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I sucked on my smoke, dragging the nicotine deep into my lungs. It hit the spot, but only for a brief moment. I’d hardly slept in the past two weeks, and instead, was fuelled by whisky, cigarettes and an unrelenting need for vengeance. But that shit was starting to take its toll. We needed an end to the madness we were stuck in. Kick and I were about to pay a visit to an old friend who we hoped would share some useful information that wouldn’t end in us hitting another fucking dead end.

“You want anyone with you and Kick?” Hyde asked, joining me outside the clubhouse.

Shaking my head, I dropped the cigarette and stubbed it out. “It’ll only take two of us. We’ll meet you and Cole at the drop-off point after. He organised for the rest to get there first?” We had a shipment coming in today, and we weren’t taking any chances with it. Romano had fucked with our business for long enough; he would not be fucking with it any longer. I’d organised for some of my guys to get to the drop off early to ensure there were no surprises from Romano, and had asked Cole to send his men ahead too.

“Yeah, he’s taken care of that.”

Kick came our way. “We ready?”

I looked at Hyde. “Keep me updated with any news on Nitro.”

“Will do,” he said, turning at the sound of approaching footsteps.

I glanced around and met Axe’s gaze. “You good for today still?” I asked.

“You may change your plans after I tell you Romano has been arrested.”

I frowned. “Is this true or some bullshit story again?”

“True. I’ve just confirmed it. Not sure yet what they’ve picked him up for, but my guy’s looking into it.”

“Let me know when you hear back from him.” I looked at Hyde. “Check in with our men down in Melbourne. Find out what’s happening at Romano’s headquarters. Our plans for today don’t change, but we need to find out where they’re holding Romano and who we can use to get to him.”

Axe and Hyde left us, and Kick and I were almost to our bikes when a white Holden station wagon drove towards us. As it drew closer, I realised it was Lily. My gut tightened at the memory of Saturday night when she’d thrown herself at me. Fuck. I did not need that in my head when I was about to take care of club business. She was a fucking distraction I couldn’t afford. And yet, I’d struggled to remove her from my thoughts since I’d driven her home that night.

The feel of her cunt.

The taste of her.

The sounds she made when she came.

I’d wanted nothing more than to lay her out and fuck her raw.

She’d fought me, and almost fucking shattered my restraint, but I hadn’t given her what she’d wanted. Hell, she had no idea that what she thought she wanted wasn’t what she’d get from me. We hadn’t exchanged words on the drive to her place afterwards, and I hadn’t been sure she’d show up for Skylar’s session today, but thank fuck she had.

She parked her car and walked to me as Kick continued on to his bike. Today she’d swapped her tight jeans for black tights that were covered with long black boots to her knees. As my gaze got stuck on her legs and those boots, I took in the stiletto heel on them. Jesus, she wore that shit to work?

“King.” Her voice cut through my thoughts, and my eyes found hers.

“You’re early.” Usually she came by after work, not around lunchtime.

She smiled, and it hit me in the gut. Lily’s light fucking shone bright. Why the hell did she want to fuck me and allow my darkness to taint her? “I have the day off work and am taking the kids and their grandmother out for dinner, so I wanted to see Skylar now. How was she yesterday?”

“Much better. Did she text you? She mentioned she would.”

“Yes, she did, but I’m always interested to hear it from a family member’s perspective when I’m working with a patient. Sometimes it’s different, you know?”

I heard everything she said, and understood it, but failed to respond, because everything else about her caused my mind to stray to the memories I had of stroking and sucking her pussy. The feel and taste of her was lodged in my brain, and I craved more.

“King, are you listening to me?”

Fuck.

“Yes,” I snapped, pissed at myself for wanting her. I didn’t fucking think about women in this way anymore. Not since I’d sworn off getting involved with anyone after Jen.

She pressed her lips together as she reached into her bag. “Okay, well I’m gonna head in there now to see her. But I wanted to give you this.” She shoved a bottle of peppermint oil at me. “For when you’ve got a headache. Just rub some into your temples, forehead and the back of your neck.” She closed her bag and took a couple of steps towards the clubhouse before adding, “Use it whenever you’ve got your cranky pants on too. It might work wonders.”

That smart mouth of hers was a shot straight to my dick. Not the kind I usually preferred, but fuck, I couldn’t deny how much I wanted to fill that mouth with my cock.

“Kick,” I called out, “I’ve just gotta take care of something before we leave.”

Without waiting for his response, I stalked inside and made my way to Skylar’s room. I had something I needed to discuss with Lily about Skylar’s recovery, and she’d taken off before I could do that.

By the time I reached my destination, Skylar and Lily were deep in conversation.

“What’s Linc done now?” Skylar asked, her eyes alight in a way they only seemed to be these days when Lily was around.

“Ugh, he keeps coming over to my place even though I’ve asked him not to. He’s doing my head in.”

“Don’t let him in, babe.”

“I haven’t been, but this morning he let himself in with the key I didn’t know he still had.”

“Oh God, you need to get that key off him or get the locks changed.”

Lily nodded. “I’m getting the locks changed. I just have to wait until my pay comes in on Thursday. Honestly, though, it’s a freaking expense I don’t need.”

“Has King paid you yet?”

“Yes, but I’ve put that money aside to pay for Zara’s braces. I’ll just wait until I get paid later this week.”

“Do you want me to hit King up for more cash?”

“No! He already paid me way more than he should have. You know, for a grumpy guy, I think your brother has a soft side under all that bullshit he’s got going on. I’ve never come across a man who looks after his family the way he looks after you.”

“Shit, you’re not into him, are you?”

“I’m not gonna lie, he’s got the best ass I’ve ever seen, but I don’t have time in my life for a man. The last time I dated, it distracted me from my kids, and I promised myself I wouldn’t do that again.”

I decided not to interrupt them, and instead, put the peppermint oil in my office before going back to Kick. As I passed Skylar’s room on the way back outside and heard them laughing, I was reminded again that not fucking Lily was the best decision I’d made since I’d decided to hire her. Skylar needed the friendship more than I needed to get laid. But that ex of hers needed to be pulled into line.