Ownership. That’s what she felt when he looked at her. And rather than being patronizing, terrifying, or suffocating, it warmed her blood all the way around her body. It was like last night when he’d accepted that she was running and hadn’t pushed her about what she was running from. Guy got it.

She stood, about to go over to him, but he turned his back on her and started a conversation with the two bikers next to him. Nice try, boss man, but you’re mine now. He was going to give her a bed tonight and, if last night was anything to go by, neither of them were going to get much sleep.

The rest of the day filtered away into a chain of drinking and talking crap with the new friends who seemed only too happy to dream up ideas for the car wash now that it had the tick of approval from Hade. By the time night had stolen the light from the windows, the bar was emptying out and taking a chance, she followed Hade out a side door. The men’s room? Really? She put a hand on the door and pushed. Yes, apparently.

He was standing staring at himself in the mirror, his hands fisted on the counter when she walked in.

“What the—? Did you not read the sign on the door?”

“Maybe I thought you had a thing for bathrooms.”

The echo of a smile tugged at his lips. “Nice. Sorry to disappoint though.” He started to head to the door.

“Not so fast. I think you at least owe me a thank-you.”

“Do I now? And why is that? I recall you having as much fun as I did last night.”

So he was still thinking about last night. Excellent. “Glad that I left such a lasting impression. I was talking about the car wash. But seeing as you brought it up . . .” She stepped closer and delicately opened his leather jacket before taking one more step and letting her breasts just brush his ribs.

For a second, he stalled, looking down at her with his nostrils flaring.

Neither of them moved. But she could feel the sharp intake of his breath when she put a hand to his chest.

“You don’t have to be afraid of me, you know. I’m not going to come between you and your little gang.”

He snorted. “Me? Afraid of a scrap of a thing like you?”

“So, take me to bed. Your bed.” There, it was out there. “If you say you don’t want me, I’ll leave you alone. I won’t necessarily believe you,” she trailed a finger down his chest, “but I’ll leave you alone.” There they were. All her cards on the table and she hoped like hell he picked them up. It wasn’t like she had any other options right at the moment.

He let a guttural growl escape his throat. Taking her hands off his chest and gripping her wrists, he walked her back to the wall of the bathroom, pinning her there with a thud. Go boy.

He took her chin in his hand and smoothed his rough thumb remarkably lightly across her skin.

“You saw what happened in there. I’m going to head up the Hell’s Boys. I don’t know what that means in your world but in mine that means no women. You’re too distracting and it’d be too easy for someone to get at me if I had a woman around. Especially a woman like you.”

“Like me?”

“One who trusts too easily. Who thinks it’s a good idea to head upstairs in a gang bar with someone who rolls with the other team.”

She shrugged. “He made it sound like a big joke.”

“It’s not.”

His voice hit her right between the eyes. As much as she was enjoying playing the vixen with him, this guy was dangerous. Best to keep things straight with him. “You’re not the leader yet.” She tried out a smile, hoping to spark his again. “I’m sure no one in there would expect you to become a saint overnight. And it’s not like this is a serious thing. A bit of fun must be allowed, man’s gotta live a little.” She licked her lips and she saw the reaction in his pupils. The black pupils grew, trying valiantly to steal all the dark brown color from his irises.

“You’re an expert on men’s needs, are you?”

She licked her teeth and then bit her lip for good measure. “Something like that. I can promise you that I’m going to be the one to raise the most money at your car wash.”

“Still can’t believe we’re doing that.”

“It’ll be fine. Group of very dirty girls getting wet, what could be better?”

He paused and she had to bite her tongue to stop herself from filling the silence. The ball was in his court. She needed him to fire it over the net and into her lap if she was going to set herself up at his place for the week like she wanted.

“It was thanks you wanted, wasn’t it?” he said and finally released her chin, slipping both hands lightly up her top to skate across her nipples till she thought her breasts might actually break from aching for him to take them in his mouth.

Putting a hand on his cock, she forced out what she hoped was a relaxed smile. “Like I said, if you say you don’t want me, I’ll leave you alone. But I won’t believe you.” She pushed his hands away from her chest and dropped to her knees.

