Placing everything on the bedside table, I hold my hand out to Kazz. “Want me to put him back in his habitat? I’ll give him some crickets.”
She hands him over and gives me a smile. A smile I know must hurt with half of her face wounded, even with the whole high pain tolerance shit. Well, it damn well hurts for me to see. I quickly take care of Kazz and make a pit stop in the kitchen to wash my hands before strolling back to the bedroom. I grab my coffee and take a seat in the lazy chair.
She has her eyes pinned on the TV, so I raise my voice a little to know she hears me as I tell her, “Your sister’s been asking to see you.”
Her head slowly turns my way. “I don’t want to see her.”
“If you don’t want to see her, you can reach out in other ways. My laptop is right there.” As soon as the word laptop rolls off my tongue, she jumps and the coffee almost sloshes over the mug.
Her eyes are filled with horror as if she only now notices there’s a monster in the room. Utter fury swirls through my veins. She’s a damn computer genius and the fucker who took her ripped that away from her too.
When I found her, she was tied to a damn chair and she couldn’t even reach her face, all she could reach was a fucking keyboard. I noticed she didn’t even want to touch my phone in the days we were in the safe house together but now? The mere mention of a damn laptop scares the shit out of her.
I place my cup on the bedside table, stalk to the laptop and take the thing to the room where all my computers are and make sure I’ve locked the door before I take my place in the lazy chair.
Reva reaches out to grab my mug and hold it out to me, her eyes filled with fucking gratitude. There. That right fucking there. This woman’s managed to get under my skin and headed straight to my heart to make a home for herself. And I fucking revel in it.
Chapter 02
***Reva***
He hasn’t left my side ever since the moment he stepped into the room where I was held captive. Some would classify me as having a hero complex because of how he swooped in and saved me. It would undeniably be the reason for someone to fall head over heels for the guy.
Maybe.
But to be completely honest? It’s the understanding part. The not making me voice discomfort or pushing me into things I can’t or will not do. During the short time we’ve spent together he knows my limits. And yet he doesn’t shelter me.
He tells me exactly how it is and never holds back to tell me his opinion about things. And the not pushing me part? He offers me a way out but also expects me to offer him something in return. A compromise.
Like how I wanted to ask him something when I woke up. I did, and yet I didn’t want to ask him. So, I didn’t. Another thing about this man; he can see me. Everything. It’s as if I can’t hide anything from his sharp gaze.
“You ready to tell me what was on your mind when you woke up?” North’s voice rumbles in that hard tone he always uses when he wants to be sure I hear him.
See? He never lets things slide either. And he knows every little detail about me because of him saving me, he needed to be informed about the person who was missing; me. And it seems my sister also mentioned about my hearing. Something I’ve wiped away all records of. Yet he doesn’t treat me any differently, he only acts differently like now, adding the snap so he knows I can’t ignore him while all I want to do is ignore him.
I’m not a shy, delicate wallflower or anything. I just like to keep to myself. I’ve also never had a real relationship. I’m not a virgin, not by a long shot. I’ve had three different hookups who all said I wasn’t a great lay.
I blamed it on them. Or maybe it was me. Whatever. In my mind the guy should make you hot with one glance. And with one glance I mean he truly looks at you as if his next breath depends on it. The need and desire to touch and ignite a fire so hot we both would instantly explode.
Yes. I might have had my standards set a little too high when it came to my first sexual experiences. So, you might say they were right; it was me, I wasn’t a great lay. Or maybe I should have waited for the right guy who did light me up with one look.
Someone like North.
Shit. Maybe I do have a hero complex. But I’m very much aware North isn’t a hero by standards. The look in his eyes tells me he has killed and will kill again if necessary, without a single remorse. There’s also the fact he’s a biker. Broken Deeds MC. I kept a whole file about them on my computer at work. Not about the bikers, but about the jobs they succeed at.
