Red Thorns: Red Thorns Crew Book 1

by Hart, Rebel

  I glared at him over my shoulder as his attention fell to Dani.

  “And don’t let him get under your skin, man. He’ll drive you mad. And you know that’s exactly what he wants.”

  My nose twitched at the way he winked at her. I didn’t want anyone winking at her. Hell, I didn’t want her anywhere near me. Or Benji. Or Rupert. Or anyone else, for that matter.

  Rupert nodded. “Max? We’ll talk soon.”

  I licked my lips. “Yep.”

  I watched him ride off down the road before my attention turned back to Dani, who was staring at me with her hands clasped in front of her.

  “Change of clothes?”

  She snickered. “No.”

  I grinned. “Cute.”

  Even in the dim moonlight, I saw her blushing. So I hardened my voice.

  “I thought I told you to stay the fuck away from me.”

  Her face fell. “I want to make sure you’re healing okay.”

  “I’m good.”

  “No, seriously. I want to check on your shoulder. I mean, your lip looks fine. Can’t see the bruise on your jaw. But I do want to see your shoulder.”

  “No can do.”

  “Look, I feel a certain level of responsibility since I was the one who patched you up and all, okay? Just let me see it.”

  “You don’t owe me anything.”

  She nodded. “I know that.”

  “So go away.”

  “Not until you show me your shoulder.”

  I took a step toward her and growled, but she didn’t back up. She didn’t cower away like normal. Instead, she puffed out that chest of hers, raised her head high, and stared straight into my eyes.

  “Now, Max.”

  I tried not to laugh at her. “I’m fine.”

  “Then you have nothing to worry about. I’m not leaving until you let me see.”

  “Hope you can sleep standing upright, then.”

  I stepped around her to walk past when I felt something tugging at my sleeve. I looked down and saw her small hand gripping my leather coat. Her small, delicate, dainty little hand. With her slender fingers and her soft skin and her effortless touch. It shot a shiver down my spine. A sensation that made me more alert than ever before. I wanted to pick her up, throw her over my shoulder, and drag her off into the shadows to do with her as I wished.

  But instead, I made the decision to get her to go the fuck away.

  “Fine,” I said.

  Her hand fell away. “I knew you’d see it my way.”

  I shrugged my coat off and pulled my T-shirt collar off to the side. I bent down while she stood on her tiptoes, examining it. Her fingers rested against my skin and my cock pulsed. She ran her hand over the bruising that was left and fingered the scab the graze had left behind. And all the while, it took everything in me not to kiss her breathless again.

  Especially with her perfume filling my nostrils.

  “Looks good. Thank you.”

  I stood up and put my coat back on. “Satisfied?”

  She nodded. “Looks like you’re healing well. I’m glad for it.”

  “I always do. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

  I walked past her and headed for my bike. But I felt her hot on my heels. I brushed it off as her heading back to her dorm. Which was where my bike was parked. I threw my leg over the leather saddle of my bike and reached for my helmet. I slipped it over my head and kicked up the stand. However, I felt a set of eyes on me that caused me to turn around. That caused me to flip up my visor.

  And it didn’t shock me when I saw Daddy’s girl running her eyes over my bike.

  She’s curious.

  “Ever been on one before?”

  Her eyes snapped up to mine. “Oh, no. Nothing like that.”

  “Wanna go for a spin?”

  She shook her head quickly. “No, no, no. My father would never let me around something like this.”

  I shrugged. “Don’t see him anywhere.”

  “Yeah, but still.”

  “Sure you don’t wanna go for a spin?”

  She swallowed hard and I knew I had her on my hook.

  “I really shouldn't.”

  I put my kickstand back down and slipped my helmet off. As I tucked it under my arm, I threw my leg over and walked toward her. Slowly. Deliberately. With my eyes holding hers as she backed her way into the shadows. Into a place where she felt shrouded and I felt at home. Her eyes twinkled in the darkness. Like diamonds amid dull gemstones. And when her back fell against the brick dorm building, she drew in a short breath.

  “I really can’t,” she whispered.

