Origin

by Ana Jolene

  The sounds of heavy boots told me someone was approaching even before they asked, “Who’s your friend?” I spun around, finding Angel hovering over me with a look of scorn in his eyes. In response, Trey edged closer to me.

  Before I could respond, Lucky entered, flanked by a teenager who looked just like him and an older man I didn’t recognize.

  “I work with him,” I told Angel. My eyes shifted from the prospect to Lucky again. Angel’s eyebrow arched in challenge, no doubt on the verge of asking him to leave. “He’s okay,” I reassured him.

  “He shouldn’t be here.”

  Lucky approached then, his gaze landing on me. I felt my body heat with the one look and became immediately aware that Trey was sitting too close beside me. Maybe coming here had been a mistake. “What’s he doing here?” Lucky asked.

  “That’s what I’ve been saying,” came the muttered response from the prospect.

  Trey pushed off from his chair. “You got a problem with me?”

  Oh boy. I had to intervene before this got out of hand. But just as I stepped in between them, the teenager who I assumed was Lucky’s sister broke the tense moment. “Are you Seven?” she asked as she extended a hand. I slid a look at Lucky once more. Yup, still pissed.

  I pasted on a smile for Lucky’s sister’s sake. “Yes. Lennon, right? Nice to meet you.” I shook her hand.

  She turned, allowing the other man I didn’t recognize to come forward. “This is Dex. He’s my boyfriend.”

  I couldn’t help myself. My eyes widened and collided with Lucky’s. The light blue lasered into me with startling intensity and my initial instinct to comment on the age difference vanished. “A pleasure,” I said as I shook his hand.

  Just then the back doors opened, revealing the prez of Glory MC. Knuckle made his way to Hanna, wrapping one meaty arm around her. “Was that a gunshot I heard earlier?”

  Hanna beamed up at him, blushing a little. “Had a little mishap with some drunks but I handled it.”

  Knuckle chuckled. Uh oh. What would Knuckle say when he noticed Trey here? Even though Lennon had tried to go in for a save, Lucky was still burning a hole into me with his eyes. They sent a message loud and clear: Get rid of him.

  Before I could act on that, Kitt, Beck, and Hastie came out next, walking forward in a tightly formed group. It took me a moment to realize that they were shielding the girl who had been rescued, like a human imitation of a force field. Against their size, she looked tiny as a bird.

  “Lennon!” Hastie cried when he saw Lucky’s sister. They embraced and Hastie introduced her to Indy. As they all finished their introductions, Lucky’s eyes met mine briefly, harsh and unrelenting. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Lucky was jealous.

  Feeling awkward, I turned my attention to the girl again. Her wide eyes watched Lennon and Hastie as they spoke, fear creating a blank look on her face. As she realized that some of the patrons were staring at her, she blanched further.

  Now cleaned from the dirt and blood, I could see her pale, alabaster skin. The cuts and scrapes on her arms, chest, and legs were made more visible whenever she moved beneath the dim lights of the dive bar. The rest of her body was thin, made so by the abuse she’d endured and likely the starvation as well. She couldn’t have been that much younger than I was.

  The dress Glory MC had acquired fit her perfectly though I figured she didn’t care for it one bit by her expression. Despite her meek movements, her eyes were alert, bouncing off everything placed in front of her, absorbing it all in. “Are you hungry?” Kitt asked her.

  The girl gave a shake of her head.

  “Do you want to sit down? Maybe listen to the music?” Beck offered. His voice was as gentle as I’d ever heard it. It didn’t take me long to figure out that she still didn’t trust us, which was why she was refusing everything. I had to change that.

  “Hi, I’m Seven,” I said in as cheerful a voice as I could manage. “What’s your name?”

  Everyone stopped their conversations to stare at her. Her eyes widened with fear, but she didn’t pull back. So I waited for her to relax, to get used to the idea of friends. I had no doubt that Glory MC had been kind and gentle with her, but I knew from experience that they weren’t the most patient of people.

  Her intelligent eyes roamed over my features, searching my expression for any threats of harm. Smile still in place, I kept my hand open and upturned. Not threatening in any way.

