Chapter Twenty
“Outside. Now.”
A chill shot up her back. She stiffened then turned and tilted her head up to meet his eyes. Her breath left her.
Jace, but he looked different. A five-o’clock shadow marred his face, his hair disheveled. His jaw set in anger. It wasn’t the reason he looked different. His expression, something about it seemed ravished.
Keith grabbed her hand and pulled her away from Jace. “Can I help you?”
Bad idea. A really bad idea. Jace was beyond angry, so angry a vein in his neck pulsed. She turned to Keith. “It’s okay. I know him. Thanks for the dance. See you around?”
Keith spared a glance at Jace, then reluctantly released her hand and nodded.
Allie watched him go then turned and shot daggers at Jace. She crossed her arms over her chest so he couldn’t see her shaking hands. “Can I help you?”
His eyes narrowed. He took a step in her direction. “Outside. Now.”
She took a deep breath and lifted her chin. “No.”
He leaned into her until nose to nose. “Don’t try me, Allie.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you, Trig.”
His jaw twitched; then in one swift movement, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pressing her against the length of him and lifted her off the floor. Her stupid body molded against his, willingly. Still, she fought, pushing at his chest and wiggling in his grasp.
He leaned into her ear and menacingly whispered, “Stop fightin’ me. Your skirt’s riding up and if any of the assholes in here get a peek, I’ll slam their fuckin’ heads into a brick wall.”
His breath at her ear, she shuddered. She sent up a silent prayer hoping he hadn’t felt it, hoping he couldn’t hear the sound of her heart pounding. She took a deep breath, then whispered in a soft voice, “Okay, but I can walk.”
“Sorry, Allie, lost that privilege. Now, I carry you.”
He walked out of the bar, her body tightly pressed against his, feeling every muscle across the expanse of his chest contract as he moved. When they reached outside, her skirt had ridden up.
“Stop.”
He stiffened. “Been through this—”
“My skirt.”
With his free hand, he tugged her skirt down, his fingers grazing her thigh, pooling heat in her middle. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, fighting to ignore her body’s reaction.
“Good?” he asked in a soft tone.
She nodded.
He released her slowly, allowing her body to slide down his. She shuddered, like every other time she couldn’t help herself. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she scrambled away.
“Get on the bike,” he said between clenched teeth.
She wanted to say “Hell no,” but he was back to angry, so she tried to appease him by staying calm. “No.”
His eyes narrowed. “Get. On. The. Bike.”
She should’ve known better, bikers didn’t take no for an answer, no matter how nice she said it. Her eyes narrowed. “No way in hell am I getting on the back of your bike.”
He fisted his palms. “You’re gonna fuckin’ do it, or I’ll do it for you.”
She lifted her chin defiantly. “No.”
“Tryin’ my temper, Allie.”
“Not getting on the back of your bike, Trig.”
He closed the distance between them, leaned into her. An inch away from her lips, he said, “You want me to touch you again? You want me to feel your tight little body against mine again? I’ll tell you it fuckin’ turns me on. Way the fuck on. I know you like it too, so if that’s your game, I’m down for it, baby.”
He was being a dick. He’d never been a dick to her before. She was so ashamed of what happened, so ashamed she let herself believe he cared, and now he’d reminded her of her mistake, calling her “baby” and saying it cruelly, tainting how he’d said it the night before.
Her face flamed. She felt the rush of tears coming and swallowed. “You’re an asshole.” She meant to say it with force, with the anger burning her throat, but it came out weak and trembling.
“I’m an asshole who’s lookin’ out for you. You’ve had too much to drink, and every-fuckin’-one of those men in there….” He pointed toward the bar. “…are waiting for the smallest signal to get up your skirt. I’m not having it.”
Did he think she’d fall for that crap? “Don’t know if you’ve fucking noticed, but I’m twenty-five, and I can fuck whoever I want.”
His eyes widened, shock flashing across his face. His jaw twitched. “You won’t be fuckin’ anyone. Not on my watch. Not ever.”
“What are you so afraid of?” she asked in a mocking tone. “That they’ll fuck me and leave me like you did last night?” She shouldn’t have said it. It would only prove how much he hurt her.
His eyes widened further. In a tight voice, he said, “I didn’t—”
She cut him off, unwilling to hear any of his lousy excuses. “You’re not my father, and you’re not my brother. Even if you were, you have no say in who I fuck.”
His eyes hardened to slits. “You’re not a tap.”
No, she was not sexually liberated. She didn’t have it in her, couldn’t give herself to someone she didn’t care about. “It didn’t stop you from fucking me.” She hated she felt guilty for bringing it up again. It wouldn’t change anything, wouldn’t make him feel bad for taking what she’d freely offered.
