We all knew it was coming. Rock was never going to be satisfied with just the property patch.
On a chilly winter day, he proposed to Hope. Wrath and I were at the clubhouse and celebrated with them.
Somehow I get dragged along to celebrate her engagement with her friends the following Friday.
I chose a simple outfit of jeans and a soft, sparkly sweater. Hope went all-out. She picked a blinding-pink dress, gray tights and shiny heels. Rock got one look at her and we almost didn’t make it out of the house.
Wrath pulled me in for a hug right before we left. “Have fun, angel.”
I don’t know about that. Lilly and Sophie start teasing Hope about her dress almost immediately.
“What? I think it’s cute,” she says.
“I like it too,” Mara says, reaching over to give Hope a quick hug. This is the first time I’ve met Mara. Supposedly she’s married to a judge or something. She seems really sweet and shy though. I don’t get to talk to her much because she’s at the opposite end of the table.
“Her man almost didn’t let her out of the house when he saw her tonight. You’re lucky I got her down here,” I explain to the girls.
“Seems like a good time to hand you this, then,” Mara says, picking up a shiny pink gift bag from the floor.
“I’m scared to open it,” Hope jokes.
She should be too. She pulls sex guides, sex toys, lube and finally, a paddle out of the bag. Hope’s a good sport. “Really? Have I given any of you the impression we need help in that department?”
Imagining Rock’s reaction when Hope tells him her friends think he needs the Guy’s Guide to Going Down has me falling out of my chair with laughter.
They joke around a little longer. I guess Mara’s not so shy after all.
Sophie kills the laughter. “Are you going to take your time planning this wedding?” She waves her hand in the air, almost smacking Lilly. “You and your mother threw the last one together so quick, we all thought you were pregnant.”
Hope looks like she was punched in the gut and I have to stop myself from jumping over the table and smacking the shit out of Sophie. Hope just lost a baby. What the fuck is wrong with her friend?
“Fuck, honey. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean… I forgot. Shit, it just happened, and wow, I’m sorry,” Sophie mumbles.
Not ten seconds later, Sophie brings up Hope’s first wedding again. What the hell is wrong with this chick?
I glance at Lilly. “So, Lilly, are those knockers real?”
Well, that’s certainly one way to take the focus off Hope. But I swear to God, if Sophie says one more thing to upset Hope, I really am going to kick her ass.
Eventually, guys show up. More lawyer friends. Adam and Ross. They’re nice enough. Then our guys show up. Well, Rock and Z do.
Z smirks while Rock gropes his woman in the middle of the bar. Then he pokes me. “Your roommate’s waitin’ outside.”
What the fuck? Why can’t he come inside like a normal person? We had this sweet and honest moment the other day. He’s been after me to announce our relationship, but he can’t even come inside and sit with me?
I’m so irritated, I barely listen to the conversation around me.
When we all get up to leave, I stick with Hope. Wrath’s leaning on my Jeep facing the door when we step outside. He glances up and smiles when he sees me.
My heart skips.
“You could have joined us,” Hope says.
“Nah, I’m good, Cinderella.”
Mara giggles when she hears that, so Hope introduces them. He’s actually being civil. So why couldn’t he come inside and do that?
He raises an eyebrow at me and I ignore him.
When we’re down to just Rock, Hope, Wrath and me, Wrath snags me around the waist and yanks me against him.
“Why you ignoring me, Angel Face?”
“Trin, you okay to drive?” Rock calls out.
“Yup, only had water,” I shout back.
He waves and takes off.
“Let’s go,” I say, wriggling out of his hold and unlocking the car.
Once we get on the highway, Wrath sighs. “How was your night?”
“Fine.”
“You mad at me?”
“Nope.”
“Yeah, you are. Why?”
My hands tighten on the steering wheel. “Why couldn’t you come in and sit with me? You keep saying you want to announce us to everyone, but then you don’t want to be seen in public—”
“Trin, what are you, five-seven, a buck twenty-five?” I snort because he’s being awfully generous there, but he ignores me. “I’m more than twice your size. You have any idea how uncomfortable those tiny fucking buildings down here are for a guy my size? Got nothing to do with how I feel about you. Fuck I didn’t even think my shoulders would fit through the door. Then with the cast, I’m even more clumsy and awkward—”
“Oh.” Wow. I feel like total shit. He’s always so cocky, and sure of himself, it never occurred to me something like that might bother him.
