by Jenika Snow
No, not asked. Practically demanded she give up her body to him.
He moved through the store, his gaze locked on hers at every available opportunity. He watched as he went to the fridge section and grabbed a couple of cases of beer. When he went over to the locked case that held the cigarettes, the sound of the manager’s door opening had her turning and looking at Hanson. He was only in his thirties, and although he wasn’t much older than her twenty-eight, he had the whole “Creepy Pervert” look going on. His dark hair was greasy, combed over to the side, and his face was riddled with old acne scars. It wasn’t his appearance that disgusted her; it was his attitude and clear disrespect of her and women in general that did it. She had lost count of the number of times she had heard him speaking on the phone, coarsely talking to what she presumed was a woman, and the disgusting things he said to them.
“Eloise, can you explain to me what this is?” Hanson asked in an annoyed, slightly raised voice.
She glanced at the man named Steel, and had this uncanny feeling that he was aware of everything going on behind him, even though his back was to her while he continued to scan the shelving of cigarettes. The sound of Hanson slamming a piece of paper down on the counter in front of her had Eloise looking down at the form and knitting her brows. It was an order form for paper goods in the store, and although she dealt with ordering things from time to time, this was not on her.
“Can you explain why there were two cases of paper towels, toilet paper, and napkins ordered, yet there is only one case of each accounted for?” Hanson asked, his beady black eyes staring at her with annoyance and interest.
“This isn’t my signature, Hanson,” she said and placed her finger next to the name who signed the order form. “Robert ordered these, and he isn’t coming back from his vacation until next week. You should probably take this up with him.” She glanced over at Steel again, took in the way his dark hair was on the longer side, how his biceps were so thickly corded with muscles, and the tattoos that seemed to cover every square inch of his arms.
“I don’t care whose signature it is, you were working with Robert on this.”
“No, I wasn’t, Hanson.”
“Listen, Eloise,” he leaned in, and she moved an inch back. The scent of fast-food wafted from him and when he smiled, flashing his crooked and yellowed teeth, she felt her stomach roil with disgust. He reached out, picked up a small lock of dark hair that fell over her shoulder, and made this gross sound deep in his throat.
“Back off, Hanson.”
He ignored her comment. “I think you’re wild, aren’t you, Eloise? I bet if we got you naked and took off those glasses you’d be the naughty librarian—”
Hanson’s words were cut off when Steel pulled him away from Elise so quickly she hadn’t even seen him approach. He didn’t throw Hanson on the ground, but he did toss him aside with enough force that Hanson stumbled backward and caught himself before he fell.
“When a woman says back off, you back the fuck off, man.” Steel said in a hard, commanding, and take no shit voice. “Being a motherfucker to women is going to get your ass handed to you and your body six feet under.”
Chills raced up her arms and legs at the deadly calm voice that came from this outlaw biker. When Hanson stumbled away and back into the manager’s office, Steel turned back around to face her. His leather vest showed a patch of his biker club, and a small patch that said 1%er. She didn’t know what that meant, didn’t plan on asking either. This man scared her, but there was also a part of her that was aroused that he had stood up for her, pushed Hanson away as if he were nothing more than a nuisance, and now stared at her with this possessive gleam in his eyes.
“He bother you like that often?”
She licked her lips and glanced away. “It’s okay. He’s harmless for the most part.” She looked at him again. “Thank you for that, by the way. You didn’t have to step up and help.”
He picked up the cases of beer he had set aside to help her and then put them on the conveyer belt. He also grabbed the two bottles of whiskey and set them beside the beer. She was nervous as she checked him out, because she could feel his gaze on her, intent and strong, and it had her hands shaking. Once he paid, and she had the items bagged, she glanced at him again, saw the way his dark eyes were still trained on her, and didn’t understand what it was about this man that had her so on edge. It wasn’t because he was violent and dangerous, or that he was associated with the biker gang. It was simply him, and that scared the shit out of her.
He grabbed a slip of paper off the register, took the pen on the counter, and jotted something down. He handed her the paper, and she stared a down at it. “If that little fucker bothers you again, you call me, okay?”
She stared at him and then looked back at the number he had written down. She didn’t know what to say, how to respond. So she just nodded and watched as he gave a deep gruff as if he liked her response and then left.
Amy breathed heavily as she stared up at Joker. He was so close to her, keeping his body right in front of her and blocking any escape, if she had planned to do that. The wall was cold behind her, and she placed her hands flat on wallpaper, feeling her heart race and her nerves go on high alert.
“We aren’t going to talk about any of that, Amy,” he leaned in closer. “We aren’t going to bring up that motherfucker’s name ever again, because he is dead, literally and figuratively. You understand?”
She was scared of Joker, of the man he had become, even though she knew he’d never hurt her. He was just menacing, so big and strong, watching her like he wanted to devour her. He also had no problem in killing anyone that stood in his way, or as it turned out, had hurt her. A part of her should have been disgusted and horrified that he had murdered her dad, but the truth was that she wasn’t. Amy actually felt this intense relief fill her, felt like he had just done something for her that showed how much he loved her. And Amy loved him, God, did she love him, but she also thought she could never be what he needed or wanted.
