CHAPTER TWO
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LIZ
AN HOUR LATER with everyone liquored up and carrying different possessions to their tables, I was doing my best not to notice Jake’s watchful eye catching me across the room. When he started in my direction, I turned my stool toward the bar, putting my back towards him.
Solid, massive arms wrapped around each side of me, locking me between them. His lips grazed my ear as he whispered just for me to hear.
“You look lonely, Peach. I can remedy that.”
I turned my stool to face him, still locked in his arms and only a few inches from his gorgeous face.
“Oh yeah, how’s that?”
“Come home with me tonight.”
This guy definitely had a set on him. Even with the immediate attraction to his sexy-as-hell body and his delicious cologne assaulting my senses, I wasn’t going to make it easy for him.
“Lemme guess. You’re used to women dropping their panties at your request?”
His lips pulled back into a devilish grin. Pressing his knee against mine, he spread my legs and moved between them.
“I’d like to watch you drop yours.”
The scent of whiskey and beer lingered in the air as he licked his lips and waited for my response. The glimmer in his eye told me he was expecting me to say yes. He was used to getting what he wanted. Leaning forward, I grazed my lips against his ear. His hand went to my thigh, already sure he owned me.
“You’re gonna have to try a lot harder than that, playboy.” Placing my hand on his waist, I stepped off the stool and moved him backward. Surprise swept over his face, but a man like this doesn’t give up easily.
His hand took hold of mine as I moved past him. With my hand in his, he abruptly turned my body to face him. With his free hand, he held me in place, locked against his body. He leaned down, brushing his scruff against my cheek.
“When you change your mind, I’m gonna enjoy watching those perfect little lips beg me to fuck you.”
“You should find yourself a new toy to play with. I don’t do one-night stands or cocky playboys.” His arrogance was too much for just one man. I put my hand on his chest and scolded myself for enjoying the way he felt beneath it.
Just when I expected a new line to spill out of his mouth, he adjusted his hand and rubbed my back with his thumb.
“I like you, Peach. I want to get to know you. I can’t do that here.”
“What’s with the nickname?” My brows pinched inward.
His hand raised my chin, bringing me closer to his lips. My body tingled, feeling needy for his touch. I knew this man’s kiss would be phenomenal, but I had to control my wistful desires. Nix had warned me he was a womanizer, and so far, he’d proven to be just that.
“You look like you’d be just as sweet in my mouth.”
I stared up at his bold, brown eyes looking down at me, pulling me deeper into his web and damn, if he didn’t know he had me in his crosshairs. His lips parted into a grin.
“I think you’d like that, wouldn’t you, Peach?”
I adjusted my footing as I grew wet under his penetrating stare. Movement around us pulled me from our heated tension. I glanced in Nix’s direction and his dark, green eyes narrowed in on us.
Jake leaned into my ear as his thumb dipped into my jeans and gave my hip a tug, pulling me against the firm knot in his jeans.
“We’ll continue this later.”
He walked away from me, leaving me standing there with my breath heavy and an unwanted sexual yearning aching between my legs. I stepped up to the bar and ordered another shot. The smooth, warm liquid had just gone down when Nix approached. He placed his hand on my arm and gave it a squeeze.
“What’d he say to you?”
I glanced down at his hand. His grip was unusually tight. I removed his hand, he looked down, and his face reddened, realizing he’d left a mark.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“I know you didn’t. What’s gotten into you?”
“Nothing, don’t worry about it. The fight is gonna start soon. Stay close to me, okay?”
Club members were moving tables out of the way, clearing the area in the center. A few guys stripped down, removing their jackets, vests, or t-shirts. Money exchanged hands and bets were made. I caught sight of Jake moving through the crowd toward Nix. Holding several bills, he extended his hand.
Nix looked down at the money. “Who’s it for?”
“Me,” Jake responded coolly.
“You never fight. What changed?” Nix glared at him, eyes narrowing.
Jake glanced at me, looked back at Nix and deadpanned.
“Tonight, I have a reason to.”
Nix snatched the money from Jake’s hand and leaned toward him, saying something private, so I couldn’t hear. Just as Nix finished whatever he had to say, Jake walked away with an arrogant smirk smearing his face. Nix’s temper was on the verge of flaring. The vein in his temple was bulging, and his jaw was locked. I touched his arm, and his cold eyes softened when they looked at me.
“What was that about?”
“Nothing for you to worry about.” Nix put his arm around my back. “Just some club business. You ready for this?”
“How bloody is it going to get?”
“Oh, c’mon you’re a nurse, you should be used to seeing blood.”
“Yeah, from accidents, not from people intentionally hitting each other’s faces.”
“It’s good for the club morale, and we’re men, we enjoy this shit.” A deep rumble of laughter escaped Nix’s chest.
