by Jenika Snow
“Some of the girls were talking about how you were the one to bring her to the cabin, and that she was staying there for an undetermined amount of time.”
“Yeah, and? You’ve never questioned anything like this before, and some of the other guys brought women to the cabin.”
“Yeah, but I also have never heard any of the other members doing inappropriate things with those women either.”
Everything inside of Malice stilled. “Inappropriate things? What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Mandi said she was outside the bedroom door and heard a lot of moaning.” There was a moment silence from Molly, and then he heard her sigh. “I don’t care what you do, Malice, and as long as no one gets hurt and is happy is all that matters. But I saw Adrianna, spoke to her even. She’s a sweet woman, but her life has been really screwed up. I can’t help but think that doing sexual things with her in the mindset that she is in and especially after what had happened to her is not the best move.”
Malice scratched his jaw and breathed out. “It isn’t like that, Molly. I’m not attacking the poor girl because I’m hard-up. We…” He didn’t even feel like getting into this with her, and it wasn’t her damn business, and he was pissed that people had run their fucking mouths on shit they didn’t know.
“You didn’t have sex with an abuse victim?”
“Goddammit, Molly.” He raised his voice, and although he didn’t mean to yell at her the fact she was implying he had fucking done something wrong pissed him off. Malice heard Stinger’s angry voice through the receiver. “Tell Stinger to calm the fuck down.” He rubbed his eyes and listened to Molly calm down the other biker. “I don’t have to explain myself to you or anyone else. I’m not some damn pervert that likes doing shit with women that are not consensual, or even implying that if she did do something with me it was because she was traumatized.” He was pissed now, and as much as he meant what he said to Molly he had thought about wanting Adrianna as wrong because of what she had been through.
“Calm down, Trevor.” Molly used his first name because she was pissed. That was the only time she ever did. “I’m not implying you’re a pervert or a bad man. I am just asking that you be careful. Adrianna was really enamored with you, and the more we talked, and the more she was saying you saved her the more I realized that you could hurt her—”
There was that fucking word again … enamored. “I would never hurt her, Molly. I don’t hurt women. Besides, Adrianna is different. I feel different when I’m around her.” He didn’t even want to be having this conversation with Molly but it was clear she was looking out for the other woman. “She’s special.” Another second of silence but he was done with this conversation. “Listen, I have to go. Thank you for looking out for her, and for wanting to make sure she was safe. That’s what I want, too.”
“You really care about her?”
“Yeah, Molly, I really do. And before you say how crazy it sounds I’ll remind you that you and Stinger hadn’t exactly been dating for years.” No, they’d had pretty much jumped right into a relationship. If it feels right, and makes someone happy who the fuck cared how fast everything happened. “I really do have to go, but give Dakota a hug and kiss for me, and let him know I’ll call him tomorrow to see how he is doing.” After he disconnected the call he shoved the cell back in his cut and stare at the road in front of him. Of course Molly had brought up some good points, but that didn’t mean they were real. He cared for Adrianna, and he knew she did as well. Did he think maybe she was drawn to him because he saved her? Maybe, but she was an adult, had lived a life that had made her realize what was real and what wasn’t, and he had felt how genuine her words and touches had been.
“Fuck.” He cursed feeling annoyed and irritated. The sun was just starting to set, and he watched it dip down past the horizon. Maybe if he wasn’t such a selfish bastard he could have turned away from her, but they definitely had a connection, and besides, he couldn’t get her off his brain. Starting the engine of his bike and revving the engine he sat there for only a second longer before pulling out onto the street. He’d find out how she really felt, but he’d also tell her that she was more to him that just someone to fuck.
Chapter Fifteen
Adrianna cleaned off the stove and glanced at Malice’s ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child. Molly handed the last washed dish to Kendra. Kendra was younger than Adrianna but not by much. She may have only been here for a day, but already she was feeling in her element and able to connect with these women. These women were like her, and they had all fallen into the same stereotypical life where they sold themselves for money, and allowed men to hurt them because that was the only kind of love they knew. But what set them apart, and what made them rise above the disgust and pain that had covered each of them was that they were here trying to get their lives back on track. Some may decide they wanted to continue to sell themselves while others went the more traditional route.