“You got your issues. I got mine,” he says, staring out the window.
He’s right. He’s so patient with me and all my emotional fuckery.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
He reaches out and squeezes my leg but doesn’t say anything else.
We drive up the long road to the clubhouse behind Rock’s vehicle. As I back into my spot, Wrath snorts.
“Looks like Rock has his hands full.”
“Aw, he’s so sweet.”
Wrath glances over at me.
“What? He is.”
Rock’s trying to juggle carrying Hope and getting the front door unlocked. Wrath chuckles. “It’s sad that you gotta keep druggin’ your girl to get her up here.”
Rock’s laughing so hard, I barely make out the “Fuck you” he responds with.
He jerks his head at his car. “Grab her stuff for me?”
I open the front door and as I turn to get the stuff out of the car, I see Wrath already grabbed it. “Nice pink bag.”
He grins and lifts it up and down. “What the hell’s in it? It’s heavy.”
How to explain? “Books and sex toys,” I answer through giggles.
He raises an eyebrow at Rock who shrugs. “Her friends’ idea of an engagement present,” he explains.
Of course Wrath takes that as an invitation to start pawing through Hope’s stuff. He cracks up when he gets to the paddle.
“Give me that,” I snap, snatching the bag out of his trouble-making hands. “I’ll drop this in front of your door, prez,” I say as I jog up the stairs.
On my way back, Wrath’s laughter reaches me before I see him. “Sure, whatever you say, Cinderella.”
I guess Hope’s awake.
“There’s a guy’s guide for going down on his girl. You can have that since Rock doesn’t need it.”
Oh, boy.
Wrath laughs even harder. He gasps. “Trust me, neither do I.” As soon as he spots me, I cringe, fearing what he’ll say. “Right babe?”
“What am I agreeing to?” I ask when I reach the living room.
Rock’s clearly ready for this conversation to be over. “All right, doll, time for bed,” he says, slipping his arm around Hope and tugging her up the stairs.
“I offered him the guide to going down,” she yells to me.
Oh, that’s hilarious. “No. He doesn’t need it.”
Wrath’s not finished making trouble tonight. “Leave it for Murphy. Brother needs all the help he can get,” he calls out.
Hope screeches “Ewwww,” which makes Wrath laugh even harder.
I plant my hand on my hip. “Was that necessary?”
Here comes the wide-eyed innocent expression he’s so good at. “What? I’m trying to be helpful.”
“You’re just mad anyone suggested you might need help in that department.”
He slings his arm over my shoulder and turns me toward my bedroom. “Babe, the only opinion I’m interested in is yours. You think my skills need improving, by all means, let’s practice.”
“Oh my God,” I say through a bunch of giggles and snorts.
When we get to my door, I point at his leg. “You seem to be doing better. How do you feel?”
“Good. That fuckin’ doctor better take the cast off this week.”
Pushing the door open with his shoulder, he turns and wraps his arms around my waist. “You really want to talk about that now?” he asks while bumping the door shut with his elbow. “Because I want to explore what kind of sex toys you’ve got.”
He opens up my nightstand drawer and starts digging through it. I’m both baffled and amused as I sit on the bed and watch. When his search of the top drawer yields nothing, he opens the second drawer.
“I can stop you right now. You won’t find any.”
The disappointment on his face makes me chuckle. “Why not?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?”
He narrows his eyes. “Probably not, but tell me anyway.”
I shrug and look away. “No need for them.” Does he want me to explain that for years I’ve had a house full of guys ready and willing to get me off whenever I asked?
No he doesn’t. “Well, I’ll have to order you a nice big box of toys to stash under the bed.” He pretends to think something over and taps his chin. “A paddle too. For when my hand gets tired.”
My fist lands on his side and he pretends to be injured. “Jerk,” I grumble.
His mouth turns up in a wicked grin. “Yeah, baby. But I’m your jerk.”
I’m disturbed from waking Trinity up the way I wanted by my phone going off much too early. Recognizing the number, I sit up and answer.
