Falling Hard: Monsters of Mayhem: Motorcycle Romance Book (Monsters of Mayhem )

by Simone Elise

  While I stood in the elevator, making my way to the lobby, I grabbed my phone and shot a text to my father, telling him I was safe and making my own way to the cabin and not to worry.

  Instantly, my phone rang, and an image of my father popped up onto my screen. Groaning, I answered with a muffled hello.

  “Libby Alaine Paxton, what the fuck do you mean you’re heading to the estate by yourself? Get your ass back up to your room now before I lose my patience,” he yelled, clearly pissed off

  “I can’t go back up there. I made a fool of myself, and I have to get away from him before I make it worse. You have no idea. He’s so intense that he makes me do stupid things. We’ve just met, and I don’t know what’s going or why I feel the way I do. I’ve embarrassed myself enough, so I’m not going back up there and making a bigger fool of myself. He saw me naked and did nothing, absolutely nothing. I don’t know what I was thinking,” I rambled, knowing full well my father would understand what I was trying to say—he always did.

  My father’s chuckles put me on edge, and I couldn’t understand why he wasn’t flipping out on me. I remember when I told him I got wasted and lost my virginity to Critter, he’d damn near killed the poor man. If it weren’t for some of the guys holding him back and Critter escaping through the back of the clubhouse, he would have been a dead man.

  “Sweetie, trust me when I say you ain’t embarrassing yourself, darlin’. In fact, you’re making things more interesting for a man like him.”

  “What the fuck, Dad, you usually lose your shit when I mention a man seeing me naked, and now you’re laughing? Are you on drugs or something? Do I need to be worried?” I said.

  “Never mind, Libby, I told him you took off, and he’s coming for ya.” With that, my father hung up.

  Shit, fuck, dammit, why did I answer the damn phone? As soon as the elevator opened, I took off, looking left then right as I ran outside. Turning right, I ran past Lynx’s bike, stumbling slightly, and then picked up the pace. When I turned the corner, I noticed a gas station just a few blocks down. “All right, Libby, stop there and get some food and water. Then call a cab to take you to the airport where you can book a flight to Florida and forget anything happened at all tonight, forget about the way his lips felt against your neck and the way his perfect body felt pressed up against yours,” I continued talking to myself as I jogged away from the hotel. “Ugh, and definitely forget the way he looks at you like he’s looking into your very soul. Nope, forget about it, Libby, just forget about it.” I sighed, knowing damn well this night was going to be imprinted into my mind for the rest of my life.

  “Libby, stop,” An eerily calm voice shouted from behind me.

  I stopped dead in my tracks, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Lynx come around the corner, walking toward me with a deadly look in his eyes like a predator stalking its prey.

  It took me a split second to register that it was indeed Lynx who had yelled my name before I spun around and sprinted for the gas station. Having a good block and a half head start, I ran into the gas station and frantically looked for the restrooms. Spotting them in the back, I weaved in and out of the racks of chips in the front of the store, knocking into a few people as I made my way to the women’s restroom. Once there, I locked the door behind me and sank down onto the floor, trying to catch my breath. Moments later, there was a loud banging on the door, and I jumped to my feet and backed into the sink. With my eyes wide, I stared at the door, almost expecting him to break right through it.

  “Open the door, Libby,” he said calmly, “before I do something we’ll both regret.”

  I debated whether or not I wanted to risk pushing him any further, then hesitantly unlocked the door. Jumping back as he swung it open, banging it against the wall, I yelled and then yelped as he came at me. He took my backpack and draped it over his shoulder, then threw me over his other shoulder and began to leave the store.

  “Hey, you barbarian, put me down. What the hell, Lynx!!” I shrieked loudly as several people just shook their heads. A few younger men just laughed and whistled at us, shouting words of encouragement. Yelping again as his other hand came and smacked my ass, I muttered obscenities at him the whole way back to the hotel room, all the while getting turned on more and more, the embarrassment and anger I felt earlier long gone.

