by Brair Lake
With a twisted smile of my own, I rise and ruffle my own short hair. “I thought you were fixing the fence.”
“Just waiting on Pond to bring the last of lumber then we can get it finished.”
I nod, watching Alex stand. There’s a gleam in his gaze as he watches me, and I have an itch in need of easing.
“See me to the door, Mia.” When Data chuckles, I glare at the younger man, then follow Alex to the door. When he reaches the stoop, he turns to me. The smile he flashes sends the warning bells off in my head. “Does Cole kiss like that?”
The warning bells clang and my fingers clench and unclench. “Is that what the kiss was about, Alex. Don’t you like another man touching me. Because you and me. We’ve been there. Done the tee-shirt stuff.”
Alex’s lips brush against mine. “He’s a journalist, Mia. Don’t be talking club business with him.”
My mouth falls open. “I don’t know any club business. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m a journalist as well.”
Alex’s blue eyes darken. “You know Poppy. That’s club business.” His lips brush against mine as he strokes my ass. Without saying another word, he leaves me standing with my mouth open. As he strolls down the path, my gaze lingers on his butt and I run my tongue over my swollen lips. They still tingle from his touch. When the bike roars to life and Alex leaves without looking back, I know he’s not interested in Cole and me. That the kiss has more to do with club business. That it was a warning. And I close the door on him and his kiss.
Chapter 5
Alex: Demon’s Lair Noir Valley
Shit, as the pool ball rebounds off the side of the pool table, I step aside for Oyster as he takes my place at the table. His bright smile mocking as his eyes gleam. Shit, I had four balls to pocket. Four balls I should have pocketed with ease. Instead, my mind focused on the kiss with Mia. Her taste still lingers on my tongue and my mouth hums. Touching Mia had been a mistake. My cock still throbs, and blood continues to whirl through my body. I was grateful and resentful at Data for his timing. A chuckle wakes me from my daydream, and I watch Oyster pocket his remaining balls and the eight ball, then pockets the twenty-dollar bet. His victory smile has me shaking my head.
“Fancy a beer?” I ask.
“Sure. You get them while I set the table for another game.”
As I watch Oyster grab the wooden triangle from beneath the table and place the balls in order inside it, I run my hand through my hair. I could do with a cold shower. “Maybe you should get yourself another partner.”
Oyster chuckles. The gleam in eyes brighter. “What. Lose you and your money while the pickings are easy. Do I look like a fool?”
“We’ll see who’s easy pickings. Double your money or keep your mouth shut.”
“Round it up to fifty dollars and you’ve got yourself a game.”
When I return to the pool table, Oyster has his fifty on the table and after I place the beer next to it, I place my fifty on top.
“Kit’s staying around for a little longer. What about you?” I ask.
Oyster sips his beer, then wipes the back of his hand over his mouth. “I’ve a trip to the Scarlett Runners to make. Then I’ll be back.” His smile slips and the gleam in his eyes dims. “Kit says you’re thinking of using Mia as bait to flush out Jono.”
I stroll around the pool table. I lost the last game, and I lost the toss of the coin. I break the balls. The resounding click of my cue hitting the balls fills the air of the saloon. My stomach clenches and my mouth tingles. Touching Mia had been a mistake, but hell, she looked good enough to eat in those shorts of hers. As I watched her hips sway as she left the kitchen, all I wanted was those long legs of hers wrapped around my body. Her scent had teased the blood in my cock. The kiss had been too brief. If Data hadn’t walked into the living room when he did, Mia would have been mine. A couple more minutes and I would have been inside her. Tasting her tight pussy once more. I amble over to the table and scowl at my beer before taking a swallow. Had his interruption been accidental. Or was he taking his responsibility as Poppy’s guard dog one step further. I swallow a large mouthful of beer. Mia may have been on a date last night, but the bastard only stayed long enough to drop her off. Blood pounds at the back of my skull. Data said there had been a kiss. That it hadn’t been a chase peck on the cheek either.
