Chapter Five

Lisa

I slowly come to, blinking away the drowsiness as I try to make sense of where I am. At first, I figure I’m still in my hotel room in Dallas, but that can’t be right. I clearly recall returning to Austin.

I sit up, my focus shifting to the soft glow of the lamp casting a gentle light into the room. It’s not so bright that it hurts my eyes, but is dimmed so the room isn’t completely dark.

No, this is not my bedroom. I shift, wincing at the slight soreness between my legs, and my eyes quickly widen as reality shifts into focus. Like a jackhammer, everything comes slamming back to me, and I remember coming home to find it empty before hailing a taxi to threaten the most dangerous men in Austin. Where I then proceeded to give one of those men my virginity. I pale at the memory of undressing so wantonly for Shadow and lying about my sexual experience when the most I have done with the opposite gender is a shake of hands. It was so brief that I don’t think it even really counts as human contact.

“Oh my God, Lisa. Are you out of your mind?!” I hiss, flopping back on the bed with a horrified growl.

I can’t believe I did all that, but in my humble defense, the man was built like a god with a voice that could soften the heart of even the coldest woman on earth. A sinful mouth that I want to feel pressed against mine again, one that brought me immense pleasure before lulling me to sleep.

Crazy. You’ve gone insane, Lisa!

A knock to the door makes me sit up quickly. I brush my hands through my hair to untangle the knots and pat my cheeks to hopefully bring some color to my skin. The door opens, and I brace myself to see Shadow, but instead, in walks a gorgeous girl with the prettiest red hair I’ve ever seen.

“Oh hi, you’re up,” the girl says, flashing me a wide, toothy grin as she approaches me. “Do you mind if I turn up the lights a bit?”

“I . . . I don’t mind.”

“Perfect,” she chirps, adjusting the light so I can see her clearly, and good Lord, she looks even prettier in the bright lighting.

“I . . . uhm . . .” I search my mind for something to say, but I have no idea where to start. Is she Shadow’s lover? His sister? Landlady? Heck, she could be just some random girl, but I doubt that. I feel a spike of jealousy pierce my chest at the thought that she might be someone special to Shadow. She clearly expected to find me here when she came in. What has he told her about me?

“Lisa!” A familiar voice squeals, interrupting my thoughts. I barely have time to brace for impact before my cousin is throwing herself at me on the bed. She wraps her arms around my shoulders tightly, and I melt into her embrace. I hadn’t expected to see her so soon, but it feels good to be with her again. As she continues to hug me tight, my stomach knots with the memory that she will be moving out of our shared apartment soon. This might very well be the last hug I get from her in a while.

I try to school my expression and disguise my melancholy thoughts by looking over Sasha’s shoulder at the red head, who is now standing just inside the door with a curious, almost sympathetic expression on her face. She approaches the bed and drops something near my feet.

“So,” she says, “Shadow sent me to bring you some clothes. He mentioned yours were soaked in the rain. I think we’re the same size.”

I stare at the bundle and bite back the desire to tell her that I’m fine in what I’m wearing, which is one of Shadow’s t-shirts. But, of course, if I want to leave the room, I’ll need more than that, even if his shirt hangs on me like a too-big dress.

“Uh, thanks.”

Work brain. Please.

“Sorry, I should have introduced myself first,” she says, her bright brown eyes flashing with humor. “My name is Rhea, I’m the girlfriend of the club’s vice president. Oh, I’m the president’s sister too.”

I blink owlishly at her. So, she’s related to the leader of the Steel Order MC and in turn dating the second in command? Not that I am in a position to say anything about the club, considering how wrong I’ve been about them to this point, but how is she so . . . normal? Is it possible for someone to appear so soft after being raised around such rough men? With that thought, I push Sasha away from me and take a good look at her face. She’s practically glowing with happiness. It radiates from her, and I can’t help but smile as I meet her eyes.

Sasha laughs and says, “Oh yeah, sorry! I should have introduced you. Lisa, Rhea, Rhea Lisa.” She gestures back and forth between us before turning to me once more. “Rhea was the first girlfriend I met here, and she’s amazing! She’s Priest’s younger sister, but she didn’t come to live with him until a couple years ago. She’s been showing me the ropes and helping me settle into MC life.”