  Once inside the hotel room, Lynx dropped the backpack then proceeded to toss me onto the bed. Before I could get up, he was on top of me, pinning me to the bed. His hips rested between my legs, and his arms were on either side of my head as he instantly began nipping at my neck, a little harsher this time and with a bit more urgency. When he made his way up to my ear, he paused, breathing in deeply.

  “Never run from me again, Libby,” he said clearly. There was no room in his tone for arguing, then he tugged on my ear with his teeth, causing a gasp to escape my lips. He nibbled his way from my ear down to my jawline before capturing my lips with his in a soul-searing kiss that literally took my breath away.

  Licking my bottom lip with his tongue, Lynx deepened the kiss, and the taste of cinnamon overwhelmed my taste buds as he sucked my lower lip into his mouth and bit down softly before pulling back. He stared directly into my eyes with such a look of determination, lust, rage, and something else I couldn’t quite pinpoint.

  “I wouldn’t have run away from you if you hadn’t walked away from me, Lynx,” I argued

  Grunting, he ground his hips into mine, causing me to gasp. “Had business to take care of. If you had given me ten more minutes, I would’ve joined you.”

  “Yeah, well, fucking business could have waited. I’m not a patient person, and I didn’t just fucking strip in front of you for nothing. Maybe you’re just not man enough to get the job done, and that’s why—”

  I didn’t get to finish that sentence as he reached for the bottom of my shirt and ripped it off. Next was my shorts, and my breath caught in my throat, and my eyes widened as he took off his cut, then his shorts. Realizing he went commando turned me on even more. His body really was a work of art, and the removal of his clothes confirmed he was indeed tattooed everywhere. Grabbing my ankle, Lynx yanked me to the edge of the bed and flipped me over so I was on my stomach with my feet touching the floor. He braced both hands on either side of my head and pressed his chest flush against my back.

  “I’m a dangerous man, Libby, and I’ll only say this once. I live my life on the road, and I won’t change. I’m a man of few words, so you better listen. If we do this, you’re mine. You live the life, so you know what that means. You think you can handle that? I don’t just fuck random women. It’s not the kind of man I am.” He growled into my ear, sending chills up and down my spine. “This won’t be slow and sweet, not even close.”

  I took a deep breath in. How could he want me already? Not thinking clearly, just wanting him badly, I nodded my head and moaned out a yes. I felt him position himself between my soaking folds, and then he slammed into me roughly. I saw stars, and satisfaction coursed through my body as he grabbed onto my hips and pounded into me hard and fast. Propping myself up on my forearms, I looked back at him and saw an almost feral look take over his eyes as he pulled out and slammed back into me.

  I wanted it harder, needed it harder, so I moaned exactly that, trying to urge him on even more if that was even possible. I felt myself getting closer and closer to the edge.

  He growled, then leaned forward and grabbed onto my hair. Pulling my head back roughly, he nipped at my lower neck as he reached between my legs with his other hand and rubbed me roughly and quickly. I was so close, and then just when I was about to explode, he pinched me with just the right amount of pressure, causing a scream to escape my lips as I orgasmed hard. I clutched onto the sheets, my knuckles going white as he rode out my orgasm before finishing himself.

  Pure satisfaction set my whole body humming. Once Lynx pulled out, I rolled over and peeked at him with half-open eyes as he smirked at me before headin
g to the bathroom, presumably to clean himself up. As I groaned and propped myself up on my elbows, he sauntered back out, grabbed his shorts and put them back on, then nodded to the bathroom as he handed me my shirt and shorts.

  “You expect me to get up after that?” I said, waiting for a response.

  Lynx grabbed my hand and yanked me up, nudging me toward the bathroom and slapping my ass in the process, causing me to squeal.

  Grumbling in annoyance, I made my way to the bathroom and took care of myself. I then got dressed and stared at myself in the mirror for the second time this evening. My face was flushed, my hair was a mess, a large red mark that would surely bruise was on the side of my neck, and the events of what just happened came crashing down on me like a ton of bricks.

