To Martin, he said, “I can’t freehand that. I’ll have to at least sketch it out.”
“How long will that take?”
Alex wanted to thump his skull. He’d been sitting on his ass screwing around for nearly an hour. Now he was in a hurry? He wasn’t exactly the most patient man, but what little he had seemed to be running out faster these days. In a clipped tone, he said, “Give me an hour. Don’t be late.” He had other customers to get to today, and he planned to get Pop in the chair for the outline on his back piece this afternoon. He didn’t have time to spare.
Grumbling to himself, Martin walked away, and Alex hoped he was late. At least the others coming in today would be appreciative of his work. He checked his watch. Honestly, he could throw the art together in less than forty minutes. He had to take a calculated risk and go talk to Krishna. He felt too distant, and his curiosity got the best of him as he wondered what Pop had said to her.
Ambling over to where she was scribbling on a pad as she circled the bike that looked like it would fall apart if he sneezed on it, Alex stood on the opposite side and crossed his arms over his chest. “You busy?”
She gave him a quick, secretive glance with a seductive smile that sent chills down his spine before going back to what she was doing and telling him in a blasé tone, “Extremely. Is there something you need from me, Alex?”
Searching his brain for a response that wasn’t sexual, he said, “I could use a couple of replacement bolts for my rear wheel. Two of them are pretty loose, and I think they might be stripped.”
“Come over here. I think there’s a few in this box.” She motioned for him to follow, and he took advantage of the view of her from behind. She shuffled around loudly, ignoring several bolts the right size. “Did you hear everything?” she asked under her breath.
“Mostly. What did Pop tell you?” he asked under his breath.
“Not to make him regret it.” She pulled out three bolts and shoved them into his hand. “Take those. Now, you’ve got an extra if you need it. Anything else?”
“That should do it. Thanks, Krishna. See you around. Come get some work done soon,” he called over his shoulder as he walked away. He was heady from her scent, and after standing so close to her without being able to touch her, Alex wanted to put his fist through a wall. It would hurt less than his aching groin.
So, Pop had given a warning, but he hadn’t really dressed her down. It could be worse, but it still didn’t mean everything was all fine and good.
Alex sat down at his desk, trying to shut down his worry and other swirling thoughts related to Krishna. He could hold her tonight, talk about things more intimately then. For now, he had work to do, and he was going to throw himself into it. That was probably the only way he was going to be able to divert his attention from the woman who dominated his thoughts.
Pulling out a fresh piece of drawing paper, he started sketching. He erased the wings several times, unable to get the right angle to give the impression the birds were diving for the dead animal. Finally satisfied with those, the rest was a piece of cake. He was finished in time to copy the outline to transfer paper before Martin returned and, to his relief, the guy had gone and shaved, saving him time.
He was also in a much better mood and waited patiently while Alex prepared his tools and ink. Getting the image set on Martin’s leg, Alex propped it up on the stool in front of him and turned on the bright white lamp overhead. He went to work, machine buzzing and the image taking shape with dark, solid lines quickly.
Martin wasn’t the toughest guy, and he winced and cursed throughout the process. Alex tried not to laugh; it made him shake so his steady hand was disturbed. He had the basic tattoo finished in less than an hour, touchups complete in another ten, and shading done in another twenty. Cleaning off Martin’s leg, he sat back and admired his work. Even with such a ridiculous subject matter, Alex had to admit he’d outdone himself. The work was flawless, and he’s finally gotten those wings just right so the two-dimensional image gave the impression that the birds were actually moving.
“Take a look,” he said, gesturing to it.
Martin rolled his leg around to take the whole design in. “Damn, man, that’s way better than I expected. I don’t have anything on my body that compares to this.”
“Good!” Alex crossed his arms and grinned with pride.
Martin pulled some cash out of his pocket and started counting. Based on the size piece he’d wanted, Alex had quoted two hundred, and he held out his hand as Martin passed the money over, shaking his hand and thanking him again. “Just take care of it the right way, pal,” he called as Martin walked away.
Always a stickler, Alex unfolded the cash and counted it for himself, finding a forty dollar tip on top of the charge. He smiled broadly. Not a bad way to start his morning, and certainly not a bad payout for what amounted to less than two hours of work overall. No matter how much he complained about his brothers, he couldn’t imagine a better gig anywhere else in the world.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Stretching with the lazy motions of a large cat awakening from an afternoon nap, Krishna rolled to her feet and turned to gaze at Alex’s exquisite body. He sprawled across the bed, and she wanted to trace every line that accented his toned muscles with her tongue. It didn’t matter that they’d just spent an hour exploring each other and satisfying their primal urges.
She couldn’t get enough of him.
He gazed at her from hooded eyes, and a slow smile spread over his lips. “What are you looking at with such interest?” he growled.
“What do you think?” she teased, biting her lip as she purposely focused on his nether region. “You are a prime subject for a Playgirl centerfold.”
