Throwing back my second shot, I check the clock and it’s ten o’clock. I guess Lane isn’t coming. I am not much of a drinker; I drink enough to get buzzed. Danielle gets shit faced and I end up carrying her butt home.

“Let’s go dance!” Danielle squeals and pulls me from my chair. I laugh and follow her.

The music changes to an upbeat song, and together we dance like we used to back in college. I laugh and throw my hands up in the air, shaking my butt to the music, which is the only thing I can do since I am uncoordinated.

Hands touch my hips and I spin around. I half expect it to be Lane, but it’s the dude that’s been eyeing us from the corner.

I pull his hand off my hip, stepping back.

“I just want a dance.” He mock pouts and steps closer.

I shake my head. “No, I am sorry. Maybe some other time?” I am trying to be as polite as possible. Danielle moves up beside me.

“Just one dance, please Baby?” he begs and I cringe. Who does he think he is?

I shake my head once again, my hands raised in front of me. “No. Some other time.” I turn around and dismiss him.

A hand touches my forearm and I whip around again, ready to beat his ass, and I see the man go flying across the floor. My mouth pops open. “You heard the lady, fuck off.” Lane passes me and stalks over to the man.

My jaw drops even more and I look at Danielle, who is eating everything up. The man gets off the floor, glaring at me, completely ignoring Lane.

“Fucking look at me.” Lane completely blocks me from the man’s view.

I peer around Lane and see the guy is already across the bar, moving away from us. Why do I have such shitty luck? Why can’t they just take rejection and move on?

“Well, if it isn’t my hero,” I tell Lane, who turns around grinning at me. My heart skips a beat at the sight of that smile.

I hear chuckles, and I look behind me to see a shit ton of very large men. Danielle is currently in heaven. I practically see her drooling.

Lane moves to my side, pulling me close, his hand resting on my hip. “Guys, this is my woman, Amelia. Amelia, these are my brothers.”

Wait what? I am his? Did he literally just claim me? Shaking my head, I clear my mind and decide to worry about that later. I smile at every one of them, and the last one on the right clutches his chest. “This magnificent woman is yours?”

Lane pulls me harder into his side. “Damn right.”

I laugh out loud and the men join me. He is such a caveman, I swear. I point at Danielle. “This is my best friend, Danielle.” The one on the right moves forward and grabs Danielle’s hand. “Nice to meet you, beautiful.” I can see her legs give out a little, and I laugh again. Lane chuckles and I grab my beer.

Everyone is laughing and joking around and having a great time. I am hyperaware of Lane holding me against him, his hand running up and down my arm. I try to withhold the shivers I am having.

“You’re too fucking gorgeous for your own good. You know that? Too many fuckers in here looking at you,” he whispers into my ear, and I melt into a pile of goo. He is so sweet.

I turn around to face him, my hands resting on his chest. He touches my cheek.

“You’re so sweet, Lane,” I whisper back and he smiles.

“Just don’t tell the guys that,” he jokes and my heart aches at how sweet this man is.

I run my hands up his forearms and stand on my tiptoes. “Kiss me?”

He grins at me, and his hand twines into my hair and pulls slightly. “Fuck yeah.” He presses his mouth on mine, and I grab his vest, pulling him into me harder.

God, he can fucking kiss.

One hand rests on my face and the other in my hair, slowly tugging on the ends. God, this man is amazing. I step closer until we are hip to hip, and I let go of his vest and bring my hand down to his ass. I squeeze and groan at the feel of his bubble butt. I couldn’t resist.

Whack! A hand lands on my ass, and I pull back in shock. “Behave, Doll.” He chuckles and I blush deeply. I seem to just lose all control around him.

“Get it, girl!” Danielle yells, and I hear a bunch of guys’ chuckles.

I lay my head on his chest to hide my embarrassment. He laughs and runs his hand through my hair, then down my back.

He is so affectionate—everything is so new.

I turn around and he wraps his arms around my waist, his chin resting on top of my head. Danielle gives me a double thumbs-up and pops back another drink.

