by Rebel Hart
“Say it one more time, gorgeous.”
I blushed. “I really missed you. Please, let’s not go that long before we talk again. Okay?”
He grinned. “Good girl.”
I squealed as his arm wrapped around my waist. He picked me up, his lips still hovering over mine as he steadied me on my feet. I went in to kiss him again, but he pulled away. Not being able to kiss him made me whimper. And with that sound came a cocky little wink that promised so much more to come. His hand patted my ass and I pressed myself against him, seeking comfort within his warmth.
More and more, he had started to feel like home.
And I wondered if I felt the same way to him.
We walked up to the front door, our arms threaded around one another. But we didn’t have to wait like everyone else. Max patted the bouncer on the shoulder, and after they each exchanged a smile, he let us in. Both of us. Without so much as checking our IDs. I heard people grumbling behind us. Judging us. Getting ready to gossip about us.
And I found it all so thrilling.
Max led me up the stairs. Up multiple flights of stairs, until we emerged onto the rooftop. The live music thumped and jello shots were already making the rounds on silver platters. People were grinding against one another on the dance floor. Swaying and bobbing to a rhythm all their own. I couldn't help but stare. Everyone looked so happy. And as Max pulled me to a rounded table tucked away in a corner, a scantily-clad woman walked up to the table.
“What can I getcha?” she asked cheerfully.
Max looked down at me. “Rum and Coke?”
I shrugged. “Sure, yes. A rum and Coke for me.”
The woman’s eyes fell to Max. “And for you?”
“Just a beer. Whatever your best is on tap that isn’t dark. Then water after that.”
The woman pouted. “Just one?”
He nodded. “Just one. Got precious cargo with me tonight.”
For a split second, I wondered what that cargo was. Until he pulled me close. Then I realized what he was talking about. I was the precious cargo.
I love this man.
“All right, a rum and Coke and only one beer that isn’t dark coming up. Any food for you two?”
Max’s voice sounded far off. “Not for now. But maybe later, if she gets hungry.”
Holy shit. I’d fallen in love with Max.
The revelation caught me off-guard. I wondered what that meant for us. For me. Did he feel the same way? Was he thinking it right now?
“Dani, can you hear me?”
I slowly looked up at him. “Huh?”
He furrowed his brow. “Did you hear me?”
I blinked. “What?”
“I’ll take that as a no. I asked you how things were going with you and Hannah. I take it they’re not much better?”
I love you. “Uh, they could be worse, I guess.”
“Do you want to talk about it? I know she’s your good friend.”
I nodded slowly. “She is. I don’t want to lose her.”
“I’m sure you won’t.”
“She’s just--not really talking to me right now.”
“That what got you so distracted?”
No. “Yes.”
He eyed me carefully. “You sure?”
“Yeah. I’m sure. It’s just… sticky. I know she’s very worried about my safety with you. I just don’t get why she can’t trust me on this. She doesn't even know you.”
“In her defense, you don’t really know me.”
“And you don’t really know me.”
He grinned. “Of course I know you. You’re Dani. College girl, close with her family, people pleaser. You do everything to the best of your ability and you have your life planned out. You never want to disappoint people, even if it means burning the candle from all ends until there isn’t anything left of you.”
I blinked. “Well, I know who you are, then. You're Max. President of a club, close with his chosen family, and definitely not a people pleaser.”
He winked. “Just a people pleaser.”
My gut jumped. “You only do the things you want to do to the best of your ability, and you make no plans. You go with the flow, you throw caution to the wind, and you don’t give a shit about repercussions.”
“Oh? What else do you think you know?”
“I know you don’t care about disappointing people unless you care about them, too. You don’t overtax yourself because so many depend on you. But that in and of itself makes you worry more than you should. You’re strong. You’re resilient. You’re tough.”
“Anything else?”
I smiled. “And you’re more loveable than you make yourself out to be.”
He snickered. “Hardly.”
I shrugged. “I have spoken.”
“Oh, you have, have you?”
“Yep. I have.”
“Well, just know that your friend isn’t wrong to worry about me. And your assessment of me is only partially accurate.”
I sighed. “I know you’d never hurt me, Max.”
“Not intentionally, no.”
I paused. “What does that mean?”
And as my eyes held his, something sinister boiled behind them. Something I’d never seen before. Something that made me freeze against him before his arm fell from around me. Was this it? Was this the part where my world shattered and left me for dead?
Not intentionally hurting you is a good thing.
But that didn't mean I wouldn’t get hurt, anyway.
And I was owed an explanation as to what that meant.
12
Max
I didn’t like the way she stopped moving against me. She didn't pull away, but she wasn’t soft against me any longer. She was on guard. And she needed to be. Because this conversation was long overdue. I needed to let her know what she was getting into with me. She deserved the right to know exactly what I was involved with. Well, not exactly. But she needed to understand that my lifestyle was rough. That people did depend on me, but not just for money. Or jobs.
They depended on me to survive.
“I’m waiting, Max.”
