Rider dried off, then wrapped a towel around his hips. Running a quick comb through his wet hair, he decided not to take the time to blow-dry it, too anxious to get back down to Jo.

As he left the bathroom, he saw his door was wide open. Whoever had gone inside would have their ass bounced out. He didn’t have time …

He stopped at the threshold, seeing Jo sitting on the bottom of his bed, surrounded by the mound of presents the women had given him.

He only had a split-second before she saw him to come up with a strategy for damage control.

“You were supposed to wait downstairs.”

“Willa brought you a gift. I wanted you to see it before she left.” Jo held a small pink box he easily recognized.

He walked to his dresser, taking out his clothes. “Has she left?” he asked as he put on his jeans.

Nodding, he saw her hand go to the new pair of jeans that Ember had given him for Valentine’s Day, holding them out.

“You don’t want to wear these instead?”

“No, they need to be washed.”

Jo jumped up, running for the open door.

Anticipating her reaction, he caught her around the waist, lifting her into his arms and using a foot to slam the door. He checked that it was closed before carrying her to his bed and sitting down. He let her hit his chest as she struggled against him on his lap.

“Let go of me. I want to leave!”

“I want to talk first. Then, if you want to leave, I won’t stop you.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“I think there is. Your feelings have been hurt, and I can’t fix it if we don’t talk about it.”

“I don’t need you fixing anything!” she snarled, sinking her teeth into his shoulder to get him to release her.

“Red.”

Jo immediately stopped biting him. “That’s my safe word, not yours.”

“Now it’s mine, too. I didn’t like the way you were biting me, and I didn’t want to hurt you to make you stop.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have hurt you.”

“You didn’t. I just didn’t like the way you were doing it. Anytime you want to use those sharp teeth on me when I’m balls deep in your pussy, go ahead; just not when you’re mad at me. I wouldn’t hurt you when I’m mad at you. I expect the same from you.”

“I want to leave.”

“We’re not finished talking.”

“I don’t want to talk. I want to get the hell out of here.”

“If you don’t want to talk here, we can go to your house,” he offered the alternative, hoping it would lessen her distress.

“No!” she yelled out, then lowered her voice when she heard how loud she had become. “I want to go alone.”

Rider knew why she didn’t want him to go with her. She didn’t want him to see what she had gotten him for Valentine’s Day. With the bounty on his bed, she now felt like hers would be just one more present without any special significance to him.

When he was nine years old, he had decorated an old shoebox for Valentine’s Day. During the school day, their class had a party where all the students would walk around the desks and put their Valentine’s Day cards in each other’s boxes. He still remembered one of his friends whose box had been nearly empty, while his own had been filled to overflowing.

Jo’s hadn’t had a few cards. Hers had been empty. She had never had a Valentine’s Day when she had felt singled out and made to feel that she was important.

“Then we’ll stay here,” he answered imperturbably.

“Fine,” she snapped, crossing her arms over her breasts stubbornly. “So talk.”

“I’m not the one who’s angry. You are.” He remained unruffled, seeking to defuse her anger by getting her to examine and talk about what had hurt her.

“Are all those presents from the women in the clubhouse?”

“No, Moon gave me the blow-up doll. It was a prank gift.”

“No shit.”

“A few are from women in Treepoint, Jamestown, Lexington, and Ohio,” Rider continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “I’ve never hidden the fact I had sexual contact with women who didn’t just belong to the club; only that I had stopped playing around when I won the date with you at the auction.”

“Then why did they give you all these presents?”

“Because, while I no longer share a sexual relationship with them, I’m still their friend.”

“It’s good to know we’ll remain friends when you break up with me.” She dropped her arms to her sides as she sat stiffly on his lap.

“Or it could be a saving grace when you break up with me.” Taking one of her hands, he twined his fingers through hers before raising it to rest on his heart.

Artfully pretending a guilelessness that couldn’t be further from the truth, now that her anger was diffused, he needed to disperse her hurt feelings by switching from herself to him. Jo had a weakness that he logically used against her. When Jo loved someone, she placed their needs above her own. It was the one thing that he had every intention of exploiting.

“You think I’ll be the one breaking up with you?”

