by Sam Crescent
Raoul rounded the car, though, opening the door. “Is anyone giving you trouble?”
She stared into his blue eyes. He had the boy next door look going for him.
“No. No trouble whatsoever.” She forced a smile to her lips.
Landon climbed into the passenger side, and she was grateful.
There really were no other words that needed to be spoken between them. Raoul closed the door, and part of her was sad to see him give up so easily. What she’d seen hadn’t been that shocking. No, what shocked her was her own reaction to witnessing such open sex. Her body was humming with pleasure. She’d never felt anything like this before, and that alone scared her.
Chapter Three
“I told you to keep an eye on her, not to bring her to the fucking clubhouse and especially not to bring her when I didn’t fucking know about it.” Raoul yelled at Landon while also pacing the clubhouse parking lot. He was pissed off, more than pissed. Not only had he been close to orgasm last night when he’d happened to glance up and see Zoe, but afterward he’d not been able to do a damn thing. She was too fucking young for him, and there was no chance in hell for either of them getting together.
It was a fantasy inside his own head. He’d seen the shock on her face last night with what she’d witnessed.
You didn’t see disgust though.
She had run from him before he witnessed anything else.
“I left a message with Daisy. It’s not my fault that he didn’t pass it on to you.”
“He told me you were coming, not that you were bringing the very woman I put you with to protect.” Landon was one of their youngest potential prospects. He was of college age, and he was already in the same college as Zoe. Raoul offered to vote for him to become a prospect, and in return he kept an eye on Zoe.
“I’m there, okay. I’m fucking her roommate.”
“Is this the same roommate that almost got her hurt?” Raoul asked.
“No. It’s the new one. The old one took the hint when I told her to get out of town.” Landon ran fingers through his hair. “Look, I’ve been talking with Stacey, the roommate, and she told me Zoe is obsessed with you.”
“What?”
“She clings to that card you gave her. From what Stacey has told me she hasn’t even used the gun you gave her. She’s totally focused on you.”
Raoul ran a hand down his face. He’d not gotten the best night’s sleep last night.
“What’s up with you miserable fuckers?” Crazy asked, walking out of the clubhouse. It was one of the first nights he’d actually stayed at the club.
“Where’s Strawberry?” Raoul asked, talking about his young kid.
“At home with her mother. I couldn’t stay there another minute listening to Suz fucking moan about shit. I tell you, don’t ever get fucking married.”
“Duke’s married. So is Pike,” Landon said.
“They’re lucky bastards. Holly and Mary are two of a kind. The rest of them are fucking whores.” Crazy pulled his cigarettes out of his pocket. “What’s going on with you bitches this morning?”
“Raoul’s chewing my ass out for bringing his girl here.”
“His girl?”
“Zoe, the one he saved a few months back.”
“She’s not my fucking girl, and it’s not any of your fucking business.” Raoul glared at each man, hating both of them. “Where is she now?”
“I took her home. She’s probably spending her weekend staring at the card and the gun.”
“What else did she say?” Raoul asked.
“Wow, you’ve really got a thing for this girl, haven’t you?” Crazy asked, taking a long draw on his cigarette.
“Fuck off.”
“Fine. I’ll give you a little piece of advice, don’t knock them up.”
“You didn’t mean to knock Suz up,” Raoul reminded him.
“Don’t I fucking know it. Suz thinks it’s fucking funny that she caught me with the oldest trick in the book. Part of me wished I could be like Prez and shoot the bitch.”
They were all killers, but none of them liked killing women. Even Duke had put up with a cheating bitch for a wife before he found Holly. When Julie put Holly’s life at risk, Duke cracked, putting a bullet in her head.
Raoul was about to leave the group when Crazy’s car pulled into the parking lot. He frowned as Suz climbed out of the car, popping some gum. “I need some money,” she said, looking straight at Crazy.
Calling Suz a bitch was insulting the word bitch. There was no one she cared about but herself. Out of all the women Raoul knew, she was the least maternal, even less so than Julie.
“Where’s fucking Strawberry?” Crazy asked.
“How the fuck should I know?”
Anger emanated out of Crazy. He was positively throbbing with rage. “Where’s my daughter? I mean it, Suz.”
“I don’t know. It was your night last night. I’ve not seen her. Now, I want my money.”
“Last night was your night to spend with her. I left her with a babysitter.” Crazy threw his cigarette to the floor.
“Oops, I guess I forgot. Oh well, money.” She held her palm out.
Raoul was sick to his stomach to witness the woman’s complete lack of care.
Crazy walked up to her, but he didn’t go into his pocket. He grabbed Suz around the neck, pressing her against the car. Raoul didn’t make a move toward him. The bitch deserved whatever Crazy decided to give.
“Shouldn’t you stop that?”
“He’s just realized his little girl may have been left alone all last night. Wouldn’t you be pissed if it was your kid?”
Crazy talked quietly, whispering the words against her ear. From the fear flashing across her face Crazy wasn’t holding back in his threats.
Finally, he gave her some money. When she went to argue he shot her another warning.
He moved back toward them as her car rushed out of the parking lot. “I’ve got to head home.”
