I have to tell Alix what we found out about Gonzalo. But that can wait a few minutes. For right now, the only thing I want to do is give us both a few minutes of not thinking about any of this. So that’s what I do.

There’s a question in her eyes as I take her upstairs. But I think she knows if I’d found Gonzalo or Eden I would have told her straightaway. When she realizes what I have in mind, her eyes grow hooded with desire. When I close the door to the apartment, her body surrenders to mine instantly.

“I haven’t done this in days,” I growl almost angrily against her neck as I pull her to me.

Alix’s muffled giggle turns into a moan at the contact of my mouth on her skin. “It’s only been a few hours,” she corrects me breathlessly.

“Same thing.”

I’m a little rough with her. But I know she likes it that way. I half-throw her down on the bed and she looks up at me and bites her lip, her legs falling open slightly. I already know she’ll be wet as hell for me, and my cock is practically ripping through my jeans as I reach for her.

I pull off her jeans first, hearing the fabric tear just a little as I do. Her little gasp of anticipation just about does me in. I know she’s ready, so ready, and I can practically hear the sound of her high-pitched whimper as she comes on my cock. The thought makes it pulse almost painfully. Somehow I manage not to rip the rest of her clothes in half as I take them off her. When she’s lying naked and ready for me, I stand back up off the bed and yank off my own shirt and pants. I reach for my cock and stroke myself once or twice as I look at her, but I can’t go down that road yet or I’ll come before I’m ready.

Instead, I lie down on the bed on my back. “Straddle my face.”

“What?”

She’s shocked, or at least nervous. But I don’t have time for that shit. “You heard what I said. You’re gonna ride my tongue, babe. Do it, or I’ll pull you over here myself.”

She knows me well enough to know I’m not going to take no for an answer. Slowly, she does as she’s told, and places her knees on either side of my head. I grab her hips and pull her toward me before she has time to resist, then plunge my tongue inside her to taste her sweet juices. Alix gasps again, more loudly, but the gasp turns into a loud moan as I slide my tongue back outside and begin to lap at her pussy.

I’m not sure if she’s ever done this before. But it doesn’t take long until she’s so far gone that she loses all self-consciousness. Her body tenses for a moment, and then she starts moving her hips to meet my tongue, moaning and writhing as I make contact with her hardening clit. I can tell before long that she’s already close, so I hold onto her hips tighter so she has to slow down a little. Her breath comes faster and faster as she tries to buck against my mouth. Her juices start to flow, hot against my tongue, and her moans become half-anguished cries as she begs me wordlessly to give her what she needs.

I speed up, licking her harder, my cock so hard I could almost come just from doing this. Her whimpers are so goddamn sexy as she writhes against my mouth. I could listen to them for the rest of my life, knowing I’m the one making her feel this way.

“Don’t stop,” she whispers. “Oh, God. Gunner…” Her voice comes out ragged. “I’m so close…”

I plunge my tongue inside her one final time, then lap at her with long strokes, teasing her where I know she needs it most. She tenses for just a second. Then her entire body jolts at once, her hips bucking over and over, losing herself in the throes of her orgasm. She’s calling my name as she comes. It sounds almost like a prayer.

When she’s just over the crest, I grab her hips again and pull her downward, onto my cock. I thrust up inside her, hit with an almost blinding burst of pleasure all at once. I only manage to last for a few seconds before I’m coming inside her, so hard it’s almost painful. Her pussy contracts around me and everything goes blank, the two of us falling together, her clutching at my shoulders, me holding her hips tight against me.

We stay like that for a few minutes, not talking at all. Not wanting to say the words that will bring the world back. Not yet wanting to let it in.

In the silence, all I hear is her breathing, and the rustle of her hair against my chest.

Finally, Alix whispers something, so low I can barely hear her.

“You’re going to ruin me for other men, Gunner Storgaard.”

In my chest, my heart starts to pound at what I know I’m about to say back.

“That’s the idea, darlin’.”

“You found people who know Gonzalo?” Alix is asking me. “What did they say?”

We’re sitting up in bed, now. We’re still naked, but she’s got the sheet pulled up around her breasts. Which is probably good, because I won’t be able to concentrate on what we’re talking about if I can see her tits.

“The other brothers are questioning one of Gonzalo’s friends now,” I say.

“Questioning?” she asks, raising a brow.

“Interrogating,” I clarify. “They’ll get anything he knows out of him. One way or another. Once they have some information, they’ll get hold of me right away.”

Alix shudders slightly. “I’m not sure I want to know any more about that.”

I nod. “Probably not. But the point is, we’re getting closer. Once we have Gonzalo, we’ll be able to determine for sure whether he knows where Eden is.”

“What if he won’t tell you?”

