Castle of Kings: (A Kings MC Romance)

by Betty Shreffler

  His warm hand slid in between my thighs and gently squeezed my leg. Surprised, I turned my head sharply and glared at him.

  “Thought that might get your attention,” his grin widened. “I brought you to your favorite place, but you don’t seem to be enjoying yourself. I’m not that bad to be around, am I?”

  “No, Jake,” I laughed at the dejection in his voice, “you’re not terrible to be around, but I’m not looking to be another notch on your belt either. I agreed to this date, that’s it, then you and I will go our separate ways. There’s plenty of other women who come to the club for you to toy with.”

  “That’s what you think?” His jaw ticked as he removed his hand. “That you’re a new toy?”

  “Pretty much, yes.”

  “Well I’m not gonna lie. I’d like to see this,”—he tilted his head toward my body—“naked in my bed, but I have no intention of tonight being the only night we see each other.”

  “Hmm, well that’s unfortunate for you because that’s exactly my plan.”

  “We’ll see about that,” the corners of Jake’s mouth creased.

  Dinner came and Jake praised me for my choice in food. He even kept up the conversation and had me laughing uncontrollably. When dessert was offered, he said yes and ordered us strawberry covered cheesecake. When it came, he shocked me by taking the fork, cutting a sliver, and bringing it to my mouth.

  The fork slid from my lips, and he watched me with the same hungry eyes I’d seen earlier. His hand slid between my thighs and this time, I didn’t jump. He leaned in and put his warm breath to my ear. His hand slid up higher and kneaded my inner thigh.

  “I want you to come home with me. Say you will.” His lips pulled my ear between his teeth.

  “I can’t.” Arousal coursed through my veins like hot oil. My head was dizzy with lust.

  “But you want to.”

  I glanced up at the fierce want in his eyes and moved his hand from my legs before I lost total control of my sanity.

  “Even if I do, it’s not happening.”

  Jake smirked at me before grabbing the check and leaving the table to pay. Immediately, I missed the warmth and presence of his body. I grabbed my jacket and headed to the restroom. After collecting my wits, I walked outside to find him leaning against his bike, his legs outstretched, crossed at his feet. He looked delicious sitting there on his motorcycle, black leather jacket and a sexy-as-hell smile. As I approached, he handed me his helmet.

  “You ready for the next place?”

  “Next place?” I laughed. “Sure, as long as it’s not your place.”

  He glanced back, the corner of his mouth raised. I hopped on and he drove us to a bar on the strip.

  When I got off, he wrapped his arm around my back and guided me inside. As we walked to the bar, his hand slid into the pocket of my jeans and stayed there as he ordered us drinks.

  “I’m not just a toy, huh?”

  “You’re better than that.” His gaze swept over me, capturing me and locking me with his heated stare.

  “You’re right. I am.” Pride tickled my belly, but the reminder of Nix’s warning quickly stomped it out. “You wasted your prize.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Is that why you brought me here to the bar? A few drinks aren’t going to change my mind.”

  The heat in his eyes didn’t help the scorching need between my legs. Constantly battling my desire was becoming torture. As if he sensed it, his hand on my ass tightened and with one swift movement, he pulled me to him and kissed me. The kiss was sudden, unexpected, and my body responded instantly. His mouth was a mixture of soft lips and hard, dominating need. I couldn’t get enough of him, and he clearly felt the same. His hands tightened on my waist, pinning me to him as his lips continued to ravage me.

  The bartender slid our drinks toward us, making a sound to get Jake’s attention. He growled into my mouth and looked at the bartender like he wanted to come across the counter and pummel him for interrupting. Jake picked up the shot and swallowed quickly. I did the same, still reeling from the kiss. Jake motioned for another two shots, then looked down at me, studying me closely. His penetrating eyes had taken my emotions captive. My body and mind were lost in this moment. He took hold of my hip and pulled me back to him, raising my chin, pressing his thumb into my lip.