“Is Strawberry on her own?”
“No. I left her with the babysitter. I’ll just have to pay her extra for the time she’s been taking care of her.”
“Who’s your babysitter?” Landon asked.
“The woman who lives across the hall from me, Leanna.” Crazy stretched. “I’ll see you guys around.”
“I want you to take Stacey out this afternoon,” Raoul said, giving the order to Landon when they were alone.
Landon groaned. “Man, do you know how clingy this bitch is?”
“You should have made sure I got the message yesterday. I don’t really give a fuck how needy this girl is. Take her out, fuck her, dine her, whatever. I don’t care.” Raoul left him alone, heading back inside. Daisy was sitting at the bar, nursing another coffee. “We’re always doing this.”
“Fuck, man, don’t speak so loud. Anyone could hear you.” Daisy rubbed at his temples.
“What’s going on with you?”
“I party hard and fuck hard. I’m not as young as I used to be.” Daisy groaned. “Fuck, I think I’m going to be sick.”
Daisy rushed out of the room, heading toward the nearest bathroom.
“Hey, Raoul,” Lori said.
Lori was walking up behind him. When she made to touch him, he grabbed her hands, stopping her from doing it. “Don’t even think about it.”
“Why? You liked what I was doing to you last night.” She tried to whisper against his ear. Gripping her neck, much like Crazy had with his woman, Raoul applied pressure to her throat.
“I suggest you get the fuck away from me before I end your poor excuse for a miserable life. You’re good enough for a fuck, Lori. Nothing else. Get out of here.”
She ran away, grabbing her bag from the pile and leaving the clubhouse. Minutes later Daisy came back, looking around the corner. “Is she gone?”
“Was that all a fucking act?” Raoul asked.
“Not all of it. My head is fucking killing me. That woman is like a leech, and I can’t get h
er off me.” Daisy took a seat at the bar, looking a little more human than he had a few moments ago.
“What’s with the faking?”
“I can’t stand her. She’s good to take my dick, but I don’t want her. That woman is trying to become an old lady.”
“You think she’s trying to do to you what Suz did to Crazy?”
“I’m not falling for it. I won’t let her near me.” Daisy took a sip of his coffee. “What are you doing today?”
“I’m going to head out. I’ve got to see someone.” He didn’t want to tell him that he intended to see Zoe.
“I take it you don’t need a brother to come along for the ride.”
“Not for this one.” Rubbing the back of his head, Raoul stretched, checking the time. He didn’t want to go too early. When he saw Zoe he wanted to be alone. From what Landon had told him, Stacey wasn’t the kind of girl he wanted around Zoe.
After an hour of hanging around the club, he climbed on his bike, and headed toward the apartment.
For the first time in his life, Raoul was nervous. He didn’t know what it was about Zoe, but she’d gotten under his skin and now he couldn’t just get rid of her.
Blowing out a breath, he made his way toward her building.
****
Zoe blew over the rim of her coffee and tried not to think about last night. When she’d finally fallen asleep, she’d had dreams of Raoul, only it wasn’t the woman he’d been with. No, in her dream, it had been her that had been in place with Raoul’s cock tunneling inside her.
She’d woken up in a sweat and filled with need that had taken her breath away.
Stacey was already gone for the day. Landon had picked her up, and Zoe and Landon both acted oblivious to the other. She didn’t want Landon to look at her. Last night had happened. She only wished he’d not witnessed her stupidity.
The card that Raoul had given her was on the counter in front of her, mocking her. She’d been having dreams about a fantasy.
Raoul wasn’t the kind of man she wanted to be with. Yet he was the first man who’d ever inspired any kind of response inside her.
Someone knocked on her front door, and she wondered if Stacey had forgotten her keys. Climbing down off the stool, she made her way toward the door, opening it with a smile that soon died on her lips.
“Hello, Zoe,” Raoul said.
“Hello, Raoul.” She simply stared at him, shocked that he was on her doorstep. “What are you doing here?”
“You should have known I’d come to you after last night.” He leaned against her doorframe, and she wasn’t even tempted to slam the door in his face.
“Why?”
“I left you with instructions to take lessons with the gun I’d given you. Have you done it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want to learn how to shoot a gun.” Turning on her heel, she left the door open, giving him the chance to walk into her apartment. Part of her wanted him to stay outside, but she couldn’t stand in front of him while trying to talk.
The sound of the door closing along with his footsteps made it all final to her.
“You need to learn how to shoot for your own protection.”
“This isn’t the wild west. I’m not some woman in a saloon, Raoul. I don’t need to know how to use a gun to survive. I can survive all on my own and with Mace spray.” She folded her arms underneath her breasts, facing him.
The moment she stared into his eyes, she found it impossible to think.
“Why did you come to the clubhouse last night?”
“I wanted to see you.” She figured going with the truth would make him leave her alone a little faster.
“Why?”
“Will you stop asking that?”
“No.”
“Well, I’m not going to tell you why I wanted to see you.” It was embarrassing. While she’d been thinking constantly about him, he’d been screwing every woman he could get his hands on.
