CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
LIBBY
“To our future!” Bullet said, clinking his glass against mine.
“To our future,” I said, blinking away tears. He was so kind-hearted and sweet, my heart was almost breaking from the tenderness. He’d gone to so much trouble to impress me and I couldn’t help but be charmed by it.
I knew my wonderful, but straight-edged, parents would be skeptical about him at first, but I also knew they’d warm up to him once they saw how happy I was. I’d never wanted to introduce a man to my parents before, but the intense respect Bullet kept showing me was quickly changing my mind.
He was the kind of man you took home to your parents.
Maybe he didn’t look the part all the time. His tattoos, his long hair, his leather cut that he wore like a second skin, proudly displaying his allegiance to the Gods. Not to mention his dangerous job.
On the surface, he went against all the rules.
But inside?
This was the kind of man a woman should marry.
This was the kind of man a woman should have children with.
And here I am, sipping champagne in a fancy hotel, watching him loosen his tie for the first time all night, and I’m way ahead of myself.
We just agreed to date.
Not partner up for life and make a bunch of babies.
Either way, the future looked amazing.
And the night ahead? As I brought the glass to my smiling lips again, my fingers were trembling with anticipation of the delights in store for me. My eyes raked over his body and I swallowed hard.
One more sip of champagne and I put the glass down next to the bed and closed the distance between us, my hands running up his torso, the smooth silk of his shirt sliding under my fingers. I tugged on his tie, pulling it off and draping it over my neck with a smile.
He raised an eyebrow, silently grinning, watching.
Slowly, I unbuttoned his shirt, the tiny buttons releasing, exposing his chest and then his abdomen, slathered in ink, rippling with muscles. I pushed the shirt away and over his arms, my fingers sliding over his thick biceps and down to his muscular forearms. A low groan escaped from his chest, and I locked eyes with him.
Dark and smoldering, his lust shone through like an inferno.
“Libby.” His voice was a deep, low warning that I had no intention of heeding. Shooting him a daring glance, I slid my fingers down his belly, trailing the thin line of hair that disappeared into the waist of his pants.
His hand grabbed mine and pulled it away before I could release the top button of his pants, his growl loud and passionate, as his lips crashed into mine. He released my hand, his palms gripping my cheeks as he kissed me deeply, his tongue sliding between my lips, his mouth searching mine.
My arms wrapped around him, his body hard against mine as he kissed me harder, his desire hard and throbbing against my belly. Gently, he pushed me back against the wall, grasped my hands and raised them high over my head, grinding his cock against my center.
I threw my head back, moaning loudly, arching my back.
He reached down with one hand, lifted the hem of my dress, his hand sliding between my thighs and pressing into me, as his lips found mine again. His fingers slid under my panties, sliding down and smoothly entering me. I gasped against his lips, my body shuddering under his touch.
I opened my thighs, struggling to keep my legs from buckling under me.
He sank to his knees in front of me, dipping under my skirt and grasping the sides of my panties, sliding them over my quivering thighs and pulling them over my heels. He smiled up at me, a devilish grin that sent waves of heat rolling over my body.
His head dipped down, the heat of his mouth searing the skin of my inner thigh, his kisses trailing up slowly toward my center. I reached down, my hand sinking into his hair, pulling him into me.
“Bullet,” I hissed his name, unable to breathe, my body seized by waves of pleasure washing over me. My head fell back, my body panting, my breasts rising and falling as I held onto his shoulders to steady myself.
“Don’t stop, baby,” I cried. “Please don’t ever stop.”
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
MONA
Standing in the middle of the master bedroom, I took in the scene from last night. Splayed out in front of me like a scene from a film, I couldn’t help but smirk.
I’d wanted to have a good time, and I certainly had accomplished that.
Storm, Vick and Colt were all passed out in various states of intoxication. I’d waited till only a few Gods were left in the bar before making my move. After changing into a slinky black dress in my room, I returned to the bar before it closed and found the three of them trying to drink each other under the table.
Julia had disappeared with Striker, leaving the three of them for me.
I easily joined their game and convincing them to come back to my room was like offering candy to a bunch of babies. There’s something that happens to men when you proposition them bluntly. They turned into bumbling idiots for a moment, and then, once they realized I was serious, they were all about it.
Five minutes after locking the door to my room, we’d discarded our clothes and the party had started.
It was exactly what I needed. A night of unbridled passion and lust with a bunch of masculine guys that had no idea who I was.
The fact that I could kick them out at will, and never have to see them again, was the cherry on my orgy sundae.
“Time to go, fellas!” I said, loud enough to stir them. It took a minute. I had to repeat myself a few times, but finally they roused, looking around and trying to shake the cobwebs from their memories.
“Hey,” I said, nodding. “Remember me?”
Vick cocked his head, a glimmer of recognition shining in his eyes.
“Oh, yeah,” he nodded.
“Right!” I agreed. “We had a great time last night. Really. Unforgettable, I’d say. But it’s time to go. I have shit to do.”
