Beautiful Moves: A Motorcycle Club, Shifter, Romance (Shifting Steel Book 3)

by Stephanie West

  A wistful smile crossed Ella’s face as she recalled how pissed her dad got when she pestered him for the millionth time about who her real parents were.

  “Dammit, Bella, you weren’t adopted,” her father insisted as she helped him replace an electrical outlet. Ella loved helping her dad. It was the rare occasion she got to spend quality time with him. “Now, please hand me those wire strippers.”

  Ella summoned the wire strippers from his tool bag several feet away, letting them drop by his side. Of course, Harold had taken that moment to concentrate on the gang box, instead of her.

  That was the closest Ella had come to admitting her secret. As Sabine got sicker, she convinced herself, her parents didn’t need any more to worry about. Certainly not a freaky daughter, that was quite possibly possessed.

  The sound of a motorcycle rumbling nearby, pulled Ella out of her reverie. It came to a stop beside her and Ella stilled.

  Crap!

  Ella slowly turned to see that it was just as she feared. Wolf looked like an urban knight astride his steel horse. He wore black combat boots and dark denim jeans. His worn leather jacket was open, exposing a white tank, that stretched across is impressive taught chest.

  She reached his face to find a stern expression. The muscle in Wolf’s jaw was rigid, his mouth turned down in a smirk. His honey brown eyes had this odd glow, as they pinned her aggressively. A shiver worked through Ella.

  “What in the hell are you doing walking alone at night? Are you really this stupid, or are you looking to get mugged?”

  “Excuse me?”

  Ella took a step back in shock. Wolf was pissed.

  What crawled up his butt and died?

  “You heard me. Now get on the bike.”

  “I think I’ll walk. Thank you very much.”

  Ella stalked down the sidewalk.

  What the hell kind of chivalry is this? she fumed.

  Ella wanted to inform Wolf she was safe, but he would never believe her. And she wasn’t about to give him a demonstration.

  “I don’t think so. If you don’t get your tail on this bike, you can kiss our agreement goodbye,” Wolf growled.

  Ella’s eyes widened at the feral sound.

  Is he seriously threatening me?

  She whirled on her feet and stared Wolf down.

  “Am I to believe, that a man who threatens me, is safer than walking alone?” Ella snapped.

  “Is it yes or no, Ice Princess? Your choice,” he rumbled.

  Ice Princess?

  Wolf had her between a rock and a hard place, and he knew it. She either put up with his sour attitude and crass mouth, or find a new place to live, which she still wouldn’t be able to afford.

  Ella realized she was letting Wolf get to her when she noticed the leaves fluttering in the trees, although there was no breeze. Why did this man make her so crazy?

  Reign it in.

  Ella closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down. Without a word, she stepped to the back of Wolf’s bike and slung her leg over, settling in behind him.

  “Grab on, I wouldn’t want you to fall off and mess up that pretty little face of yours.”

  Ella smirked at the back-handed compliment and gripped his sides, letting her nails dig into his firm obliques.

  “What did I do to you?” Ella tried to ask, but the roar of the bike drowned her out.

  Being pressed against the gorgeous man would’ve been thrilling, if she wasn’t so ticked off. Ella was glad Wolf couldn’t see her frowning. Granted it wasn’t smart to walk alone, but he didn’t need to be cruel about it.

  I’m not an Ice Princess.

  Sabine called her innocent, and nagged Ella to let loose every now and then. Except there was a good reason she kept the genie in the bottle.

  I’m not cold. What makes Wolf think he can say whatever he wants to people? Do the women he’s used to, just roll over and take his arrogant, demanding attitude? Sexy only goes so far. Big jerk.

  When the clubhouse came into view, Ella notice the two dozen motorcycles parked outside. If the four bikers yesterday were a handful, this would probably be doubly exciting. Leather clad men and scantily dressed women were milling around the entrance, as Wolf whipped into line with the rest of the bikes. Ella had a feeling he stopped abruptly for her benefit. She tightened her grip, gouging her nails into his stomach, till she heard him grunt.

  Ella slid off the motorcycle, and followed Wolf inside. She scanned the room, gaping as every direction she looked, something untoward was going on.

