But now? Standing in front of me with joy in her eyes and mist in her hair?
You could feel the shift and I was so honored to be able to witness her relaxing a bit. Laughter bubbled out of her as she watched Oliver and Olivia frolic in the water below us. We sat down, the water rushing around us below and the mist spraying over our faces.
“It’s almost an assault on the senses,” she remarked.
“You get used to it,” I said.
“I can’t imagine ever doing that,” she shook her head, her eyes thoughtful. “I hope I never get used to this!”
“You never stop appreciating it, though.”
“I bet,” she said. I pulled a few beers out of my backpack and offered her one. We sat there shoulder to shoulder, silently sipping our beers and soaking in the peace as we watched the owls poke around in the water. Oliver caught a worm and flew over, quickly depositing it in Pepper’s lap.
She screamed and jumped up laughing as the worm fell to the ground. Oliver looked at her in confusion and flew back to Olivia.
“He brought you a gift,” I said, as I picked it up and dropped it back in the water.
“How sweet,” she laughed, shaking her head, as she sat back down next to me. She was so beautiful it fucking hurt. Her eyes shone bright with happiness and as she looked over at me, it was as if the entire world melted away, leaving nothing but the two of us sitting on that jagged black asphalt boulder.
Her lips parted and she glanced down at mine, a clear sign that I knew well.
An invitation.
I swallowed hard, beyond tempted to accept.
Instead, I turned away.
Dammit, I was a God. She was a client. Kissing her was not on the agenda.
I knew I wasn’t the first person to be faced with this dilemma, not by a long shot. Hell, half or more of the Gods had hooked up with clients and most of them were still together.
That doesn’t mean it wasn’t frowned upon.
I felt disappointment wash over her and I silently cursed myself, because I was disappointed, too. I’d never wanted to kiss someone so badly in my life.
“We should head back soon,” I finally said.
“Sure,” she said. “But maybe we can come back tomorrow?”
I laughed and nodded. “Absolutely. Anything you want.”
“Anything?” she asked, raising a brow teasingly, as she glanced at my lips again.
Shit. I’m doomed, I thought.
I cocked my head, meeting her gaze. “You’re going to get me in trouble if you keep that up.”
She laughed and looked away, watching the owls again.
“Sorry about that,” she muttered.
“Don’t be,” I said. “It’s just…there’s rules.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yep.”
“And you’re a good guy.”
“I try, Pepper, I try…” I replied, wondering just how long I’d be able to keep up this good guy shit and if I’d ever be able to find out what those lips tasted like.
The walk back to the clubhouse was silent and filled with sexual tension that left me trembling with desire. By the time we got back, my cock was hard as a rock because she’d led the way back and I’d had the pleasure of staring at her gorgeous ass the whole time.
I’m smart enough to know when I’m fucked.
I am so very, very fucked.
Chapter 21
PEPPER
Riot called me into his office after dinner. Sitting across from him, he asked me to go over everything again that happened that night at Artie’s.
“I’m trying to figure out how I can help you,” he said. “I haven’t been able to hack into Artie’s security system yet, but I’m still trying. Can you go over the whole story again? I’m going to record you this time, if that’s okay?”
“Sure,” I shrugged.
“Great,” he said, hitting the record button on an iPhone and sitting it between us on his desk. “Go ahead.”
I paused, taking a deep breath before repeating everything I’d already told him. Again, I left out the details about taking the diamonds, and while I hadn’t felt guilt before, I did now.
Maybe I was wrong in withholding information. Maybe I could tell him that and it would be okay. Something inside of me just wouldn’t allow it, though. It was as if it was the last thread of security I had, the last thing I could control.
I needed it. Just in case…
Just in case of what? In case I had to flee, I guess. Be on my own, once more, just like always.
The truth of it was that I just didn’t fully trust them yet.
I say ‘yet’, as if I will at some point in the future. So, maybe there’s a little progress. My time today with Storm had left me in some alternate universe, softening me and showing me that maybe the hardness I’ve been living with all my life doesn’t really serve me the way I thought it does.
Because letting myself go just a little bit sure did feel good.
Maybe that’s what I needed. Maybe being this closed off and distrusting was harming me. Maybe other people were just what I needed in my life…
After I finished recounting the story, Riot looked at me thoughtfully, nodding slowly.
“Pepper, would you be interested in relocating? Taking on a new identity? Starting over somewhere else?”
“Are you serious?” I asked.
“Absolutely,” he said. “We make that happen often for people. We have lots of resources and sometimes, it’s the best solution to the problem at hand.”
What a concept, I thought. I’d used so many different identities in my life. Different names, different stories. Only Bea knew who I really was. The thought of becoming someone else entirely, for good, seemed weird — familiar and foreign — all at the same time.
“Wouldn’t that be letting Artie win?” I asked.
“You could look at it that way,” he said. “But if you got away and had a chance at a different life, a better life, wouldn’t you be the winner? Artie’s trying to ruin your life.”
