She nearly laughed at her own thoughts. Where was this brazenness, this demanding attitude coming from?
As one song went into the next, she absorbed the feel of his left arm snug around her waist, his hand on her hip, and his other palm caressing her arm to her hand. As he got to her fingers, he clasped them with his and kissed her shoulder then her neck.
She thought her heart was going to leap from her chest.
“I’m feeling so much right now, Cherokee.” He was breathing heavy against her skin. That deep, sultry voice of his did a number to her insides. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. That Spartan, of all people, showed up here tonight, and was it to see her? To talk to her? To make a move and admit he had feelings? She felt her own breath grow rapid. She needed to be strong and pretend experience. After all, it seemed to her that Spartan thought he was maybe too old or seasoned for the likes of her. She’d caught wind from Channing that Spartan and his commanders declined every set of men Cesar told them showed interest in being guardians for her. They said they weren’t right for her or good enough for her.
“What exactly are you feeling, Spartan?”
His lips touched her skin then her ear. She leaned into him, gave him better access to her neck by tilting to the left.
“Out of control, jealous, fucking aroused, feeling your body against mine. I fought with myself about coming here. I didn’t want to see you with other men, flirting, knowing those men were going to want you in their arms, press their lips to yours, and. ultimately, have you in their beds. The thought of any of that pissed me the fuck off,” he said in a hardened tone.
He slid his palm along her belly then up toward her breast but retreated before making contact. She didn’t even care that they were in a crowded bar, a public place. She wanted to feel his hands on her. She wanted to feel all of the commanders’ hands on her.
She glanced down feeling, seeing how aroused her bosom was. That the firm hold Spartan had on her caused her dress to bunch and more deep cleavage to show. Did he like what he saw? What would he do when he found out she was a virgin? That no man ever made love to her? Would he freak out? Maybe put up another wall of denial? It scared her. She wanted more of these feelings. She loved him holding her so possessively.
She felt protected, secure, and completely unlike anything she’d ever felt before.
“Why are you feeling all of that? Why did you feel so compelled to come here tonight?” she asked, surprised she was even processing her thoughts correctly.
“To protect you. To be sure no other men tried touching you, claiming you, because just thinking about that drives me insane.”
He squeezed her to him, clasped her hand with his tighter, and then breathed against her neck.
“This is not good.”
“It feels good though, Spartan. It feels right.”
“Why? How? I can’t give you what you deserve.”
She was shocked at his words. She pulled from his hold, turned in his arms, and pressed her palms against his chest. She stared up at him as his hand landed on her lower back and his other hand held her hip. He stared down into her eyes, and she could see the struggle, the uncertainty in his eyes.
That fierce expression that was all Spartan. The beard, the long hair, the tattoos peeking out from his collar, never mind on both arms. He looked lethal.
“What are you talking about, Spartan? What do you mean what I deserve? What aren’t you telling me? The truth, Spartan. Why have you been pushing me away and denying these feelings for me? Why have the others? Because I’m your friends’ daughter? Really? Why?” she demanded to know, not even certain where this attitude and anger was coming from.
Perhaps dealing with the flirty men, the constant questions about who she would pick as her guardians since so many men were interested. Well, not the men who interested her. Not Spartan, John, Brye, Hans, and Nolan. The men she was attracted to. The men she’d learned to trust, to need and depend upon.
He reached up and cupped her cheek, gripped her hair, and pulled her close with his other hand. He lowered his mouth toward hers. “Fear,” he whispered and pressed his lips to hers and kissed her. She kissed him right back, and when his hand eased along her ass, she shuddered and felt like coming, and it shocked her.
When he released her lips, she hugged him tight, and he hugged her.
When he didn’t make another move, and it seemed like he was still holding back after that. She got frustrated and annoyed. She stood up on tiptoes, and he lowered slightly so she could kiss his neck and whisper into his ear.
“Fear is only an emotion that stops great men and women from doing great things. Don’t let fear stop what’s happening here right now, Spartan. I’m scared, too, for a whole lot of reasons, but thinking of letting go of you, of not feeling you this close, holding me tight, protecting me, caring about me, scares me a hell of a lot more.”
She swallowed hard and then pressed her lips to his neck as he hugged her close. As he eased back slowly, she lay her cheek to his chest and squeezed him tight. He slid that palm back and forth over her lower back and eased it over her ass then up her back to her neck. They remained that way until a second set of hands landed on her shoulders.
“So I wasn’t the only one who came here to finally stake a claim to our woman,” John said and then pressed his lips to her neck.
She turned slightly as Spartan eased his hold and John pulled her into his arms, bent down to lift her closer, and kissed her hard on the mouth. He plunged his tongue deeply, and she moaned and lifted her thigh up against his thigh as Spartan caressed her hip and ass. John started to ease his mouth from hers, and when their lips parted, she panted for breath.
He cupped her cheeks. “You just keep getting more beautiful, baby.” He winked.
“Oh boy, do you both know how to kiss.” She shyly lowered her eyes and pressed her hair behind her ear.