His scent was strong, powerful, and faintly hinted at his wild essence and the aroma of motor oil. She loved the combination and actually felt her eyelids flutter as if they wanted to close on their own.
“You are scared of me.” He didn’t phrase it like a question.
“I am,” she said on a breath, not knowing why she had admitted that.
“I’d never hurt you.”
“I know.” And she did, with everything inside of her.
“I’m a dangerous man, Amy, but with you I feel this lightness inside, a calm and ease that makes me want to just hold you and protect you from this fucked up world.”
She didn’t respond for a few seconds, just reveling in the feeling the heat of his body, his scent invading her senses, and feeling truly protected by his nearness. “I don’t think I can be what you want me to be, Reese.” She swallowed hard, hating to say the words, but knowing he needed to hear them.
“And what is it that you think I need you to be, Amy?” Reese asked softly and lifted his hand to run his finger over her cheek.
“You want me to be like those women you are with, the one I saw you with all those years ago.” She closed her eyes, imagining that night, the domination that had flowed from him in waves. Maybe he wasn’t like that anymore? Maybe he didn’t like that kind of hardcore sex anymore? Amy didn’t know, but she had a feeling his desires were just as powerful as they were back then, if not more so.
He stared into her eyes, didn’t respond, and didn’t move for several seconds. And then he surprised her by leaning forward and placing his lips on hers. The kiss wasn’t forceful, wasn’t demanding. It was soft and gentle, and she actually relaxed against him and opened her mouth. It felt good, really good to have him so close, kissing her and smoothing his finger over her face. He pulled back, kept his hand on her cheek then rested his forehead on hers.
“I don’t want anything from you that you’re not willing to give, baby.” He cupped the either side
of her face. “I just want you, and we can work through whatever issues you have with this.” He pulled back, the hardness coming back on his face. “Because I want you, and I won’t leave you this time, Amy. I want you as my woman, and despite your fear, I know you want me just as badly.”
Chapter 7
Joker pulled away from the woman he loved and saw her glistening tears. “I’m going to spend some time with dad and leave you alone for a little bit. I’m not going away, Amy. We’re in this together.” He pressed another kiss to her lips, rejoicing when she kissed him back. “We’re going to work through this together.”
“He’s really dead?”
“Deader than dead, baby.”
“And you’re not going to be put away for his death?”
He chuckled. “I’m not going to be put away for anything. I promise you. Everything is in the clear. I made a deal with some guys at the club.” He stroked her soft cheek, wishing she hadn’t been hurt before. Joker would gladly take her to bed and make love to her but she wasn’t ready.
“Your club scares me.”
“The club keeps me sane, Amy. They’ve kept me grounded for a hell of a long time.”
“But they kill people and I don’t know if I can handle that.”
He held her head between his hands, staring down into her eyes. Compared to him she was so small, delicate, and soft. Joker knew he’d have to take care of her, love her with every part of him when he finally got her. She was the only woman he’d ever loved and even though he’d fucked plenty of women in his time, none of them ever compared to this sweet, delicate woman in his arms, even though he had never slept with her.
Fuck, he was a goner, and he’d never actually tasted her. He didn’t have the first clue about how tight her pussy would be, or the sweetness of her cream as she came on his face. Amy was his woman, had always been his, and yet there was so much for him to learn about her, and learn, he would.
“Without them, Amy, I’d have been dead long ago. I couldn’t have you. We didn’t do anything that night all those years ago, yet I knew I’d hurt you. I couldn’t live with myself. When I met Demon, I was dying inside. You’re my life, Amy. The club is part of me, and I love them like the brothers I never had. Trust them the way you trust me.”
She placed her hands over his. “I’ll try.”
“You’re stronger than that asshole, baby. Stronger than anyone I’ve ever known. We can do this and we’re going to do it.” He pressed another kiss to her lips, but this one far more demanding than the other. “I’m going to speak to my father. Get some sleep and I’ll join you soon.”
He eased her away, making his way out of the room before closing the door behind him. Resting his body against the door, he stared up at the white ceiling with the single light bulb glowing down at him. His cock was rock hard, begging for him to go back into Amy’s room and fuck her.
Not now. Take your time and give her a chance.
If he walked back into that room to her frightened screams, he’d regret it. The only screams he wanted to hear were hers calling his name in utter pleasure.
Joker forced himself to remember that night their kiss got out of hand, the way she’d fought him as he led her back toward the bed. All of it came crashing down around him and cut off all his pleasurable thoughts. His cock deflated and, after taking a deep breath, he left her door and made his way downstairs.
His father was waiting for him at the table.
“I made you a coffee; I figured you’d need it.” He pointed to the cup on the table.
“Thank you.”
“Are you going to be staying awhile?”
