by Jenika Snow
“I’ve talked with Hanson. He’s not pressing any charges and if he does, I’ll tell the cops exactly what I was breaking up. You wouldn’t let me be put away for helping you, would you?” he asked.
“No. Of course not.”
“Good. Go and get washed. I’ll be right here.” She nodded her head, taking a few seconds before she finally turned on her heel and walked away. He waited until she was gone before removing his jacket.
Her place was nice, a little small, but then he didn’t know much about her. She didn’t seem to have any family close by or many friends. The only real thing he knew about her was the job at the grocery store. Glancing around her living space, he didn’t see any personal photos of friends or family. Was she a loner? Was she trying to run from a life she didn’t like?
So many questions and yet so few answers from looking around her space. She liked to read, he saw that with all the used books. They were all well read, but he didn’t recognize a single author or title.
He put the order in for the Chinese, asking for half of the menu since he didn’t really know what she liked. When that was finished, he walked into her very small kitchen, which consisted of a sink, stove, fridge, and a small counter. Rubbing the back of his neck, he groaned. He didn’t like the small space that she lived in. She deserved something bigger, grander than this. What the fuck was he talking about? Grander? He didn’t even know her, not well anyway. Yet here he was, unable to even go a day without her on his mind. Something about her called to him, and he couldn’t deny that having her in his head caused this pleasure to fill him. Shaking his head, he opened the fridge, sighing even louder as he saw she only owned soda. Was Eloise that repressed?
Taking out a plain soda, he took a seat on her couch, and started to drink. He didn’t know what he planned to do for the remainder of the evening. The sweet-butts back at the clubhouse didn’t hold any appeal. There was no challenge to them nor were they enticing. He heard Eloise moving around in the tub and his cock became alert to the smallest of sounds she made. She’d be naked and wet. Fuck, he couldn’t get the image of her out of his mind. He hadn’t seen her naked yet and already he was hard as a rock for her.
He didn’t have the first clue what to do with her or what he was going to tell the rest of the brothers at the club. The only thing he knew for certain was he didn’t want any of them fucking with her, or hell, fucking her in general. Eloise was his to play with, his to own, and his to fucking claim.
There was a man, a rough and hardened biker in her apartment, possibly on her couch. Eloise leaned back in her small tub, trying to make sense of whatever was going on. Here she was, naked in her bathroom, soaking in the tub because that man out there deemed it so. Why was she even listening to him, deciding that it was safe to be with him? Yes, he’d saved her from a situation gone horribly wrong, but he was still a stranger. Thinking about him, about how she’d seen him lurking in the parking lot of Markham’s should have told her he was dangerous, unstable, bad for her. But the truth was she’d never had this kind of attention, and in a strange, screwed up way, it made her feel good. The last person she’d ever expected to come to her aid was Steel. She’d been such a bitch to him. She’d noticed him lurking in the parking lot. There was no way he was waiting around for her. He could and probably did have many women begging to be fucked. She wasn’t interested in sex, not at all. You lie.
Closing her eyes, she counted to ten in an effort to push down the awakening need that Steel inspired in her. Her pussy grew slick, and it wasn’t because of the water. No, it was because of one man she couldn’t get out of her mind. Steel was breaking past all of her barriers. She couldn’t let him know what she wanted or craved. He’d take and take from her until there was nothing left. Letting out a breath, she opened her eyes, happier that she’d not been overcome or swamped by desire or lust. She’d seen how disastrous giving into a person’s need was.
She’d seen it in her parents. Her mother and father had been destructive to each other and to everyone around them. But Steel had come to her rescue and now he was waiting for her. Lifting her arm out of the water, she started to sponge down her body. Eloise should have hurried, but for some reason she felt slower, less concerned about having to rush. She felt safe having Steel around. She couldn’t get him out of her mind or the way he’d hurt Hanson to get the beast away from her.
Everything about Steel screamed mess and chaos. After getting out of the tub, she quickly dressed in her ducky pajamas, and walked out of the bedroom to find Steel sitting on her couch.
“You didn’t take long.”
“I didn’t need to take long.” She didn’t admit that she’d felt like she was in there forever.
“Dinner should be here soon.”
“You ordered already?” she asked, fisting her hands at her sides. She didn’t know what to do with him in her apartment. The space was so small and yet he was still here, making the place feel smaller.
“Yeah, Chinese.”
She tried her hardest to smile, but the truth was, she didn’t feel in the least like smiling.
“Come here.”
She should have argued. Any ordinary, sane woman would have. Instead, she went to him without putting up a single fight, because the truth was she liked that he had this dominating aura to him. It called to the darker side of her, the part she’d never shared with anyone.
“Sit down.”
Taking a seat beside him, she folded her arms across her breasts, trying her hardest to ignore the uncomfortable, misplaced need rushing through her. It wasn’t her fault what happened.
“How are you holding up?” he asked.
“I’m fine.”
“Seriously, Eloise, you don’t need to lie to me.”
“I’m not lying. I mean, I know it happened, and it scares me, but you stopped him.”
“He’ll think twice about trying that with another woman.”
