Chapter One
SETH
Present Day....
I had been so glad to be back home and back with my family. I had even been okay with having to continue watching over my naughty babysitter, even though the duty came with a few setbacks, such as not being able to get back to my place. Instead, my head was pounding and my neck was cramped from sleeping on Wolf’s damn couch. I was going through my usual night rounds up at Wolf’s place and as I walked down the hallway, Ciara appeared in a short red dress, if you could call the skimpy piece of cloth a dress. Her hair was pinned up exposing a long, slender neckline and she held her purse in one hand and her coat in the other. She hadn’t noticed me yet as she sashayed those dangerous hips from side to side. She was wearing the sexiest pair of black stilettos that lead up to the finest pair of toned legs I’d ever seen. I’d always seen her in jeans and my hoodie, but this was an unexpected surprise and my cock responded to her immediately.
I had tried to avoid her at first, but it was inevitable. Wolf and Grayson had put me in charge of their family’s safety so I was constantly up in the apartment. Since my home was not a safe haven anymore, Wolf thought it was best if I stayed at Ravenous until shit calmed down. But shit wasn’t calming down and half my nights were spend sleeping on Wolf’s couch with temptation down the hallway. Wolf had specifically put me to watch over Ciara, especially when she was taking care of Ryder. Wolf’s little girl was the most important person in his life, next came Scarlett of course, and if he could put the whole damn army to watch over her, he would. I wasn’t supposed to leave Ciara’s goddamn side. It was fucking torture.
It’s not like I wasn’t getting any action. Shit, I’ve had women crawling all over me since I got back. I’ve had every woman in Ravenous at least twice in my lifetime. I did what I wanted, fucked who I wanted and I’ve never given a shit about any one of them. But Ciara was different, she wasn’t just any woman. She was sweet as fuck and wanted to be a teacher.
A fucking teacher!
I mean, how hot is that! God help me, she was the biggest cock-block I’ve ever had. I couldn’t keep my mind off the woman.
Lately, I’ve been catching myself seeking for her attention, wanting to be by her side. One look from her and my heart went into a damn frenzy. She looked like an angel, but had a body built for sin. I wanted to lay her across my bike and hear her screams as I pounded my cock deep inside that juicy cunt. I’ve never wanted a woman like I’ve wanted Ciara. She acts all innocent, all prim and proper, but she’s a twenty-one-year-old ticking cum slut. I just know she’s got a wild side, I feel it deep inside, and secretly I hope I’ll be the one to get it out of her. She’s going to beg for my cock and she’s going to be mine, mine to play with, mine to devour, mine to keep.
While fussing with a heel, she slammed her plush curves right into me, letting out a soft gasp of surprise. I swept a hand around her waist, holding her against me. Her hands were on my chest and her cheeks were turning a deep shade of red.
“Going somewhere?”
“Um...yes.”
“Where?” I whispered, tucking a strand of dark brown hair behind her ear.
“Out...on a date.”
My eyes narrowed and my blood began to boil. “With whose permission?”
She pursed her lips and glared up at me. “Nobody’s. I don’t need anybody’s permission. So if you’ll let me go...”
I tightened my grip on her. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Her bright green eyes met mine again, growing in disbelief. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. You know the rules, cupcake. No one leaves Ravenous without being escorted. And you’re under my watch.”
“I don’t need an escort! And stop calling me cupcake!”
Her anger flowed across us making her eyes glow an emerald green, and a flush spread down her neck. “Whatever you say, cupcake. But I’m still not letting you out.”
“Is something going on here?” Diesel’s rough voice rumbled through the hallway, but I kept my back to him as I stared fixedly at my obsession.
“It’s nothing that concerns you, brother.”
I heard him chuckle. “It concerns me when you’re holding my date up, brother.”
My eyes grew and I turned to look at Diesel. “You’re her date?”
He raised his arms on either side of him. “In the flesh! You ready to go, darlin’?” he winked at Ciara, and she had the nerve to giggle.
I turned back to her and glared at her as anger rolled off me in waves.
“See you later, cupcake,” she whispered, as she strolled down the hallway.
Diesel smiled at me and chuckled. “Don’t worry, man. I’ll have her back by midnight. That is, if she wants to come back.”
She giggled once again and swatted his arm. She fucking swatted his arm! Like a fucking schoolgirl! I didn’t know what to do. I just stared at them as they disappeared down the stairs. I didn’t know whether I should punch a wall, wait up for her, or just damn well follow them. Instead I grabbed my jacket and headed out. The wind had picked up and a cool breeze ran through the streets.