Two men were already moving into the center. I recognized one of them as Wesley, one of the older members who ran with my Uncle Dallas. A younger man—tall, bald, with ink covering his back and traveling up his neck—raised his fists across from Wesley. One of the club members on the sideline held up his cell phone and a buzzer went off.
The younger guy with the neck tattoo lunged instantly, but Wesley raised his arm and blocked the fist aimed for his face. Wesley went low and slammed his fist into the younger guy’s ribs. He buckled over, holding his side and immediately put space between him and Wesley. Wesley went in for another shot, but the younger guy twisted and turned his body. Wesley’s arm swung through the air, and the younger guy took the advantage and put a left hook into Wesley’s jaw. Wesley’s eyes darkened. The man took the hit like a champ. No doubt he’d received a few in his years. With two more swings, Wesley had the younger man hunched over, spitting up blood. The buzzer sounded and money exchanged hands. Wesley had won that round.
This display of testosterone fueled fist-play continued for another round before it was Jake’s turn. He stripped off his black tank and revealed an intricate puzzle of tattoos covering his shoulders, ribs, and lower back. Nix nudged me, and I checked to make sure I wasn’t drooling. The man going up against Jake was Lucas, a long-standing member of the club and nearly as big as Jake. They eyed each other carefully, then Jake raised his boulder-like arms in the air.
The buzzer went off, Lucas took a step and swung. Jake leaned his body back and dodged Lucas’ fist. Jake moved his feet, luring Lucas in a circle, seeming to study Lucas’ body language. Irritation filled Lucas’ eyes, and he swung, putting weight into his punch. Jake blocked the swing and slammed his own fist into Lucas’ face. Lucas stumbled backward, and a few club members caught him, then tossed him back into the makeshift ring.
Lucas came at Jake again and clipped him in the jaw. Jake shook it off and landed a fist in Lucas’ chest. Lucas stumbled back, the wind clearly knocked out of him. Jake paused, showing restraint, letting his opponent collect himself. Moments later, Lucas came at him again, and Jake grabbed his arm, locked it in place, quickly turned his body and flipped Lucas over his shoulder. Lucas landed on the floor and didn’t bother to get up. The buzzer went off, and Jake reached down and gave Lucas his hand. Lucas stood, giving short, heaving breaths.
My nursing instincts kicked in and I headed toward Lucas. Nix grabbed my wrist and stopped me.
“Let him get out of the ring and to the side first. He doesn’t need everyone to see you nursing him. It’ll embarrass him.”
I nodded, knowing Nix was right. These guys didn’t like to show weakness, even when they were wounded. I walked around the outside of the crowd to where Lucas was sitting. Someone handed him a shot and he chugged it. With his face squinting, he tried to sit up straight.
I took the seat next to him and gave him a sympathetic smile. “It’s been a long time, Lucas.” He nodded and bit back a grimace. “Let me have a look at you.” I lifted his shirt and saw the bruising already taking place. “You’ve got a broken or bruised rib. You’ll need to rest and cough when you feel you need to, even if it’s painful. If you don’t cough, you put yourself at risk of a chest infection.”
“I need another damn shot is what I need.” He touched his tender chest and grimaced.
“Listen to me,” I frowned at him, “I know what I’m talking about.”
“Yeah… Nix said you just… got back from nursing school.”
“I did.”
“Sorry… I didn’t get a chance… to welcome you back.”
“It’s all right. I saw you were busy with the blonde. Where’d she go?”
“That’s my girl, Crystal. She left… to go to work… night shift.”
“Ah. Well she’s a looker.”
Lucas tried to laugh, but couldn’t.
“Want another shot?”
He nodded.
“I’ll get ya one, bud. Sit tight.”
As I returned from the bar, the winner of tonight’s fight night was being chosen. The three winners were put into the center, Nix raised each of their arms and the crowd cheered for each one. When they got to Jake the cheering escalated. Nix’s disappointment was obvious. Jake took a bundle of money from Nix’s hand, then pulled him in to say something. Nix leaned back and his eyes darkened. His stare was deadly; he was clearly pissed about whatever Jake had said.
Nix shook his head and the VP of the club, Pat, chimed in. Some kind of argument was happening between the three of them. Finally, Pat made a declaration and both Nix and Jake stopped arguing. Jake developed that same smirk I’d seen earlier when he’d spoken to Nix, and Nix looked as though he was ready to put fight night into another round.
Some of the crowd quieted down as I handed Lucas his shot.
“Jake has chosen what he wants,” Pat spoke up over the remainder of the crowd.
Nix and Jake’s eyes stayed locked on one another. Pat glanced at me and grinned, then spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Jake has chosen Liz.”