by Ali Parker
"She's a good person though, Dougie. Leave her be." Nat glanced over her shoulder at her brother. "There's another box of roses in the back. Grab it for me?"
"Of course." He turned and disappeared into the back room.
"Is he still running dope?" I lifted my eyebrow and turned back to my best friend. There had been many times where I'd almost busted Doug only to have Nat get in my way. I wasn't a good person, not in the slightest.
"No. He got out of it." She leaned against the counter and smiled. "You look different. Something you did with your hair?"
"I got laid. Sort of." I smiled and reached out to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. "And it wasn't Seth."
"Oh no? Who then?"
"His name is Ryder." Something felt off about telling Nat Johnny's name. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I felt like I was stuck in the middle of a murder mystery.
"I know Ryder." Doug walked back in carrying a big box of roses.
"Stop snooping!" Nat turned to him and helped him set the box on the ground.
Doug turned to me. "Johnny Moretti."
I crossed my arms over my chest and forced a facade of indifference. "You know Johnny?"
"You do?" He laughed and walked over to the coffee, handing them out to us.
"Sort of." I took my coffee and shrugged.
"You just said you fucked him." Nat put her coffee to her lips. "Same guy or-"
"Nat. Shit." I rolled my eyes and let out a long sigh.
"Oh. Wow. Johnny is fucking someone besides Candace King? Interesting." Doug took a drink of his coffee and yelped.
I was a little more excited about him getting hurt than I should have been. "Candace King? Who's that?"
"His ex-girlfriend." He sucked in air and waved his hand around his face as if any of the following would cool his tongue. "She's Tanner King's little sister."
"How do you know all of this?" Natalie turned and put her hand on her hip. "I thought you were done with those thugs."
"I am. Fuck." He rolled his eyes and walked to the back. "The minute they started pimping out girls, I was out. You know that."
"Johnny was with Tanner's little sister? How long?" I turned my attention back to Natalie as shock rolled through me. The world seemed far too small all of a sudden.
"I don't know. I don't know any of these people." She shrugged and blew on her coffee.
"For years," Doug called from the back.
"Stop listening to our conversation, Doug. Shit!" Natalie gave me a look and nodded to the front door. "I want details on the sex. Come on. Let's go out front."
Sickness rolled through my stomach. If Johnny was with Candace King, then definitely he knew Tanner well.
How well was the question?
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Captain Nelson.
"This is officer Markum." I pressed the phone to my ear as I followed Nat out.
"It's Captain. We had a call about thirty minutes ago from the judge down in Juvi. Your boy's parole is being denied. We need to bring him in. He's going to be pulled from his home and put in Juvi for the next six months and then reassessed once released."
"Jason Moretti?" It could have been any of the thugs I was working with. There were plenty of them to choose from.
"Yes. I know it's your day off, but I wanted to give you the opportunity to pick him up."
"Do we know where he is?"
"I'd assume at home. You want to do it, or want one of us-"
Johnny. I took a shallow breath. "No. I'm on it."
"Alright. Good luck. The kid is a runner."
"Thanks, Captain." I dropped the call and gave Natalie an apologetic look. "I gotta go. Duty calls."
"Awww, seriously? We were just going to get to the good stuff." Natalie pouted.
I smiled. "Yeah. How is Brent?"
"He's good." Her face lit up like it always did when we talked about her little guy. "Growing up too fast, I'm sure."
"Oh yeah." She reached out and took my hand. "Let's get together soon. I miss you."
"We will, and tell Dougie not to say anything to anyone about me and Ryder? Please?"
"Of course not, but I expect details." She wagged her eyebrows and gave me a sexy smirk.
"You need to be making some details of your own." I walked to the car and opened the door.
"Tell me about it. It's getting old being single."
"Change it." I got in the car to the sound of her cackling. She was the most beautiful woman I knew, single, open, friendly... there was no reason why someone hadn't come into her life. Well, maybe one reason. Her pushing them away.