My bike was parked out back, and although I was supposed to report my whereabouts to Cain, I didn’t feel like it. I wanted to go for a ride and clear my head. Seeing Ciara with Diesel had put me in a foul mood. Who the fuck did she think she was, flaunting herself around like that. Especially with Diesel! Mother fucker had another thing coming.
I climbed on my bike and revved it up. Just as I was pulling away, Cain appeared. “Where are you going?”
“Away.”
“You’re supposed to report yourself.”
“Fuck, bro. Just let me go.”
Cain shook his head. “Tell me where you’re going and I’ll let you go?”
I pulled my helmet off and stared at him. “We’re not kids, I don’t have to tell you everything I do.”
Cain frowned at me. “I don’t give a shit how old you are, you’re still my kid brother, so where are you going??”
I sighed. “I’m going for a ride. Just a short one, I’ll be back in an hour.”
“Where’s Ciara?”
“Out with Diesel,” I snarled.
“Really? Didn’t expect he’d take her out.” Cain raised an eyebrow and chuckled knowingly. “I swear, if Mom could see her boys now.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Cain shrugged. “I mean, I can honestly tell you I’m in love, but you...shit, bro. I thought it would never happen.”
“I’m not in love!” I gritted my teeth.
Cain smirked. “Yeah, okay. Keep telling yourself that, just make sure you’re back in an hour, after you’re done crying over what you’re not man enough to get.”
Not man enough. Who the fuck does he think he is. If I wanted her, I’d have her begging for my cock in no time.
Angrily, I pulled my helmet back on and revved my bike- the roar of the engine bringing with it a sense of peace. As I pulled out of Ravenous and headed towards the highway I focused on the road and the open air. Cain’s comment had pissed me off.
Me. In love. Hah!
I didn’t fall in love. I didn’t believe in it. Nothing in my life had ever pointed to love being nothing other than heartache. When I was five, my mother got up and left us. Didn’t say goodbye, didn’t leave a note. We never did find her, even though our Dad had everyone, even the Church looking for her. I saw how it affected him, how it destroyed him. He spent his last few years drinking himself to death. After that, I watched Cain’s marriage dissolve, and was a witness to my own brother’s disastrous downfall.
Being surrounded by all this desperation, I knew I didn’t want any part of it. Instead I focused on getting my degree and joining the Army. Last year I had finally completed my tenure and returned to help Cain get his life back together and set up his tattoo parlor. At one point, he mentioned to Wolf that I was good with numbers and Wolf immediately welcomed me into the Hell’s Lovers. I loved my life. I got good money running the Hell’s Lovers treasury, I even continued to use my Military training by being Cain’s backup every now and then. Everyone knew me, and everyone knew if you didn’t pay up you answered to me. Being feared was a good reputation to have and I liked it that way.
Except, now there was Ciara Morton. She was the only one who has ever been able to fuck with my head. The men in my family fell hard for their women, and I refused to be one of them. I hated feeling weak, and she was definitely a weakness. I just needed to stay far away from her pretty eyes and hypnotic curves and I’d be perfectly fine. Back to normal in no time.
I let the night air calm me down. I hadn’t noticed anyone following me, and the roads were actually really dark and oddly empty for nine o’clock. Everything seemed fine until I turned at the light. Out of nowhere, a pair of high beams blurred my vision, and the next thing I knew, I was flying off my bike and skidding down the street. I felt the impact before I even registered what was happening.
I heard the screech of tires and then a lot of yelling. I heard somebody say I was dead, and another voice asked them to make sure. I felt a pair of hands on me as they lifted me and carried me somewhere. I heard someone say that maybe they should put me out of my misery and get it over with. My brain yelled out danger and I was struggling to come to, but darkness quickly overtook me.
I woke up a while later, my whole body was screaming in pain. But pain was good, it meant I was alive. I managed to pull off my helmet and let my eyes adjust to the streetlight. I forced myself to sit up. My head was pounding and my legs and lower back were killing me. I was dragged and left on the side of road, my bike still lay in the middle of the street. I looked around, but I was completely alone. I got up slowly, grateful that I was able to move, stretched my back out and picked up my helmet. I was feeling slightly dizzy from the impact and I held on the light post to stead myself. I dragged myself to my bike and using the last bit of energy I had, I propped it up and started rolling it down the street. About a quarter of a mile up, I paused knowing I wouldn’t be able to make it. I parked it on the side of the road and pulled out my phone. I dialed out to Knox who answered on the second ring.
“I hope you’re calling me to finally tell me you’re getting some pussy, man? At least tell me you got some extra on the side reserved for me.”
“Knox I need a lift, brother.”
“What’s up?”
“Had an accident. I’m near the boathouse by the pier. Think you could pick me up?”
“What the fuck are you doing out there by yourself? Aren’t you supposed to be guarding the babysitter?”