“He will,” I growl.

I’ll see to it myself. It’ll be a fucking joy to beat it out of that motherfucker.

“Why did you come back here alone?” Alix asks then.

“I wanted to see you,” I say honestly. “Give you an update on the situation, so you wouldn’t be going crazy wondering what was going on.”

“You could have done that over the phone,” she smirks.

“True. But I couldn’t have done this,” I reply, reaching for her.

“We forgot to use a condom,” I tell her. “Again.”

“I didn’t forget,” Alix says breathily. “I… wanted you like that. And besides, I’m on the pill.”

“I forgot, then. I didn’t even think about it. By the time I was inside you, my dick had taken over.” I’m pissed at myself. I don’t forget shit like that. I don’t need entanglements, and definitely not in the form of a little version of myself running around. But that’s twice in a row that it didn’t even fucking occur to me to use protection. All I could think about was being inside Alix. Losing myself in her.

I think back to what she said a few minutes ago.

You’re going to ruin me for other men, Gunner Storgaard.

I think maybe the feeling’s mutual.

“What’s this?” Alix asks, grazing a finger lightly over the scar on my leg.

“Bullet hole.”

Her eyes widen in shock. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah,” I shrug. “It’s no big deal. I got shot during a run. Smiley took care of it.”

“Smiley?”

“Yeah. One of the Lords. Charter member.” I grin at her reassuringly. “A few stitches and I was good as new.”

Alix doesn’t say anything for a few moments as she continues to stare at the bullet scar. I let her look. This shit is who I am. It’s my life. No use trying to hide it from her.

“There was a woman here at the clubhouse earlier,” she says finally. Her voice is soft, troubled. “Heather.”

Fuck. I don’t even need to ask anything to be pretty sure what Alix is gonna say next.

“She was, uh, kind of a bitch,” Alix continues. “She said…”

“Alix.” I cut her off before she can go any further. “I’ll answer any questions you have. But before I do, I just want you to know something. Heather means not one damn thing to me. Never has, never will.” For some reason, I have to know that Alix understands this. I can’t have her thinking she and Heather are even in the same fucking category. Hell, it’s fucked up that Heather would even breathe the same air as Alix.

Alix shakes her head a little. “She said the two of you were together. Sydney and Jenna said that wasn’t true. But… I want to hear it from you.” She looks up at me, her eyes open and vulnerable. “I just want to know,” she says, her voice cracking a little. “Whatever the truth is. I just want to know it.”

“Babe.” I kiss the top of her head. “I won’t lie to you. Heather’s a club girl. That’s what she’s here for — because she’s got a thing for bikers. The girls are there to scratch an itch when we need it. Yeah, I’ve…” I stop short of saying fucked her. I don’t want to see Alix flinch at my bluntness. “It’s, uh, happened a few times with her. But not since I met you.”

“I know I don’t really have the right to ask,” she murmurs. “But…”

“You can ask whatever the hell you want.” I reach over and lift her chin so she’s looking straight into my eyes. “There’s nothing between Heather and me.” I pause for a second. “And there won’t be. I’m done with her. She can’t hold a candle to you, Alix. No woman can.”

Fuck me. That last part slipped out before I even knew I was going to say it.

It’s fucking true, though.

Alix’s eyes soften. I bend down and kiss her, deeply. When I break away, we’re both breathing hard.

“Can I tell you something?” she whispers.

“Shoot.”

“I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“I’m scared to find Eden.”

That wasn’t what I was expecting at all.

“I thought I was scared I’d never find her,” she goes on. She sounds so young, suddenly. “That I wouldn’t ever know if she needed help. But now, I’m scared of what will happen when we do find her. Because what if she laughs? What if she tells me I’m a stupid idiot for thinking she wanted to be found in the first place? What if she tells me to fuck off?” Alix’s eyes fill, and tears begin streaming down her face. “I’ve already lost my mom. If Eden tells me to go to hell, then I’ve lost my sister, too.” When Alix looks up at me now, her face is terrified. “She’s the last family I have, Gunner. If she doesn’t want me, I’ll be all alone.”

There’s an ache in my throat as I listen to her words. I don’t have much in the way of blood family, either — it’s just been my ma and me for as long as I can remember. But for almost as long as I can remember, I’ve had the club, too. Smiley taught me how to ride a motorcycle. I started hanging around the Lords when I was a teenager. After my stint in the Marines, I came back and patched into the club. Alone is something I’ve never been.

Silently, I pull Alix to me, and let her cry. I don’t tell her it’ll be okay, because I don’t know if it will. But there’s one thing I do know, deep in my bones. Even though I don’t say it.

As long as she wants me to be there for her — Alix won’t be alone.