For a moment he stiffened, then let her unzip his leathers and release his ready erection. Not waiting for him to change his mind, she took him in her mouth. He was velvety soft against her tongue, and she tasted a bead of his desire as it squeezed its way into her mouth, preempting the main event.

“Hell’s teeth, girl.”

Lee came up for air long enough to chuckle. “Good, right?” She flicked her tongue over his head and took him back into her mouth, scraping her teeth gently along his full length. He groaned, and she sucked him deep to the back of her throat before she started a hard and fast rhythm.

“God, you have such soft lips, they’re fucking great. And that tongue of yours is so dirty.” His voice was gravelly again, forced out despite his tight jaw.

Lee smiled and increased her speed and Hade pushed his hands into her hair, guiding her. She chanced a look up and, yes, he had his eyes closed. Feeling his grip in her hair intensify, she added a hand to his cock and gently squeezed to egg him on.

God, she loved giving head. The power it gave her over men, the way their lust transformed them into playthings for her own entertainment. She felt herself getting wet. Wanting the climax to shudder through him and let the sensation thrill her own senses.

“Oh shit, sorry. I’ll come back.” The Hell’s member backed out of the bathroom faster than a soccer mom at a biker convention.

Lee tried to get back to work, but Hade released her hair and pulled her to her feet and took her hand. “Not here. You’re right, I’m not taking over from Rocco yet. Let’s go.”

But once they got to the parking lot, Lee stopped. “Hang on. That’s yours?”

Hade turned to her, his dark eyes flashing in the closing gloom. “What did you expect?”

She wasn’t sure what she expected the almost-head of a biker gang to ride. Of course it was going to be a bike. A glistening chrome Harley no less, with about five inches between her and fatal injury as soon as she got on it.

“I dunno, maybe a smaller bike,” she managed. “Or something with a bit more . . .” Shit. Riding on the back of a death trap like the one in front of her wasn’t high on her bucket list. Thrills came from riding a man, not a machine, as far as she was concerned.

“Well, this is my ride. You coming or not?”

Thinking things through had never really been her strong suit. Quitting school to start dancing without telling her folks, moving into Conner’s trailer when her stepfather did find out. She stiffened at the memory of his face and the way her mother had cowered instead of sticking up for her.

The second man her mother had married had more issues than a chicken in a fox farm. He decided he was the only one who would have a key to the house and he doled out the exact change for the bus so he knew her every move, all the time. Even their daily meals had to be approved every Sunday night.

Lee flinched as she thought about Sunday nights. The first Sunday he’d stayed over had been when she discovered his penchant for punishing little girls as well as their mothers.

Lee pulled her jacket closer against the night air. That was then, and her boss biker was waiting. Why break the habit of a lifetime and start thinking things through now?

She put on a smile and tried not to look at the red flames and deadly looking skull on the side of the bike. It’s just a bike. And he’s probably a great rider.

“Never know,” he said as he settled her behind him. “You might enjoy it. Girl like you, big machine rumbling between your thighs . . .”

It was only a short ride, and just like he said, once she got over her fear of being smashed into the smallest of pieces by an oncoming truck, or the pavement, Lee did start to enjoy the ride. The machine was incredibly responsive and Hade was a great rider. A great ride all around. Just as she was getting into the rhythm of leaning into Hade as he accelerated around corners, they were there. A stark concrete warehouse with all the lights off.

“Top floor,” he said as he tucked the helmets under the seat and locked the bike. “Follow me.”

The sight of Hade’s butt, tightly clad in black leather, did nothing to calm her down as he took the stairs two at a time. If he’d slowed down she might have taken a chance and given it a healthy whack. Good one. No way a guy like that lets you get away with smacking him on the ass without retribution. She smirked, remembering his hand on her butt the night before, the thought of it sending a shaft of heat between her thighs.

When she’d had him in her mouth, the look on his face had gotten her wet, and now, after the vibration of his bike between her legs and the way he was clearly intent on getting her to his place, she hoped he wasn’t planning on an extended foreplay session.

