by Nicola Jane
When I pull back, she glares at me. “What the fuck was that?” she hisses. “I heard you and Bonnie less than five minutes ago.”
“It’s not what you think,” I begin.
“It never is with men like you,” she huffs. “It sounded pretty much like you were keeping her on hold in case you got lucky with me!”
“Fuck, that’s not what that was,” I groan. “I haven’t had—” I stop talking when Rock passes on his way to the bathroom. “Shit,” I grumble.
I take Anna by the hand and pull her towards my office. She tries to get free, but I turn to her, my patience wearing thin. “Stop!” I warn and she glowers at me.
“Make me,” she hisses. I swoop down and throw her over my shoulder. “Riggs!” she yells, hitting my lower back with her small fists. I grin because she’s no idea how her fighting turns me the fuck on.
Once we step inside the office, I place her down. “I’ve never had sex with Bonnie. She stays in my bed, but we don’t do anything like that.” Anna stares at me sceptically. “I don’t sleep,” I confess. I tap the side of my head. “It’s always fucking busy in here. I know it sounds fucked up, but the only time I can sleep for more than an hour at a time is if someone’s sleeping next to me.”
“Like a comfort blanket?” she mutters.
“Maybe,” I shrug. “Who fucking knows? I just know it works, and if I don’t sleep, then this place goes to shit. I’m crazy when I’m tired.” It’s the most I’ve ever told someone I hardly know, especially a woman. Even Bonnie’s never had a full explanation. I rake my fingers over my head. “It sounds stupid, but it’s the truth. Bonnie and I aren’t fucking.”
Chapter Nine
Anna
I throw myself at Riggs. It’s my body’s automatic reaction to him and the confession he just gave me. I’m tired of suppressing how I really feel and the shots of alcohol that Eva plied me with have helped loosen me up.
He catches me with a surprised look on his face. I wrap my legs around his waist and press my lips to his. This seems to kickstart him into action and he holds me tight against him. We kiss and nip at each other hungrily. His hands squeeze my ass and I can feel his erection through his jeans. I grind against him, unashamed because I need him. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt attractive or wanted, but he makes me feel both of those things with just one smouldering look.
We crash against the office wall and the pictures shake from the impact. “Lose the shirt,” he growls. I waste no time pulling it over my head and dropping it to the floor.
He kisses me hungrily. His mouth works down my neck and chest until he’s tugging the cup of my lace bra down. He nips the soft plump flesh and flicks his tongue over my erect nipple. I hiss, throwing my head back and arching my back from the wall. The feel of his beard against my skin is causing reactions way down deep and soaking my panties. I begin rubbing myself against him again, needing to feel friction there.
He lowers me to my feet and towers over me with his hands at either side of my head. “Lose the bra,” he demands. I reach around the back and unclip it. It falls to the floor as his mouth goes to my other breast. His kisses work down my body until he’s on his knees before me. He tugs my shorts down my legs and groans when he comes face to face with my soaked panties. His kisses against my inner thigh become rougher, his beard grazing the sensitive skin there.
He gently lifts my leg and places it over his shoulder. I look down, watching as he moves my panties to one side. I’m torn between needing to feel his mouth on me and wanting to hide. I feel so exposed yet so sexy all at the same time.
He doesn’t give me a chance to reconsider or stop him. His tongue sweeps up the length of my pussy in a swift motion that causes me to jerk. It’s so sensitive that I almost climax right away.
“Fuck, you taste good. If you are the last thing I taste before I die, I’ll die happy,” he mutters. He repeats the motion again like he’s leisurely licking an ice cream. I cry out and my legs almost buckle from underneath me. He runs a finger over my opening and slowly pushes it inside of me. “You ready, Angel?” he asks. I run my fingers over his head. I want him back there, but at the same time, I want to push him away. I feel like jelly and I can’t form the words, so I stare down at him lazily and nod my head. He smirks. “Keep your eyes on me. It’s sexy as fuck,” he growls. He presses his mouth against my pussy and begins a punishing and relentless act of licking, sucking, and nipping. I’m so close to the edge that tears leak from the corners of my eyes and my head falls back against the wall.