  “You do something to me, Peach.” His thumb dipped into my mouth and I claimed it, sucking the tip. He stared down at me with dangerous secrets in his eyes. Secrets of what he wanted to do to me, secrets I was dying to know. Taking his hand off my waist, he wound my hair around his hand and tugged.

  “Tell me, what do I do to you?” My head tilted up to him, my lips parted.

  “This is what you do to me.” He took hold of my hand and placed it over the tight knot in his jeans. He rubbed my hand over him while still watching my reaction. “We should get out of here.”

  Jake downed the second shot and paid the bill. His palm stayed glued to my ass as we walked out of the bar to his motorcycle. He reached for the helmet, then clipped it under my chin. He got on, waited for me to get comfortable, then tightened my hands around his waist, glancing back at me before starting the engine.

  The smell of his cologne and the warmth of his body taunted me the entire ride out of the city. As the lights of downtown faded into the distance, the reminder of Nix’s words came back to my mind. I was doing exactly what Nix told me not to. I was falling for Jake’s games and was probably less than an hour away from being another notch on his belt, another club girl he’d use and toss aside without remorse. When we stopped at the next light, I leaned in for him to hear me.

  “I need to go home tonight. I can’t stay with you.”

  He didn’t say anything, but I knew he understood when he took the turn that led to my house. After pulling into my drive and cutting the engine, he got off and took the helmet from my outstretched hand.

  I didn’t know why, but a heavy weight pressed against my chest. I was a fool for feeling it, but I felt guilty making him take me home.

  “I had a better time than I expected.” I couldn’t read him. Whether he was upset, felt nothing, or was confused, I didn’t know, his face showed no emotion.

  “Good night, Jake. I’ll see ya around.”

  As I turned to walk away, he took hold of my wrist and pulled me back to him. His lips pressed into mine, rough and greedy, pulling my lust back to the surface, dampening every part of me. When he let go of me, my body nearly fell back into him. He caught me, looked down at me, and brushed his thumb across my cheek before turning back toward his bike.

  “Good night, Peach. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ___

  LIZ

  THE NEXT DAY was a rough one. I hadn’t slept well after leaving our date. The tossing and turning didn’t help me with my interview at the Nashville Medical Center. After the interview, I stopped by Nix’s office to give him a briefing on the night before. I hadn’t seen him since I left for our date and knew he’d be anxious for the details.

  With it being lunchtime the bar was quiet with only a couple members and a small group of customers drinking and playing pool. As I approached Nix’s office, I heard Pat inside with him. I put my back against the wall and listened.

  “Can you believe this shit? Now they want us to make a deal with the Wild Royals. Don’t they know it doesn’t work like that? We’re rivals. We can’t step foot in their territory without guns blazing.”

  “Of course, they know. They don’t care. They expect us to come up with something. I say we do it. Bring in a third party. Pay them to buy from the Wild Royals. See if the agency will give us marked bills.”

  “It’s too risky, and if the Royals found out, we’d be seen as traitors.”

  “Think about it, Nix. It’s a hell of a chance to eliminate them. We owe them for what they did to Bear and May.”

  “Don’t share any of this with the brothers until I have time to think abou
t it.”

  I hurried down the hall at the sound of them leaving their chairs. By the time Nix reached the bar, I was sitting there with a drink in hand.

  “What are ya doing here?”

  I turned my stool toward him as he took the one next to me. “I came to tell ya about the date.”

  “And?” Nix rubbed his thumb over the other like he always did when he was nervous.

  “I didn’t sleep with him. We had dinner and drinks, then I asked him to take me home.”

  Nix’s arm reached out and took hold of my neck, pulling me closer, so he could kiss me on my forehead.

  “I’m proud of you.” As he stepped off the stool, he turned his head toward me. “Why don’t you come back tonight. There’s a party. Dillon will be here. You can reschedule your date now that the deal with Jake is over.”

  “I’ll think about it. Before you take off, I want to talk to you.”

  “About what?” Nix turned back to me with concern in his eyes.

