by LS Anders
Dylan laughed taking his rapt attention in stride. She was used to being hit on, more like she was used to doing the hitting on. Dylan had a reputation that rivaled his own. Well, what used to be his. Not anymore, now that he and Evana were going to make a go of it, Dylan would be the reigning champion, which was good with him. He had found his way back to his lost love and there was nothing he wouldn’t do to keep her.
“Well, thank you, Sevin, and might I say you are seriously fine yourself.” Dylan flirted back with equal intensity.
Gabriel was not going to like this. That guy had a major crush on Dylan that didn’t seem to be reciprocated. Jesus, he had just been there himself not that long ago with Evana.
Why did love have to be so damn difficult?
“So, I was going to give this grand opening invitation to Jason, but why not extend it to you and your crew?”
“Well, that would be fantastic.” Sevin looked ready to dry hump her leg, he was standing so close to her.
“When’s the opening, Dylan?” Jason butted in, needing to gain their attention before some clothes started being shed. Sevin looked hungry enough to bend Dylan over the counter and not give a fuck who watched.
Dragging her eyes away from Sevin’s lips seemed to be a monumental task. “Oh, um… Saturday after next. Please say you’ll come. No excuses.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Jason answered. He was looking forward to Dylan opening that place up. The Burger and Barrel was good, but Dylan’s beer was off the charts spectacular. That girl had a way with grain fermentation that was going to leave her competitors in the dust.
She had a way with men, too. Sevin was practically drooling all over her.
“Great. So, how many people should I add to my list?”
“Four. I’ll text you the names,” he provided, but he might as well have been on another planet. Dylan’s eyes had already latched back onto Sevin. The sexual tension between them was a tangible thing, thickening the air. Coughing in his hand. “So, thanks for the invite, and I’ll leave you with your new friend.”
“I’m coming with you,” Alea hopped down off her chair. “I don’t want to be up here when they do the nasty.”
Stepping inside Wicked Brews, Evana wasn’t the least bit surprised to find the place packed. Dylan’s grand opening was an obvious hit. The crush of bodies in the lobby yielded slightly as their group squeezed into the crowd.
Thankful for the exclusive invitation, they weren’t going to have to wait for a table, only wait to be recognized by the overwhelmed hostess to be taken over to their reserved spot. She was already jonesing for Dylan’s extra hoppy IPA she’d concocted just for her New York line of microbrews.
She smiled up at Vehn as he and Callie squeezed in beside them. They’d taken a limo from Exotic Ink over to Wicked Brews courtesy of Vehn. The man didn’t have a selfish bone in his entire body, treating the studio to another ride in the stretched out luxury car.
She was surprised he had decided to walk in through the front door. Usually his celebrity status didn’t afford him the opportunity to waltz around in public without drawing a crowd. He’d been doing it more and more lately. Maybe because of Callie. She’d been shedding her insecurities by leaps and bounds now that the couple had been making regular therapy visits.
She was debating on using the same psychologist to help her get past this last bit of mourning she couldn’t seem to shake on her own. She loved Jason more than she realized. Once she’d opened her heart to him, he had healed most of the sadness that had been festering inside her soul. She was far from cured, though and was going to make a herculean effort to put Kyle completely in the past. It wouldn’t be fair to Jason if she didn’t.
Jason was glued to her side, his strong arm wrapped around her waist as he held her close. She adored this protective side of him. Honestly, him working at Mythical Ink had been the best move for their relationship. Jason’s nature was that of a boss and with both of them alpha’s at heart, they were sure to butt heads. It also left her in the same situation she’d been in before she’d hired Jason, one artist short and in desperate need of office help.
The hand on her waist shifted higher. She stepped in closer to Jason’s side, wrapping her arms around his waist, hugging him tight. Turning her, he wrapped both arms around her planting a kiss on the top of her head as she buried her nose between his pecs. Inhaling deeply, she loved the scent of his strength.
