by L. Wilder
“Nah. I was a complete angel growing up,” I teased.
“I seriously doubt that.” She laughed. “Come on. Spill it.”
“Well, there was that Halloween when a few of us shot up the mayor’s house with a paintball gun.”
“No way.”
“Yeah. And I might’ve stolen a school bus and took it for a joyride with a couple of buddies of mine.”
“Wait a minute.” Her eyes were wide with surprise. “You stole a school bus?”
“Yeah. It was actually my dad’s at the time. He was helping out a friend by doing a few routes for the school. He did some football games, and there was one night when he left the keys in the ignition. One could say it was his fault for not being more careful.”
“Oh, no. Don’t go blaming him. That was all on you.”
“Yeah, my dad said the same thing.”
“Well, what happened? How did you get caught?”
“We were goofing around, and I might’ve crashed it into a ditch.”
“Seth!” She laughed. “That’s terrible! Your dad must’ve been furious with you.”
“That’s an understatement. I think he grounded me for life that night.”
“I’d say you kind of deserved it.”
I hung on to her every word as I watched her mouth form each word. I found myself wondering what it would be like to feel them against my own. “You up for taking a drive?”
Without hesitation, she smiled and answered, “I’d like that.”
Twenty minutes later, we were sitting on the tailgate of my truck in a secluded spot overlooking the water. The stars were shining bright and there was a cool breeze as she nestled into the crook of my arm. Having her so close was fucking with my head. Thinking it might ease some of the sexual tension, I stood up, but after taking a few steps, I found myself standing in front of her, staring into those beautiful eyes of hers. Damn. I wanted to kiss her so bad it hurt—literally. My dick was throbbing against the zipper of my jeans, and seeing the way she was looking at me was only making it worse. I knew she wanted me to kiss her. I could see the hunger in her eyes. Hell, I could feel it radiating off her, and I couldn’t deny that I felt the same. There was just one problem. There was no way one kiss would satisfy the beast raging inside of me. With one taste, I would want it all, and I would have to make her mine.
In my mind, I knew I shouldn’t be there with him, that it was too much of a risk, but my heart just wasn’t listening. Even though I’d tried to keep my guard up, spending more time with him had only made me more attracted to him. His sense of humor, his sexy smile, and that body that made my pulse race were just too hard to resist. He shifted his stance as he looked at me, his eyes glistening in the darkness. I knew what was coming and glanced away, then unable to resist the temptation, I looked back at him. He hovered over me as his eyes roamed seductively over my lips, and I could only sit there frozen with excitement and anticipation. I couldn’t remember ever wanting anything more than feeling his lips against mine, and the waiting was pure agony. I should’ve been patient, but I couldn’t help myself. I inched closer, leaning towards him, but he never made his move. Instead, he just stood there staring at me with lust-filled eyes. Without thinking, I mumbled, “Um… I thought you were going to kiss me?”
His eyes sparkled with mischief as he asked, “What makes you think I was going to kiss you?”
Embarrassment washed over me. “I guess I was just hoping you would.”
His voice was low and raspy as he asked, “You want me to kiss you, Zoe?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Well, I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
His dark eyes flickered with hunger as they dropped to my breasts. “Not sure I’ll be able to stop once I get started.”
I hesitated for only a moment. “Maybe I don’t want you to stop.”
“Zoe,” he whispered slowly, prolonging each letter of my name as if to savor them. His eyes locked on mine as he leaned forward, but just as his lips were about to touch mine, he stopped. My lips parted and our breaths mingled. The electricity crackled between us, making my entire body hum. I eased forward, trying to close the distance between us, but he quickly leaned out of my reach.
I looked up at him with disappointment. “Seriously?”
He paused, not to refuse me, but to appreciate the moment before he slipped his hand behind my neck and pulled me forward, crashing his mouth against mine. His lips were soft and full as they covered mine. It was like they were made just for me. His warm, wet tongue ran across my bottom lip as his hands snaked down my back. They were strong and assured as he pulled me closer to him. His touch. His scent. His taste. Everything about him made my entire body tingle with desire. I longed for this moment. It was all I could think about, but I could’ve never imagined it could feel so good and so right. My fingers raked through his hair as I moaned against his mouth.
Without warning, he leaned back, breaking from our embrace. “I want you to know… you can trust me, Zoe. I’ll never hurt you.”
“I know.”
“I just need you to let me in.”
I watched in wonder as he lowered his mouth down to mine, kissing me softly… so gentle and sweet. His scent circled around me, a mix of cologne and fresh leather. Just being close to him enthralled all my senses.
