Chapter 8

King/Dante

"So, you gonna tell me what's goin' on with you and Ella? I heard you asked Sinner for her number earlier and he told you to man up and get it your own damned self." Cowboy's shit-eating grin turned to a chuckle as I glared at him across my desk.

After returning from a lunchtime workout with Trick at our MMA gym, I had just filled him in on the situation with Mandy last night, then Cowboy had started riding my ass about my love life.

"You two are some gossipy fuckers, you know that?"

Cowboy just shrugged. "If you're chasin' after a woman, news like that is gonna get around." He paused, then raised a brow. "So are you?"

"Am I what?" I asked, exasperated.

"Chasin' the lovely Ella?

"You worry about your own woman, and leave mine alone," I told him grumpily.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "She's your woman? Gotta say, I'm shocked to hear those words comin' outta your mouth."

I was pretty fucking shocked myself, actually. Normally the idea of being in a relationship was about as appealing as chopping my balls off and feeding them to my neighbor's yappy chihuahua.

"We aren't there yet, for Christ's sake. I'm just starting to get to know the woman," I denied flatly.

"But you're interested in more than just a hookup with this one?"

I rolled my eyes at his shock, then grudgingly admitted, "There's something about her that's different. I don't know what it is, or what the hell I'm doing, but I can't stop thinking about her. So yeah, I want to figure it out."

"Well, I'll be damned. I never thought I'd see the day that you wanted anythin' more than a quick suck and fuck," he said with a laugh. He laughed even harder when I picked up the stapler from my desk and tossed it at his head. He caught it with ease, then sobered as he studied me.

"They aren't all like Christy, you know. There are good women in this world, and I think Ella's one of ‘em."

I scowled at the mention of my ex-wife. God, our marriage had been a fucking disaster from day one. So much so, that I'd sworn to never get involved with another woman for anything more than sex. I'd kept it that way for twenty years now, but now here I was already breaking that self-imposed rule with Ella after only two days. The crazy thing was, I beginning to be OK with it.

"I know she is, brother. Now, if you're done bustin' my balls about her, I need to go check in with Viking about that new custom build they're starting on this week. Unlike you apparently, I have some actual work to do."

The sound of his laughter and catcalls followed me as I walked out of my office, and I shot him the bird over my shoulder, hearing him laugh even more as I did.

I ended up spending over an hour at the bike shop, working through the details of the new order we'd received to make sure we were ready to roll with it. On my way back into the clubhouse, I passed Lincoln in the hallway, and remembered that Sinner had sent him over to Ella's a few times to take care of some minor maintenance.

"Hey, Linc, any chance you have Ella's phone number?" At his blank look, I clarified, "Eleanor, the lady who rents the house next door to Sinner."

"Oh, yeah, I think so," he answered as he fished his phone out of his back pocket. He tapped the screen a few times, then I heard my own phone chime with a text.

"I just sent her contact info to you."

I thanked him before walking off, grateful that he hadn't questioned why I was asking for it. He clearly hadn't heard the gossip from his dad yet.

I closed the door to my office and settled back in my chair, eager to speak to the woman I couldn't stop thinking about. I saved her contact under the name "Sugar", then pressed the button to connect the call, hoping she wasn't busy at work and could speak to me for a minute.

"This is Ella Chadwick, may I help you?" I grinned at her tone – professional, yet slightly husky and sexy as hell.

"Hey, sugar, this is King. I hope you don't mind, but I got your number from Lincoln. I wanted to see if you were free for an early dinner tonight."

The resulting silence had me pulling my phone away from my ear to make sure the call hadn't dropped.

"Ella?"

"Yeah, that's not going to happen. Ever. I don't date men who are in a relationship." Her tone had gone from professional and sexy to downright frosty within seconds.

What the fuck? "I'm sorry, sugar, but I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not in a relationship with anyone."

She huffed, and the sound was infused with anger that was obvious even over the phone. "I met your…lady friend earlier, so excuse me for assuming you were in a relationship since you slept with her last night. Either way, I'm not getting in the middle of it. What happened between us yesterday wasn't a good idea, and it's not happening again."

