintain. You really ought to manage that if you want to be a gang leader."

That must have hit a nerve, because a second later, Cameron disarmed the two men holding him down, both bodies lying unconscious by his feet. A gun was now in hands, and the Eagle's men flinched, but Romane held his palm up.

Cameron zeroed the weapon on me, his voice coming out smooth. "Let her go."

"Or what?" asked Romane, amused by his sudden comeback.

"Or I'll kill her."

This was a frightening notion. "Are you serious?" I sputtered.

Romane threw his head back and laughed. "Be my guest. I was going to kill her anyways."

I cocked my head to the side, unsure whether or not they were bluffing. They had to be.

"You can't have her," Cameron said. "I found her first."

Romane laughed even more and I was afraid the man had gone hysterical. "Oh, Cameron. No wonder they call you Cray. So crazy. So foolish. When an Eagle finds his prey"-he pulled my hips to his side-"he'll hunt it down until he gets it."

"No he won't," I spoke. Finding my voice, I wasn't about to let two men talk of me like I was some object. I wrenched away infuriated from Romane. "You don't own me," I spat. I looked at Cameron. "Neither do you."

A tinge of shock washed over Romane's face and he lifted a brow in almost...admiration? I did a double take and the strange spark vanished. He flicked his wrist to dismiss his men. "I wish to be alone with Lady Jess."

Without a hint of hesitation, everyone filed out of the truck except for Cameron who lowered his gun and continued to his hardened expression on Romane.