  After what felt like forever, her small hand lifted tentatively and clasped mine. It was surprisingly strong despite her frail appearance. “Tansy,” she answered. “My name is Tansy.” I smiled in triumph while everyone else in the room seemed to be frozen in shock.

  “It’s a pleasure, Tansy. You’re probably sick of seeing all these ugly mugs”—I waved a hand to indicate the boys and ignored their responding scowls—“so if you want, you can hang with me.” I had a feeling that the men hovered over her constantly, never allowing her room to breathe. Maybe if given freedom, she’d see us less as guards and more as friends who wanted to help her.

  Tansy’s eyes dropped but she made no effort to move. Catching Hastie’s eyes, I made a shooing motion with my hand. If there was one thing I knew about bikers, it was that they could be too possessive sometimes.

  I pulled out the stool next to me, but didn’t push Tansy further. She would decide at her own pace. The last thing she would want was to have her choice taken away from her again.

  It took a while but Tansy did eventually sit down beside me. Though her spine was ramrod straight and her hands were clasped firmly in her lap, it was monumental progress. Her eyes even sparkled when Indy placed a soda in front of her, a blatant prize for her efforts.

  Over my shoulder, my eyes met Hastie’s and the smile he gave me told me that I had done well. Now, if only I could get Lucky to smile at me like that.

  Lucky

  “Atta girl,” Hastie said with a smile. He and I were watching the bar intently, focused on the two girls whose backs were turned towards us now. To our right, Lennon and Dex sat, enjoying the food that Indy had brought over for them. After the long car ride, the two were famished. There was no talking between them as they shoveled food into their mouths.

  My eyes traveled back to Seven, noticing the golden skin and the toned muscles of her back and shoulders. She looked glowing and healthy compared to Tansy’s paleness. But in time, we were all hoping that Tansy would reach her optimum weight again as she rejuvenated her body of everything she was deprived of.

  “Seven did good,” Hastie drawled. “But what was she thinking bringing that asshole here with her?” His eyes lasered into Trey’s back where he sat beside her.

  “Hell if I know.”

  “Kick his ass out.”

  “And make a scene? No, thanks. Hanna will rip me a new one.”

  “I heard the gun shot earlier,” Hastie said with a smile. “She does that all on her own. Look, if you like Seven, stop kidding yourself. Just tell him to fuck off.”

  In answer, I brought the beer up to my lips and took a long swallow, careful not to meet his eyes. What did Hastie know about how I felt about Seven?

  “Come on, man. Don’t act like you don’t give a shit. I’m your best friend. I can read you easier than a motherfucking newspaper.” He sighed heavily when I remained silent. “Better act quick because it looks like he’s making his move.”

  That comment had me looking up, eyes turning murderous in seconds. Hastie chortled beside me but nothing could peel my stare off the asshole who was tucking a lock of hair behind Seven’s ear. It was a gentle gesture, if not innocent, but it signaled every one of Trey’s intentions. In response though, Seven backed away from his touch.

  My brow arched. Now that was interesting. Why did she bring him here if she wasn’t comfortable with him?

  Before I knew it, I was walking towards them, taking my bottle of beer along with me. I took a long swig as Trey’s eyes landed on me. “We’re having drinks,” Seven said w
hen she realized that my gaze remained on the hand settled on her thigh.

  “I can see that,” I bit out.

  “Are you going to join us then?”

  Join them? No, I wanted to rip him apart. I glanced at Tansy and caught her looking at me, eyes widened with the same fear I’d seen in her eyes when I had found her in the cage. Shit. What the hell was I doing? With great effort, I put a cap on my jealous rage and forced a smile. It came out strained and exposed sharp teeth.

  Hastie rushed forward then, sensing my fury. “Hey.” He turned to Tansy, careful not to accidentally touch her. “If you’re done eating, I thought we’d go for a walk. I’d like to show you the rest of the clubhouse.”

  As intelligent as she was, Tansy knew that what was going to happen next was none of her business. So she got up and followed Hastie, leaving Seven and me alone with the asshole.