He met her gaze, making sure he didn’t blink or turn them away from hers. “I come with a lot of baggage. I wouldn’t blame you. I’ve been married twice, and I belong to a motorcycle club that I’ll never leave. Sometimes I’m going to have to put them first when you won’t want me to. I’ll never shirk the duty I’ve pledged to The Last Riders, but I promise that you will always come first when it counts.

“Those presents don’t mean a damn thing; only yours does. I’ll give them all away or return them if you want me to. I already planned on returning the blow-up doll to Moon. I plan to shove it up his ass.”

Her body loosened, sinking against him as she rubbed the shoulder she had bitten. “You’d return Willa’s candy?”

“Not that one, but I’ll share,” he compromised.

“You can keep that one.” Jo nuzzled her face into the side of his neck.

His semi-erect cock beginning to strain under his unbuttoned jeans, he gently lifted her to his side so he could fasten his jeans.

“Can I give you your present now?” he asked with fake humbleness, the hardest emotion in his repertoire to fake.

Waiting for her slow nod, he went to his closet, opening it to reach inside and take the box out.

“I hope you like it.” Placing it on the floor at her feet, he didn’t have to fake his enthusiasm. He had given a lot of thought to her present and was excited to see if he was right.

Jo slipped to the floor on her knees. She stared at it for a minute before carefully unwrapping it.

His excitement dimmed at how careful she was being. He had expected her to tear it open. That she was using a finger so the wrapping paper wouldn’t tear disconcerted him.

Going to his haunches, he started to help her.

Jo swatted his hand away. “Don’t. I want to do it myself. I want to save the paper.”

“Why? I have more paper in the closet—”

“It won’t be the same as this one.” Shyly, she paused from loosening a flap that had more than its fair share of tape. “I know it’s silly, but it was wrapped in the first present you gave me.”

Stunned at her reasoning, he sank onto his butt, leaning back against the bed’s footboard as he watched her unwrap her present.

No punch had ever affected him as much as her embarrassed confession had. His bitter heart had frozen over when he was twenty-four, and the passing years since then had only hardened it further. From the first night he had fucked Jo, she had been chipping away at his resolve to never love another woman. He had repaired each chip, fortifying his bitterness with the same steely willpower he had learned in the military. It had saved him then, and it would save him now.

With the paper folded and placed at her side, Jo opened the box and reached inside, pulling out a big heart that was filled with chocolates.

Smiling, she placed it on the floor next to her knees, then reached inside again, taking out a stuffed middle-sized puppy. It was sitting on its hind legs with doleful eyes, holding a red box between its front paw. On top of the box, it said “Be Mine.” Rider didn’t miss the trembling of her fingers as she opened it.

Jo took out two necklaces. Each one was gold, and one was thicker than the other. The thinner one was so fine it didn’t look strong enough to hold the gold heart with a picture gazing back at them.

They had taken the picture when Jo had wanted to go to the Jamestown junkyard. Afterward, they had gone to a restaurant where they had jokingly taken selfies as they waited for their food, their faces pressed together. He had known Jo liked it when he had seen her using it as a wallpaper on her phone a few days later.

“One is for you and the other is for me.” Rider took the necklaces out of her hand, showing her that, when the magnetized hearts were close together, they clung to each other. Then he opened the clasp of the necklace that held his face in the center, leaning forward to clasp it behind her neck. Giving her the thicker chain, he waited expectantly for her to put it on him.

When she was done, her hand went to the necklace she was wearing. “Thank you, Rider. It’s beautiful.”

“You’re welcome, Bluebonnet.” Dipping his head, he poised his lips over hers. “You didn’t answer my question?”

“Your question?” She lifted stargazed eyes to his.

“Will you be mine?” he asked huskily, seducing her with words.

“Yes, Rider, I’ll be yours.”

“Forever and ever?” he prompted the response he wanted.

“Forever and ever.”

He swooped down, capturing her mouth, giving her no time to think about the commitment she had just promised. He sought out the proof he wanted, the proof that her promise wouldn’t be forgotten when another man came along.

The stuffed puppy fell out of her hands when she circled her arms around his neck.

Pushing her backward, he covered her body with his, nudging himself between her thighs so his cock could rest against her pussy. His kisses became more forceful, parting her tender lips to find the passionate warmth she hid from everyone else.

He was tired of coercing her responses, determined to use his body to get the final vow he wanted from her. He had learned the hard way that marriage certificates and pledges taken in a church, in front of preacher, wouldn’t ensure a lasting relationship.