Without looking, she knew his head was on a swivel scanning the crowd for any sign of the remaining members of the MC to show up and finish what the others hadn’t gotten around to. She was going to be looking over her shoulder for years, but at least she wouldn’t have to do it alone. Jason was right there with her along with her all her friends.
Already on the hunt for a new apartment, moving in together in a different location seemed like the wisest choice. No one knew for certain if the members had discovered any information about her and had passed it on before the mass suicide. Two weeks had passed and so far there was no sign that the MC knew her address.
It had been a unified decision not to get the police involved by asking them to keep a watch on Exotic Ink. Volunteering information about anyone’s involvement in the deaths of those members wasn’t anything they needed. So far, no one had been questioned about that grisly incident in the alley.
The place she’d called home since she’d met Kyle hadn’t felt the same since she’d gotten involved with Jason. Viewing the place with a new perspective, it seemed dated to her, like she had outgrown it. The place becoming a part of her past as Kyle was now.
A hush fell over the chattering around them as they waited their turn for the hostess. She didn’t have to turn around to see what had shut everybody up.
Vex had just made an appearance.
She could feel the heat from his body radiating out, warming her from a distance. It was as if he was always running a fever.
He and Jason had formed some sort of unspoken bond between them as Jason had with all the owners of Mythical Ink. The incident in the alley forging a connection that went beyond friendship.
Conversations took shape as the Mythical Ink crew crowded in around them. The guys all greeting one another with slaps on the back and a few brief man hugs.
Sevin’s eyes grew wide when he recognized the super model standing beside her. “That’s Vehn Mathieu,” he said, glancing back at Lucian. “Hey, man. I’m a huge fan.” Sevin wasn’t shy as he stuck out his palm.
“Nice to meet you, huge fan. Jason talks about you guys all the time,” Vehn said, shaking what was offered.
Sevin just kept up the shaking and grinning like a fool. Vehn absorbing the attention with his usual grace.
“Sevin, give the guy a break.” Lucian cut in front of him. “I’m Lucian. The monster behind me is Vex and the cute girl next to him is Alea. I would know you anywhere. It’s a damn shame you retired, now I’ll have to go on the hunt for a new menswear role model.”
Lucian got shoved out of the way by Vex. Vehn looked up at the guy, but didn’t take a step back. Briefly clasping hands, Vex apologized for his friend’s behavior. “You’ll have to overlook them, they don’t have a damn clue how to act in public.”
Vex still scared the shit out of her, but he had never done anything to make her afraid of him. He just had a presence about him that made you want to run away screaming.
She nearly laughed at Callie’s rounded eyes as she took in the colossal man. She noticed the slight shake in the red-heads hand as she offered it to him in greeting. The tiny woman next to Vex was who she really needed to fear. The girl looked like she was ready to bite Callie’s hand off just for touching him.
It’s nice to meet all of you,” Vehn said as he shook hands with Alea.
Doing a double take of the girl, realizing who Alea favored. The black hair threw her off, but that was Avie’s face. She would recognize those whiskey colored eyes anywhere. Stranger still was Avie’s friend, Arin, could have made them all
triplets.
She had always heard everyone on the planet had a twin, someone that looked a great deal like you that you weren’t related to, but to have three women in the same city look nearly identical? The odds were astronomical.
Sevin’s eyes latched onto Callie and stayed there until Vehn pulled her closer. “Sorry, Vehn. Didn’t mean to stare. I love red-heads and yours is fucking gorgeous.”
“Ignore him, he’s a hound dog,” Vex taunted.
“Screw you, Vex. I’m not a dog,” Sevin mumbled.
Vehn laughed as Callie blushed a beet red. “Thanks.”
“Does she have a sister?” Sevin looked hopeful.
“I’m afraid not.”
Sevin and Vehn fell into an easy conversation as she looked around the crowded room for Rayna and Tegan. Those two had made a habit of being late. Being new parents had switched up their priorities and baby Caroline always came first.
Rayna’s sister, Lexi, squeezed through the crowd as she emerged from behind the bar. Spotting them, the beautiful blonde waved and rushed over.