“I didn’t fuck you, Allie. I fuck taps. I don’t fuck you.”
He could deny it all he wanted, but he fucked her because she’d been there and willing.
“You’re not a tap.”
He said it to make her feel better. She didn’t believe it for a second, but arguing with him, wouldn’t get her anywhere. “Okay.”
“Don’t fuckin’ do that shit. You know I hate it when you wave a white flag.”
“I don’t know what you’re doing here, Trig. I’m fine with Cuss. He drove us here, and he can drive me back.”
“You aren’t going anywhere with fuckin’ Cuss. Now. Get. On. The. Fucking. Bike.”
“I’m not getting on your bike.” She turned away from him toward the bar.
Before she could take a step, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pressed her back against the length of him. Against her ear, he whispered in a menacing tone, “I’m not fuckin’ playing games, Allie. I will fuckin’ make you get on the bike if you don’t do it yourself.”
She glared at no one in particular since she was still in his grip turned away from him. “Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m wearing a skirt. Even if I wanted to, I can’t get on your bike.”
He sighed heavily and released her. “You fuckin’ walk away from me, there will be consequences, Allie.”
Resigned, she turned to face him. He removed his cut then handed it to her. “Wrap it around your waist then get on the fuckin’ bike.”
Allie wrapped it around, turned to his bike, and stared at it for several minutes wondering how she’d manage to get on it without flashing him and everyone else in the parking lot. She took a deep breath and walked to the bike. Before she made an attempt, he threw his leg over it. Sitting astride, he offered her his hand.
“No one’s lookin’. Put your foot on the peg then throw your leg over.”
Putting her hand in his, she put her heel on the peg and lifted herself. A second later, she slipped, probably a combination of the six-inch heels she wore and inexperience. He twisted his upper body, wrapped his arm around her waist, catching her. Her body hit his, and the breath rushed out of her.
His mouth at her ear, he said, “Got you. Now lift your leg.”
She did.
“Good, baby.”
He said it in the softest voice, like the night before. Her stomach fluttered.
Releasing her slowly until her butt landed on the seat, he turned, grabbed her legs, and unexpectedly pulled her toward him. Her hands gripped his shoulders to steady herself. Tucked against his back, he tightened his cut around her legs, grabbed her arms, and wrapped them around his waist.
He shifted his head to look at her. “Keep your hands tight round my waist. Keep your feet on the pegs. Try not to move them. Don’t want you getting burned on the exhaust.”
She nodded though she wasn’t sure how to manage any of the things he said considering she was terrified. She’d never been on a bike before, not even Tyler’s.
Jace started his bike. It was loud, so loud even if she screamed, no one would hear her. The vibrations on the motor rumbled between her legs. She would blame the bike for the burning desire in her stomach, heating her center, but she knew better. It wasn’t the bike. It was Jace. Crushed against him, her cheek against the muscles on his back, her arms tight around his waist, she felt his abs.
They moved. She jolted against him, her fingers gripping the skin on his stomach. His hand was over hers a second later. His fingers grazed hers, caressing her, almost like telling her it would be okay.
No wonder she let herself believe he was different. He constantly did things like that. If she wasn’t so terrified, she’d be angry.
They continued moving, out of the parking lot and onto the street, not fast but not slow either. When the air hit her face, she relaxed. She finally got it, the appeal of riding.
The wind in your face.
The rush of adrenaline.
Freedom.
At twenty-five, almost twenty-six, she’d never felt that free. Not once, not ever, but knew she needed to feel that every day.
In no time, they pulled up to her apartment building. Jace parked in the space beside her Camaro and turned off his bike. He grabbed her hands at his waist before she could release him, and gave them a squeeze. She jerked away, then attempted to get off the bike. Her leg hit the hot chrome exhaust. She winced.
“Fuck,” he cursed. At hyper speed, he hopped off, put his arms under her swiftly, picked her up off the bike, and carried her up the stairs to her apartment. “Keys.”
She reached into her pocket and handed it to him. He opened the door, walked inside, and set her on the countertop. His gaze met hers, and then he barked, “Don’t. Move.”
He closed and locked the door. She unwrapped his cut from her waist. The next instant, he was beside her, lifting her leg to analyze the burn. The mark was red and already swelling. He let out a string of curses and then met her gaze. “First aid kit?”
“In the bathroom under the sink.”
