by Davis, Jen
She was right, of course. Losing Scott had broken his heart. Losing Mandy would have broken him entirely.
Stripping down as he walked, he dropped his shirt on the back of a chair. His jeans, he left in a pile on the floor. Then he joined her in the shower, circling her waist from behind. “I’m so sorry,” he said hoarsely. “I’ve made such a mess of things.” Breathing in the scent of her hair, he silently thanked God he hadn’t lost her tonight.
She leaned her head back against his chest, giving him an unobstructed view of her perfect, creamy breasts. “You were grieving.”
“Yeah.” He kissed her shoulder. “But it wasn’t your fault. None of this is your fault, but here you are, stuck in the middle between me and your father.”
Mandy turned in his arms. “I’m not stuck between you. Fuck my father. The only thing I am to him is a bargaining chip, and I refuse to be one anymore.” She lathered the soap in her hands and ran the foam over his chest. “We’ll figure out how to deal with him, but not now, okay? Right now, I just want to feel you and forget about the rest of the world.”
“Hell yeah.” He ran his finger from the center of her chest, in a slow line down to her trim patch of auburn hair. “Get your ass in my bed. The condoms are in the top dresser drawer.” He’d been sure to stock the place once he gave her a key.
She scampered out, and he rinsed quickly before facing himself in the mirror above the sink. He couldn’t do much about his hair, but there was one thing he could do. Grabbing the razor he’d used to shape his beard, he got to work removing all the hair from his face. It was surreal to look at his reflection when he was done. If not for the scar, he’d look a lot like he did in college.
As he’d demanded, Mandy waited like a naked fucking goddess on top of his sheets, her red hair spread out like a fiery halo on the pillow. She gasped and sat up straight when he stepped out of the shadows into the dim light of the lamp.
He sat beside her, allowing her hands to smooth over his cheeks.
Her lower lip trembled. “I really have you back.”
Leaning in, he caught her lip between his teeth before soothing it with his tongue, but Mandy had zero patience letting him take the lead. Her tongue shot out, tangling with his, pulling him into a kiss. There was nothing careful about it, no concern about any scratches to her tender skin.
She was passion incarnate, her kiss so consuming, he could almost forget they were both stark naked on his bed. Almost.
His thumb found her nipple, and he raked it gently with his nail. It pebbled instantly at the touch.
Mandy wasn’t interested in the subtle approach. Rubbing her cheek against his, her mouth found his ear, and she traced the shell with her tongue. Her hot breath sent a wave of goosebumps prickling across his skin. “Seeing you like this makes me so hot,” she whispered. Her hand tugged away his towel, then circled his erection. “Lie down for me, baby. Let me take the wheel for a while.”
Hell, yes.
He settled on his back, and she straddled him. “More kisses,” she murmured, licking, touching, and teasing his mouth before delving back inside with abandon. How did he ever think he could live without this woman?
All too soon she moved away. He very nearly protested until he realized where she was headed. Thank God, she didn’t tease him; she went straight for the prize. He almost came right then and there, the moment her tongue slid up his shaft. His hips lifted off the bed, and he made the mistake of looking down.
Her sultry green eyes stared up at him like a vision out of an amazing wet dream. Again, she licked him, root to tip, the flat of her tongue lapping over his skin as if he were favorite flavor popsicle. “You are so fucking sexy,” he rumbled.
She gave him a knowing smile, then swallowed him whole. Her tongue twined around his cock as she sucked him back, then teasingly backed off. Again and again, she pleasured him in the way she knew he liked best until his orgasm was so close, he was on the verge of spilling in her mouth. “Let me suit up, baby. I need to be inside of you.”
He reached for the condom the moment she came up for air. His body screamed for him to bury his cock in her pussy, but he forced himself to wait. She had to be ready for him first. “Get on your hands and knees.”
His Mandy didn’t hesitate, only did as he commanded. The position put her glistening sex on full display. Though part of him craved the intimacy of joining with her face to face, he needed to claim her, remind them both she was his in the most primal way.
Sliding his finger inside, he discovered her already slick and accommodating. She pushed back against the invasion. “Don’t play with me. I need you too much. Please.”
Who was he to deny her wishes? Spreading her open with his hands, he plunged his dick inside her in one long stroke. Her satisfied moan stoked the fire inside him even higher. Grabbing her shoulders, he forced her back to arch, giving him the perfect angle to hit the spot he knew always drove her crazy.
When she cried his name, he knew he’d found it. Snaking his hand around her hip, he sought the swollen bud at the top of her slit. He circled it with his finger in tandem with his thrusts inside her. Her soft mewls drove him crazy, emboldened him to strum her faster, ride her harder. She rewarded him with louder cries and a tighter grip from her internal muscles.
Finally, he felt her body tense, her breathing stop, and the ripples of her orgasm as it milked his cock. His balls drew up tight, and he came as she was still pulsing around him. They collapsed together on the bed.
Once his body started again obeying his commands, he unsheathed himself and tossed the condom in the trashcan by the bed. While he was turned away, Mandy’s fingers traced over the letters of her name on his back. He stayed frozen until her hand fell away, and he settled back on the bed.