  I cocked my head. “Why, Bambi? You scared?”

  Her nose wrinkled up. “No.”

  I pressed my helmet against her chest. “Then get on the fucking bike.”

  I felt her eyes on me as I turned around. I walked back to my bike, setting my sights on a different goal for the evening. One I hadn’t planned on, but one I now craved. I slung my leg over the bike and sat there, watching the darkness. Waiting on her to emerge. And as the seconds ticked by, I counted the times my heart slammed against my chest. I counted the number of times my gut flared with delight. I counted the number of times my own mind wished and prayed and commanded her to emerge from that darkness with my damn helmet on.

  Because I wanted to feel her cling to me as we roared down the road together.

  21

  Dani

  I watched as his long, strong leg swung over the seat of his bike. He sat there, his eyes seemingly holding my own as he gazed at me through the darkness. I looked down at the helmet I held in my hands. It seemed so large. And yet it called to me. My eyes rose back to Max as a grin settled on his face. I wanted to know what he was thinking. How he was feeling. What he really wanted out of all this.

  Could I really get on that bike with him?

  My heart thundered in my chest. My stomach dropped to my toes. Adrenaline coursed through my veins and I felt myself fighting between what I wanted and what my parents wanted of me. I mean, seriously. If they knew I’d gotten on a bike with a man like this, they’d have my head. I’d be doing my college courses online from my room until I graduated. No. I had to give his helmet back to him. I couldn't get on this bike with him.

  Could I?

  If I go, where will he take me?

  I started out of the shadows and made my way for his bike. He sat there with that cocky little grin on his face. The one that made me wonder if he already knew what decision I’d eventually make. Could he see the future? Was that a talent of his? Maybe this was another trick. Something else to tease me about if I told him no.

  Maybe ‘coward’ is the next nickname he has planned for me.

  No. I had to give the helmet back. I couldn't go anywhere with this man. I had classes tomorrow afternoon. I still had to study! Not to mention, he was a jerk. A real jerk-off, to me and to Hannah. He called me names. He leveled me with his stare. He kissed me, then told me to leave him alone like some brooding little… little jerk-off!

  I need to find a better insult.

  “So what’s it gonna be, Bambi?”

  I paused. “Why do you call me that?”

  I held his helmet tighter as his eyes danced along my face.

  “Why do you call me that name? Or any name, for that matter?”

  He grinned. “Not a fan of a little flirting?”

  “Not when it hurts, no.”

  He paused. “You getting on or not?”

  “I--don’t know.”

  He shrugged. “What are you waiting for, Daddy’s girl?”

  “See, there you go again with the names. I want to know why you call me those names.”

  “Will you get on my bike if I tell you?”

  I didn’t even bat an eye. “Yes.”

  He snickered. “Fine. I’ll take that deal. Want to know why I call you these names?”

  “Yes. I really do.”

  “Simple. They fit you.”

  His words stung
more than I could’ve ever imagined. They should’ve pushed me away. But they only made me more determined to show him I wasn’t the pushover he apparently thought I was. I glared at him before I picked up the helmet, lifted it over my head and made a show of slamming it down around my face. Grunting and groaning, I kept pushing it down to try and get it over the hump of my nose. I mean, I didn’t think my nose was that big. So why wasn’t the helmet going down any farther?

  Max chuckled. “Try the other way.”

  “What?”

  He turned me around and I heard something ‘zzzwp!’ before I felt hot breath against my hair.

  “Try the other way. You have it on backwards.”

  He continued chuckling as my cheeks flushed. I pulled the helmet off my head and quickly turned it around. I felt tears prickling my eyes from embarrassment, but I refused to cry. Not in front of him. I wouldn't give him the ammunition to make my life miserable so long as he came into contact with me. I was strong. I could do this. I was in college. I had a new lease on life. I was an adult, and I could make adult decisions.

  Right after I got this stupid helmet on straight.

  “Need help?”

  I groaned. “No.”

  Max smiled. “You sure about that?”

  When I finally got the helmet in place, I saw that full-blown smile across his face.

  “Wow,” I whispered.

  “Quite a wrestle you had there.”