In seconds, Jace returned, set the kit on the counter, and opened it. He rifled through the contents until he found burn ointment. He spread it lightly over the swelling and bandaged it. His narrowed, pissed-off eyes then met hers. “If you wouldn’t’ve been in such a fuckin’ rush to get away from me, it wouldn’t’ve happened.”
Like he could blame her for wanting to get away from him. One minute he did and said the sweetest things, and the next he was pissed off and being an asshole. “Leave. Cuss is supposed to watch me, not you.”
He slammed his fists against the counter beside her so hard it trembled under her. “I’m supposed to watch you for the next week. Your brother’s orders.”
Shit. Shit. Shit. She had to look at him and smell him for an entire week and pretend she wasn’t hurt, pretend he hadn’t used her?
A flood of tears hit her eyes. She held them back and looked away from him. “I think Ty won’t mind considering what happened last night.”
He lifted her chin with his index finger, forcing her to look at him. “You gonna tell him?”
“It doesn’t serve any purpose except get you in hot water with Ty and the club. I wouldn’t do that, but you have to understand I can’t and I won’t fucking look at you after what happened.”
“Don’t give a fuck. I gave your brother my word, and I’m keepin’ it.”
Tears she held drifted down her cheeks. “Why are you doing this to me? Why do you want to hurt me? Does it thrill you to know you fucked me and left? Do you want to relive your conquest that badly?”
He flinched. “I didn’t fuck you, and I didn’t fuckin’ leave you. I fuck taps. I don’t fuck you.”
Exhausted, drained, and in no mood to argue, she wiped her tears and hopped off the counter. He grabbed her waist, lifted her, and set her back on it, positioning himself between her legs against the counter. Her skirt hiked up. She made a futile attempt to pull it down as much as possible, then fought the urge to push at him. No point. He wouldn’t bulge.
“When I fuck, I don’t eat her out. When I fuck, I don’t go fuckin’ slow, and after I fuck, I don’t cuddle.”
“Whatever you say, Trig,” she snapped. “I was fucked, so I know.”
“Stop cursing. It isn’t you.”
“I have to because it seems there’s no other way for you to understand me!”
He grasped her hands tightly and held them at her sides. “I understand you just fine. Everything that comes out of your mouth I hear ’cause I listen ’cause I can’t do anything but listen. Everything you’ve ever said, I’ve memorized ’cause I hear it over and over again. It’s like your voice is on instant replay inside me. You’re all I fuckin’ hear, all I fuckin’ think about. I close my fuckin’ eyes, and it’s you I see. You’re all up in my shit, and you won’t fuckin’ go away no matter what I do, no matter how hard I try. It’s like you’ve fuckin’ seared yourself into me. So yeah, I fuckin’ listen, and you aren’t fuckin’ anyone but me. Had a taste, and I’m not letting you go ’cause I want more. I’ve decided I’m gonna fight for more. I want all of it, all of you, and it means you don’t go to bars and dance with anyone but me ’cause you aren’t fuckin’ anyone else. Get me?”
Her jaw dropped. She felt like she’d been punched in the stomach, unable to wrap her mind around everything he’d said. He wanted her again? Why? She looked down at her legs to gather her thoughts. Part of her was thrilled, but the rational side of her knew she shouldn’t be. It was too unbelievable, didn’t make sense. He’d left. He didn’t leave a note or wake her. He’d just left.
“It didn’t mean anything. I—”
He tensed. “Did you not just hear what I said?”
“You’re doing this for Ty.”
“I was doing anything for Army, who’d saved my ass one too many times, it’d be me not thinking about his baby sister’s legs, ass, tits, and beautiful fuckin’ face, a sister’s who’s off fuckin’ limits.” He leaned into her, his lips grazed hers.
She shuddered.
“And I fuckin’ tried, but then you kissed me, and I couldn’t stop. You let me taste you, very inch of you, and I still taste you in my mouth, so I want more.”
“You left.” She heard the accusation in her voice.
“It’s Saturday.”
“I know what day of the week it is, Trig,” she snapped.
“Had to get Della.”
Shit. Della. That’s why he’d left? To pick up his niece?
He leaned closer, eyes flashing. “I didn’t want to leave, but I had to get Della. I didn’t want to wake you because you were sleeping, and you looked like a fuckin’ angel naked and cuddled up next to me, but I had to leave ’cause Della has no one else.
“So I woke you, knowing there was a good chance you’d fuckin’ regret what we did, but I did it anyway. I told you, you looked beautiful. You fuckin’ smiled at me and pressed up against my thigh, and then I told you I had to get Della, that I’d be back, and you fuckin’ smiled again and said ‘okay’ like you wanted me to come back.
