FOUR
PUT me down, you rat bastard!” I yell, pummeling my fists on his ass. It’s a very nice ass, but still, that’s beside the point.
This is ridiculous.
And embarrassing.
Tracker puts Lana in the car. Unlike me, she never resisted when she was escorted out. However, I know that if I give in now, they will think they can do shit like this all the time. They will try to control my life. I can’t let that happen.
I won’t.
“Arrow, seriously! My jeans are falling down!”
I can feel a cold breeze on my ass.
He puts me down, grabs my nape, and steers me toward the car. “Maybe next time you should wear jeans that don’t show your ass.”
I wisely ignore his comment. “Where’s Rake?”
“He’s inside talking to the manager,” he replies, his warm breath on my neck giving me thoughts I shouldn’t be having.
I’m pissed at him!
Control yourself, Anna.
“Is that how you found out we were here?” I ask, straightening my posture as he removes his warm hand from my neck.
“Yep,” he replies, sounding almost cheerful about that fact. “We told them to keep an eye out. The second you entered, we got a text.”
“If any of you brutes so much as look at Lana the wrong way—”
“Lana is fine,” Arrow replies calmly. “Retract your claws.”
“I’m serious! She’s not used to your overbearing, assholish ways.”
“And you are?” he asks as he opens the backseat door.
I give him a pointed look. “Rake is my brother. I’ve been dealing with him my whole life.”
“That’s a nice way to put it,” he muses, lip twitching.
I fume. “You guys need a life. Find something better to do on a Saturday night.”
He sighs, and then his signature scowl returns. “Trust me, I was busy. Had a fine-looking woman on her knees, my cock deep in her throat, when Rake called me, telling me we had to go find his little sister. So don’t push me right now.”
My mouth drops open.
“Well, don’t let me keep you. I’m sure she’s a real catch,” I manage to get out. Like I needed that image. Bastard.
And screw the whore too, whoever she is.
I look away from him and am about to get in the car, wanting to leave his presence, when I see someone I never wanted to see again, in my life.
Ever.
I quickly look around for Rake, hoping he doesn’t remember what he looks like.
Jacob.
Fuckity fuck.
Jacob was the guy I dated in high school. I was fifteen and just entering the dating world. Rake pretty much scared off most of the boys who looked my way, but Jacob was different. He was two years older than me, and a year older than Rake. He was good-looking, with blond hair, hazel eyes, and he had a six-pack. Now, back in those days, a boy having a six-pack at that age was a big thing. It was like winning the lottery. So when Jacob asked me out, I was thrilled. He was a popular boy, liked by all the girls, and into sports. When Rake found out about the date, however, he wasn’t so happy. In fact, he told me I wouldn’t be going.
I begged.
He said no.
I cried.
He gave in and said yes.
But there were conditions.
He told me he would be meeting Jacob before the date and waiting up for me to come home, and if I was home even a second later than ten, he was beating the shit out of my date.
His words, not mine.
I agreed. Deep down inside I liked that Rake was looking out for me, so I never argued when he placed rules on me. I was a young girl with no father and a mother who didn’t give a shit, so when Rake cared, I needed that.
He met with Jacob before my date, and I could tell he didn’t like him. But me, being young, idealistic, and naïve, thought he was a great guy. We went to dinner and the movies, and then he dropped me back at my house. The problem was, we came home early. Rake was expecting us at ten, and we were home at nine. What I didn’t know was, Rake was seeing a girl of his own and was planning on coming home by nine thirty to make sure he was here to see that I was home safely. So when Jacob walked me to the door and asked to come in for a drink, I didn’t think anything of it. I’d called for Rake when we’d walked through the house but soon realized we were alone. I got him his drink and we sat on the couch, where he kissed me. I was okay with the kissing. It was when his hands went wandering that I told him no, I wasn’t ready. But the bastard didn’t listen. Rake came home just in time to stop something that could have been a hell of a lot worse than it was. Still, he blamed himself for not being there earlier. I remember just being happy I still had my virginity.
As if sensing someone watching him, Jacob turns and looks in my direction.
At me.
He studies me for a few tense moments, grins slowly. Not a friendly grin. No, more like a leer.
Yep—he saw me.
Fuck.
Creepy bastard.