He jerked her sweater upward, breaking the kiss with a swipe of his tongue on her bottom lip. Then Rider buried his face between her breasts.

“I finally found the only thing that tastes better than Willa’s candy.” He eased his tongue under her bra to lick the rise of her breast.

“I bet you’ve said that to all your women.”

“No woman has reached that distinction before but you. If I could, I would give you a blue ribbon for taste.” Rider dragged the cup of her bra down so he could lick her nipple, feeling it harden under his tongue.

Jo gave a sighing moan, melting into his hard body as if releasing the last of the hurt she had experienced when she had seen the presents on his bed.

Rising, he went to work on the button of her jeans, looming over her, pinning her in place as he then took her jeans and panties off.

Reaching a long arm out, he opened his dresser, taking a condom out. Startled, he realized his fingers were shaking as he tore it open.

“Let me do it.” Jo raised herself, taking it from him. “I never expected you to be nervous.”

“I’m not nervous. I’m horny.”

“Really?” She slid the lubricated condom over his dick, rolling it down. “I didn’t notice,” she teased as she lay back down, wrapping her thighs around his hips, opening herself for him.

“Bluebonnet, if you can’t see how hard my dick is, you need glasses.”

“Steel …” Jo dragged her tongue over her bottom lip, wetting it. “I see it. I’m just waiting for you to use it.” Jo was getting better at being seductive.

Feeling a chip of ice fall off his heart, he told himself he would worry about repairing it right after he fucked her.

Reveling as his fingers found her wet, he stroked her thigh with his other hand before raising it higher up his side. “Take your bra off. Let me see those prize-winning breasts.”

She arched her upper body as she reached behind her to release the clasp.

“That’s much better. When you get your nipples pierced, I’m going to buy you blue stones to match your eyes,” he expertly planted the seed in her mind.

“I’m not getting my nipples pierced. You can get me earrings instead, or I’ll buy them myself.”

“It won’t have the same effect.”

“My ears aren’t even pierced. There’s no way I’m doing it to my nipples. It’ll hurt.”

Rider lightly pinched her clit. “You don’t seem the type to allow a little pain to keep you away from what you want to do.” Releasing her clit, he thrust a finger inside her pussy, rocking it back and forth to lubricate her.

“You’re right … when I want to do something.” Her hips arched under his hand. “And I don’t want any tattoos either.”

“Aly told you about the tattoos, didn’t she?” Rider grinned down at her.

“That the women get tattoos when they become a member? Yes. I won’t be becoming a Last Rider, so—”

Rider removed his finger so fast a small “oomph” escaped Jo. Before she could get her bearing, his hands were at her waist, turning her and pressing her back to his chest, her on her knees.

A hand on her breast, the other at her throat, using it to tilt her head to his shoulder, Rider said, “You’re going to become a Last Rider because you’re this Last Rider’s woman.” His voice went dangerously low. “You don’t want to fuck to get the votes, that’s cool, because I don’t want you to get them that way anyway. I’d kill any man who tries to touch you, and that’s a fucking promise. I’ll take care of the votes, just like I’ll take care of anything that concerns you. Because you’re mine. You don’t want a tattoo or get your nipple pierced, that’s cool, too. What you don’t have the right to decide on is saying no to being a Last Rider, because you’re fucking mine.”

She hadn’t just chipped away at his heart by claiming she wouldn’t become a Last Rider; she had taken off a big chunk, and he was going to get it back.

Rider felt her nod under his hand.

Using his chest, he pushed Jo flat on the floor. “You know what I’m going to do now?” he taunted.

“What?” Jo asked, trembling.

“I’m going to fuck you because you’re fucking mine, aren’t you?”

“Y-yes,” Jo stuttered.

“Say it.”

“I’m yours.”

“For how long?” This was the question he waited with bated breath for her to answer.

“Forever and ever.”

“You’re damn right about that.” Rising up, he removed his hand from her throat, using it to ruthlessly push her back down before driving his cock into her pussy in one stroke.

“Too hard?” he purred seductively.

Testing that she would stay in the position, he squeezed her ass cheek as he started fucking her with deep thrusts.

“Harder,” she moaned out.

“I’m going to show you that you can handle a little pain, and you’re going to be a good girl and take it.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m going to take it easy on you tonight because you were smart enough to say sir.”