“When did you get it?” she asked, once she settled back into his arms.
He let out a breath. “The day after I got out of the hospital. I used some of the money I’d saved for your ring. I know it sounds stupid, but it made me feel like you were still with me in a way.”
Her fingers ran through the hair on his chest in soothing circles. “It’s not stupid. It’s romantic. It…makes me want to fly. And it makes me want to cry at the same time.” She lifted her head. “Which is not your doing. It’s mine. We lost so much time because of me.”
She’d beat herself up forever if he let her, but he’d been about to make the same mistake. He’d be alone right now if it weren’t for Brick’s interference. “You thought you were protecting me.”
“Yeah, well, it might have all been for nothing.” She rubbed her eyes. “My father still has the video from back then. He’s threatening to release it to the police all over again. He reminded me right before he left me in the room with Nathan.”
How a man could do that to his daughter defied his understanding. “Your dad makes mine look like father of the year, which is saying something because my dad is a selfish dick.”
She wrapped herself back around him with a sigh. “We’ve got to get rid of the video once and for all.”
“We will.” He kissed the top of her head. “Now get some sleep. I plan on loving you again when the sun comes up.”
***
Amanda
Kane kept his promise, waking her with whispered words of love and a slow, languorous journey into pleasure. Her body was loose and satisfied, but she had too much weighing on her mind to relax fully. Like her father’s threats. The fallout from Nathan’s death. The fucking motorcycle club.
She’d deal with it all, one step at a time.
When they were finally dressed and sharing some buttered toast at his kitchen table, she tackled problem number one. “What are we going to do about my dad?”
Kane swallowed his toast down with a sip of coffee. “I have an idea. Do you trust me?”
“With my life.” Her face warmed, but she didn’t regret saying it. The truth could set you free, right?
His smile made his entire face light up. God, he was beautiful.
It should have been illegal to hide his face under all that fur so many years.
“It involves getting the club involved, and I’ll need you to make some serious threats. You think you can manage it?”
“Threatening my father?” She laughed. “Yeah, I can manage it. After all he’s done, the hard part will be keeping myself from following through.”
He filled her in on a few more details before kissing her forehead and leaving to solicit his friends for help. If he was successful, they’d all meet at the Griffin house in an hour.
If she wanted, it gave her time to go back to her condo and change, but she felt safe at Kane’s place, and safety mattered way more than what she was wearing. She had far more concern about coming face to face with the guys in the club again. None of them had ever liked her.
But Kane had faith in them, and she had faith in him. If he said it would work out, she would believe him. In the meantime, she needed to get her shit together. She smoothed her hair into a tight ponytail and touched up her make-up. No way would she confront her father looking bedraggled.
Satisfied her appearance looked as good as it would get, she retrieved the key she’d left under the mat the morning before.
What a difference a day makes.
She arrived at the house at the agreed-upon time, and though she didn’t see Kane, she had no doubt he was there. With a fortifying breath, she climbed out of her car, up to the front door and knocked twice.
Terrence opened the door, his face filled with apprehension. “Your father’s on a tear in the study, Miss Amanda.” His voice was pitched low. “It might not be the best time for a visit.”
She squeezed his hand gently. “Thank you for looking out for me, Terrence. You probably saved my life yesterday.” Now it was her turn to whisper. “Kane will be at the door in a few minutes. He’s going to let himself in, and he’ll be looking out for me. Maybe now would be a good idea for you to consult with cook about the menu for New Year’s.”
He nodded in understanding. “As you say, ma’am.” The aging butler turned slowly and shuffled toward the kitchen.
Amanda confirmed the front door was unlocked before striding to her father’s office for the second day in a row. The churning in her stomach reminded her of the feeling she’d had on the way to the hospital when her father demanded she break up with Kane. Dread, combined with the knowledge there was no way out; she had to see it through.
The door to the study hung partially ajar. Amanda didn’t knock; she pushed the door until it was completely open and walked in. It looked like a hurricane had torn through the room. Books, files, and papers were strewn across the floor. All the desk drawers hung open, and a chair rested on its side. Her father stood at the center of it all, muttering to himself and pacing.
The room had looked bad when she left yesterday, but now the chaos was infinitely worse. “What are you doing, Dad?”
He stopped pacing at the sound of her voice and craned his neck to face her. “I don’t recall inviting you today, Amanda. Perhaps you should call my secretary and make an appointment.”
She swept her hand over the room, acknowledging the mess. “And miss all this?” She shook her head. “Tempting as it is, you and I have some unfinished business to attend to. Afterward, you can go fuck yourself for all I care, because we are done.”
Her father tsked at her words. “Such language. Your pet thug is back in your life for a couple of weeks, and you already sound like you’re rolling around in the gutter.”
“The vilest man I’ve ever been with is the one you set me up with, Dad. Only, I guess it doesn’t really matter if the guy can do something for you, right?”
His lip curled. “You do not want to talk about Nathan with me. The stunt you pulled last night could set back my gubernatorial run for years—if it’s not derailed forever.”