“You should have texted me that you were already here. Have you been waiting long?” Lexi hugged the first person she came to which was Gabriel.
“Nope.”
“Can you believe all these people?” Lexi asked, excitedly.
Yes, she could. Lexi and Arin had joined forces in the event planning industry and had taken New York by storm. Those two women were advertising geniuses.
“I’ll go ahead and seat you. Where’s my sister?” Lexi asked, looking around.
“They’re on the way,” Jason provided.
Lexi did a double take of Lucian, blushing profusely as she caught herself staring.
“Oh, sorry, Lexi, I forgot you hadn’t met Jason’s new bosses,” Evana said, introducing the four new faces.
Everyone followed Lexi to the other end of the bar where several smaller tables had been butted together to form a huge rectangle large enough to accommodate their group. Finding their seats, Dylan came bounding over out of nowhere.
“Oh my god, you’re all here!” she squealed, hugging Gabriel with a familiarity that lifted several sets of eyebrows.
Sevin stood gaining Dylan’s attention and shot Gabriel with an ugly look. Making his way over to Dylan, he pulled her in for a tight hug that she didn’t seem to mind returning.
As they resumed their seats, to Gabriel’s credit, he didn’t even blink or flinch at the unrelenting stare until Vex popped Sevin on the back of the head forcing him to stop. Heated words were exchanged between the two and Sevin directed an apologetic nod across the table to Gabriel who smiled nodding back.
The girl that was glued to Vex’s side was introduced to Dylan as Alea, Avie’s cousin. She had forgotten Jason had mentioned the girl was a relative. Odd that she hadn’t remembered Avie ever mentioning any family, and didn’t remember seeing her at Avie’s wedding.
Arin joined them as everyone settled in. Alea and Avie immediately stood together embracing before falling into an unrecognizable foreign language with a musical lilt.
Noticing the attention the girls were receiving, Vex tugged on the hem of Alea’s skirt to gain her attention. Speaking to her in an equally foreign language that sounded almost crude to the ears in its enunciation, instantly shutting the trio up.
The girls collectively blanched as they realized they were the center of attention. Arin joined them as they all took their seats.
“Sheesh, all three of them look nearly identical,” Callie said to Evana.
“Yes, they do,” she whispered back to Callie. “Jason said Alea was cousins with Avie. Do you think Arin is somehow related?”
“I don’t ever remember Avie talking about having family here or any at all. And, I certainly don’t remember Alea from the wedding,” Callie replied.
“Neither do I.”
“Sorry we’re late,” Tegan broke through the weirdness beginning to settle around her. “Rayna was having trouble leaving Caroline with the sitter.”
“Don’t blame it all on me, Tegan Steele, you’re the one that insisted on feeding her before we left,” Rayna sassed.
Tegan gave his wife a lopsided grin as he held out a chair for her before choosing the empty seat next to Vex. Damn the guy was instantly dwarfed when put next to the other man. Typical Tegan, he engaged the guy in an easy conversation, not the least bit intimidated.
Evana wondered if he was ever afraid of anything. His eyes held a steadfastness that told of all the shit he’d been through in his life, that nothing much fazed him. She could relate to that.
Waitresses began to mill around their table taking orders. Her mouth had watered when Vex placed his order of hot wings, switching her selection from the burger she was eyeing.
“I’ll have the wings also, but can you add the Hotter Than F’ing Hell sauce on the side?”
“Trying to one up me, little lady?” Vex smirked at her. “Add that to my order, too,” he told the waitress.
“Is that a challenge?” Evana leaned forward meeting his strange colored eyes.
“Damn straight.”
“Place your wagers here folks,” Cale piped up. “Sorry Vex, but I got to bet against you on this one. You’re a bad-ass and all, but I’ve seen E eat hot wings that could singe your eyebrows at twenty paces.”
Sinister laugher bubbled up from somewhere low and deep making her glad Vex considered her a friend.