Storm stood up, his rippling muscles almost as hard as his morning wood. He grinned, walking towards me.
“As tempted as I am to take another ride on that again, I have to refuse,” I said. His shoulders slumped, and he reached for his clothes instead.
The other two followed suit and in a few moments, they were kissing me on the cheek as I waved them out the door.
I watched them walk away, their tight asses indeed something I would never forget. I locked these little memories away for my old age and closed the door with a smile.
“Okay,” I said out loud, “back to business.”
I jumped in the shower, my wheels turning.
Instead of waking up hungover, I’d woken up clear as a bell about what I needed to do. It was like the sex had somehow gotten rid of the clouded, emotional thoughts I’d been having. I’d been blinded by my grief over losing Libby, drowning myself in misery and alcohol and sex.
But now, in the light of day, I saw that this was just another obstacle in the path I’d chosen in life. And I was really great at slaying obstacles.
There was nothing I couldn’t handle.
By the time I was dressed and leaving the hotel, once again dressed as a man in case there were any lingering Gods in the lobby, I had a foolproof plan that would give me everything I wanted.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
LIBBY
Wrapped in Bullet’s arms, I slept like a baby.
I untangled myself after waking, taking care not to wake him. He slept deeply, his naked body bathed in the morning light streaming through the windows.
I sighed, my heart swelling with love for this beautiful man. Inside and out, he was everything I’d ever dreamed of. The fact that he was real was almost unbelievable.
Unable to wipe the smile from my face, I went searching for a room service menu. After ordering a huge breakfast for us, I jumped in the shower, hesitant to wash away the remnants of last night.
My skin was still tingling from Bull
et’s touch, I could still feel his hands on me, his lips on mine. I hated to have to leave but I had a shift at the gallery later and there was no way I was going to be late, no matter how hard it was going to be to pull myself away from Bullet. Especially since my boss had offered me a show. I was determined to show her how thankful I was by doing the best job possible.
I comforted myself with the thought that I could see Bullet again tonight.
As I dried myself off, I heard the ding of my phone from the next room. I dressed quickly, putting my black dress back on, a shiver of desire running through me when I remembered Bullet lifting the hem of it last night. He’d made love to me like never before, our bodies wrapped together, lost in a mesmerizing ecstasy that left me shuddering and shaking all night.
I walked out of the bathroom and saw he was awake, watching me from the bed, his hair tousled around his head.
“You look like a sculpture,” I said, saving the image in my head for later.
“Oh, yeah?” he mused. “You should come run those hands over me, then.”
I smiled, “I ordered breakfast. It should be here soon.”
“Thank you,” he said. “I’m starved.”
“Me, too,” I said, walking over near the door and finding my purse lying on the table. I pulled it out to check it, wondering if it was Julia who’d texted me. But it wasn’t a text, it was an email.
I opened it curiously and stood reading it, my head wrinkled in confusion.
Dear Libby,
My name is Charlene Vanderbilt. I’m in town from Manhattan and I saw some of your work at Breeze Block. I’m completely enamored with your style and I’d love to commission a custom sculpture from you. Money is no object.
Please contact me as soon as possible, so we can arrange a personal meeting. I’m only in town for two more days.
Sincerely,
Charlene
“What’s wrong, babe?” Bullet asked.
I shook my head. “Nothing.” I put my phone away and turned back to him. “Just work.”
He reached out for me and I fell into his arms, my head spinning. I’d never had a commission before. I also didn’t have any work currently showing at the gallery, but perhaps my boss had shown my pictures to this woman. I didn’t recognize her name, but that didn’t mean a thing.
Bullet kissed me while I basked in the glory my life had become. I couldn’t remember ever being this happy, and certainly not since all the trauma Mona had put me through.
Maybe everything was going to work out after all.
Maybe now things would start falling into place for me.
When room service knocked, Bullet yelled out, asking them to leave it by the door.
He didn’t retrieve our breakfast until he’d finished feasting on my body.
CHAPTER FIFTY
BULLET
After I gave Libby a ride home, I drove back to the hotel with a grin the size of Texas. Last night was hands-down the best night of my life.
There was a time when I thought I’d never be happy again.
For years before I met Libby, I wasn’t sure happiness was something I was supposed to experience. I was consumed of thoughts of my twin brother back then, consumed with guilt and regret after he died our senior year in high school. I joined up with a biker gang to hide the pain. When that club broke up, I was sure my life was over. But then the Gods took us in, made us part of their family and all of a sudden, I had a purpose again.
I may not have been happy, but at least I had a fucking reason to wake up in the morning. I was content with my work.
And then I met Libby in that dank, dark basement, all of us scared out of our minds, none of us knowing what was going to happen. I never dreamed I’d fall in love with her.
But I had. Hard.
And in one of the worst moments of my life, I somehow found happiness.
But once we got out, it was short-lived. As quickly as Libby came into my life, she left it. The fact that she was back, the reality of the night we spent together last night, hell, it all left me spun.
