"Mr. Kelly is expecting you. He'll find you when he's ready."
I murmur my thanks as I pass him, and I don't miss the way his eyes linger on all the exposed skin. From the low-pitched growls reverberating around me, I don't think I'm the only one who caught that.
Wolf turns around and snaps, "Keep your eyes to yourself before I tear them out of your fucking skull."
The man just smirks with a raised brow and shrugs his big shoulders, looking away.
I pat Wolf's chest with my free hand. "I'm fine, see?"
"I knew this was a mistake," Rush snaps.
We walk into the pub, though it feels more like a club than a pub. "We agreed that it was best for everyone to stay together, remember? Relax, Rush, it's not like I haven't been checked out before." I roll my eyes with a smile on my face.
"Aye, but surrounded by your men?" Rush raises his brow at me for a moment before he looks over my shoulder, no doubt aiming that glare at the bouncer. A shiver rolls down my spine at the mention of being surrounded by my men.
"Some people are into getting their ass kicked," I say with a shrug. "But I'm not going to let it ruin my night, and you shouldn't either."
Rush reaches out and palms my waist, pulling me toward him and untangling my hand with Wolf’s in the process. "I didn't account for the sheer number of assholes that will be getting intimately acquainted with my fists tonight. You look like a goddamn wet dream, baby."
"They can look—”
"Oh, princess, they're already looking," Sully cuts me off with a growl.
Sliding my hands up Rush's hard chest, I lean back and tilt my head with a raised brow. Looking from Sully to Rush, I let the smirk crawl across my face.
The feeling of having these three men salivating over me is intoxicating. I feel powerful with their hungry gazes eating up every inch of me. I feel bold and maybe a little bit reckless.
"Well, they can look, but they can't touch. Right, boys?" I can't help the taunt; I'm leaning into this feeling of power.
Rush runs his lips from my collar bones up the front of my neck. I let my head fall back and close my eyes at the sensation. His stubble just barely scrapes my skin, and I can't help but think of the way his stubble will feel against my inner thighs.
His lips follow the curve around my jaw, placing open-mouthed kisses until he pauses underneath my ear. "No one touches what's ours." His possessiveness is woven into each word, and I don't bother suppressing the shiver of arousal.
Sandalwood fills my nose as Wolf steps in behind me. His warm palms encircle my waist, his fingers splayed to touch more skin. He runs his nose down my neck on the opposite side of Rush. "And when we get back, I wanna see you in this. Just this." His fingers toy with the material at my waist.
I chose a black mesh long-sleeve top with a black bra underneath. It's not a push-up bra by any means, but honestly, it makes my tits look great. It's tucked into a pale-pink short skirt that hugs my curves. I was a little nervous when I threw this outfit into my suitcase, but I wasn’t sure what to expect over here, so I packed a little of everything. And some things that push my comfort levels—like tonight’s outfit.
The moment I walked out of the bathroom back at our rental place is one that I'll remember long past tonight. All three of them were waiting by the door, and as one, they turned to watch me walk toward them at the first click of my heels on the hardwood floor.
The matching looks of hunger boosted my self-confidence like nothing I've ever experienced before. I look at them now, and the hunger in all of their gazes stirs the flames of desire inside me. I’m already counting down the time until I can get my hands on all three of them after we leave here.
Someone bumps into Rush, and even though he barely budges, it's enough to shatter the spell we've woven around us. Rush lifts his face from my neck to growl at someone over his shoulder, never taking his hands off of me.
I lift my lashes, slow to come out of the lusty spell they cast over me. Rush is backlit from the lights inside the club, and from this angle, he looks every bit the dark king I imagine him as. He's a wolf among sheep, and he's one nudge away from snapping and teaching everyone a lesson.
I war with myself. I want to see him deliver a warning, and some small part of me actually salivates at the idea of him commanding the room like that. But the practical side of me knows meeting Quinn is important. We can't get intercepted before we resolve all the stuff with the Gallaghers. And from what Wolf said, the Brotherhood's presence over here is stronger than anything back home. It'd be disrespectful to come to their town and not check-in.