  “Are you all right?” Seven asked me. She looked so innocent while a man’s hand was steadily climbing up her thigh.

  Easy, Dylan, I reminded myself. She isn’t yours.

  “Never mind,” I gritted. I wasn’t about to beat a man for touching Seven. “I’ll just see you at home. Have fun, bunny.”

  “Bunny?” Trey echoed.

  I grinned fiercely as Seven stiffened in her seat. “Yeah, like Lola Bunny,” I drawled, stepping into her personal space until there was no way she could ignore the flash of heat between us. Gently, I picked up a stray tendril of hair with a fingertip. “She has blonde hair. A stunning body.” My fingertips lined the curve of her neck, tracing her delicate décolletage. “Beautiful breasts.” I felt her pulse tick at the hollow of her throat. “A nice, round ass.”

  All the while Trey’s eyes were on my hands, growing murderous as I marked her body. I reckoned the look on his face was the same one I sported just seconds ago when his own hand was playing on Seven’s thigh.

  The corners of my lips tipped up when my touch elicited a low moan from Seven before she seemed to catch herself. Her guilty gaze collided with Trey’s. “Yup,” I grinned wolfishly. “She’s Lola Bunny, in the flesh.” My hand dropped as I met Trey’s murderous gaze. He looked like he wanted to throttle me. “I’ll see you at home,” I whispered to Seven.

  As I walked out of Neptune’s, I called out for Lennon and Dex. A second later, they were at my side. A smile built steadily on my face. There was nothing Trey could do. If I’d wanted, and if Seven was willing, I could’ve stripped her right there in front of him, touching her as I pleased. Any fight he would put up would result in Glory MC jumping on him like a wildcat, tearing him to pieces.

  But I wouldn’t let them. I wanted the pleasure to do it myself.

  Seven

  As Trey pulled up to the house later that night, I practically jumped out of his truck, slamming the door shut with the need to pummel Lucky for pulling that shit. “Hey, you all right?” Concern was woven into Trey’s features. I forced myself to relax enough to say goodbye.

  “Yeah, sorry. I’m just . . .” I blew out a breath. “I’m sorry about what happened earlier, at the bar. I don’t know what got into him.”

  Trey laughed. “It’s okay, it’s not the first time I had to deal with him.”

  If Lucky hadn’t walked away when he did, I was sure that fists would’ve started flying. There was this predatory gleam in his eyes as he spoke to me. For a moment, I didn’t understand. But then his touch confirmed it. The way his rough fingertips grazed me sent sparks of sensation through my system. The bastard was playing my body to make Trey jealous.

  “Thanks for the ride,” I told Trey. “And for bringing my bike back for me.”

  A teasing smile spread over his lips. “You like to thank me a lot, don’t you?”

  “You’re just really nice to me, even when I don’t deserve it.”

  “It’s not your fault he was a dick. I probably shouldn’t have been there tonight. But,” he reached out to touch me. “I wasn’t about to leave you there either.”

  “Thanks,” I replied dumbly, flushing with embarrassment at my idiotic response. Trey didn’t seem to mind though because he leaned in, pinching my chin with his thumb and forefinger as he brought his mouth down to mine.

  As I stiffened, Trey pulled back. “Shit, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” A reluctant smile curled his lips. “But I’m kinda glad I did, crazy, possessive bikers notwithstanding.” He winked to someone behind me and I spun around to find Lennon and Lucky standing there. Lennon’s mouth was a wide O as she looked on, but my eyes were trained on Lucky. He looked absolutely furious.

  With a smile, Trey got back into his truck and drove away, leaving me alone with the onlookers. As I approached the house, Lennon didn’t try to hide her shameless smile. “He’s really hot. I’m so jealous. Is he a good kisser? I wanna—”

  “Go inside, Lennon,” Lucky barked, effectively silencing her. Lennon shot her brother a glare before slipping back inside. Lucky shot me a slicing look.

  “What’s your problem?” I asked him.

  “Was that the first time he kissed you?”

  Jesus Christ. “Are you drunk?”

