by K. C. Lynn
I shoot a pointed look at Sarge for opening his big trap before bringing my attention to my sister. “Nothing is going on. Ward just wants me back in the ring and Cortez wants to be the one to bring me there.”
“But you’re not going to, right?”
“No.”
Unless the bastard pushes me too far, then he won’t need a ring to be at the end of my fists.
“I don’t want you to go back. Not after what they did to you,” she says, fear prominent in her voice.
“I promise, Kate. Everything is fine. You don’t need to worry, okay?”
She nods but doesn’t seem convinced.
I do my best not to think about Cortez and enjoy the rest of the night. When the waitress comes by to grab more drinks, I order a beer then pay for Lia’s refill. Sawyer orders a round of shots for everyone, minus one for Katelyn.
“Actually, minus two,” Anna speaks up.
“You don’t want one?” Sawyer asks.
“I can’t.” She pauses, and I notice the girls share a look while Logan drops a reassuring kiss to her back. It doesn’t take long for me to clue in to what’s going on. “I’m pregnant.”
All the guys stare at her in shock before Sawyer jumps up with his arms in the air, almost knocking the table over in his excitement. “Holy shit, our girl is having a baby!”
Anna laughs as he moves around the table and picks her up to give her a hug. Sarge follows next then Cooper. Cade, Nick, and I throw in congratulations to both her and Logan while Jaxson stares at her, seeming lost for words.
She walks around to stand at his side, looking down at him expectantly. “Aren’t you going to say anything?”
A heavy breath leaves him as he sits back in his chair. “I don’t know if I want to hug you or kick his ass,” he says, pointing to Logan, but no one misses the way his throat bobs.
She gives him a watery smile. “Choose me.”
He stands, gathering her in his arms. Her shoulders shake as he murmurs shit in her ear no one can hear. I look away, feeling like I’m invading on their private moment, and connect with a pair of hazel eyes. My fingers dig into her hips as I get the urge to pull her tempting lips to mine.
“You having fun?” I ask.
She nods, her smile reaching her eyes again.
“She’s been showing us how it’s done on the dance floor,” Kate interjects, leaning over from where she sits on Nick to bump shoulders with her.
“I’m sure she has.”
Her cheeks turn pink, making me want to peel her shirt off to see just how far that blush spreads.
Thankfully, the waitress comes back at that moment with our drinks. Conversation flows easily for the next half hour. However, I find it hard to focus on what people are saying when Lia’s every curve is resting against me. Every time she shifts, my teeth grind as I try to control myself from hauling her out of here and fucking her like I’ve been dying to.
When a new song explodes from the speakers, Lia gasps, her eyes lighting up like the fourth of July. “Oh my god!” She turns to face the girls, bumping my dick in the process. “Do you guys know the fake ID line dance from Footloose?”
They all shake their heads.
Kayla gives her a smile. “How about you teach it to us?”
Lia’s on her feet before she even finishes the suggestion, hauling ass to the dance floor. All the girls follow suit, including my sister until Nick grabs her wrist to halt her. “Stay in the front where I can see you.”
She rolls her eyes at him. “Nick, I’m pregnant not an invalid.”
“Will you just stay where I can see you?”
“Fine,” she grumbles. Before she can leave, he pulls her in for a kiss.
A really fucking long one.
When she walks away with a dreamy smile on her face, I twist in my seat and punch him in the arm.
“Ow, what the fuck was that for?”
“For always kissing my sister. Can’t you ever control yourself? I don’t need to see that shit all the time.”
He glares at me. “No, I can’t! She’s fucking mine to kiss whenever the hell I want. So get used to it.”
I shove his shoulder. “Fuck you!”
“Fuck you, too!” He shoves back.
“And fuck you both,” Sarge bellows. “Now shut up so we can enjoy the show.”
