Rev
I JACKKNIFE UPRIGHT as Evie scrambles away from the bed. Her foot catches in the sheets we kicked off—we’ve made a disaster of the bedroom—and she hits the floor. The landing doesn’t stop her, though, because she pops back up and keeps moving until she’s put the room between us.
Smart girl.
Takes a moment for me to focus though, which I blame on her. She’s still naked and still so gorgeous I could look at her all night. Probably the rest of tomorrow and—because I won’t shit myself about this—the rest of my life, too. I’ve already had this conversation with myself. She’s got curves on her that demand a man appreciate them, curves that bear red marks on her skin from where my face scraped her. Fucking love seeing her wearing my mark.
She hesitates, the look on her face torn between elation and fear. Then she edges for the closet where her stuff is. Guess she’s decided to pull a runner. I love her taking the initiative, but I need to shut this down.
She can’t leave me.
I won’t let her.
“You’re into some kinky shit, sweetheart.” I reach behind my head for the cuff, exploring the hinge with my fingers. She got it closed right, though, so I’m temporarily stuck. The key’s across the room and although I could break the lock, right now I’ve got about ten minutes to see how this plays out.
“This isn’t a game,” she says softly. She yanks some clothes out of the closet and jerks them on. Shame to cover up such a pretty body.
“You think you can just walk out my front door?”
She shrugs. The motion sets her tits to jiggling, which is distracting. “Did you think I’d just let you keep me here? Do you really think I’m that naive?”
“Come back to bed.” I pat the mattress beside my hip. “We can talk about shit.”
I liked it better when she was cuddled up to me. I’d be happy to tell her that, or I could go for the show-and-tell. Way I see it, we fucked each other last night and it felt damned good. She let me in, and not just into her body. Christ, there’s no way I let her walk away from me now. She’s everything I didn’t know I needed, and I may act dumb sometimes, but I appreciate her.
Fucking love her.
Huh.
Imagine that.
And since she’s not a mind reader, I have to tell her. That part’s gonna be awkward, but I have to do it. I’m not gonna risk losing her, and I sure as fuck want the whole world to know she belongs with me, same way I belong with her. Of course, the woman’s hell-bent on putting some distance between us. She’ll make it down the stairs, but I have prospects on the front door.
She hesitates. Don’t think it’s because she’s missing me, although we’ll work on that. Sure enough, she heads for the dresser. My gun’s sitting on top, nice and visible.
“You want to shoot me?”
She glares at me. “Don’t think I’m not tempted.”
“Because personally, I think the sex was pretty damned good.”
She ignores me, checking the gun to see if it’s loaded. As if I’d carry an empty piece. I don’t make threats—I make promises.
“Can I ask you something?” Shooting me will bring the MC running and the gun doesn’t hold enough bullets to handle that kind of trouble.
“Let’s trade,” she says tightly. “You ask your question. I’ll ask mine.”
“Sounds like a deal, as long as you’re not asking about club business. There’s some shit I can’t discuss with you. Club business stays club business.”
“Believe me, I’m well aware of that,” she snaps. She’s definitely holding a grudge. “You’ve got thirty seconds to ask your question and then it’s my turn.”
Bet she doesn’t realize it turns me on when she gets all bossy. It gives me ideas about showing her just who’s the boss in our bed. But this is about more than just sex, no matter how hot she is. I need an answer to my question, which means I have to get the words out there. This isn’t something I can force, and it’s nothing I deserve.
“I’d like you to be my old lady.”
She flinches, but I keep talking.
“Know that doesn’t sound like every little girl’s dream, but it means everything to me. Means we’re a couple and we’re in it for the long haul. You’re mine. I’m yours. I’d be damned proud for the whole world to see you wearing my patch and to stand for you. I respect that you’re pissed off right now, but this thing between Rocker and the Hard Riders is business.”
“And kidnapping me was just business?” Her scowl doesn’t look like a happy acceptance of my offer.
“You know how it works between the clubs. He disrespected us and he brought the cartel into our territory. We had to shut him down, and you were the quickest way to do that.”
Her fingers tighten on the gun.
“Was the whole thing a set up? Were you ever interested in me at all?”
Since my interest is rock-hard and sticking out for her to see, I think she knows the answer to that.
