Luke saw the question in Shayla’s eyes. He wasn’t sure what held her back from just asking it, but he wasn’t about to volunteer the information anyway. Some things were better left under wraps until they had been properly dealt with. The reason his hand hurt like a son of a bitch was no different.
The bed was luxurious compared to his own. Luke had plenty of money, but most of it got put back into his business or his bike. He had never seen the need for luxury items like fancy beds or toaster ovens, but now he was beginning to think that maybe it was time for him to spend a chunk of change on a new mattress. Maybe he just loved this mattress so much because it was the one he finally bedded Shayla on. The one he had held Shayla on while they slept. It was still warm from where she had lain. Luke didn’t want to ever have to go to sleep again without her. In such a short period of time, Shayla had gone from being a hot girl he saw on TV to the woman at the forefront of his mind at all times. Was that normal?
“I’ll call you later,” Shayla said, running her fingers through her messy hair.
Luke smiled, remembering how it had felt in his hand as he came, holding on for dear life. “You better.”
She gave him one final smile and left, and Luke sighed and collapsed back onto the bed. He could feel where there were bruises forming on his ribs, but luckily his tattoos covered them. His cheek was a little sore, but it didn’t seem like it was going to bruise. He would kill Dax and Klyde the next time they picked a fight with him.
He might have tonight, if Raven hadn’t been there.
How the hell had they found him at a hotel in the middle of the night? And why? Since his marriage, he’d fucked dozens of girls. Raven hadn’t been on the welcoming committee for each new set of legs that waltzed into his life, but she hadn’t interfered either. And now she was putting her foot down? It was bullshit, plain and simple.
He wanted to think that it was all Dax and Klyde’s idea—that’d they’d put all this shit about him owning her his body and soul—but that wasn’t likely. He wasn’t even sure why he wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. After all, she’d done little else but annoy the hell out of him since the moment they met. Maybe it was some sort of back of the head notion that he did owe her something.
But he didn’t.
Luke had done far more for the sake of their “marriage” than she ever had. He’d spared her brothers a beating more times than he could count, first of all—especially the youngest. Those three shitheads were always up to something. But because of their powerful daddy nobody had ever stepped up against them in their own gang—which more often than not left someone from the Trojans having to play judge and jury. And every damn time, Luke had let them walk away basically unscathed. Because of the treaty between their clubs, and because of his bogus feelings of affinity with Raven.
That crazy bitch.
After Dax and Klyde had waved him down, Luke had considered not going. It wasn’t like they could come up and get him. The hotel was pretty nice, and he laughed when he realized they were probably too afraid to come inside for fear of someone calling the cops.
But Luke had a sense of honor. He knew that he had to go down there and talk to them, or fight with them, whichever it was that they wanted.
He hadn’t expected Raven to be there.
She had looked like pure fury when he came out into the parking lot. Her hair, blacker than the sky outside, was wild and curly around her face. Her eyes were dark, but he could see that they locked onto him right away.
“You’re mine.” Those were the first two words out of her mouth. Even before Luke had a chance to assess the situation, she had spewed her false claim of ownership into the night air. And it had made him made.
“I haven’t been yours since the day we agreed that we weren’t doing things that way,” Luke countered, bristling as Dax and Klyde approached him from the side. “Why you think that’s going to change now is beyond me.”
Raven stalked up to him, standing so close he could smell the cloying scent of her perfume. She’d always worn this horrible flowery bouquet that she claimed was the best smelling perfume in the world.
“I’m your wife.”
“And that hasn’t stopped you fucking half the guys in your dad’s club.”
Luke had been too focused on not dropping eye contact with Raven. As soon as the words left his mouth, there was a crushing blow to his ribs from Dax. Luke staggered back and then keeled forward, putting all his weight into a punch that sent Dax flying.
Klyde came at him next. He was less of a sloppy fighter than his brother, and he managed to graze his fist against Luke’s cheekbone just as Luke tried to dodge. Luke came back on the upswing, getting Klyde in the gut just as hard as Dax had got him in the ribs. Klyde doubled over and heaved.
Luke turned his attention back to Raven, whose face had screwed up into a snarl.
“You go upstairs and break up with that girl right now,” she commanded lowly.
Luke laughed, even though it caused his ribs to ache. “I’m definitely not going to do that.”
Raven huffed. “Well then we’ll hurt her.”
Luke looked behind him at her brothers. Dax had staggered up from the ground, and was patting Klyde on the back. Luke couldn’t tell whether Klyde was going to vomit or not. Klyde probably couldn’t tell either.
“You won’t even get close to her,” Luke snarled. “And if you touch her, I guarantee you I’ll do double to you.”
Raven stepped close to him, and Luke had to resist the urge to flinch back. This was all a mind game, and he was intent on winning that as well as the physical contest.
“Baby, you haven’t touched me in so long,” Raven purred, staring up at him through her lashes with mock innocence. “Maybe I’ll have to do something to her just to get your hands on me again. I’ve missed them so much.”
Luke wasn’t distracted this time, much as Raven had tried. The approaching footsteps on the concrete gave Dax and Klyde away before they’d even balled their fists. He ducked down and spun, coming up with two fists under each of their chins. He hated Dax the most, so he followed his uppercut with a punch to the nose. There was a sickening cracking noise, and Luke smiled as Dax’s nose began a torrent of blood onto the pavement. Klyde was still recovering from the hit to the jaw. He’d never been able to take a hit. He would never have made it so far in the Reapers hierarchy if his dad hadn’t cut corners for him. Luke longed to make him regret it. He swung out his right fist then his left, landing blows on the stumbling man's face and stomach.
Luke turned back to Raven before Dax even hit the ground. He panted from exertion, his eyes red with rage. There was a faint flicker of fear in her eyes, but he sensed he would have to do much more if he wanted her to leave him alone.
“I’m getting a divorce, Raven.” He spat on the ground at her feet. “Expect to receive the papers soon.”
With that he turned away, kneeing away the prone figures of Dax and Klyde as he made his way back to the doors of the hotel. The thought of any of them doing anything to Shayla drove him mad. He needed to separate himself from Raven, and quick. Who knew how much crazier she would get over time?
Though his body ached, crawling back into bed with Shayla, and having her ride him into oblivion, was the sweetest reward he’d ever tasted. She drove him wild with passionate longing every second that he wasn’t there. He wanted this news story to work for her. He wanted her to succeed, and for her to look on him as one of the aids of her success.
He wanted her for life.
Now, alone and wrapped in white sheets that were both cool and comforting, Luke reached across to the bedside table, where he’d left his phone. It was late enough now to make the call that he’d been planning ever since he decided to make Shayla this offer. He had a surprise for her, and for the news story.
Smiling to himself, Luke dialed the number. He couldn’t wait to start.