She gasped. “What if he does try to, erm, try to force another woman?”
“I’ll handle it, baby. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”
Eloise glanced at his hand on her knee. She liked his touch way too much. Looking back into his eyes, her heart started to pound. She really wanted to say or do something to change what was happening. He leaned in closer. She didn’t pull away or put a stop to it, even though she should have. She shouldn’t be in this situation, allowing him to touch her, be in her apartment, because she knew nothing about him. He was a biker, hardened who probably did illegal things.
The knock at the door interrupted them.
“Fucking door.”
For the first time in her life, Eloise really wished they’d not been interrupted, and that scared the hell out of her.
Chapter 4
They’d just finished eating, and Eloise stared at Steel, wondering why she felt so comfortable around a man like him. All her life she’d had to rely on herself. Her parents had been a disappointment and keeping control in her life was key. She was shy and quiet, reserved even, but she was comfortable at this point, and that suited her just fine. But she’d never admit to anyone the darker things she liked, the deeper, masochistic desires that she housed inside, too afraid to reveal them to anyone else.
“You’re staring at me,” Steel said with amusement in his voice.
She turned away, feeling her face heat with embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” and she was, because she’d just made an ass out of herself. She’d been watching him, thinking about what he’d do if she just blurted out the things she wanted to do, the things she wanted someone—him—to do to her. He moved closer to her, and when she felt his hand on her chin, turning her head so she was forced to look at him again, her breath stalled. He was such a big man, intimidating and frightening in many aspects. Eloise felt so small compared to him, so thin and fragile, despite the fact she’d always seen herself as a bigger girl, plumper than she liked at times, but generally accepting of herself. But sitting beside Steel, having his nearly six and a
half foot height towering over her, his big, muscular body seeming to dwarf hers, had this tingling sensation moving through her. Her breath stalled in her lungs, her heart started to beat faster.
His gaze was on her lips. “I can tell you’re wet right now, can see the arousal on your face,” he said in a low, deep voice. “I can see the blush on your face, the way your pupils are dilated, and the fact your nipples are hard as fuck.”
She wanted to cover her chest, block out her embarrassment, as she knew everything he spoke was the truth, but she was frozen.
“I also know I make you nervous, unsteady, and a part of you is afraid of me.” He slowly lifted his gaze, so he was looking into her eyes. “Isn’t that right?”
She felt herself nodding. Of course, he was right. This man might be in an outlaw biker gang, but he was intelligent. She could see that in his eyes, in the way he looked at everything, calculated what his next move would be. She inhaled deeply, took in the scent of motor oil, clean sweat, and something stronger, something more untamed. He smelled of leather as well, and she lowered her gaze and stared at the leather vest he wore. There were patches stating the club he was affiliated with, a 1%er patch, and she knew on the back of that vest was the Soldiers of Wrath logo. It was frightening in appearance, dangerous and violent almost, but she also liked it. It made her feel this realization that she was awake and didn’t have to hide.
“If I kissed you right now what would you do, Eloise? Would you slap me, tell me to stop?”
His question had her looking at his face instantly. She licked her lips, moved an inch back on the couch, and thought about his question. Before she could really contemplate what she should have said, the words tumbled out of her mouth. “Would you even ask me? Would you just do it and not care what I thought?” Eloise didn’t know why she’d blurted that out, but before she could even think about what had happened or what she’d said to Steel, he had his mouth on hers and his tongue thrust between her lips. For a second, she didn’t know what to do, how to react. He pulled back, his breathing harsh, and his pupils dilated in clear arousal.
“I know what you want, baby.” He kissed a path along her jaw at the same time he moved his hand behind her head. “You want me to take control, to make it so you don’t have to think, right?” He phrased it like a question, but it didn’t sound like he really expected her to answer. “I can see it in the reserve you wrap around yourself, the fact you try to be the one in control. You’ve got that written like a damn flashing sign around you.” He had his mouth at her throat, licking, sucking at her pulse point. “Fuck, maybe I’m the one that wants all of that, wants to have you tied to my bed, your body on display, there for the taking.”
Wetness coated her pussy, saturated her panties, and she heard this mewling little noise escape her.
“That’s it, baby, give it to me, just let go and let me take control,” he murmured against her mouth, and she opened wider, let him lead, because he really knew what she liked, the things he’d described. She wanted to be tied up, wanted to be able to relinquish her control to someone she could trust. He kissed her harder, more determined in the way he stroked his tongue along hers, and just as she wanted to tell him everything, she pushed Steel away, her breathing coming in short pants.
“I just can’t. This is too fast, it’s too much.” She touched her lips, felt them tingling from their kiss, but couldn’t do this. It was too fast, and she felt too unstable right now. She didn’t know why he was coming on so strong, why she was even allowing him to be in her apartment, taking control like this. Turning in her seat, and facing the wall, she still had her fingers on her lips.
Before either could say anything else, Steel’s cell went off. He stood, and she glanced over at him.
“Yeah?” he said into the receiver. His back was to her, the skull logo of his club on the back of his black leather vest, watching her, taunting her.
