***Maci***
How in the hell am I supposed to concentrate when he’s sitting this close to me?
“Can you maybe move and sit across from me?” I grumble.
Xerox’s head turns and the corner of his mouth twitches before his gaze hits mine. “Not a chance, darlin’. I need you at arm’s length so I only have to reach out to touch what’s mine.”
“Uh, huh…and that would be the very reason you should move.” I need to swallow before I bat his hand away.
“We’re going to have a no touching rule.” I bite my lip before I let go and continue. “Hands off when others can see...”
“Maci Meyer. Sorry we’re a little late.” A voice from my left states.
See? Xerox consumes me to a point where I totally ignore my surroundings the second he touches me. It’s intense. I’m always in control, yet he seems to be the only one who can take leadership over me without feeling like I’m losing myself or the world around me.
“We were enjoying each other’s company, so we didn’t mind waiting.” Xerox shoots a wink at me before he stretches out his hand to the DEA agent.
“Ronnie Flegg,” Ronnie says before he shakes Xerox’s hand and sits down across from him.
When his colleague steps closer to the table, a sudden urge to warn her off fills me. Pure green jealousy. It’s a feeling I’ve never experienced, one that makes me almost possessed when I growl, “That’s my Old Man, Xerox. Sit your ass down so we can get this meeting over with.” I’m absolutely shocked that it’s my voice I’m hearing, making the words flow through the air in utter anger.
The woman smiles at me, nods, and clearly addresses Xerox but keeps her gaze locked with mine. “Xerox Vallentine, nice of you to accompany Ms. Meyer. I’m Agent Tracy Neeson.”
Her reaction weirdly calms me down somehow. I barely manage to give her a tiny smile.
Wait… “How do you know his name?”
Xerox’s hand sneaks around my waist before he pulls me against his body. “I’m sure Agent Neeson is good at her job. She clearly did some digging around.”
He leans in next to my ear and whispers, “I’m ignoring the no touching rule because you, darlin’, are fucking sexy when your jealousy comes bubbling to the surface.”
Oh, shit. It’s that obvious? My jealousy is full blown and out in the open for all to witness. All of this is very confusing. I mean, I can literally count the hours we’ve been together and while everything might seem so right, it’s in overdrive.
Okay…deep breath…first these two in front of me, then the relationship thing. Relationship. Holy shit. Old Man. Old Lady. That’s married biker style, how did that happen? I need to…
“Breathe, darlin’,” Xerox whispers again.
Leaning forward, I place my elbows on the table and address the woman now sitting across from me. “Okay, let’s get to the point. You’re here about Nero, right?”
“We are. When was the last time you saw him?” Tracy asks.
“A few hours ago, when he showed up at my house for no reason at all.” Even the thought of that annoying asshole, the initial cause of most of my problems, makes my anger flare.
Both of the DEA agents sitting across from me nod before they look at each other.
Tracy turns her attention back at me. “What time did he show up, and what did you do after he left?”
“What am I stupid? I don’t owe you an explanation or anything. I don’t even know why I came here, oh…no, wait. I do know…you two interfered with my life just like Nero does. You two showed up at my work, and the minute your asses left the building, they demanded mine followed. That’s right, you two were the last fucking drop in the bucket and got me fired. Awesome, huh?” I seethe and I’m about to get up but Xerox keeps me pinned against his body.
“I think it’s safe to say you two upset my woman. I’m not gonna beat around the bush here, so listen up. We’re all aware of this Nero scumbag and it’s your job to take care of him. Now do your fucking job, and leave Maci and her brothers the hell out of this.” His voice is steady, but oh so cold.
“I can have you arrested right this second.” Ronnie sneers before he adds in a very low voice, “Fucking biker scum.”
Now I’m the one who is trying to keep a very angry biker in his seat.
I’m thankful when Tracy’s voice verbally smacks the asswipe across the face. “That was uncalled for, Ronnie. Keep your judgmental insanity out of it and go wait in the damn truck.”
Ronnie raises his upper lip in disgust, eyes Tracy for a few more breaths, and rises from his seat. He looks back and forth between us and his partner before he storms out of the restaurant. I feel some of the tension leave Xerox as I slide my hand up and down his leg.