So here we are. At some club on the outskirts of Dublin.
I curl my fingers around the soft cotton material of Rush's shirt and tug to get his attention. He whips his head back to face me, the snarl still in place. "Eyes on the prize, Dec."
He loses some of his anger and his face softens with a sigh. Leaning in, he places a small kiss against my lips. "You're right, baby."
I try to deepen the kiss, but he pulls away before I can. Pink lip gloss shines from his pouty lips, and I don't know how the hell it's possible, but he looks even hotter.
"Alright, let's get this done, yeah? Sooner we're done, sooner we can get Lainey back home." The intent behind Sully's words is clear. I eye the distance between us.
Rush takes a step away from me and runs his hand through his hair. I watch in fascination as an emotionless mask comes over his face. He shoots me a knowing smirk, and I roll my eyes at him.
I think I might love playful Rush just as much as I love commanding Rush.
Wolf squeezes my waist before he steps back too. “He's right. Let's get this over with, yeah?"
All of us nod, and then we turn and make our way to the bar on the side of the club. The music gets louder the closer we get to the dance floor, and I noticed that there are stairs that lead up to another level. I can't see anything beyond the two bouncers in black polo shirts. They're standing in front of the staircase with matching scowls. A quick glance only affords me a glimpse of people in the balcony areas, but it's darkened, so I can't really tell who's up there.
Not that I expect to know anyone here. But there's a small part of me that expects Liam to jump out from behind every corner, no matter where I'm at. The only time I ever feel safe from him is when I'm surrounded by my men.
I do feel better equipped since the King sisters have scooped me under their wing. But I don't think I'll stop looking over my shoulder until Liam's taken care of.
Permanently.
And whoever the hell his boss is.
Once we hit the bar, I turn around and face the crowd. Sully's next to me, Wolf scans for threats, and Rush orders our drinks.
"Stick to the plan, yeah, princess?"
I flick my gaze to the man next to me. In his old band tee and jeans that hug his ass, he looks like every bit the boy I fell in love with years ago. Only now, he's not a boy anymore. I'm not sure if he ever was a boy, but he's been aged by more than just years since we parted.
"You and me are down here until Rush and Wolf get done—I know."
He looks at me for a moment, his gaze bouncing around my face. "Good."
"I took the liberty of ordering you a fancy, fruity drink with lots of vodka. I think you'll love it." Wolf passes me a red and orange drink and a whiskey for Sully before he turns around to grab his drink off the bar top. Whiskey for all three of them—I'm not even a little bit surprised.
I hum in delight as I take a sip of my drink. Citrus bursts on my tongue, and I decide on the spot that it's my new favorite drink. I mouth thank you to Wolf, who's had his eyes on me the entire time.
After another mouthful, I turn around and survey the space. It's crowded for a Wednesday night. Especially since this isn't located in the heart of the city—in fact, it's so off the beaten path, I thought we had the wrong address for a while.
A big, burly dude comes out of nowhere to stand in front of us. I take a deep breath and press my palm to my chest t
o calm my racing heart.
No one says a word as this random guy thoroughly looks between the four of us. After a moment, he returns his gaze to Rush and nods, tilting his head to the side, motioning for Rush to follow.
Rush glances at me, and with that single look, I know he's telling me to behave.
It's kind of amazing that I can pick up on whatever he's trying to convey with just a look. It's like I'm finally learning the secret language. I watch as Rush and Wolf follow the guy over to the VIP staircase. The bouncers don't stop them as they follow the guy up to the balcony area.
After another moment without movement, I turn back to people-watching. I'm not even sure what we're watching for, but I’m looking nonetheless.
People are seated at the handful of booths on the back wall. They're underneath the balcony area, so they're somewhat shadowed. There are more bar tables at seemingly random places around the space, and each one has someone posted up there, sipping a drink and chatting.
The lights dim even further, and red, blue, and white strobe-like lights start a pattern over the dance floor. When the song changes, the music gets louder and a dozen people rush the floor, dancing the whole way there.