With a grunt, I look to the dance floor and see the girls lined up in the front row as Lia shows them the steps. My cock strains against my jeans as I watch her hips move to the beat, my palm twitching while her perky ass shakes in those sexy fucking shorts. It isn’t long before a huge crowd gathers around her, learning the moves, too.
“Wow, she’s really good,” Cooper comments.
Sawyer glances at him with a smirk. “Maybe she was a stripper before she came to work for you?”
I whip a straw at his head. “She wasn’t a stripper, you asshole, she’s been dancing for a long time.”
He chuckles, finding himself hilarious.
My attention moves back to Lia where she leads the entire dance floor. Her head is thrown back, skin glowing with a light sheen of sweat, as the most radiant smile takes over her face. She looks nothing like the girl I first met and everything like the girl she deserves to be.
Feeling the back of my neck beginning to tingle, I look over and tense when I see Cortez, his beady little eyes watching her every move.
“What?” Nick asks, noticing my reaction.
Cortez’s eyes meet mine, a smug smirk curling his lips before he moves for her.
I’m on my feet in an instant.
“Slade, goddamn it, wait up!”
Ignoring Nick, I push my way through the crowd, but I’m not quick enough. When the bastard sneaks up behind her and grabs her hips, she freezes, her face paling in fear. I knock into a waitress as urgency propels my every step.
Lia spins around, stumbling in her haste to get away from him. Cortez grabs her before she can fall but it only makes her struggle harder. My sister moves to help her as I close in on the dance floor. The second he sees me barreling toward them, he releases his grasp, sending her and Katelyn to trip over each other.
Panic seizes my chest as I watch them try to regain their footing, but I know it’s not going to happen. I lunge in their direction, grabbing them both around the waist before they can hit the ground and land on my back to brace their fall.
“Shit. Katelyn!” Nick drops down next to us, grabbing her off my chest. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
I glance down at Lia who’s still draped across me, her eyes wide with shock.
“You all right?”
She nods, not looking fine at all.
Once she crawls off me, I get to my feet and see Cortez standing in the same spot.
“Hey, man. I didn’t mean for that to happen. The bitch tripped, I swear.”
Blood rages in my ears, pounding to the rhythm of my furious heartbeat as I think about what could have happened, especially to my sister and the baby. All I see is red—dark and rich. My mind checks out, instinct dominating my every move. He braces himself, ready for the attack, and I don’t hold back.
With a snarl, I take him to the ground, screams filling the air as people jump out of the way. My fists are fast as I pummel him, feeling the tiny bones in his face shatter.
Unfortunately, I don’t get many shots in before I’m pulled away, hands grabbing me from every angle. It gives him an opportunity to get one cheap shot in. Pain explodes through my jaw but it only fuels my rage.
“Enough! Let it go,” Jaxson orders, getting in front of me. “Finish him in the ring. Not here.”
Every breath I take is furious, as I struggle to find my control. I point at Cortez as he stands and wipes the blood from his mouth. “You want a fight, motherfucker, you just got yourself one. And when I get you in that ring, I’m going to fucking destroy you!”
He cracks a smirk, his teeth stained red. “I’m ready.”
He’ll never b
e ready for what I’m going to do to him.
I shove away from the arms that restrain me then turn around to see everyone staring at me. Cooper speaks to the bouncers, trying to stop them from kicking me out, while my sister watches me with tears in her eyes. It makes me feel like complete shit, knowing the night has been ruined. I can’t bring myself to look at Lia, not wanting to see the fear in her eyes like so many of the other girls who are staring at me right now.
“Come on, man.” Sawyer claps me on the back. “Let’s go to the table and finish our drinks.”
I shrug his hand off. “Nah, I’m out for the night.”
I walk away, ignoring my sister as she tries calling me back. This is exactly why I’m better off alone.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Sophie
Shock renders me to my place, my heart breaking as I watch Kolan storm off, everyone clearing a wide path for him.
“Kolan, please come back,” Katelyn pleads again, but he doesn’t stop and eventually disappears out of sight.
