My heels stomp loudly as I dash down the street. I don’t even know where I’m going. I just need to walk.
“Stupid bloody man.” My muttering is perfectly synced with the noise of my heels. “Trying to tell me what to do.”
Stomp.
“He’s not done with me yet.”
Stomp.
“Who the hell does he think he is?”
Stomp.
I get about a hundred yards down the street before strong arms band around my waist. “Uuuufff,” I grunt. I’m airborne, hanging over Echo’s shoulder and staring at his arse. Twice in two days this Neanderthal has manhandled me. I’m not turned on by him going all caveman on me. Definitely not turned on. Honest.
“Put me down, you fucking bastard.” Kicking my legs, I pound at his back with my fists, but his grip never loosens. Echo deposits me back on my feet next to his bike, a helmet I’ve never seen him wear is shoved onto my head, and he silently fastens the strap under my chin. Throwing his leg over the saddle, he straddles the huge machine.
I cross my arms across my chest. “I’m not getting on that thing.”
Echo pulls in an exasperated deep breath before tipping his face up to the sky. “Sugar, climb on behind me and wrap your arms round me.”
I shake my head and start to edge backwards. “Echo, why the fuck are you even here, chasing after me?”
He climbs off his bike, slowly stalking towards me. “I’m reclaiming what’s mine.”
“What the bloody hell are you talking about?” I shout.
His intense gaze pins me to the spot, and it dawns on me. “What’s yours, Echo? Me?”
Heat flares in his eyes, and he squares his shoulders. “Hell yes, sugar, you’re mine.” He drags me towards him. I start to protest, but his lips claim mine in a punishing kiss that silences me, and I melt into his touch.
“Get on the bike, Livvy.”
Torn from the blissful aftermath of his kiss, I open my eyes and pull from his embrace. “No way. Motorcycles may look hot, but they’re deathtraps, and I’ve got no inclination to die.”
He wraps his hand around my wrist and pulls me towards him. His voice is rough and full of barely contained anger. “Do you think I’d ever put you in danger?”
“It’s not you. It’s that thing,” I say, pulling from his grasp and pointing at the massive Harley. He scowls, reaches for my finger, and gently urges me forward, placing my palm over his chest. “Do you trust me?”
“I don’t know you, Echo,” I say on a sigh.
He tilts my chin up to face him. “It takes time to get to know someone, sugar. Do you feel my heart under your fingers?”
I nod.
“Something about you makes my heart race in a way it never has before. I bet if I felt your heart, it’d be beating in sync with mine, because you feel it too, this connection we have. Don’t you?” Echo’s voice is earnest, honest, and I drop my eyes to look at where my fingers are spread across his chest. I feel the thud of his heart, and mine stutters in response.
“Look at me, sugar,” he demands. Lifting my eyes, I swallow. “Do you trust me, Livvy?” he asks again.
My response is instinctive. “Yes, but—”
Smiling, he threads his fingers through mine. “No buts, sugar. Now get on the bike.”
“Echo…” I bite my lip.
He swings his leg over the saddle on his bike and looks at the seat behind him, barely hiding his impatience. Exhaling loudly, he leans towards me. “So help me God, if you don’t get your fine ass on my bike in the next three seconds, I’ll have your panties around your ankles, and I’ll spank your ass till it’s a perfect shade of red right out here in the open. It’s your choice.”
My mouth drops open in shock before I quickly clamber onto the bike and wrap my arms around his waist. My legs are spread around his, and he grabs my knees, pulling me forward until my lady bits hit his back. His clean scent mixes with the smell of his leather waistcoat, and I bury my face against his back, inhaling deeply.
Echo starts the bike, and the moment the wheels start to move, blinding fear consumes me. I squeeze my eyes tightly shut, and my fingers clamp on to him in a death grip at his waist.
We pull up to the clubhouse a few minutes later. Echo jumps off his bike, then lifts me off and removes the helmet from my head.
Grabbing my hand, he walks quickly, dragging me behind him until I stumble. I try to snatch my hand from his grip and shout at him, “Bloody slow down. I’m in heels.” He doesn’t speak, but his pace immediately slows.
The club’s full of men, but if they notice us, they don’t pay any attention as Echo marches through, pulling me along behind him. He pauses, then looks back at me. His eyes twinkle with mischief before he turns back towards the room full of bikers.
Releasing my hand, he puts his fingers to his mouth and whistles loudly. The bar silences and all eyes turn to face us. “Yo. This here is Olivia. She’s mine. If any of you see her trying to leave the clubhouse, you stop her and bring her back to me.”
There’s a chorus of yeses and nods of acknowledgments. Echo nods, smiling, before dragging me, my mouth dropped open in shock, the rest of the way to his room. He pushes me inside then turns to shut and lock the door behind us.