CHAPTER THREE

Sofia looked into Wolf’s eyes. Knowledge that he didn’t plan to let her go brought a lightness to her chest, contrary to how angry his stubbornness made her. She had missed him. The long talks about nothing and everything. The way he studied her as if she was the most amazing woman in the world. She’d never had anyone watch her like that. Each time he placed his arms around her, she felt warm and safe.

“I can’t let you go. For a while anyway.” His voice sounded low and heavy with regret.

“What are you going to do?” The with me hung unspoken in the air.

“I have no choice but to make you my old lady.”

No choice? Old lady?

“I know about your uncle.” She nodded to the front door. “Are you like him and force yourself on women?” Though she didn’t believe he would, her heart sank at the thought of being treated like that again. And did she really want to be some biker’s old lady? She’d just won her freedom. No way did she want to be in the same trap, just with a different name.

“No. It’s for the best.” His eyes glinted. “We both want this.”

“Are you sure? How can you say that knowing the people around us will hate it?”

“We’ll make it work. I’m staking our lives on it.”

His determination appeared as certain as hers. Despite knowing he wasn’t good for her, she’d wanted him, wanted him before she’d known he was a Mayhem Brother and wanted him after knowing it. She couldn’t help it. The man was like a chocolate cake mix flavored milkshake from a local diner she loved visiting. Cool, overloaded the senses, and sinfully good. From his midnight hair to his broad chest and down his long legs, the man looked as delicious to her. Without realizing it, her gaze rested on his zipper.

“Don’t. Not now. You keep looking at me like that, and I won’t be able to keep my hands to myself,” he growled. His cock pressed against the thick material. Either he was becoming hard or he had a lot to be proud of.

Her face warmed as her gaze darted up into light blue eyes narrowed with grim control. He wanted her as badly, and relief filled her that it wasn’t one-sided. She really had it bad. There she was handcuffed to a banister, ogling her captor. Not since he brought her into the house had she been afraid of him. Rough around the edges, he still wouldn’t hurt her, not on purpose. She hoped.

When he stooped down, she leaned toward him, wanting his arms around her.

She heard a click and relief flooded her. Before she thought to yank her arm away, despite the remaining handcuff, he once again clicked the other shut around his.

“Don’t you think you can release me now?” She frowned, frustrated at his insistence in keeping them connected.

“No.” He jerked her to her feet, keeping her a small distance away though she felt the heat from his body. “You’re not getting out of my sight until I can figure out how to protect you.” He turned to walk toward the couch, expecting her to follow.

“Please give me my phone.” She held her ground, their arms stretched out between them.

“No.”

“You didn’t even think about it,” she pointed out.

“I don’t have to.” He grabbed her handcuffed wrist and pulled her along.

“You’re being an asshole.”

His eyes flashed with anger, but remained unmoved. Was he reconsidering? A second passed and then another before he dipped his head. “What the hell.” He leaned down and fished in the duffle bag. Then he handed her the mobile phone.

She checked it. Halfway charged. With a couple clicks, the sound of ringing kicked in her worry.

“Where the fuck are you?” her cousin shouted.

She thumbed the volume, hoping Wolf wouldn’t hear anything else he said.

“I’m okay. Visiting with a friend.” She glanced at Wolf. His eyebrows lifted at her lie.

“Friend?”

She tucked in her chin.

“I have friends. It’s the same one I met with a few weeks ago.” She hadn’t told her cousin her new friend’s name or that he was a he. A good thing too, considering everything that happened the last time she’d been with Wolf.

“Maybe that’s for the best.” He sounded distracted.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah . . . uh, no. We had a little trouble. Do you think that your friend would let you stay over tonight?”

“What kind of trouble?” she asked breathlessly. “Are you all right?”

“I’m good. No worries. Just the house and shop got messed up some. It’s Thirty-Second business, but I’m handling it. After you stay with your friend, plan to go to Auntie Louisa. I’ll send your clothes over after you get there.”

