by Lilly Atlas
“I’ll walk you out.”
“Thanks.”
Bodies were everywhere, so walking side-by-side was impossible. The loss of his heated skin against hers made her feel vulnerable, unprotected.
Emily followed behind him, awed by how the crowd parted as he made his way toward the exit. It was more than apparent that he was well respected among the other men in the room. When they were halfway there, a man fell in step with her, and slipped an arm around her waist. He pulled her flush against his side, none too gently, and halted her forward progression.
He wasn’t overly tall for a man, she guessed about five-foot-eight, with short, spongy curls on the top of his head. He wore a leather vest similar to Jester’s. Must be a member of the MC.
“You ain’t leaving so soon are you, pretty girl? Party’s just getting good.” The words were slightly slurred, betraying the man’s intoxication.
Emily stiffened, unnerved by the stranger’s hands on her. Between the music and the loud chatter, it was nearly impossible to hear anything over the noise, but somehow Jester must have sensed she’d stopped moving behind him.
He turned, and a thunderous expression crossed his face. “Hey, dickhead, hands off her.”
The drunk man had to tip his head back to see Jester’s face where he now hovered over them, hands on his hips and jaw clenched. The man’s arm was still latched around Emily’s waist, and she stood frozen, unsure if she should try to remove herself from the escalating situation.
“I ain’t a prospect no more, Jester. You can’t just order me away from a woman.” He had an arrogant grin on his face, and he rubbed his hand over Emily’s hip as though taunting Jester.
“You’ve had that patch for five minutes, Colt. I can order you the fuck away from her and I am.”
Emily swallowed around the lump in her throat as Jester reached around her and grabbed the man he called Colt’s wrist. Colt’s face paled and his pupils dilated with pain. To look at Jester, she wouldn’t think anything was amiss. It simply looked like he was removing the man’s hand from her waist, but obviously he was punishing the guy somehow.
Jester released Colt’s wrist, and Colt held up his other hand in surrender, his face chalky. “Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal, man. My bad.” He took a step back from Emily.
“Get the fuck out of here.”
Emily relaxed the second Colt’s hands were off her body. She stared at Jester with gratitude and a bit of wonder. “You are clearly not someone to piss off.”
Jester’s eyes darkened, the joking light from moments ago nowhere to be found. “You have no idea, darlin’. Come on, let’s get you out of here.”
Unease filled her as she took in his serious expression. She couldn’t imagine what would happen to her if he ever found out the truth behind their meeting.
The pair continued outside, and Emily pointed to her little car within sight across the parking lot. “That’s me, I’m good. You can go back and enjoy your party.”
He studied her for a second, and she felt her face heating under his intense scrutiny.
“What’s your address?”
Emily panicked for a breath before she recalled the address Trixie had provided. “Oh right, that would be helpful.” She rattled it off. Hopefully she hadn’t messed it up.
“I know exactly where that is. I’ll see you at ten, gorgeous.”
With a nod, she scurried away, suddenly very anxious to leave. She fumbled with the key fob and dropped it to the ground outside her car door. With a frustrated groan she retrieved the keys and collapsed in the seat emitting a heavy sigh when she finally won the battle with the door.
Well, she’d survived day one, and made it further than she’d expected, so she should have been elated. Instead, she just felt dirty, guilty, scared, and unfortunately still aroused. She didn’t have a clue how Johnny was doing, and to make matters worse, she couldn’t even go home to her own bed and cry herself to sleep.
Jester drew out a cigarette and lit it, watching as Emily muddled her way into her car. He smiled to himself, imagining her releasing a huge breath of relief once she was safely ensconced in her sedate vehicle, and away from the madness. After she maneuvered out of the parking lot, he turned, tossed the cigarette butt to the asphalt, and made his way back inside.
He wasn’t sure why he’d offered to take Emily out on his bike tomorrow. On first impression, she certainly didn’t fit in with the club. Yes, she was gorgeous, but it didn’t take more than a fleeting glance to realize she’d be better served at a book club than a biker party. But he’d been intrigued by her unsullied vibe, so in contrast to the women he typically associated with, and he had a feeling he’d be surprised by what he’d find if he could get her to relax and let down her guard.