“Just give him some time, baby. Let him cool off,” Nick says, pulling her against his chest.
Kayla comes to stand next to me, her hand going to my shoulder. “You okay?”
I shake my head, hot tears blurring my eyes. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”
“Coop and I will drive you.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m going to try and catch up with Kolan but thank you…for everything.” At her nod, I move quickly, swiping my purse from the table before rushing out of the bar. Just as I make it outside, I see Kolan walking to his SUV, the headlights flashing in the dark as he unlocks the doors.
“Kolan, wait!” His determined strides falter but he doesn’t turn around. I jog across the lot and come to stand in front of him. Pain infiltrates my chest at the sight of his tortured expression. “Please don’t leave.”
“Go back inside, Lia.”
“Not without you.”
He shakes his head. “I’m not going back in there.”
“Then let me come with you.”
He stares down at me, indecision battling in his dark gaze. “I won’t be very good company right now.”
“You don’t need to be. I just want to be near you.”
His hard expression softens. Reaching out, he swipes a thumb across my cheek, and it’s then I realize that I’m crying.
My fingers encircle his wrist as I lean into his touch. “Please, let me come.”
He relents with a heavy breath. “All right, come on.” Grabbing my hand, he leads me to the passenger side and helps me up.
My heart tumbles in my chest when he leans in to buckle my seat belt.
“You sure you don’t want to go back inside and finish the rest of your night?” he asks, his face only but a breath from mine.
There are a lot of reasons why I shouldn’t leave with him, but none of them matter. “Yes. I’m sure,” I whisper, his close proximity robbing me of precious air. I’m unable to take in a full breath until he backs out of my personal space and closes the door.
Things are silent as he heads out of town. I think about asking where we’re going but then decide it doesn’t matter. As long as I’m with him, I don’t care where we go.
Ten minutes later, we arrive at a secluded beach that’s encompassed in darkness. He parks close to the water, lowering all the windows before shutting off the vehicle.
My eyes close as I breathe in the salty air, the cool breeze drifting in, leaving behind its mist upon my face. It brings me peace.
I look over at Kolan as he sinks deeper into the seat, staring out at the dark water in front of us. “Is your house far from here?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, a few miles back.”
I wait for him to look at me but he keeps his gaze trained ahead. “I’m sorry about what happened tonight. I shouldn’t have panicked like that.”
Fury hardens his expression. “None of what happened tonight is your fault.”
“It’s not yours either.”
“Yeah, it is. He was only there to start shit with me.”
“That doesn’t make it your fault.”
He remains silent, clearly not agreeing with me.
“Are you really going to fight him?”
The moment his eyes meet mine, I know the answer. “Yeah, and I’m going to shut him up for good.”
I had hoped it was a heat of the moment thing, but I should have known better. Kolan doesn’t say things unless he means them. I hate that he’s getting pulled back in when it’s clear he didn’t want to, especially knowing that guy used me to do it.
“He went too far tonight,” he continues, his gaze shifting to the water again. “You or my sister could have gotten hurt.” His jaw flexes, making the angry red welt on his right side more pronounced. “This is why I like to be alone. It’s better for everyone.”
“That’s not true,” I argue. “I’m glad you came tonight, and I know everyone else is, too. No one wanted you to leave.”
He grunts in disbelief.
Unfastening my seatbelt, I lean over to gently rest my hand to the swollen surface of his jaw, but he snatches my wrist before I can make contact, halting me midair. I flinch, his quick reflexes startling me. His hard eyes soften before letting my hand rest against his stubbly cheek.
Did he think I was going to hit him?
The thought has my throat burning something fierce. “Trust me. Being alone all the time gets old really fast,” I tell him, hearing how much sadness there is in my own words.
His hands span my waist before hauling me over to straddle him in one smooth motion. A gasp pushes past my lips, heat igniting through my body at the feel of his erection between my legs.
“Well, we’re not alone right now, are we, Lia?”
