 |  |
I HAD TO do something with my hands before I grabbed Breaker and killed the bastard, so I pulled the chick against me and gave him a look that said ‘fuck you’. He was a complete psycho and had we been alone, I’d have made sure he never touched a woman again. Rumor had it that he’d raped and beaten Slammer’s Old Lady’s daughter. It was what tonight’s meeting was about. But, the Devil’s Rangers were denying his involvement. Things were getting ugly in the back of the club, but apparently, they were just as ugly in the front.
“As I was saying, Breaker... this kitten is mine, so I suggest that you go find your own.”
Breaker looked at me like he wanted to bash my skull in and I stared back at him, daring him to fucking try it.
PART OF ME was annoyed that they were treating me like a possession. The other part liked the way Raptor’s arm felt around my waist and the smell of him – leather and a trace of cologne. A good cologne. As I leaned closer to get a better whiff, Raptor looked down and our eyes met.
I laughed nervously. “Uh, new cologne, honey?”
He stared at me for a minute and then his lips twitched, as if he was fighting a smile. He turned away and they continued their testosterone-fueled banter, although, I really wasn’t paying much attention. I was too intrigued with the guy holding me. I had to admit, he was sexier than hell and I liked the way my breasts molded against his side as he held me in place. Either I was ovulating or Krystal was right, it had been way too long since I’d had sex and the heat he was generating was making me warm in all the right places.
Breaker looked from Raptor and then to me, his eyes narrowing. “If she’s yours, I’d suggest you patch her before someone snatches her up,” he sneered. “Or, better yet, let me know when you’re done with her. She might like to know what a real man feels like between her legs.”
I felt Raptor stiffen up, but he kept his composure. “Believe me, now that she’s had a real man in her honey-hole, your junk would feel more like a sliver off of my timber.”
Normally, I would have rolled my eyes at such immature banter, but I had to admit, the thought of Raptor in my honey-hole was interesting.
“I suggest you remember who you’re talking to, Raptor,” he said, clenching his jaw. “And show some fucking respect.”
“You are the last person who should be preaching about respect. You make a move on my woman and then bust my chops? What the fuck?” he replied.
“He got you there,” said Tank, stepping closer to us. It was obvious he was now getting annoyed with the situation and he was definitely a force to be reckoned with. The guy was built like the Incredible Hulk. “Listen, the meeting is almost over, so I suggest you go and enjoy the show. Delilah is up next and she’s not only available, but willing to party after the performance.”
Breaker looked at me again and smiled. “I’ll be seeing you again, sweetness. I promise. ” Then he walked away, his gang watching us carefully from their tables, all of them giving us the stink-eye.
“Fucking worms,” mumbled Tank, staring back at the table. “Every last one of them.”
“I’m so glad you showed up,” said Krystal. “That guy wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. I thought he was going to drag Adriana out of the bar there for a second.”
“You and me both,” I said, shuddering at the thought. Even looking at him now, I could tell the thought wasn’t too far from his mind.
“We should probably take both the girls somewhere in back,” suggested Tank. “Before Breaker finds some liquid courage at the end of that bottle he’s drinking. When he’s drunk, he’s as mean as he is stupid.”
“He should be taught a fucking lesson,” said Raptor, still glaring at the other group of bikers.
“I agree but, we can’t. Besides, the old man might be giving us the thumbs up to deal with him later, if you know what I mean.”
Raptor relaxed. “True. Okay, let’s go.”
“Where we going?” I asked, finishing my beer.
“I’ll show you,” said Raptor. Then, before I could do anything about it, he picked me up, threw me over his shoulder, and slapped my ass. Hard.
“Hey!” I hollered as he carried me toward the back of the bar. It felt like my butt-cheeks were on fire. “What in the hell are you doing? That hurt. Put me down!”
“Sorry, darlin’,” he said, a smile in his voice. He caressed my butt, sending warm tingles into my pelvis. “Does this feel better?’
“Quit touching my ass and put me down,” I hissed. “Now.”
––––––––
I SMILED, ENJOYING not only her reaction, but the way her ass felt under my palm. It was deliciously round and firm. I had to force myself not to keep squeezing it. I had to admit, she was a hot little number. I could see why Breaker wanted her. My dick was already half-cocked at the thought of fucking her now myself. I headed toward the back of the club, to the break-room. I knew Tank wanted to fuck Krystal before she headed out and so I’d have a few minutes of alone time with the brunette. From the way she was staring at me earlier, I could tell she was definitely interested. I wondered if she’d be interested in getting on her knees and opening that sweet little mouth. The thought of her glossy pink lips wrapped around my cock was enough to try and test those salty waters.