"I didn't sleep with anyone last night," I denied flatly. "Who the fuck told you that?" I was going to kick somebody's ass for lying to her.

"I didn't stop to ask her damned name, King. She was a bleached blonde wearing very little clothing. Whoever she was, she said you were still sleeping when she got up, and that you'd both gotten home late from Fallen Angels, then stayed up even later after that. The implication was clear."

"Fuckin' Star," I muttered under my breath. I was going to wring that bitch's scrawny neck for pulling this shit.

"Look, you didn't make me any promises and don't owe me any explanations, so there's nothing else for us to talk about."

"The fuck there isn't. Listen carefully, sugar," I instructed. "When I left your house last night, it was because I needed to take care of an issue at Fallen Angels, which our club owns. I wasn't there to watch the dancers or find a hookup. Star was finished working and asked for a ride back to the clubhouse when I left. It was late, and I didn't think it was safe for her to take an Uber, so I dropped her off and then went home. Alone. I have no fucking idea why she lied, but you can bet your ass that I'll find out. Now, can you please explain what happened today because I'm confused as hell? How did you even run into Star?"

There was a moment's hesitation, and I held my breath, half expecting her to hang up on me.

"After you left last night, I realized you had forgotten to take the container of muffins and cookies with you. My office is only a few miles away, so once my meeting was done there this morning, I stopped by your clubhouse. Rod told me you weren't there, so I left the goodies for you. I taped my business card to the top of the container so you would have my number. I hoped you would call me. As I was leaving, your whatever-she-is decided to make it clear that my presence wasn't required."

"I didn't get the goodies, or the card with your number on it. That's why I had to get it from Linc," I grumbled. "Those damned idiots didn't say a word to me about it."

"Well, you'll need to take that up with Rod, then," she said snippily.

"I will, and then I'm gonna track down Star and find out why the fuck she lied to you. Do you know what I'm gonna do after that, sugar?"

"What?" she asked with equal parts hesitation and bravado.

"I'm gonna convince you to let me take you to dinner, because the only woman I'm interested in is you. See you soon, sweet Ella."

I disconnected the call then, knowing that I'd pushed my luck and would likely get another earful for my cockiness. I slipped my phone back into the pocket of my cut, then left my office in search of the club bunny who was about to get her ass handed to her. I wasn't sure what that bitch's problem was, but she was going to regret trying to stir up shit.

I stormed into the common room, finding her flirting with Bull at the bar.

"Excuse me, brother, but I need a word with Star," I growled as I grasped her elbow and turned her around to face me. He wisely got up off the stool, grabbed his beer, and wandered over toward the dart board, where Viking and Joker were in the middle of a game.

"What the fuck were you playing at when Ella stopped by earlier today?"

"Who?"

"Knock it off, Star. You know exactly who I'm talking about. Why the fuck did you lie that we'd spent the night together? You're gonna be lucky if I don't throw you out on your ass for pulling that shit."

"I'm sorry, Prez. Really," she looked fearful. "I just figured she was a hangaround who came back lookin' for more. I thought I was helping you by chasin' her off before she turned into a clinger."

I rolled my head from side to side to try to release my anger. Her remorse seemed genuine, and it was possible that she thought she was being helpful. In any other situation, with any other woman but Ella, I would have even appreciated her quick thinking.

"Well, she's not, so don't do that shit again, understood?" She nodded and tried to hurry off. I stopped her as I remembered the cookies.

"Where is the container she brought?"

Star shrugged. "I think I saw it in the kitchen."

I got pissed off all over again when I discovered the cookie tin sitting on the counter, empty except for a few stray cookie crumbs and a crumpled muffin wrapper. Damned cookie-stealing motherfuckers. I trusted them with my life, but I couldn't trust them with baked goods, apparently.

I debated calling Ella to explain about Star, but decided she probably wouldn't appreciate another interruption to her workday. I was smart enough to know that I was already on thin ice with her, and I didn't need to make it worse.

I finally buckled down and quit mooning over Ella as the afternoon wore on. I needed to prepare for the meeting this evening with Luca Rossi and Trick to sort out the logistics for the next round of underground fights. That was a very lucrative piece of our business, and we definitely didn't want to fuck it up, especially if it put us at odds with the local mafia.