The waitresses were back in record time, placing frothy glasses of beer in front of each person. She eased back in her chair, savoring the flowery sharpness of her IPA as talk droned on around her. Looking around at all the familiar and new faces, she was grateful for the friends she had and the new one’s she’d recently made.
“Is that a class ring?” Sevin asked, pointing to the huge blue stone taking up half her finger.
She chuckled having grown used to the weight of the ring Jason had placed there. “Yes. It is.”
“Can I see it?”
She held her hand out for him to inspect. “I always wanted one of those. I never got to graduate high school.”
“Me either,” she said, sharing a smile with him. “This one belongs to Jason. He gave it to me until the engagement ring he ordered comes in. He said I looked naked without a ring on my finger.”
“Well, we couldn’t have you walking around the city naked, now could we?” Sevin winked at her.
Plates of food were placed in front of everyone. Not a single person failed to praise Dylan’s kitchen staff. The pictures in menus rarely held up to reality, but these plates of deliciousness were more than anyone was expecting.
Her plate was piled high with battered, deep-fried goodness and the bowl of fiery sauce had her blinking hard against the vapors wafting up into her sinus cavities. That was a good sign the shit was going to be tasty.
Picking up a wing, she immerse the meat into the bowl, stirring the sauce. Lifting the coated wing to her mouth, she was careful not touch the sauce to her lips as she took a healthy bite.
Closing her eyes against the explosion of flavor, she moaned going for another bite. Finishing off the first, her hand paused over the plate as she felt Vex’s eyes on her.
“I’m impressed. I’ve tried a lot of sauces in my life, and this one by far is the hottest. You’re not even tearing up,” Vex commented. Raising up, he leaned forward offering her his fist. “Respect.”
Bumping what was offered, she couldn’t help but notice how Sevin and Lucian were all smiles.
Jason was more than comfortable, stretched out flat on his back in the center of Evana’s bed. Evana gliding down his body was a perfect ending to the day.
He watched transfixed as she dipped her head. The wet trail her tongue left down the center of his chest to his abs turning from hot to cold all too quickly. His rigid member jumping as she neared the head of his dick.
Glancing up at him from where she lay between his legs, he hissed as her lips closed around the tip. The amethyst hue of her cat-l
ike eyes glinting a naughtiness that had him ready to spill.
The heat from her mouth engulfed him. Throwing his head back and arching his back, Jason fisted the pillow beneath his head preparing to hang on for the duration of the torture.
He was determined not to cum. Not like this. He wanted to be buried inside her when that happened.
Trapped between wanting to let loose and holding back, his hips began to rock in time with the steady rhythm she’d purposely set. The wicked woman had learned all too quickly what would send him over the edge if he allowed her to have her way.
Gliding the heat of her mouth down his length, she made her way back to the tip, his head coming out on a pop.
Making his move before she swallowed him again, addling his brain, he sat forward and rolled her beneath him.
Giggling, she pretended to fight him off. Capturing both of her hands in his, he held her wrists above her head as her legs fell open.
On his knees, he nudged her legs father part. Hovering above her, he held his weight on his outstretched arm, moving his hips until the blunt tip of his head touched her slick center.
Moaning from the contact, she rolled her hips running his swollen tip between her wet labia.
Cursing, he thrust hard, plunging deep until his balls hit her ass. He would never get tired of the feel of her tight heat wrapped around him. Pumping hard, Evana planted her feet flat on the mattress, her hips swiveling up to meet his greedy thrusts.
Lost in the vortex of sensation, he didn’t hear the men enter the bedroom. But, he did hear the sickening crack of his skull before he actually felt the blinding pain on the back of his head.
Slumping forward, he watched in horrific fascination as blood droplets dotted the pale gray sheets. A few landed and dripped off Evana’s shocked face as he played the lead role in a real life horror movie.
He knew it was his blood. There was nothing he could do. Whatever he had been struck with had left him stunned and unable to move so much as his pinkie finger.
He needed to fend off his attacker and protect Evana. It had to be the Satan’s Disciples MC. He couldn’t let them get at her.