  “Let’s go in your office.”

  Nix rested his feet on his desk and leaned back in his worn-out office chair as I settled into the seat across from him.

  “So, what’s the need for secrecy? Spill it.”

  “I overheard you and Pat. I didn’t like what I heard.”

  “You shouldn’t be listening in on our business.”

  “It wasn’t intentional. I came to speak with you and overheard.”

  “Uh huh, I know you better than that. Besides, I don’t want you worrying about the Club’s or my business. I’m a man, Liz. I can take care of myself, and I’ll do what I think is best. You know that.”

  “Getting involved with the Wild Royals is dangerous, and you know it.”

  Nix’s eyes wandered off toward the window facing the woods and our house, just down the street. “This isn’t open for discussion.” His gaze fell back on me. “Don’t tell anyone what you heard in here and don’t ask questions about it either.” Nix’s phone rang and he pulled it from his pocket and looked at the screen. “I gotta take this. It’s a supplier. I’ll see you later?”

  “Yeah, I’ll make an appearance. This conversation isn’t over though.”

  Nix smirked before answering his call.

  I walked back to our two-story, white siding, ranch home and climbed into the shower. The hot, soothing water eased some of the worry and tension I had building in my neck and shoulders. It seemed Nix was considering the deal with whatever investigative agency he was working with. The thought of it terrified me. The Wild Royals were outlaws and unpredictable. The consequences of dealing with them could be detrimental to everyone involved.

  Once out, I wrapped the towel around me and headed toward the closet for something fresh and casual to wear. I pulled the string of the light bulb and started sorting through my clothes. The old hardwood floor creaked behind me, and I jumped at the sight of the delicious man standing in the closet doorway, holding the frame as he leaned in and looked at me, a smirk smearing his face. His hungry eyes did a slow burn up my legs, to the towel, then lingered on my breasts before settling on my face.

  “Don’t leave the front door unlocked anymore. I don’t want a man sneaking up on you like I just did.”

  “Why are you here, Jake?”

  “Get dressed and meet me downstairs. I’m taking you out.”

  “No, and you have no right barging into my house and waltzing into my bedroom. What if I was naked?”

  “I would’ve been one lucky bastard.” Jake leaned his weight against the frame of the door. A devilish grin stretched across his face. “If only I’d arrived a few seconds later.”

  “You’re impossible.” I let out a frustrated breath. “Get out of my room.”

  “See you downstairs.” He turned and headed toward my bedroom door.

  When I walked into the living room, Jake was sitting on my dark emerald couch with his legs spread, his elbows on his knees, a beer in his hand. His black t-shirt revealed the intricate ink designs along his arms. Part of me wanted to have a closer look and discover every detail of his artwork. I squashed those thoughts immediately when a flutter of butterflies did a loop in my stomach.

  “I see you’ve made yourself comfortable.”

  He raised his head and his eyes landed on me beneath his worn out, tore up, black ball cap.

  “You look good.”

  “Yeah, I’m really working it in my jeans, tank, and ponytail.”

  Jake set the beer on the glass end table and stood to his full six-foot height. At five-foot-four, I had to look up into his warm, chocolate eyes. His hand reached up and thumbed my lip, a habit I noticed he was developing.

  “I think you’d look good in anything, but even better with nothing on.”

  I stepped closer and placed my hands on his hips as I spoke just within reach of him kissing me.

  “You’d really like that, wouldn’t you?”

  His hand took hold of my ass and squeezed it as he pulled me against him.

  “You already know I would.”

  Before I could say another word, his mouth crashed into mine, bringing my lust surging to the surface. His tongue invaded my mouth with wanton need and his firm hands held me steady as he palmed my ass and fisted my hair and neck in his other hand. His kisses were like little tastes of fire on my lips, burning straight through to the core of me that yearned to have every sexual desire sated.

  His hand moved up, his fingers finding their way beneath my shirt. His warm, firm grip pulled me toward him, locking me against him, so I could feel his arousal pressing into me.