“Motherfucker!” the president of our downstate charter shouts into the phone.
“‘Sup, Sway?” Next to me, Trin stirs, then buries her head under the pillow. Like the happy perv I am, I lift the sheet and run my hand over her naked ass. Fuckin’ love waking up next to her.
“Can’t get hold of your prez. He knee deep in stripper-pussy?”
“No, man. He was out celebrating his engagement last night.”
“What the ever-loving fuck? Didn’t he learn anything—”
I cut that off quick. “She’s nothing like Carla. Trust me. What’d you need him for?”
“Need some of your boys to come down and pay a visit. He can bring his ol’ lady if he wants. I’m sure Tawny would like to check her out.” My eyes roll at that. Sway’s ol’ lady is the Queen Bitch. Poor Hope might not survive a visit down there.
“Yeah, okay. When were you thinking?”
“Next weekend. Definitely. I’m thinking of looking into National and maybe Rock wants to back me up.”
I highly doubt that, but I promise to have Rock get in touch and hang up.
“Ugh, was that Sway?”
I’m instantly irritated, wondering why Trinity’s asking. “Yeah, why?”
She rolls over, tossing her pillow aside. “Nothing. He coming here?”
“No. Needs Rock and some of the others to pay a visit.”
She relaxes back against the bed. “Good.”
“Why?”
She sighs and glances at me. “Nothing, he’s just…handsy.”
“You fuck him?” Shit it’s way too early to be having this argument…again.
She snaps into a sitting position. “No. Not for lack of trying on his part. Something ‘bout fucking a dude with his ol’ lady nearby never sat well with me. Even I have standards.” With that, she stands up, jumps off the end of the bed, and pads into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
Why can’t I ever keep my mouth shut?
She emerges from the bathroom fully dressed, but no less annoyed. “Anyway. Tawny assumes we’ve fucked, so she’s got no love for my slutty ass. Thank fuck they’re not coming here. She’d eat Hope alive.”
At breakfast, Rock presses Trinity for information about her night out with Hope. I’d like to discuss business sometime today. “Downstate called. Sway wants you to come pay a visit.”
That gets Rock’s attention. “Fuck. What for?”
“He said ol’ ladies were invited. It’s not a bad idea for you to bring Hope. Have her meet Tawny…”
“What’s this, your last-ditch effort to scare Hope away?” he asks.
Yeah, he would think that, wouldn’t he? But honestly, it’s not a bad idea for Hope to meet a typical ol’ lady. See the kind of women she’ll be expected to interact with if she’s gonna stick by prez. Yeah, Trin’s gonna be my ol’ lady soon—whether she likes it or not—but she’s not exactly typical.
“Yeah, man. If Tawny don’t scare your girl away, nothing will.”
“Don’t subject Hope to that bitch on wheels,” Z pleads with a headshake.
“What exactly did he want?” Rock asks.
No point sugar-coatin’ it. He’s gonna be pissed one way or another. “Something about national.”
Obviously deciding I can’t go, he turns to Z. “I’d rather not,” Z answers.
“Take Murphy and Axel,” I suggest. Make those two fuckers work together. Murphy’s gonna need to drop his bullshit soon, and we might as well see if Axel can handle the club or not.
Rock stares at me like I’m nuts. “Really, Axel? He’s a fuckin’ kid. Barely been wearing that prospect rocker a month. Bad enough we broke the rule about allowing him up here before his year was up.”
I notice he doesn’t even bother mentioning the bad blood brewing between Murphy and Axel. Especially after Heidi’s birthday party. “It’ll do Murph some good. Keep his cocky Irish ass in check. Plus, might as well see if Axel can hang now rather than later.”
“That’s fine. Hope likes both of them, and I know they’ll look out for her.”
Dick. Like I wouldn’t look out for her?
“Prez, I’ll go if you’re worried about Hope,” Z offers.
Rock waves a hand in the air. “Nah, it’ll be fine.”
Just picturing Cinderella’s face when she steps into Sway’s compound is enough to make me laugh. “Man, she thinks this place is the gateway to hell. Wait ‘til she sees Sway’s setup.”