Riggs nips my inner thigh. “Eyes, Anna!” he growls in warning and I bring my head back to watch him. He circles his thumb over the swollen bud and smirks when I cry out again.
A warmth burns through my body and I shudder hard. I grip his head to steady myself as an intense orgasm rips me apart. I shake and shudder uncontrollably. It’s something I’ve never experienced before, and when I look back at Riggs, I feel so exposed that I drop my leg back to the ground and instantly cover myself with my hands. He rises to his feet with a satisfied smile on his face. He uses his thumbs to wipe the tears from my eyes and then licks the salty water from each. “We need to get back out there.”
Panic and guilt hit me hard. “Fuck,” I hiss, grabbing my shorts. “I left Malia.”
“She’s fine.” He smiles, looking relaxed. “My mom is watching her and Ziggy. Plus, Eva’s there.”
“That’s not the point. I left my child with a bunch of strangers while I let you . . . well, you know,” I mutter as I pull my clothes back on. “I don’t usually do that,” I mutter, feeling like he needs to know I’m not the kind of girl to hook up with strangers.
He catches my hand before I can rush off and moves in close, invading my space again. “Don’t do that. Don’t push me away like what we just shared wasn’t fucking hot. If that’s how hard you come from just my mouth, imagine what it’ll be like when I fuck you,” he whispers close to my ear. “You’re not the type of girl to fuck around, I hear that. But now I’ve had a taste of you, I won’t be letting you go easily.”
He takes me by the hand and leads me back outside. Everyone is exactly how they were when we went, laughing and chatting. Meanwhile, my legs are threatening to give way from his alpha threat. I should be alarmed, but I’m weak for a bossy ass and Riggs only needs to look at me to make me want to rip off my clothes and lay myself out for him. I give my head a shake. What the fuck is wrong with me?
Malia is still exactly where I left her— sitting on the picnic blanket next to Ziggy, eating a burger. My heart swells with love around the same time that mom guilt kicks in. Do I really want another man in my life after everything I’ve already been through? He has the ability to distract me so much that I neglected her for a short time.
Eva eyes where our hands are joined and arches her brow. I pull my hand free and Riggs gives me a quizzical stare. “You let me eat your pussy, but you don’t wanna hold my hand?” he asks.
“Shh,” I hiss. “Things got a little out of hand back there,” I mutter. “Maybe we—”
Riggs shakes his head in disbelief. “No!” he snaps. “You’re not doing that. Fuck, Anna.” He mutters, “You’re gonna make me lose my mind with this hot and cold bullshit.” He shakes his head and mutters something as he storms away from me.
I drop down next to Eva and bury my face in my hands. “Man trouble?” she asks with a laugh.
“For a change,” I say sarcastically.
“I wouldn’t mind if Riggs was the reason for my man trouble,” she grins, wiggling her eyebrows.
“I hear you have your own hot admirer.” I smirk and when she looks at me blankly, I add, “Cree?”
“What?” She laughs. “He hardly spoke two words to me. He seems a bit moody for me.”
“Um, brooding hot man,” I say, wiggling my eyebrows back at her, and she giggles. “Maybe he’s just shy around girls,” I suggest.
Eva scoffs. “Have you seen the size of him? He puts the Hulk to shame.
Guys like that know women well. I can’t imagine he’s shy or scared to talk to women. I think he just dislikes me . . . a lot. Anywho, stop changing the subject from you and Riggs. What happened?”
I feel myself blushing and Eva gasps like she’s just added two and two together and came up with five. “No,” I mutter. “We didn’t have sex,” I clarify, and she looks disappointed. “It doesn’t even matter because nothing can happen between us.”
“Why?” she asks.
“Umm, let me think,” I say sarcastically while tapping my chin. “My psycho ex for a start. Then there’s the fact he lets a girl who he’s not actually in a relationship with share his bed every night, and he tells me it’s complicated. He’s in a gang. He’s got a messed-up ex too. The list goes on.”