I walked back into the hotel lobby trying to wipe the grin from my face. A few of the Gods were there, drinking whiskey and splayed out on the white leather couches in the lobby like they owned the place.
“Hey brothers,” I said in greeting, after grabbing a drink for myself and joining them. It was early afternoon, but I didn’t care.
“Damn, Bullet, you’re fucking glowing!” Shadow said, patting me on the back. “I take it you and Libby had a good night?”
“Yeah, we did,” I said, my grin growing wider.
“I bet,” he laughed. “Vick, Colt, and Storm had a really good time, too.”
“Oh, yeah?” I said.
“Dude,” Vick said, shaking his head. “The three of us hooked up with the hottest cougar I’ve ever seen! She was like a wildcat, totally out of control, doing the craziest things with her mouth, man —.”
“She was fucking amazing,” Colt said, looking like he’d been through the wringer. “Best night of my life, honestly.”
“Wow,” I replied, laughing. “What was her name?”
“Her name?” Storm said, wrinkling her brow. “Shit, I don’t think we even got her name.”
“Classy, fellas, real classy,” I replied, shaking my head.
“Dude, when you’re with a chick like that, names don’t matter.”
“Well, are you going to see her again or what?”
“Doubtful,” Vick scoffed. “She kicked us out at the crack of dawn.”
“I guess you guys didn’t make the same impression on her that she did on you,” I remarked.
“Who cares, man?” Storm said. “That’s the kind of woman you can only handle one night of. She was a dangerous handful.”
“Six handfuls, apparently,” I said, wearily.
They laughed, their bellows echoing through the quiet lobby.
“What about you, Shadow? You weren’t into the orgy?”
“Nah, man, I spent the night with Julia,” he said, his voice growing deeper. I raised an eyebrow, but kept silent. Libby would definitely be interested in this information.
I sank back into the couch, counting the minutes until I could see her again.
She was at work and she promised she’d call me when she got out so I could take her out again. Perhaps someplace a little more casual this time, just to mix it up a little. Although, if I’m being honest, I’d prefer the quaint casualness of my bed upstairs.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
LIBBY
After managing to get someone to cover the end of my shift, I left work early and drove over to the Heathman. The Heathman is the opposite type of hotel from the Hotel deLuxe, where Bullet was staying. One of the oldest hotels in Portland, it’s all dark woods, antique crystal chandeliers and stiff-lipped waiters decked out in formal tuxedos.
There was no way I could afford valet parking, so I parked in the nearby parking garage and strode over to the hotel. It was raining tonight, but not a tolerable rain, like we usually had. Tonight, it was mixed with a strong wind that whipped your hair around your head and left you looking like a wet rat. Using an umbrella on night’s like this were useless, because the wind destroyed the strongest of umbrellas.
After living here all your life, you just learn to give up.
I approached the door of the hotel, nodding to the uniformed man who opened the door for me.
Nerves gripped my heart.
I’d never had a commission before. In fact, I was half-convinced this was a big mistake and whoever Charlene Vanderbilt was, she had the wrong person. But I’d replied to her email and she’d insisted on meeting tonight. I figured it wouldn’t take more than a few minutes to clear up this case of mistaken identity and I’d be able to hurry over to Bullet’s hotel and spend the rest of the evening with him.
As agreed upon, I waited in the hotel lounge, sipping a fifteen-dollar glass of house wine and people-watching.
Everyone was dressed to the
nines, and I felt a little out of place in my yellow sundress. As the minutes ticked by, my nerves increased. I downed the wine just a little too quickly, reminding myself to slow down because it was probably a lot stronger than the five-dollar bottles I was used to buying at Freddie’s.
Outside, the streets of downtown Portland were full of tourists. I’d never understood the pull of Portland as a tourist town, with nothing much to see except trees, trees and more trees, but it really appealed to the foodies who came here just to dine in our nice restaurants. If any of them asked me, though, I’d tell them to head out to the Columbia River Gorge and escape this maze of cars and glass high-rises.
But none of them asked me.
So, I sat silently waiting, until the bartender walked over and asked me my name. When I told him, he nodded and slid a hotel room key across to me.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Ms. Vanderbilt requested you meet her in her room, madam,” he said. “The penthouse suite. The elevators are just around the corner behind you.”
I stared at the key without touching it. Going up to a hotel room to meet someone you didn’t know was against the first rule of women’s safety. I knew better.
“Is there a problem, madam?”
“I just don’t know her. Did she seem…um…nice?” I asked, immediately regretting my word choice. Hell, Jeffrey Dohmer seemed nice.
“Oh, she was very charming,” he said. “Very nice woman, yes. I’m sure you’re safe. If anything’s weird, just call down to the front desk and they’ll send security up right away.”
I nodded, contemplating if I should just leave, while the bartender walked away.
“Fuck, Libby, stop being so paranoid,” I whispered to myself. “This is just business. It’s a woman. You’re not going to get assaulted. She just wants a piece of your art. This is your dream.”
I nodded to myself, my inner dialogue continuing.
Gods of Chaos MC Box Set 4 Page 27