He laughed heartily, raising up on his elbow and facing her. “I think you’d make the better centerfold, sweetheart. If I didn’t already get a first-hand view, I’d pay a fortune to see that.”
Krishna blushed. She had gained a great deal of confidence through Alex’s praise, but, sometimes, she still reverted to shyness when it came to her body. “It’s still early,” she said, changing the subject. “We should do something other than lie around naked for the rest of the evening.”
He scoffed. “Why? I kind of like that idea myself.”
So did she, but she didn’t want to fall into a rut. “I just thought we could take a quick ride to the store and maybe find something to whip up for dinner. I haven’t gone shopping in a while, and the fridge is getting bare.”
He didn’t answer right away, and Krishna turned away from him. They hadn’t spent time out in public together, and she had a feeling Alex was embarrassed to be seen with her.
She quickly grabbed a robe and pulled it on, tying it tight and said, “Never mind, we’ll just stay in.”
She heard him move on the bed behind her, but she didn’t turn to look at him. “Krishna, what’s wrong?”
She stared down at the floor and shook her head. “Nothing, Alex. Come on, we’ll order in.”
“I don’t want to order in,” he protested, sounding petty and angry. What gave him the right to get frustrated with her when he was the one who wanted to keep their relationship a secret from everyone? She gritted her teeth as she prepared to lash out, but he continued, “I was just thinking.”
“Yeah? About what?” This should be rich, she thought.
“Let’s go to the store. And then we can go to my place.”
Ready to tell him exactly how she felt about whatever excuse he made, it took a moment for what he actually said to sink in, and Krishna paused. Slowly pivoting to face him, she asked, “Why your place?”
He sat on the edge of the bed, looking like a panther ready to strike and said, “Because we’re always here. I don’t want you to think I’m hiding anything.”
She had yet to see his place, and Krishna had started to wonder why they always spent their evenings together here. Suddenly, the idea excited her, and she nodded. “Okay, let’s do it.” Enthusiastic no
w, she grabbed the first pair of jeans she could find, a fitted t-shirt, and her leather jacket, the only expensive item of clothing she owned. Alex seemed invigorated as well, and he was dressed before she was.
They all but raced out the door, and she threw her leg over the back of his bike, wrapping her arms around his waist without hesitation. Alex revved the engine, and she grinned at the heady sensation of such a large, powerful engine vibrating under them as he took off down the road.
Krishna couldn’t remember a time when she’d had so much fun in a grocery store. They teased and taunted each other up and down the aisles, flirting as they tried to decide what to buy. Somehow, by the time they left, they had three bags of food, and Alex had to stuff them into the saddlebags on the bike.
“Maybe we should take the Buick next time,” Krishna giggled.
But Alex blew it off. “It’s fine. We can handle it, obviously.” But the pouches on the bike bulged, and Krishna’s legs stretched uncomfortably over them, causing another round of laughter. By the time they reached what she assumed was Alex’s place, she was ready to be off the bike, and her stomach protested loudly about the long wait for food. Luckily, they’d bought a bunch of snacks to tide them over until the chicken casserole Krishna was going to put together was done.
The apartments weren’t exactly in the best part of town, and they were a bit rundown, but they weren’t really all that different from Krishna’s complex. He lived on the second floor at the end of a long building, and he had to jostle the key in the lock to get the door open. But once they were inside, the place was nice, if sparsely furnished. She’d expected that, since he was a pretty simple man in a lot of ways.
Some of the furniture had seen better days, much like hers, but the place was clean and uncluttered, the kitchen in good shape. She was impressed and told him as much. “This doesn’t look like a bachelor pad at all, Alex. I think it’s cleaner than my place!”
He chuckled softly. “I like my personal space clean. I’m not comfortable in a mess.”
She wondered if he’d ever brought women home from the club or if he’d just done the deed at the warehouse. She shook the thought out of her head and joined him in the kitchen to unload the bags. She turned on the oven and started chopping peppers while Alex dug through his pots and pans and found a casserole dish.
They worked side by side in preparation, Alex sautéing the chicken while she created the filling for the casserole, and when it went in the oven, she turned and planted a smacking kiss on his lips. He gave her a curious look. “What was that for?”
She had trouble defining it and simply said, “It’s fun to do this.” She gestured vaguely around the kitchen. “The whole domestic cooperation thing. I never pictured it like this before.”
“You think I’ve imagined it?” he asked, an eyebrow raised.
The brutal honesty behind their mutual discovery threatened to heat up the room, and Krishna stepped back, needing space. If she let her passion take control, the food would burn, and they would both regret it.
Clearing her throat, she ducked her head shyly. The words in her mind couldn’t come out of her mouth. ‘Love’ was a very strong term, and it tended to scare people off. She still didn’t know Alex’s intentions, and she certainly didn’t want to influence him to run and hide. He’d told her how strongly he felt about her, but that didn’t mean he was ready to hear that she was falling for him, head over heels.