  “Are you good on your own?” Wolf said over the din of the party.

  Ella’s mouth almost dropped open. He was going to ditch her amongst a bunch of bikers she didn’t know.

  “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

  “They know you’re the decorator,” he commented with a shrug, then took off, leaving her standing in the middle of the room.

  “Dick!” Ella fumed.

  Loosen up, and prove him wrong about the Ice Princess comment. Or you can send him an anonymous box of glitter. Ella smiled at the thought of the sparkly mess getting all over Wolf and his apartment. Glitter was the herpes of the craft world.

  Be an adult. Stop letting the man yank your chain. You’re not here to prove anything. You’re here to see what’s needed for the design, Ella reminded herself. Mingle. See what’s going on.

  Ella wandered further into the main room and paused. The music was blaring loud enough, the bass thumped through her, overtaking her own heartbeat. A few women were doing dance moves that would put a stripper to shame. A chick with long black hair and a mini skirt was grinding against a dude’s leg, like her life depended on it. Ella suddenly had a better understanding of what a sweet butt was. The guy had a death grip on the woman’s butt, kneading it, in time with her thrusts. It reminded Ella of Wolf’s hands on her own rear, and she blushed.

  Don’t judge, she almost heard Sabine say. Professional mental note; they like dancing and music.

  A few guys were playing darts, shoving each other as they argued about the score. One of the guys knocked the other one into the wall, sending dust cascading down. It looked like it hurt, except the guy acted like nothing happened, as he aimed a dart and threw, ignoring another biker in the way. Ella cringed as the projectile winged past the other man, nearly taking off his ear.

  She noticed that most of the men wore leather jackets like Wolf’s. On the back, there was a large insignia of a wolf baying at a crescent moon. It obviously represented something to the group.

  Maybe that’s where Wolf gets his name. I wonder if Wolf’s his real name.

  Ella caught a whiff of something she hadn’t smelled since her freshman year in college, when she last attempted to go out and party with normal people. She turned to see several people passing a joint, by the bar. Her eyes traveled down the bar. Some guy threw back a shot, then bent over and kissed a blonde. She pulled away from him and swallowed, then bit into a lime.

  That’s one way to drink tequila.

  Ella blushed when she noticed the guys didn’t care about the massive hole in the wall, as they used the wrecked bathroom.

  Privacy is clearly not a concern.

  “Hey, did my idiot brother abandon you?”

  Ella turned to see the black-haired apartment manager, Char.

  “Yeah. It’s okay. I’m getting an idea of what goes on here, so I can redesign the space,” Ella spoke over the music.

  “He mentioned that. Still, I can’t believe he just cast you to the wolves.”

  Ella snickered at the pun.

  “I think he’s ticked off that I tried to walk here.” Ella shrugged.

  “Oh. That probably wasn’t a good idea, though Manhattan’s pretty safe. You want a drink?” Char gestured to the bar.

  “Sure. Do you have any wine?”

  “No, but I made jello shots.”

  “Close enough,” Ella laughed.

  “Right on. You can’t get an idea of how we throw down, wi
thout partying with us.”

  Char led Ella behind the bar and grabbed a tray of multicolored jello shots from the fridge.

  “Hey, Kayla, meet Ella. She’s going help fix this dump up.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Kayla, the tequila-shot blonde, shouted. “It’s about time they fix this place up.”

  “You have any suggestions?” Ella asked.

  “Hey, don’t give her any ideas. I don’t want this place turning all girly,” the guy with shaggy brown hair from yesterday, chimed in.

  “Shut-up Mark. Just for that, I hope she puts lots and lots of pink lace all over the place.” Char shoved Mark out of the way.

  This was a rough and tumble bunch. Even the girls were a handful.

  “I wasn’t thinking pink lace. I’m seeing unicorns, lots of sparkly, purple unicorns.” Ella spread her hands out in front of her, as if she were picturing the scene.

  Char and Kayla chuckled. Ella decided it might be funny to mock up some horrific design just to antagonize Wolf. It served him right for being so dreadful toward her.

  “Ha, real funny, Cotton Tail,” Mark snorted.

