Chapter Three
“Lori got to the homeless shelter safely, sir. There is also a man keeping an eye on things, and will post updates.”
Looking up from his paperwork, Dawg sat back, breathing a sigh of relief. One night she’d been in his bed, and already he had the worst case of blue balls he could ever recall having. It pissed him off that she drove him crazy, but that was exactly what she did. She’d also taken him by surprise with stripping in front of him. Not that he minded. Her body was made for pleasure, and one day soon he intended to get his hands on her.
He was going to show her everything that she’d been missing out on, and when she thought she’d had enough, he was going to show her again, and again, and again. No part of her was going to be left untouched or unkissed. He wanted to fuck her brains out, and have her scream his name.
Smiling, he suddenly felt a great deal happier. When she’d woken up that morning, he’d seen the fight in her eyes. He’d expected it. She thought he was going to take everything away from her. The friends she’d made, her work, and also her commitments to many charities. He had no intention of doing any such thing.
Last night had been … extraordinary. He’d never taken a woman to bed before. The last thing he ever wanted was to have a woman grasping onto him, begging him. He hadn’t been interested in that at all.
Yet, when it came to Lori, the moment she drifted to sleep, he’d wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
He’d pressed his nose against her neck, breathing in her beautiful scent. It really had been amazing.
Finishing his work, he got up and made his way outside just as his brother was pulling into the driveway.
“I have one night off to spend with the family, and I hear so many nasty little rumors.” He embraced his brother, Paul, and smiled.
“I see the rumors are already rife.”
“Something about a girl? You’ve bought a girl for your pleasure?”
“Climb in. I’ll tell you everything.”
Paul slid in beside him, and Nigel, his driver, began the morning rounds that always took place on a Saturday.
“Let me just guess,” Paul said. “I’m guessing this is Sean’s girl. The one that has become like an obsession to you?”
“It’s Lori. Sean was finally caught stealing—”
“You always intended for him to be caught, so that’s no big revelation.”
“Well, he offered me anything, and I saw an opportunity, which I took.”
“From the moment you saw this woman, you’ve had a boner for her. What is it about her?”
“I like her.”
“There are a lot of women out there. None of them have ever made you act crazy, and right now with Lori, you’re acting crazy.”
“What makes me crazy?” he asked.
“Simple. You’re wanting to be with her even though she’s said time and time again that she doesn’t want it.”
“Yes, but she’s also had that look in her eye that says otherwise.”
“Or you could be seeing things.”
“Whose side are you on?” Dawg asked.
“I don’t take sides, but if it was going to cost me anything, I’d take yours. I hope you know what you’re doing. This life is not for everyone.”
Paul knew that better than anyone as his wife was having a hard time dealing with everything.
“Was there anything else in Lori’s past that could perhaps show why she’s reluctant?”
“Dawg, man, I hate to break it to you, but not a lot of women get off on the violence and blood.”
“This isn’t about that. Something happened to her. Something changed her, and I don’t know what it is. She’s different from other women. She makes me happy.”
Paul sighed. “And what if you only make her miserable?”
“I’m not going to argue with you about this.”
His brother held his hands up. “I’m not arguing. I’m stating facts. You normally like it when I do that.”
“Not today. I’m not interested in whatever shit you’ve got to say.” He ended the conversation, staring out the window as he did.
Lori would come around to his life. She’d have to. She didn’t have a choice. The moment he’d caught sight of her, any choice she once had disappeared. He wasn’t willing to share, not now, not ever.
There was something he was missing, something big.
Pulling out his cell phone, he put a call through to his informant in the police force.
“I got you everything that is linked to that file, sir,” Andrew said.
“You’re sure. Nothing missing out of it? No blank pages?”
“There’s nothing about Lori Kinsley. She’s a good, hard-working woman. There’s nothing to hide.”
He heard the confusion in Andrew’s voice, and he ended the call.
“Here’s a thought for you,” Paul said. “Why don’t you just ask her?”
Ignoring his brother, he sat back and tapped his knee. Something wasn’t right. He didn’t understand it.
He’d find out the truth though, one way or another.
