Torque: A Bad Boy Next Door Romance (Burns Brothers Series Book 4)

by Gillian Archer

  “I’m not saying anything. I don’t want to fuck this up.” My breath hissed through my teeth when her teasing hands opened my fly and dove inside. I was already hard and throbbing. Just the thought alone of having her mouth on me had me aching and ready to come. Dammit.

  “Think unsexy thoughts. Think unsexy thoughts,” I muttered to myself.

  Or so I thought.

  “What?” Maddie asked, her head tilted up to me and her hand wrapped around my dick.

  I groaned. “Do you have any fucking idea how hot you look right now? Your tits all out and pointed at me with my dick in your hand. I think I could die happy right now.”

  “Please don’t.” A naughty smile curved her lips or maybe it was the sparkle in her eyes. “That’s the kinda thing that’d scar me for life. I’d never be able to give another blow job.”

  “Good. These lips should only ever be on me.” I cupped her face in one hand and ran my thumb over her lips. “So fucking gorgeous.”

  Maddie tilted her head and sucked my thumb into her mouth. Her tongue teasingly rubbed against the pad of my thumb in a silken tease of what was about to happen.

  “Fuck me.” I groaned.

  She pulled back and my thumb popped out of her mouth. “That’s the plan.”

  Then she bent her head and got to work. She licked me all over like I was her favorite ice cream cone. Her tongue paid special attention to that little fold of skin under the head. I groaned and fisted the sheets in my hands. I wanted to just grab her and moved her in the way I ached to have her. But I couldn’t. Maddie was too special to be used. I had to get my shit under control.

  She tested that control when she finally took me into her mouth, taking me into the back of her throat. She swallowed, and I about lost it. Only the force of my ego had me clawing my orgasm back. No way in hell was she gonna think I was a two pump chump.

  Two pumps of her amazing hands and mouth later, and I was a fucking liar.

  “Maddie! I don’t—I’m gonna…” Those were the only words I was capable of before I blew my load. My eyes slammed shut with the first pulse as pure bliss sang through my bloodstream. I cracked my eyes open in time to see Maddie pull back and let my cum bathe her tits in a creamy fantasy display. Some of my spunk dribbled out of her mouth and joined the load sprayed all over her chest.

  I groaned and reached forward to tweak one of her white splattered nipples. “Fuck. Just when I think you’re the hottest woman ever, you go and blow all my fantasies out of the water.”

  Maddie smirked. “Literally. You got enough of the visual so I can clean up?”

  I pulled my t-shirt off and handed it to her. She laughed but still used it to wipe her body off before crawling up the bed to snuggle into my side.

  “You are fucking fantastic.” I wrapped my arms around her. “And amazing and in about twenty to thirty minutes I will show you how much I appreciate that. You. Thank you.”

  Maddie giggled as she burrowed her head into my side. “Thanks for being you. I had no idea how much I needed you in my life until you shoved your way in.”

  “Thanks, I guess? I don’t know how to take that.”

  “As a compliment. I’m crappy with words lately. I just meant that I was in love with the thought of you for so long, I’m glad that you turned out even better than I ever imagined.”

  I wondered if that epiphany had to do with her fight with her friends, but I didn’t want to bring it up and kill the moment, so I just kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer. “Well you sure as hell showed me, so I get it. How about I return the favor?”

  I kissed her one more time then slid down the bed when I didn’t get any objections. She still had her yoga pants on. I pulled at the waistband down her hips when the doorbell pealed.

  “Son of a bitch.” I muttered, resting my forehead on her soft belly.

  “Who’s here?” She whispered like they could hear her.

  “Pizza. I ordered Postmates.”

  “Uncle Vito’s? Tomato pesto pizza?” Her eyes gleamed.

  I nodded. “And Thai chili fries.”

  “Get going!” She all but pushed me out of bed and I laughed.

  “What? I’m not saying it compares with a Nathan delivered orgasm, but we’re not gonna turn the dude away. He has deliciousness!”

  I just shook my head, pulled my pants back on, and headed for the door.