The moment Jester entered the clubhouse, the tall, stacked blonde who’d been giving him a lap dance when he first noticed Emily, sidled up to him and plastered herself against his chest.
“You done with whatever it is you had to take care of, baby?” she purred, the sound one that promised he could have a satisfying night. Her hands slid up his chest and circled around his neck. When her fingers started to release the band that secured his hair, he stepped back and away from her touch.
“I am.”
She frowned at him, her eyebrows drawn down in displeasure, clearly unaccustomed to hearing a dismissive tone from a man. Amber may not have appreciated his reaction, but she wasn’t deterred. With a renewed smile, she stepped into him, and placed her hands on his chest once again, this time heading south. “You seem tense, big boy. Want me to take care of that for you?”
Jester gripped both of her wrists, and with a firm motion, plucked them off his body. “Sorry, not tonight.”
“You’re kidding, right?” The pout was back.
“No, Amber, I’m not kidding. Go find another dick to play with.”
Anger transformed her heavily made up face from sexy to contemptuous. “I saw you talking to that little mouse. What the fuck is wrong with you? Can’t handle a real woman anymore? Maybe you’re going soft?” Acid dripped from her voice.
Jester laughed out loud at her comment as he recalled how he could have pounded nails with his cock just a short while ago while listening to Emily laugh at his tacky pickup line.
“No, honey,” he said. “I’m just sick of playing with fake tits and looking at faces slathered in gallons of war paint. Not much real woman about you.” It was true, there wasn’t much authentic about this woman, up to and including her name. Whereas Emily’s hair was real, her nails were real, her makeup was minimal, and, though very large, he’d bet his bike her tits were real.
The zinger had the desired effect. Amber turned with a huff, and stomped toward the bathroom, her undeniably delectable ass twitching with annoyance.
Jester approached the bar, and nodded to Kenny when a double of Jack was placed in front of him without him having to ask. Kenny had been prospecting for just over a year, and was due to be voted in within the next month. He’d been a good prospect, took the shit and didn’t bitch about it like most. He’d also taken a knife to the gut for the club last year and remained loyal. Devotion like that wasn’t overlooked.
He stared at the liquid in the glass. This was his night. He should have been more excited to be at the party. He should have left with Amber. Hell, he’d slept with a hundred Ambers. What was one more?
It had to be the problem with the Grimm Brothers. It weighed heavily on his mind. The monumental task of planning the attack on the Grimms was never far from his thoughts. He had plenty of ideas, but needed to flesh them out.
As the pleasant burn of whisky warmed his stomach, a pair of wary powder blue eyes flashed through his mind. Emily reeked of innocence, and Jester did not do innocent. It was obvious she was lacking the sexual confidence, and probably the experience, that most women he bedded had. When it came to sex, he had basically tried it all; threesomes, foursomes, public sex, you name it he’d done it at
least once. Well, everything except for an innocent.
Why then, did the thought of being the man to introduce Emily to all the pleasures her body was capable of have him growing painfully hard? Why was he sitting there, alone, thinking of the satisfaction he could find in her untried body, and the ecstasy he knew, without arrogance, he could offer her? And why was he thinking about a woman who was doing the very thing he didn’t want—distracting him from the more important mission of obliterating the Grimms?
He tossed back the last of his drink and stood. Time to find Acer and get this night back on track.
Chapter Five
At exactly ten o’clock the next morning, Jester pulled up to the drab apartment building just in time to see Emily emerge from a weathered door on the second floor and descend the outdoor steps. He’d been here once before, for what he couldn’t remember, but he wasn’t crazy about the thought of her living in this complex. It wasn’t the worst part of town, but it wasn’t desirable, and Emily seemed so harmless and vulnerable.
Christ, he just met the girl last night. Who cared where she lived? It wasn’t any of his damn business. He had enough on his plate, what with planning the seizure of a million dollars. Saving naïve girls from themselves was not on his to do list.