“And if I just disappeared, then he did it…”
“I’m not saying you have to do it, Pepper. That’s a huge step. And it would require a big leap of faith on your part. But think about it. Of course, you’d have to do things differently than you’re used to. No more hustling. You’d have to get a real job, we would acquire one for you — something fun, that you would like — but you’d have to give up your previous lifestyle and that means all aspects of it. You couldn’t risk being exposed.”
I nodded, letting the idea soak in. “Can I think about it?”
“Of course, it’s just an option. If we can make some progress, it may not even be necessary.”
“Okay, thank you,” I said. “Hey, did you have a chance to check in on my neighbor, Bea?”
“Not yet,” he replied. “But I’ll see what I can find out.”
“Thank you,” I said.
I was worried about Bea. I’d checked my burner before dinner and she hadn’t text me back yet. It wasn’t the first time, in fact, she’d lost her phone a few times before. Once, it was in the microwave and another time she found it in her kitchen pantry. I was holding out hope that she’d text back soon.
“So, I’m going to get back to work now,” Riot said, as he turned off the recorder. “Thanks for going over everything again. I’ll let you know if I make any progress.”
I thanked him again and walked out of his office, my head spinning with thoughts of what an entirely new life might look like.
Chapter 22
ARTIE
“Tell me you have news for me,” I said to the investigator. My phone on speaker, I walked over to the wall of windows in my living room, looking out over the gardens.
“Not much,” he replied, his voice echoing through the house. I sipped my whiskey, waiting for him to continue. “We have a few leads. We took the photo from your neighbor’s house and compared it to the photo from the parking garage of the person parking
the stolen car, and we think it may be the same person. But we don’t have a definitive ID on anyone just yet. We went around the neighborhood, showing the picture to people, hoping someone would recognize her.”
“And?”
“We had two tentative names that were given to us. We’re trying to locate them both now.”
“What are the names?”
“Unfortunately, I’m not in a position to give you that information just yet.”
“This is my wife’s murderer we’re talking about!”
“I understand that, Mr. Paige, but I have to follow protocol at this time.”
I resisted the urge to blow up at him. Remaining calm right now was the only thing that was going to save my ass.
“I understand,” I said. “Please let me know if you have any other info you can share with me.”
“Of course, sir,” he said. “No luck on getting your system running?”
“Unfortunately, no,” I said. “I think I’m going to sue the company, actually.”
“I see,” he replied. I heard the shuffling of papers and then he cleared his throat. “Mr. Paige, did your wife have any enemies?”
“Not that I know of, everyone loved her.”
“Do you know if she’d recently had any disagreements with a friend or…could she have been having an affair?”
“An affair?” I asked, trying to sound outraged now. “Of course not!”
“I apologize, but we have to ask these questions. If we can find out why she was arguing with someone, it might lead us to this woman you saw.”
“Tulsa wasn’t having an affair,” I said.
“Very well, then,” he replied. “I’ll be in touch when we have more information.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“Oh, and Mr. Paige? I’d like to send a technician from our forensics lab over to take a look at your security system, just to see if he can get anything from it. You never know.”
My heart raced at his words. The last thing I needed was someone else poking around. So far, my plan was working.
“Sure, sure,” I agreed, my head spinning.
“Great. Have a good night, sir,” he said.
“Thanks,” I said, hanging up the phone and taking a big pull off my whiskey glass. It was time for me to take things into my own hands here. I downed the rest of my glass and walked to my study, pulling out a burner phone I kept there. I dialed a number, waiting for an answer.
“Charlie here,” the man answered.
“Charlie, it’s Artie. I need your help.”
“Mr. Paige, nice to hear from you. I heard about your wife. I’m so sorry to hear about your loss.”
“Thanks, man. That’s why I’m calling, actually. The cops are useless. I need you to help me find her murderer.”
Charlie was what we called a ‘handler’. He was a private investigator and a fixer, and very discrete. And he was just what I needed right now.
“I can be on the first flight out in the morning.”
“Perfect. See you tomorrow,” I said, hanging up the phone. I poured myself another glass of whiskey, my eyes landing on the USB stick on my desk that held the footage. Whoever this bitch was, I had her on tape. I couldn’t turn it over to the cops, because then they’d want to see the rest of the footage from the entire property and that’s what I’d told them wasn’t working.
Since I couldn’t give that to them, I was on my own here.
Charlie would help, though. I was just starting out in the industry, when another situation arose that I needed help with. Charlie was there for me. My first wife was having an affair and I needed her followed so I could get out of my prenup. A guy from the neighborhood that had a reputation for taking care of things that other people struggled with, Charlie had handled things perfectly.
He was just what I needed to find this bitch who had stolen my diamonds. And once he found her, she was going to wish she’d never fucked me over.
Chapter 23
PEPPER
As night fell, the Gods began to let loose.
Lights came on, music was turned up, and as soon as it got dark and little Sadie was safely tucked away for the night with her mom, Slade and Wreck began building a huge bonfire.
Pot smoke drifted in the air and the booze began flowing, as the harvest moon bathed us in her golden light, illuminating the faces of the Gods and their loves as they began drifting towards the crackling embers. Lucky stood staring into the flames, wrapped in Ziggy’s huge arms.