The waitress came by with our drinks, and not a moment too soon. I reached for my beer and took a long pull of it, hoping to relax a little bit. I wasn’t afraid. I was never afraid of shit like this. Especially with some girl. But, Dani wasn’t just ‘some girl.’ She was different. She made me feel different. And if I could get out of this without losing her, that’s the outcome I wanted.
If it was even possible.
“Dani, what I do… it’s not for the faint of heart.”
She turned fully toward me. “All right. So tell me what you do.”
I took another sip. “The life I lead is dangerous. I have enemies that take cracks at me all the time. That target me and my brother. They come after us on a regular basis.”
“Like when you were jumped outside the dorm?”
I nodded. “Yes. Like then.”
“You think someone’s out to get you?”
“I know someone is. It’s the nature of my business. What I do. The life I’ve chosen for myself. It’s wild, and unpredictable, and dangerous. And even though I’d do whatever it took to keep you safe, I also can’t guarantee I’ll always be able to do that.”
She blinked. “Well, I can take care of myself. I’m not completely incapable of something like that.”
“I never said you were. But I’m not talking about existential crises here, Dani. I’m talking about moments where former clients have wanted me dead. Wanted men in my crew dead. I’m talking about times where things go haywire with a job and we piss off the wrong person. And suddenly, I’m patrolling neighborhoods and going dark for weeks at a time to make sure the guys in my crew--and their families--are safe.”
“See? There. You keep them safe. You can keep me safe.”
I nodded. “I know. What I’m saying is that you could get hurt with me, Dani. Really, truly hurt. Not emotionally hurt. Not spi
ritually hurt. But physically, unfixably, hurt.”
The look on her face was unreadable. As she reached for her drink, I watched those soft lips of hers wrap around the small red straw. She took long sips. I watched her neck bounce softly with her swallows. I wanted to know what she was thinking. How she was feeling. But all I had to go on was the muted profile of her face.
The reality of the situation was that she couldn’t take care of herself. Not like she needed to for the life I led. I knew how easily Benji could make Dani back down. How easily anyone could make her a target and take her out at a moment’s notice. And those people were small fish. My father--with all his bullshit--was still only a medium-sized fish in a massive ocean of people who had the capability to run us all over. Take us all out before the sun could rise on yet another day.
I lived with that threat, day in and day out.
And I wasn’t sure Dani could.
I’m not sure if I want to let her.
“Look, Dani, all I’m saying is that life can change at the drop of a hat. One minute, things are going smoothly. And the next, you’re face down in a puddle of your own blood. I would understand if you decided it was too much for you.”
She stopped drinking. “What are you saying?”
“I’m giving you an out.”
She put her drink down. “An out?”
“Yes. An out. A chance to walk away.”
Her gaze found my stare. “As in, a chance to end this. You and me. What we’re doing here.”
I nodded. “Yes. One chance. You have this moment to walk away without any repercussions at all. But if you stay in this with me, then you’re fucking in it. Because I don’t let go when I want something. I never have, and I never will. And I’ve never wanted something the way I want you, gorgeous. Ever.”
I watched her cheeks turn pink. I watched them heat as a soft smile crossed her face. Damn it, she was the cutest little thing I’d ever come across. And I’d be fucked if she left. She looked radiant in the moonlight. Her purple blouse matched her lips and her sparkling eyes stared up at me. As if I were the end-all-be-all of her life. She’d never looked so beautiful to me. So adorable. So cute.
I wanted to kiss her until she couldn’t breathe. But I settled for slipping my hand against her knee. I resisted the urge to drag her against me and permanently etch that blush across the whole of her body. Right here, in this fucking booth. I had to resist. I couldn’t sway her decision. She had to make this on her own. I couldn’t make this choice for her.
“I’ve never wanted anything the way I want you either,” she whispered.
I shrugged. “Might not be worth it.”
“That’s for me to find out, isn’t it?”
I searched her eyes. “Danger is inevitable with me. Lots of it.”
She threw her head back. “Hah! Hah! Hah! I laugh in the face of danger.”
I furrowed my brow. “What?”
“Lion King?”
“Huh?”
She blinked. “The Disney movie?”
“Uh…”
Her jaw fell open. “Haven’t you ever seen The Lion King?”
I shook my head. “No clue what you’re talking about.”
She scoffed. “How the hell have you never seen The Lion King? It’s a classic, Max. What the hell did you watch as a child? Paint dry?”
“Wasn’t much of a television kid. I liked mud.”
“But what about snow days? Or sick days? Or rainy days? Lion King was my go-to movie on sick days.”
“Rainy days are the best for mud pies. Snow’s fun to play in. I never got sick.”
“You never got sick as a kid.”
“Not severely, no.”
She snickered. “Well, then we’re watching that movie together for our next date. You, me, Disney, popcorn, and a blanket. Oh! And soda. Can’t forget the soda. With two straws. We’re going to go old school for this next one.”
I paused. “Does that mean you’re not walking away from this?”