There's a DJ spinning records on the small stage in front of the dance floor. He's wearing a hot pink beanie with black headphones covering his ears and a light pink track jacket over a white tee. He's grooving to the song that's playing, and I get an idea.
I put a hand on Sully's shoulder and lean in close to his ear. "I have an idea."
Sully turns his head, bringing his drink to his lips as he people-watches. "Your last idea was risky."
"It was hardly risky. You guys invited the King sisters into the fold a long time ago—I thought you trust them. Besides, I like them. And we need help."
Sully slides his arm closest to me around my waist and leans closer, putting his mouth right against the delicate skin on the shell of my ear. "I don't trust anyone, not when it comes to you."
His words are delivered with a promise, and I press closer to him, my chest flushed with his. I used to think that I never needed anyone to protect me, and now I realize that was my own way of coping with the fact that I never felt protected by the two people who are supposed to do that.
"Ready?" I start, toying with his hair at the nape of his neck.
He wore it pulled back into a small knot at the back of his head. I never thought I'd be into this look, but maybe my tastes in men are changing. More likely, it's him. I think anything they do would get me hot.
"Hmm?" His voice vibrates against my skin.
"Time for my idea. C'mon, loverboy." I sip the rest of my drink through the straw and place it on the bar behind me. Sully swallows the last of his whiskey, and his Adam's apple bobs with the movement. I swear to god, my panties get wet just watching him.
I shake my head a little.
Get it together, Lainey.
He reaches over my shoulder and sets his glass on the bar behind me, and his sea salt scent invades my senses. I can't stop myself from touching him. I slide both hands over his chest and across his shoulders to meet behind his neck. He looks impossibly big from this angle, and it’s working for me.
It's really fucking working.
It's like I'm having my very own sexual awakening. But like times three. I don't know how else to explain it. It's like my hormones threw a party, got a taste of them, and now they're fucking ravenous.
My breath hitches, and I fight my imagination trying to overthrow me and play out my fantasy.
Sully follows behind me as we cut through the people dancing on the dance floor and reach the DJ's table. The guy holds up one finger as he bobs his head to the music, headphones on and hand spinning. Huge stacked speakers frame the table he's spinning at, but otherwise, he's kind of tucked away over here.
A moment later, he slides his headphones off to rest on his neck and yells, "What's up?"
I lean over the side of the table and ask for my request. I watch as he scans Sully from head to toe, no doubt cataloging every six-foot-two inch of him, from his full-sleeve tattoos to his general intensity. He flicks his gaze toward the darkened balcony area and his eyes harden before they quickly clear.
"Yeah, sure thing. Next, okay?"
"Perfect. Thank you." I turn around and look at Sully, a mischievous smile curving up my lips. I can’t wait to see how this plays out.
Chapter Thirty-One
Alaina
Sully leans in with a hand on my waist. "What's that look for?"
I turn my face into his neck. "There's no look," I say on a laugh. Before he can question me further or call me on my shit, the song changes. The deep bass of a familiar song pipes through the massive speakers just behind us, and I can't contain the smile spreading across my face. I lace my fingers with Sully's and walk to the middle of the dance floor.
Sully spins me around to face him. "This your doing?" He tips his head toward the DJ.
I nod and bite my lip. "Good idea?"
His bright blue eyes stare intently in mine. My heart pounds as I wait for his reaction. It's a calculated move, a small one, but an intentional one all the same. I requested a song that we listened to at the cabin.
We had a breakthrough, Sully and I, but it’ll take a while for that trust to grow to what it used to be—what it will be one day. Right now, he needs a nudge—or ten—and if I get some benefit out of it, so be it. When he doesn't immediately pull away, I slide my palms up his arms, along his shoulders, and into his hair at the nape of his neck. I'm close enough to touch him, but not nearly as close as I want to be.
Looking into his eyes, I don't know if it'll ever be close enough for me. Sully's like a tidal wave. Just his very presence is enough to overwhelm me, and on most occasions I try to temper that force, he leaves me upside down and underwater.
