“One kiss with tongue,” I countered. “I won’t give up Wonder Woman, but I won’t press charges, either.”

“One kiss with tongue,” he replied, eyes darkening. “And you sleep with me tonight. I don’t really give a fuck about Wonder Woman.”

“Sleep with you?” I hissed. “Oh, hell no. I’m not that drunk.”

“Not sex. Just sleep. Right here in this bed, with me. All night.”

“No sex.”

“No sex unless you want it,” he said, and my breath caught because I sort of did want it.

“All right,” I replied. When his head lowered toward mine I could hardly breathe, I was so excited. His last kiss had been rough, almost brutal. Now his lips were soft, nipping and nibbling at mine. I opened for him, expecting the kiss to deepen. Instead he touched the corner of my mouth, rubbing his nose alongside mine before drifting down along my jawline.

When his mouth found the spot right below my ear I nearly called bullshit, but it felt so good. Warm tingles ran through my stomach and my nipples hardened. Shade slid down a few inches, pushing my knees apart with his as he settled more firmly between my legs, my hands still held prisoner over my head. His cock pushed directly against my center. I sighed.

This was good. Really good.

Then he caught my earlobe between his lips and my head spun, a mixture of lust and booze making it almost impossible to think.

Almost.

But not quite.

This was happening, I realized. I was actually going to have sex with this man unless I did something to stop it right now because he wanted me. Bad. I wanted him, too, and despite the fact that I hadn’t officially broken up with Rebel yet, that relationship was definitely over.

Would it really be such a horrible idea to sleep with him?

He gave Rebel a $500 discount off a bike to fuck you, Wonder Woman reminded me coldly. And he thinks Batman could beat me and we both know that’s bullshit. Are you a goddess of war or not?

Shade’s tongue slid into my mouth as his hand caught the edge of my shirt, tugging it upward. My head spun because he tasted amazing. Whiskey and smoke and sex and…five hundred dollars to fuck me.

Shut it down, Wonder Woman demanded. You have sex with him tonight and you’re officially a prostitute. A cheap prostitute. You think I’d fuck Batman for anything less than ten grand?

Damn it, she was right. I twisted my head, breaking the kiss. Shade followed, trying to catch my lips. I caught his with my teeth instead, biting him hard enough to draw blood. His head jerked back and he stared down at me, panting.

“You want this as bad as I do.”

“I said one kiss. It’s over,” I insisted, wishing my voice wasn’t so breathless and eager. “Don’t make me bite you again.”

Shade closed his eyes, inhaling slowly. His cock pulsed against me and it took everything I had not to grind up against him.

“Fucking hell,” he muttered, opening his eyes again. “Jesus Christ but you’re a fucking tease.”

“I am not. The agreement was one kiss with tongue.”

Wonder Woman nodded proudly.

Shade rolled off, sitting up on the bed to face away from me, running a hand through his hair.

“I need to get the fuck outta here,” he snapped. Then he stood and made for the door.

“Wait!” I said, reality crushing down around me. I couldn’t have sex with him but that didn’t change the situation—I was alone in the Reapers’ clubhouse, completely at the club’s mercy. “Am I still safe here?”

Shade turned on me, two hundred pounds plus of pissed-off male, and I scrambled back against the wall behind the bed.

The same wall he’d punched a hole through with his bare hand.

“Yeah, you’re safe,” he said coldly. “Not gonna rape you, Mandy. Not gonna roofie you. Not gonna murder you or tie you to the bed or even fucking kiss you again unless you ask, because unlike your piece of shit boyfriend, I’m a real man and I don’t fucking abuse women. You win. I’ll give you a ride home tomorrow and you’ll never have to see me again. Happy?”

He turned away without waiting for an answer, slamming the door behind him as he left the room. This left me alone to gloat over my victory. He was right—I’d won. A full-on triumph for me and Wonder Woman. Somehow it just didn’t quite feel like one, though.

I’m also kind of lonely, she admitted.

Fucking bitch.

She could’ve mentioned that earlier.

 

 

Chapter Five

 

My head throbbed as I stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling.

What the hell?

A thick, muscular arm shifted under me, tucking me into a man’s torso. My head rested against him like a pillow. Too muscular to be Rebel, and he didn’t smell quite right. Not bad, just…different.

Shade.

The night came back in a rush, everything from what Rebel had done to how the big Reaper’s kiss had turned me inside out. Wonder Woman was mixed up in there somehow, but I couldn’t quite remember how. Nothing weird about that. At any rate, Shade had left after I turned him down, but not before promising that I’d be safe. And I had been. I’d sat and stewed for a while, then awarded myself another drink and passed out.

Sometime in the night, he must’ve come back.

Shouldn’t have had so much booze, I thought, blinking at the harsh sunlight. Wait. Sunlight. It was morning, which meant my sister would be headed to work soon.

I needed to get my ass home in time to watch the kids…unless it was too late already.

Shit.

There wasn’t a clock in the room, or a phone. I needed to call her ASAP and let her know I hadn’t flaked, except I sort of had flaked. Not on purpose, though.

Fucking Rebel, setting me up and then leaving me stranded here.

Something stirred against my leg, which was draped over Shade’s body. Some of his parts were less asleep than others, because that was some impressive morning wood poking my thigh. He’d promised to give me a ride in the morning.

This wasn’t the kind of ride I’d been thinking of.

Might be a good idea to find a phone before waking him up. Maybe pull myself together and figure out a plan so that my sister didn’t end up having to choose between her kids and her job. Goddamn men. None of this would’ve happened if we’d stayed single.

If there was one thing we should’ve learned by now, it was that McBride women couldn’t pick men for shit. Our mom had been married five times, and not one of them had been worth keeping. Both Hannah and I had struck out, too, although at least I hadn’t gotten left to raise three kids by myself. Not that I’d trade my little nieces for anything on earth, but still… Men hadn’t exactly been a force for good in our lives.