“Well.”
I blink as I look at up at Oyster to find him watching me. “Yeah. He’s the one soft spot she has.”
Oyster makes a play of chalking his cue. “And how do you plan to do that?”
“Date her. I’ll move her on to Demon’s Lair. Be seen round Noir Valley with her.”
“And what about that boyfriend of hers?”
Shit, when the brothers get together, they can gossip like a bunch of old hags. I shrug, “he’s a work colleague.”
Oyster hits the stripped eleven ball. it rolls into the far corner pocket. He then hits the stripped 12, and it slips into the middle corner. Then he glances towards me. The gleam is back in his green gaze. “Yeah. You keep telling yourself that.”
“Are you going to be at Scarlett’s for long?”
“Just a couple of days. You think I’m going to miss the fun I see coming.”
Oyster misses his fifth shot, and as I rise from my seat, the saloon door opens and TJ and Teach stroll in. I just made it back in time for her interview, yet, instead of taking part, I sat back and watched TJ fuck the whore. Before visiting Mia, I had been looking forward to some time with Teach. Just one taste of Mia and all the other whores had soured. After Teach agreed to come on board with the new venture, TJ offered to give her a practical, and as I watched him thrust his dick into her ass, I finished my drink, then left the room and found Oyster.
“There’s going to be plenty of fun. Hank will be watching as well.” Although as a child, I often played with Jono, forming a bond ship with him which had lasted until the day of the coup, Hank and I had never been buddies. Shit, it wasn’t that we were sworn enemies, just that we had different values, I guess. Now I was going to hook up with Mia, I wondered if Hank watching the club would have more to do with The River Demons and Jono, than Mia.
“Why the fuck do you think I’m going to see Sinbad,” said Oyster.
I miss my third shot and Oyster walks over to the table and as he studies the balls, Flash strolls into the saloon. Behind her is Mallory Hanover, the club’s new accountant. Her black hair falls forward, not by accident, but by design. Thanks to Mississippi, and the woman’s capability to do her job, Mal moved from the Scarlett’s territory. She’s a beautiful woman and as I watch her, I wonder what her secret is.
“If you’re staying, you could hook up with Mal.” I said.
Oyster misses the stripped ball as he glances over the table and watches the two women as they sit on one of the couches. “I’d rather hook up with that she barracuda than Miss Sissy Pants.”
I pot the eight ball and collect the hundred dollars. “Let me know when you’re on your way back, and I’ll have her gift wrapped for you.”
“You’re all heart, Alex.” As Oyster leaves the saloon, I give the room a swift appraisal, watching the brothers as they start to arrive. I have a meeting and need a clear head. Instead of joining them, I head for my bike.
When I spot the slip road, I pull in and turn right, park the bike and take a swift look around me. I’m several miles out of Noir Valley. The highway may only be a couple of miles from here; however, the seclusion of the copse is ideal for my meeting. The throb of a bike engine drifts into the air and I turn and watch Jono pull up beside me. He smiles and nods as he pulls his brain bucket off. Time has served him well. His hair is as blonde as it had been when he was a teenager, and there are no crow lines around his eyes. I guess that’s what happens when you don’t smile much. As he dismounts from his bike, I step towards him. He hugs and slaps me on the back like a lost brother. His hazel eyes steady as I step back.
“Jono. I wasn’t sure you’d come.”
“We’re not going anywhere. The only reason I’m here is because of Mia.” I glance up and down the dirt track. There are no sounds. The bayou is quiet. It’s more like a morgue than a place which is supposed to breathe and live life. “You’re on your own.”
“Just as you requested.” Jono pulls out a packet of cigarettes and taps one out. He lights it and through the smoke he watches me. “What’s this about Mia?”
“When was the last time you spoke to her?”
Jono shrugs, “a couple of weeks back.”
His answer surprises me, and I nod, “where?”