––––––––
WE WENT THROUGH a hallway and he kicked one of the doors open.
“What is your fucking problem?” I snapped. “Are you even listening to me?”
He dropped me into an oversized recliner and took a step back. “You’re welcome.”
I glared up at him. “For what? Treating me like a cave-woman?”
He grunted and smiled. “Cave-woman? Look, I had to do that. To show everyone in the place that you’re mine, Kitten.”
Kitten?
“But, I’m not yours.”
“You know what the fuck I mean. You should be thankful that I did what I did.”
“I’ve had guys flirt with me before. I don’t need your help telling them to get lost.”
He waved his thumb toward the doorway. “That bastard who was trying to get in your pants is a fucking animal. Hell, he’s worse than an animal. He would have taken you somewhere later, then beaten and raped your ass if I wouldn’t have helped you. And when I say rape your ass, I’m not just talking figuratively. He would have torn it to shreds.”
I stared at him in horror. “Krystal or the bartender would have called the cops if he’d have tried doing something like that.”
“The cops wouldn’t have done shit,” he answered. “In fact, it would be all over before Krystal had a chance to do anything and Breaker wouldn’t leave any witnesses. Hell, Krystal is in just as much danger as you.”
I sucked in my breath. “Are you saying he’d have killed us?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time. They don’t call him ‘Breaker’ for nothing. It should be pronounced ‘Break Her’.”
“Oh.”
“Oh is right,” he replied, walking over to an old refrigerator humming in the corner of the room. He opened it up and began rummaging through it. “Dammit, someone’s been drinking my beer.”
“You keep your own stock of beer in the break room?”
“Sometimes. When I find out who’s been helping themselves, I’m going to kick their ass.”
“So, back to that guy, Breaker. Has he served time before?”
“Yeah. For assault and rape.”
I swallowed.
“So, do you want a beer?” he asked, holding out a brown bottle.
I looked at the dragon tattoo on his forearm and the skull ring on his finger, reminding me that Raptor wasn’t exactly the boy-next-door either. “No. We have to get going. Uh, where’s Krystal and Tank?” I asked, looking toward the doorway. Obviously, they hadn’t followed us.
He grunted. “I’m sure he has her bent over his old man’s desk. Giving her a private birthday gift.”
I sighed. “Great. I guess we’ll be here longer than I thought.”
“Yup.” He opened up his bottle of beer and took a swig. “You sure you don’t want one?” he asked, licking his lips. “It’ll give you something to do.”
I sighed. “Sure, I’ll take one.”
He opened up the refrigerator again, and pulled out another bottle.
“So, what, you’re going to babysit me?” I asked as he handed me the beer.
“Yeah, you want to sit on my lap, little girl?” he asked, winking at me. “I’ll read you a couple of stories. You ever hear the one about Moby Dick?”
My eyes widened. “Is that how you pick up girls? Seriously?”
“Who said I was trying to pick you up?” he answered with a cocky grin. “I was just trying to lighten the mood. You seem a little tense.”
“I’m not,” I lied.
He sat down on a beat-up leather sofa that faced the television, which was as old as the shag carpeting. “Relax and have a seat,” he said, patting the cushion next to him.
“I’m fine,” I said, setting my purse on the counter by the coffee machine. I looked around the room. There was a metal table in the corner and a vending machine. “So this is the break-room,” I said, trying to make conversation.
“That’s what they call it. How old are you, by the way?”
“Twenty-one.”
His eyes traveled down the length of me and back up. I knew he was checking me out and it made me wonder if he approved or thought I wasn’t curvy enough. I’d always felt a little self-conscious around Krystal, who filled out her bra better than most strippers with silicone.
“How old are you?” I asked, resisting the urge to cross my arms over my chest.
“Twenty-four.”
“Oh.”
He smiled. “Have you ever been to a joint like this?”
“No. Never.”
“What do you think of it?”
I smiled. “What do I think? Honestly, I can’t wait to leave. No offense.”
“None taken. Do you have a boyfriend?”
“Not right now. What about you?”
“No boyfriend, either.”
I chuckled. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I do,” he replied, still not answering the question.
“You’re not going to answer?”
He rubbed his lower lip with his index finger. “Why do you want to know?”
My eyes widened. “I don’t know. Why did you ask me?”