I watched her enviously, wondering what it felt like to be that content with the world. I’d never felt peace like that. I hadn’t really known I longed for it, either, until now.
Slade threw log after log on the fire, doing his best to build a fire the size of the clubhouse. Riot and Lacey watched him, their arms intertwined, as they leaned into each other comfortably. Even the owls were paired up, perched on a nearby branch of the tallest pine and snuggling their beaks together.
A fine mist hung in the air, the tiny suspended droplets illuminated by the glowing blaze against the contrast of the darkness blanketing us. A chill ran through me and I wrapped my arms around myself, a quiet reminder that I was all alone.
Storm stood leaning against the porch railing, his gaze raking over the party as he lifted a bottle of PBR to his lips. The flames cast a reddish-orange glow over his skin, leaving his face half-hidden in the shadows. His attractiveness was impossible to ignore.
The sensation of his hand on mine hadn’t faded all day.
The disappointment lingered that he hadn’t kissed me earlier. I was sure I’d given him a strong enough sign. He was a smart man. He heard me loud and clear.
I had an idea why he chose not to listen and it wasn’t whatever rule he was referring to — he thought I was fragile and therefore, he shouldn’t take advantage of me, which couldn’t be farther from the truth.
I wasn’t done with him yet, though. In fact, it made me want him even more after seeing the restraint he was practicing. I didn’t need a glance down at his growing package to know that he was just as attracted to me. I could feel the heat in his gaze that followed me everywhere I went. If I didn’t like it so much, I could almost describe him as virtually stalking me.
But I liked it.
Hell, I liked it a lot.
Brazenly, I walked over to him, smiling gingerly as I sat down next to him. My thigh brushed against his as I did so, and I desperately tried to control my breathing. My gaze landed on his large hands, trailing up to his muscular forearms, drinking in the tattoos climbing up his skin. I itched to trace the edges of the ink with my fingertips, so instead of doing that, I gripped my beer bottle tighter, bringing it to my lips and hoping the buzz would come fast and chase these urges away.
“Hey,” I muttered, trying to sound casual, staring off at the fire and willing myself not to look directly at him.
“Hey.” He was so damned casual. So cool. So damned collected that he made me want to shake things up, just to see him react, which surprised me. My mischievous streak had always lent itself well to my profession. I enjoyed thinking of it as a game, to see how much I could get away with. Rarely did that turn personal, though. It was always about the loot or the money. Now, finding myself wanting to turn that Storm’s way — well, that was new.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not some innocent virgin. I’ve had lots of sex. It’s just that I’ve always treated those interactions as more of a platonic transaction, even if the currency was physical. While there were no feelings involved, there also wasn’t any game involved.
No disillusions about it being anything else.
No strings attached.
I wondered if Storm thought there were strings attached to me. I’m sure I didn’t put that out there, but I was here — attempting to be the damsel in distress. I didn’t feel that way at all, though. In fact, I was ready to bolt at any moment.
Between the ‘fight’ or ‘flight’ instincts, I was always more comfortable with flee
ing.
You can see how torn I am. I’m back and forth and all over the place.
Storm’s hot as hell and to be perfectly clear, I’m very interested in knowing exactly what he looks like under that biker uniform of his. And I’m perfectly fine with taking that knowledge, and maybe a little more, and moving on with my life as soon as it’s safe to do so.
I’ll be just fine with letting the memory comfort me after that.
But somehow, I’ve got to show to Storm that that’s really all I’m looking for.
He doesn’t have to save me.
He doesn’t have to protect me.
I’m not a victim, and I’m not off limits.
In fact, I’m eager and wildly available.
Just say it, I thought to myself. Tell him you want him.
I took a deep breath and turned to him, opening my mouth just as he began speaking.
“Want another beer?” he asked, his voice a husky growl, as he stood up abruptly.
“Uh, sure,” I nodded, watching as he walked away quickly. I took a moment to take a deep breath and he was back in an instant, hovering over me and holding out a beer to me. As soon as I took it out of his hand, he walked down the steps and walked away, leaving me to mumble a quick thanks to his back. He put up a hand and I watched him walk away, my heart sinking.
Maybe he wasn’t interested in me after all, I thought.
That’s fine. I’d never really been rejected before, but that was fine.
Storm left and never came back to the party and I didn’t see him again the entire night.
Really, I don’t care at all, I told myself, trying to pretend this ache in my heart was caused by drinking too much beer as I fell asleep alone that night.
Chapter 24
ARTIE
“I have a name.”
Charlie’s words were like music to my ears.
I reached down, gripping my quickly growing cock. The idea of punishing the bitch who stole my diamonds was even better than sex. I’d spent hours fantasizing about how I’d slowly destroy every ounce of courage she had, torture her in the slowest, most excruciating ways possible, making sure to milk each delicious moment of joy out of it that I could.
THE HUSTLE: GODS OF CHAOS MC (BOOK FOURTEEN) Page 11