“Last time you sent me away as a kid, I was gone for three years. I’m adult now. Tell me what happened.”

“Don’t worry. Do as I say. You should’ve stayed with Ramon. I don’t have time to hold your hand. Like you said, you’re an adult.”

“I can’t believe you said that.”

She hated it when Hector treated her like a child throwing a temper tantrum. Most times, he was rather indulgent toward her. The only time he refused to listen to her was when she left his best friend, his second in command. Ramon had Hector believing all their troubles were her fault. Yeah, right. Like she told Ramon to go fuck every female in a ten-mile radius and party all night, every night with his other homeboy, Jorge Ruiz, or to hit her when she complained.

“I’ll check on you in a couple days.” Then the phone was dead.

Her cousin was safe. No need for her to return immediately. She glanced Wolf’s way. He watched her. Every inch of her body heated. She really didn’t want to leave Wolf, handcuffs or not. To think of it, as she was handcuffed to him, he was also handcuffed to her.

“It appears I have you for a little while before I have to deal with any fallout.” The man had a too-pleased look on his face.

“You heard all of that?” Then she remembered listening to his conversation earlier. She shook her head at her foolishness.

He merely smiled.

Oh, that sexy look melted her insides. He could make a nun forget her vows.

Before she could stop him, he snatched the phone out of her hand and tossed it back into the duffle bag. Then he pushed her down on the couch. His mouth engulfed hers. His tongue and teeth played her until she responded with the same amount of ferociousness.

Everything forgotten, she clutched his hair as if it was a lifeline. She didn’t want him leaving her before she got her fill of his kisses. Yes, the man could kiss. With his big body hunched over hers, it was better than any lust-filled dream. Her other hand was trapped under her back with his as he cupped her ass and pressed her groin up. He rested his hips between her legs, perfect to apply the pressure needed to satisfy her throbbing clit.

“Ramon was an insane fucking idiot to let you go.”

She stiffened and turned her head, staring at the fireplace. “I kicked him out.” It was like having cold water splashed in the face on hearing her ex’s name. “Let me up.”

“Shit.” His tone revealed he realized he’d messed up. “No.”

“Do you ever say yes?” She turned, peering up at him as he still hovered over her.

“Sometimes.” He grinned.

She wanted to return his smile, but it hurt too much inside. Men loved mistreating her by letting her down. Wolf did too when he walked away without even giving their relationship a chance.

“Let me go,” she whispered.

––––––––

Wolf scooted to the end of the couch. With her attached to him, he couldn’t go far. “You still in love with your husband?”

“Ex-husband. No. He killed that when I caught him in bed with one of his sluts.” She bit her lip as if to stop her from saying more.

“Men screw up.”

“Three times?” Her face flushed with embarrassment as she tucked her chin into her chest. “He’d always had an excuse. I believed him only the first time.”

She seriously didn’t believe it was her fault, did she? Wolf studied her for a moment. She looked toward the fire, the front door, the duffle bag, and back to him. Yeah. That was what she thought. Plus she was hoping to escape.

No. Way.

She belonged to him. She just didn’t know it, but she would learn quick enough. Besides, she would want to be his. He would make sure of it. And he’d never mention her ex again. If he got the chance, he would make the bastard pay for treating her like that.

“Come here.” He pulled on the links joining them until she was forced to crawl into his lap. Her sweet cheek pressed to the bend of his neck and her soft ass pressed down on his hard cock as he cradled her to his chest. Unable to resist, he squeezed her tight.

She squeaked in protest.

“Sorry, babe.” He lightened his grip. “Are you hungry?”

“Yes.” She shifted.

“Need to pee?”

The fire crackled and popped.

“Sofia?”

“Yes. I need the bathroom.” She glanced away as if embarrassed by the confession.

“Come on.” He helped her stand and led her down a dark hallway. He opened a door and leaned in. There was a small flashlight sitting on a countertop. He flipped it on. “I had the water turned back on. For now, better not drink any until enough runs through the pipes, but it’s fine for flushing and washing your hands. There’s a bar of soap next to the sink.”