“To find out if there was a dumbass in your life that allowed you into a place like this.”
I stared at him in surprise. “Allowed? I can go wherever the hell that I want. Even if I had a boyfriend, I wouldn’t ask for his permission to go into a strip joint or any other place, for that matter.”
He grinned. “I am woman. Hear me roar, huh?”
“Damn right,” I said, smiling back. I raised my hand and clawed the air. “Roar.”
Raptor laughed. “I like that.”
“You like independent women?”
“I just like what you did, there. It was sexy. You really are a kitten.”
I blushed.
“I mean, I do like independent women, to a point.”
“What do you mean, to a point?” I asked.
“I like a woman who can take care of herself when she needs to, but is willing to let a man take care of her when he wants to.”
I kind of liked that. To a point. “So, you’re not as chauvinistic as Tank?”
“Tank and I agree on some stuff. Some things we don’t. It’s not like we sit around talking about shit like that.”
I smiled. “Yeah, I’m sure you don’t.”
“So, where are you ladies going tonight?” he asked, changing the subject.
“Clubbing.”
“Just you two?”
“No. There are more of us.”
“Girls or guys?”
“Just us girls. We all grew up together. Went to the same high school.”
“What about protection?”
I frowned. “What do you mean by protection?” Was he talking condoms?
He tilted his head, smiling. “You gotta bodyguard chaperoning you little girls, Kitten?”
“We don’t need a bodyguard,” I said. “And we’re not little girls.” Nor was I a damn cat.
“Figure of speech, although, you’re pretty small.” He took another drink of his beer and licked his lips, studying me. “If you were mine, I wouldn’t let you out of the house without some kind of protection. Not with the Devil’s Rangers in town. Especially, not after what that asshole said to you earlier.”
“I’m not worried,” I answered, now a little unsure myself. “It’s not like we’re going to the kind of places those guys hang out.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. I wouldn’t take any chances. Just watch your back tonight. You got a blade hiding in that purse of yours?”
I stared at him in surprise. “A blade?”
“Obviously you don’t,” he said. “You carrying any mace?”
“No. I don’t even know where to get mace.”
“A goddamn whistle, at the very least?”
I smirked. “Why, so that I can call a Time Out?”
He grunted. “I’m not trying to be funny. How about a cell phone?”
I nodded toward my purse. “Yeah. Of course.”
He stood up and walked over to it.
“What are you doing?”
He unzipped the top and began rummaging through it. “Jesus, how much stuff can one girl carry around in here?” he asked, waving a tampon. “Got your friend, huh? This is probably a good deterrent. Try waving it in the air if you run into trouble. Nobody will mess with your shit. Believe me.”
“Seriously?” I said quickly, snatching it from him. “I don’t have my period. Not that it’s any of your business. That’s for emergencies. Would you please get out of my purse,” I said, pulling it away from him just as he found my phone.
“I’m going to add my name and phone number to your contacts list. You get into any trouble tonight or,” he smiled wickedly, “interested in hooking up later, call me.”
Something told me that hooking up with him would be the death of me, as hunky as he was. I would never have the guts to call him or find out what was hidden under his low-riding jeans anyway. “I don’t do hook-ups.”
He pushed some buttons on my phone. “Why, you need to be wined and dined first?”
I blushed. “Maybe.”
“Fair enough.” He grinned. “How do you feel about wine and wings at my apartment later?”
I raised my eyebrow. “Really? You wouldn’t even buy me a real dinner? Just an appetizer?” He opened his mouth to say something, but I interrupted him. “Please don’t tell me that you’re the main course or that you have a large tube-steak for me, either.”
He laughed and handed me my phone. “I don’t need to use a line like that to get laid.”
“Good, because we both know that it would be extremely tacky.”
Before he could reply, a noise from one of the nearby rooms caught our attention. The sound began to increase and I quickly recognized it as Krystal’s cries of pleasure.
“Looks like your friend is a screamer,” said Raptor, turning around. He leaned back against the counter and took another swig of beer. “Good thing the meeting is upstairs in the back, or there’d be hell to pay. Slammer doesn’t like distractions. Especially when he’s not the one involved in it.”
I rubbed my forehead as the sounds grew louder. I couldn’t tell if hearing the other couple getting it on was embarrassing, or just making Raptor that much more appealing. “Maybe I should just go wait out in the car for her.”
“Maybe you should just finish your beer and stay inside here with me. Where you’re safe.”
From the way he was smiling, his definition of ‘safe’ contradicted mine.