I dialed Johnny's number, surprised how fate was going to throw us together again.
"Ryder." His voice was gruff.
"It's Officer Markum from NYPD." I felt stupid giving him my spiel considering what we'd done with each other the night before.
"Dani."
"Look, Jason's parole is being revoked. Is he at the house with you?"
"No. He's with his mother today for the first time in a long time. Come to the lodge and after a few beers, we'll go find him."
"Johnny. I can't do-"
"Are you on shift today?" The sound of his voice alone had my heart palpitating, my mind wandering.
"No." I held my breath, knowing what he was going to ask.
"When did they give you until."
"Tomorrow." I closed my eyes and let my head drop back.
"Good. Come spend the afternoon with me at the lodge and I'll help you find him in the morning. I promise. Let him have tonight with his mom. It's been a long time for him."
I nodded. "Text me the address."
"Grab condoms on your way over."
I choked on my spit. "What?"
"Don't play coy. Stop and get some." He chuckled. "I'll see you shortly, Kitten."
He dropped the call and I sat there in shock. I was headed into the viper’s nest with a box of rubbers and my gun. What was I thinking? What had my life become?
Who was Johnny and how intimate was he with Tanner? He was Candace's lover, but what else was he?
I should have listened to reason as I drove down the street thinking about the only thing I couldn't deny.
I was falling for him, which was stupid and dangerous.
Both of which weren't me at all, or they used to not be.
The promise of pleasure and the hope of love, even tainted love, changed everything.
In the blink of an eye.
Chapter 13
Ryder
"Fuck," I mumbled and glanced over at Axel who was watching me closely. "Jason's fucked up for the last time. They're revoking his parole."
"Good. That little bitch needs to be in Juvi. It'll do him some damn good. His dad was a fuck up, and now he is too. You've been blaming yourself for the both of them for too long." He leaned toward me and locked his jaw.
He was the only person in the world that could say that shit to me and not find himself on his back with a knife at his mother fucking throat.
"Watch it," I mumbled before standing up and dialing Jason's number.
"What's up?" His voice was slurred.
"You're gonna need to get some clothes and run kid. They're done with your shit." I closed my eyes and ran my hand down my face. "I'm keeping the cop with me for the night, but we're coming to look for you in the morning."
"Wow. You'd do that shit for me?" His voice softened.
"Yeah. I would." I walked toward the door at the end of the bar, ignoring the stares I got. The place was too fucking busy, but it was Friday afternoon.
"Alright. Thanks." He dropped the call.
I walked outside in time to see Dani drive up. Her beat up blue Honda put a smile on my face. Was I really going to fuck her over and help Jason out? Yeah. Love could suck a dick. It never worked out for me anyway, if love was what we were headed toward. Something told me that it wouldn't be too hard to try with her.
"Hey." A smile haunted my lips as I moved toward her.
&n
bsp; She got out wearing a white cotton dress that fit her beautifully. My eyes moved down her sweet figure to her feet. White dainty sandals and her toenails were painted pink.
"Hi." She smiled as I glanced up. "You know I'm going to lose my job over you."
"It's not your job I'm worried about you losing." I reached out and cupped her cheek before brushing my thumb over her lips. "It's your innocence. Your decency."
"I lost my innocence a long time ago." She pulled my hand down, saving us both from a moment we wanted more than our next breath. She melted me. I wasn't sure how, but I didn't fucking care. I wanted to warm myself by her fire that night. At least one more time, but deeper, longer, more intense this time around.
I winked. "Could have fooled me. Come on in. I'll buy you a beer."
"Are you friends going to be pissed that you're hanging out with a cop?" She moved up beside me.
"I don't give a shit what anyone thinks. I'm the meanest mother fucker in this place and President of the club. Nobody will say shit unless I've given them permission to." I growled softly as she moved past me, her hand brushing by my dick seductively. "Tease."