But he didn't always.
He wasn't always so volatile, and once upon a time, he welcomed my attempts to tame him.
I see him wrestle with indecision, jaw taut and eyes almost narrowed. “What are you up to, princess?”
My fingertips dance along the back of his neck, and I push on to my tiptoes to whisper against his lips, "Dance with me, James."
He palms my waist, his hands branding his signature on my body in more ways than one. In one swift movement, he pulls me toward him and slides a hand to the back of my neck. Using his grip, he pulls me into him, his mouth meeting mine in a soul-shattering kiss.
My nipples tighten and something low in my stomach clenches. This—this is why I push him. He's got so much passion bottled up and buried that when he lets himself go, it's an explosion. And I'm going to reap the rewards with a fucking smile on my face.
I don't know who breaks the kiss first, but I don't open my eyes right away. I tip my head to the side, our foreheads pressed together. Determined to make this last, I turn myself over to the moment. The song changes and I let the sounds of Hey Violet infuse my limbs. Surrounded by Sully, I start to sway and swivel my hips.
I'm not at all surprised when Sully tightens his grip on my waist, keeping my head right where he wants it with his hold on the back of my neck. He brushes his lips across mine with each sway of my hips.
One song bleeds into two, and two into three, and then I lose track of how long we're on the dance floor. Sully's hands roam my body as we dance out more unsaid and unresolved feelings toward one another.
I've danced at clubs before, not often, but enough to know that this is anything but just a dance.
There's nothing friendly about the way our bodies are communicating. It’s demanding and intoxicating. And I don’t ever want to stop.
Sully and I might as well be in our own little world. Nothing else exists right now but this bubble we've created on the dance floor. Lust swirls around us, entwining us together, almost as if it was a tangible thing.
Sweat dampens the hair on my neck as the temperature in the club rises. Energy swirls around the club, and it feels like there are more bodi
es around us, but I can't bring myself to tear my gaze away from Sully.
He looks like a goddamn fantasy. All those bold tattoos stand out in sharp contrast against his stark-white tee. His muscles flex as he keeps his hips in line with mine.
We've started a slow grind, him and I. A sensual dance that would only be better if we didn't have so many layers between us. The beat drops, and I roll my hips. Without missing a beat, he slips his knee in between my legs, his hands drifting down to hold onto my hips. He drops his gaze to watch the way our bodies move against one another as The Glass Animals’s song fills the charged air. With every roll of my hips, I feel his cock, hard and thick, rub against me, and my arousal spikes. Flashbacks of our night together dance in my vision, spiking my lust higher. I don't think my thong will survive the entire night if we keep this up.
I'm five seconds from begging him to take me to one of those darkened booths when I feel them. Wolf steps in behind me, molding his body perfectly to mine. He swivels his hips in time with me, and I tip my head back on his shoulder to look at him. Leaving my right hand gripping Sully's shoulder, I reach back with my left and bring Wolf's hand to my hip.
"You're the most captivating woman on the dance floor tonight. I couldn't keep my eyes off of you." His voice is low, drenched in lust.
I lift my chin, searching for his mouth, when I feel long fingers gently wrap around my neck from the left. Without looking, I know it's Rush. I roll my head to face him, leaving it resting on Wolf's shoulder, never stopping my slow grind in the middle of the dance floor. He's wedged along the side of me, as close as possible, considering I'm sandwiched between his brothers.
Rush steps impossibly closer to me, bringing his mouth to mine. I part my lips, hungry for his mouth on mine. Anticipation claws at me, my desire nearly overwhelming.
He pushes into us and groans into my mouth, "Mine." His tongue tangles with mine, and I feel my nails dig into Sully's shoulder and Wolf's wrist. I moan into the kiss, losing some of the rhythm I had. I didn't need to worry, though, Sully and Wolf keep the slow grind dance going. I'm rewarded with feeling Wolf at my back. His cock is hard and thick, and rubs against my ass in the most tantalizing way.
Sully: An Irish Mafia Romance (The Brotherhood Book 3) Page 21
