Library

Chapter 3

Two hours later and the party is in full swing. Things are relatively chill except for the spitfire dancing with every guy brave enough to ask her. I think she’s doing it to prove a point, but I’m not a one-night stand kind of guy and picking up a woman at an MC party never works out well for me. If she’s looking to hook up, she’s better off with any of the guys from out of town than taking a chance with me.

It’s not just that I’m not down for a one-night stand, it’s my appetite, which runs a bit extreme for most women. I’m an all-or-nothing kind of man and I demand a level of submission to my dominating nature. Not all women are down to satiate some of my darker desires, and vanilla sex only keeps me satisfied for so long.

Missy is a spitfire, but that doesn’t mean she’s kinky. In my experience, most women aren’t.

I keep telling myself she’s better off nabbing the attention of any other guy here, and yet I can’t stop myself from making territorial moves on her. Grabbing the back of her neck. Whispering in her ear. Watching her with singularly focused intention. Most of the men gathered here pick up on it, and a handful of guys have approached me to find out what the deal is between us.

Speaking of the devil. Here comes contestant number seven. “Hey Drak.”

“Kaeden.” I nod and shake his hand.

“Who’s the redhead?” He jabs his thumbs over his left shoulder and points in Missy’s direction on the dance floor. “Does she belong to you?”

“No, she’s not mine.” My gut twists with each word as it leaves my lips and bile tickles the back of my throat. Every fiber of me knows it’s a lie, but it’s best for both of us if I give her a chance with a normal, easy-going guy with a more vanilla appetite. “But she’s under my protection.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It means to be respectful, and it”s the lady”s choice.”

He nods. “Got it.”

Karden chuckles, his eyes on his woman who is also on the dance floor. “The men around here respect you.”

My foster-brother doesn’t know the half of it and honestly, Karden doesn’t need to know what kind of deviant I really am or all the sordid details of my darker desires. Some guys know just enough to know I don’t date casually. Chance and Triton know about the toys in my bedroom, and that I’m looking for the one who can handle me the way I am.

I shrug and play it off. “I own a shooting range and a shitload of guns.”

“Well, it is Texas.” He snorts.

“Exactly. Are you heading back to Colorado tomorrow?” I grab a fresh bottle of beer off the hand-hewn bar top.

“Yeah. We’ve done everything we can do here. Sylvie’s trying to convince Missy to come with us. There’s nothing in Rizona for her and we’re concerned she’ll go missing one day.”

The matter-of-factness of his tone pulls my eyes off the spitfire on the dance floor to him. “Missing?”

He nods, his jaw clenching. “It’s a shit show. The town is dying?—”

“It’s already dead, but a few stubborn asses refuse to believe it and leave,” Saint, who stands on the other side of Karden, grumbles before lifting his phone to his ear and walking out of the clubhouse without saying another word to either of us.

“What’s he talking about?” I ask.

“There are unsavory elements moving in and buying up property, pressuring people to sell. That’s what brought me down here six months ago. I had to get her out.” Karden tilts his chin in Sylvie’s direction.

“Is this something the club can help with?” I raise my brow, surprised we hadn’t heard about this. Granted, Rizona is seventy-five miles away, but shit spreads and we have a few law enforcement officers within our ranks. If there was trouble nearby, I think I would have heard about it.

Come to think of it, we have seen an uptick of outsiders rolling through town, but I don’t know the specifics, and no one has told us to be on alert.

“No offense, but I think this is above the club’s pay grade. The Feds are watching and Special Ops teams are aware of the situation. Speaking of which, do you remember Kerrigan from back home? I think he’s closer to your age than mine.”

“Good-looking blond kid? Smooth talker. Always got himself and whoever was with him out of trouble?” Jesus Christ. I haven’t thought about Kerr in years. I barely kept in touch with anyone from the foster system except for Griffin, who I crossed paths with a few times in the Navy. He’s a badass Navy SEAL, a tier two operator that I occasionally supported as a non-operator. He’s out now and has been off the grid for a while—completely out of touch—but he knows where to find me if he needs me. As it is, Karden found me online a year ago through the shooting range’s website after he separated from the Army and settled in Colorado. He’s good like that and keeps track of everyone.

“That’s the one. He’s in Chicago now. He was PsySpecOps in the Army and is now a private contractor doing some clandestine shit for the government. Some of his friends helped me out in Rizona last January. Pretty sure it’s cartel related and not something you guys want to get tangled up in.”

“Hold that thought.” I look around until I find Chadwick and wave him over. Chadwick is a Rebel Hearts enforcer, as well as Border Patrol, and has lived in the area all of his life. “Repeat what you said.”

Karden rehashes the situation in Rizona, but I can tell he’s glossing over some details. I won’t push him though, in case he’s trying not to incriminate himself or others. I turn my attention to Chadwick, who nods as he listens. “Have you heard about this?”

He shrugs. “Nothing specific to Rizona, but it’s happening all over the southwest and we’ve seen signs it”s moving this way on its way to Dallas. They buy property, build warehouses, dig tunnels, and integrate themselves into dying towns that won’t care what they are doing as long as they’re spending cash.”

