I make a note to find out just what that is.
“Why are you in such a good mood?” I ask him, feeling suspicious. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this lighthearted, especially around me. “You’re usually grumpy.”
He stands up and holds out his hand. “A man’s not allowed to be in a good mood now and again?”
I place my hand in his large callused one. I wonder if this Jill is the reason for his sudden happiness. That thought instantly kills my good mood. “What are you doing, Arrow? You’ve stayed away from me all this time and suddenly we’re best friends?”
“I’ll be keeping an eye on you for the next few days. Don’t make this difficult,” he says, letting go of my hand as he opens the door.
“Is Lana going to be safe?”
“Lana isn’t on anyone’s radar, of course she’s safe,” he says patiently. “Come on. Faye wanted to see you as soon as you got here.”
“I don’t know Faye.”
“I know; that’s why she wants to get to know you.”
“Why?”
He looks at me then. “’Cause you’re family, darlin’.”
Well, when he says it like that, it doesn’t sound so bad after all.
“It’s a little weird being around her,” I admit to him.
“Why?” he asks, studying me.
“I don’t know,” I say, shuffling my feet.
“Tell me the real reason, Anna. You know you can trust me,” he cajoles, his expression not giving away anything.
I wring my hands together. “Fine, but don’t repeat this.”
“You know I won’t.”
I expel a deep sigh. “She knows my own brother better than I do, and he’s closer to her, so it’s . . . I don’t know.”
I can’t believe I just admitted that out loud. Nothing like letting a man with the power to break you see your weakness.
Arrow’s eyes flare in realization. “Your brother fuckin’ adores you, Anna, don’t worry about anything else. You let Faye in, she’ll be a good friend to you. Trust me.”
My phone rings. Damien’s name flashes on-screen.
Arrow sees it.
“Who the fuck is Damien?” he asks, in an even tone filled with restrained anger.
I roll my eyes. “A friend from school.”
“Why is he calling you?” he demands.
I lift my shoulder in a shrug. “How am I supposed to know? I didn’t answer the call.”
“You fucking him?” he asks.
I gasp. “What right do you have to ask me that?”
He looks away from me.
My phone rings again. Damien. It must be important.
Before I know what he intends, Arrow snatches the phone from me and presses the green button. “Hello,” he sneers into the line. “This is Anna’s man, call her again and I’ll be paying you a little visit.”
“Arrow, what the fuck?” I yell, trying to grab my phone back from him. “He’s a friend, you asshole! And I’m going to have to face him in class, so thanks a lot!”
Arrow steps back and I’m jumping in the air trying to get my phone back. He hangs up on poor Damien, who is probably traumatized, and looks down at me like I’m the one who did something wrong.
“At least now he knows where he stands,” he says in a smug tone.
“I’ve never wanted to punch someone more in my life,” I muse, poking him in the arm. “You’re turning me to violence!”
He has the audacity to laugh. “You’re fuckin’ cute when you’re angry, you know that?”
I huff. “Well, expect to see a lot of cute from me, then.”
He grins and hands me my phone. “Looking forward to it. Now let’s go and see Faye.”
I follow him out to the living area, quickly texting Damien that I was sorry and I would talk to him in class. He doesn’t reply, but then again I didn’t really expect him to. He’s seen the men who drive me home, so he’s probably scared shitless.
There goes my only friend in college. Guess I’ll have to make a new one next week. Arrow stops in his tracks, so I do the same. The place is still empty, but Arrow yells out Faye’s name, and she soon walks in.
“Hello, Anna,” she says to me, then hugs Arrow. “I hear you’re stuck with us for the next few days.”
“Looks like it,” I tell her, sitting down on the couch. “Where is everyone?”
“The women are out getting supplies. We like to stay stocked before we go on a lockdown,” she explains.
She really is beautiful. Wait, did she just say lockdown?
“Lockdown?” I repeat, looking at Arrow for an answer.
“What?” he asks.
“What about work?” I ask him. “I have to go to work!”
“I told Reid you aren’t coming in,” he says, leaning back against the couch.
“I’m sorry, what?” I whisper, my hands clenching into fists.
Faye cringes, obviously picking up on my anger before Arrow does.
I stand up. “You controlling bastard! I didn’t know I was literally stuck under this roof with nowhere to go!”
“Anna, calm down,” Arrow says, looking up at me. “It’s for your own safety, so I’m not fuckin’ sorry, and I know Rake isn’t sorry either.”
I see Faye look at Arrow curiously, a thoughtful look on her face. “You could have warned the girl.”
Arrow shoots her a look. “You think she would have come? She’s a fuckin’ spitfire.”
“Just how exactly do you plan to keep me here?” I ask him. “You can’t watch me twenty-four-seven, and with you being a man-whore and all, I assume there will be times when you’re busy getting your dick wet.”
Faye surprises me by bursting out laughing.
“Oh, fuck!” she says, tapping her hand on her thigh. She looks at me and grins. “I’ve never seen a woman, other than me of course, put Arrow in his place. This is gold.”
Arrow, on the other hand, doesn’t look so impressed.
“Don’t test me, Anna,” is all he says.
Don’t test him?