Like always, his eye was on the prize. “I don’t care about your run for governor. In fact, this state would probably be better off with someone who’s not willing to sell their own child for a networking connection.” She held up her hand to stop whatever he’d been about to say. “But I didn’t come here to talk about your political future. Let’s be real: you and I, there is no relationship left. I only came here to get the video you’ve been holding over my head. Give it to me and we can go our separate ways.”
He laughed, and menace poured off him. “I should have known. The Hale boy again. Tell me, my recalcitrant daughter, why on earth would I ever give you my ace in the hole?”
She pulled the small handgun from her purse. Time to bluff. “Because I’m asking you nicely.”
Her father rolled his eyes. “I’m supposed to be afraid of you? As if you would shoot me if I didn’t cooperate with your demands.”
She didn’t think it would work; her father never took the easy route. “No. You’re right.” She didn’t turn, but she heard the footsteps enter the room behind her, and her father’s eyes widened in response. “I wouldn’t shoot you, but they would.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SEVEN
Kane
Kane stepped up to Mandy’s side, his father and friends filling the space behind him. She’d executed her part of the plan perfectly. Now, seeing the fear in her father’s eyes satisfied him more than he’d imagined.
Of course, he’d seen Beau Griffin over the years; the man was the mayor. He was on TV all the time, and that wasn’t counting all the billboards and flyers junking up his mailbox. In person, Mandy’s father looked smaller than he remembered. Deep circles shadowed under his eyes, and his usually perfect hair looked like he’d been pulling it in different directions.
This small man had ruined his life. Stolen his love. Killed his brother.
He barely recognized the deep, gravelly voice coming from his own mouth. “You think I’m a thug. You can thank yourself for that.” He moved closer, and Beau shrank back. “Thanks to you, I’m a killer. Thanks to you, I have a reason to seek revenge. So, tell me, Mr. Mayor, do you think I’m bluffing?”
Mandy’s dad swallowed, swept his eyes over the room, then seemed to find his courage. He stood a little taller. “I don’t have it.”
“Bullshit,” he barked.
“Check the house if you don’t believe me.” The man sounded all practiced and smooth again. “Look anywhere you want. There’s nothing to find.”
Malcolm put his hand on Kane’s shoulder. “Take him up on it. Look for hidden safes, especially in his bedroom. I’ll stay here with Mr. Griffin and talk father to father.”
He wanted to argue, but the truth was, Malcolm hadn’t just lost a brother in all of this; he’d lost a son. If he wanted to have it out with Mandy’s dad, he deserved the chance. “Okay. Mandy, can you show us where to start?”
She clearly didn’t like it, and she didn’t try to hide it, but she also didn’t argue. “Yeah. I have a couple of ideas, but we really need to go through the computers. Chances are, it’s stored digitally somewhere.” She took his hand. “He has a safe in his room upstairs. I know the combination.”
***
Brick
From his hidden location in the hollow space behind the study wall, Brick watched Amanda lead Kane and his club buddies out of the room. Only Kane and his girl knew he was here. His job was to watch and record everything he saw, in case they could catch her dad in an unguarded moment they could use against him. Well, if Kane’s father didn’t kill the guy first.
It would be one way to solve the problem.
Violence and death had been part of Brick’s world for years, so it wasn’t really a shocking proposition, especially since the man had set up his own daughter to be hurt. Low, even for the worst kind of sleazebag. The problem would be in covering it up. The mayor was a high-profile guy. His disappearance would be very noticeable, and after what happened yesterday, his connection to Kane was a matter of public record. No—there was no way to get rid of him quietly.
Malcolm’s voice broke him out of his thoughts. “You’ve made trouble
for my club for years, and I’ve let it go to avoid an all-out war. Harassment from the cops. Permits rejected. Bank loans denied. But this? There is no ignoring this. I should kill you right now and be done with it.”
Beau scoffed. “You’ll do no such thing. I stuck to our agreement to the letter.”
“Our agreement,” Malcolm hissed, “never said anything about you getting my son killed.”
Brick’s jaw dropped open.
“You and I both wanted our children away from each other. It’s the entire reason you set up the video sting on your own son and sent it to me.”
From his small peephole, Brick watched Beau pick up the leather chair from the floor and settle into it. “It worked like a charm. Your son joined your gang, and my daughter moved on to run a business. But you and I both know there is no cop to testify to the veracity of the video. It wouldn’t stand up for a second in court. So why are you here? Because of your oldest?”
Malcolm braced his hands on the arms of the chair and put his face less than an inch in front of Beau’s. “You’re damn right because of my oldest. You’re the reason he’s dead.”
Beau shrugged. “Not true. He’s dead because your club was foolish enough to cross a Russian syndicate.”
“You are the one who tipped them off.” Spittle flew from Malcolm’s mouth as he hissed.
Beau wiped a droplet from his cheek with his thumb. “David Bennett tipped them off. And frankly, even if he hadn’t, it was only a matter of time before they found out. Even you must see it.”
“You can’t weasel out of this, Beau. You know what you did, and so do I.”
“But the kids don’t.” Beau’s face broke out in a satisfied smile. “Your son has no idea you orchestrated everything that pushed him into your precious biker gang.”
“We. We orchestrated it. Don’t act like you’re blameless.”
