EIGHTEEN
IF you’re here to kidnap me again, I’m going to be really fucking mad,” I tell Talon when I see him on my front doorstep. “Do you have a death wish? Why are you here?”
I reach into my handbag and fumble for my hot-pink pocketknife.
Talon just smirks at me. “I was in the neighborhood.”
I blink slowly. “Do you visit everyone you kidnap? Or am I special?”
He wets his lips before he speaks. “Just wanted to make sure you were okay and say sorry about what happened. It was fucked-up to bring you into it, but it was my only choice at the time. Know that if there was another way, I would have taken it, okay?”
He looks like he’s serious, like it’s important that I believe him.
I move my hand from my pocketknife to my house keys. “Are you alone?”
He puts his hand in his pocket and nods.
“Why are you really here, Talon?” I ask, my eyes searching his.
He looks down. “I just wanted to talk to you about something.”
“About what?” I ask.
“There’s something I need to explain about—”
It’s then that I hear the rumble of a motorcycle and cringe. “You better get out of here, Talon.”
He rubs the back of his neck. “Just let me fuckin’ say this to you, Anna.”
I narrow my eyes. “Do you want Arrow to beat the shit out of you?”
He scoffs. “I can handle myself, don’t you worry about me.”
I exhale slowly, gathering patience. “It’s not about that. I don’t want any more drama. So please, for me, just go.”
A muscle tics in his jaw, betraying his anger, but he nods and walks off.
Why the hell did I just save the man who kidnapped me?
There is something seriously wrong with me, but my gut instinct is that Talon would never hurt me.
I sigh in relief when I see him disappear on foot through the side of the apartment complex, and unlock my door, waiting for Arrow. He swaggers up the pathway, dressed in all black, tight T-shirt with his cut over it and black jeans. His hair looks damp and combed back, and he’s holding something in his hands.
“Hey, beautiful,” he says as he reaches me, lifting me in his arms and kissing me sweetly.
“Hi,” I say when his mouth finally leaves mine. “What have you got in your hand?”
“Oh, right,” he says, looking down as if only just realizing. “I bought you something. A present.” He looks unsure, which I can’t help but find adorable. “I hope you like it.”
He takes my hand and places the box in my palm, closing my fingers around it. I open my hand and lift it up closer.
“Don’t open it right now,” he says, cheeks heating. “Wait until I leave.” He looks around. “Please.”
I nod and try to hide my smile. “Can you just turn around so I can open it now?”
“Anna—”
“Please,” I say, sticking my lower lip out and giving him my best puppy dog–eyed look.
“Okay,” he says, exhaling deeply. “Open it.”
I open the box and sitting in a bed of velvet is a bracelet. It’s gold and embedded with diamonds. I flip it over, where I see an inscription.
K.A. & A.W.
Killian Arrowsmith & Anna Ward.
Was Arrow a closet romantic?
I glance up at him, amused at his red cheeks and touched by his present. I didn’t need gifts, but the inscription really made it special to me.
“I love it,” I tell him. “Thank you, Arrow. It’s beautiful. Will you help me put it on?” He nods and relaxes, helping me put the stunning piece of jewelry on my wrist. He then guides me into the house with his hand on the small of my back.
“Got some business to take care of tonight, so I can’t stay,” he says. “I just wanted to see you before I had to leave.”
“Okay,” I reply.
“I’d prefer it if you stayed at the clubhouse.”
“Duly noted,” I reply, having no intention of going anywhere.
His eyes cut to me, and his mouth tightens. “Anna—”
“Lana’s coming over later, okay? So I won’t be alone.”
“Ask her to stay the night,” Arrow says, relenting. “Deal?”
“Are you making a deal with me, Arrow? With me? A measly woman? I’m shocked,” I reply in a high falsetto.
“Cute,” he replies, looking amused. “It takes more than a measly woman to get my attention, Anna.”
I take his hand and lead him to the living room, then put the gift he gave me on the coffee table. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was meant as one,” he replies, taking a seat.
“How’s Rake been?” I ask, sitting down next to him. I haven’t seen him since the fight, and even though I’ve called him a few times he hasn’t returned my calls. It hurts like a hole in my chest. Never in my wildest dreams did I think he would shut me out after we’d only just reconnected.
Arrow’s eyes soften as he glances at me. “Don’t worry about Rake; he’ll come around. Let him sulk for the time being.”
“My brother doesn’t sulk,” I say, indignant.
“Of course he doesn’t.” Arrow smirks. “You want to go out for dinner?”
“Are you asking me out on a date?”
Arrow’s eyes widen.
He clears his throat.
“Fuck,” he blurts out.
“What?”
“I don’t remember the last time I went on a date,” he admits, looking a little sheepish. “I generally don’t have the time or the need to do anything but fuck.”
“Charming,” I mutter, pursing my lips. “I can see that I’ve picked a real winner here.”
He chuckles. “You didn’t pick me, darlin’. I picked you, and don’t you forget that.”
I roll my eyes. “Oh, please, I wanted you from the first time I saw you.”
“And I wanted you before that.”