She laughed and walked into the bar. Every head in the place turned. It was her hair. No, her legs. Fuck me. It was just her. I reached out and ran my hand down the back of her head as we walked toward the bar. Silky chestnut hair tickled my fingers.
I gripped the back of her neck and stopped beside her as we reached the bar. "Don't do anything stupid tonight, alright?"
"Like sleep with you?" She glanced over at me and smiled. "Where's Jason, Johnny?"
"He's at the house. He'll be there all night. My sister is with him. We had a good talk this morning."
"Your sister and you or Jason and you?" She turned as the bartender walked up. "Can I get a Bud Light."
"Sure. You Ryder?" The guy glanced over at me.
"Yeah. I'll take another beer." I turned to face Dani. "Me and Jason. He's a kid, Dani. He's had a fucked up life, and it's not getting any better."
Her expression softened a little. "Let me talk to him in the morning. Maybe I can do something."
"I'd appreciate that." I let my eyes move around her face, taking her in. My heart contracted at the sight of her and my cock pulsed with need as it grew thick and hard down the inside of my thigh. "You look good."
"Like a girl today?" She pushed her long hair over her shoulder and turned back to the bartender. "Thanks."
I ran my hand down her lower back over her ass and patted it softly as I reached for my beer with my free hand. Giving her my attention again, I licked the side of my mouth. "You look like a woman all the time to me."
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Moretti." She turned and walked toward the table we usually sat at.
Axel glanced up and smiled. "You must be Dani." He stood and offered his hand. "I'm Jeremiah. The guys call me Axel."
"Nice to meet you." She shook his hand and sat down across from him. "You guys aren't going to frisk me or anything right? I have a gun along my left thigh on the outside."
I sat beside her, straddling the bench so I could keep my eyes on her. "No one is going to touch you."
"That's hot." Axel chuckled.
"Watch it. Again." I lifted my eyebrow at my best friend.
"Yeah, yeah." He stood. "I'm out. Enjoy your evening. I have a meeting with Mason tonight. I'll keep you in the loop."
Dani turned her face toward me as Axel left. "Is he in your MC?"
"Yeah, but stop asking questions. You're going to get a spanking if you dig too much into my life. There's not much to find that will impress you." I reached out and brushed her hair back before moving in for a kiss. "Why are you here?" I paused before pulling her to me and kissing her.
Her sweet little tongue worked along mine, and the taste of her beer filled my mouth. I groaned and reached across her lap to pull her even closer. Her hip pressed against my erection as I forced her to lean her head back a little and take my tongue real good. The soft sound of her panting had me aching for dark depravity in the wetness of her body.
"What you are doing to me?" She broke the kiss and put her beer to her lips.
"I could ask the same." I blinked a few times and moved back a little.
"Wow. Where in the world did you find this beautiful creature?" Hyde walked up and pressed his hands to the other side of the table. "He's a horrible dancer, Miss. I'm much more of what you're looking for."
Dani's laugh had me smiling. "That so?"
"Not a chance, buddy. Keep moving, or you're going to lose a finger, a toe or some teeth." I turned the full weight of my attention on him.
He lifted his hands and backed up. "All good. I was just leaving."
"Later." I turned back to Dani. "I'm sure I'm going to catch hell bringing you here, but I wanted to see you."
"Let's go back to your place." She took another sip of her beer. The way she tilted her head back had my pulse spiking. I wanted my cock back in her mouth, to see her taking good care of it and forcing herself beyond her limits for me.
"No. Let's stay here." I ran my hand down her back, rubbing at the tension I felt in slow circles. "Tell me your story, Danielle."
I shouldn't have asked. It would only tie me tighter to her, and I already felt a pull that wasn't healthy or right.
"Which part of it?" She turned to face me and half-curled up in my lap in her new position. It was nice to have her affection though nothing was really happening between us.
"All of it. Why are you a cop? What did you do before parole duty because I can tell it's not your cup of tea. Who hurt you, baby? Who made you timid in bed?"