  I had my orders.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Maddie

  It’d started out as such a good day—an amazing day. I mean, I woke up in Nathan Burns’ arms for the second morning in a row. And I ignored the two sets of text messages on my phone. I wasn’t ready to talk to Sabrina or Hope yet. It might’ve been immature, but what they’d said hurt. I didn’t want their judgement or whatever to ruin my good mood.

  But when I got to work and found Elaine sitting behind the main reception desk, I almost turned around and went back home. If there was one person in my life who was guaranteed to ruin my day, it was her. Instead, I decided to hide in the stacks and reshelve as much as humanly possible.

  Which was where Dylan found me just before my lunch break. I was elbow deep in biographies when he snuck up behind me.

  “I need to talk to you,” he whispered behind me, just inches from my ear.

  My gasp and barely-suppressed shriek had everyone in the vicinity turning to look. I clutched my chest where my racing heart was straining to break free. “Do not do that!”

  “Sorry.” Dylan’s lips twitched despite the serious expression in his eyes. “Forgot you were such a scaredy cat.”

  “I’m not a scaredy cat. I’m just used to people with manners who understand simple things like personal space and not being a di—jerk.” Crap, being around Nathan so much was starting to affect my vocabulary. I couldn’t curse like that at work.

  “Whatever. I said I’m sorry. Can we go talk now? Isn’t it lunch time for you?”

  Speaking of di—jerks. What was with Dylan? He was usually gentler and nicer than this. I didn’t know who this abrupt, angry man was. But despite appearances he was my best friend. “Fine. Let me go grab my purse.”

  After a few moments involving raised eyebrows and hums from Elaine, we were out the door. I knew she’d be all over me when I got back, but that was Future Maddie’s problem.

  “So what’s up?” I asked as we crossed the little garden area between the library and the parking lot. “Where have you been lately?”

  Dylan didn’t say anything so I turned. He was ten feet behind me next to a bench. He rubbed the back of his neck before looking up at me. “Do you mind if we just sit and talk for a minute?”

  “Um, sure. No problem.” Except that I only had thirty minutes for lunch, and if I didn’t eat now, I wouldn’t be able to eat until after five. But I was a sucker for a sad face, so I joined Dylan on the bench. “What’s going on?”

  Dylan sighed like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. “Shit with my brothers. What’s new?”

  “Well what specifically are you guys fighting about now? It’s kinda hard to keep up,” I gently teased.

  “Nathan was giving me shit yesterday about how irresponsible I’ve been lately. It’s bullshit. So I showed up late to work once.”

  I raised my eyebrows but didn’t say anything.

  Dylan lifted his lip in a snarl. “Fine. More than once. But you should’ve heard Nathan go off on me. Like he’s a fucking choirboy or something. I’m so glad you never hooked up with that asshat.”

  “What? Why?” You know that axiom that no guys hit on you until you’re in a relationship? Apparently my version of that was no one bagged on my crush on Nathan until I’d hooked up with him in secret. My cheeks heated in a flush that nothing to do with the lovely spring day. Guilt swamped me. Dylan was my best friend. And I was crap when it came to keeping secrets. I don’t know how I’d lasted this long.

  “You would’ve gotten the clap for sure. He likes to act like he’s all high and mighty—li
ke his shit doesn’t stink—but Nathan has gotten more tail than all my brothers combined. I bet he’s a walking STD.”

  Oh man. This was uncomfortable. I knew Nathan had been a player, but the past couple of months he seemed to calm down. I hadn’t seen him with a girl in…I don’t know how long. He’d changed, or at least he seemed determined to chase me and no one else these last few weeks. That was progress, right? “Uh, about that, I—”

  “I’m just so fucking glad you got over your stupid crush on him.” Dylan cut me off. “Nathan is a tool, and you can do so much better than him.”

  “Um, I don’t know about that but—”

  “And it would’ve totally fucked up our friendship dynamic. I don’t think I could look at you the same way if you lost yourself on that asshole.”

  “Okay, now you’re just being mean. He’s your brother. Nathan’s not all bad.”