  He took a step forward. “Answer the question, Seven.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest. Stance effectively projecting: Back off. “It’s not any of your business.”

  His icy eyes flashed fire. “Has he fucked you?”

  “Fuck off,” I said, pushing past him. “This conversation is over.”

  Lucky grabbed my arm. “Why are you wasting your time?”

  “What do you mean?” I yanked my arm out of his grip.

  “Do you get off on fucking with a man’s head?”

  “I never once claimed to do any of that!”

  “No? Then why are you with him?” His voice seemed warped, almost as if he was in pain.

  “Well, for one, he’s not a jackass like you. He’s nice.”

  “Nice?” Lucky took one simple step forward and it was as effective as dropping a blanket over me, cloaking and heating me all at once. “Since when have ‘nice guys’ interested you, Seven?”

  “You don’t know what I want.”

  “You’re denying yourself.”

  “Oh, right. And you’re saying that I secretly want you, is that right?”

  “Am I wrong?”

  I rolled my eyes and began to walk into the house. “You’re so full of yourself.”

  “Am I wrong?” The corners of his lips tipped up. He was finding this so fucking amusing. “Come on, baby,” he whispered lowly. “Tell me, have you ever thought about that kiss?”

  “No.”

  “Don’t lie.” He stepped in front of me, blocking my path. “You like them bad, Seven. Polite manners are nice to bring home to your ma, but that’s not what you want, is it. You want a real man to bring home every night. To strip you of your clothing and pleasure you until you’re begging. You want someone who is going to fuck you hard and fast. In every position imaginable. Until he’s wrung out all the pleasure from you, you feel like you’re a husk of a woman. Tell me I’m wrong.”

  “You’re a jackass, that’s what you are.”

  Lucky chuckled, stepping back. “No, I’ve just realized the truth.”

  “And what is that?” I walked towards the kitchen, desperate to get away from him. Standing so close to him was making it difficult to concentrate.

  “We’re more alike than you think.”

  He was crazier than I ever imagined. “I’m nothing like you.”

  “What are you afraid of?”

  “Nothing.”

  Another smug smile appeared. “I bet you’re gonna go to bed thinking about me now. Dreaming about what it would be like for me to touch you.”

  I caught the challenge in his eyes, daring me to admit I wanted him. “And if I did?”

  Lucky’s light eyes went dark. “Then there’s no question who you want, is there,” he said before walking away.

  EIGHTEEN

  My Weakness

  Seven

/>   Later that night, I dreamt of Lucky. We were arguing again, like we always did, yelling at the top of our lungs until neither of us could breathe. He came forward and gripped my head between his palms and before I knew it, our mouths met in a brutal clashing of lips and teeth. Lucky hauled me up against his body, wrapping my legs around his waist. My breath whooshed out of my lungs as he slammed me into the wall. I found that I didn’t care one bit. As long as he kept kissing me, there was nothing to complain about.

  My body hummed beneath him, transforming our anger into one of passion. Hands at my breasts, Lucky tore open the neckline of my tank, exposing me to his raw, animalistic gaze. His growl of approval stoked the fire within me until I was blistering hot, a volcanic eruption waiting to happen. “Sweet Seven,” he murmured. “You look like dessert, but you taste like sin.” I might’ve groaned as—

  The dream was cut short when a series of shouts sounded downstairs. As much as I hated being left hanging like that, I would’ve hated myself more if the dream had ended with an orgasm.

  When I got downstairs, it was to find Dex laughing hysterically. Lucky was by the gas stove, fanning the smoke that surrounded them. “What the hell is going on?” I asked. Upon seeing me, Lennon uttered an “uh oh” and dashed behind her brother.

  “Oh, hey,” Lucky said when he saw me. “Did you have a good sleep?” The corners of his lips curled into a knowing smirk and for a moment I wondered if he knew about my dream. That was until I realized I was standing there in the kitchen wearing nothing but my underwear and a thin tank. “We were just making something to eat, but uh”—he glanced at Dex and snorted—“it didn’t go so well.”

  “Clearly,” I said, taking in the mess of the kitchen.