It was my favorite pastime to find cold cases and help those people by shoving the information Broken Deeds’ way. I was intrigued by them and have been sneakily shoving cases their way, keeping track of how they were solved. I couldn’t care less if I never touch a computer again. Bad memories. Let’s keep it at that. But Broken Deeds MC? Good memories.
Each and every one of them were completely taken care of and were brought to justice in their own way. If these guys take a case, they get the job done. Needless to say, most times the criminal who needs to be caught ends up dead but, believe me, each and every one of those criminals deserved it.
My sister knew about my healthy obsession to keep track of some of the cases Broken Deeds handled. When they kidnapped me, I prayed Broken Deeds would be contacted. But days went by and I lost all hope. Being tied to a chair behind a computer all day and at night locked in a storage closet with only a mattress on the floor for days and days will do that to a person.
And then there was North. Brought into the room with me by a guy who worked for Shade. He told North not to mind me. I was someone who needed a little longer to be persuaded into working for them long-term.
Ice ran through my veins when North laughed with him and looked at me with such an intense gaze. He grabbed a chair and started to work on a computer next to me. And when Shade’s guy left the room, I was afraid he would do something to me because of the way he looked at me. I knew I couldn’t do anything because I was tied to the chair. A few deep breaths later and he indeed stood up to face me.
I squeezed my eyes shut from what was to come but even now, after days, I can feel his hot breath next to my ear as he told me about my sister trying to turn my Kazz into a vegetarian. Then he mentioned he was North, a member of Broken Deeds MC who was sent to get me out of there. I might have choked on a sob or two.
And he did get me out. Every time he promises something, he follows through. In all my life I’ve never met a single person with that kind of reputation. I mean, my sister is always there for me, always does what she can, but you know how life gets in the way of things and you have to go back on your word? Yeah, you don’t hold them responsible, it’s logical. But North? He will shake the earth on its foundation to make good on his promise.
It’s also the reason why I made him promise to keep my sister away from me. When I cut away the burn marks from my skin because I couldn’t bear to look at them anymore, he had no choice but to get me to a doctor. I didn’t think about it at the time I was doing it; I just wanted the reminder gone. But I needed more than a few stitches and yes, something to knock me out so I could sleep instead of waking up every damn moment from horrible nightmares to relive what I went through.
He’s always right. Another thing that should be annoying and yet he has this strength clung to him when it turns out he is right about something. Not to gloat, or at least he never gloats about it when it comes to me.
“Reva,” North snaps. “You’re doing it again. Get out of your head and aim that brilliant mind of yours in my direction and tell me what thoughts were going through it when you woke up.”
“You,” I snap back.
And dammit, that wasn’t my intention but sometimes he riles me up and instead of being nice and timid, I snap out my words. The sly smile slowly spreading his face doesn’t help calm me down. Instead, it pisses me off. The way he easily knows how to get to me because he knows exactly what was bugging me is agitating.
“Is there a reason why you were sitti
ng in the chair and not lying in the bed next to me?” There, I’ve said it.
The sly smile turns into a smug one. “See, cupcake? It wasn’t that hard to get out that little question, now was it?” He leans forward but I know he doesn’t expect me to answer his question. “You were safely in my bed—dead to the world—I thought you didn’t need to be wrapped in my arms to make you feel safe, but clearly I was wrong.”
My gaze hits the sheets. I can’t look him in the eyes when his voice turns all husky and sweet.
Not to mention it aggravates me when he calls me cupcake and it makes me grumble, “Don’t call me cupcake. I should bake you a freaking cupcake and shove it in your piehole.”
His head tips back and he laughs. In this moment I wish my hearing was better than the faint sound because the carefree laughter distantly hitting my ear makes my chest squeeze and my throat starts to clog up.
Dammit. I’m such a freaking mess. Burned and now sliced up face, deaf on one side and the other ear is just working on half capacity. Not to mention the trauma of what I just went through. Who would ever want a woman with a long list of issues? My eyes burn and I squeeze them tight to prevent tears from falling.