I hated how vulnerable that question made me feel. I hated the way my voice sounded. The desperation that laced it. I watched Dani bite down onto her lower lip. Her eyes danced around the barely-there bruises still on my face. Her hand fell against my chest and slid down my side. And when she got to my ribcage, her fingers splayed out. Almost as if she were trying to heal the rest of me that was sore.
“I’m in this, Max. I want this. I want you. No matter what comes our way. Okay?”
And the fireworks that went off inside my gut had nothing on the way my cock pulsed. The way my grin slid across my face. I wrapped my arm around Dani and pulled her close, crashing our lips together. Sealing our union for everyone to behold. Her hands danced against my body. She fisted my shirt, drawing me closer as our tongues danced together. The music thumped and our drinks were forgotten as she climbed into my lap and straddled me, grinding against me to the beat of the music filling the rooftop.
“No matter what, okay?” she whispered.
I sucked on her lower lip. “No matter what, gorgeous.”
13
Dani
The door crashed open as we stumbled into the back room. The three rum and Cokes I had allowed myself went straight to my head. And my hands were connected to Max’s body. His lips ravaged mine. His tongue raked against the roof of my mouth. I slid my hands down his torso. Around his back. I gripped his ass and pulled him close to me as my back fell against a wall.
A dark wall, in a dark room. Away from the thumping music and the glitter on the dance floor.
“More,” he growled.
I moaned down the back of his throat as our tongues collided.
“I need more of you, Dani.”
I gasped. “You have me. All of me. Take what you want.”
His hands fisted my ass cheeks and he hoisted me against the wall. His lips found my neck, nibbling and sucking. My hands were gripping and tugging. I wanted him naked. I wanted his skin against mine. I needed to feel him. Be filled with him.
You're in so much trouble.
I was all in with this man. And holy hell was he a lot of man. My parents would be mortified if they ever found out. But I didn’t care. I didn’t give a shit about what anyone thought. I loved Max. I’d fallen for him. And he made me happier than anything else in my life.
Damn it all.
His hands slid up my shirt. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he pinned me between his body and the cold surface behind me. I gripped his hair and pulled his head up, gazing into his war-torn eyes. His nostrils flared. He practically gnashed his teeth at me. And when I pressed my lips against his once more, I felt his heart beating against my chest.
Keeping time with mine.
You’re the one for me, Max.
“Mine,” he grunted.
Always yours.
“I need to feel you,” he whispered.
I took his hand and placed it against my breast. My forehead fell against his own as our eyes connected. He gripped my breast, tweaking the nipples until they puckered against my bra. I felt heat pooling between my legs. That dastardly grin he always had pulled across his face, making me blush. I felt his cock against my jeans. He ground against me, stroking me and teasing me.
Your parents would be very horrified right now.
“You make me feel alive, Max.”
His head pulled back just a tad and my eyes focused on him.
“I know that sounds weird, and I know it ruins the moment. But, that’s how you make me feel. Like I haven’t really been living until I met you.”
His eyes searched mine. “Don’t say things you don’t mean.”
I shook my head. “Not a habit I ever entertained.”
He stepped away from me and my legs unwound from him. His hand gripped my waist as he settled me onto my feet. Had I said something wrong? Had I made him upset? I craned my neck back to keep his face in view. The soft yellow bruises still underneath his skin sobered me up. I ran my hands softly down his torso, slo
wing down as my fingers rumbled over his ribs. I searched his face for any sign of pain. Any sign of hurt or discomfort.
“You’re so easy to read, gorgeous.”
I blinked. “Why did you back away?”
“Why do you think?”
I paused. “I’m concerned I’ve said something wrong.”
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Not at all. If anything, you said something right.”
“I’m not following.”
He grinned. “Why don’t we get the hell out of here and I’ll prove it to you?”
My heart skipped a beat. “Your wish is my command.”
“Good girl.”
His hand slipped into mine and he pulled me farther away from the wall. The darkness slowly gave way to the lights and the sounds of the rooftop club. My heart thundered in my ears. He winked at me before he pushed through the door and led me across the floor. People continued throwing glitter into the air. Jello shots came out by the dozens. I had to push two trays away just to get through the chaos. And all the while, I felt Max’s hand holding tight to mine. Gripping tighter. Refusing to lose me in the crowd.
I was ready to get this man alone.
My man.
I picked up the pace until I could thread my arm around his waist and walk alongside him. I loved the way he held me. The way his arm claimed me in public. Everyone knew who I belonged to. Who I was with. And everyone knew that Max was mine. That he belonged to me, too. I never wanted that to change. I never wanted anything about this to change. No matter what Hannah thought, or my parents, or anyone else I might come across.
I knew I’d always choose Max.
“Shit.”
He stopped abruptly and held out his arm, stopping me in my tracks.
“Max?”
“Shh.”
“What?”
He looked down at me. “Shh.”
His eyes darted back up and the frown on his face made my heart stop. And not in a good way. He quickly spun me around and slipped behind me, his hands against my shoulders. He guided me back through the crowd. Away from the exit door as we made our way through the dancing throngs of horny people once more.