  “Cotton Tail?” Ella cocked her head.

  “Yeah, you know.” Mark glanced toward Ella’s butt.

  Ella almost choked as she got the reference.

  Oh, my god. Not only are they not letting the little incident go, but they gave me a nickname.

  At least Mark was congenial, despite the humiliating nickname. He checked Ella out, but it didn’t affect her, like it did when Wolf stared at her. Mark was handsome in a rugged sort of way. He had shoulder length dark brown hair, which made his blue eyes stand out. His forearms were covered in tattoo’s, that disappeared up into the sleeves of his black t-shirt. But Mark didn’t do it for her. Ella took a quick look around but didn’t see Wolf.

  That’s not why you’re here, she admonished herself.

  “I heard about the handprints,” Kayla’s snickered.

  “Just great. Did you tell everyone?” Ella glared at Mark.

  “Don’t look at me. Jericho’s the gossip.”

  “Jericho’s as bad as a girl.” Char shook her head. “Always stirring shit up.”

  “Wolf’s to blame. He kept me from falling over a crowbar by grabbing me around the waist.”

  “Sure,” Mark said skeptically.

  “It’s the truth,” Ella insisted, then sighed. “Well I guess Cotton Tail is better than Ice Princess.”

  “Why would your nickname be Ice Princess?” Kayla’s blonde head tilted.

  “Ask Wolf,” Ella smirked.

  “My brother’s such a charmer. Here, drink up.”

  Char thrust the tray of jiggly booze toward her. Ella grabbed a little paper cup and squeezed the vodka-laced lime jello into her mouth.

  “Whooo!” Char whooped as she crushed her cup, then chucked it at the trash. “Again?”

  Ella nodded, taking another shot. She might not be a wild child, but she could hold her alcohol. She’d experimented too much in her youth, hoping it would calm her curse. It didn’t.

  Wolf

  Wolf lurked in the corner, watching Ella, like some kind of creeper.

  Better me than some serial rapist.

  He still couldn’t believe the crazy woman was walking the streets past dark, looking like a wet dream.

  He almost drove past Ella since she wasn’t wearing her Little-Miss-Straight-Laced uniform. Wolf nearly stalled his bike when he caught glimpse of her in the getup that was downright smokin’. The backless halter top gaped at the sides, taunting him, as it played peekaboo with her tits. Ella’s jeans were so tight they looked like they were painted on. His fingers itched to grab her pert ass, now that he knew what it felt like. Full and firm.

  Wolf groaned out loud as he recalled the heat of Ella’s thighs pressed against him on the bike. He still felt the delicious sting of her nails on his ribs. She thought she was hurting him, but her biting grip had been a torment of a different kind. Would Ella claw his back with the same fervor he’d seen sparking in her eyes, when he demanded she get on his bike?

  You need to leave that one alone, Wolf shook his head as he adjusted his crotch. Any woman that prim, who thinks she’s too good for you, isn’t worth the time.

  He knew it was immature, but Wolf still took impish pleasure watching Ella nervously pan the clubhouse. She thought she was mortified before, now she’d learn the meaning of the word. His pack knew how to have a good time.

  God she’s so fucking repressed.

  Wolf laughed at how red Ella’s cheeks turned as she noticed several brothers taking a piss in the wrecked bathroom. She acted like she hadn’t seen a cock before.

  Wolf stopped cold.

  “Surely not,” he muttered.

  Wolf started up a game of pool with one of the guys, but quickly abandoned it to another pack member. His mind kept returning to the unfathomable thought. Ella was too old to be so damn innocent. Though that would certainly explain the rosy flush and demure glances that she instantly smothered. His inner Wolf growled insistently, goading him to do something foolish.

  “Ah, Hell.” Wolf scrubbed a hand over his face.

  “What was that?” Vick asked.

  “Nothing. Let’s get a fight going. You and Tony have an ass kicking coming.”

  Wolf had to blow off some steam and clear his head. Trying to figure out that woman, was occupying too many of his thoughts lately.

  “Just fucking great. Here I was thinking I’d watch Cotton Tail get shit faced.”

  Wolf followed Vick’s glance to see Ella throwing back jello shots with his sister.