I grimaced. “Dude, just come pick me up.”
“Too bad you weren’t getting some pussy. You wouldn’t be in this mess if you were.”
“It’s because of pussy that I’m in this mess. The wrong kind, ya know?”
Knox chuckled. “Be there in fifteen.”
Fifteen minutes later, Knox appeared with his truck. We were both staring down at my Harley. The custom chrome muffler was scratched up, the gas tank was busted and the metal plates were ruined.
“Fuck man, what happened?”
“Car hit me.”
“What?”
“Where the fuck is the car?”
I grimaced as pain shot down my back. “Hit and run.”
Knox stared at me. “Did you get the license plate?”
I shook my head. “I was out cold. When I came to, the car was gone and I was thrown on the side of the road.”
Knox shook his head. “What the fuck? Are you alright?”
“I’m as good as can be. No broken bones.”
“Fuck man, if you would’ve told me I would’ve told Cain and D.”
“They don’t need to know, man. It was stupid.”
“Yeah well, I’m still letting Cain know. That shit doesn’t go with me. Whoever did this left you for dead, man.”
I shrugged, but I knew he was right. The car had his bright lights on and although my memory was hazy, I did remember that he was heading right for me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was even aiming at me.
“I’m calling D.”
“No! Don’t man, it’s alright.”
“Brother, I need someone to take a look at what happened here. I’m calling this in.”
Half an hour later, Diesel pulled up with Cain. They both listened as Knox explained what had happened and then they turned to me.
“Didn’t I tell you not to go out by yourself?” Cain shook his head.
“Hit and run my ass. That shit doesn’t go with me.” Diesel walked down the street assessing each corner.
“Which way did they come from?”
“They were heading up the street and I was turning right.”
“So you mean to tell me they had to cross the road to hit you?”
I stared at Diesel and then at Cain. “When you put it that way...”
“That sounds like they were making you a mark,” he scowled. “Did they say anything?”
I closed my eyes, trying to remember what had happened, but it was all a blurred mess. “They were arguing. One of them asked if I was dead. Then I felt them carry me, after that I can’t remember shit.”
Cain looked at the road and then at Diesel. “Get Wolf and Gray down here to look at this.”
“Come on man. I just want to go home.” I sighed, my body was aching and I just wanted a hot shower and a warm bed.
I watched as Diesel walked down the street, assessing the lights and cameras on every store or street corner. I knew he was going to send the info to Riggs so he could start hacking away at the video feed. I knew they were thinking this was a direct attack on one of the Hell’s Lovers members and I hated that I had been the dumbass to let my guard down.
By the time Wolf arrived I was already well on my way to exhaustion.
“Take him home, Knox. Make sure he gets there safely.” Wolf helped me up and patted my back. “If this was done on purpose, I swear I’m not going to leave it alone until I bring every one of those bastards down.”
Wolf didn’t threaten lightly. “No worries, brother.”
An hour later I was back at Ravenous in one of the velvet rooms. At least I wasn’t sleeping on the couch tonight. God, how I missed the boathouse. My Dad left it to us when he passed away, but Cain had left it to me when he married his first wife. He’d been living at Grayson’s with Sophia, so the boathouse remained mine. It was a small home, just two bedrooms, a few miles up from the central pier, and I desperately wanted to head back. Unfortunately, I was stuck here indefinitely.
I took a quick shower letting the hot water run down my sore muscles. Hopping up on the bed, I went straight to looking at the cameras in Wolf’s apartment. All was quiet and I didn’t see any movement which meant everyone was asleep. I had called Riggs and made sure he’d guard Ryder and Ciara until Wolf got home, but unlike me, Riggs had Luna to head home to.
I was about to shut the computer down when I noticed movement in the kitchen. I held still as I tried to make out the form, but then the refrigerator door opened and I gawked at the camera. Ciara was standing facing the fridge, wearing a tank top and the sexiest pair of boy shorts I’d ever seen. Her plump ass was pointed towards the camera, and as my eyes remained trained on the screen, she bent over and my cock went into overdrive. She stood up slowly, almost like she knew I was watching her. When she turned I swore my cock was going to explode. Her luscious curves were silhouetted by the light of the refrigerator, even the tight little pebbles on her chest were outlined against the light. As I was taking in her body, she shut the fridge door and the light suddenly went out. I stared at the dark screen for a second, and then blinked. I grabbed the screen and growled. I wanted more. I wanted her to show me everything. Angrily, I slammed the laptop shut. Damn woman had me on a serious edge and I was going to fucking lose it. Sighing, I laid back on the bed. I closed my eyes, and as exhaustion took me over, my last thought was of her pretty green eyes looking up at me.