Fighting for composure and searching for something else to say, Krishna methodically began putting away the remaining vegetables and peppers.
“Is something wrong?” Alex asked, coming up behind her.
The feel of his body pressed to hers threatened to cause a sweat to break out on her brow, and her breath came fast and heavy.
Swallowing against the growing arousal, she shook her head. “No, everything is perfect.” And that was the problem.
He grunted, brushing his fingertips over her stomach and his lips against her ear. She shivered and relaxed into him, letting her eyes fall closed. “Just go with it,” he whispered. “Live in the moment.”
She laughed softly. “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we may die?” she quipped.
“Exactly.” He turned her slowly in his arms and took her mouth in a slow, sensual kiss, demanding she return it with all her might. She met his challenge, fisting her hands in his hair and pulling him down into a fierce embrace. When she broke free, they both gasped, and Alex stared at her with eyes full of delight, sparkling with interest. “You drive me crazy, Krishna,” he breathed.
“And you…” She trailed off, straining against her need. But her determination to keep it to herself shattered, and she told him, “I’m falling in love with you.”
***
Don’t screw this up! That was the first thing that went through Alex’s head at Krishna’s confession. He couldn’t blow it off, couldn’t stay silent, couldn’t make the wrong move. His heart swelled in his chest, and he felt the grin creep over his face as the words sunk in.
“That makes me insanely happy,” he told her, emotion making his voice crack.
She looked relieved but not particularly pleased. Alex wanted her to be excited, but he didn’t know how to tell her he loved her. He wasn’t sure of his exact feelings because he didn’t know what love felt like. Was it this rush of fear that she’d be hurt enough to leave him if he didn’t answer just so? Was it the driving force between his need to protect her at all costs? Or was it the contentment he felt when they were just together, whether sitting around doing nothing or satisfying their baser urges in the bedroom?
He thought it was likely all of the above, but he didn’t know if he was ready to admit it to himself or Krishna. But as he stared at her face and realized he couldn’t stand the thought of never seeing it again, of never touching her again, he knew the truth. “I’m falling for you, too.”
Now, she seemed to be on the verge of tears, and Alex nearly panicked. But she beamed at him and threw her arms around his neck. He held her close, knowing he’d just crossed a threshold and entered unfamiliar territory. This wasn’t a fling, and Krishna wasn’t just a girlfriend anymore. She was his lover, a much deeper and more intimate relationship than he’d counted on. And he wasn’t particularly nervous about it.
Yet.
He’d see how long that lasted when he got to the clubhouse. With Krishna there, he didn’t think he’d be able to ignore her so easily anymore, and that would force his hand. He couldn’t bluff his way through the questions much longer, and he doubted his brothers would take the news well, considering what he’d already heard.
He almost laughed out loud as he considered how his priorities had changed. The Ashes were his brothers, and he belonged with them. He’d nestled into their folds and made it his home. But he also belonged with Krishna. He loved her, and they worked well together. Anywhere Alex was with Krishna felt like home. But the two clashed, and with each one so close to his heart, he didn’t feel like he should have to choose one over the other.
Was there a way to merge the two, his life with the gang and his budding relationship with Krishna? It shouldn’t be this hard, and he had to find a way to make it work, or he would never feel complete.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Finding several of his brothers gathered in a corner of the main room, talking quietly, Alex slowed and turned a corner. He’d planned to make an announcement, claiming Krishna as his, but something told him to wait and listen to the quiet conversation. They didn’t look welcoming, and Alex had a bad feeling about the topic of discussion that made him want to eavesdrop.
Normally, he would have respected their privacy, but a dozen or so men with Damien at the center, and none of them speaking much above a whisper raised his hackles. They were up to no good, and he could only think of two possibilities. The idea of trying to overthrow Pop was outrageous, but it wouldn’t be the first time one of his own had gotten a big head and ended up out on his ass. The way Damien had been tal
king, it wouldn’t surprise Alex if he were trying for a mutiny.
But the more likely topic had Alex’s blood running cold, and he strained to hear over the din of the place. Damien was talking. “We have to be careful. I don’t think most of the boys would try to intervene. Most of them will probably join in the party. But we gotta do this when Pop isn’t around. I don’t know what’s come over him, but he’s started sympathizing with the foreign bitch. If he gets wind of this, we’ll never get to teach her a lesson.”
“What about Alex?” He stiffened at the sound of his name, and he thought it was Rusty. “He’s gotta be into her or something. He could be a problem.”
“I’m not worried about Alex. He’s got nowhere to go. He won’t make waves. He can get laid anytime he wants. He’s not stupid enough to test how much weight he carries around here.”
Damien was a cocky son of a bitch, and Alex gritted his teeth. He wanted to intervene right fucking now, but he held back. He knew he was going to have to watch Krishna like a hawk. He had no idea what they were planning to do to her, but it wouldn’t end well.
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