Before her imagination had a chance to go any further, they reached the top floor and he unlocked the oversized steel door. Turning, he pulled her inside and over to a couch. The streetlights from outside were the only illumination, making the place seem like something from a Batman movie.

“Hope that tight little pussy of yours is ready, because I’m going to fuck you now.”

She unzipped her jeans and dropped them to the floor without saying a word, closely followed by her white T-shirt, then took the last step toward the couch before laying down on it, splaying her legs in invitation.

“I know how you have a thing for black lace,” she said. “Wanted to make sure you got a chance to see it before you lost focus.”

He grunted and she watched him unzip and roll on a condom before he lay on top of her and she felt the full extent of his length pushed against her thigh. He pulled back and ran a finger down her slit. “Good girl.” Sliding her panties down with a quick flick of his wrist, he was suddenly inside her and her breath came out in a giant gasp as she was forcibly reminded how big he was. For a moment neither of them moved and she relished the pause as she got used to his girth and he twitched inside her, clearly ready to ride her all the way to oblivion.

“Don’t get polite now,” she said. Knowing the response she’d get. “Fuck me. Hard. And then do it again.”

His growl was the only warning she got before he did exactly as she asked and he was pumping himself hard into her, their flesh slapping together in a steady rhythm from the get-go. He held her hips and tilted her back a little and she hissed through her teeth as he hit her G-spot with his cock.

All too soon, she felt herself skirting on the edge of insanity, the sensations washing through her ready to capsize everything.

“Buckle up baby, ’cause I’m about to drive you over the edge, fast, when I come.” His voice was raw emotion. Raw lust.

All she could manage was a moan of agreement. One hand left her hips and pulled the cup of her bra down, squeezing her nipple hard as she let out a sharp cry. “Oh yes, I’m close, yes babe.”

He stopped, pulling himself almost all the way out of her and she shuddered as the tail of her orgasm slipped out of sight. “What the hell?”

Hade pushed himself up on his arms to look her in the eye. “If you’re having fun with me, you’re having fun with me. Period. Kiss another guy in front of me without asking if I like it and you don’t get to walk away with a smile on your face next time.”

His words were hard, but the look in his eye told her this was about honor, not threatening her life. She couldn’t help a little poke at his ego. “You telling me what to do?”

“Damn straight.”

She smiled. “If you say so.” She wiggled beneath him, thrusting her pelvis against him, noting he was still as hard as ever.

“I say so.” He rammed his cock back inside her at the end of the sentence, watching her as he did it. “Don’t fuck with me.”

“As long as you don’t stop again, we’ll be fine.”

“I’m not stopping now. Not till you beg.” And he picked up his pace, thrusting into her till she almost couldn’t see straight. Soon the edge of her orgasm returned, the surge of sensation spilling over her skin as he kept up his rhythm.

“Fall apart.” He put a hand back on her breast and the combination of his hands on her skin and his cock wrapped up in her sweet velvet passage almost undid her. She put a hand over his and cupped her breast, encouraging him to increase the pressure on her nipple. As he did, he twisted, hitting her G-spot hard. Instantly, she started shaking.

“Beg me for it,” he growled.

“Oh god. Oh yes. Oh just there,” she cried. “Don’t stop.”

“Say please.”

“Please, holy fuck, please.”

And he kept his word, plunging himself into her over and over till the shuddering fall into darkness consumed her entirely. Then, as her free-fall started to ease, he cried out and she felt him pulsing into her.

For a moment neither of them moved, their heavy breathing the only sound in the vast, dark room. His weight on top of her didn’t feel heavy. On the contrary, he felt right. Hot, hard, a solid weight she could hold onto for a moment. Then he withdrew, his absence feeling like a loss until he turned her around and scooped her up. He carried her to his bed in the corner of the room and flicked on a table lamp to throw a circle of warm, yellow light into the darkness. She was suddenly aware that the room was cold and clambered under the sheets and thick bedspread. “Shit. It’s freezing in here. You trying to give me pneumonia?”

Chuckling, he finally stripped off his clothes and climbed in next to her. “Don’t want to burn the place down.”

She raised an eyebrow when he pulled her to him but was glad to shuck her bra and steal some of his heat. “Figured you’d be more of a go outside for a cigarette afterward kinda guy.”