Rhea chuckles and steps forward to drape an arm over Sasha’s shoulders. “I’m just grateful you gave the guys something else to talk about. I swear, bikers are the worst gossips. But hey, now that you’re here, Sasha and Riot are old news.”

My brows wrinkle in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“You’re new. And you’re Shadow’s girl. Shadow doesn’t date, so everyone’s going to be talking about it. Not to mention how you arrived yesterday and fearlessly demanded Sasha’s safe return. That was pretty badass, by the way.”

“We’re not dating,” I whisper, panicked before her latter words register. “What do you mean by no one dates Shadow?”

She shrugs, unfolding the clothes she’s brought with her. “Well, he’s the coldest man I have ever met. He rarely speaks to anyone and keeps mostly to himself. In fact, I think he’s the most mysterious man in the club, and that’s saying a lot.”

“You’re kidding, right? And people aren’t really talking about me, are they?”

“No, I’m not kidding,” Rhea says seriously, leaning in as if to tell me a secret. “I have a sneaking suspicion that he’s hiding from something. He never talks about himself, and he doesn’t pay attention to anything that doesn’t concern him. The only thing I’ve seen him take interest in is his Harley. And sorry, Lisa, but yes, everyone is talking about the girl in pink who stood up to the coldest biker in the club. You’re kind of a legend.”

“Oh no,” I whine, burying my face in my hands.

Sasha rubs my back gently and presses into me. “It’s not so bad, Lisa. There are worse things, and anyone who teases you will be nice about it, or Shadow will have their balls in a jar.”

“How comforting,” I deadpan, giving my cousin a flat stare.

She laughs and gives me a squeeze before letting me go. “So, give me all the details. Is Shadow like Rhea said?”

I shrug. “He was nice to me, mostly just teased me while he gave me a tour of the property before we got caught by the rain.” I blush as I recall what happened next. “We didn’t do much talking after that.”

Rhea bounces her eyebrows suggestively. “I’m sure you were too busy with . . . other things to talk.”

“What else do you know about him?” Sasha asks Rhea. “Do you know how he got the nickname, Shadow?”

“Because of his black hair?” I hazard a guess.

“Close,” she teases. “He is called Shadow because of his elusive and mysterious nature. He tends to stay in the background and is very good at being unseen.”

I stare at her, waiting for her to tell me she’s pulling my leg, but nothing of the sort happens. “Rhea, how is a six-foot-three, ridiculously hot man able to go unseen? Please tell me that’s a joke.”

Her lips twitch before she breaks into a wide smile. “He is hot, isn’t he?”

Sasha fakes a gasp. “Rhea! What if Knight heard you? What would he do?”

“Probably the same thing Riot would if he knew you agree with me,” she teases. “Good thing girl talk stays between us girls, huh?”

My first instinct is to vehemently deny my attraction to Shadow, but I decide not to. “Yes, he’s hot, but don’t tell him that,” I say, and both Rhea and Sasha make a motion of zipping their lips.

“So, Lisa, I want to know more about you. You’re dating Shadow, which makes me curious about the girl that stole his heart.”

I chuckle. “You’re kidding, right? I’ve known him less than twenty-four hours. I haven’t stolen his heart, and we aren’t dating. Besides, you’re related to one biker and dating another. I would say your life is far more interesting.”

Rhea and Sasha share a look, before Rhea says gently, “Honey, if you think it takes more than a day for any of these men to claim what they want, you’re wrong. Shadow has staked his claim, he’s made that obvious to everyone in the clubhouse this morning.

“And even if he hadn’t said as much, those hickies on your neck are proof enough that you are his,” Sasha teases. My hand flies up to the side of my neck, and sure enough, I can feel the marked skin under my fingertips. My body heats as I remember the feeling of Shadow’s mouth and teeth on my skin.

“So,” Rhea prompts, “tell me about you. I’ve heard so much from Sasha, who can’t stop talking about her amazing and talented cousin, but I want to hear it from you.”

I smile at the knowledge that Sasha has talked about me. Maybe she cares enough not to throw me aside completely when she moves in with Riot, after all. I chew at my lip and question what to tell this lovely girl.

“Well,” I start, “I’m a writer.”

“What kind?”

“I mostly write horror and mystery novels,” I tell her. “What about you?”

“I’m a college student studying photography in Baton Rouge, but I’m on break right now.”

“Baton Rouge, Louisiana? That’s quite the distance,” I say, intrigued.