I couldn’t resist him, even if I wanted to. The pull to him was just too strong. I was starting to fall for him, and there wasn’t a damned thing I could do to stop it. As soon as I brought my hands up to his chest, the kiss changed, becoming more intense and heated. Goosebumps swept across my flesh as he delved further into my mouth, exploring every inch with his tongue. His fingers dug into my hips as he pulled me closer to him, forcing a light moan to vibrate through my chest. The bristles of his beard lightly scratched against my skin as he took complete control. My body ached for him, burning for more as he claimed me with his mouth. My hands began to roam over his chest, gliding over the bulging muscles of his abdomen. I wanted to touch his bare skin, feel the heat of his body pressed against mine, and I couldn’t wait a moment longer. I started to tug at shirt, pulling it from his body. Once it was off, our hands became frantic, quickly removing the clothes that separated us. In just a few seconds, I was wearing only my lace bra and panties.
“Seth?” I whispered.
I couldn’t stop staring at him. My eyes traveled along the lines and curves of the muscles of his chest, and then looked back to him with an appreciative smile. His eyes were focused on my almost naked body, and my heart fluttered when I noticed the hunger in his eyes. I watched in eager fascination as his chest slowly rose and fell with each tortured breath he took. A faint growl escaped him as his mouth settled over mine again. His hands slowly eased behind my back to release the clasp of my bra. As the fabric slipped away from my body, I felt his lips glide across my skin to my breast. Lust consumed me as the wet heat of his mouth engulfed my nipple and began to gently suck. He broke contact momentarily as he pulled back, his strong arms repositioning me on the blankets he’d spread out on the bed of the truck. Then his hard body moved to cover mine. The light of the moon danced in his eyes as he hovered over me for just a brief moment, and then his mouth resumed its heavenly torture of kissing and nipping the delicate skin of my neck. As he settled between my thighs, I lifted my hips towards him, grinding against him as I tried desperately to find relief for the throbbing that was building up inside me.
“Are you sure about this?” he whispered in my ear.
“Yes… don’t stop. Please don’t stop!”
I bit my bottom lip and moaned with need as his hand slowly slid between our bodies. He traced his fingers across my panties, teasing me with his light caresses. Pushing the fabric to the side, he slowly slid his fingers into me. He twirled and flicked his fingers inside me, tormenting me with the motion of his hand. “Is this what you want, baby?”
“Yes! Please, Seth.”
His thumb circ
led around my swollen clit, drawing out my pleasure. As he found my G spot, I held my breath, the muscles in my body quivering uncontrollably. I was still soaring in ecstasy when I felt my panties being slipped down over my hips.
The blankets underneath me shifted as he reached for his jeans. I lifted my head to watch him slide the condom down his long, thick shaft.
A look of satisfaction crossed his face as he settled back between my legs and positioned his cock at my entrance. He clenched his jaw before lifting my hips and making one forceful thrust deep inside me, filling me completely.
For a moment, I worried that I wouldn’t be able to take much more, but he remained still until my body was able to accommodate his invasion.
As I let my legs spread farther open for him, he growled, “Fuck. You feel so damned good.”
He slowly began to move, each thrust deliberate and powerful. I rocked against him with every stroke, trying to take him even deeper inside. His gaze burned into me as he brought his hand up to my neck, his fingers gently caressing my throat. The intensity of our connection was there in his eyes, and there was no denying that I felt it, too. I’d felt it all along.
“I’ll never be able to get enough of you, Zoe.”
I groaned in pleasure, reassuring him that I felt the same way. I was lost in the waves of carnal sensation he was giving me, the fullness of his body inside mine. His eyes never left mine as he increased his rhythm, each thrust more demanding than the last. My inner muscles clenched around him as I felt another orgasm building inside me. “Oh, God! Don’t stop!” I pleaded.
His punishing pace never faltered as his body continued to crash into mine. I’d never felt such an intense mixture of pleasure and pain. It was so intoxicating that I was finding it difficult to even breathe. His very touch sent me spiraling out of control, and I knew I would never be the same again. I wanted to remember everything about that moment… to focus on how incredible he felt, but it was all just too much. I couldn’t stop my treacherous body from seeking its ultimate high. I let out a strangled moan as my orgasm took over, my body jerking beneath him.
I wrapped my legs tighter around him as the jolt of my release drove him to find his climax. A sublime sense of satisfaction rushed over me as his growl echoed around us. His body trembled and the muscles in his abdomen grew taut as he finally came deep inside me. Tremors of pleasure wracked his torso as he lowered his body down onto mine, pressing my breasts against his chest. He looked down at me reverently as our shallow breaths mingled in the air between us. I felt so close to him in that moment, I never wanted it to end.
We both stilled as we listened to the satisfied sounds of the beating of our hearts. Eventually, our breathing began to steady, and he slowly lifted his body from mine. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and keep him close, but I hesitated. When he noticed my reaction, he paused to stroke my cheek and whispered, “I’m not going anywhere, Zoe. You’ve got me.”
“I really hope that’s true, Seth.”
His eyes grew intense as he reached for his t-shirt and jeans. As he started to get dressed, he said, “Then, I need to ask you something.”
Suddenly I started to feel exposed and insecure, so I reached for my clothes and quickly stood up to get dressed. As I pulled on my t-shirt, I asked, “What do you want to ask me?”
“Considering what just happened, it’s something I need to know.” He stopped getting dressed and waited for my reaction. “Are you seeing anyone?”
