Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

DIABLO

I didn't intend to kiss her, but the way she stood off with me tempted me too far. I plunge right in the instant her lips part, deepening the kiss.

London moans and relaxes fully into me just as I want her to.

Seeing the way the asshat grabbed for her, it was the last straw. I didn't give a fuck who he was, I wasn't about to let him harm London.

I did mean what I told her when I said we needed to talk. London, though, she just had to go and get mouthy in a way that got my dick hard. I couldn't think of anything other than having my mouth on her. The need to shut her up in a way I want rather than getting pissed with her. I decided it was a damn turn-on.

But I won't let it go any further. Not now. I still gotta talk to her about things.

Reluctantly, I pull away but keep my hands where I have them. No way am I letting her go. She feels good pressed up against me.

"What was that?"

The way she gets all breathlike . . . fuck me, it makes me just want to kiss her again.

"That was me tellin' you to be quiet."

London's gaze narrows marginally. "You could have just said that."

"Could've," I agree. "But I like my way better."

"Whatever," she huffs, plants her hands on my chest and shoves, "let me go."

"Not on your life."

"Why not?"London tilts her head back to meet my gaze head-on. "And why are you doing this at all?"

That's a good question. Why am I? Probably because I like exactly where she is. She's London. The girl I looked after on the streets for those months. The girl I thought was cute, but now, as a woman, she's sinfully sexy as hell.

"Because I decided I fucked up not callin' you," I remark. I knew, though, if Id called, deep down, this is where she would be. In my arms, probably underneath me.

"You decided?" she scoffs. "Right."

There's no way to hide my amusement.

"Come on, Chiquita, let's sit down, and I'll explain." It's something I've never had to do before. Not with anyone. Not even Beast.

Beast and I have a bond between us. Nothing needs to be said for us to understand each other. We have one another's backs without question. No matter what's happening, we don't have to explain ourselves.

Moving her to the couch, I twirl her around, facing me, hands at her hips, pulling her down as I sit, causing her to straddle my lap.

"You know I can sit on my couch. I don't need to be on top of you," she mutters.

Visions of her on top of me in other ways, more pleasurable ways, filter through my mind, and I'd love nothing more than to strip her tight as fuck jeans off and slam her down on top of me.

"For the talk we're about to have, yeah, we're gonna sit just like this. I want your full attention on me."

From the way her cheeks blushed and her eyes darkened marginally, something had just gone through her mind, and I'm willing to bet it was on the same lines of thoughts I was having. But I'm willing to bet her thoughts weren't near as dirty as my own.

"Well, you have my attention, so what is it?" she demands, crossing her arms, pushing up her perky tits.

I give her waist a squeeze, shift, and let her feel me between her legs.

"First question, why did you move back to town to be a teacher?"

"How did you know I was a teacher?" she asks, eyes widening.

"Looked into you after seeing you again at the bar." I shrug. "Now, answer the question."

"I don't know. There was an opening at the school I'm working at, and I took it," she says, but the way her eyes shift slightly, not fully looking at me, I know it's not completely true.

I remember her tells. Back when we lived on the street together, she was a shit liar. She couldn't lie to me or Beast.

"You moved from Killeen, where they have schools, your dad, and I'm sure someone . . ."

"You really looked into me?" she snaps, blurting out and narrowing her eyes, nostrils flaring.

Yeah, she's pissed I looked into her, but she'll have to get over it.

"I looked into you." I nod. "I wanted to make sure you were good."

"You could have talked to me. It's why I gave you my freaking number in the first place."

"I could've called you. But gotta say, Chiquita, you have shit timing for coming back into my life," I tell her, not missing a slight flinch. "That being said, on the way, followin' you here, I made the decision, I didn't care about the timing."

"And that decision is?" she prompts.

That she was going to be mine. I didn't care how I had to make it happen. Fate put her in my life when she was thirteen, took her away, only to return her to me. I think in the last couple of years, seeing the way my brothers have found the women meant to be theirs, I've learned to take the bull by its horns and take what's meant to be mine.

How to explain that to her, it's not gonna be easy. She'd probably freak the hell out on me and tell me I'm crazy.

I am. Just like I'm also deadly, however, when it comes to her, I'll kill anyone who dares to fuck her over.

"That I want to see where things can go between the two of us."

"You what?" she squeaks

"You heard me," I confirm.

"There's nothing between us," she says, stiffening in my arms. "Besides, I have a boyfriend."

"Yeah, we'll get to that in a bit about the said boyfriend," I mutter as there's a knock at the door.

Fuck me.

"You expectin' company?" I ask, seeing her head twist, looking at the door.

"No. I don't know my new neighbors yet. The ones who lived next to me before moved. I haven't gotten to know the others on the other side of the building," she explains. "And Dad always calls me before he comes."

I nod, slide her off my lap, and get to my feet. I cross the living area to the door, look through the peephole and curse. It's not anyone for her. It's my damn brothers.

Sighing, I open the door. "What the hell you doing here?" I demand, glaring at Beast and Daemon.

Beast smirks, shakes his head, and steps around me. "London, long time no see," he states.

"Jarrett?" the damn woman calls, a bright smile on her lips.

"Go by Beast now, only person who calls me that is my ol' lady." Even Bristol rarely calls him by his first name.

"Oh, okay." London smiles. "Beast. It's different, but I totally see it."

Beast laughs, shaking his head.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Scythe got the info back to us about who our friend is," Daemon states, grimacing.

"I'm not gonna like it, am I?" I ask, bracing for him to answer.

"Nope, but don't worry, he's already been taken to the cabin for questioning," Daemon says, looking past me to London then back to me. "Taylor isn't his real name."

"What?" London gasps.

Daemon glances in her direction. "The guy who was with you today, Miss Weaver, his name isn't Taylor, and he was targeting you." He shifts his gaze to me. "He's associated with the Scarlet Needles. His name's Craig Hickman. According to the information Scythe was able to find, he's a low-level. Lures women."

"Holy smokes."

I wish Daemon hadn't said anything in front of her, but I get why he did.

"That's why we're here, rather than callin'," Beast explains. "Reaper wants you to bring her to the clubhouse until we know what's going on and why she was targeted."

"You've got to be kiddin' me," I mutter.

"I'm not going anywhere," London states at the same time. "I can take care of myself."

All three of us turn toward her, Beast and Daemon looking at her with frustrated amusement whereas I know her. She really thinks she can handle herself. She won't go anywhere without a fight.

Without a word, I move toward her, pull her to me, holding her so she wouldn't be able to fight me. I lift a hand to stroke the side of her face before doing the one thing I'm gonna hate myself for later and knock her ass out.

She slumps in my arms, and I adjust her to scoop her up as I face my brothers.

"Damnit, Diablo, she's gonna be pissed you did that to her," Beast grumbles, shaking his head.

"Yeah, I know it," I answer, laying her on the couch. "She's gonna be more than just a little pissed."

"Best watch yourself when she comes to." Beast actually laughs. Fucking outright laughs in my face. "The last time you knocked her out to keep her from doing something stupid, London kneed you in the balls for it."

There's no way I could forget what she'd done. She kneed me hard enough I felt my balls in the pit of my stomach for a week.

"Y'all want to explain how exactly you know my son's teacher and why, besides Diablo's obvious interest, are we involving her? We've got the fucker already," Daemon questions, watching me closely.

But it's Beast who answers. "For six months, when she was thirteen, she was on the streets with us. We protected her then, and we'll protect her now."

Daemon let's out a breath and nods. "Right then, guess we better get her to the clubhouse. At least Hendrik will be glad to see her. She's his favorite teacher this year."