Ruin & Rule (Pure Corruption MC #1)(69)
Author: Pepper Winters

“You’re keeping things from me, too.”

“Yes, but not on purpose. I remember in sporadic bursts. I can’t control it.”

Arthur squeezed me hard. “Is it getting easier?” Once again the fear and hope waged war in his tone.

I sighed heavily, wishing he would stop lying and tell me what he was so afraid of. Anger filled me and I stiffened in his hold. “Wallstreet means a lot to you, doesn’t he?”

Arthur went deathly still. “He’s the reason why I’m free and rich and in a position to take revenge on those who betrayed me. So, yes… he means a great fucking deal.”

Tracing the grout between the white tiles by my toes, I whispered, “You do know he has other plans for you? The way he watches you, Art. He’s hiding so much but demands everything in return.”

Arthur pulled away, untangling his arm from around my shoulders. “What exactly are you saying?”

Sitting taller, I braced myself. I hadn’t meant to rip open this particular festering wound, but he’d left me no choice. “Do you know what he’s truly after? Do you know what he’ll take as payment for everything he’s given you?”

Arthur stood up in a rush, pacing in front of me. “What the fuck has gotten into you, Cleo? You can’t be fucking jealous of a guy who was the only one there for me.” Stopping, he growled, “I don’t care what his ultimate plans are. They’re in my best interests, and I could obey every request and still not give enough to repay him for what he’s done.”

Pushing up off the floor, I stood with my hands fisted. “What exactly did he do, Art? Please tell me, because I’m sick of living in the dark. What is he making you do? What does he want?”

Arthur dragged both hands through his jaw-length hair. His body rippled with anger, his chest rising and falling fast. “It’s none of your business!”

“You’re wrong.” I pressed forward, deliberately taunting him to face the truth. I might be floundering in the dark with incomplete memories, but he was worse—he willfully ignored things right in front of his face. “Do you know who Grasshopper is?”

Arthur stopped, hands tangled in his hair. His green eyes popped wide. “What? What the fuck does Hopper have to do with this?”

I wanted to shake him. “Come on. You haven’t noticed? In the years you’ve been dealing with both men, you haven’t ever truly looked at them?”

Arthur froze, his eyes blazing as realization pounded into him.

Finally.

“Oh, fuck.” His hands fell from his head, hanging by his sides. “You’re right. They look—” He shook his head. “It can’t be. Jared’s last name isn’t Connors. It’s Shearer. They can’t be…”

Closing the distance between us, I rested my fingers on his arm. “Not having the same name doesn’t mean a thing these days. He could be illegitimate, having taken his mother’s name. Hell, he could’ve changed it. Look at me. Cleo Price has a grave and a death certificate confirming my demise. In the eyes of the law I don’t exist; only Sarah Jones does. Isn’t it possible that everything you think you know has two meanings? Two purposes?”

He grabbed my shoulders, bringing me closer. “You’ve been worried about this? Why?”

“Why?” I frowned. “Because I’m protective of you. I don’t like to think of others taking advantage of your intelligence or skill. What if they’re not on your side?”

His fingers dug into my flesh. “I’ll say this once and only once. I love you for worrying about me and I’ll never dismiss your impressions or instincts, but regardless of what you think you know of Wallstreet or Grasshopper, they are good men. Honest men. I agree, to you it looks as if they’re using me, but, Cleo, this is an instance where you have to be patient and trust me.”

His hand came up to cup my cheek. “I would never let anyone else take advantage or screw me over. I’d kill them instantly. I went to prison for something that was a lie. I served time for people I thought cared about me, only for them to destroy me without a backward glance. Everything I’m doing is to ensure they never have the opportunity to screw anyone else ever again. And I will not rest until they’ve paid for what they’ve done. Do you understand?”

The ferocity in his eyes weakened my knees with sheer promise of bloodlust. “I understand.”