****
Work didn’t help Lori forget who was waiting for her back at home. She’d woken up this very morning with his arms wrapped around her, and rather than be angry about that, she’d enjoyed it. In fact, she’d lain back for several moments and simply basked in having his arms around her.
She couldn’t believe that she’d actually liked having him hold her.
Dawg wasn’t an ugly man, nor was she immune to his … charm.
Damn it! She wanted him.
She did, and that was what made her even angrier. He wasn’t a good guy. Spooning another scoop of soup into a bowl, she smiled at the man in front of her, who bowed his head and went to sit at the table. Feeding the homeless had given her a bigger insight to the world. Not only did she realize how lucky she was, but it also helped for her to pay off her guilt.
This was where she’d first heard of Dawg Hampshire, legendary crime lord and all-around asshole. She’d learned about him a long time before she’d even met him. Of course, in her mind she’d seen him as more of a monster than anything else, and that hadn’t been what she’d seen.
Yes, he was a cocky asshole. He had that air about him that said he was used to getting what he wanted and women falling at his feet. She wasn’t like most women, and didn’t intend to fall at his feet either.
In fact, she intended to steer well clear of him. She had no intention of falling for him. He thought she was going to be begging for him for sex? He had another think coming.
Hell would certainly be freezing over before she got near him, and that was that.
Even as she thought it, she couldn’t rid her mind of the feel of his arms wrapped around her, nor the way he kissed her neck as he settled in against her. Her body had come alive at his touch alone.
Part of her had wanted him to do something when she’d gotten naked in the bathroom.
He’d done nothing.
He’d been the perfect gentleman, and that only served to make her want him more. The rest of her shift at the homeless shelter went by without a hitch. It didn’t help to clear her mind though. Knowing she was going back to a place that had the object of her confusion only served to make her more anxious.
Leaving through the back entrance, she paused when she caught sight of Dawg leaning against the car door. He looked in control, dangerous, and the leader.
No one told him that he was illegally parked, and she noticed a lot of people gave him a wide berth. Were they afraid of him?
She should be afraid, and yet to her he’d not posed any danger.
He opened the car door for her without a word, and she climbed inside. She saw the driver, another man in front, and then Dawg climbed in the back beside her.
“Lori, I’d like you to meet my brother, Paul.”
He pointed to the man in the passenger seat. She held out her hand, and shook it.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“I see living with my brother hasn’t completely stolen my manners.”
She smiled as Paul kissed her hand.
“I didn’t know you had a brother.”
“We have different mothers,” Paul said. “I’m the youngest one in the clan.” He winked at her, and it made her smile, but nothing else.
She sat back and glanced out the window, aware of the man beside her. His hand had touched the base of her back, and she’d felt the heat of his touch against her. She didn’t want him to let her go, and again, she was torn between her head and her body.
Her heart wasn’t allowed to come into play. She refused to listen to it.
“Did you have a good day?” Dawg asked.
She heard one of the men wince.
“What?” Dawg asked.
Lori looked at him and saw him glaring at his brother.
“How can a woman have a good day after watching men and women beg for food? That’s not a good day.”
“It was fine. I like doing it. Some of them like to be on the streets rather than deal with the stress of being part of it all.” Most of them didn’t want to be homeless though.
Rubbing at her temple, she tried not to think about the man beside her.
Paul and Dawg began to talk about something else, and she didn’t really pay attention to either of them, as she wasn’t interested in whatever they had to say.
The journey came to a close as they pulled up Dawg’s driveway. This time she waited, and it was Paul who opened the car door.
Making her way toward the main one, she saw it was already open and made her way inside. She didn’t linger as she went straight toward the shower, needing to wash off this craving that was building inside her.
She wouldn’t allow herself to fall for a man who had a life that killed people. Leaning against the wall, she pressed her face to her hands and saw the blood. With her eyes closed, she saw the mess, the pain, the destruction, and bit her lip to contain her whimper. She would not crumble. She would not fall.
“You’re a lady, Lori. Never forget who you are. Be yourself.”
Running her hand through her hair, she breathed a little easier. She missed her mom so much. It always pained her to know that her father had survived while her poor mother had died. It was one of the reasons she’d never forgive the bastard.
If it hadn’t been for her mother’s dying wish, she’d have killed him herself a long time ago.
After all, she had already killed once.