  I blinked. “What?”

  His smile fell away quickly, much to my dismay. My gosh, he had a gorgeous smile. How his teeth were that white with all the smoking he did, I wasn’t sure. But it lit up his face and made his green eyes sparkle. It centered his softly crooked jawline and somehow made him look even stronger than before. I wanted him to smile for me again. I wanted to catch a glimpse of that radiant light in his face one more time.

  You have to be around him more to get something like that done.

  And that was all the encouragement I needed.

  After smoothing my hair away from my face, I lifted my leg. Max scooted up on his bike and I pushed my way into the back of it, grunting as I centered myself and gripped his jacket tightly. I felt myself sliding tighter against him before he leaned back. And when my chest sat against his strong back, warmth poured over me, wrapping me up in its tight grip and refusing to let go.

  “Ready to live a little, Daddy’s girl?”

  I didn’t even care that he called me that name again.

  “Ready when you are, Max.”

  With a snicker on his lips, he cranked up the engine. It revved, vibrating beneath my thighs as I gripped the bike tight, an automatic reaction that I figured was probably right. I fisted his leather jacket tighter, wondering how in the world I was going to balance on a bike like this. I mean, the second he took a turn too tightly, wouldn't I go flying off? Wasn’t that what seatbelts were for?

  “Can you hear me?”

  I nodded as his booming voice overpowered the roaring engine.

  “All right. Squeeze with your thighs to keep a grip on the bike.”

  “Got that down. Thanks.”

  He tapped my knee. “Tighter. As tight as you can.”

  My eyes fell to where he tapped me and I wanted him to do it again.

  “Like this?”

  He peered down at my legs and nodded.

  “That looks good for now.”

  I paused. “For now?”

  He laughed. “Now wrap your arms around me and hold on.”

  “I am holding on to you.”

  He shook his head before steadying the bike underneath his legs. His hands pried my own from his jacket before he wrapped them around his waist. Like, completely around his waist. I felt myself blush from my cheeks to my chest. My hands splayed out across his abdomen, and even through his shirt I felt the rippling of his muscles. The rings of his abs. My mouth went dry as he shifted back against me. His butt moving tighter between my legs. Spreading my thighs and making me softly pant.

  He smelled like leather and cigarette smoke.

  And it was a smell I wanted to hold within my body for as long as I could.

  “All right, hang on.”

  The bike took off with a roar and my head fell back. I had to clench all my muscles in order to get myself upright again. And when I did, I clung to Max as much as I could. My arms tightened around him. My thighs clenched the bike beneath me. I scooted closer to him, laying my covered cheek against his back. I felt his muscles rolling beneath his skin. With every movement he made and with every shift of the engine, he twitched against me. It felt like heaven, being so close to him. Holding him like this.

  Knowing he wanted me there with him.

  “All right, hold on tight, Bambi.”

  I looked up just in time to see a tight curve coming up. And when the bike leaned toward the ground, I let out a shriek. I looked behind me and saw campus quickly fading away into nothing, the darkness of the night swallowing it up as the horizon met the stars.

  “You okay back there?”

  Max took another turn and my yelps quickly devolved into laughter. Guttural guffaws of happiness as the adrenaline rushing through my veins excited me. I felt free. Invigorated. Filled with an independence I’d never felt before. I tilted my head back and let out a howl. Like some idiotic wolf off in the distance who was just learning to howl for the first time. It was the only thing I could think of, though. You know, to put this nervous energy to good use.

  And as I kept laughing and howling, even Max started laughing again.

  Giving me a chance to catch his smile in the rearview mirrors mounted on his handlebars.

  The engine roared with speed. The world raced on either side of me as I rested against Max’s strength. The wind whipped around me with a velocity I couldn't process and I smiled as I drank it all in. The air was fresh and cool. The summer mugginess dissipated the farther we got away from campus. Worries of school and studies fell away from my mind, and all I thought about was how wonderful this felt. Or how lovely the bike felt vibrating beneath me. Or how perfect it felt clinging to Max on our ride to… wherever.