“I think you’ll find I’m full of surprises.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that.”

He leaned over and stroked her breast, softly this time. “So, you don’t need to tell me what brought you here. But just tell me if anyone’s likely to turn up here with a gun if I let you stay the night.”

She bit the inside of her cheek. It had hardly been a full twenty-four hours, and yet she wanted to cuddle with the guy. “It was a guy. Or rather, getting away from a guy. He won’t come after me. Too much effort.” She’d been thinking about Conner when she said it, but really it was all of Boston she was running from.

“That’s it?”

“Mostly.”

Hade nodded. “Everyone’s got a past. It’s just working out how to keep it from repeating that’s the hard bit.”

“A philosopher, are you?”

“Hardly.” Now she saw him, grappling with something. “You’re not running. So what’s eating you?” She pushed herself up on her elbows and looked at his face. “Shit’s been cruel to you, no matter that you’re the big guy. You’ve lost someone?”

He shrugged. “Everyone’s lost someone around here. Gives us a reason for sticking together.”

They were both quiet a moment. Then he brightened. “Back to living in the now. So really, what the hell did you think I was going to ride?”

“Not my best moment. But you have to be impressed that I got over myself.”

He chuckled again. “Indeed.” A lazy hand made its way over her stomach and up to cup her other breast.

“That’s nice.”

“Nice?” He squeezed more firmly and ran a thumb over her nipple, pushing it in a firm circle. A little breathy sound escaped her throat involuntarily.

“Maybe something other than nice,” she managed. But he abruptly withdrew the hand.

“Okay then, car wash. Tell me again what we’re going to do to raise the money.”

“How much cash do you need?” she asked as she took his hand and placed it back on her breast. She’d cut off his nice comment. But he was right. This was beyond nice.

“St. Catherine’s needs to fix their basketball court. Only place most kids around here get to play that isn’t covered in dog shit and old needles. They had about four and a half grand raised. But to fix the place up properly, I think they’ll need more like seven.”

“Right, then. We better raise seven grand.”

He smiled, and for the first time, there was real warmth in his smile rather than raw lust. It was nice, she decided; the crinkles around his eyes were sexy. And with a start she realized it was the first time she’d seen a man smile at her about something other than sex in a long, long time. Surely not? She flicked through the last six months of conquests in her head and realized that, no, this was the first time she’d gotten into bed with a man and talked. Talked!

“Seven grand will do nicely.”

Lee paused. What are you doing? Treat ’em mean, baby. But she didn’t feel like doing that with Hade. There was no danger of the guy running out of steam, his hand had started steadily kneading her breast and it was sending all sorts of heat down to the crease between her legs.

“So why does a biker care about a school’s fund-raising stash? Really?”

His hand paused and he slid it around her torso before pulling her on top of him underneath the blankets. “You have fucking great skin. You know that?”

“So I’ve been told. But it doesn’t answer why a guy like you gives a shit about a school. Or,” she realized the truth of her words, “more importantly, why you want a bunch of guys like you to care.”

“And here I was thinking you just wanted me for my cock.”

“Oh, I want you for your cock. I’m just interested. Doesn’t stack up.” She put her head on his chest and absently traced the hard planes of his chest with a finger.

“Why would I tell you anything?”

“Because I’m not involved. It’s easier to spill to a stranger.” Really? Really. She’d be gone in a week. All care and no responsibility, remember?

“Hell’s Boys is family for me,” he said carefully. “My pop died defending them, and my brother was supposed to be heading up the gang. Idiot got himself shot. So that’s it. This is what I’ve got. But if I’m going to lead this bunch of fuckers, I’m going to make some changes. Starting with making sure we don’t shit in our own nest. St. Catherine’s has been good to this neighborhood. They’ve taken in more Hell’s Boys than is good for them, and the principal, well, let’s just say she’s helped out a few boys who needed to hide a while. We owe them. I owe them.”

Lee sat up and put her hands on her hips. “If I hadn’t seen how scared half your gang is of you, I’d wonder if you were a biker at all. Sounds like you give a shit about more than money and getting high.”