The biker chuckles. It has a jeering mimic to it. “Not at the house. If that’s what you’re thinking. Not while those dogs of Day’s are living there. We had lunch at the sheriff’s station. Hank, Mia, and me. A proper little family gathering.” Jono glances around and when he returns his gaze to me, he squints through the dense cigarette smoke as he takes a long drag. “Why are you asking?”
“Did she tell you about her new boyfriend?”
Jono chuckles as he throws the used cigarette butt into the air. When it lands on the ground, he grinds it with his left foot. “Are you telling me this because it’s you?”
My chuckle is low as I shake my head. “It’s some new journalist, Cole Johnson. He arrived in Noir Valley about six months ago.”
Jono’s body relaxes as he leans against his bike. “You want me to run him off for you.”
I smile as I stare into his hazel gaze. “No. Until he moves on. And he will. A small town isn’t the place for the kind of journalist he is. I want you to stay out of Noir Valley and Demon’s Lair. We can handle Ged. He’ll keep any trouble out of the paper. Mia has no interest in us. But if you come causing trouble and it gets in the papers. It could bring us the wrong kind of attention.” My gaze hardens. “Not just for the River Demons. But for the Skull Collectors. I hear you’ve a nice little business going in Noir River. We wouldn’t want anything to interfere with it.”
Jono reaches over the seat of his Fatboy for his helmet and it swings from his fingers as he watches me, then he slips it on his head. “I wouldn’t worry about this Cole. She has some fancy fella in New Orleans.”
As I mount my bike. My stomach clenches. Mia doesn’t go anywhere. If she has a boyfriend, Poppy or one of the other ol’ ladies would have mention it. I turn to Jono, he’s on his bike. His gaze steady as he watches me. “What boyfriend?”
“The one she writes about.” Jono winks, then revs his bike and I watch until the bike is nothing more than a blur down the dirt road, disappearing around the bend. After he fades out of sight, I pull out the burner and text Data.
It doesn’t take long for Data to get back to me with a link, and like a man dying of thirst, I click on it. I blink as I read Mia’s blog. I read the blog three times to make sure my brain isn’t conjuring up what I am reading. That I wasn’t leading myself down my own fantasy path. Shit. Had I really thought Mia was some sweet, innocent girl.
Chapter 6
Mia: Noir Valley
The main street in Noir Valley is quiet, and I close my eyes and raise my face towards the sun. The warm caress of its rays lulls me to my peaceful place. The place where I go when I need to think. And think is what I need to do. My flesh still tingles from Alex’s touch and my pussy throbs. After he left me unsated, I returned to my room and hunted out my friend. Shit, I climaxed twice whilst pleasuring myself to Alex’s image. Remembering his taste and touch as I bought myself to an orgasm and I was still unsated afterwards. When Cole texted asking to meet up, I jumped at the chance. I’m over Alex. I don’t need him or his touch. I don’t need the taste of him lingering on my tongue. Teasing me of the things I’m missing. I know what it’s like to have Alex. To have him torment your flesh as he thrusts into your body, bringing you to the climax that leaves you floating for days. I’ve been there. Sometimes, I wonder if my memories of Alex’s touch. The way his lips caressed over my flesh are more of a fantasy than the reality of the night we spent on Demon’s Liar. It’s taken me five years to recover from one summer crush and one night of sex. A crush which tuned into an obsession. Shit, was it really five years ago. The slow hum of a bike interrupts my daydreams, but I don’t open my eyes as I will the biker away. It’s too soon for Cole, and I know Data is back at the house whilst Pond is at Demon’s Lair. Apart from them, there is only Jono who would stop to talk to me, and I know he’s not in Noir Valley. That he hasn’t been here for a couple of weeks. Not after Hank warned him off. That is one lunch date I intend to forget. No, I don’t open my eyes because I know the biker idly waiting for me to do so, is Alex. Twice in one day. I marvel at my luck. At this rate, I’ll be using my Alex quotas up in one day if this keeps happening. Usually, I run into Alex two maybe three times a week and he never drops by the house to visit me. My frown deepens. Since his meeting with Data this morning, I’ve mused over what he wanted and why he didn’t message the biker. As far as I can tell, there was no need for him to call to the house.