Before Hope leaves for this trip downstate, I feel obligated to warn her about what she’ll encounter. So when she asks me to come upstairs and help her pack, I’m more than happy to say yes.
The way she plows through her closet amuses me. She must drive Rock nuts with her messiness.
More clothes go sailing out of the closet, landing on the floor and I cover my mouth.
“Have you been there?” she shouts from the depths.
“Long time ago.”
“I suppose it will be a bunch of half-naked chicks running around?”
I snicker at that. At least she’s prepared. “Pretty much.”
She steps out of the closet and gives me an uncertain look. “How many of them are going to tell me they fucked my fiancé?”
I feel bad laughing, but thinking of any of the girls down there giving lip like that, is funny. Tawny would yank their hair out by the roots. “None of them, if they want to keep breathing. Sway’s ol’ lady runs a tight ship. None of those bitches should backtalk you.”
My comments don’t seem to reassure her all that much. “I wish you guys were coming. Well, I wish you were coming with us.”
No thanks. But I laugh anyway. They’re only going for the weekend, but it seems longer for some reason. “Hopefully, Wyatt’s cast comes off next week.”
“That’s good. Maybe he’ll be less cranky.” I know Hope’s kidding but it just reminds me that he’s going to want to go public soon.
She senses the change in my mood immediately. “What’s wrong, Trinity?”
Next thing I know she’s sitting next to me. Damn, I’m a mess. “Nothing. I don’t know. I’m not sure what happens… next.” Should I tell Hope and see what her reaction is? “He wants… Never mind. It’s stupid.”
Time to shake myself out of my pity party. “You’re going to have enough to worry about this weekend. Make sure you call or text me if anything comes up. Even if it’s some stupid club question that Rock’s not around to answer.”
“Why wouldn’t he be around?”
Oh, Hope. Still so much to learn. “I guarantee you this visit is more than a social call, Hope. Don’t be surprised or hurt if you end up spending most of the trip hanging out with Tawny.”
“Okay.”
This is what I came for. To warn her about what she’s facing this weekend. Not to dump my stupid problems on her.
Z ends up joining the guys for the trip to Sway’s place. With most of the guys gone, Wrath and I sort of have the clubhouse to ourselves. It’s nice in a weird way.
“How would you feel about building our own house?” Wrath asks me after dinner Saturday night.
“What? Where?”
He jerks his head to the side. “On the property. Rock’s got a space measured out for the house he wants to build for Hope.”
“You’re not happy here?”
“It’s fine for now.” His hand closes over mine. “But eventually it might be nice.”
A house? With Wrath. Wow.
We’re interrupted by his cell phone. “Shit. The alarm at the gym’s going off.”
“Do you need to go down there?”
“Let me call Jake.”
When he reaches Jake, he says it was a false alarm. Wrath’s still twitchy after they hang up. “You want to run down anyway and see for yourself?” I ask.
“Do you mind?”
“Of course not.”
The parking lot’s empty when we get there. Wrath runs his flashlight over the door before we go inside. “Wait in my office for me, babe.” His tone puts me on edge, but I don’t question him.
After fifteen minutes, he opens the door and hobbles in. “Shoulda brought my crutches—”
While he was gone, I used my time to strip down to my underwear, and perch myself on his desk.
“Whatchya doin’, Angel Face?”
For a second I hesitate. Maybe this was a bad idea. But the ravenous gleam in his eyes extinguishes any doubts. I lean back, thrusting my chest out, enjoying the way his eyes widen. “I realized, in all the time we spent here, we never re-baptized your desk.”
“That’s just wrong.” The door closes with a soft click and he flips the lock.
I slide down, bare feet touching the carpet, turn and lean over the desk, bracing myself on my arms. My hips sway from side to side and Wyatt runs his hand over his chin. “I like you like this. Tell me what you want,” he says as he moves behind me.
“I want you to fuck me over your desk, Wyatt. Then I want to go home with you, like we should have done last time.” I close my eyes, waiting for the rejection. Waiting to see what he does next. Why’d I say that and bring up all our fucked-up past when everything has been so nice between us?
Feather-light, his fingers trail down my back, unhooking my bra so I can slip it off. He continues his journey, big hands skimming down smoothing the thin fabric of my underwear over my ass. I ease back, bumping into him and he groans. His hand slips under the elastic. “When did you come up with this plan?”