  “Oh, my God, Libby, what did you just do,” I muttered breathlessly. The weight of his words slowly sank in. All my insecurities reared their ugly heads as doubt crept in. “There’s no way a man like him would want someone like you. You’re too messed up. There is no way he’ll be able to put up with you. God, not to mention he’s a nomad like your father. He’s not going to stick around, Libby, so get out before it’s too late. Why the hell are you so bipolar today?” I shook my head. Could I really believe the words he had said? I really wanted to, and something inside of me knew I could trust him, but I didn’t know why, and that terrified me. Maybe, just maybe, I could let go just this once. Making up my mind, I turn to open the bathroom door only to see him standing there with a cold look in his eyes.

  Fuck.

  Chapter 7

  Emmie

  Just as I made it into the clubhouse, my arm was caught from behind me, and his hand wrapped around my wrist.

  “Emmie, let me explain.” Maiden words were tight, and I heard the pain in them. He wanted to explain how he broke his promise to me?

  “Nothing to explain.” I looked him in the eye. “You lied,” I added with a hiss. “Now let go of me.” I pulled on my wrist, but his grip got tighter.

  “I didn’t have a choice, Emmie. It wasn’t my news to break. It was your father’s, and something got in him today that made him want to tell you.”

  Angry tears ran down my cheeks. “It doesn’t matter. Once again, I see you are more loyal to my father than me.”

  That was how it always was with boys. The club came first, and everything else came second if not last. They didn’t care about who got hurt or who they hurt by putting that club first.

  Maiden answered to my father, and that would always be the case, which meant he would never really respect me before his president.

  Maiden’s expression hardened. “Don’t fucking put this on me. It wasn’t my place. You’ve got to understand it was a mistake. I fucked up the night I touched you.”

  I scoffed, “I’m a mistake?” I wanted to strangle him. Yes. Choking him would give me pleasure. How could he stand there and say I was a mistake? How could his lips even wrap around the words?

  I couldn’t mask my expression, which clearly showed how much his words had affected me. Shocking me, hurting me, and twisting my heart all at once. I fucked up the night I touched you. His words repeated in my head.

  What did you expect, Emmie? No one wants you. I swallowed sharply as I heard the voices creeping into my mind. Fuck, this had sparked them. I thought about their hurtful words before about how everyone lies and everyone leaves.

  “Who’s a mistake?”

  I went rigid, and Maiden slowly turned around to see my father standing there, trying to contain his rage. His hair was brushed back, clearly, from all the times he had run his hand through it due to stress, and his face was slowly getting redder by the second.

  He raised a finger at Maiden, and it might as well have had the power to cut off heads. “You fuck my daughter?”

  “No,” I interjected on Maiden’s behalf. “He is talking about spending the week with me. That us getting close was a mistake.” I tried to explain, not knowing why I was protecting Maiden after he just called me a mistake.

  I looked Maiden in the eye. “Don’t worry. We won’t be repeating it. I don’t want to take up any more of the enforcer’s time.” Snatching my wrist from his grasp, I took off.

  I lasted a total of two seconds, and as soon as my back turned, tears filled my eyes.

  I was a mistake.

  That’s all you will ever be, Emmeline. Your mother didn’t want you, your father doesn’t need you, and Maiden thinks you are nothing but a mistake.

  My hand wrapped around my bedroom door, and I tried to suppress the voices, but they were getting louder. You heard him, Emmie. He said you were a mistake. My hand gripped the door handle tighter. He fucked up by touching you. He regrets it. You saw his face. He regrets touching you.

  Well, I didn’t regret it happening. I clenched my eyes shut.

  Don’t force anyone to be with you, Emmeline. It’s time you end this. You know where the razor is, and you know what to do.

  “Stop it!” I snapped under pressure.

  “You okay?”

  My head flung up to see Critter standing there, looking puzzled, and I realized how I must have looked like the mad hatter. “Just talking to myself,” I answered and went to open my door.

  But he leaned against the passage wall with a smirk on his face. “Family trait, hey?”