“Who’s that guy you’re staring at?” Arrow rumbles from behind me.
I turn around, putting my back to Jacob. “No idea.”
“Then why you fuckin’ watching him?” he asks, narrowing his eyes.
“Maybe I think he’s good-looking,” I manage to get out, the words tasting like acid on my tongue.
Arrow stares at Jacob, but I don’t turn around to see if Jacob is staring back. If he was smart he wouldn’t, but he’s not. At least, he never used to be.
“Will Rake know who he is?” he finally asks. “I don’t like the way he’s looking at you right now.”
Shit.
I start to feel panicked. “Please, don’t tell him, Arrow. Rake will kill him! Do you want my brother to go to jail?”
Arrow crosses his arms over his chest and leans down. “Who you really protecting here, Anna? Your brother or that preppy-looking dickhead?”
I huff. “Definitely not the dickhead. Trust me on that.”
“Well, then you better get talking,” Arrow says, waiting patiently.
I sigh, knowing he isn’t going to let this go. “Did Rake tell you about Jacob? The guy who didn’t know no was no . . .”Arrow takes a few steps in Jacob’s direction. I put my hand on his chest, my eyes pleading with him. “Don’t, Arrow. It was years ago. Like ten years. He’s probably still pissed Rake kicked his ass.”
My voice sounds doubtful to even my own ears.
“How far did it go, Anna?” Arrow asks through clenched teeth. His chest is heaving slightly, and I can tell he wants to go over there.
I lick my lips. “He didn’t rape me. He put his hand . . .”
Arrow cups my face. “He touched you with his fingers?”
I nod, looking down, but Arrow lifts my face up. “Don’t be embarrassed, darlin’, you did nothing wrong. That fucker clearly doesn’t know how to treat a girl, and that no means fuckin’ no under any fuckin’ circumstance.”
“It was a long time ago, but I don’t want to face him and I don’t want to make a scene, so can we please just go?”
Arrow stares behind me. “He’s the one making a scene. He should have fled the moment he recognized you.”
He didn’t want to let it go.
I grab ahold of his bicep. “Please, Arrow.”
He sighs and scrubs a hand down his face. “Get in the car, okay?”
I slide in. When he closes the door behind me, I know.
He isn’t letting it go.
I watch from the window nervously as he walks right up to Jacob and punches him.
Right in the nose.
Jacob holds his face in his hands, blood spurting everywhere. The men Jacob is with don’t step in. They take one look at Arrow and take a step backward.
Arrow says something to him, then walks back toward the car.
Jacob lifts his head and looks through the window, right at me. He can’t see me, because of the darkness and the tinted windows, but I feel like he can. My body shivers, and I watch him as his friends help him up and they leave the parking lot.
Good fucking riddance.
Arrow leans back on the car and lights a cigarette.
I open my mouth and then close it again. How can he act so casual after that?
“Who’s the guy Arrow hit?” Tracker asks, making me jump. I didn’t even realize he was in the car. I turn my head to see Lana, who has fallen asleep against Tracker—who is staring at me with an amused raised eyebrow. It pisses me off; he does not get to be amused right now.
“Some dickhead that Rake doesn’t need to know about,” I murmur.
Tracker chuckles. “Rake will find out; we don’t keep shit from each other.”
I grit my teeth, then turn the tables on him.
“Allie know you’re out saving other women?” I ask sweetly.
“Arrow know you want him?” he fires back.
I shut up.
He grins but does the same.
I get out of the car, closing the door behind me, and stand next to Arrow.
“How’s your fist?” I ask him, glancing down at his hands.
He blows out a breath of smoke. “Fine.”
“I wish you hadn’t done that, but . . .”
“But what?”
“But thanks,” I whisper.
I exhale deeply and look up at the night sky. “How fucking ironic is it that if you guys hadn’t dragged me out he would have come in there and I would have had to face him alone?”
I feel like a stupid fifteen-year-old girl again.
“And then you could have just called me and I would have been here in five minutes. Same outcome. My fist in his face. Him whimpering like a little bitch.”
My lip twitches as I look back at him. “How can you make me smile at a time like this?”