“If you continue to frown. I’ll have to kiss away each wrinkle.” Alex’s chuckle is soft, but deep. “And you have several wrinkles.”
My heart skips a beat as I contemplate on keeping my eyes close as I continue frowning. If frowning was the way to get Alex to kiss me. I would have frowned continually. The problem with having my eyes closed whilst Alex is in close proximity, is I can smell him. The subtle aroma of cedarwood is waking my dormant pussy. With one last inhale of his scent, I open my eyes and gaze at the man I’m trying to forget. He has his brain bucket on and the ends of his blond hair flutters in the wind. When he returned to Noir Valley, his hair had been short, much shorter, almost shaved close to his temples. Shit, he was sexy as hell then. Now he’s grown his hair out, and it curls into the nape of his neck, it adds to his raw sex appeal. Alex Whitton is pure alpha. It comes with the territory of who he is.
“Were you a good lawyer, Alex?”
Alex’s blond eyebrow rises, “I was on my way to being one of the best. Why do you ask?”
I shrug, “just curious. Guess it’s the journalist in me. What were you? A defender or a prosecutor?”
“Don’t you know?”
His blue eyes sparkle as he studies me, sending my stomach into a fluttering wreck, and I scrunch my nose as I sit up. “A defender. You’re not one for respecting the law. Are you?”
Alex dismounts from his bike and removes his helmet, setting off the pulse in my pussy, and my thighs clench. When he sits beside me, I watch as he picks up the soda can and helps himself to a drink. His eyes are on me and my pussy cries out for attention.
“I respect the law, Mia. That’s why I am good at what I do.”
His body is close to mine and my tongue flickers over my dry lips. Since returning from college, Alex has kept me at arm’s length. After our night together all those years ago, he never contacted me or mentioned what occurred and I thought he had forgotten about it. That I was just another drunken fuck. As he watches me, alarm bells resound through my brain. “What do you want, Alex?”
His eyes gleam as he chuckles, and I gulp for air. “What makes you think I want something.”
“Oh, I don’t know. For the last year you’ve ignored me. Now, wherever I turn. You’re there.”
Alex leans forward. His fingers light as he strokes the hair away from my forehead. “Do you remember that night, Mia? You and me. Our bodies sleek with sweat as the blood pumped through us. Your short, sharp gasps of pleasure as I took you to heights you’ve only ever dreamed of and will never reach again.” His lips are close to mine. My mouth is parched, and I run my tongue over the dryness.
I nod. “I remember.” Shit, how could I ever forg
et when I dream of it way far too often.
“Good.” Alex’s lips brush against mine and I lean into the kiss. It is sweet. Nothing like the kisses we shared that night or this morning. This one is full of promises. His lips ease and when the kiss is over, Alex pulls back slightly. His eyes on me, “I’d like to repeat that night, Mia. You and me. Our bodies twisting as we’re joined. Your legs clamped around my waist as you take me deep into you.”
My head throbs as the blood presses against my skull. Last week, Hell even yesterday, if he had asked, I would have leapt at the chance to be with Alex. To have his cock in me as his fingers and tongue teased and caressed my flesh. I blink and close my eyes. Then slip from beneath his arm and stand to the side, reaching down for my purse. The sun has given Alex a shimmering halo, but he is no angel. “I have a boyfriend, Alex. You’re too late.” I frown as I glare at the man. “Is this why the sudden interest in me. Because I’m no longer free. You think I’m easy. No longer a threat to your independence.”
Alex stands. I’m tall, five-eleven. It’s not often I have to look up at someone, but with Alex I do. “If that was the case, Mia. I would have come for you while you were dating your boyfriend from New Orleans.” Alex steps closer. “Is that why you’re hooking up with that journalist. Does NOLA Boy leave you unsatisfied?”