Tracy gives me a tight smile. “Sorry about that. And yes, we’re very aware of Nero. Needless to say, we have eyes on him at all times. In fact, that’s what led us to you.”
“To me?” I ask in confusion. “You mean to my brothers, who he tries to pull into his dirty business?”
“We noticed your brothers are involved, but Nero seems to treat them different. We have reason to believe it’s his second in command that pulls them in. But that’s another matter. He led us to you. At first we thought you were his girlfriend, but it soon became clear you weren’t. What worries us most is that he fell into a pattern that clearly displays stalker-like behavior, tracking your every move.”
I feel Xerox peel my fingers off his leg.
“Shit. Sorry,” I mutter, because I might have had a death grip on him.
He laces his fingers with mine. “That sounds about right, we’ve known for a few days. Question is…what are you guys going to do about it? Keeping both Maci and her brothers safe that is.”
Wait…what?
Ripping my fingers away from his, I stand up to face Xerox fully and snap. “You knew?”
I can’t believe he knew and didn’t tell me. I’m about to flip my shit when Xerox beats me to it. Flashing up, he’s invading my personal space in the next instant. His fingers wrap around my throat while his gaze connects with the agent sitting across us. “Look away, shut it, and stay in your fucking seat.”
Both my hands are curled around his wrist, digging my nails in, trying to tear his grip away from my neck. He leans in close, his nose almost touching mine. Fury is flowing through me, I see it mirrored in his eyes. I’m about to sink my teeth into his nose. Somehow this feels like a betrayal, although it might be anger and disgust from becoming aware Nero has been following me.
“Not the time or place,” Xerox growls, quickly rearing his head back to avoid my teeth.
His hand disappears from my throat as he tries to catch my fists that I’m now trying to connect with his jaw. Yes, I’m fighting him in a fucking restaurant. Or trying to at least, except I can’t even manage to get a single punch in. He’s got both my arms pinned behind my back.
He clicks his tongue in dismay while he slowly shakes his head. “Don’t fucking dare go full force over a piece of information I didn’t get a chance to discuss with you yet. We’re gonna put a pause in this discussion and hash it out the second we’re home. As for right now,” he leans in close to my ear, his voice barely a whisper, “there are no kids around, only adults. Three people at a table on the right, four sitting two tables away. Fuck them and the agent sitting at our table, because if you keep this up…I will bend you over this table and spank some sense into that tight ass of yours. You, little hot head, make my blood pump harder. It’s a one-way stream to my dick when your mouth and fists start flying. You’d best remember that when you have another one of your outbursts.”
Great. How does he do that? I was so angry at him and here he goes, wrapping me in his scent while holding me tight and telling me these things, clearly voicing an image to visualize inside my brain to distract me. He makes me all hot and desired by him. My chest is heaving and my heartbeat has gone haywire.
A few breaths ago, fury was the driving force behind it. Now? It’s the seed of desire that’s taken root, growing full force into a yearning that can only be harvested by the man who put it there. Xerox. I want him. No. I need him. Right this second. I hear someone clear their throat behind us. Shit. I can’t believe I’m picturing him bending me over this table and…
“Okay. Later,” I growl, anger back full force.
Yet again I can’t pinpoint the source of my anger. Is it about him reacting this way? About Nero, that asshole disrupting my life? Or at myself, the way I handle things…or better yet…how I can’t seem to handle my own freaking body when Xerox is around?
With a smirk on his face, he nods. “Later. But first…taste the fire you light up, ‘cause that’s only meant for you,” Xerox says, before his mouth covers mine in a kiss that’s filled with promise. And too damn short to fully enjoy his mouth.
He guides me back in the booth we were occupying and slides in next to me. Xerox’s arm is around my waist and his finger sneaks underneath my shirt and gently moves back and forth feathering over my skin, soothing my agitation about this whole situation.
“We’re ready to continue,” Xerox tells the agent, Tracy, who’s got her eyes glued on her phone.
She lays it down on the table and connects her gaze with mine. “Your man cares about you.” The corner of her mouth twitches in amusement. “You might not want to fight him all that much.”
