Last night had been just the distraction Keith had needed. He had come to tolerate the club parties that the boys liked to host…mainly because it provided him with a new array of women to lose himself in. There was nothing as therapeutic as the wet pleasures of a willing woman. Keith shifted in his bed and stared up at the ceiling. His room was tiny, but he only ever needed it for sleep—and to that end it served its purpose perfectly. His thoughts drifted to the woman he had fucked the night before.
He had seen her once before the party, sitting at the reception desk that Becca had once occupied. He had noticed her only because she fit the exact profile of what Keith found attractive. She was short and petite, but she had the kind of soft curves that he had always appreciated in a woman. She had dark eyes that he realized later were a deep blue and dark brown hair that leaned more towards curly than wavy. She had dimples in her cheeks and the kind of smile that came slowly but brightened up her entire face when it did.
Given that she was the new receptionist for the auto shop, Keith had planned on staying away from her. His intent had been sincere, right up until the moment he had spied her from across the room under the dim lights of the party. She had been wearing a short black dress that hugged her body in all the right places and heels that looked uncomfortably high. He had watched her walk through the party without really engaging, and before he had made a conscious decision, he found himself walking towards her.
Keith had always been confident, but it seemed somehow that his confidence reached a peak whenever he was around a woman he desired. Tucker called it his superpower…and Keith was inclined to agree. He had approached her in his usual dominant manner, taken her hand, and led her into one of the old storage rooms in the back. By the time the door closed behind them, Keith was already hard and ready and prepared for the same experience he had had a hundred times before. So it shocked him more than he cared to admit that this time was somehow different.
Most women batted their eyes at him or tried to make conversation while he pulled their panties down or unhooked their bras. Most women held him too tight and breathed too loud, but this woman… Kristina was different. There was an abandon about her that Keith couldn’t quite put his finger on. It was almost as though she were the one who had approached him. She didn’t try to talk to him; it didn’t even seem like she wanted to talk to him, and the moment he pushed himself inside her and her eyes closed in response, Keith sensed that she was completely and utterly in the moment. She was not concerned with what he thought of her or anything else. She simply wanted to be there and experience the wild chaos of their bodies colliding. It was as though Keith knew instinctively that she didn’t expect a conversation afterwards. She had an ulterior motive here, same as he did, and they were happy to use one another to achieve it.
Making her climax had left a burgeoning feeling of satisfaction in Keith, so much so that it had spurred him on until she came again. Right after, he slipped out of the cool dustiness of the back room, but she didn’t even raise her head to watch him go. She simply laid there, the ghost of a smile playing on her full lips. She hadn’t tried to kiss him the whole time they had fucked, and Keith wondered later why he had even noticed.
Slipping out of bed, Keith showered quickly and threw on some clothes before making his way down to Lee and Seton. Miles was already there when he arrived at the door. Silent as ever, Miles nodded by way of greeting when he saw Keith approach.
“I didn’t see you at the party,” Keith said.
“I didn’t stay for it,” Miles replied shortly.
“Who locked up?” Keith asked.
“Tucker.”
“You let cum-bucket close up?” Keith asked with a snort.
“You weren’t around,” Miles pointed out.
“I left halfway through,” Keith replied.
Miles shot him a pointed look. “Early conquest?” he asked as they made their way into the garage.
Keith suppressed a smile. “Yeah,” he nodded. “What did you do last night?”
Miles’s expression turned sour. “I had to… organize a few things.”
Keith knew instantly what that meant. “Are you having any issues with the border cartels? Is it Mickey’s group or Alfonso’s?”
“Neither, they’re behaving themselves since the Montgomery fiasco,” Miles said darkly. “This time it’s the Chains…”
Keith gritted his teeth together immediately. “The Rusted fucking Chains again?”
Miles nodded. “They want in.”
“In?” Keith asked incredulously.
“In on the trade…”
“They’re already handling escorts and drugs… what do they want with illegal weapon trading? That’s our turf.”
“They want to expand,” Miles continued. “Apparently whores and heroin aren’t enough for them.”
“So they want in?” Keith said with suppressed rage. “Was it Kovic who contacted you?”
“No,” Miles said without expression. “It was his lap dog.”
Keith felt his muscles tighten with fury every time he thought of Kovic. The mention of his name was enough to make his hands clench into tight fists. He hated that Kovic was now linked to everything he used to love, tainting every beautiful memory Keith had.
“Did you make any headway?” Keith asked in a business-like tone, struggling to keep his emotion under wraps.
“I don’t think it’s likely with these guys,” Miles said in frustration. “They’re stupid and powerful…and that’s a bad combination. I turned them down, and I will continued to do so… but I don’t think they’re going to keep reacting as calmly.”