The meeting was to take place at our MMA gym. We weren't meeting until the gym closed at nine o'clock, so if I timed things just right, I would have a little over three hours to spend with Ella. Surely that would be enough time for me to explain about Star and take her to dinner.

I kept one eye on the clock throughout the remainder of the afternoon, then finally jumped on my bike and headed to her house at five-thirty. I figured she would be home from work by then, and I was right. I grinned as I pulled in her driveway to find her standing in her front yard watering her flowers. She was dressed in a T-shirt and shorts again, with her hair piled up on top of her head, looking cute as hell.

I parked and got off my bike, quickly crossing over to her.

"Hi, sugar." I started to bend down to kiss her cheek, stopping when she raised her hand in front of me and took a quick step back.

"What are you doing here?" My smile dimmed as I realized that she looked less than thrilled to see me. She set the now-empty watering can down on her porch and crossed her arms with a scowl, doing one hell of an impression of a prickly cactus.

"I told you that I would see you soon, remember?"

"King, I don't think – "

"Just listen for a minute, please?" I interrupted. I filled her in on my conversation with Star, wanting to make sure there was no doubt in her mind that it had all been a lie.

"So, does she have to scare off the stage-five clingers often? Do you have that many women chasing after you that you need help getting rid of them all?"

There was a hint of a smile on her face, so I didn't get too worried over her question.

"No, I wouldn't say it happens a lot. In fact, there's one woman I know who is making me do all the chasing," I teased.

She snickered, then asked if I was up for the challenge.

"Of course, sugar. You are definitely worth catching, and I'm always up for a challenge." She snickered again as she recognized the double entendre, then sobered as she stared up at me, her eyes searching mine. I slid my hand down her arm and grasped her hand, threading my fingers through hers.

"You're the only one I want to catch, Ella. I laid eyes on you about fifty-two hours ago and I've been thinking about you ever since, even when I was with my family Saturday afternoon, and when I was supposed to be focused on club business last night. Hell, even when I was sleeping, you've been there, teasing me from the dark recesses of my brain. I don't know what the hell I'm doing with you, exactly, but I'm not looking for a random hookup, that much I do know. You've gotten under my skin, and that's never happened before. I've never – and I mean fuckin' never – had a reaction like this to any other woman."

My thumb rubbed a lazy circle over her palm, and I grinned in satisfaction as goosebumps skated over her skin. "I won't lie…I wasn't sure what to do about it at first, but I know how good you feel in my arms, and how sweet you taste, and I know I want more. I'm not backing off unless you tell me to. Even then, I think I'll do everything I can to get you to change your mind, especially if it's because of lies told by someone who fucking knows better."

"So you don't have a girlfriend, or some kind of relationship with that woman or anyone else? I absolutely refuse to get involved with a man who's taken, King."

"I promise you, sugar. There's nobody else."

She started to say something, but we were both distracted by the sound of a car pulling up to the curb in front of her house. Ella tugged her hand free and took a step back as a woman exited the car with a pizza box. Ella hurried to take the box from her, then slipped her some cash. The woman flashed her a grateful smile before getting back in her car.

"I take it you and the kids are having pizza tonight?"

"We are, but separately. They're meeting friends for pizza and a movie. After hearing the kids talking about it before they left, it sounded so good I ordered one for myself." She hesitated for a second before saying, "If you like sausage, pepperoni, and mushrooms, I have more than enough to share."

I'd planned to take her out for dinner, but the opportunity to spend time alone with Ella was too good to pass up, so I couldn't agree fast enough.

We were both hungry, so it didn't take long to finish off the pizza. Ella teased me for picking off the mushrooms, and I teased her for eating fungus that tasted like dirt. Conversation flowed easily as we each discussed our kids and shared stories from their younger years.

After dinner, we settled down on the couch as we continued talking. Ella sat a little farther away that I would have liked, but I hoped I could change that before the evening ended.