“Why track me down? Why ask me out? Why follow me around? Do you fuck everyone who’s related to guys you want to shut down?”
“I do what my president asks.” That answer’s not winning me any prizes, and sure as shit she flips me the bird. “But we’re more than that. No matter what went down between you and my club, you’re my woman. I’ve never claimed anyone before, and my brothers will respect that. You’re different.”
“So different you tied me to the bed,” she mocks.
“Rocker’s willing to trade Sachs for your safety.” No point in not being blunt. “He’s on his way over here to make the swap.”
“Fuck,” she says.
Yeah. That pretty much sums up our situation.
“Get your cute little ass over here and untie me.” Part of it is a respect thing in front of my brothers—letting my girl handcuff me to the bed is the kind of shit that earns a man a new road name. No way I want to spend the rest of my life answering to Spanky or BD. Not the kind of moniker that inspires fear and respect in anyone. But most of it’s that I just put my heart on the line for her. I asked her to be my old lady, to partner with me—and she hasn’t answered.
Someone bangs on the door downstairs and Evie freezes.
“Out of time, sweetheart.”
It’s one thing to play sex games with her in our bed, but this is club business. The door opens—never should have fucking given my brothers a key—and boots thud on the floor. Vik bellows my name.
I give Evie a hard look. “Last chance.”
She raises her chin and points the gun at me. Gotta give her full points for courage. “I’m walking out of here. Rocker’s walking out of here.”
The bedroom door busts open. Vik shoves his head in.
“Rev, get your ass out of bed.”
Evie scampers over to my side, but then follows up the wise action with another stupid one. She raises the gun to the side of my head.
I gotta hand it to Vik. He keeps a straight face. I straighten up on the bed, trying to decide how to play this.
“See you’re a little tied up,” he deadpans.
I grunt something he decides to take as an affirmative.
His eyes take in the whole scene. Thank fuck Evie’s dressed. “Didn’t know you rolled like this.”
“Shut up,” I tell him.
“You gonna handle this? Hawke’s getting impatient.”
“Hey,” Evie snaps. “I’m the one with the gun.”
She sort of waves the gun around, which makes Vik briefly close his eyes. We need to go over a few basic safety rules, possibly after I paddle her butt.
“Handle it now,” he growls at me. “Done waiting for you.”
I’m done here, too. I tackle her, yanking her back against my body and twisting the wrist holding the gun. Hate doing it, but I can’t let her keep threatening my brother. Plus, Vik’s not the most patient guy—sooner rather than later, he’ll disarm her himself and he won’t be as careful. The gun hits the floor and I kick it away. I pin her against my side with one arm while she yells curses at me and I slam the cuff against the wall. Takes two tries for me to pop the hinge, but then I’m free.
Vik smirks. “Getting slow in your old age.”
“Get the hell out of my bedroom.”
Vik flashes me a salute and ambles out of the room. I shift my grip on Evie, who must realize that she’s in a world of trouble here, because she’s actually—briefly—silent.
“I’ll give you some free advice. You pick up a gun, you keep it pointed in a safe direction.”
The sound that comes out of her is more squeak than affirmative, but fuck this shit. I toss her over my shoulder, drag on my pants, shove the gun into my waistband and head downstairs. She fights me every inch of the way. Naturally. This would be way more fun if we were doing it naked in bed, but that’s not happening now.
I smack her ass at the top of the stairs. “Keep it up and I’ll drop you.”
She screeches something highly uncomplimentary.
Our audience at the bottom of the stairs takes in the show. Nice to know my brothers are enjoying my pain. During the quick journey down the steps, I do a quick inventory. In addition to Rocker and two Black Dog brothers, Hawke and Vik crowd my living room.
“Put her down,” Rocker snarls, starting toward us.
“You got Sachs hiding in your back pocket?”
Rocker snatches his phone out of said pocket and punches something in. “Pulling up in a cage now.”
Hawke nods. “Put her down.”
It sucks, but I do it. Evie flies straight into Rocker’s arms. He tries to tuck her behind him, but she keeps hugging and patting him, like he’s fucking five or something. She doesn’t spare me another glance.
Hawke gives me a look. “You sure about this?”
“Make the trade,” I tell him.