He pushes some errant hair back behind my ear, then leans forward, making it seem like he is going to kiss me. I forget to breathe as he places a kiss just outside the corner of my mouth. “’Cause you know you’re safe with me, darlin’.”
Our gazes lock, and for a moment we’re both tongue-tied. But then he clears his throat. “With any of us, I mean.”
I swallow hard, pretending I didn’t notice his slip. “Right.”
“But you know you can always call me if you need something. Anything. If you’re ever in any trouble, or need help.”
“I thought you didn’t like me much,” I mumble. “You said I was spoiled.”
He glances around before looking back at me. “You’re not spoiled. You are a pain in the ass though.”
“Why?” I grumble. “Because I interrupted your stellar blow job?”
His mouth twitches. “No, Anna, because I was fuckin’ thinking about you when her mouth was on me.”
Holy fuck.
Did he just say that?
“Did you just say that?” I ask, eyes widening.
The way he looks away and doesn’t reply makes me feel like he regretted the words the second they left his lips.
Rake walks out of the club and Arrow pushes off the car, stepping away from me and getting into the driver’s seat. I get back into the car the same time that Rake gets into the front seat.
No one brings up what happened, and I for one am grateful.
I look out the window, just wanting to get home. I sit there for about ten minutes before the silence is broken.
“What did you learn today, Anna Bell?” Tracker asks me in a cheerful, condescending tone.
My hands turn to fists. “To find out what businesses you guys own and avoid them at all costs.”
Laughter from everyone except Arrow and a sleeping Lana.
“Where are we dropping them off?” Arrow asks Rake.
“Clubhouse,” he replies curtly. “They can both sleep in Anna’s room.”
“Take me home,” I demand, crossing my arms over my chest. “I don’t want to go to the clubhouse.”
I’m ignored.
I turn to Tracker. “Lana’s never been to the clubhouse, don’t make her go.”
Tracker sighs. “It’s not a big deal. She should get used to us.”
I watch as he smiles down at Lana.
“You gonna sic Allie on her then? Lana’s too sweet to even be in the same vicinity as that bitch,” I grit out, losing my temper.
“Anna,” Rake warns. “Stay out of it.”
I can feel Tracker staring at me, but I don’t look at him.
“No one is going to hurt Lana,” he finally says.
I scoff and shake my head. He already is, and he doesn’t even know it.
“Anna, I promise you no one will hurt Lana. Allie included,” my brother interjects, his voice losing its steel. “Besides, I know what you’re capable of.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” Arrow asks, deciding to speak.
Rake shrugs. “My baby sis is badass.”
The men chuckle.
Once again, I don’t.
Growing up in a neighborhood so bad you had to learn to defend yourself isn’t something to be proud of, at least in my eyes. I became even more badass after Jacob, I guess you could say. I refused to be a victim again. I am proud of being a fighter, a survivor, but sometimes it gets exhausting being your own hero. Rake was there for me but he couldn’t always be with me, so I had to watch my own back.
When the car comes to a stop, Tracker carries out Lana, and I walk behind them, ignoring Arrow and Rake. I can feel their eyes on me as I walk in front of them, but we all remain quiet. Loud music blasts through the clubhouse, but I ignore everyone and everything. As we enter my room, Tracker pulls the blanket down and tucks Lana in, then turns to me with a Don’t start look on his face.
I shrug. I don’t need to say anything. It’s obvious he has some kind of fascination with Lana, but he also has a crazy girlfriend he’s apparently been with for years now. When he leaves the room, I lock the door behind him, strip down to my panties, and climb in next to Lana.
I will deal with all this shit tomorrow.
* * *
Tomorrow comes sooner than I would have hoped. Lana is still asleep when I wake up to take a shower but then realize that I don’t have any clothes here. I know I should have left some, but to be honest, I didn’t ever plan on crashing here. With a towel wrapped around me, I peek my head outside, hoping to see Rake. Of course, my luck isn’t that good, and instead of finding my brother I find Arrow.
“Where’s Rake?” I ask him, the ends of my damp hair dripping down my back.
“Why?” he asks, tilting his head and staring at my body. At least what he could see of it.
“I need to borrow something to wear,” I explain, pointing to my towel-clad body.