  I frowned and then remembered he was talking about Libby. He and Libby had always been close. “Must be,” I answered and found the voices silencing as I spoke with Critter. As if he had some superpower that was calming.

  “Well, then, I know just what to do when a Paxton girl is upset.”

  “Oh, really, and what is that?”

  “Movies and liquor. Come on, miss, are you gonna invite me in?”

  I wondered for a few moments if I were making a mistake. Then I nodded my head, and Critter walked into the bedroom, and just as he did, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked up the passage and saw Maiden standing there, living up to his nickname Mad Maiden. I kept my expression neutral and walked into my bedroom. It wasn’t like I was doing anything with Critter. After all, it was just company—at least, that was what I told myself.

  “So how is my cousin?” I asked Critter, closing the bedroom door. I loved Libby, and I really missed her. It was hard with her always being on the road and having no place that I could go visit her or stay to see her. She rarely came to the mother chapter, and I didn’t know why not. Uncle Rusty was expected to call in every so often, and on the rare occasion he did, Libby wouldn’t be with him. Like the week when I saw his bike in the parking lot, but I knew my cousin wasn’t with him because if she had been, my door would have been broken down, and my eyes would have been locked on the pink-haired beauty.

  “She’s with Lynx.”

  My mouth dropped. “Lynx, Lynx? As in Ghost?” I stuttered out the words, not believing it. No way would she go for him. He was everything she didn’t want. She didn’t want the club life. She didn’t want to be permanently on the road. She only did the nomad lifestyle because of her dad, and I doubted she would want a boyfriend who lived that lifestyle, riding in and out.

  “Yeah, she’s falling hard for him. I can see it in her eyes,” Critter said with an expression that caused me to feel sorry for him. His and Libby’s bond was a lot like a brother and sister, and I could tell he was genuinely worried about her.

  “Does she know who he is?” I wondered.

  Critter’s eyes flashed up to mine. “Nah, I doubt she knows that he is Ghost. You know Lynx doesn’t answer to anyone but your old man.” He shook his head. “Fucking lethal man he is and now he has my Libby in his sights.”

  “Maybe it’s not what it seems?” I tried to smooth his concern.

  “I went up to her hotel room, Emmie. I heard them.” Critter looked like he had been gutted. “She’s falling hard for a guy who doesn’t deserve her.”

  “Libby never does things by half,” I added. “Well, if it helps, I’m falling hard for a guy who will never love m
e back. Perhaps it is another family quality? Besides, she’s a Paxton, and we are made of tough stuff.” I smiled at him, trying to reassure him that Libby could take care of herself. After all, we had the blood of Paxton’s flowing through our veins.

  I walked down the stairs into the packed clubhouse. I had just planned on getting a drink and escaping back to my bedroom until my eyes landed on Critter, who had disappeared when I fell asleep on him. It didn’t bother me, though. I’d felt him give me a kiss on the cheek before he took off, and he even wrapped a blanket around me. Tapping him on the shoulder, he flung around, and the first thing I noticed was his swollen lip. That was surprising. He didn’t have that before. But with the broken nose as well, he really looked in the wars.

  “What happened?” I asked, and he frowned. “To your lip?” I added. How could he not know what I was talking about? His lip was swollen and cut. Did no one offer him ice?

  “Miscommunication,” he answered with a wide grin on his face. “Want a drink?”

  I nodded my head and then took the stool in front of him, which he offered. Critter then pulled up a seat next to me, and his knee brushed mine. Leaning in, he tucked my hair behind my ear.

  “Your face is too beautiful to hide, Emmie.” He gave me a half-smile and put a hand up for the bartender.

  “So who was the miscommunication with?” I asked.

  “Mad Maiden,” he muttered and then shot me a look as if to say don’t go there, so I didn’t say another word. I just knew then that the miscommunication somehow involved me.

  Before long, we were on our fifth drink, and I was very giggly, enjoying every second of it. It was the first time in a long time that I wasn’t carrying baggage, and for some reason, the voices hadn’t appeared again tonight.