SEVENTEEN
LANA surprises me by showing up at the bar.
I hug her and get her a drink, waiting for everyone to be served before I return and stop in front of her. “I feel like I haven’t spoken to you in ages.”
“I know,” she says. “That’s why I decided to come and see you. What’s been going on?”
I give her a quick rundown, which has her brown eyes wide and a smile playing on her lips.
“So you’re dating Arrow?” she repeats for the third time.
I shrug. “I don’t think dating is the word. Fucking is probably more apt.”
Since apparently I couldn’t even ask the man a freaking question without it stepping over a line.
She downs her drink. “That’s quite a story.”
“I know,” I reply. “Do you want to go out for lunch tomorrow after my morning class?”
She nods. “Sounds good. I’m going shopping with my mother in the morning, but apart from that I have nothing else to do.”
“Why don’t you keep in touch with any of your friends from school?” I ask her.
She shrugs. “After you left I was kind of a loner; I don’t really keep in touch with anyone.”
I frown. “Why?”
She shifts in her seat and looks away. “I guess I just kind of kept to myself, I don’t know.”
Okay, there is definitely a story there, one she doesn’t want to share. I make a mental note to try and get her to open up about it another time. If anyone has hurt my Lana, they better run.
“Their loss,” I reply, meaning it 100 percent.
She smirks into her drink. “Your life is much more interesting than mine.”
“Yeah, I’m not sure that’s a good thing,” I reply, but a small smile plays on my lips. A seriously hot guy with violet eyes and dark hair comes into the bar and chats with Reid and Ryan. He has twin dimples that I find seriously hot, and the perfect amount of stubble on his jaw. I glance at Lana to see her checking him out as well.
“He could make my life more interesting,” she says with a grin.
I exhale. “I have no doubt of that.”
The man glances over at us, and Lana and I quickly look away, Lana’s cheeks burning at being caught. From the corner of my eye, I see him approach. Lana feigns noninterest, staring down at her drink, while I lift my head and offer him a friendly smile.
“Hello,” I say.
“Hi, I’m Dash,” he says, flashing a smile that I’m sure has dropped many panties.
“Anna. And this is Lana,” I say, nodding toward my bestie.
Lana looks up and smiles tentatively. “Hi.”
Dash nods at the seat next to Lana. “Can I sit here?”
Lana glances at me, then nods.
I hide my grin.
“Can I get you another drink, Dash?” I ask.
“I’m good, thanks,” he says, and I take that as my cue to leave, ignoring Lana’s pleading looks.
I go over to Reid and Ryan and stand between them. “Your friend is a hottie.”
Reid ignores my comment, but Ryan flashes me an amused look. The rest of the evening passes quickly. Thirty minutes before my shift is over, Arrow walks in. I’m looking down at the cash register when he enters, but I know he’s there.
It’s like I can feel him.
The atmosphere in the room changes, thickens. I raise my eyes and he’s standing there, arms crossed over his chest and his gaze locked on me. He takes a seat at the corner of the bar. I’m still angry with him, but at the same time I kind of want to rip his clothes off and have my way with him. Maybe the only way to survive Arrow is to be his fuck buddy? It’s clear that a deeper relationship with him doesn’t look like it will ever happen. He’s so closed off, and if he expects me to not even ask him any questions? Yeah, I can’t live like that. I want an open, trusting relationship. A safe place where I can say what I want and be who I am.
I want a partner, not someone who thinks he can control me. I understand with the club there are times I have to back away. I get that. I know that the club business doesn’t really have anything to do with me, but at the same time I’m the one who got kidnapped because of them. Knowledge is power, and without it, I feel like I’m stumbling around a room blind. And then there’s the fact that Arrow’s obviously carrying around some heavy emotions concerning Mary.
I don’t even want to touch that subject.
After ignoring him a few minutes, I walk over. “Beer?”
He nods, eyes narrowed slightly. “That’s how you greet your man when you see him?”
“I’m working,” I reply.
He rakes his teeth over his bottom lip.
I look away and grab him a beer from the fridge. “I’ll be done soon.”
He nods once, then turns to scan the bar. It’s not very busy tonight, with only a few tables filled with people. Lana left about an hour ago, Dash offering to walk her to her car. I wonder what happened there.