He waved toward the new sink he’d put in the day before. For the last couple of weeks, he’d been working on the place, planning to move in. When he’d heard about the raid on Toro’s place, he decided the old homestead would be perfect to bring Sofia to until everything died down.

His attention returned to her. The surprised expression on her face had him chuckling.

“I do have some common sense.” When one dark feminine eyebrow shot up, he laughed.

She lifted her arm, dangling the short chain between them. “I need privacy.”

He liked the surprise on her face when he instantly released her.

“The room doesn’t have a window,” he said with a touch of humor. Somehow he managed not to laugh when she glared.

After the door closed, he moved a few feet toward the living room and pulled out his mobile phone. He called one of the prospects and provided directions to the house. No sooner than he pocketed his phone, he heard water running. A moment later she opened the door. She looked up and down the hallway, not seeing him at first. She wiped her hands on her jeans. He hadn’t thought to provide a towel. Hell. He wasn’t Martha Stewart.

“This way,” he said, moving toward her.

She jumped. Before she could stop him, he’d locked the handcuff back on her.

“What is it? Some type of fixation?” she asked, lifting her wrist.

He chuckled.

“Yeah. I guess you could say it’s a new obsession of mine where you’re concerned.” He liked how that threw her off. He actually saw a bit of curiosity about the cuffs with the unease in those dark depths. “I’ve got us some pizzas on the way.”

“Out here?”

“A prospect from the club is bringing them.”

The rest of the night was uneventful. The prospect showed up, and Wolf invited him to share the food along with the beer he had stuck away in a cooler. Call him a Boy Scout. All prepared and all that shit.

After he sent the prospect on his way, he and Sofia stretched out on the couch. She remained in his arms as they talked about small memories, picking up where they left off when they were dating. While he talked about the first dog he’d owned, she’d fallen asleep.

He grimaced. Most of the stories he told about his happy childhood were lies. Trick had never allowed pets. Cost too much money. Trick often lamented Wolf and his brother were enough of a burden. No reason for her to hear about his fucked-up life.

He closed his eyes, soaking in the feeling of holding her in his arms. Fuck, he could get used to this.

––––––––

A bright light shot across his face. Wolf cracked opened one eye. Sunshine had found a small section between the boards. Damn! He fought the urge to wake up fully. All toasty and warm, he pulled the soft body to his. Sofia murmured and snuggled in tighter to his chest.

He wanted to wake like this every morning. His nose in her sweet hair, her arms wrapped around his waist, his knee wedged between her legs and pressed to her pussy. Nearly heaven. If he had his cock thrust into her depths, he would be flying above the heavens.

His phone started buzzing. He’d set his alarm last night.

Shit!

Time for them to get up. He had a sinking sensation that she’d be really unhappy with him by the end of the day.

She shifted and nuzzled his neck. He closed his eyes and inhaled. She smelled so fucking good. Her foot glided along his calf, bringing her knee up close to his morning wood. Who was he fooling? He’d been hard all night.

Fuck.

Lifting a hip, he dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone and swiped the screen, turning it off.

“Argh! What was that sound?” Sofia whispered, pressing her body to his.

“Time for us to go.”

She blinked as she looked around, her head bobbing. Hair mussed. If anyone were to see her, they would think they had fucked all night.

Damn, she was cute. Why hadn’t he seduced her last night and finally plunged into her warmth? He guessed it was the same reason he hadn’t pressed during the time they dated. She was special. Not like the whores who showed up at the club for every party. Since Easy had taken over the local chapter of the Brothers of Mayhem, they had a party more nights than not.

“You taking me home?” She sat up and rubbed her eyes. The eyeliner—he believed that was what they called it—smeared beneath her eyes. She looked like she’d pulled an all-night bender. He still thought she was cute.

He wanted to say she was at home, but he didn’t want her too frightened. He needed her calm for everything to work out.

“I have to go to the clubhouse.” He couldn’t tell her that his time there would decide her future, her fate. “And you’re going with me.”