“Yeah, well, that’s a long story.”

A long story that I would love to hear, and I tell her as much. Sasha eggs her on, and soon, I’m getting the whole, romantic tale. If I were to write a romance, I’d base it on Rhea and Knight.

Once she’s finished her story, Sasha picks up the thread and tells me about how she met Riot. When she gets to the part about her family, I’m stunned, but now Danny’s reaction to my call makes a lot more sense. When Sasha finishes, there’s a moment of silence before a question occurs to me.

“Hey, do either of you know Shadow’s real name?”

“No one knows.”

“You’re kidding, right?” My brows draw in confusion when they both shake their heads. “Really? He’s never told anyone his real name? Never gotten a ticket or arrested and forced to tell him a name?”

Rhea shrugs. “All the members prefer to be called by their nicknames. Besides, you can’t arrest a shadow, Lisa.”

A shudder runs down my back at that. My life is starting to feel like one of my novels.

It occurs to me then that Rhea is the girl the taxi driver was talking about. She fits the description of a T. A pretty redhead, dating the vice president of the club and not locked away in some basement.

I guess I was a bit prejudiced about this club and its members.

Maybe they’re not the monsters everyone thinks they are, but then again, I’ve only met Shadow and Rhea. They could be hiding parts of themselves they don’t want anyone else to see.

A torture room perhaps.

Before I can ask anything else, Sasha glances down at her watch, then back to me. “We’re going to go so you can clean up and get dressed, okay? There is so much I want to show you, so get a move on! I’m so excited you’re here!”

Before I can respond, Sasha turns and skips from the room. She’s just reached the doorway when she trips over own feet, but Rhea manages to catch her just in time.

“Careful, girlie. I’ll never hear the end of it from Riot if you hurt yourself on my watch.” She waves at me over her shoulder as she guides Sasha the rest of the way out and closes the door behind them.

I’m left sitting on the bed, a bit confused by all that just happened. How has my cousin gotten herself involved with these people? And she’s already made friends in less than a week. My heart clenches at that thought, and the cruel voice in my head wonders if she’s replaced me with Rhea already.

I shake the thoughts away and climb out of bed, going to the bathroom to freshen up a bit. In the bathroom, I look longingly at the large tub, but decide to settle for a shower since Sasha and Rhea are waiting for me.

I groan deeply when hot water rains down on my hair and body. It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve felt this relaxed, and perhaps this is the first thing I should have done upon arriving at the apartment instead of running around panicking for no reason. I use Shadow’s shampoo that smells like him and moan with pleasure as I wash. A shudder racks my body when I run my soapy hands over my breasts, and just like that, I am reminded of what happened between Shadow and me.

God, I can’t believe that I did that, and yet . . .

I want to do it again.

I slide a hand over my nipple, pinching the bud between my fingers and whimpering at the feeling.

Oh.

This feels good. Not as good as it did when Shadow ran his rough, calloused hands over my body, but nothing’s stopping me from imagining it’s him doing it.

You have no fucking idea the things I want to do to you, little girl.

“Oh!” His voice, strong and possessive pierces through my memory, and the space between my legs grows damp.

I slide my hand down my stomach, slipping my fingers between my legs and imagining it’s his thick digits caressing that sweet spot between my folds. I part my legs and run my finger in circles over my aching bud, digging deeper for the man’s voice in my head.

My cock is aching to be inside of your tight little pussy, Pink, pump so hard into you until I’m flooding you with my seed.

“Oh God, Shadow!” I cry, hoping the shower mutes the noises I’m making. I rub my clit faster, my thoughts on the man with the body of a Greek god. I want to kiss those lips, feel them trace the spot between my tits before taking one peak into his mouth and sucking roughly at the aching bud before shoving me against the wall and taking me in rough thrusts.

“You call me?” A deep voice whispers into my ear, and I jump even as a shiver rocks my body. I turn around to meet his dark eyes, but the naked man doesn’t give me time to react to his presence before he drops his lips to my shoulder as his palm travels to my core. “You’re wet with arousal, Pink. Why don’t you let me take care of it?”

“H-how did you . . .” Christ, I didn’t even hear him walk in. I mean, I was distracted, but to catch nothing of his presence is unnerving. But the thought is fizzles out, right along my brain cells when he slides his hand between my thighs, his fingers pushing mine away, and God, it feels much better to have him take control. I whimper when he slides his thick digit into my entrance, wincing a bit at the discomfort, but when he starts thrusting his finger slowly, it all fades away.