She was laughing at the story of my mom chasing Rome, Jagger, and Lucky down the street with her broom, threatening to beat all three of them after she caught them smoking cigarettes in Sinner's garage – cigarettes that they had swiped from her purse, which had pissed her off even more.

"My sons were eleven, and Lucky was ten at the time. The good thing about it was that all three of them were sick as dogs after chain-smoking the entire pack, so none of them touched the things ever again."

"Pop mentioned once that he banned smoking inside the clubhouse when Frankie was diagnosed with lung cancer, so it's a good thing the boys learned that lesson when they were young."

"Yeah, I'm happy they didn't pick up the habit. It was a bitch to stop, but Sinner and I both quit cold turkey the day Mom found out about the cancer. At this point, most of the brothers have quit – some to be healthier, and a few others because they got tired of having to go outside to smoke all the time."

"I tried it once, when I was about sixteen. I ended up burning a hole in my favorite shirt, and I hated the taste, so I never tried it again." She paused, then added softly, "I love listening to Pop's stories about your mom. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet her."

I leaned my head back and sighed. "She was a self-declared tough old broad, but she wasn't nearly as tough as she liked to pretend. She had a heart of gold, and we all miss her like hell." I cocked my head to look at Ella. "What about your family?"

She shrugged. "I don't have much left anymore. My parents were killed in a car accident, along with my dad's parents, when I was six-months old. They'd all gone to dinner together and their car was hit by a semi that slid on the ice. My mom's parents had been watching me that evening, so they ended up raising me with a little help from my mom's sister, my Aunt Diane. Other than that, there are a couple of uncles scattered around on my dad's side, but we aren't close. We exchange Christmas cards, but that's about it."

I felt like shit for even bringing the subject up. "Oh, God, sugar, I'm so sorry." I reached for her and pulled her into my arms. She nestled against me and draped her arm around my waist as I dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

"It's OK, really," she continued softly. "Gran and Gramps were wonderful, and I didn't really know any difference growing up. Having parents was just kind of an abstract idea for me. I knew other people had them, but I didn't really understand what I was missing out on, since I never remembered having them to begin with."

She sighed, and I felt her breath against the skin along my neck. "Gramps died when I was in college, and Gran died when Mia was two. It hit me hard when I lost them, and I still miss them. I am close with Aunt Diane and her husband Neil though, and their daughter Kim has always been one of my best friends, so they helped me through it."

"I'm glad you have them, sugar." I put my finger under her chin and tipped her head up. She studied me for a few seconds, then gave me a sweet smile. That was all the encouragement I needed.

The moment my lips had touched hers yesterday, I'd known this woman was unlike any other I'd ever known. Now, as I kissed her again, I knew I was in danger of being in over my head with her, but I didn't give a single, solitary fuck. I had a feeling she would be well worth it.

She pulled away just a little, and I reluctantly lifted my lips from hers.

"Aren't you worried that things may be awkward…after?"

"After what, exactly?" I cocked my head and looked at her, my eyes roving over every inch of her face as if I needed to memorize it.

"After…whatever this is, ends. I mean, it can be a little uncomfortable to run into someone you've hooked up with after you've moved on. I live next door to your dad. He's not just my landlord. He's become a friend. You don't think that could make things awkward?"

" Whatever this is , I have a feeling it's gonna be a helluva lot more than a hookup. Look, Ella," I sighed, "we're both adults. We're not young kids like your daughter's friend and her boyfriend who have a month's worth of drama after a few days together. I think we can handle things, no matter how this plays out."

"You do have a point, I suppose," she told me, her voice coming out a little flirtier than she'd probably intended.

I gave her a satisfied grin, then tugged her closer again.

"I do have a point. An excellent one, if I do say so myself. Now, come here, woman. I'm in desperate need of a little sugar." She started to laugh, but her amusement was cut short as I cupped her jaw and swooped down for another kiss.

Her lips parted under the onslaught of mine, opening beautifully for my tongue to slip inside and taste the sweetness that I was quickly coming to associate only with her. I groaned as I deepened the kiss, and my tongue slid alongside hers. I shifted closer, tugger her body flush against mine. After the barest hint of hesitation, Ella brought her arms up to circle my neck as she angled her head to give me better access to her mouth.