“Thank you.”

“You know what to say if you don’t like what I’m doing?”

“Yes, sir. Red. Except, I really don’t want to try spanking.”

“Then don’t do anything to deserve one. Is that fair?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I could fuck you every hour of the day.” Squeezing her ass harder, he claimed his possession of her with rapid strokes of his cock that had Jo gasping for air every time he drove in deeper and higher.

He loosened his grip on her ass, seeing his handprint on her. He had to hold back the desire to make the mark brighter and last much longer. His bluebonnet wasn’t ready to play the games he enjoyed, and until she was, he would wait.

Rider smoothed his hand over her silky cheek, skillfully parting the cheeks while moving his fingers featherlight over the rosebud of her anus. She almost jumped off his cock at the movement.

Moving downward, he traced the indention before moving back to her ass cheek. His poor little flower was shuddering at his boldness, calming when he started squeezing it again. Rider practically read her mind, knowing she would think that if he was squeezing her ass cheek, he wouldn’t go off exploring.

Jo didn’t know him at all, but she would learn, and how she would learn had him moving harder.

She had lost her timidity and was rearing her ass back as he plunged into her pussy.

“You’re as tight as a vise, clamping down on me.” Reaching forward until he was once again leaning over her, he grabbed a pert breast, giving it the same treatment as he did her ass.

“Steel …” Jo whimpered.

“It’s not going to work. I’m not ready to come.”

“Rider, please … I want to come.”

“Then come. I’m not stopping you.” Biting down on his favorite spot on the back of her nape, he ground into her, making it impossible for her not to find the relief she was begging for.

Her whimpering moans and the contractions on his dick showed she had given in and was coming.

Rider rode her through her climax, and when she would have fallen to the floor, he found one of her nipples and gave a small twist. The pain had her arching back on his cock.

He controlled her every movement, not letting her slip into the afterglow of her orgasm, but building it into another, more satisfying one. Her fingers curled in the carpet as he rocked back and forth, each thrust more forceful than the last.

He felt her second orgasm on his cock at the same time her scream filled the room. When he released her nipple, a third climax had her clawing the carpet to get away.

“Do you want to use your safe word?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?” He went to her other breast, seeking her nipple. Twisting it, he found another rhythm to wring another climax out of her.

“Yes!” Her screams grew higher in intensity, but she quit trying to claw herself away from the pounding she was taking.

“Do you want me to come?”

“God, yes.”

“What are you going to do to help me with that?”

Her screaming stopped. “What do you want?”

Rider nearly laughed at her worried question.

“The next time I work in the security room, you have to stay naked for two hours.”

“Do I have to stand?” she sulkily countered.

“No, you can sit.”

“I can do that.”

“Then”—Rider pushed her shoulders to the floor while he kept her ass right where he wanted it—“we have a deal.”

He was fucking lucky she had agreed when she had. If she had held out a moment longer, she would have had her wish without having to agree to anything.

Groaning, he sped up, rocking against her hard, frustrated at himself that he couldn’t last longer. He was used to sex marathons and had intended to have to carry her to his bike to take her home. Now he would be lucky if he didn’t have to drag himself down the long flight of steps.

His climax rolled through him like a bomb had detonated inside him, jarring his heart more than he had intended. With Jo, he had to show a part of himself, or she wouldn’t be fooled. She was too caring and tender-hearted not to recognize those qualities were missing from him. The double-edged sword had turned around on him, and she had sliced out another chunk of ice from his stone-cold heart.

Sinking to the floor, he stretched out on the carpet, trying to catch his breath as he pulled Jo to rest beside him. Curling an arm behind his head, he stared up at the ceiling as she snuggled against his side, laying her head on his tattoo. The reminder of the meaning of the tattoo and the promise he had made to himself made a mockery of the feelings that Jo was innocently arousing in the heart that beat under her ear.

“Damn.”

Jo lifted her cheek, propping her chin on the hand that was covering his heart. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Never mind. I lost something, and I can’t find it.”

“Oh.” Settling back against him, she placed her head back on his chest. “We can find it later,” she said, yawning.

“I hope so.” Rider stared up at the ceiling. He hadn’t prayed for so long that he had forgotten how, but he broke that drought tonight. “God, I hope so.”