I drop my head against the bathroom wall, whimpering as he drives his finger in and out of me in slow, torturous moves. “More,” I whimper. “Need more.”

“I’ll give you more,” he growls lowly into my ear a second before he pulls away from me. My eyes widen when Shadow turns me around to face him then drops to his knees. He grabs my right knee and lifts it to his shoulder, his eyes on mine when he leans forward and licks me my center.

Holy fuck!

I buck at the sensation that shoots through my core as my back hits the wall. I cry out when he flicks his tongue over my aching bud, and a sob tears out of me, my legs shaking with the intense feeling.

“Shadow . . .”

“Shh,” he whispers, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “Sasha and Rhea are in the other room.”

No!

No way he’s doing this with Rhea and Sasha right outside. Oh God, we can’t do this. What if they hear us and . . .

My throat closes up when he saws his tongue roughly through the valley of my sex, and just like that, I forget everything. I cry out when his mouth closes over my aching bud with light suction before he slides his middle finger into my pulsing sex. I slap my palm on the wet wall and bury the other in his hair to hold myself up as he drags his hot tongue over my sex, lapping at my arousal. Even the noises he makes at the back of his throat draw me closer and closer to the edge.

My thighs start to tremble when he increases suction over my throbbing clit until my thighs are shaking and I am sobbing with the need to come. “Shadow!” I cry, my sex clenching and releasing needily around his thick digit until everything explodes around me. I come with a scream, my walls cinching tightly around his fingers as tremor after tremor racks my body. I shake as pleasure spears through me, and I fall back against the wall when moves my knee from his shoulder and gets up.

His lips are on mine before I can calm my breathing, and I whimper when he feeds me his tongue. I taste myself on him, and the need to bring him the same pleasure builds in me.

He sucks in a sharp breath when I run my shaky fingers down the muscles of his stomach to his manhood. “Fuck, baby,” he breathes when I grab his shaft, his hand closing over mine. His shoulders flex and breaths grow choppy as he guides me how to stroke his heavy erection. “Yes, like that. Fuck, Pink.” He drops his hand, leaving me to jerk him off.

He kisses my jaw before burying his face in my neck, making strangled grunts when I tighten my grip on him and use the his precum to jerk him faster. I have no idea what I am doing and trust the noises he’s making to assure me that I’m on the right path, but he’s just . . . “So big.”

“You flatter me, baby,” he pants.

My cheeks burn at the thought of speaking that last part of my thought out loud, but I don’t let it stop me. I add my other hand, using both to jerk his cock as he breathes harshly into my neck and loving every muscle ripple on his powerful frame.

“Close, baby,” he grunts a second before he stills then comes with a roar, and moisture lands on my stomach in quick, thick spurts of white. He groans roughly into my neck as I jerk him through the orgasm until he’s shaking against me. “Fuck!” he pants when his muscles stop spasming, and he falls against me, bracing his weight on the wall at my back. I wrap my hands around his broad shoulders as the water washes away the evidence of what just happened.

It’s not until we’re breathing evenly that I remember Rhea and Sasha are waiting. I still against Shadow as panic swells in me. God, with the noise Shadow and I made, we no doubt traumatized them.

“What’s wrong?” Shadow asks into my hair.

“Rhea and Sasha. I can’t believe we did that with them in the next room.”

“They’re not.” I push back to look him in the eye, and I find humor dancing in those dark orbs. “They left when I walked in.”

I glare at him, but it’s halfhearted at best. I can’t help but question if people have the wrong idea about Shadow. How is this man cold and reserved? Other than the ninja move he pulled on me earlier by appearing out of nowhere, nothing else Rhea said about him makes sense. He jokes around, too much for someone who is supposedly cold and distant.

I shake my head. No, I cannot afford to do this. I don’t need to know anything about this man. He’s made this day better for me and less lonely, and that is all it can be.

I have to return to my apartment sooner rather than later, and when I do, I’ll be alone once again, and Shadow . . .

Well, I guess he’ll just have to disappear from my life as quickly as he came into it.

He’s kept his end of the deal and made me very happy today. It’s time to follow his advice and stop depending on others for my happiness, especially not someone with such an elusive and mysterious nature.

It’s for the best.