She is going to regret this tomorrow. She dances around the room happily, in her own world. Danielle must be the most joyful person alive. She is always so bubbly and upbeat.

A man walks over to us. He is taller than Lane, and Lane has to be six-foot-three. He is also bearded like Lane and covered in tattoos.

“This is my VP, Wilder,” Lane says.

I smile. “Nice to meet you, Wilder.”

He shakes his head and smiles at Lane. “Fucking lucky, bro.”

“That was really nice, thank you,” I tell Wilder and his expression softens.

“Mine, bro. Don’t even fucking look,” Lane grumbles and pulls me into him harder. I laugh at his possessiveness and lean back, kissing the underside of his neck.

“You’re cute,” I whisper and Wilder bursts out laughing. Lane laughs along with Wilder and I grin, running my hand along his arm.

I look around for Danielle, and I see she is still dancing by herself. She bumps into the table and knocks some empty cups onto the ground.

A door slams into the wall and I jump. Lane’s arm tightens around me, and he straightens his body. We all turn to the entrance of the bar, and a bunch of guys pile into the room. The guy who bothered me earlier, along with his friends, turns to face the guys who walked in.

Uh oh.

“So you showed up to get your ass beat?” the guy who grabbed me earlier says. He laughs and elbows his friends.

“You asked for it, fucker, messed with the wrong person.”

“We will see about that.” He laughs and the guy who bothered me earlier pushes him. His friends do the same thing, and my stomach sinks as I realize they are all heading in our direction.

Danielle!

I look over and see one of Lane’s men grab her, pulling her from the danger zone.

The door to the bar opens again, and a bunch more men pile into the building. That’s when all hell breaks loose.

Lane lets go of me and puts me behind his body. He steps back until my back is touching the wall. I look around the side of his body, my stomach sinking, when I see the chaos surrounding me.

Men are piled on the floor beating each other’s brains out. Danielle is on the other side of the room with an MC guy protecting her, the way Lane is protecting me. She looks at me with frantic eyes, and I smile at her reassuringly.

A group of men move over to me and Lane. Lane steps away from me and pulls the men apart. “Fucking stop!” he roars and they turn on Lane swinging. He shakes his head like he is bored with the whole situation. He punches the one on the left directly in the face. His eyes roll back in his head, and he hits the floor, knocked out.

Holy fuck, that was hot.

The other guy sees what Lane can do and runs into the fray to take care of someone else. “Holy shit, Lane, you’re badass,” I tell him and laugh. He shrugs like the badass he is.

I want a piece of this man. Goodness me.

Little by little, the fight ends and they start drifting out with the help of the MC guys.

Once everything is cleared out, I go over to Danielle to make sure she is okay. She’s slumped over the guy who was protecting her, her head lying on his back, her eyes closed. “Is she?”

He laughs and nods.

She is asleep. I laugh along with him, and Lane moves up beside me. “Want me to help you get her home?”

“Yes, please.”

He picks up Danielle, and I’m instantly jealous to see her in his arms. Those are my arms.

I am such a fucking mess.

“Don’t worry, Baby, you’re the only one I want in my arms,” Lane teases and I give him the middle finger.

“You’re adorable, Doll.”

I flip him off with both hands.

“She’s a feisty one, Prez.”

I spin around and face the person who called me feisty, and I place my hands on my waist, glaring at Wilder. “Want me to show you feisty?”

Fuck, quit being cute, Amelia.

“Let’s get her home.”

I follow Lane out to my car. I open the door, and he gently lays her down on the backseat. I grab the blanket I keep on the floor just for this very purpose. This isn’t our first rodeo.

“Follow behind me?” I ask Lane, and he nods then leans forward and kisses me on the lips. My eyes flutter closed. I want him so much. Just the way he smiles sets my world on fire, and the way he is possessive makes me feel wanted.

Right now, in his presence, I feel protected and safe. I just really like everything about him.

“Be safe, Doll.”

“I will.” I walk over to the driver’s side and climb in. I start the car and wait for Lane to get on his bike.

Once he is set, I drive toward her house.