Arrow stands, and it’s then I realize he’s wearing nothing except a pair of shorts, sitting low on his lean hips. I blink slowly as I take him in, ripped abs, broad shoulders, muscular arms and pecs that I wouldn’t mind sinking my teeth into. Don’t get me started on that beard again. It’s fucking sexy.
“You done?” he asks in a low tone I’ve never heard him use before.
I clear my throat. “I need clothes.”
“I got that,” he says, scratching his chest lazily. “I was waiting for you to finish eye-fucking me.”
“I wasn’t—”
He walks away. Rude.
So rude.
But then he comes back, holding a white T-shirt and a pair of shorts.
“Thank you,” I say softly, taking the items from his hand. His fingers touch mine, and something passes between us. I know he feels it too, because he pulls his hand back like it’s on fire.
“I mean it, Arrow,” I rasp. “Thank you, for last night with Jacob.”
He bobs his head. “Don’t thank me, Anna. Rake isn’t the only one who wanted to kill him.”
“But you didn’t,” I say. “And thanks for not saying anything or making it a big deal.”
He sighs. “Your brother knows what happened, but I told him you didn’t want to talk about it and that I handled it.”
Which is why I appreciated it so much.
“I owe you one.”
“You don’t owe me anything, Anna,” he says quietly.
I swallow. “Okay then. Maybe we could—”
He cuts me off. What was I going to say anyway? Maybe we could hang out sometime?
Christ.
“Don’t open the door in your towel again, Anna,” he rasps. “Some of the men might take it as an invitation.”
“But not you?” I ask, unable to stop myself.
“Trust me, darlin’, you don’t want my brand of fucked-up,” he says before he walks away. I stare at his retreating back until he’s out of sight.
He thinks he’s fucked-up?
Well, who isn’t?
I close and lock the door and dress in the T-shirt and shorts. I put on last night’s bra but go without panties, then head to the kitchen in search of food. There’s a bald guy in the kitchen—Vinnie, I remember his name is.
“Hey, Vinnie,” I say, taking the milk out of the fridge.
“Hey,” he replies, and slides over the box of cereal in front of him. “Hungry?”
“Starving,” I reply, grabbing a bowl and spoon and sitting down opposite him. I tip out the cereal, smother it in milk, then scoop up a huge mouthful.
“When’s the last time you ate?” he asks with a grin.
“Very funny,” I reply with an eye roll.
Two women walk into the kitchen wearing nothing but makeup piled on their faces. Vinnie looks at my expression and laughs.
“They can take the time to put on more makeup than any woman should be wearing, but they can’t put on clothes?”
He laughs harder.
“I’m serious! This is why I don’t like coming here.”
Poor Lana will walk out and get the shock of her life.
“Rake wanted me to stay naked,” one of them says to me. She speaks in a fake baby voice that makes me cringe. Why do women do that? It’s not cute.
“Well, then you better do exactly as he says,” I tell her in a sarcastic tone.
“Oh, we do,” the other one replies, either ignoring or misunderstanding my condescending tone.
“Plus we know how amazing we look, so why not show it off?”
I’m all for women feeling comfortable in their skins, no matter what shape or size, but walking around naked in a house filled with people? I don’t know what to say.
“I can actually feel my IQ dropping, just being in their presence,” I mutter to Vinnie, who chuckles. Was one of these women with Arrow? Maybe she was the one he was with last night. I dig my nails into my palms.
Don’t let it get to you. He isn’t yours.
Tell my stupid heart that.
Speaking of the devil, Arrow walks in, now freshly showered and dressed in jeans and a tight black T-shirt, molded to his impressive physique.
“Arrow!” the brunette squeals, walking over to him and rubbing her breasts against his chest. He glances at me for a sec, then turns to her, his hand going to her shoulder.
I look down into my cereal, grab the spoon, and shovel in a few more mouthfuls, wanting to get the hell out of here as soon as possible. My day gets even worse when Allie walks in, her nose in the air like always.
“Anna,” she purrs. “Still here, I see. What a fuckin’ shame.”
“I can see why you would see it that way,” I reply, playing on her known weakness of insecurity. “Since I’m so close with Tracker and all.”
She gives me a dirty look and flips her hair over her shoulder. “Like he’d even look in your direction.”
I sigh exaggeratedly. “You’d be surprised.”