“He’s good looking. He’s big and scary so he might manage to get rid of your psycho ex. He’s got a smouldering sexy look about him. He’s got to be great in bed. I bet he has a huge cock. He produces cute kids,” she counters, and I laugh and shove her gently.
I groan. “My head is telling me it’s not a good idea to pursue him.”
“And what’s your heart telling you?” she asks.
“Last time I listened to that, I ended up in a bad way,” I mutter.
“So, you’re gonna spend the rest of your life alone? Do you think Reggie’s alone? He would have had someone else in your half of his bed the same day you packed your bags. Not every man will treat you like shit, Anna.”
I watch Riggs talking to his mom. His hands are in his pockets and he’s digging his boots into the dusty ground. Even with a sullen look, he’s hot. Ziggy taps him on the leg and his face lights up. He picks his son up and his sexiness level triples. “Shit, how hot is he with his kid in his arms,” groans Eva, and I nod in agreement. “Just imagine having your own little Malia/Ziggy look-alike. You guys would have the cutest kids,” she coos, and I roll my eyes again.
“Stop with that kind of talk. It’ll never happen.”
An hour later, Malia snuggles up against me. “I think she’s tired,” I say, and Eva pulls out her cell to call us a cab.
The cab arrives ten minutes later. I look over to see Riggs laughing with Bonnie. She’s on his lap again, and even though he’s told me there’s nothing sexual between them, I can’t stop the feeling of jealousy that drips through me when I see them looking so intimate. If I decided to let him into my life, would he stop sharing his bed with her, or would he still need her to be his comfort? It’s those kinds of questions that hold me back. We leave without saying goodbye.
I get home and bathe Malia and settle her into bed. She’s exhausted after her afternoon with Ziggy. I slip into some shorts and a vest, and I’m about to choose a film to watch when there’s a knock at my front door. I check the time. It’s almost eight, so I cautiously check through the spyhole first. I’m surprised to see Riggs waiting patiently. I open the door and he takes my face in his hands and kisses me hard. “You didn’t say goodbye,” he mutters against my lips.
“You were busy,” I say.
He presses another kiss to my lips and then turns and jumps down the steps. “Goodnight, Anna.” I watch as he jogs away down the street and as I close the door, I can’t stop the smile playing on my lips.
The following day, Malia skips happily by my side towards the contact centre. She looks forward to coming here because she gets to play in a room full of toys with her dad. I shielded her well from all of the negativity surrounding me and Reggie, and even when he would whisper threats in my ear, she’d remain unaware because I would always smile and act like everything was fine.
“Riggs,” Malia suddenly screeches excitedly and breaks free from my grip on her hand. I watch confused as Riggs picks her up and spins her around.
“What are you doing here?” I ask. I’m horrified to see him here knowing that Reggie could arrive at any moment.
“I came to support you,” he shrugs.
“No, you can’t be here, Riggs. I mean it,” I hiss. “By being here, you’re putting me and Malia in danger.”
“You’ll never be in any danger again. Not now that you have me in your life,” he says casually.
“What does that even mean?” I growl. I glance around to make sure Reggie hasn’t arrived. “Seriously, you need to leave.”
“Reggie’s starting a war with the Kings,” he says. “It won’t be long before he knows about us.”
“Us?” I cry. “What are you talking about?” I feel hysteria coming on. I take Malia from him because seeing them together would send Reggie over the edge. Tears fill my eyes. “Please, Riggs. I’m begging you. Don’t bring me into your war.”
“He’s starting it because of you,” says Riggs firmly. “That kid, it was no coincidence that it was Jamie’s nephew and you just happened to go on a date with him.” My breathing becomes shallow and bile lingers in the back of my throat. I wipe my mouth and realize my hand is shaking. It has to be a coincidence. I can’t be the reason that Jamie’s nephew is dead. “Reggie wants you home, Anna,” says Riggs. “But newsflash, you’re mine now and nobody can take what’s mine.”
I glare at him. “I’m not a piece of furniture for you and Reggie to own. I’m a person and I make my own decisions.”