  “Hell no,” Wolf growled, and stomped over to the bar.

  “Shit, Cotton Tail, you’re going to be praising the porcelain god at the rate you’re going,” Mark swore.

  The damn nickname his pack had given Ella was funny, and yet not, at the same time. It suited Ella. She was skittish like a little bunny amidst a pack of wolves.

  “Char!” Wolf bellowed.

  “What?” Char’s head popped up, along with Ella, Kayla and Mark’s.

  “You know what,” Wolf snarled as he gestured to the crumpled cups on the counter.

  It was underhanded to play drinking games with Outsiders. It was cruel and unfair, since they didn’t have the same metabolism a Shifter did.

  “I’m pretty sure I know my own limit.” Ella’s eyebrow rose.

  “Fine. It’s your funeral. You’re on your own. I’m heading out back,” Wolf countered.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, I thought I was on my own already. Char, another round,” Ella insisted defiantly.

  “Don’t worry, Princess. You are on your own. I wouldn’t want you to mistake my concern for your safety, as some sort of interest, cause that’s never going to happen. I wouldn’t want you to have a conniption fit,” Wolf threw the words Ella had said earlier, back at her.

  Ella’s eyes widened and she lost her grip on the shot she was about to take. Suddenly the cabinets started rattling, and the bottles and cans on the counter danced about then fell over.

  “Shit, I thought you were joking about that earthquake,” Mark looked around.

  Just as abruptly as it started, the tremors ceased.

  “I need to leave,” Ella said, looking frightened and hurt.

  “No. Don’t leave, Ella. We’re having fun. The quake stopped,” Kayla entreated.

  “That’s not it.” Ella hung her head refusing to look at Wolf.

  Wolf didn’t know why he felt guilty. She was the one who’d rebuffed him with her comment and cool demeanor.

  “Don’t go. Wolf’s just being an ass, cause well, he’s an ass,” Char encouraged.

  Ella smiled at his sister’s disrespectful comment.

  I’m the alpha for Christ sake.

  “It’s not like she has a way to get home anyway,” Wolf mumbled under his breath.

  Ella’s eyes swung up to meet his, sparking with anger.

  “I can walk,” she countered.

>   “Not after drinking you won’t, and you know the deal we made.” Wolf pinned Ella with a pointed stare.

  “I can take care of myself,” she insisted, staring back at him without blinking or averting her gaze.

  His inner beast bristled with interest at the little female’s challenge. No one challenged the alpha, except for maybe his sister. But rather than put Ella in her place, his beast wanted to bend the Ice Princess to his will in a completely different manner. That frustrated Wolf even more.

  “Ah, so you call being late on you rent, taking care of yourself.”

  It was a low blow, but Wolf couldn’t help it. Ella riled him.

  “You know nothing about me.” Ella’s clenched fists trembled by her side.

  There was a cracking sound, and before Wolf could duck, the cabinet fell off the wall, striking him in the back. Ella cried out as she moved toward Wolf.

  “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” Ella’s hands fluttered over his shoulders, head and back, brushing away broken glass and dust.

  “It’s not your fault. I’m fine. Watch out for the glass. That freaking quake must have loosened it.” Wolf shoved the debris aside. “Good thing I’m redoing all this.”

  Ella frowned shaking her head.

  “Please, Wolf, take me home.”

  There were tears welling up in Ella’s eyes. The earthquake had obviously freaked her out. No doubt his attitude wasn’t helping. Something fiercely protective rose within Wolf, seeing her wounded expression.

  “Hey now, I’m alright. We’ll go outside, where nothing else can fall on us.”

  Wolf reached out his hand and encompassed Ella’s delicate fingers. Instantly that strange tingling sensation worked up his arm. His inner beast stood up in attention.

  “I’m not afraid. It’s just…”

  Ella was at a loss for words, as she frowned, casting such a sad look his way. Her hand gestured toward him and then to herself, obviously referring to the tension between them.

  “Come on. Let’s call a truce. I’m sorry for being such an ass.”

  Wolf led Ella through the clubhouse, out the back door, to the patio. There was a bonfire roaring, with people gathered round, talking and laughing.