“So you’re really thinking of going back to school?” Adrianna turned and glanced at Kendra. The other woman was drying the dish thoroughly, and when she opened the cabinet and placed it with the rest there was this smile on her face.
Molly excused herself to help one of the women that had fallen down the last few stairs and had hurt her ankle.
“I’m thinking about it, but I am scared to be honest,” Kendra said and turned to face Adrianna.
“That’s normal.”
“Yeah?”
Adrianna tossed the rag she had been cleaning with in the hamper with the rest of the dirty clothes. “Sure. If you weren’t scared of something new then I would wonder if it was the right thing or not.”
Kendra smiled and looked down. “Yeah, I hope you’re right.”
Kendra was still very young in the mentality stage. She was beautiful and intelligent, but Adrianna could still see why the horrible men in her life had taken advantage of her. She was delicate, like a flower just opening up to the world. They had spoken a lot today, and just in these last twenty-four hours Adrianna had realized that she was glad life had taken her here. Someone called out for Kendra, and she smiled once more at Adrianna before heading out of the kitchen. There were still a few women that kept their distance from her, but she was the “new girl”, and she supposed living the life they all had made them prone to be wary of others they didn’t know.
She moved over to the kitchen table and sat down. There were still some spaghetti sauce spots on the table from the group dinner they had just had. All Adrianna could think about as she stared at those spots was the conversation she had with Molly just today. She had known Malice had been with someone before, and knew he had a kid. She had also known that Molly had been his, and although Arianna had never been jealous, because, well, she didn’t have much in life to be jealous of, she was envious of this woman that had shared her life with such a wonderful man. On the heels of those misplaced feelings she also felt guilt and shame. Molly had been so kind, so caring, and had talked with each of the women. Kendra especially seemed close with Molly, and then when Adrianna spoke with the other women, everything just kind of opened up. Even now she remembered the warmth that had come from Molly, and how it had been like nothing Adrianna had ever felt.
“You have to do what is best for you.” She reached out and placed her hand over Adrianna’s. “The women here talk, but that is just what women do.” Molly smiled. “You care for Malice, and I can see that. He is a great guy, a wonderful father, and is loyal right down to his heart.” Molly squeezed Adrianna’s hand gently. “But don’t settle for what you are not ready for, just because he is the first man to offer you that shred of hope. Sometimes it is not, and I don’t say this to dissuade you from following what you know is right and true. Just know that only you can decide what is moving too fast or too slowly.”
Adrianna blinked, knowing that she could see how an outsider would feel that the life she had led made her feel the things she did for Malice. Although she had wanted to talk m
ore with Molly, the woman was here to help all of the girls, and that took time. She wasn’t just there to tend to wounds, but to be that shoulder these women needed to lean on. Maybe soon she and Molly could speak more, a little more in-depth, and Adrianna could really find out about her and Malice. It wasn’t just about wanting more from him than what she had. He was her savior, this knight in shining armor that had helped her when the world was dark. But this had nothing to do with the abuse by Phillip, or the death of her brother, or her shitty home life. This was about taking a stand and deciding that now was the time for her to take something for herself.
She stood when she heard the front door open, and then her heart started to race when she heard the women greet Malice. The sound of his heavy boots hitting the floor came closer, and then there he was. He stood in the doorway looking like it had been years since he had seen her. Emotions swamped her, and adrenaline flooded her veins in sweet release. All she had to do to know this is the right thing was look in his ruggedly handsome face.
“I sent a text to tell you I was on my way.”
That scratchy husky voice of his always had the same effect in her: made her wet in a matter of seconds. “I left the phone upstairs.”
He nodded and then looked over at the stairs. “Can we talk someplace privately?”