I didn't realize I'd circled her throat with my hand until I felt the fluttery pulse beneath my fingertips. I pulled back and looked down at her, loving the sight of my tanned, weather-roughened hand against the delicate, pale, smooth skin at the base of her neck. I stroked my thumb along the edge of her collarbone, just above the neckline of T-shirt. She shivered, and I smiled in satisfaction at the visceral response she had to my touch. I pulled back just slightly, looking down her chest to see the sharp points of her nipples visible through her bra and the soft cotton of the shirt. She was so fucking responsive, and I needed to see more.

I tugged her shirt over her head, letting it land on the couch cushion next to us.

She reached behind herself and unclipped her bra, which I eagerly whipped off the very moment it loosened. I sucked in a ragged breath at the sight of her creamy tits as they bounced free.

"I've spent the last two days imagining what your tits looked like, but my imagination didn't even come fucking close, sugar. Goddamn, you are gorgeous."

She wrapped her arms around my neck again and pulled me down for a kiss, shifting as she did so that she straddled my lap. I groaned as I felt her heated core settle over my growing hardness. I gripped her hips and ground her against me, my dick hardening even more at the ragged moan that left her.

"Sugar, if we keep going like this, I'm gonna have you bent over this fucking couch just like I've been dreaming of doing. If you don't want that, tell me now."

She sat up, her hands falling from my shoulders as she shook her head.

"We can't," she said, and my gut clenched at her words. "My kids aren't supposed to be home until around ten, but I can't take the chance they'll come home early and walk in on us."

I started to nod, understanding her concern even as my cock was screaming at me to keep going.

She slid off my lap and got to her feet, and I tried not to let my disappointment and frustration show as she scooped up her discarded bra and T-shirt. My gaze focused on her tits, soft and full, with perfect dark rosy, pink tips. My dick throbbed even more at the sight, and I reached down to rearrange myself, so my zipper didn't dig into me. I was so mesmerized by the sight of those luscious mounds swaying as she moved that it took a moment to register what she was saying.

"What?" I asked, not sure that I heard her right.

"I said, let's go upstairs." She started to tug on my hand, then dropped it as her gaze snapped to mine. "Unless you've changed your mind," she questioned hesitantly.

I rose to my feet and yanked her to me, making her squeal as her tits pressed against the cool leather of my cut. "No fuckin' way I'm changing my mind, sugar. Show me to your bedroom."

She grinned and hurried over to the stairs. My cock throbbed again as her sweet, round ass jiggled right in front of me as she jogged up the stairs ahead of me. Damn, I could die a happy man if I got the chance to bury my dick right there.

I took the stairs two at a time after her, then practically slammed the bedroom door behind us. I reached around to lock it as Ella tossed her bra and shirt on a chair in the corner. I slipped off my cut and draped it over the back of the same chair, then turned to find her standing nervously next to her bed.

I crossed over to her in two long strides, grabbing her around the waist again and pulling her flush against my body.

I circled her neck, resting one hand at the base of her throat while I tunneled the other through her hair and fisted it. I gently tugged her head back, so she had no choice but to look up at me.

"I don't think I can be gentle with you," I warned her gruffly. Hard and rough was my usual style, and I wanted her too damned much for that to be any different this time.

"I didn't ask you to," she shot back, her grin just daring me to prove myself.

I bent slightly and lifted her off her feet, tossing her on the bed as she gasped in surprise. Keeping my eyes on her, I reached for the back of my shirt and pulled it up over my head, tossing it over my shoulder in the general direction of the chair.

Her eyes roving over my body felt like a physical caress, and I couldn't believe how much that turned me on. I was glad I'd taken my shitkickers off when I'd come into the house earlier, so I didn't have to fuck with taking them off now. I had the presence of mind to grab a rubber out of my wallet, tossing it onto the bed next to her. I had a feeling that once I started touching her, I wouldn't be able to stop to find one later.

Ella's eyes followed my movements as I reached for my belt. Her breath caught as I unbuckled it, then opened the button on my jeans and slowly slid my zipper down.