The bed dips and through my blurry gaze I can see him reach out. I should flinch because his hand is going for the mutilated side of my face but I don’t. If there’s one person I trust, it’s him. And he proves it to me again when his rough fingers gently cup the back of my neck.
I’ve found out this man rarely does something without thinking through every angle. He deliberately chose this side of my face to reach out, to show me he doesn’t care how it looks. And this is the exact reason I can’t face my sister yet. The pity and guilt in her eyes and the load of emotions along with it.
“Why the tears, sweet thing?” His gentle tone drives away the reasons that made me emotional. I can’t stop the laughter filling my body when he adds, “Don’t tell me you can’t fucking bake ‘cause your sister told me you make the best cheesecake known to the world and I was kinda keeping your ass alive long enough to have a taste of your fine abilities.”
“Abilities,” I murmur, suddenly struck by an ice bucket because someone actually did keep me alive—tied to a chair—for my abilities.
There’s a rough squeeze on the back of my neck along with a snap of the words, “Hey, don’t fucking go there.” He places his forehead against mine and softens his tone. “You know I always make good on my promises, and I promised to keep you safe. Someone taking advantage of you, making you do something against your will…I’ll fucking kill ‘em, understood?”
Safe. Even if he saved me and with it, his job is done and he could leave me in the care of others, he’s still here taking care of me. His whole demeanor sends off waves wrapping me in the safety he freely gives me. And the way his eyes are filled with the promise he just voiced is also making butterflies do the hokey pokey inside my belly.
He’s so close. His scent is teasing my nose. It’s a woodsy scent with a kick of spice and vanilla. I want to kiss him so badly. And more. Definitely more because something tells me it won’t compare to any sexual experience I’ve had.
“Now there’s a look in your eyes I can easily agree with,” North murmurs and places a quick kiss on my nose before he pulls back. “Too soon, cupcake. Too soon. But there will come a time I won’t hold back to take what went through your mind just now.”
I feel my body heat up by his words and instantly feel cold when he steps away.
“Dammit.” The word leaves my lips before I can stop it.
North freezes from getting up and swings his gaze back to mine. His head tips slightly and I refuse to look away this time. The frustration that made this single word slip out is still clawing at the surface. I want him. Badly.
I might not be right in the head but I don’t care. All the things I went through these last few days were wrapped with pain, fear, hurt, horror, everything bad while North? He makes all the opposite feelings run freely inside me. And I’m damn well allowed to feel good.
He slowly inches closer to me but stops and lifts one eyebrow in challenge. It’s as if he is challenging me to see if I have the fight left in me to act on the frustration he lights up inside me. See? This man sees too much or knows how to see through me and flawlessly reads what’s on my mind.
Like I said; I’m not a shy, delicate wallflower. It’s for this reason I lean forward to close the distance between us. My lips meet his and an overwhelming flow of senses assaults me. The softness of his lips, his warmth, the way my belly starts to tingle along with the place between my legs.
The low rumble in his chest fuels my guts to sneak out my tongue to trace his bottom lip. His hands reach out, one behind my head, the other cupping the good side of my face to be able to guide my head to the side as he now starts to attack my mouth.
I can’t explain it any other way. As if a wild horse was caged only to be left to kick down the fence to get his first taste of freedom back. This is the feeling flowing through me and it’s safe to say he feels the exact same way.
My fingers dig into the fabric of his shirt but I loosen my hold and slide them down to rip it from his jeans; I need to feel my nails raking his skin. The instant they do the kiss turns into a frenzy. The both of us are now fighting with our tongues while our hands roam our bodies. Heat. Lust. Insatiable cravings. The promise of pleasure is fueling our actions.
But we instantly freeze when a harsh voice bellows through the air, “North, I need a word.”