He glanced over at his father, seeing his slight weight loss along with his grief. The loss of his step-mother had hit his father hard.
“Yeah, I’m staying. I’m going to lay my cards out here, Dad. When I go back to the clubhouse, I’m taking Amy with me.”
“Reese—”
“No, don’t cut me off. I mean it; Amy’s mine. She has been mine for a long time. You know this.”
“I promised Brenda when I married her that I would always keep Amy safe. I can’t let her down. Amy’s all I’ve got of Brenda now.”
“I killed him, Dad.”
Silence fell between them. Staring at the man he’d loved his whole life, the same man he admired and respected, Joker waited for him to speak. His father, and even Amy, could call him Reese, but he wasn’t Reese anymore, he was Joker, VP of the Soldiers of Wrath, and he wouldn’t change. So much had happened in his life that he didn’t even know if it was possible to change. The only thing that had remained the same was his love for Amy.
“What?” David asked.
“I killed him: Amy’s father, the fucker who ruined her childhood and put her into years of nightmares and therapy. He’s gone, and he’s never coming back. You don’t need to protect her anymore. Amy’s protection is my job. It’s time for you to go out and find someone for yourself.”
David cut him off laughing. “What the fuck has happened to you, son?”
“I grew up.”
“Killing men doesn’t make the problem go away. Bruce hasn’t been around for years, and Amy’s still fighting what he did to her. It’s not just going to go away because you killed him.” David slammed his hand down on the table. “Amy’s delicate. She needs to be cared for.”
“And you don’t think I’ve got it in me to care?”
“I don’t think you’ve cared about anything for a hell of a long time. Soldiers of Wrath, Demon, and the crap related to the club have been your life. I love you, son, always have and always will, but you’re not coming into Amy’s life with the intention of taking her away. You do that and you’re going to send her on a downward spiral. I won’t let that happen.”
“I love her. She’s all I think about, all I care about. You’re not going to keep her from me.”
“Then you better show me that you’ve got her best interests at heart. I don’t mind you being here. Just don’t rush Amy. She needs to have her life and live it, and you need to respect that.”
Joker clenched his teeth together, angry at himself and his father. His father was right, but then he was always right and that just pissed Joker off.
“I’ll stay.” He picked up his coffee, finding it lukewarm. Swallowing down the dark liquid, he nodded at his father before heading back to Amy’s bedroom.
Entering the room and finding Amy already fast asleep in her large bed, he removed his jeans and shirt. He’d been so long without her that he wasn’t going to spend another night not sleeping with her.
He was down to his boxer briefs and climbed into bed, making sure he didn’t make any sudden moves. He didn’t want to wake or frighten her. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he moved in closer, molding his body against hers.
“I’m going to love you for the rest of our lives. I’ll give you everything, and if anyone tries to hurt you, I’ll kill them.” He kissed her temple, resting his head near hers, and breathing her in.
For the first time in years, he closed his eyes and slept.
Amy slowly became aware of the warm body behind her. Turning her head, her heart stopped pounding when she saw Reese asleep next to her. Breathing out a sigh, she allowed herself to just look at him. In sleep he appeared much like the boy she’d known growing up. There were no frown marks or hard angles decorating his face. He was completely relaxed. One of his arms was underneath her head while the other lay across her waist.
This was the first night in months that she hadn’t woken up frightened. She must have been really tired not to notice when he crawled into bed with her.
“You’re awake,” he said, opening an eye.
“How did you know?” she asked, smiling.
“You moved, and baby, you’re not a light mover. You tug on the bedding and shift a hell of a lot. There’s nothing covert about you.”
She giggled.
“That’s a sound I could get used to.”
“Why are you in
my bed and not your own?”
“Do you remember what happened last night?” he asked.
Amy thought about last night and her heart started to pound. “You’re not going anywhere?”
“No, I’m not. I’m not going anywhere and I’m going to stay here until you’re completely comfortable with me. This is the bed I’ll sleep in. I’ll be there to meet you after work.”
“You’re not going to back away?”
“No, not even if you beg me to.”
Amy licked her lip, pulling away from him a little. Reese stopped her from moving by tightening his hand on her waist. Should she call him Reese or Joker? She didn’t know what to think.
“I need to go to the bathroom.”
“You’re not running from me.”
“I’m not going to run, but you’ve got to admit this is pretty damn confusing.” She moved off the bed, making her way toward the bathroom.
“It’s not confusing, baby.” He moved toward the edge of the mattress, sitting up. She couldn’t help but glance down. His penis pressed against the front of his boxer briefs. Amy swallowed past the lump in her throat. He was huge.
“I need to use the bathroom.” Opening her bathroom door, she sat on the toilet, and her thoughts returned to Reese. “Stop it,” she said, scolding her mind.
She squealed when he knocked on the bathroom door, her nerves running wild.
“Yeah?” she said, clearing her throat after the words left her. Her face felt bright red at the fact Reese could come in and see her on the toilet.