He moves to my ear so Malia can’t hear. “Don’t tell me you don’t want me to own you, Anna. I felt you come on my tongue. We could have that every day.”
A black car with darkened windows rolls to a stop and I feel faint. I watch as Reggie steps out of the car and surveys the scene before him. A slow smile forms on his face. It reminds me of the look he’d give me before laying into me. “Aww, the lovebirds are waiting to greet me.”
“Reggie Miller. Long time since I saw you. You’re not aging well,” says Riggs casually.
“Finn ‘Riggs’ James. A pleasure as always,” replies Reggie dryly.
Malia reaches for her dad and he takes her from me. I try to reign in the anxiety that I’m feeling right now. There’s nothing to stop Reggie from shooting me and Riggs right here in the street and taking Malia with him. “As lovely as the reunion is, I only have an hour to spend with my daughter.” He passes by us and heads inside with Malia.
I turn to Riggs. “Go. I’ll call you later.”
“He’s seen me now. You heard him say lovebirds. He already knew about us before we did. Stop looking so worried.” He shakes his head and leads me inside.
Riggs sits next to me as I take my usual seat outside of the room where Reggie and Malia always go. There’s a social worker who stays in the room with them. “He was responsible for the break-in at your house too,” he says.
“Don’t you think I fucking know that?” I growl. “Do you think I’m stupid?”
“You need to stop burying your head in the sand. Ignoring the problem doesn’t make it go away. You have to face it head-on.”
“And how do you suppose I do that?” I hiss. “You think I should stand up to Reggie? He’s at the top of the chain, just like you. He has so many people willing to do his dirty work. They’d do anything he asked them to. My time is running out and he’s stepping up the intimidation. I can’t escape him.”
“So what the fuck has this all been for? Why did you go to court and get the order out on him if you were just gonna give up? I don’t want you to stand up to Reggie on your own. I’m here to help you.”
“Fuck,” I laugh sarcastically. “You’ve no idea. He won’t stop until I’m dead. That’s his end goal. But before that day comes, he takes great pleasure in torturing me— chasing me down, mentally battering me, and physically draining me.”
“And you want to carry on like that until he kills you?” snaps Riggs.
“Before you got involved, I was doing okay. He left me alone. Now you’ve trampled into my life and thrown everything into chaos.”
“Let me remind you who put you on my radar! It was you who came into my bar. Fuck, you don’t think I’ve wanted to wipe you from my mind and get on with my life? Because trust me, dar
lin’, it was a lot less complicated before you came along. Cree wanted me to send you back to Reggie’s side of the tracks, and honestly, I thought about it.” He pauses and rubs his beard. “I’m gonna level with ya— I like you. I didn’t set out to, but then shit happens. I tasted your pussy yesterday and now it’s like I can’t leave you the fuck alone. But if you don’t want me near you like that, then that’s your choice, but it’d be a damn shame cos we got some fire going on between us. But whatever happens, you’re on my side of the tracks. My club will protect you against Reggie and that’s not your choice, Angel.”
We spend the rest of the visit in silence. I go over his words in my mind. I underestimated how far Riggs would go to let Reggie know what was going on. Then I think of Jamie and my heart hurts. He was so proud of his nephew and because of me, he’s lost him. What if Reggie takes someone that Riggs loves? I couldn’t live with myself.
When Reggie finally steps out of the room, he waits by the door for me to go to him. He doesn’t need any words because I know that warning look in his eyes. Malia will be another five minutes because the social worker always talks to her after a visit to check she’s okay.
“I’ll be right back,” I mutter. Riggs doesn’t reply. He’s letting me make my own choices and I gently squeeze his hand before going to Reggie.
“Sit,” he orders, and we go to the next set of chairs so we’re away from Riggs.
“Did you have Jamie’s nephew killed?” I whisper.
“If you think I won’t put a bullet in your fucking boyfriend because we’re here, you’re mistaken,” Reggie begins. “You went on a date last week and now you’re fucking a biker? Christ, Anna, your standards shock me. Is that why you wanted this break? To whore your ass around?”