I release a deep sigh and reluctantly nod at her statement. “Yeah, well…he claimed me only a few hours ago. So…”
“Wow. Just a few hours and already so intense? Where can I get me one of those?” Tracy chuckles. “Never mind, I’ve got no place in my life for a man right now.”
“Definitely not if you’re surrounded by idiots like the one you just told to wait in the truck,” I tell her.
Now she laughs out loud. “Yes. That’s it exactly. Wieners, without swag. Boring as hell. Ugh, sorry…I’m complaining about things I should…”
I reach out and tap her hand. “I embrace the switch of topic. Feel free to drop by my house…”
Shit.
Xerox chuckles. “My woman means, feel free to drop by the compound. I’ve got enough brothers without an Old Lady to spice up some…”
I slap my hand against Xerox’s chest. “Shut up already, we need her to feel welcome. Don’t treat her like one of those…”
Dammit. I can’t finish my sentence and it seems none of us at this table are able to because Tracy’s iPhone gives a buzz. She touches the screen and turns her eyes on me. “Thank you. Now, to get back to the invitation concerning your house…I was informed about a shooting.”
Nodding, I explain my experience with the situation by giving only the headlines. “Nero showed up at my doorstep. I heard a knock on the door and didn’t bother to look through the peephole. Xerox came up behind me when I opened the door. We had some words and I closed the door in his face. Then Xerox and I were talking for a moment and bullets start flying.”
“A few of my brothers showed up a little later and appeared to have chased them away. Them meaning Nero and his guys, obviously,” Xerox adds.
“No, not Nero.” Tracy shakes her head. “We had confirmation he paid a short visit to her house but didn’t get further than the porch, then he left but drove around and returned an hour later. That’s when he went a little crazy.”
“Explain crazy,” Xerox bites out.
“He walked up to the house and we’re guessing that’s when he saw the bullet holes. He got on the phone and started yelling, pacing up and down, pointing at the house. Then he got in his truck and drove away.”
“So glad you guys tailed him, not the crazy person who came to my house when Nero left,” I mutter.
“Like I said, we have reason to believe it’s his second in command who doesn’t agree with the way Nero’s obsessed with you.” Tracy softens her voice but the words hit me hard.
“Maybe you should put a trail on his ass too, you know…for the sake of my safety and all.” I can’t help but snap out those words.
“I already made sure of that before I stepped foot in this restaurant…” Before Tracy can continue, her phone starts to ring.
She holds up a finger and takes the call, clearly listening to the person talking on the other line. Her eyes connect with mine for a moment before she directs them toward the door of the restaurant.
Xerox’s thumb is still stroking my skin underneath my shirt. “Relax, darlin’. We got this. We’re all looking out for you and your brothers.”
“Sorry. I’ve got to go.” Tracy stands up and reaches over to shake my hand. “If something comes up, I’ll contact you, and be sure to give me a call when you need me.” Tracy takes a card out of her blazer and hands it to me.
“Thank you, I appreciate it,” I tell her, meaning every word.
“Here.” Xerox hands Tracy a piece of paper. “That’s got three cell numbers on there, if something’s up, call one of those numbers. Oh…and feel free to drop by the compound.” Xerox winks.
Tracy chuckles and shakes her head before she connects her gaze with me once more. “Don’t make it so hard on him, he means well.”
“Damn sure she’s making it hard,” Xerox mutters.
“And that would be my cue to leave.” Tracy smiles as she walks out of the restaurant.
I smack Xerox across the chest.
“What?” he asks in shock.
“Damn sure she’s making it hard,” I mimic his voice. “Real mature, baboon, real mature. Get that thick head of yours out of the gutter.”
“Thick head, huh?” He bursts out in laughter before he drags me out of the booth and smacks my ass. “Come on, Captain Cookie, we’re hitting the gym back at the clubhouse...you and I have some unfinished business.”
I glare at the baboon in return, acting furious, while on the inside my whole body lights up at the thought of the unfinished business. I hope the workout involves a thick head and something hard. Dammit, seems Xerox isn’t the only one with the head in the gutter.