She flinched at my last question and turned away from me. "So many questions, Ryder. Where's the one from the other night?"
"Do you know Tanner King and if so... how?" I pursed my lips, trying hard not to say anything else. The woman was a loaded gun, and I wanted to play Russian Roulette with her before the night was over.
She nodded and drank the rest of her beer, impressing me a little. "I became a cop so I could have backup when I went into brothels and underground clubs. I wanted to help free women from sex slavery."
"And? Did you?" My heart dropped. Of course, she knew Tanner. Disgust welled inside of me. She'd better not fucking know him from anything he'd done to her or had done to her.
"Yeah. My little sister got caught up in it, and she was dead before I could save her." She set her beer down on the table and let out a painful sounding sigh. "Tanner King was the one that reeled her into that life."
I nodded. "Who hurt you, Danielle. Tanner?"
"What? No." She jerked back like I'd slapped her. "I've only seen Tanner King one time in my life."
"When?" I tried hard not to let the anger burning inside of me explode out. It wouldn't be good for anyone involved.
"About three weeks ago. I was at The Jade Walk Club and was the one that went in after him."
"Really?" I lifted my eyebrow and picked up my beer. "Wow. That's fucking ballsy. He's a bastard and doesn't mind killing anyone for any reason at all."
"So, you do know him?"
"I never said I didn't." I took a long drink from my beer before turning back to her. "You need to steer clear of him, Dani. He's looking for you."
"I'm not scared of him." Her shoulders stiffened.
"I'm sure your sister wasn't at first either." I stood and offered her my hand. "Come dance with me."
"You dance?" Her eyes widened a little, but she stood and took my hand.
"Not really, but I do love this song." I walked with her out to the dance floor where a good handful of people had already gathered. "You haven't answered my question."
I pulled her tightly against me and ran my hands down her back and over her ass before coming back up for another round. I wanted to feel her skin under my fingers, to hear her moan and whimper, to taste her come again.
"Seth." She glanced down and pressed her forehead to my chest. "He was my husband. We were together forever.
"
"Since school?" I forced her to look back up at me and leaned down to stare into her face.
"Yeah. He was my first. My only." She shrugged and glanced around as if she were preparing to run.
It would have been best for both of us if she would have.
"Not anymore." I smiled and nipped at her perfect lips before walking off the dance floor toward the back room. "Got anywhere to be for the next few hours?"
"No." She half-jogged behind me trying to keep up. "Is there a room back here?"
"Yeah. A quiet stock room. You'll love it." I opened the door and moved back.
She stopped. "Johnny."
I laughed. "Get in there and tell me you brought more than one rubber. I wanna make sure you're limping before you walk back out of here."
"I'm not fucking you for the first time in a store room." Her eyes grew wide. Her innocence drew me in deep.
"Oh yeah, you are." I walked in and pulled her with me as the door slammed behind us.
I had her chest pressed against the closest wall, her skirt up and panties down to her knees before she could utter a word. She arched her back and moaned softly as I unzipped my pants.
"What if someone-"
"Hush. Now." I gripped my dick tightly and ran it down the curve of her pretty, pert, little ass before sliding the thick head into her tight slit. "Fuck. I'm going to have to work you open, Dani. Relax against me."
"Don't hurt me," she mumbled and pressed back, forcing a good inch of my cock inside of her silky heat.
"Never, baby," I whispered against the side of her neck and reached around to play with the tight bundle of nerve at the junction of her sweet spot.
Her panting had my wanting to bend her over and reign hell on her tight body, but the scent of her skin, the grip of her fingers on my thighs, the sweet way she arched into my touch as I gripped her tit... it was too much. She deserved better than a fast fuck, and I planned on giving it to her. One thick inch at a time.
Chapter 14
Dani
"More," I whined, not sounding anything like myself. What the hell was I doing? Was I really in a store room with Johnny? Were we fucking?