“I don’t get high.”

He was quick off the mark there, his face instantly closed to her.

“Sore spot?”

“Could say that.”

There was a pause and she wondered if that was going to be it. So much for your revolutionary reentry into polite conversation.

“Drugs are shit. Simple. Fuck you up. Fuck everyone you know up. I’m not into them, it’s my thing. Some gangs make their money out of sucking the lifeblood of junkies and rich college kids. I don’t want any of that. Plenty of other ways to make cash.”

“Like a car wash,” she said, hoping to lighten the mood again.

He slapped her hard on the butt and she lay back down on top of him. “Ooo, you going to do that again?”

“I know how you like it, but I’m going to save it up so I make you scream next time you ride my dick. You haven’t said how you’re going to pull that much cash out of your bucket of soapy water yet.”

She smiled. “What just happened here . . .” She waved a hand over toward the couch. “I’m going to do that, but with your car.”

“I don’t have a car.”

“Not your car, obviously. But the guy who comes to the car wash with his precious Porsche? I’m going to give his car a virtual blow job.”

He laughed, throwing his head back. Then he tipped her chin up and brushed his thumb over her lips sending shivers through her when she realized they still hadn’t kissed. They hadn’t kissed and she didn’t mind. A sudden flash of revelation came and she worried whether this was a problem. If he didn’t kiss her and she wanted him to, did that mean she wanted more from him? Stop it. What did it matter? This wasn’t a happily-ever-after scenario.

But it hit her like a slap. She liked Hade Corban. Liked, liked him. That hadn’t happened for . . . well, forever really. Maybe it was his talk of family. A family she didn’t have anymore. And one that maybe, just maybe, she’d been looking for ever since she left her downtrodden mother and the asshat behind.

A pang of sympathy for her mom rushed at her, but no way was she going to let someone tie her down like that. She’d begged her mom to get out, to call the police, but she wouldn’t even talk about it. And the one time Lee had gotten the cops to turn up, her mom and stepfather had put on such a great show the police had left without a backward glance.

Lee was well out of there, and she was never going back. Good times, all the time, that was what she was after now.

Hade snapped her back to the present. “Your deep throat was fucking great, lady, but I don’t see how you’re going to get a car in there.”

“If you take everything I say literally, there are going to be some interesting conversations,” she said, relishing the way his eyes were locked with hers. “I used to be a burlesque dancer. I’m going get on top of that car and make that guy wish he was somewhere dark and private by the end of it. Then I’m going to smile sweetly and get him to hand over the cash.”

His smile dimmed. Jealous again? Lee took that thought and hugged it to herself like a blanket. Although he’d stolen an orgasm that should have been hers earlier, when he gave his little lecture about not being with other bikers, she liked that he gave a shit, that he didn’t want to share her.

“It’s only for show,” she said. “And only to make you the money for the school.”

He cleared his throat. “I don’t doubt you look good on top of a car. But seven grand worth of good?”

“Need me to show you?”

“Thought you were never going to ask.” She ran a hand down his chest and, yes, he was hard again. This was going to be one long, hot week.

* * *

The next few days were just that. A whirlwind of going down to Wilde’s, cajoling the other bikers’ women into being involved in the car wash, making a list of soap, buckets, sponges, and car wax, and then visiting sites to find one that was going to work for the big event.

When she spotted a vacant lot on the corner of some of the city’s busiest streets, Lee went back to Hade’s place excited at the possibility but worried that they wouldn’t get permission to use it. Next day however, Hade slapped a Council Permit on her ass as she sat at the bar.

“Don’t ask,” he said when she started questioning how on earth he’d managed it. But she’d come to discover she didn’t need to question Hade much. He might have been tight with talk in public, but for a guy who was about to head up one of L.A.’s most notorious biker gangs, the guy was pretty open with her.

And she had to admit she was more than willing to open up to him. Especially when he bent her over and took her hard and fast over his bike, with the motor rumbling hot against her clit, like he had the night before. And the night before the car wash, he’d come home with a pair of black leather pants for her and made her put them on for him before pulling them down to her ankles and having her on the kitchen table.