“You think this will turn ugly, don’t you?” Keith asked.
“We’re talking about Anton Kovic here,” Miles told Keith, though the reminder was unnecessary. “He is brutal.”
“I know that better than anyone,” Keith said harshly.
“Keith…” Miles’s tone was soft and weary.
“What?” Keith said, somewhat defensively.
“You getting involved in this… probably wouldn’t be the best idea.”
Keith stared dangerously at Miles. “I can handle myself.”
“I don’t think you can,” Miles went on honestly. “Your history with the guy is too deep and too painful.”
“I’m aware of my history with him,” Keith said, cutting off Miles abruptly. “Which is why my involvement is necessary. We have unfinished business.”
“Careful Keith… you can't let your hate for him cloud your judgment. The Rusted Chains have risen in power faster than any gang I’ve seen. They’re giving the cops a run for their money.”
“Good,” Keith said, as he nodded. “That’ll keep them away from us.”
“What do you think will happen if the Chains insist on expanding their crime ring?” Miles asked softly. “You don’t think we’ll suffer for it? You don’t think we’ll be drawn into their circle of hell?”
“We just have to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Keith said confidently.
Miles shook his head. “That is your youth talking,” he said seriously. “Only the young think they are invincible, only the young think things can he ‘handled’ before they spin out of control.”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child,” Keith said through gritted teeth.
“You’re not,” Miles said firmly. “A child would never have been able to become vice president of this gang so fast and so successfully. This has nothing to do with your maturity and everything to do with your lack of judgment.”
“My lack of judgment?” Keith repeated incredulously.
“You’re brash,” Miles said gently. “Quick to anger and quick to act. Sometimes you need to take a step back and think.”
“Thinking wastes time,” Keith said hotly.
“Thinking saves lives,” Miles said in his usual soft-spoken way.
Somehow it was more effective than if he had screamed it. Keith fell silent, finding himself at a loss for words. He
felt the anger leave his body—and just as quickly it was replaced by sadness and loss. He took a deep breath and turned back to Miles.
“How’s Erica?” Keith asked, trying to change the direction of his thoughts.
“Big,” Miles replied.
“It’s almost time, isn’t it?”
“She’s still got a month left,” Miles replied.
“So you have time.”
“Does it seem that way?” Miles said. “Because it doesn’t seem like long enough to me.”
“I take it the nerves have kicked in,” Keith said.
“I don’t know what kind of father I’ll be,” Miles said after a long pause.
“No one really does,” Keith said gently. “You’ll figure it out. Erica will help you figure it out.”
Miles nodded silently as they moved through the garage, examining the vehicles there, most of which belonged to the Dragons.
“So who was the girl you hooked up with last night?” Miles asked unexpectedly.
Keith was saved the awkwardness of revealing to Miles that he had just fucked the new receptionist when the sound of a ringing phone tore through the quiet of the morning. Keith swiveled his head in the direction of the sound—only to be faced with the woman he had left alone in the backroom the previous night. It was obvious from her dress that she had slept there, and now her cover had been blown. She hastened to answer the phone without making eye contact. When Keith averted his gaze, he realized that Miles was staring daggers at him.
“What?” he asked innocently.
“Fucking what?” Miles said calmly.
“What makes you think it was me?” Keith asked with a frown.
“Because I know you,” Miles said shortly. “I just fucking hired her Keith.”
“I’m aware,” Keith nodded. “But she’s a big girl, one who knows that last night was just…”
“A good fuck?” Miles finished for him.
“Well… yeah,” Keith nodded.
“If she up and quits, I’m holding you personally responsible,” Miles said through narrowed eyes.
Keith smiled lightly. “Fair enough.”
“I’m going to go check the books,” Miles said, moving towards the end of the garage. “Try not to fuck her again.”
Keith just smiled. Everyone knew that he never fucked the same girl twice…. at least he hadn’t for a very long time. His eyes flitted to where Kristina sat. The expression she wore suggested that she wasn’t enjoying the conversation she was having. He took a moment to appreciate the way her black dress hugged her breasts and hips, causing his blood to rise momentarily. If he were being completely honest, he had to admit that he would very much like to fuck her again, in the very cubical she stood in, but he had made a promise to himself a long time ago and he was not about to break it now.
She put the phone down abruptly, as though she had just hung up on whoever was on the other end, and then she started walking towards him. Her hair looked like she had combed it with her fingers and Keith resisted the urge to grab a fistful of it and pull her towards him.
“Hi,” she began tentatively, as though she wasn’t sure how to address him in this environment.