“I left here grinning like a fuckin’ idiot because I thought you wanted me back. I called you at noon because I didn’t wanna wake you, and you ignored my call. You ignored all my calls. Then I find out you’re with Cuss at the bar. I show up, and I find you dancing with college boy. It couldn’t be more clear, Alyssa. I get it, but don’t fuckin’ play the victim.”
What? He woke her? Why couldn’t she remember? She was a heavy sleeper, but she would’ve remembered Jace, except he’d said it play by play like it actually happened. Why would he lie? He just admitted he liked her, had for a while. Men didn’t make declarations like that, not unless it was true, not unless he really wanted her, and he had called four times.
She believed him. The ache in her chest lessened. Her stupid, foolish heart made the decision, but she didn’t care.
Remembering the last part of his rant, she asked, “Why would I play victim?”
He released her hands, pulled away from her, and leaned against the wall. The muscle in his jaw twitched. A pained look streaked his face. “’Cause I’m a biker and you’re you. You regret being with a man like me, and feel guilty about it, so you chose to forget everything I said last night, everything I meant, and convince yourself you were just a tap I’d left.”
It stung he thought so little of her. She looked away from him. “Can’t believe you’d think that.”
He took a step in her direction. “I could say the same, Allie.”
Damn. He had a point. She had judged him. Never mind the fact she didn’t remember him waking her, he called four times. She couldn’t remember Wyatt ever calling her four times in one day. In fact, no man had ever called her four times in a single day.
Oh, God. She’d done this, judged him, made herself believe the worst because she was insecure and couldn’t believe a man would want her because none wanted her for more than a trophy. All it did was lead to an argument and end whatever they could’ve been. No way a man, any man, would deal with what she dished out. He’d cut his losses while he could.
She buried her face in her hands and sighed heavily. “I don’t remember you waking me. I didn’t pick up your calls because I couldn’t stand to hear your voice thinking that it didn’t mean anything to you.” She lifted her head and met his stare. “Last night, I believed you when you said it meant something, but then I woke up alone, and there was no note, and I couldn’t remember you waking me. I still don’t.”
He held her stare for a long moment, then closed the distanced between them, positioning himself between her legs. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he cupped her cheek with the other and pressed his lips against her forehead. After a moment, he drew away slightly to meet her stare. “We’re doing this. You and me. We’re gonna do it right. We keep it quiet till we’re ready, then we’ll tell Army and the club.”
With her heart in her throat, she nodded.
He waited a split second, his eyes scanning her face, and then he smiled his amazing smile, and claimed her lips. He kissed her long and hard.
One kiss was all it took. Before she knew it, she was panting against his mouth, pulling his shirt off, and unbuckling his jeans. He kissed her lips and trailed down her neck until he reached her breasts. Gripping her shirt, he yanked it off with such force it ripped, and then he buried his face in her chest. Her arms around his head, she wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing herself against his throbbing shaft.
With his hand firm on her lower back, he whispered, “Gonna be quick, baby.”
He pulled a condom out of his pocket, slid his pants and boxers down his thighs, and rolled the condom on. He then tugged her panties off, wrapped one arm around her waist, pushed her into the length of him, filling her. He did all that right there, on the counter in her kitchen.
His eyes holding hers, she gasped, gripping his shoulders for support.
“Fuck, baby. Heaven.”
She couldn’t do anything but hold on to him as he moved out of her and into her again and again, the corded muscles in his neck tight. She moaned, and then he grabbed the back of her neck and tugged her against his lips.
He broke away from the kiss, gasping, staring straight into her eyes, thrusting inside her. “Come for me, baby. Let me hear you come.”
The power he had over her, his words alone threw her over the edge.
Her body spasmed. Her walls clenching him, she came so hard the world melted away. Everything melted away but him. His dark eyes staring into hers, his body moving into hers, his shafted buried inside her. He was all she saw and all she felt.
“Damn fuckin’ beautiful,” he whispered, then groaned.
His cock pulsing inside her, a look of utter satisfaction flashed across his face. He yanked her against him, flattening her chest against his. His breath at her neck, his arms almost too tight around her, he held her for several moments. Both of them panting, and then he kissed her softly.
Pulling away from her lips and resting his forehead against hers, he let out a slew of curses. His jaw set, his eyes hard.
“W-what’s wrong?” Her voice quiet and soft while she tried to catch her breath.
He cupped her cheeks. “Fucked up.”
Her heart fell to the pit of her stomach.
“Shouldn’t have done that.”
Her stomach turned.
“I couldn’t fuckin’ help myself. You look so beautiful in that skirt and those fuckin’ shoes, sitting on the fuckin’ counter—”
“What?”