Running his thumb over my bottom lip, he nodded. “Good. Now, no more worrying about Wallstreet and his motives. Don’t look for flaws in the man who kept me alive and sane. But I can tell you that he’s been on my side since the day I met him. He’s put things in motion for me, given me a purpose, a plan—and a way to get even.”

My eyes widened. “What does that mean?”

His jaw tightened. “It means there is so much more than you know happening in the background. So much more than Pure Corruption and Dagger Rose. Bigger than anyone knows.” He went silent, almost as if wishing he hadn’t hinted at the depth of what he wasn’t telling me. But then he scowled and finished, “What I’ve been working on, Cleo, will mean my life won’t have been for nothing. That living those years in prison believing you were dead weren’t in vain. I’m owed this. You’re owed this. And Wallstreet is making that possible.”

A shiver darted down my spine. “But, Art—what are you planning—”

He pressed a finger over my lips, hushing me. Whispering softly, he said, “Let me worry about him. Trust me that it will all work out.” Ducking, he pressed a small kiss where his finger had been, murmuring, “I have something for you.”

The deliberate change of subject didn’t go unnoticed, but I forced myself to relax and let him continue to hide for a bit longer. “Oh?”

He took my hand, guiding me back to the safe. Stepping carefully over strewn photographs, he picked up a ring box.

A ring box?

Turning back to me, he held it out. “For you, Buttercup.”

My heart rate exploded. Conclusions tripped and collided. Was he going to propose all those years ago? Had he bought a ring only to think I died and held on to it all this time?

My hands shook like crazy as I took it.

Arthur chuckled. “It’s not what you think.” Placing his hand over mine, he added, “You gave me the Libra eraser because I told you you made more mistakes than anyone else I knew. I gave you this because I couldn’t figure out a way to tell you how fucking mad I was about you. I couldn’t sort out the love I had for the little girl I’d grown up with and the woman I saw you becoming. So I let something else show it instead.”

Never taking his eyes from mine, he helped me open the lid.

The moment I saw what rested inside, the past stole me away.

“Sneaky, Buttercup.”

I giggled as I climbed in through his bedroom window. It was past one a.m. and the compound, including our parents, was fast asleep. Arthur lay on the top of his covers in nothing but his silky boxers playing PlayStation.

My mouth went instantly dry. “I see you dressed up for me.”

His eyes trailed to his groin. I waited for him to bounce up and cover himself, to prevent any chance of something other than platonic friendship from happening.

But this time was different.

He let me stare.

He let me witness the rapid hardening of the part of him I wanted to see more than anything.

The room shimmered with lust.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” he murmured. The tone of his voice was pure sex, sending wetness between my legs and an eternal throbbing that made me pine for his touch.

“I’m supposed to be wherever you are,” I whispered, breathless.

Art suddenly sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of his bed and patting the mattress beside him. “Come here.”

The command sent a delicious clench through my core. I couldn’t breathe. Seriously? He was finally going to give in to us?

Sitting nervously, I struggled to keep my eyes away from the erection now straining against the silk of his boxers.

Without a word, Art reached under his pillow and drew out a ring box. Dropping it into my lap as if he didn’t have the self-control to touch me, he breathed, “Here. This is for you.”

I almost dropped the box, I shook so much when opening it.

Inside rested a mood ring, but not just any mood ring… a large stone encircled by the Sagittarian archer with an arrow locked in his quiver.

My head snapped up. “Art, I love it.”

Plucking the ring from the box, he grabbed my hand and we both sucked in a harsh breath. Electricity and forbidden want crackled and blistered between us. I would’ve given up everything for him to kiss me, to press me onto my back and climb on top of me.

I whimpered as the intensity became too much.

Art shook as much as I did as he slowly slid the ring onto my middle finger. The stone immediately turned a smoldering red.

Art chuckled. “According to the chart it came with, that means you’re hungry.”

“Hungry?”

He dropped his eyes. “Yeah, hungry for passion, love, connection.”

I couldn’t. I just couldn’t do this anymore.

Launching myself at him, I scrambled onto the bed, knocking him onto his back.