He watched from astride his bike as she approached, looking far too sexy in ass-tight jeans and an unzipped, black leather jacket. On her feet were black boots. They weren’t riding boots, but he was impressed that she’d had the foresight to wear some kind of boot. As last night, an air of anxiety swirled around her.
“Damn, woman,” he called out when she was about fifteen feet away. “You look smokin’. You sure you want to go for a ride? I could throw you down on the pavement, and ravish you until you scream my name, instead.”
Her gait faltered, but she laughed and shook her head at him, while a charming blush rose on her cheeks. “I didn’t have a clue what to wear. Is the jacket dumb? I figured if I did something stupid and fell off, I’d fare better with this on, even if it’s way too hot for a jacket.” She sent him a half smile, rolling her bottom lip in and working it between her teeth.
Jester reached forward, and ran his thumb over her lips. She gasped, the action causing her mouth to gap far enough, her lip popped back out. He soothed the spot she’d been abusing. “Don’t do that. I had fantasies about that mouth all night long. It won’t be any good to me if you make yourself bleed.”
Her eyes widened, and he smiled. He loved how easy it was to fluster her. “And you look amazing, the jacket and the boots were a smart thought. Around here sand blows across the road all the time. It can hurt like a son of a bitch if your arms aren’t protected.”
“What about your arms?” She asked, pointing out the obvious fact that he wore a short sleeved T-shirt under his cut.
“Excuse me, woman? Did you just question my manhood? I’ll have you know I’m one bad motherfucker. Sand is nothing to me.”
Emily chuckled again. When she relaxed enough to let out a real laugh, the sound was fantastic, full bodied and arousing. “I believe you completely.”
“Damn straight.”
A phone chimed and Emily reached into the pocket of her jacket. “Excuse me,” she said. She drew out the phone and glanced at the screen.
She transformed before his eyes, intense fear burning bright in her eyes. She gasped and shook her head, a soft, “No,” leaving her lips.
“Jesus, Emily, what’s wrong? You look terrified.”
She blinked at him, and a neutral mask replaced the fear. “What? Sorry. It’s nothing. It’s…uh…just a problem with a shipment. Something I ordered for the apartment. Took me by surprise.”
She pasted a smile on her face, but he didn’t buy it, or her flimsy explanation. Something had scared her, and he didn’t like it one bit. But he didn’t even know this girl, so he respected her privacy and took her lead, smiling back at her.
“Okay, here’s a helmet for you. It should fit pretty well.” He placed a shiny black helmet over her head and secured it under her chin. “Perfect. Climb on behind me. The only thing you have to worry about, Em, is holdin’ on and enjoying the ride. I’ll do all the work.” He winked at her as she followed his instructions and mounted the bike behind him.
When her full breasts nestled against his back and her delicate arms encircled his waist, he had to clench his back teeth to suppress a groan. Feminine hands rested low on his stomach, mere inches away from his stiffening cock. The urge to push them lower nearly consumed him. Damn, this was going to be a torturous ride.
Emily had to stretch her arms to reach all the way around Jester’s broad torso. Maybe in the future she’d feel comfortable holding his sides, but she was terrified she’d fall off if she didn’t have a firm hold on him.
The future?
She needed to nip that thinking. The only future here was one of hatred and blame. And hopefully not death.
Damn Snake, sending her a picture of Johnny and his message, Hope you enjoyed the party. She needed to be more careful. She almost blew it. Deception was never something she excelled at.
She scooted as close to Jester as she could get, pressing fully against him, which gave her arms an extra inch or two. She used that length and interlocked her fingers around his waist. “Is this okay?” she called over his shoulder.
“Is it okay that you’re plastered so tight against me I can practically feel your nipples on my back?” He snorted. “Yeah, baby, it’s more than okay.”