I look to Faye, the woman I didn’t think I liked but somehow in the last few minutes has become my ally. “I heard you’re a good fighter.”
She tilts her head, probably wondering what I’m getting at, but then nods.
“Want to spar?” I ask. “I could work out some frustration.”
She grins, widely, showing off perfect white teeth. “Hell yeah. Let’s go.”
“Anna . . .” Arrow says, warning in his voice.
I ignore him and walk off.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” I hear him call out behind me.
Has no faith in me, does he?
I’m going to love proving him wrong.
NINE
DON’T worry,” Faye says, sounding genuine. “I’ll take it easy on you.”
I smirk. “No need to do that on my account.”
I tie my hair up so it’s off my face and stretch my arms above my head.
“You know, this is the first time we’ve actually been alone with each other,” she says, watching me.
I turn to the door to see Arrow standing there in the frame, his eyes on me. “Except for Arrow watching us.”
Turning my back on him, I face Faye and say, “You’re right. Even though these aren’t normal circumstances.”
Faye laughs. “Hey, you’re the one who wanted to spar.”
“I know.”
“A lot of frustration to get out?” she asks with a knowing smirk.
I purse my lips. “Something like that.”
When was the last time I’d even had an orgasm? I should really get that taken care of, and stat.
“Shall we?” I ask, as Faye stretches a little.
“We shall. Show me what you’ve got, Anna,” she says, stepping to me, raising her clenched fists in front of her body. “If you want to stop, just say when, all right?”
I nod and step closer to her. She strikes first, her punch aiming for my jaw. I
block her arm before it reaches my face and strike back with my own hit. Neither of us is hitting with all our strength—it’s more about who can get in the hits than how hard they are. She somehow gets me in a hold, turning me around and wrapping her arm around my neck, applying only a little pressure. I elbow her in the stomach, which has her stepping back, her eyes full of excitement, and the corners of her lips turned upward. “I think I’m going to like you, Anna.”
I grin. “I hope I can say the same.”
She laughs then, and shakes her head at me. “Let me teach you something I learned last week.”
I perk up at the prospect of learning something new. “I’d like that.”
We share a smile.
Looks like I found some common ground with the queen bee after all.
* * *
Sweaty, my sports bra and yoga pants plastered to my skin, I walk out of the club’s gym and head straight to my room, wanting a shower more than anything.
“Now I see what Rake was talking about when he said you were badass,” Arrow says, leaning against the wall with one leg bent. “You held your own.”
I smirk. “I know. Now let me pass, I have to take a shower.”
His gaze rakes over me from head to toe, making me feel as though he missed nothing. When his eyes hit mine again, I can see the heat in them.
“Fuck,” he whispers. “You’re perfect.”
He takes a step closer to me, but then we hear voices. Sounds like the women are back.
“I’m so glad Arrow is the one staying behind,” we hear one woman say. Arrow’s eyes don’t leave mine as we listen to them chatter.
“Looks like I’ll be the only one getting laid while the men are away.”
I don’t look away, but I try with everything in me to not let the hurt shine through. Arrow reaches out and cups my jaw.
“Beautiful,” he murmurs, longing in his gruff voice. “But not for me.”
“Only because you don’t care enough to fight for what you want,” I reply, lifting my chin. “Now let me go.”
He knows what I mean, because he breaks contact between us and rubs the back of his neck.
He needs to let me go. No more of this I want you but I can’t have you shit. If he really wanted me, he would damn well take me.
“Arrow, there you are!” a woman says as she walks up to us; seeing me, she frowns. “Who are you?”
Arrow turns to her and winces. “Get the fuck out of here, Jill.”
She nods and retreats, following his orders like an obedient dog. I’d seen enough. I know there’s more to Arrow, so much more, but it’s like he doesn’t care. He doesn’t want to be that person. I read somewhere that the worst mistake a woman can make is to fall in love with a man’s potential.
I will not be making that mistake.
It also seems I am locked in a house for a few days with Arrow and his girlfriend.
Just fucking great.
I avoid his gaze and push past him, our bodies touching, my arm rubbing against his chest. That small bit of contact makes me want to moan, the feel of his hard, muscled body.
It’s official—I need to get laid.
* * *
Faye introduces me to all the women. Names and faces blur, but there’s Allie, a redhead named Jess, a cute girl named Katie, and, of course, Jill. Jill was, according to Faye, a club whore who had clung on to Arrow, and she now only serviced him. Her words, not mine. Then there was Clover, Faye and Sin’s beautiful little girl. The biker princess, I liked to call her—she was absolutely adorable.
I watched Sin and Clover together, and I couldn’t look away. He is so sweet with her, and it made me wish I had that growing up. I’m blessed to have Rake, but he didn’t compensate for lack of a father figure. Watching Sin lift Clover up on his shoulders and her giggling and calling out “Daddy!” made me miss something I’d stopped yearning for years ago. The wishes and dreams of a young little girl, waiting for her father to come and save her. A father who never did.
“I’m trying to find a nanny,” Faye says, looking down at her sleeping daughter. We were alone, sitting in the living room. “The club is keeping me busy working for them, and Sin can’t watch her all the time.”
An idea pops into my head.
“I could ask my best friend, Lana. She’s great with kids, completely trustworthy, and she needs a job while she’s still in school,” I reply.
Faye nods. “I met her once. You think she’d be interested?”
“I could ask,” I say. “There isn’t anyone I would trust more with my own kid. And she would keep quiet about club shit.”
Faye grins, opening an apple juice box and taking a sip. “Club shit—don’t let Dex hear you say that.”
I pick up my glass from the coffee table in front of me and take a sip. “Duly noted.”
“So what the hell is going on with you and Arrow?” she asks.
I look down into my drink, which has suddenly become very interesting. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Really,” she purrs. “The sexual tension is so high even I’m getting turned on.”
I choke on my drink, orange and vodka dripping down my chin.
“Sexy.” She smirks as I wipe it away with the back of my hand.
“Arrow is Arrow,” I say, sighing.
“That he is,” she says, giving me an inquisitive look. “I love him like he is my own brother, you know, but even I know his flaws. However, he has a heart of gold and a reason for being like he is. He used to be a lot more easygoing. When I first met him, sure, he had his grumpy side, but he was also quick to joke and put up with all my shit.”
Interested, I lean forward and gesture for her to continue.
“Mary,” she whispers. “She was a good friend of mine, and Arrow’s woman. The men went on a run and she was shot when another MC broke into the compound.”
My eyes widen. “So when they say dangerous, they aren’t fucking around.”
“I know,” she says. “Anyway, Arrow took that on himself, and he’s been miserable ever since. Except . . . when he’s around you.”
I put my hand up. “Don’t read into that. He’s been clear as crystal about where the two of us stand. And let’s not forget Jill.”
“I can’t pretend to know what goes through his head, but I know that since Mary I haven’t seen him have any interest in another woman—”
“Except for sex.”
She cringes. “Well, yeah. When I saw him with you it was like you breathed the life back into him. It was a good thing to see.”
“So he loved Mary?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
She nods, a sad look taking over her expression. “There’s no one who didn’t love Mary. She was kind, sweet, and gentle. How she ended up with a biker like Arrow I never knew, but she was all things good in the world.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. I could never compare to that, and I shouldn’t be expected to. It’s obvious that Arrow isn’t the man for me. If only I could curb this stupid attraction I have for him. It’s bad enough he’s hooking up with random skanks every night—competing with the ghost of his ex-lover is not something I want to do. I’m sorry for his loss; in fact, I wish he still had Mary. Arrow deserves to be happy; I’d want that for him.
“Why are you telling me this?” I ask her.
She wrings her hands. “I think you’ll be good for him. I think that he wants you but is fighting it. He’s letting the past control his future. He’s not letting himself be happy because of the guilt and pain he’s still carrying over Mary’s death.”
Why does he feel guilt, I have to wonder. It wasn’t his fault. His lifestyle is a dangerous one, and I’m sure Mary knew that. Maybe because he couldn’t protect her . . . Yeah, I could see a man like Arrow being guilty over that. He’s probably carrying a whole lot of shit on his shoulders.
“Why do they call him Arrow?” I ask, changing the subject. I don’t need to wonder how Arrow’s mind works. What I need t
o do is forget about anything to do with him. If only it were that easy.
She laughs. Hard. “I remember one morning I walked out into the kitchen and he was standing there, cooking breakfast butt naked. I was horrified. He turned around, smiling and cheerful, like there was nothing wrong with his nudity. Then I looked down and saw his . . .”
She trails off, blushing.
“Penis,” I offer.
“Yes,” she says. “His penis, and it was huge. Long, straight, thick, and aimed right at me, like it was pointing at its next victim or something.”
“Like an arrow,” I surmise.
“Yes.” She giggles. “Like an arrow.”
We both break out in a fit of laughter.
“What’s so funny?” Arrow asks as he enters the room, taking a seat and looking from Faye to me.
“Nothing,” we say at the same time.
He raises an eyebrow at us and says, “I knew the two of you together would be trouble.”
“Trouble? No idea what you’re talking about,” Faye replies, innocently staring down at her manicure.
“We were just talking about—”
Faye raises her eyes to me and we start laughing again.
Arrow shakes his head. “Spill it now. Look at the two of you, giggling like fuckin’ teenagers.”
I sober. “Faye was just telling me why she thinks everyone calls you Arrow.”
I look down at his crotch for emphasis.
Arrow’s eyes crinkle. “You both talkin’ ’bout my cock?”
Faye gasps. “Don’t let Dex hear you say that.”
“It’s the truth,” Arrow scoffs.
“I was just telling her the story,” Faye says, smirking. “Good times.”
“Anna?” Arrow growls.
Oh, shit, I was still staring at his crotch.
“Yes?” I reply sweetly, my expression a picture of innocence.
He does something then that makes me want to rip his clothes off and lick him inch by delicious inch.
He smiles.
His lips curve up on both sides, and his eyes dance with amusement.
“What you looking at, Anna?” he asks, looking on the verge of laughter.
My gaze darts to Faye, who is staring wide-eyed at Arrow.
“Nothing,” I mumble. But it wasn’t nothing; it was something.
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