She scrubbed a hand over her damp hair, looked down at her pajamas, and felt utterly ridiculous that she’d decided to wear these when he was here. Maybe she should have worn two pairs of sweats and a sweater, trying to hide her desires, her body. But she wanted Steel, wanted him with a desperation that startled and confused her. She may have been sexual with other men in her life, but they’d been vanilla, hadn’t been anything in terms of what she’d really wanted.
“Yeah, I can be there in ten,” he said, and looked over his shoulder at her. “I’m just finishing up with something, but I’m leaving now.” He shut his cell and shoved it in his jeans pocket. When he turned around fully, they stared at each other, the silence stretching, awkwardly. He moved closer to her, got down on his knees, and grabbed her hands. She was stunned, not able to say anything at the sincere expression on his face.
“Steel…” Eloise didn’t know what to say after that.
“Listen to me. I am not going to walk away. I’m not going to fucking turn my back on you. I felt the desire in your kiss, felt the fucking heat coming from your body.” He smoothed his fingers over her hand. “I fucking want you, Eloise. I want every part of you, want to devour you, and I know you want that, too.”
“I don’t think you know what I want.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, baby, but it doesn’t matter, because whatever you need, I’ll be the one to give it to you.” He cupped her chin, and she found herself nodding, even if it was ludicrous. “Now, I have to leave, which fucking sucks because more than anything, I want to strip you bare and devour you, but that’s for another time.” He leaned in and claimed her mouth, sucked at her lips, and before she knew what was happening he was moving away from her and striding forward to her front door. He stopped right before he left, looked at her, and cocked the corner of his mouth. “We’ll finish this later.” He held her gaze. “And I entered my number into your cell, so if you need me, call me, no matter what, okay?”
She nodded, her mouth probably hanging open, and her shock filling her. He left, and she sat there, trying to grasp what in the hell had just happened. Standing after a few minutes, she locked her door, went into her room, and sat at her computer desk. She stared at the black screen, but then booted up her laptop and went to the place on the web where she’d always felt comfortable expressing her desires. It was a site that catered to people who liked things like she did, pain and pleasure, being held immobile as she was controlled and brought to heights she only fantasized about. Would Steel want to do those things with her, spank her, leave marks on her body, and really tie her up because that’s what she craved?
It seemed like she might have found someone who understood her, because he led a hardened, no rules life. It frightened her, but it also aroused her, and she knew she needed to decide how she was going to go forward, but she didn’t need to decide tonight. Steel was the first man that didn’t seem to be giving her a choice if he was walking away. He’d told her he was staying, and she wanted that. She was just afraid. She was frightened of herself and what she desired, but if anyone could accept her and what she wanted, wouldn’t it be a man like Steel?
Chapter 5
“We’re not a fucking hotel for his daughter. He’s got something going on,” Shakes said, growling out the words. Steel found it hard to listen to the conversation as his thoughts were on Eloise. Daniella, Zeke’s daughter had been ordered to stay at the Soldiers of Wrath club and he saw it didn’t bode well with Demon, the Club president. The truth was, Shakes clearly liked Daniella staying at the clubhouse and was simply putting on a front to pretend he didn’t like it.
“We’re putting her up. He’s entertaining certain men that he doesn’t want his daughter ever to know. It’s not her fault and Zeke may piss me off but I’m not going to blame his daughter,” Demon said.
“Aw, isn’t that sweet. What he means is he’s dealing with men who probably use and abuse women as if they’re personal toys.” Daniella caught their attention walking down the staircase. She was dressed in a pair of blue jeans that were torn at the knees along with a ratty sh
irt with a skull on it. She pushed her glasses up her face as she stared at the room. “Believe me, I don’t want to be home and I don’t want to be here. He seems determined to order me around.”
None of them knew what to do with her. She folded her arms across her breasts.
“You’re more than welcome to stay here. Shakes also doesn’t have a problem either.” Demon spoke as graciously as he could. Deanna stood beside her man, holding onto his arm. None of the men were fooled by Shakes. They saw the interest he had in Daniella.
“It must bug you though.” Daniella leaned against the bar looking around the room.
“What must?” Shakes took a step closer and Steel grabbed his arm. When it came to Daniella, Shakes wasn’t thinking clearly.
“He thinks a tough biker group is tamer than a group of tubby businessmen. I think it sucks for you,” she shrugged. “Can’t say I don’t mind but I’m getting tired of being ordered around.”
“Would you like something to eat?” Deanna asked. “I know I’m starved.”
Deanna took over, leading the young woman out of the room toward the kitchen.
“Well, Zeke is treating us like a fucking babysitter for his kid,” Shakes said.
“It’s not what you think. Joker’s with Zeke right now taking care of one of the men while also sending out a message. Zeke didn’t want Daniella near that shit. We’ve already talked about this,” Demon said.
Steel stared at his President. “Why did you need me here?”
“We need to talk about this woman you want working at the bar. I figured you’d rather I ask you all the questions than go find her myself.”
Following his President to his office, he took a seat on one of the leather sofas. He was tired and couldn’t get Eloise out of his mind. The way she’d given herself to him in that kiss alone was playing over and over inside his head.