I’m wiping down the counters when Reid tells me I can go home. I throw the dishrag down and grab my bag, not looking forward to facing the tension with Arrow. He stands without a word and walks me to the door. He even opens it for me. We walk to his bike and ride back to my apartment in complete silence. I fumble with my keys while Arrow waits patiently for me to unlock the door. I finally get it open and walk in before him. He locks the door while I put the light on and lay my handbag on the table.
“You want something to drink or eat?” I ask, glancing at him before heading to the kitchen.
“No, I’m good,” he replies. “Faye fed me before I went to Knox’s.”
I know that shouldn’t annoy me, but it does. I should be the one feeding him. I push the ridiculous feeling away and head straight for the bathroom, where I take a quick shower and prepare for bed. Arrow is lying on my bed when I walk out, checking something on his phone. He puts it down as soon as he realizes I’m standing here.
“Come here,” he says. A soft, yet firm demand.
Dressed in a long T-shirt and nothing else, I climb up on the bed and crawl to him, then lay my head on his warm chest.
“If you’re pissed at me, you tell me why, Anna. I’m not a mind reader,” he says quietly. “I don’t like the silent treatment or your ignoring me. I know we’re still getting to know each other, so I’m letting it slide this time, but next time, I expect you to open that luscious mouth of yours and tell me what has your knickers in a twist.”
I swallow. “Arrow, I asked you a simple question, like one would ask anyone else, and you shut me down. If you want it that way, why bother to talk at all? Let’s just fuck and then go on our merry way.”
The tension in the room spikes. He’s quiet, but I can actually feel him silently fuming. He’s trying to control it.
“I don’t like being questioned,” he says after a few moments. “At least not by pussy.”
He did not just say that.
I lift my head and try to push myself off his body. “You fucking arrogant jerk—”
He puts his hand over my mouth. “I wasn’t finished. You aren’t just pussy, so you’re right, I shouldn’t have cut out like that. This is new for me too, darlin’.”
“How is this new for you? What about—”
I don’t even want to say her name.
“Mary was different. She didn’t ask questions,” he says softly, cringing slightly. “I’m not trying to upset you by saying that, you know? You’re a different woman—you’re a strong woman, and I like that about you, a lot. I can be myself with you and know you won’t go running scared. Instead, you will give shit back to me in full force. Fuckin’ love that, Anna. Obviously there’s shit I can’t and won’t tell you, and you can’t push me on that.”
I nod. “I get that.”
“Good, then there’s no problem here. Now give me the kiss that you should have given me when you first saw me tonight,” he demands.
I reluctantly give in, leaning over him and pressing my lips to his. He takes over the kiss instantly, taking control. His hand slides up my thigh, and he makes a growling sound when he realizes I’m wearing nothing underneath.
“Came to bed wanting to get fucked, didn’t you?” he rumbles into my ear, biting down on it gently before kissing my neck, licking and sucking just hard enough to not leave a mark behind. I make a needy sound, letting him know I need more. He lifts the T-shirt off me, throwing it somewhere on the floor, and gets up, standing next to the bed, removing his own clothes. I watch his every move, enjoying the view, licking my lips in anticipation. He knows it, giving me a little show, rubbing a hand down his abs and over his erect cock. I think of what Faye said about it “pointing like an arrow” and can’t help the giggle that escapes me. It is literally pointing in my face. Arrow lifts an eyebrow at me, then grabs me and kisses me greedily, wrapping my hair around his hand and pulling gently.
“What’s so amusing?” he asks in a deep voice.
“Nothing,” I pant.
He flips me over and pulls my back to his front. I groan at the skin-on-skin contact, how nice he feels pressed against me. Lips on my favorite spot, the crook between my neck and my shoulder, one hand plays with my breasts while the other one trails lower, stroking me intimately.
“So wet for me,” he murmurs, pulling back, holding my hips and pushing me forward so I’m on all fours. Without further preamble, he slides into me from behind with one smooth thrust that has me gripping the sheets and begging for more.
“Beautiful,” he grits out, and I look behind to see him staring down at where we’re joined. “Touch your clit, Anna.”
I reach down and touch myself, my thighs starting to tremble. Just as I’m about to come, Arrow pulls out, flips me over, and then his mouth is on me, devouring me as I come in his mouth.
“Oh my God,” I pant as I come back to myself.
He leans over me and smiles, his eyes dark and full of passion. “Not done with you yet, Anna.”
I smile as he slides back into me.