“We’re not a dying town,” I protest, mild irritation simmering in my veins as I think about the SUVs I’ve seen at the roadside hotels recently. Is the cartel making a move in Maplewood right under our noses? If so, why aren’t we doing anything about it?

I am definitely bringing this up at church next week.

“Which is why they don’t have a good hold on us yet.” He tips his beer bottle in deference before bringing it to his lips.

I turn my gaze back to Missy, who is now dancing with Kaeden. Sylvie pushes her way through the crowd to slide right into Karden’s arms. “The band is great.”

Nodding, I agree. “Yeah. They should take a break after this song so the MC can announce the Poker Run winners.” And Missy can bring her sexy ass back to me, but I don’t voice those thoughts aloud.

“You ready to go, sweetheart?” Karden leans his head forward, love and possessiveness radiating off his big body. It’s hard to believe he’s the same fucked up kid I knew all those years ago. I guess things changed for the better for all of us.

“You guys driving back to Rizona tonight?” I arch my brow.

“Yeah. We left all of our shit there. Plus, we have to get Missy home unless she decides otherwise.” Karden gives me a pointed look.

I turn my head and finish the last of the lukewarm beer I’ve been nursing for the last hour. Taking her home the same night I meet her is not my style. We need to talk so I can get a vibe check off of her, which won’t happen here or tonight.

The band makes an announcement about taking a twenty-minute break as Aldis, the MC President, and Triton jump on the stage. I’m sure they are saying things I should pay attention to, but my mind is on the sensual curves and dark, narrowed eyes sauntering toward me.

“I guess we’re leaving,” she sighs.

“I hope you had a good time.”

Nodding, she smiles. “I think I danced with every man here—except you.”

Lowering my mouth to her ear, I inhale her scent. Jasmine, maybe magnolia, with a hint of citrus. Her sweat accentuates the faint perfume in her hair, causing every muscle in my body to tighten as I fight the urge to pull her into my arms. “I don’t dance, babydoll.”

She shivers, her voice dropping an octave to a sultry serenade. “If you won’t dance with me, then how will I know what moves you have?”

I pull back, pin her in place with my eyes, and flash her a knowing grin.

Dammit. I tried to deny it all night. I tried to give her a chance with some other guy who might be more to her liking, but the simple fact is, Missy was mine the moment she jumped her sexy ass out of Karden’s truck. “How many guys asked for your phone number tonight?”

“None.” She juts her bottom lip.

Arching my brow, I drag my gaze over the crowd. “Not one guy asked for your number?”

She shakes her head. “I guess I’m not as desirable as you think I am.”

I slide my thumb over my bottom lip, surprisingly pleased with how the evening turned out. Apparently I’m going to hell, and I’m taking her with me. “That’s not it. Every guy in here wants to take you for a ride, but despite my best intention to let you have the pick of the litter, I put the vibe out that you’re taken.”

“Who took me?” She bats her lashes again.

“What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?” I ask instead of answering.

“Nothing.” Missy shrugs, her eyes glued to mine. A fire could break out around us and I doubt either of us would notice. Most of the crowd’s attention is on Aldis and Triton on stage as they announce winner after winner of raffle prizes. I donated a three-hour pass to the Line-of-Sight shooting range but have no idea who won it.

“I’ll pick you up at five. Wear jeans and the same boots you have on now.”

“Are you taking me for a ride?” Her smile grows with her teasing.

“I’m taking you on a date, babydoll. And yes, we’ll be on my bike.” I slide my hand onto the back of her neck and turn my attention back to Karden. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah.” He grins.

“I’ll walk you out.” We walk out as a group. Saint’s already leaning against the truck bed, one bicep bulging across his chest with his phone to his ear. He tells whomever—I assume his woman—goodbye as we approach.

I hand Missy my phone with the screen unlocked. “Put your number in.”

Missy takes my phone, her lips curling into a smile. “You’re kind of bossy, you know that?”

“You’re the kind of woman who enjoys being bossed, aren’t you?”

She narrows her eyes and hands my phone back to me. “I sent myself a text.”

I nod and slip it in my shirt pocket. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Now be a good girl and get your sexy ass in the truck.”

“No kiss goodnight?” She grins, clearly proud of her sassy mouth.

Without a second thought, my hand snatches out and my fingers wrap around her neck, pulling her into my body. Her breasts press up against my stomach and her eyes fly wide in surprise. “Something you should know about me, Missy. I don’t do pecks on the cheek or chaste kisses. When I press my lips to yours, it will be a long, slow, and deep kiss that will have your pussy wet and clenching in anticipation. I tried to save you from me, but the fates decided you were mine the minute you walked onto this property.”

Comments

0 Comments
Best Newest

Contents
Settings
  • T
  • T
  • T
  • T
Font

Welcome to FullEpub

Create or log into your account to access terrific novels and protect your data

Don’t Have an account?
Click above to create an account.

lf you continue, you are agreeing to the
Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy.