by Lynn Burke
“So, you obviously don’t give a fuck about Ryker’s orders.” I found myself smiling, my self-hug loosening slightly.
“The only way I’m going to stay away from you is if you tell me to, Dasia.”
Tension simmered to life between us, and I chewed on the inside of my lip. That damn war...
“Not gonna push you,” he continued when I didn’t answer, “but if you’re interested in defying Ryker along with me, you won’t hear one complaint from my lips.”
Said lips snagged my attention, the soft curve and lingering smirk creating all sorts of fun flutters in my belly.
“I’m not in any frame of mind to even think about getting involved,” I said, more for my own mind set than his.
“Then let me be your friend.”
“With benefits?” I couldn’t help but ask to see where his true intentions lay.
“Only if you want.”
Oh, the temptation … I expected Devil, hot as fuck bad boy biker, could show me what fucking was supposed to be like.
“I’d like to be your friend,” I whispered what I knew was proper—safe. “But that’s it.”
He studied my face so intently, I wanted to melt beneath his gaze. “Just for now?”
I couldn’t answer, because I didn’t know. While a consensual fuck or ten sounded like a kickass time, my soaked panties evidence of that truth, I imagined getting involved with Devil would only leave me with a broken heart.
With those eyes, those lips, he could probably coax any normal woman into his bed. Or bending over his bike. Or dropping to her knees.
God.
A shiver rippled over me, and I focused on the reality of my current life. I wouldn’t be staying long term—that much I knew for certain.
Anything beyond friendship wasn’t in our cards even if I had the balls he claimed to choose over the aversion my mind felt over my body’s desire for him.
“Come on,” he said, tipping his head toward the door leading outside. “I caught sight of those brownies you brought. We’ll be lucky if all those rug rats left any for the adults.”
“They’d better,” I said, moving up the hallway, relieved to be thinking and talking about something else. “They’re dark fudge—best kind ever.”
“No walnuts?”
I grimaced, shaking my head. “Hell, no.”
He chuckled and pushed the door outward, the sun warming my face. “Damn right.”
Hours passed, and darkness slowly took over the sky. A couple of bon fires lit the area, but it was Devil’s continued stare that heated me through. I’d danced on stage, pranced around naked enough to know when a man lusted after me, but with Devil...
That man twisted me up inside in every way imaginable until my head ached. He might think he wanted me, but if he learned the depth of sickness eating away inside my damn brain, he’d take the hell off and never look back.
I’d poured my story out to Pia, but maybe I needed to see a therapist. My body had certainly been on board with whatever Devil had in mind, but my head made my skin crawl even while shivering with excitement.
Twice, during the rest of the night, Devil hung around near Pia, Ryker, and me as groups intermingled and a few of the brothers started laughing and talking louder.
A handful of women ended up dancing like I’d expected, and the itch to join them had my knee hopping while I leaned onto the picnic table, chin propped up in my palm.
Giada and Shaun both joined in the dancing, asking me to come along with them, but I declined, knowing Devil’s gaze would be plastered on me. For the first time in my life, self-doubt over my dancing burrowed into my brain.
I didn’t need any man’s attention on me. Didn’t want it in that way.
But, maybe that would someday change. Maybe I would change, and my body and head would be on the same page, willing to trust a man enough to let him in.
Hope clung like a stubborn bitch, especially as Ryker lay his hand on Pia’s lower back as they went upstairs to bed a few hours later, leaving me alone in their living room. He’d had an aversion to touch when they’d first met, Pia had confided in me. And even though he still had issues here and there, she told me he was a different man. Healed for the most part and thriving in their newfound love.
Perhaps I would heal one day, too. Perhaps one day the broken part of me would be glued back together and I could find my knight in shining armor.
Curling up in bed a short time later, Devil’s sweatshirt against my nose, I prayed it was possible.
Chapter Six
Devil
I heard through the grapevine—Sully while at the cook out—that Dasia was going to work in the chop shop’s office starting Monday. Even though I knew Ryker would be around, I knew he enjoyed greasing up his hands with his head under a hood. He wouldn’t hover over Dasia in the office all day, and I needed to be around her somehow.
Besides, my showing up at the compound wouldn’t be out of the ordinary. Fuck knew I spent enough time there since I had nobody and nothing but computers to keep me company at home.
The chop shop sat at the back of the compound’s acreage which bordered state land to keep prying eyes from taking too much interest in our going ons. I parked at the edge of the gravel lot alongside the shop—closest to the office door. Bag and drink carrier in hand, I hunched up a bit in my sweatshirt against the colder breeze, and hurried to the locked door.
Praying Ryker wouldn’t answer and I’d have at least a few seconds to talk to Dasia, I pressed the intercom button with my elbow.
“Yes?” a female voice I recognized answered, bringing an all-out grin to my face.
“It’s Devil, and I come bearing gifts.”
“What kind of gifts?”
I chuckled. “Coffee and dark fudge brownies.”
A buzz and click sounded, and I shoved the bag beneath my arm to wrench open the door.
Dasia sat across the office behind Ryker’s desk, the sight of her smile, pink cheeks, and bright blue eyes fresh without a hint of makeup slamming me in the chest.
Holy fuck, she did strange things to me.
“Hey,” she said as I moved into the office, completely fucking enchanted by the little redhead whose memory I’d jerked off to the night before—twice.
“Hey, back.” I set the bag and coffees onto the desk without taking my eyes off hers. “You’re beautiful.”
She laughed lightly, seemingly much more at ease than Saturday at the cookout. “Thanks.”
She even knew how to take a damn compliment.
“You look like a cream and extra sugar kinda girl,” I said, handing her one of the coffees.
Her smile widened, and she reached for the cup, her fingers grazing against mine.
My dick twitched even though I’d emptied my goddamn balls less than an hour earlier—to thoughts of Dasia tied to my bed, thighs spread wide, and panting. Begging.
I cleared my throat and ripped my attention off her plump lips as she sipped. “Ryker around?” I asked, glancing toward the door leading into the shop. Glass made up the top portion, but I didn’t see his ugly mug beyond.
“Yeah. He’s actually tuning up an old Kia of Sully’s. Said I could have it for a couple hundred bucks.”
“You’ll have your own wheels.”
“For the first time, ever.” Happiness coated every word leaving her lips, and I turned to find her eyes revealing a depth of vulnerability I’d yet to see on her face.
While I didn’t want to kill the mood, I wanted to know Dasia fucking inside and out. Needed to burrow deep if I wanted to infiltrate her life in the way I planned on doing—legally and consensually. Eventually.
My balls and dick ached for those three weeks to pass, but I would give her however fuck the long she needed to let her walls down and allow a man touch her again.
“Ryker tells me you’ve been in foster care your whole life.”
“Until recently, yeah.”
“It’s a fucking shame—your mom has no fucking
clue what she gave up.”
Lips pursed, all hint of her smile gone, Dasia glanced at the bag I still held in my hand. “That for me?”
I handed it over, letting her take the lead if she didn’t want to talk. “No walnuts.”
She pulled the brownie out, sank her teeth into it, and the resulting moan set me at full mast, ready to fucking go.
“So, how’s work?” Even I heard the strain in my voice while I fought the urge to adjust my bulge.
“Good.” She glanced around the dusty office with its knickknacks, old filing cabinets dented from fists and who knew what the fuck else, and the paper riddled desk in front of her. “This isn’t a legit shop, is it?” she asked and took another bite as I pretended to straighten one of the club pictures across the office from her.
I shrugged and lounged onto the chair beneath the picture. “You’ll have to ask your boss that one. He at least paying you good money?”
“Good enough to keep my lips sealed shut, yeah,” she said around her mouthful. “Under the table, too.”
Said boss man pushed into the office, glaring when he noticed my sitting there. “The fuck you doing here?”
“Relax, Ryker. I’m just hanging out with my new friend,” I told him with a grin while motioning toward Dasia. “Brought her a brownie since we missed out on hers Saturday.”
He grunted something about only being seventeen.
“I brought a black, bitter coffee for your grumpy ass, too.”
“Thanks,” he muttered, picking the other cup off the desk. “You okay, kid?” he asked Dasia.
She smiled while glancing at me and nodded. “Yeah.”
“This cocksucker bothers you, let me know. I’ll break his pretty face for you.”
She blinked up at Ryker, her eyes widening. “Don’t you dare!”
Ryker’s scowl deepened. “Fuck.” He glanced over at me and pointed toward the door. “Break time’s over. She’s got work to do.”
I stood and sauntered toward the door, but took an eyeful of Dasia before pulling it open. “See ya later, Jail Bait.”
The music of her laughter followed me through the door, cutting off too damn abruptly as it slammed shut behind me as though Ryker kicked it. Chuckling, I tucked my chin into my sweatshirt and hurried back toward my truck.
****
I dialed up Stone as soon as I pulled my F250 into my garage twenty minutes later. “Got an opening in that morning karate class?” I asked him.
“What?”
“I feel like I’m getting fat.” I pinched at next to nothing but skin on my abs.
He huffed a snort. “Your skinny ass is fucking ripped.”
“Wouldn’t mind knowing how to fight like you,” I tried again. “I’m good with a damn keyboard, but not my fists. I need you to turn me into a badass mother-fucker, brother.”
“Planning on getting into a fight sometime soon?”
I considered Ryker’s protectiveness over Dasia and wondered if it would last after she turned eighteen. Knowing him, it would. “I wouldn’t be surprised if a bloody nose or three lay in my future.”
He laughed. “Just stay the fuck away from her, you stupid fuck.”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, shoving my truck door open.
“You couldn’t keep your damn eyes off her Saturday.”
“She’s hot as fuck, what can I say?”
“She’s also just as hot for you—but if you don’t want to fuck up that already hawk-like nose any more, I’d do as Ryker says and keep your damn paws off.”
“We’re just friends.”
“Uh huh, and Giada’s ugly as shit.”
I let myself into my house, making tsking noises. “I’m telling her you said that.”
“Fuck off, Devil.”
“Sign me up for Dasia’s class, and my lips are sealed.”
“Stay the fuck away from Dasia or I’ll tell Ryker.”
“Goddamnit, Stone. Help a brother out!”
“I am—Ryker. Dasia’s too young for your ass.”
I scowled while kicking my door shut. “I’m only thirty for fuck’s sake.”
“Twelve years difference.”
I tossed my keys onto the island. “And Warden has sixteen on Shaun so what’s your real issue here?”
“If I need to say it out loud, then I’m right.”
“Fuck off,” I grumbled and hung up before he could spout off any new shit I didn’t already know.
Dasia was damaged goods and I had a kink that would probably set her off. But maybe I was exactly what she needed. Still grumbling, I stomped up the stairs for the office—and my monitors that didn’t judge or bark orders at me.
A few clicks and I sat back grinning—that tiny camera on top of the picture across from Dasia’s new desk wasn’t in color, but good enough to feed my obsession.
Jail bait if I got found out—but I knew how to cover my ass.
Sick fuck, too—but I enjoyed the hell out of watching her clean off Ryker’s desk anyway.
Chapter Seven
Dasia
I had wheels, and even though both Ryker and Pia didn’t like my going anywhere alone, by the end of the week they let me go to my karate class without an escort. Ryker had claimed everything was quiet on the Ivan front as far as he and his brothers knew—I also found out that Devil was their tech nerd, but he was as far from nerd looking as one could be in my opinion.
His sweatshirt still wrapped around me at night, but hardly a remnant of his scent lingered. I still found comfort in it, though, remembering how he’d been so careful and cautious when offering it to me.
A good man, I told myself even while another part of me claimed he was a naughty boy.
Either way, he turned me on, and whenever I couldn’t sleep, I found myself thinking of him and those bedroom eyes and curved lips while touching myself. Twice I dreamed he’d been the one to tie me up, and I woke with my heart pounding but not from fear. Both times, my panties were a sopping mess, too.
Sick.
Frowning, I parked in front of the dojo and grabbed my water bottle off the passenger seat. Pia had suggested I speak with a therapist, but Ryker shot that shit down since he didn’t want anyone knowing where I was. He even had Stone and Sensei Jason calling me by a different name—DeeDee for Dasia Diane. I’d have preferred a whole different name, but whatever. The man let me stay at his house for free and fed me, too.
Listening to them go at it sometimes, though...
Headboard banging wasn’t so bad, but Ryker did not know how to keep quiet. In all the foster homes I’d been in, I’d never heard a man make so much damn noise when fucking.
Kinda skeeved me the hell out, but Pia’s voice always rose in the end too, and as long as she was happy, I decided to not give a fuck. A pillow over the head sufficed somewhat. Better than nothing, anyway.
Blowing out a heavy exhale to rid my mind of thoughts of them fucking and ready for karate, I hopped out of my new old car, waving at one of the moms who headed toward the building—Lini, I think her name was.
“DeeDee!”
I turned to find another classmate loping toward me, a goofy grin on his face. “Hey, Jack.”
A not pleasant shiver slid over me as he did a quick up and down over my body with his shit brown eyes, but I kept my smile in place, not wanting to make any waves that would bring attention to me.
“Looking good, girl,” he said, elbowing me as I continued toward the dojo’s front door.
“Thanks,” I forced myself to mutter.
He didn’t hop forward to get the door for me, so I pulled it open, his whistle and something groaned about my ass directly after turned my stomach.
I hurried toward the far end of the dojo and Sensei Jason who chatted with another class mate. I also waited until Jack took a place on the mats so I could pick one on the opposite side.
We had to partner up for part of the class, and I latched onto Lini like a lifeline, especially since Jack blat
antly checked me out non-fucking stop throughout class. I’d taken note of him the first two classes, but had been too caught up in my own nervousness over the newness of karate to pay much attention to a leering guy.
But that Friday? Yeah. Skeeve city.
I hung close to Lini, even exiting the building with her after Jack had left. Lini took off before I realized the leering asshole had pulled his car up alongside mine.
He cranked down his window when I neared, but I ignored him, focusing on the keys in my hand and the lock my shaking hand would need to shove it into.
“DeeDee!” he called.
“What?” I hollered back without looking at him.
“Grab some breakfast with me.”
“Can’t. Gotta work.”
“Come on, girl.”
I heard his car door shut, and fuck unlocking and trying to get myself in my car—I turned and hurried back toward the dojo, my heart racing so damn bad my throat wanted to close off.
“DeeDee!”
“Forgot something!” I half-squeaked while hurrying away from him, thoughts of Ivan getting me in his car only to knock me out with a fist giving me an adrenaline rush I didn’t know how to handle.
I shook from head to toe, and a sob caught in my throat as Sensei Jason’s gaze landed on me. He frowned and met me halfway across the dojo even though the next class lingered around, eyeing me like I was a damn psycho or something.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, grasping both my arms gently and leaning down to look into my eyes.
“J-just got spooked...”
He knew enough from Stone to figure out what I’d meant, and grasped my hand. “Come on.”
Once inside his office, he handed me a box of tissues so I could wipe up the tears on my face.
“Want me to call Ryker?” he asked, arms crossed and looming over me as I slumped in a chair, the adrenaline crash leaving me a shaking mess.
“Devil,” I whispered on a rushed exhale.
Sensei Jason picked up his phone without question while I considered my request. Ryker would protect me to the death, I had no doubt, but he left me feeling a little nervous. Not in a bad way, just afraid he’d kill whatever guy made me uncomfortable. I couldn’t have that with Pia being pregnant.