  “Shit. Are you kidding me?” Dylan looked at me like I’d been taken over by a body snatcher. “You’re still hung up on him? He’s an asshole, Maddie.”

  “So what if I am? He’s a great guy. You know that. I get that you guys get on each other’s nerves but that doesn’t mean—”

  “This is a little more than getting on my nerves. He’s acting like he’s my father. That he knows best, and I should just shut up and follow his lead. It’s bullshit.”

  I sighed. I knew better than most how authoritative Nathan could get. Case in point our first night in bed where he pretty much ran the whole show. Not that I was complaining. It’d been magical.

  Crap, I couldn’t think about that now. I was supposed to be helping Dylan, not fantasizing about his most hated brother and the dirty, dirty things he’d done to me the last two nights.

  I cleared my throat. “I’ve already told you what I think, Dyl. You need to tell your brothers what’s going on. I know you’re worried they won’t underst—”

  “They won’t understand shit.” Dylan cut in, frustration bleeding into his tone. “You should’ve heard Nathan today going on about how irresponsible I’ve been. And how pissed he still is about the whole Dad thing. If I told them about the Kings and what I’ve been… They won’t understand.”

  “’The whole Dad thing’? Seriously, Dyl?” I boggled at him. “He burned down your aunt’s restaurant and almost killed Sabrina!”

  “I didn’t have anything to do with that!”

  His whole poor-me routine was seriously starting to piss me off. He was an adult; he needed to accept his part in the whole shitshow.

  “But you spoke up at his parole hearing beforehand. You’re a big part of the reason that he was paroled in the first place.”

  “I know that! I don’t need another fucking lecture in all the ways I’ve screwed up. Believe me, I know.” His voice broke and he took a few breaths before he could continue. “I paid for that decision within weeks of him getting out, and I’m still paying for it.”

  The despair in his voice killed me. He was my best friend, and I hated to see him hurting. But I could also see it from Nathan and the other guys’ point of view. Dylan betrayed them in one of the worst ways. That wasn’t magically going to go away.

  But his ‘still paying for it’ comment rang alarm bells in my head. “What do you mean still paying for it? I thought you said they were going to let you off the hook after that last run?”

  “I don’t wanna talk about that here.” He craned his neck, looking at our surroundings like someone could’ve been eavesdropping on us. Finally he sat back with a sigh. “It’s not over though. The fuckers have me by the short hairs and they know it.”

  “Dylan.” My heart sank. He was neck deep in this shit—there was no other way to phrase it. “There’s no end in sight? What are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know. Knuckles said one more run, but he said that the last time. I don’t know if they’ll ever let me go.”

  “Shit.” That sinking feeling came back. “I know you’re going to hate me for saying it again, but you have to talk to your brothers. They’d be able to help you.”

  Dylan made another scoffing sound. Like he couldn’t trust his brothers. Like it was hopeless. “They hate me enough as it is. They won’t want anything to do with me if they find out everything I’ve done.”

  I bit back the urge to defend Nathan to him. I knew his brother—all his brothers—loved him despite the mistakes he’d made lately. But Dylan wouldn’t want to hear it, especially any defense of Nathan. “Ryan would. I bet if you talk to him, he could get your brothers to come around. He got all you guys to go to anger management, remember?”

  Dylan kicked at a pebble. “He’s not even talking to me.”

  “Wait, what? Since when?” The two were usually thick as thieves, plotting pranks on their brothers and confiding in each other. When did that change, and why hadn’t Dylan said anything?

  “Pretty much since Sabrina was in the hospital.” Dylan lifted a shoulder and watched a bee buzz around us. “There’s this tension every time I get together with my brothers. Like they’re blaming me for all the shit that’s happened. But no one talks about it. Especially Ryan.”

  “Well, what did he say when you apologized? Did he want time to think things through? I bet if you bring it up to him, he’d be willing to talk to you again. It’s just awkward because you’re letting it stew.”

  A muscle flexed in his jaw as he studiously watched the bee and avoided looking at me. My suspicions grew.

  “You did apologize to your family, didn’t you?” I paused and took in his guilty expression. “Seriously, Dylan?”