  His lips left mine, and I remained there in a daze, trying to regain logic and control the burning lust aching between my legs.

  “Let’s go upstairs.”

  Those three words snapped me right out of my daze. I slid out of his arms and headed toward the door.

  “Goodbye, Jake.”

  I opened the car door to my old, red Camaro, not looking back at him. I pulled out of my driveway as quickly as I could and took off toward the restaurant where I was meeting my friends.

  While sitting at the booth in the restaurant, I couldn’t shake a nagging feeling. I wanted more than Jake’s kiss, but I refused to be just another club girl he’d toss aside when he was done playing.

  “Liz.”

  My head snapped back toward Jenna’s perky voice.

  “Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts.”

  “Yeah, you were. So, what time is the party tonight? It sounds fun.” Jenna’s big, brown, doe eyes locked on mine, obviously eager for details.

  “It’s at seven-thirty. There’ll be lots of cute guys. I’m glad you both wanna come. It’s not fun going by myself.”

  “Of course, we’ll come.” Ashley swung her long arms around me. “We’re so happy you’re back. We missed you.” Her long, blond hair fell over her shoulders onto mine.

  “I missed you guys too.” I flicked her hair out of my face and gave her a peck on the cheek. “It’s been too long since we got to do something together.”

  “Now that you’re back we’ll have to make up for lost time.” Jenna wiggled in her seat. “I’m thinking girl’s night—slumber party at your house.”

  “You just want another chance to kiss Nix.” Ashley looked at Jenna and smirked.

  “Oh my God,” Jenna’s large, brown eyes widened, “shut up, that was years ago. We were teenagers.”

  “You liked it, J,” I laughed at the fake traumatic look on her face. “Don’t deny it. You’d totally pucker up if he wanted to kiss you again.”

  “He’s gonna be at the party tonight, right?” Jenna bit her lip and grinned as her cheeks took on a rosy hue.

  “Of course, he is. He’s the President of the Club now.”

  “That is really hot.” Jenna fanned herself. She let out a breath and scrunched her face. “Why does your brother have to be so sexy?”

  My sweat tea nearly came out my nose as I laughed.

  Ashley giggled next to me, then turned her
head toward me. “What about you, Liz? Did you meet anyone at school?”

  “Yeah, I did, but it didn’t work out.”

  “Why not?” Ashley asked, jutting out her bottom lip.

  “He wasn’t, I don’t know—”

  “Bad boy enough for you?” Jenna finished.

  “Ok, yes, he was a little too clean cut for me. After growing up with a bunch of tough badasses, I can’t help it. He didn’t own a motorcycle, and you know that’s pretty much a deal breaker for me.”

  “When you gonna get your own?” Jenna asked.

  “Don’t really want one of my own, I want a man who will take me riding on his. There’s a guy I’m interested in who’ll be there tonight. His name’s Dillon. Has an Australian accent.”

  Jenna and Ashley’s eyes widened.

  “Yum! Can’t wait to meet him,” Ashley said.

  “You’ll get to tonight.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  ___

  LIZ

  AFTER SETTING Ashley and Jenna’s bags in my room and some extra fussing over hair and makeup, the three of us headed to the Kings MC house. As soon as we walked into the bar, my eyes instantly scanned the club members for Jake. My nerves settled when I didn’t find him. Maybe I’d get lucky, and he wouldn’t come tonight. Jenna’s hand took my arm, and she let out a quiet squeal.

  “There’s Nix. I’m gonna go talk to him.”

  Ashley and I looked at one another and giggled.

  “We’ll have a shot waiting for you at the bar,” I called out.

  “Uh huh,” Her voice trailed off as she maneuvered through the busy tables to where Nix was sitting. She flung her red curls off her shoulder, and to Ashley and I, that meant she was about to put on the charm.

  “Your brother doesn’t know what’s coming, or does he?”

  “He’s oblivious,” I laughed and shook my head, “has no idea she has a crush on him.”