“Our second time, should’ve taken you in bed and—”
He thought she needed a bed? He couldn’t be more wrong. “I loved it,” she blurted. “I like a change of scenery, and I like it…hard and fast. It…makes me feel like you can’t get enough.”
He fought a smile. Then he ran his thumb across her lips. “Give it to you whenever, wherever, and however you want it. That’s a promise, baby.”
She quirked a brow. “I want it in the shower. Now.”
He laughed. The sound so rich and deep it sent shivers down her spine.
Jace lifted her and strode into her bathroom where he proceeded to give it to her, hard, fast, and in the shower.
****
Allie sprawled across his chest. Her hand lay firm over his heart, her head resting on his chest, her beautiful eyes on his, she smiled. He had one hand in her hair, the other under his head. He smiled, too.
He’d kept his promise, giving it to her in the shower. Against the wall, her legs wrapped around his waist, one hand on her hip, the other pressed against the wall as he buried himself inside her.
Amazing.
It had only been half an hour, and he could go again. He knew in his chest, he’d never tire like he’d never tire of the sight of her eyes on his, smiling like she was now.
He was in heaven. He had Allie. She wanted him, maybe not as much as he wanted her, but she did. She wanted to give them a try.
He hadn’t meant to confront her in the bar, force her onto his bike, but seeing her with college boy, something inside him snapped. If he couldn’t have her, no one would, so he’d carried her out, given her his cut, and taken her home on his bike.
She didn’t understand the significance of it. A biker didn’t give anyone his cut, not a woman he couldn’t stop thinking about, not even his old lady. Bikers gave their old ladies their own cuts. Another thing bikers never did: they didn’t put a woman on the back of their bike unless they were claiming her. He’d done both, then admitted so much. He hadn’t meant to.
Thinking she’d ditched him, it was the last thing he wanted to do, but everything she said riled him. In those heated moments, logic and pride failed him and anger spoke. He acted like a fucking wuss. Then again, he’d acted like a wuss all day, glancing at his phone every ten minutes, waiting for her call. When everything had been said and done, he couldn’t find the will to care because she was sprawled on him, looking at him, smiling.
Her gaze drifted away from his, and then her smile faded.
“Allie?”
Her gaze shot to his. She smiled weakly. Allie was like an open book, every thought showed on her face, so he surmised she thought of something she probably didn’t want to talk about. This, them, meant something to him, so he’d push. She needed to be honest or it’d never work, and he wanted it to work. He needed it to work.
“What’s wrong?”
“You’re not going to be with anyone else, right?”
He shot up in bed, taking her with him, and shifting her until she straddled him. “Allie, I said we’re doing this. It means I don’t date anyone else. I don’t sleep with anyone else. Means you’re it.”
When she didn’t say anything else, he added, “The same applies for you. I don’t share.”
“You’ve shared—”
He shook his head. “Never shared a woman in my life. Some of the guys may be into fuckin’ the same woman at the same time, but not me. Don’t share.”
She shrugged. “Yeah, but what about the women at—”
“That’s casual sex. It wasn’t exclusive. They knew it, and I knew it.”
“But they’re around, and no one will know we’re together, so…won’t you be tempted?”
“No,” he said immediately. He couldn’t blame her for asking. Bikers had reputations, and he’d had his share of women, but never a steady one. It wasn’t just about him. It was about her, about the fact she’d been burned before. “Haven’t had sex since I met you.”
Her eyes widened. “What about the woman I caught you with?”
“Never had sex with her, and I only tried ’cause I wanted to forget you.”
Her hands at his chest, she pushed away. “What…I…”
Maybe he shouldn’t have said that. Maybe it was too much, too soon. In his defense, compared to everything else he’d admitted, this wasn’t much news.
Instinctively, he tightened his arm around her waist holding her against him. “Told you this shit, Allie.”
Her brows drew together. Shaking her head, she whispered, “You never—”
“Told you you’re all I think about. Told you no matter what I do, I couldn’t get you out of my head. Told you I caved when you kissed me ’cause I wanted you so bad.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t say when. I mean…that was like a month and a half ago. You make it sound like…all this time—”
He held her gaze. “Yeah, baby, all this time.”
Her eyes softened and drifted from his. She trailed a finger along the scar on the side of his lip, then met his gaze again and smiled. “Me, too.”
Those two simple words made his great night the best one ever. He smiled, kissed her, and then lay down, bringing her with him. She laid her cheek against his chest, her hair spilled around him. She closed her eyes. Before she did, he caught her smiling.
Maybe he was a fucking wuss, but he was also the luckiest trailer trash on earth.