My pulse thrums wildly, desire thickening the air between us. I shake my head, unable to find my words.
He brings his large hands to thread through my hair, his gaze holding mine. “You know I’d never hurt you, right?”
Every muscle in my body stills, the question catching me off guard. “Of course I do. I’m not scared of you, Kolan.”
“Good.”
“Did you think I was?”
He shrugs. “Not really, but after what happened tonight, I wasn’t sure.”
“No. I like being near you,” I reveal on a whisper.
“Me too, baby, too much.”
His admission lights up every cold place inside of me. Boldly, I rest my forehead against his, baring more than I should. “I like the way I feel when I’m with you.”
“And what is it you feel?” he asks, his voice sounding rougher than it did a second ago.
“Things I can’t explain,” I say, opting for the truth. “When I’m near you, my body feels things that I’ve never felt before.” His hands grip my thighs, fingers digging into my flesh. “But most of all,” I whisper, “you make me feel safe. Something I haven’t felt in a really long time.”
“You are safe with me. I’d fucking kill anyone that tried to hurt you.”
Emotion surges in my chest, creeping its way up my throat. Before it can escape, he seals his mouth over mine, swallowing my pain and completely obliterating it.
My breath ceases at the first touch of his lips, the simple contact rocking me to my core. The moment his tongue sweeps in, I’m lost to him forever. The connection slams into me, thrusting my heart and mind into a hurricane of sensations. They hurdle through me, leaving every single one of my walls and inhibitions destroyed.
A groan rumbles from him, exploding against my lips and fueling my desire into a desperate frenzy. “I knew you’d be the best fucking thing I’ve ever tasted.”
I don’t return the compliment, not wanting our mouths to sever for even a second. Instead, my hands move to his face while I try to match him stroke for stroke. For the past few weeks, I’ve wondered what his mouth would feel like fused with mine—tasting me, branding me—but nothing could have prepared me for the hurricane that he is.
Fierce.
Both of his hands cup my bottom possessively, dragging a moan from my throat. “These shorts have been driving me fucking crazy all night,” he growls, making me appreciate Katelyn’s choice of wardrobe even more. His fingers dip between my legs, stroking over the denim and exerting a pressure that has an army of sensations exploding through my body.
“Kolan,” I whimper against his lips, barely recognizing the needy sound of my voice as I grind down on his fingers.
“What do you want, baby? Want me to touch you, make you feel good?”
“Yes.” I desperately need this—to know what it feels like to be touched by him, not knowing if I will get the chance again.
“Good, because I want that, too. I want to touch and explore this pretty body until you’re screaming my fucking name.”
Oh god. I’m already close to screaming it.
He breaks contact with my mouth, bringing his lips to my bare shoulder as his fingers slip under my straps. He makes quick work of my tank top, pushing the material down to my hips and exposing my soft yellow lace bra.
“Delicate and pretty, just like you,” he murmurs, kissing his way along the swells of my breasts, his tongue tasting my skin while his hand coasts up my bare stomach. Anticipation hums through me as I wait for him to reach his desired destination. That’s until his hand moves to my scarf.
I still, my heated blood freezing in my veins. “No!”
His eyes snap to mine, softening. “Lia, baby—”
“I mean it, Kolan. Please don’t.” If he sees what’s under there, it will ruin everything that’s about to happen, and I need him too much right now.
“Okay, we’ll leave it on,” he says easily, but there’s no missing the hint of frustration in his words.
“Thank you.”
He watches me, eyes boring into mine. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” I answer without hesitation.
Grabbing my wrist, he places my hand behind me on the steering wheel. My pulse kicks up when he does the same with my other. “Keep them there,” he orders.
My fingers grip the leather, pulse racing as he brings his palm to rest between my breasts where my clasp is. With a deft flick of his fingers my cups fall open, baring me to him. My teeth sink into my bottom lip as the cool breeze wafts through the open windows, my nipples straining greedily for his attention.