“Anna,” Arrow says, his voice filled with warning.
What? She started it.
I chance a look at him. He’s now standing away from the brunette, watching me. I glance around the room.
“Well, this has been interesting,” I say as I stand up, walk to the sink, and wash my bowl and spoon.
“Because of you, Tracker had to leave me last night. Next time can you just do as you’re told so my man doesn’t have to babysit you?” Allie sneers.
“Actually, Tracker volunteered to go with us, so stop running your mouth, Allie,” Arrow adds, then looks to me. “You want a ride home?”
“We’ll take a cab,” I tell him. I turn around just before I walk out of the room. “Oh, and Allie . . . go fuck yourself.”
* * *
Lana wakes up and takes a quick shower while I go in search of Rake. I knock on his door, hoping that he’s alone.
“Yeah?” he calls out.
“It’s me!”
“Come in, Anna,” he says, so I turn the doorknob and enter his room.
“Please tell me you’re alone,” I say with my eyes closed.
He laughs and throws a pillow at me, which hits me in the face. “Think I’d invite you inside if I wasn’t?”
I open my eyes, pick up the pillow from the floor, and throw it back at him. “I never know with you.”
I sit down on his bed. “Did Arrow tell you what happened last night?”
“He told me. What I want to know is why you didn’t.”
“I didn’t want to make a big deal over it. You taught him a lesson back then, Rake. You beat the shit out of him, and Arrow decked him last night. While I hated to do it, I’m glad you made me file that report on him, because I didn’t want him to do the same to another woman.”
“I’m glad Arrow handled it,” Rake replies. “My brothers will always take care of you if I’m not there.”
“I know,” I say. “I’m glad Arrow was there too.”
“Next time you’re going out like that, give me a heads-up.”
“Going out like what?” I ask, watching him as he puts his hands behind his head.
“Dressed up like . . . that.”
I bite my lip to stop my grin. “Dressed like what, Rake?”
“Christ, Anna,” he growls. “All the men in that place were watching you. We were lucky we made it out of there with only one guy getting hit.”
My lip twitches. “Aren’t you happy I came back home?”
His eyes soften at that. I’d said it as a joke, but I could see he didn’t take it that way. “I’m beyond happy, Anna; trust me on that.”
He puts his palm over his heart. “Everything feels right, you know? I was unsettled when you were gone.”
And this is why I love my brother.
I clear my throat. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
I look away, staring at his door. “What happened to Bailey?”
He’s silent.
I look back at him to see a weird expression on his face. “That was years ago, Anna.”
“I know,” I say. “I was just wondering.”
“I don’t know where she is,” he says. “After high school finished we went our separate ways.”
“Did you love anyone after her?” I ask him.
“I’ve loved a lot of women, Anna,” he says with a cheeky grin.
I roll my eyes. “Not like that. I mean love.”
He shakes his head. “Why all the questions?”
“Just something I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while,” I say, shrugging sheepishly.
“It’s in the past, Anna,” he says, his voice barely a whisper. “Doesn’t matter anymore.”
I thought it did, but I didn’t want to push any further.
“Lana’s in the shower and we’re going to catch a cab home.”
“I’m taking you both home,” he says, his tone final.
“Bossy.”
“I thought we could grab some lunch or something on the way,” he says.
“Sushi?” I ask, perking up.
“No,” he replies, laughing. “Definitely not. How about we grab some sushi for you, then go to another restaurant where I can get a decent meal.”
I gasp. “Was that you compromising? I can’t believe it.”
“Don’t get used to it, baby sis,” he says, picking up another pillow and throwing it at me—this time I catch it in my hand.
“Mature, Rake!”
I hear Lana call my name and I stand up.
“Oh, shit,” I mutter. “The reason I came here in the first place was to get some clothes for Lana to borrow.”
Poor thing must be waiting in a towel like I’d been doing earlier this morning. Rake gets out of bed and pulls out a T-shirt and boxer shorts. “Looks like we’re taking you to your house first to get dressed before we can go out for lunch.”
“Or,” I say, “we can get drive-through and go to my apartment and stuff our faces.”
“I like how you think, Anna.”
“Glad you approve,” I say, taking the clothes and walking toward the door.
“Thanks, bro.”
“Anytime, sis.”