My shoulders automatically jerk. “While I was waiting for you.”
He makes a sexy, hummy sound of approval and continues exploring. I pull in a sharp breath when his fingers find their target. Gently he strokes the wetness between my legs, then up to stroke the tips of his fingers against my clit. Not enough to get me off. Enough to drive me nuts.
“Seems like longer to me, angel.” His voice is low and rough, so I know he’s as turned on as I am. He slides his fingers down again. Almost to the entrance of my pussy.
“Wyatt, please?”
“That’s my girl. Love when you beg for my cock.” I attempt an outraged snort, but it sounds more like a needy whimper. I try wiggling my hips again.
“Ask nicely.”
“You fucker,” I grumble, because I wanted to be the one to shock him with some unexpected office sex, but somehow he turned the tables on me. I get a sharp slap on my ass.
“That’s not nice. Try again.”
I let out a string of curses and get his palm against my ass for each one. “I’m starting to think you just like my hand on your ass.” He leans over me, kissing my shoulder and I press back against him. He wraps an arm around my body, reaching for my clit. “Yeah, you definitely like it.” There’s a twist to his voice, as if he’s out of breath.
There’s a tug at my waist and my panties slide down my legs I kick them to the side and arch my back. Then his hands are at my hips holding me up while he slams into me hard and fast.
“About fucking time.” I end up panting the words. Another sharp crack fills the air as his hand kisses my ass again.
“You’re mouthy tonight,” he says. “I like it.”
He’s pulling me into him and pounding into me at the same time. My fingers curl over the edges of the desk. “That’s right. Hold on, Trinity.”
An unbearable tension builds with every thrust. “Right there, please don’t stop, Wyatt…” The rest of my words are lost to frantic moaning and sobbing as I come. Wyatt shouts as he comes, too. He drapes his body over mine, squishing me against the desk. Slick with sweat, my arms give out and we end up dropping to the floor in a sweaty, tangled heap. “Fuck, sorry,” he apologizes. “You okay?”
I moan out a yes and he chuckles, then shifts, puling me on top of him. He palms the back of my head and pulls me to him for a harsh kiss.
He gestures to his leg. “Are you trying to kill me woman?”
I burst out laughing and he joins me. Our moment’s cut short by a sound out in the gym. My gaze collides with his. “Wyatt?”
“Shit,” he lifts himself off the floor and hands me my clothes. “Get dressed.” I can’t find my bra or panties in the pile he gave me, but it doesn’t matter. As soon as I’m covered, he points behind the desk. “Stay down. I’ll be right back.”
Before I can assure him or ask him not to go, he’s out the door. I crouch behind the desk and wait like he asked. He’s not gone long when there’s a shout and scuffle.
“Trin, it’s okay.”
I flip the overhead lights on as I walk into the gym. And stop dead when I see Wrath holding up one of the kids from his training class. Even though he’s close to being murdered, he takes the time to leer at me. Heat races across my cheeks, I can only imagine what this kid heard.
“Seems Twitch has been breaking into the place at night. We upgraded the alarm system this week, but he didn’t know that.”
“You two really should have locked the door. What if I’d been a bad guy,” the kid says with a small smirk.
“Shut up,” Wrath growls. He turns and grins at me. “Wasn’t planning to stay long.”
We find out he’s been breaking in to sleep here, because he left his house. I get the impression there are details he’d rather not go into in front of me. But his story is enough to convince Wrath not to murder the kid.
“I should have him show Z how he broke into the other system,” Wrath says to me.
Obviously the kid can’t stay with us and he can’t stay at the gym. Since they’re still prospects, Hoot and Birch haven’t earned a room at the clubhouse yet. Their apartment is halfway between Crystal Ball and Wrath’s gym, and that’s where we drop Twitch off.
Wrath’s laughing by the time we get on the highway. “Jesus Christ, can you believe that shit?”
“No.”
As soon as we’re in my bedroom, Wrath wraps his arms around me. “Since we were interrupted at the gym, how ‘bout a do over? That filthy mouth of yours was a big fuckin’ turn on.”
I burst out laughing. “I don’t think my ass can take it.”