Emily buried her face in his back, embarrassed by the blatantly sexual talk. She’d never been around anyone who spoke like he did as far as the dirty talk and the profanity. It didn’t offend her; it fit him, and she couldn’t imagine him speaking in any other manner. It was just foreign to her. If she was honest with herself, it was a bit of a turn on, and added to his bad boy persona. Johnny could swear with the best of them, but typically tried to curb it around her. Jester just let it all fly.
Johnny…
She needed to keep him foremost in her mind. This wasn’t meant to be a fun day out. It was a job, a mission. Worming her way in with people she’d never normally associate with, the end goal being to keep her brother, and probably herself, alive.
“Here we go, Em.” Jester kicked the bike in gear and rolled out onto the road. He kept a slow pace as he navigated through town, until he reached the highway, where he finally let the full power of the man and the machine soar.
At first, Emily wanted to freak out, and she held on with a crushing grip that would have damaged a man who wasn’t built like Jester. After about five minutes, when she caught on to the fact that the bike wouldn’t tip over every time he made a turn, she began to relax. By the time Jester let the bike fly on the open highway, Emily realized they were heading toward the lake and her excitement grew.
The town of Crystal Rock bordered a gorgeous lake, an oasis in the middle of the dry, dusty desert. Most of the towns surrounding the lake thrived with tourism. Crystal Rock, however, didn’t seem to draw many outside visitors. Might have something to do with the reputation of a certain motorcycle club.
As they neared the lake, cruising at top speed, Emily’s blood hummed with anticipation. The scenery was breathtaking. Miles of sand and emptiness surrounded them, and, despite the wide-open space, the warmth of the sun and the intimacy of their position had Emily feeling like they were cocooned in a tiny world all their own.
Jester was huge and rock solid beneath her arms, and he made her feel extremely safe and protected. The thought nearly had her laughing because in truth she was anything but safe and protected. Snake wouldn’t hesitate to harm her, and most likely when Jester found out her true purpose, he’d share the sentiment. But for these few moments Emily felt wonderful, invincible and elated.
Jester cruised around, circling the lake for about half an hour before he began to slow down, and pulled the bike off the road close to the lake. Emily had a perfect view of the shimmering water as their speed decreased and they rolled
to a stop.
She yanked off the helmet and hopped down from the bike. “Oh my God, Jester, that was unbelievable. I had no idea it would be so much fun. I completely understand why you love it. Thank you for this.”
With a hum of pleasure, Emily stretched her arms out wide and spun around, soaking in the warmth of the sun. When she finished her three-sixty, her gaze locked with Jester’s. Desire shone in his eyes, hotter than the sun overhead. She acted on impulse and launched herself at him. He caught her with ease, and she wrapped her arms around his bulky shoulders, pressing her mouth to his. It was a chaste kiss of gratitude, only lasting a second or two, but the feel of his lips on hers was electric.
Emily jerked back. She’d never been so forward in her life. Her heated face had nothing to do with the temperature of the day. “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have… I mean, I just got caught up in the moment.”
Before Emily had the opportunity to step away, Jester fisted his hand in the thick strands of hair at the back of her head, holding her immobile as he tipped her chin up. “Fuck that,” he ground out, and fused his mouth to hers. This time there was nothing chaste about the kiss as he ran his tongue over the seam of her mouth, demanding entry.
Without any thoughts of self-preservation, Emily opened to him and welcomed the invasion. All worry for Johnny, and fear of Snake and the danger she was in fled her mind at the feel of Jester’s warm tongue gliding against hers.
She moaned and greedily tried to get closer to him, winding her arms around his neck, but he still sat astride the bike, and she couldn’t get as close as her body demanded. Without breaking the kiss, Jester released his grip on her hair and hooked one hand under each of her thighs. With minimal effort, he lifted and swung her over the bike so she straddled his lap.
Legs spread wide to accommodate his width, Emily’s sex made contact with the sizable bulge in Jester’s jeans. He slid his hands from under her thighs, back to cup her ass, holding her even more firmly against his hard length. With thoughts of nothing but having more of the delicious friction between her legs, Emily rocked her pelvis against him, and moaned at the sensation.