Keith simply nodded at her, trying to feign disinterest in everything about her. He was surprised to realize that it actually required some effort.
“I just got a call,” Kristina said.
“I heard.”
“It was from someone named Anton Kovic,” Kristina said with distaste.
Keith looked up abruptly, his attention successfully stolen. “What did he say?” he hissed.
“He wanted me to tell you and Miles that he planned on… liquidating assets for the Dragons…”
A whir of thoughts rolled around in Keith’s head. He wanted to do so many things in that moment that he had to stop to think about which one would best protect the Dragons. “Thanks for letting me know,” he said distractedly, realizing that Kristina was still standing there.
She nodded, but for some reason she didn’t take the moment to leave. Instead, she stood there as though she still had something more to tell him.
“Are you supposed to be working today?” Keith asked.
“No, it’s my day off,” Kristina replied. “I just… never got home after last night.”
There was no accusation in her voice; she was simply stating a fact and that boded well for Keith. He nodded once and turned back to the bike in front of him. He stared at it as though he was examining it, but he couldn’t care less at that moment. He had plans to make.
“Umm…. Sorry, I don’t mean to bug you…” Kristina’s voice was cautious and somehow that irritated Keith. “But is it possible to get a lift home?”
He knew she was a college student and she didn’t live far off, but somehow he begrudged her the ride. He didn’t want to know more about her than he already did. He didn’t want to know where she lived or who her friends were. All those little details started adding up after a while, and then the person in question stopped being a stranger and indifference turned to emotion. He didn’t have room in his life for that anymore.
“You live on campus?” he asked, trying to hide his irritation.
“It’s probably a fifteen minute ride from here,” Kristina said.
“With me, it’ll be five,” Keith said, as he moved past her quickly. “Come on.”
She looked impressed by his motorcycle, and Keith enjoyed her admiration. He gestured for her to get behind him, and she obeyed him readily. Her hands enclosed around his waist and the pressure was strangely comforting. He felt the urge to show off a little, and he revved his engine for her benefit. He felt her jerk a little at the sound, but her arms remained fastened tightly around him.
“She’s a beauty,” Kristina commented sincerely.
“She is,” Keith said and nodded as he started to drive.
They sped through the streets that were still silent with sleep. The wind burst against his face, and Keith knew that Kristina would be experiencing the same sensation. He realized suddenly that he knew her name; he had been using it unconsciously in his head the whole time. He couldn’t remember the last time he had remembered the name of one of the women he had slept with. His hands tightened on his bike handles, and he wished immediately that he had done the smart thing and left her by the roadside.
Chapter Three
Kristina
The wind felt amazing against her pale skin, and Kristina was disappointed when Keith came to a stop outside her dorm building. It really had felt like five minutes instead of fifteen.
“This it?” he asked gruffly.
“Yes, this is it,” Kristina said and nodded, as she dismounted his bike and turned to face him. “Thanks for that. I would have been stuck walking in these heels if it weren’t for you.”
He shrugged carelessly and revved his engine to indicate that he was ready to leave. Instead of being bothered by his abruptness, Kristina found that she was amused by it. She smiled brightly at him and nodded again. “I guess I’ll see you around.”
“I wouldn’t count on it,” Keith said.
“I do work where you play,” Kristina pointed out.
“It’s not a game,” Keith said harshly, and Kristina flinched back slightly at his tone.
“I didn’t think it was,” Kristina said casually, as though she had not noticed his severity. She reminded herself that he wasn’t from the same world to which she was accustomed. He was raw and wild, and he had seen a side of life that she had only ever seen in movies. What she thought was an innocent motorcycle gang was probably just a front for something far worse.
“Goodbye,” Kristina said quickly. “And thanks again.”
He didn’t respond. He simply revved his engine again and took off without a backward glance. Kristina stood there and watched him go until she couldn’t see him any longer. Her thoughts were chaotic, but she let them roam free. Once he had completely disappeared from view, she turned around and walked towards her dorm build
ing. Her floor was still as night, a telltale sign that some serious partying had gone down on this side of town as well.
Kristina slipped into her dorm room and threw off her shoes immediately, taking care not to wake Marie, who was hidden from sight underneath her covers. Kristina managed to change into something comfortable and get into bed without waking Marie, but then she reached for the book on her bedside table and knocked the alarm clock to the floor.
Marie bolted upright, as though someone had kicked her. Her grey eyes were still heavy with sleep and her dark hair was tousled at the bottom and flat at the top. “I’m so sorry,” Kristina said suppressing a laugh. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
This Savage Love: A Bad Boy Romance Boxed Set Page 49