“What?” I ask, searching his face. “What do you mean?”
He licks his bottom lip before he speaks. “Rake showed me a picture of you once. It was years ago. My dick got so hard and I knew that I wanted you even then.”
My eyes flare. “From a picture?”
“From a picture,” he deadpans. “You were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. And it fuckin’ sucked you were his sister.”
I make a scoffing sound. “Didn’t stop you though, did it?”
He pushes me back, laying me across the couch. “I always get what I want, Anna. Best you realize that now.”
“It’s cute that you think so,” I tell him, feeling amused. “That was obviously before you met me.”
His lip twitches. “Full of sass, Anna. Maybe I should fuck some of it out of you?”
My heart races. “You could try.”
He lowers his face and kisses my jawline. “I think you’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
My breath hitches as he kisses below my ear, then down my neck. When his warm breath blows over my nipple, through the thin cotton of my T-shirt, I moan out loud.
“Do you know what I want right now?” he asks softly.
Hopefully the answer to that involves his mouth and my pussy.
“What?”
He lifts his head and grins at me. “To go out to dinner. I’m fuckin’ hungry.”
I slap at his shoulder. “If you don’t make me come right now, Arrow, I’m not going to be very good company!”
He smirks. “I’m just playing, I’d never leave my woman wanting. Never.”
Thank goodness for that.
When he chuckles I realize I’d said that out loud. Sitting up I pull off my T-shirt and unclip my bra, throwing them both on the floor.
“Eager, are we?” he asks with a teasing glint in his eyes.
“Less talking, more fucking!” I tell him, throwing myself at him and kissing him passionately. He groans and cups my ass, pulling me closer against his body.
It hit me then.
It hit me hard.
I’ve fallen in love with Arrow.
I love him, but I know I shouldn’t.
Shutting my thoughts off, I concentrate on the man himself, on his tongue in my mouth, on his hand sliding down my leggings.
I lose myself in him, so I don’t question myself.
So I don’t ask myself if I think he can ever love me back.
Because I’m not sure I want to know the answer.
“Take off your clothes,” I practically growl as I take my mouth away from his. “I want you, now.”
“I give the orders here, Anna,” he rumbles deeply, then lowers his head to my nipple.
Okay, I could work with this.
Eventually, after he gives me the best foreplay of my life, he removes his clothes.
And then he makes love to me.
* * *
After dinner Arrow waits with me until Lana arrives. With a long kiss he leaves, and I turn to face Lana, who is watching me with a knowing look on her face.
“Now that was a kiss,” she says, pushing her glasses up on her nose.
“Indeed,” I say, watching Arrow’s retreating back for a moment before closing and locking the door. “What happened with Dash the other night?”
We wander into the living room, my face flushing slightly as I remember what happened in here just hours before. I sit down on the spot where we had sex, just so poor Lana doesn’t have to sit there.
“He walked me to my car and asked for my number. I gave it to him, and we’ve been texting and calling, but . . .”
She trails off. Who are we talking about again? Oh, Dash.
“But what?” I ask.
She cringes. “Tracker’s been calling me as well.”
My head snaps to hers. “That’s right. I wanted to ask you how you had each other’s numbers.”
She raises an eyebrow at me and plays with the end of her ponytail. “He got it from your phone. You must have left it lying around somewhere.”
“That jerk,” I grumble. “What does he message you? I love Tracker like my own brother, but he’s not done with Allie—she’s still living in the clubhouse. Don’t get involved in that mess; I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“He just needs a friend, Anna,” Lana says softly.
“Hey, I’m his friend,” I mutter.
She giggles at that. “We’re just friends, don’t have an Anna attack. I wouldn’t be with someone who has a girlfriend; I’m not a home wrecker.”
I start to laugh. “An Anna attack? I haven’t heard that since grade school.”
She leans back and grins. “Every time you lost your temper . . . There was no other word for it.”
“Ha!” I say loudly, making her jump a little. “Look who’s talking, little innocent Lana. I’ve seen you lose your temper, and it’s not pretty. Hell, even I’m scared.”
Her face goes red. “The difference between us is, you lose your temper every day. Mine is more like once a year.”
That was the truth.
“Well,” I say, crossing my legs under me, “your annual tantrum is worse than all of mine put together. Everyone runs for cover. Have you used up your tantrum quota for the year? I should sic you on Allie.”
We both laugh at that.
“What do you want to do tonight?” she asks.
I give her a Duh look. “Watch Outlander and perve on Jamie Fraser, of course.”
She grins. “Good thing I brought my pajamas for the occasion!”
“What pajamas?” I ask, perking up.
She gets her bag and pulls out a sleep top that reads “I’d rather be sleeping with Jamie.”
My eyes go wide. “I need that, like now.”
She rolls her eyes. “I got you a set. Obviously.”
“I love you,” I tell her on a sigh.
“I love you too,” she replies. “But I don’t think you should wear these around Arrow.”
I smirk, picturing his face. “I think you might be right on that one.”
We settle in for the night, some good old quality Lana time.
I love every second.
Even though I’m kind of missing Arrow.