“You don’t need to hide anything from me. What you saw—”
“What I saw put a lot of things into focus for me.”
“You can’t stop thinking about me.” He didn’t make it sound like a question. “I spoke to Landon,” he said, when she frowned at him.
“Is that why he’s taken Stacey out? Did he know you were coming here?” she asked. She’d not even thought about Landon knowing Raoul.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, he spoke with that guy last night like he knew him.
This entire trip was getting a little too weird for her.
“Yes. He’s here because I asked him.”
“What do you mean?”
“I asked him to keep an eye on you.”
“I don’t need a babysitter.” Why did he have someone looking after her? She was so angry with him right now. It wasn’t fair to Landon that Raoul was making a guy like Landon look after her. Yes, she’d been in danger, but that was the first time she’d ever been in trouble.
“Let’s not argue about this.”
“There’s nothing to argue with. I made a mistake. Tell Landon to back off.” She glared right back at him.
“You wanted something from me. What was it?” he asked, taking a step toward her.
She forced herself to stay still. It would be all too easy for her to step back and ignore him.
“I don’t want anything from you.”
“Don’t lie to me, Zoe. You’ve been thinking about me.”
Zoe sealed her lips, refusing to give him the satisfaction. “You’ve got more than enough women to warm your bed.”
“I don’t want women to warm my bed, Zoe. They were keeping my dick wet, nothing else.”
“Will you please leave?” She wasn’t used to feeling jealous, and the way he was talking was making her jealous. Zoe didn’t want to think about the other women he’d been with.
“No.” He closed the small distance between them. Zoe tried to take a step back, but he wouldn’t let her. Raoul grabbed her arms, tugging her close. Her arms touched his leather jacket. The heat from his hands wasn’t helping her ability to think. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to stare at the patch on his leather jacket.
There’s nothing special about him.
He’s a biker.
He’s nothing to me.
It was all lies, but she’d do anything to rid herself of any kind of good memory of him. He’d been the first and only man to really help her. That night those months back could have gone a whole lot worse without his help.
“I’m not going to leave until you tell me why you came to see me.”
“I just wanted to say thank you. I’ve said it, and now I don’t need to say it anymore. You can keep Landon away.” She tried to move away from him. Raoul wouldn’t let her. His thumbs stroked over her arms
Against her better judgment, she stared down at his lips. Taking a deep breath, she couldn’t believe what was happening to her body. The fire began to build within her. She pressed her thighs together at the slick heat coming from her pussy. Her nipples grew hard at his closeness.
He was with another woman just hours ago.
Raoul leaned forward, and his lips touched her ear. “Tell me to go, Zoe. Tell me to go right now.”
She opened her lips to tell him exactly that. Only she stopped. Biting her lip, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him to stop or to leave.
I want him.
“I mean it, Zoe. There’s only so much I can take. This is your last chance.”
Say it.
Don’t say it.
What will he do if I don’t say it?
Keeping her lips closed, Zoe tilted her head to the side, and stared up at him.
“Big fucking mistake.” The hands on her arms slid up going into her hair. She gasped, and in the next second his mouth was devouring her lips. He held her close, his fingers gripping her hair as he sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, biting down.
She unfolded her arms, gripping his shoulders
tightly.
One of his hands left her hair, gliding down her back to go to her ass. He squeezed her ass tightly, drawing her close to him. The moment she touched him, she felt the hard ridge of his cock pressing against her stomach.
An image of his cock sinking into another woman invaded her senses.
“No,” she said, pulling away from him, long enough to get her sanity back.
“What is it?” he asked, kissing her head.
“What about last night? I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes.”
“The women last night didn’t mean a fucking thing to me. I use them, Zoe. I’ve been using them ever since I first met you. You’ve been in here.” He pressed a finger to his head to show her exactly where she’d gotten under his skin. “You’re too fucking young.”
“I’m not young, Raoul. I want this. I want you.”
“You’re in college.”
“I’m of age. I’m not so young,” she said, no longer wanting him to leave. She should be even more pissed off with him being with other women, but she wasn’t.
“Are you a virgin?”
“Yes.” She frowned at him. “Does it really matter?”
“It should matter.”
Taking her hand from his shoulder, she reached out to cup his dick, rubbing him through his jeans. “I don’t want you to care who I am.” She was tired of only ever wanting, and never getting the chance to experience it.
Listening to Stacey, seeing Raoul with those other women, and after everything that had happened to her, she was tired of always waiting.
She held onto his hand, stepping backward toward her room. Zoe was thankful nothing hindered her walk back to her bedroom. Raoul took over, dragging her into his arms as he led her in the same direction that she’d tried to walk. His palm cupped the back of her head and his other banded around her waist.
“There’s no turning back. Once we enter your bedroom, I won’t stop.”
“I don’t want you to stop. I don’t expect anything else from you.” She needed this. Zoe needed to get the obsession for this man out of her mind. The moment they slept together, it would be over. She’d stop thinking about him and be able to move on with her life.
Deep down she really did believe that to be true.
They stepped over the threshold of her bedroom. This was it. Pushing his leather jacket off his shoulders, she ran her hands down his body, going to the belt holding up his jeans.