Instantly her arousal dimmed at the tone of his voice. “Okay.” She moved toward the entryway of the kitchen, and she swore she heard him inhale as she passed. Her arm brushed against his chest, and she felt that flutter of excitement in her belly. They moved through the living room where many of the women were gathered around the television. Adrianna didn’t miss the curious glances they gave her, but she had also heard the whispers of their suspicions. Yes even after one day she was the talk of the house. Once they were in her room she shut the door and pressed her back to it. Malice stood in the center staring out her window. He was so big and imposing that he made everything in the room seem so small and insignificant.
“What’s on your mind?”
He slowly turned around, and she took in the full scope of him. Black scuffed up boots, jeans that looked worn-in and used, but only in the best kind of way, plain black t-shirt that showed off the sleeves of his tattoos on his arms, and of course his leather biker vest. His dark hair fell slightly across his cheeks, and he had yet to shave. Adrianna liked the trimmed beard on him though. It gave him a very rugged appearance and made his masculinity even more pronounced.
“You’re on my mind.”
Her pulse increased and moved up her throat. Those words might not have meant much to someone else, but to her they meant so much more.
“You spoke with Molly today?” he asked.
Of course she wasn’t surprised that he knew about her conversation with Molly. She was the mother of his child after all. “Yeah, earlier today. She’s a very sweet woman and cares about these girls.”
He nodded and glanced away. He didn’t say anything for several seconds, and she started to feel like the calm before the storm. Was he about to say something bad?
“She’s worried about you.”
A relieved breath left her. “Yeah, I got that from our conversation, but I think it is in her nature to worry about others. Besides, these other women have had such a crummy hand dealt to them.”
“So have you.”
She shrugged. She couldn’t deny it, but she didn’t want to play the victim or look like one either.
“She thinks maybe you and me shouldn’t go down this road because of what happened to you.” He rubbed the back of his neck in what she knew was an uncomfortable gesture. “She thinks that you see me as your rescuer and that is why you have these feelings for me.”
Her cheeks heated instantly, and she didn’t even know why. For a moment she didn’t know what to say. Of course she had thought those same things, but in the end she knew that wasn’t just why she cared about him. It was a part of it, but not the entire reason. “Is that what you think?”
He stared at her, not responding right away, and this dread settled into her belly. “The thought did cross my mind.”
Adrianna nodded, not knowing what to say to that.
“But it doesn’t change how I feel for you, and the fact that the way you look at me, open up to me when we talk, and are so fucking receptive to my touches, that make me realize that I’m not alone in this.” He took step toward her. “But I want you to know why you want me and that it isn’t because the life you had was hard. I want to be able to protect you, make sure you are always safe, and never afraid of anything again.” He stared at her hard and unyielding. “I want you as my old lady. Do you understand what that means?”
Yes and no. She swallowed roughly, on the verge of tears because his words pierced right through her heart like a spear. She had heard some of the women talking about how none of the bikers had old ladies, and Adrianna had to assume that was what the MC called their girlfriends. But for some reason she thought that the term as an old lady meant a hell of a lot more than just being a girlfriend, or even a wife. “What I feel for you has nothing to do with my past, or that I am afraid of what the future holds. Yes, all of this is fast, but who cares? I know what I feel and that all of it is genuine and true.” She waited for him to say something, anything, but he kept quiet and took another step forward. “And I have a feeling I know what an old lady really means.” When he was right in front of her all she could do was inhale the scent that was sweet and spicy, and had a hint of darkness to it. “This is what I want, Malice.” She stared up at him, tired of trying to hold herself back from what she wanted—from what she deserved. And then he had his hands on either side of her face and his mouth on hers. After that Adrianna was lost to the sensations crashing through her at an astounding rate.
****
Malice wanted to go softly, to make sure she was with him one-hundred percent. But when she gripped his biceps and dug her nails into his skin, something snapped inside of him. Her words played over and over in his head, and he couldn’t help but feel the possessiveness and proprietary nature inside of him grow. From the moment he saw her he knew she was his, and that he would kill anyone else that thought about fucking that up.