Spartan kissed her shoulder. “There’s a lot we know how to do. Your pleasure will be top priority, Cherokee.”
Their experience was obvious, and she shyly looked away and saw Mercy, Laci, and Bo.
“What’s going on over here?” Mercy asked, smiling wide.
“Spartan and John came to join us for a drink. Where are Channing and the gang?” Cherokee asked and went to step away from Spartan and John, but both men stopped her from moving. Spartan gripped her around the waist and pulled her next to his side, and John took her hand.
Mercy pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and looked like she was either shocked or about to burst with excitement. Cherokee, on the other hand, panicked.
John turned toward her, still holding her hand, and reached over to cup her cheek and chin. Spartan squeezed her close so she was sandwiched between them again. Apparently they liked her like this.
“One drink, then we head out,” John said and then glanced up at Spartan and nodded.
She looked up at Spartan, uncertain of the man’s reaction to this.
He nodded, but his eyes were once against squinted, and it was obvious the man didn’t like to socialize or was in soldier mode at all times.
* * * *
“I think I found her,” the cowboy said into his cell phone as he exited the Filling Station.
“Get the fuck out. Are you shitting me, Trev?” Davie asked him.
Trev glanced back toward the bar, at the pretty blonde standing with friends and the bad-ass-looking dude with tattoos and another big ass guy. They had her between them.
“I snapped a few shots of her. I’ll send them as I head out to the truck.”
“Wait. Can you grab her?”
“Fuck no. She’s got men guarding her. I went to hit on her and strike up a conversation to see how far I could get and maybe pull her outside, but this tattoo-covered psycho, who looked ready to rip my head off, interrupted any opportunity to make progress.”
“I don’t like the sound of that, Trev. Stanston isn’t going to like that either. Is she taken?”
&nbs
p; “If she wasn’t taken yet, she will be soon. That look in his eyes said I was messing with his woman, and she looked shocked either way.”
“So maybe she isn’t interested in the guy.”
“I wouldn’t say that. She’s being held by him and his buddy right now.”
“Damn. I can’t believe that you found her.”
“I’m just glad I extended the area this far out and to Texas. Not too smart, her keeping her first name and getting a job as a teacher again. Made the search pretty simple for new hires in school districts with the name Cherokee. She was number forty-two on the list of sixty. It’s been a long several months.”
“Tell me about it, and Stanston is getting worse and worse. He went through six women so far, trying to get Cherokee out of his head. He’s obsessed with her.”
“Obviously. So are you going to tell him about finding her?”
“Not yet. You be careful to not get caught. I don’t need any investigators snooping around our town right now. There’s things going on. The business is taking off, and we have a high-stakes game happening in just a few weeks’ time. Sit tight, but if you have the opportunity to grab her, then do it and get in touch with me. I’ll get a plan in motion just in case, and that way you can get her near here fast and quietly.”
“You got it,” Trev said and then ended the call and took one last glance at Cherokee.
She sure was pretty, and those green eyes could make a man do some crazy shit. She smelled good, too, and he thought about what he could do to her if she were his. Depending on how cooperative she would be, he could do a little exploring himself. He smirked and headed to his truck. He had some surveillance to do on her. Starting Monday when she got out of school.
* * * *
Spartan was biting the inside of his cheek. Despite his being right here next to Cherokee, men walked by checking her out or even said hello to her. It was like he and John weren’t there. He didn’t want to maul the woman, but apparently Spartan and his team did such a good job of keeping their feelings for her hidden that other men assumed Spartan and his team weren’t interested in staking a claim of guardianship.
He was about to lose his mind as two other men walked by, said hello to her, let their eyes roam over her body, and even winked. What the fuck?
But the hand slammed down on his shoulder, and the loud boisterous voice invaded the conversation.
“Holy shit. It can’t be the beer. I only had two. Am I seeing things?” Dr. Genova appeared, and immediately his eyes went to Cherokee in the black, sexy dress she wore, his eyes lingering over her abundant breasts.
His brothers were there, too, and as they shook hands hello, Doc went right to Cherokee, slid his arm around her waist, and hoisted her into a hug. He whispered something into her ear. Her cheeks blushed bright, and she chuckled and playfully slapped his shoulder. What the fuck did he say to her?
He didn’t pull back all the way. Instead, he took position right next to her and brought her hand to his lips.
“You look stunning, gorgeous. How are you feeling? Maybe you need me to stop by and recheck your wound. Make sure you’re following doctor’s orders and applying the ointment the right way?” he flirted, stroking fingers along the waist near her ribs where that wound was.
Spartan stood up and gave Doc a shove back.
“Cool it!” he yelled at him then pulled Cherokee into his arms. She was pressed against his chest. Her shampoo attacked his senses, and he held her tight and placed a possessive hand over her ass.
“Spartan, he’s just teasing you. Trying to get you riled up,” she said as Spartan held Doc’s gaze. Doc smirked, gave her a wink, and then pointed at Spartan.
“Make it official. It doesn’t mean shit if it isn’t, and I mean soon, or my brothers and I will,” Doc said to him straight-faced and then looked at John.