  “I know. I know!” He stood up and paced the space in front of the bench. “It’s just—It’s not easy!”

  “Of course it’s not.” I watched him, concerned at the amount off anger he was holding onto. And pain. So much pain. He had so many scars on the inside; he was like a walking wound. “But you need to.”

  “They don’t know, okay? They don’t know how much I helped my dad. They don’t know how I helped him find job after job because he was too lazy or high to show up when I did get him a job. Or how I gave him money when he stopped working. It’s why I’m in this mess in the first place. They don’t know!”

  I opened my mouth but paused when Elaine walked through the garden area toward the parking lot. She took in the scene between me and Dylan and raised her eyebrows before slowly continuing on her way. I could almost hear her thoughts. She’s having a domestic spat at work? How tacky. And stupid.

  My skin heated in that weird way like someone was watching me. Us. Now that Elaine had moved on, I couldn’t see anyone in the vicinity. But I still didn’t feel any better.

  I sighed. “I don’t know that this is the best place to have this out, Dyl.”

  “Why?”

  “Seriously? We’re practically at my work. All my coworkers are a freaking stone’s throw away, and I don’t want this to be a reason they put me up on the chopping block at the end of the month.”

  “Are you kidding me? My fucking life is falling apart, and you’re worried about gossip?”

  “I don’t—I didn’t mean that. You know you can talk to me, but can’t we go somewhere? Like a restaurant or back to your place?”

  Dylan sighed a rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess. If you want. I don’t want you to waste your entire lunch break on me.”

  I stood and pulled my purse onto my shoulder before facing him. “I still want you to tell your brothers. They can help you, and honestly I’m not comfortable that you’re making me lie for you.”

  I had enough lies of my own to keep track of.

  I shook my head and continued. “Nathan has already asked me. I know Ryan has been hinting around. It’s getting out of control. You can’t live your life like this. You have to tell them. And you have to apologize to them. For everything.”

  “I thought you didn’t want to talk about this at your work.” Dylan stared stone faced back at me. Like a stranger.

  “I just wanted to get that out before
I lost my nerve.” I shrugged. “It’s how I feel, Dyl, and I’m not going to apologize for it.”

  “I get what you mean, but it’s not—” He broke off as his cell buzzed loudly with an incoming text. He pulled his phone out, and his face lost all color as he read the text.

  “Dylan? Is everything all right?”

  He shook his head tightly. “No. No, it’s really not.” He shoved his phone back into his pocket and just looked at me for a moment before he spoke. “I gotta go.”

  “Wait, what? What’s going on?”

  “I just… Thanks for listening, Maddie. I gotta sort some shit out.”

  “Dylan, I don’t—”

  “Love you.” He pressed a kiss to my cheek and headed toward the parking lot. Like he hadn’t just left without an explanation.

  A few moments later the telltale roar of his motorcycle rumbled through the area.

  What the heck just happened?

  I found the answer a few minutes later when I saw my car listing to one side in the parking lot like a sinking ship.

  Because both tires on the driver’s side had been slashed.

  And traced into the dust on my back window, a simple crown shape with WC underneath—the logo for the West Coast Kings.

  I yanked my phone out of my purse and called him. He sent me straight to voicemail.

  “Dylan? Did you see my car? Two tires were slashed and they left a calling card. I’m freaking out here. Call me back.”

  I stared at that asinine biker logo and hated every single stupid line and what it meant. The hold they had on Dylan. And the knowledge that I was in their cross hairs. They’d use me to get to Dylan, to make him do what they wanted to. I hated them.

  Hated them.

  Grabbing a tissue out of my purse, I scrubbed the stupid scribble off my car. I didn’t want to see it anymore, didn’t want to even think about it for another second.

  But of course, as I waited for roadside assistance, it was all I could think about. Should I tell Nathan and his brothers? Should I wait and see what Dylan decided to do?

  I didn’t want to betray him—anymore than I already apparently had by hooking up with his brother—but I was worried. He was in over his head, and if I sat back and did nothing would I be able to live with myself if it all went to hell?