He stroked the seam of her lips with his tongue until she opened her mouth, and then he delved inside, fucking her with the muscles until these breathy little sounds escaped her. For several minutes all they did was kiss, and the sounds she made fueled his own, had his cock hard as steel and were playing havoc with his self-control. He broke the kiss, sucked in air, and immediately started trailing his lips and tongue along her jaw-line. You want this as much as I do, Adrianna.” He had since moved his hands down to her shoulders, and he pulled her closer. She smelled so fucking good, sweet and floral, and he grew drunk from the aroma.
“I want this, Malice.” He could feel her letting her head fall back slightly, and he used that as an opportunity to suck and lick at the spot right below her ear. Her pulse was beating hard beneath his tongue, and he sucked her flesh into his mouth, not caring if he left a mark. In fact, he wanted to leave a mark on her.
He groaned against her throat, and he felt her tremble beneath his hands. The possessive side of him rose up, wanting to make sure she knew that he would never let her go, and never let her be in pain again. “Fuck, I want you so badly. I want to make you mine, make you scream my name, and have you cry out for more.” He moved his hands between their bodies to cup her breasts. They were full, pressing against the material of her shirt and spilling over the top. He squeezed the mounds, gave a low growl, and slipped his fingers under the hem of the fabric. He skimmed his fingers along her bare flesh, loved that her skin was slightly damp from sweating because she was so turned on, and forced himself to go slow. But he had never been the kind of man that had patience, especially not when he wanted Adrianna this badly. He slid his hand up the center of her chest, and when he felt the swell of her breast something inside of him snapped He wrenched her shirt up and over her head, and stared down
at her chest. The heavy, big mounds were barely contained in her bra, but he wanted that gone, too.
When he tore the bra from her body and her breasts sprang free and shook from the force. He was losing it as he stared at her chest, watched as the red tipped peaks hardened even further, and knew that what he felt for this woman wasn’t just for this one night. Even after he had her, had placed his claim on her by pounding his dick in and out of her, and hearing her call out his name, he wouldn’t be able to stop. He needed more of her, all of her, and judging by the way she looked at him, and how she reacted to his touches, Malice knew she wanted this just as much. She was his, and he had known that from the moment he saw her.
Chapter Sixteen
Adrianna couldn’t breathe, couldn’t even see straight as she stared at Malice. She stood before him with only her pants on, but there was no chill moving through her. All she felt was this intense heat, and the longer he stared at her the more powerful it became. Before she could say anything, if she could even form the right words, he was right in front of her. His breath smelled good, like mint and cinnamon combined. He reached out, cupped her bare flesh with both of his hands, and squeezed to the point of pain. She didn’t want foreplay, though. All Adrianna wanted was to feel Malice over her, sliding in and out of her body with all of that raw power he held, and making her forget—even for a small window of time—the pain she had lived. No more thinking, no more questioning and worrying about what she should and shouldn’t do. That had never helped her in life, and this moment was something she desperately wanted. Malice was what she desperately wanted.
He took her mouth again in a brutal kiss, and she swore she could feel him in every part of her. It was like he wasn’t only just touching her breasts and stroking his tongue with hers. Not breaking the kiss, she reached between them and started working the button and zipper of his jeans down. He didn’t stop her, and instead groaned against her. Taking his hand from one of her breasts was disappointing, but when he spread his fingers through her hair and cupped the back of her head, she grew even more pliant. Once his pants were off he took a step back. God, he hadn’t even been wearing any underwear. That realization had her clenching her thighs together as more wetness spilled from her. But it was the sight of the piercing at the tip of his dick that stunned, frightened, and aroused her. It was a curved silver barbell, intimidating and like nothing she had ever seen in person before. He was huge between his thighs, but then again he was a big man all over. But seeing it, confined by nothing, pierced and standing straight and hard between his thighs, had her whole body tensing with arousal. He even had a pearl sized drop of pre-cum dotting the tip, and that had a wave of heat filling her. Never had she felt such potent desire for another person, but then again she had never felt the kind of things that she felt for Malice with anyone else.