“Please, Spartan, calm down. You’re scaring me,” she whispered up toward him and then pressed a kiss to his chin. He stared at Doc and nodded.
“This round is on me,” Doc said, and the mood relaxed a little, and then John caressed her back.
“It’s okay, Cherokee. We should have asked for guardianship of you sooner. We’ll sit down with Nolan, Hans, and Brye. Tonight,” John said and cupped her cheek and kissed her lips softly.
Spartan felt his dick harden at the sight. Cherokee would be their woman. Their lover, their responsibility, and ultimately their wife. He realized he was more than ready for that but then felt the tug of uncertainty, of fear hit his chest. Her fathers were in grave danger. More intel needed to be collected, but any day now, Spartan and the team would have to leave her to save her fathers. They discussed it, and they all wanted to go. The risks were looking greater and greater. They would have to explain things to her tonight. She would need to know.
“Spartan?” She said his name, and when he felt her delicate palm caress his beard against his cheek, he looked down at her, squeezed her ass possessively, and slid it along to her waist, feeling how delicate and feminine she was. The surge of protectiveness filled his body like nothing he’d ever felt before.
“Finish the drink and then we leave,” he said in a tone that even shocked John.
She gulped and then looked at John as she started to pull her hand away. He grabbed it, pulled her hand against his chest, and looked down into her eyes.
“It will be okay,” Spartan said to her.
She stared at him and then nodded. John texted the others and then took position right by her side, and the rest of the time they both made it pretty damn clear that they were staking a claim of guardianship to Cherokee.
* * * *
“That’s all the text says?” Brye asked Nolan as he pulled on his boots.
“Yeah. I can’t believe they both went there,” Nolan said.
“Spartan finally got his head out of his ass. This is going to happen. She will be our woman,” Hans stated firmly, looking so serious standing there in the kitchen.
Nolan glanced at his watch. “Are we doing the right thing?” Nolan asked. Hans and Brye looked at one another and then at him.
“We’ve been through heavy shit together, years of it, and made the decision to lead Sons of Justice. We’ve set roots here in this town. Our days of missions and going off on crazy, dangerous adventures are few and far between. It’s time. Cherokee came out of fucking nowhere, and that’s how this shit happens. I’m more than ready. I know because the thought of some other men claiming guardianship of her, never mind touching her, kissing her, and getting to have Cherokee to wake up next to every morning in bed makes me see fucking red. I want those things, you all want those things, and we’re going to have them together sharing Cherokee as our wife,” Hans stated.
Nolan was shocked. Hans was a man of few words.
“Fuck yeah! Let’s go,” Brye yelled out, and they headed over to Cherokee’s place to wait for the others to get there.
* * * *
Cherokee’s heart was racing. She didn’t know what to expect. The series of events this evening weren’t just unexpected. They’d shocked her silent. She gave small smiles as the conversation around her went on, as the music played and every song seemed to have words giving connotation to exactly what was happening to her tonight. The description of encounters, a man’s touch, the emotions and desires growing stronger. She felt it all, and it was hard to concentrate, especially with John stroking her shoulder and Spartan caressing her thigh. It had her brain malfunctioning. She glanced at him. He looked so wild, experienced, and completely uncomfortable sitting around her friends and listening to them talk about the band, about the Halloween festivities and the haunted house that was going to be much scarier than last year’s. It was like he was beyond haunted houses, beyond trick or treating, and not just because of his age but because of his life experiences. They’d hardened him. She understood that not only because her fathers were soldiers and they shared similar looks and outlooks toward such things but also because of what she’d gone through. I
f she hadn’t been trained and so determined to fight, she never would have made it here to Repose. To Spartan, John, and the others. She swallowed hard and placed her hand over Spartan’s, squeezing it. Then she looked at John. He responded a little more verbally than Spartan. He was currently stating that he hadn’t been to the festival before but perhaps he would check it out.
Was that because of Cherokee? Did he mean check it out with her? Hold her hand as they walked through some scary haunted house with ghouls and goblins and people dressed up trying to scare anyone brave enough to enter? She didn’t know why, but she felt giddy inside. She never participated in such events. She was always alone, always having to attend such things by herself or as a chaperone for kids at school. This was different. Very different indeed. She leaned her head against John’s side and then heard his cell phone go off. John gave Spartan a tap to his shoulder behind her. She looked at Spartan, and he leaned closer.
“It’s time to go,” he said, holding her gaze with those dark, mysterious eyes of his.
They said goodnight, and her friends asked her if she were okay, and she smiled and nodded. They made their way outside to the cool fall air. She should have brought a sweater, and she shivered. John placed his arm around her shoulders.
“No sweater?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“You should have one with you. You need looking after, obviously.”
She didn’t know what he meant by that and then thought about the cowboy who had approached her. Apparently he was thinking about that now as they got into the big, black pickup truck. As she slid along the seat, the hem of her dress rose. She went to adjust it when the door closed and John slid his hand over her thigh, stopping her. She looked up at him.
Sons of Justice 1: In Good Hands (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 9