  Or how close his butt is to my--

  The wind suddenly died down and I realized I had my eyes closed. I opened them, peering through the visor of the helmet as the bike continued to roll at a slow pace. The wind no longer whipped around my body. The vibrations of the bike settled into nothing but a giant roar as we pulled into a small parking lot. The lamp posts around us had dead bulbs. No light, other than the stars and the moon, lit up our path. I furrowed my brow as Max rolled into a parking spot. Then he cut the engine and put down his kickstand.

  I wasn’t ready for the ride to be over.

  “Where are we?”

  Max slipped off his bike and pulled the helmet off my head. I gazed up at him, watching as his knuckles brushed away my tousled hair. That permanent grin was on his face, making me wonder what in the world he was thinking. And when my hair had been tamed by the brushing of his knuckles, he tucked the helmet underneath his arm.

  “Hungry?”

  I blinked. “What?”

  “You asked what we were doing here. I’m asking you if you’re hungry.”

  I paused. “Uh, I mean, I could eat. But I don’t have my wallet or my purse or anything with me.”

  He shrugged. “Come on. I’m hungry. And this place has the best burgers.”

  “I will, once I can move my legs.”

  I watched him bury that beautiful smile and it made my heart ache. Why didn’t he smile more? It looked so amazing on him. He hung his helmet on the handlebar of his bike, then wrapped his arms around me. I gasped softly as I wrapped my arms around his neck, trying to be careful of his shoulder as he locked himself around me. He inched me off the bike, giving me plenty of time to get my feet planted on the pavement. He held me close, much like when he’d kissed me.

  And when he let me go to stand on my own, all I wanted was to pull him back into me.

  “Rea
dy, Bambi?”

  I paused. “Seriously? I get on this bike with you and actually enjoy myself, and I don’t get a new nickname?”

  He chuckled. “All right, Daddy’s Girl.”

  “Not that one, either.”

  He shrugged. “Sorry. The name picks the person. I don’t have a say in it.”

  “Jerk.”

  “Tightwad.”

  I glared up at him. “I am not.”

  He winked. “Says you.”

  I shook my head as he walked in front of me, reaching for his helmet. And as he tucked it under his arm again, I felt a soft smile sliding onto my face. I forced my legs to do their job and I trotted up behind him, following him into the pub. The second the doors opened, the smell of sweaty men and fried cheese hit me. It certainly wasn’t as enticing of a scent as Max. But I figured I could push through it if it meant more time with him.

  “Hey there.”

  “Long time no see, Max.”

  “What’s it been? A week?”

  “Hey, man. Good to see you again.”

  “Max! Yo! Who’s the girl!?”

  He nodded and waved his hand at everyone that greeted him. Clearly, he was a regular in this place. A lot of the men were staring at me, though. With leather padding their bodies. Some of them had leather jackets. Some had leather vests. Some of them wore leather boots, or baggy leather pants. But, every man--no matter the size--had some sort of leather on him. Some wore bandanas. Some were tattooed from head to toe. And as I stared at everyone we walked by, I wondered if Max had any other tattoos.

  “Here,” he said.

  I watched him slide into a booth before he pointed in front of him.

  “Sit.”

  I slipped quickly into the sticky booth before someone came over and quickly wiped it up. I held my arms up as Max sat back against the cushions, his eyes dancing over the parts of me he could see. I was painfully aware of how hard he stared at me. And I prayed the flush of my cheeks didn't deepen.

  But I spoke too soon.

  Because I quickly felt the heat of his gaze dripping down the nape of my neck.

  22

  Max

  Her hair was still a mess. A wild, untamed mess. Her eyes were still widened from the ride. And the red tip of her nose from the wind battering her in the face held my stare. She looked positively delicious. Especially with the way she clung to me. No woman I’d ever had on the back of my bike held on to me as tightly as her. Mostly because they understood how to balance themselves. The women I found already knew how to conduct themselves on a bike. They were bike bunnies, girls and women that hopped from bike to bike, fucking around and having their fun while they could. And I entertained them. I mean, they were pretty in their own right. And no one wanted to be alone all the time.