“Fuck,” North grumbles against my mouth as he pulls back and locks eyes with me. “So much for holding back, huh?” The sly smile sliding over his face is doing funny things to my body. His thumb slowly slides over my bottom lip. “You’ve sealed your fate by taking the first step. No going back now.”
“North!” the voice bellows again.
A frustrated sound rumbles through his chest loud enough for me to pick up as he stands and stalks to the door. Ripping it open he bellows, “Where’s the fuckin’ fire, Kray?”
I know he’s talking to Kray but I can’t hear a thing. Stupid hearing. I wish I had Kazz with me so I could cuddle him close. Sounds weird but Kazz is more than just a reptile or a pet. He’s my buddy. Someone who will always be there when I feel like crap. Well, not always because he sometimes gets pissy when he’s sleeping and I want to pick him up. Then I have no choice but to leave him alone.
Like now, I have no choice but to stare at the TV and wait for North to be done talking. I glance around the room and it makes me aware I’m done with sitting around. Even more when I think back how North mentioned something about my cheesecake. My hands itch to do something and I wonder what this man’s kitchen looks like. Maybe I could make breakfast other than the crackers he brought.
Movement catches my attention and I watch North stroll back to the bed. His strong hands are placed on his hips. “I need to head out for a couple of hours.”
“Okay,” I tell him while panic starts to claw at my chest.
The mattress dips as he sits down and takes my hand to give it a squeeze. “You good with Kray stayin’ with you? I know you don’t want to see your sister, but she’s his Old Lady and is staying in his house so it’s either just Kray, or both will be hanging around here.”
“Why do you have to leave?” I ask, ignoring his question for now.
“Church. My Prez called a meeting and I need to be there to get them up to speed about what happened in the days I was gone. I should have done that the second I was back but I didn’t want to leave you.”
Shit. My shoulders sag because he’s right. He should have debriefed them the second he was back.
“Stop it.” His hard snap reaches my good ear with ferocity, making me wince. A curse follows after it, softer this time. “Nothing about this is your fuckin’ fault, Reva. And don’t let me see that defeated look on you again or I’ll spank your ass. Fuck. I shouldn’t have said that.”
I have to curl my lips around my teeth to
prevent myself from laughing. Such a turnaround but to hear him say this does make me feel good. He shouldn’t hold back to voice what’s on his mind, not ever. This guy has given me so much. Besides my freedom he has just given me the boost of confidence to take the first step to take my life back. With a mere freaking kiss.
“You stop it,” I tell him and grab a fistful of his shirt. “No one spanked my ass or touched me sexually, so don’t pussyfoot around me with your words. We agreed back in the cabin when you rescued me. How we were safe and how you wouldn’t look at me any differently. We agreed. Besides, us kissing would have told you I’d rather have the normality of things; the pleasure in life. Rather than to be reminded of what happened and let it affect my future. Yes, there will be lots of triggers thrown in my path to make those ugly feelings rooted in my brain surface. But you know what? I might be taking my time but I will get through it, because at the same time I’m choosing to live. The first step was when I changed the burns on my face and made them mine. So, you’d better speak your mind and be sure to follow through on your word.” Because the thought of you spanking my ass makes me want to dash up and wave said ass in the air. I’m smart enough not to voice that last part but it’s the truth.
Shit. I might be losing my mind in an effort to seek pleasure and distraction from what’s in front of me. The thought of him leaving for a few hours suddenly sounds appealing. It might give me the space I need to calm my raging need to throw myself at him. How embarrassing.
Chapter 03
***North***
“Feisty,” I whisper to myself and even if she didn’t hear me, I can clearly tell she read my lips.
Normally I’m not one to appreciate women who bite back at every turn but this one? The timid woman who assesses any situation carefully before speaking her mind has managed to bite back a few times without thinking when I either rile her up or fuck up. And to be honest? It only makes her more attractive.
North: Broken Deeds MC Page 2