There it was. The one question I wasn’t ready to answer. My eyes dropped to the ground with embarrassment. “Remember how I told you things with me were complicated?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, that’s the understatement of the year. I’m trying to get things sorted, but it’s going to take a little while. I can tell you this: there is only one person that I’m remotely interested in, and that’s you—only you. And…” I tried to hide my anguish as I looked up at him. “I would just pack up and walk away from it all, but it isn’t that easy.”
“Zoe, I’m going to say this again: you can trust me.”
“I know that, but how can I ask you to take all this on?”
“Because I’m asking you to. Because I want to be there for you.”
“I understand that.”
Before I could continue, he said, “Then tell me what’s going on and let me help you.” When I didn’t immediately respond, he stepped closer and placed the palms of his hands on my face, forcing me to look at him. “I know it hasn’t been easy since your dad died. You’ve had to handle things on your own. School. Work. The club.”
“I haven’t had much of a choice, but I’m making it okay, Seth.”
“I get that, but there is something more going on than just your everyday bullshit… and by the look on your face, I’d say it’s pretty fucking bad. You’re used to doing everything by yourself, but you don’t have to do that anymore. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. You just have to let me in.”
The ability to trust left me a very long time ago. Like pebbles of sand being pulled away with the tide, each lie told and each promise broken made it harder and harder for me to put my faith in anyone. But there he was saying all the right things, and I found myself believing him. But after being hurt so many times before, it terrified me to let my guard down. I thought back to the past few months and everything that had happened, and I realized I was tired of living in the shadows of regret and misgivings. I wanted to believe in him. I needed to believe in him. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“I’ll tell you everything, but you have to promise me to listen to everything I have to say before you react.”
“I can do that.”
“It isn’t going to be easy to talk about, and it won’t be easy to hear,” I tried to warn him.
He finished putting on his clothes and sat down on the tailgate of his truck as he waited for me to do the same. Once I was done, he said, “I’m ready when you are.”
She wasn’t lying when she said it wouldn’t be easy for me to hear everything she had to say. I could see the torment in her eyes when she talked about her father’s death and her suspicions that it wasn’t an accident. It was agony listening to her voice tremble and seeing the tears stream down her face. I wanted to take her in my arms and make all the pain go away, but there was nothing I could do to change the past. So, I kept my word and listened to the entire story before I responded. She explained how she’d started working at the strip club to help pay for her classes. Graduating from college was important to her, and I respected her for not giving up. When she made her way into the present and started to talk about Slider, it become much more difficult to hold my tongue. A blinding rage surged through me when she told me about his ultimatum. I wanted to interject and tell her how fucked up it all was, but I held it in. Instead, I listened silently as she described how she didn’t want him touching her, so she’d knocked him out by mixing valium with his alcohol. I’d done my best to wait and hear her out, but when she started explaining her and Kat’s plan to have him arrested, I’d had all I could take.
“No,” I growled.
“What do you mean ‘no’?”
“There’s no way in hell I’m gonna let that happen. Do you have any idea how dangerous that could be?”
“Yes, but I don’t have a choice. I need to have time to access my father’s money, and that means dealing with Slider.”
“I will take care of Slider,” I assured her.
“How?”
“I’ll have him behind bars by tomorrow night.”
“Really?”
“You have my word.” I gathered the blankets and headed towards the front of the truck. “Get in.”
“Where are we going?” she asked as she walked over to the passenger side and climbed in.
“This is the part where you have to start trusting me, Zoe.” After I tossed the blankets into the backseat, I started the truck and headed towards the warehouse. Big and the others were there w
aiting for my return, so I reached for my phone and sent them a message, letting them know I was on my way and I had Zoe with me. I knew they’d be surprised, but no more surprised than she would be. Knowing I needed to explain, I turned to her and said, “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Okay?”
I turned my attention back to the road as I told her, “I can’t go into detail, but The Chosen Knights took something from us… and you don’t take from Satan’s Fury without paying the consequences.”
“Are you saying the brothers stole from Satan’s Fury?”
“I am, and they are going to pay for that shit.” Without taking my eyes off the road, I said, “We could really use your help.”
“My help? How?”
“I’ll let Big explain everything when we get to the warehouse.”
“No,” she snapped. “I want you to explain everything now.”
I knew it would be hard for her to hear, especially since I hadn’t been upfront with her from the start. I wish I could’ve told her, but I didn’t have a choice. None of us knew for certain how she felt about the club, so there was no way of knowing if she could be trusted. I was supposed to get close to her and keep it friendly, but I’d fucked it all up by falling for her. “We’ve been trying to get intel on them for days. We need someone on the inside… someone who has access to the club.”
As I pulled up into the warehouse parking lot, she glared at me as she crossed her arms. “And you want me to help with this?”
“I know it won’t be easy, but if you do this, we’ll be able to shut them down for good.”
“So, you being here really wasn’t about me at all. It was just about getting back at the club for stealing from you.”
“You don’t honestly believe that, do you?”
