His grin grows. I doubt I’ll like whatever he’s going to say next. “Sounds a lot like you’re being pampered to me,” he counters, and I balk.
“This is not my idea of a spa trip, pal!”
He chuckles, and I won’t lie, I enjoy the sound. “Pal, hm? I thought I was the heathen biker.”
I shrug. The movement’s unlike me, but being around Princess and Blaze this past week has rubbed off on me a touch. “I wouldn’t exactly rule it out, but I’ll admit you’ve surprised me.”
He grows serious, obviously not pleased with my comment. He should be, though. It’s a good thing that he isn’t as rough around the edges as I’d initially anticipated. “How so?”
“Well, aside from drugging me and tying me up, this hasn’t been what I always pictured kidnapping would be. I assumed you’d rape me, beat me, maybe sexually defile me, and in the end, kill me. My remains and the case would be plastered across local news, and you’d be a fugitive.”
His eyes grow wide. “I’m fucked up, but I’m not sick in my head. I can easily kill you without doing all that extra shit and not get caught in the process.”
I point, though it doesn’t hold the same value with my hands tied together and holding a coke. “See, exactly my point. And, aside from you being obdurate, you’ve opened my eyes to process things a bit differently. I still don’t agree with you on everything, and I probably never will, but I understand a little better why you believe in the things you do.”
“Ah, so I’m not some woman-bashing man, trying to hold all women back from evolving, you mean?”
I release a breath, wanting to point out a few things we still disagree on but refrain. Instead, I nod, and he rewards me with a real smile. The impact it has on me is intense too. It’s like being hit with a sledgehammer, though I’ve never experienced that sensation, thankfully. In other words, it’s beautiful and completely transforms his hard face into something a little bit breathtaking. I thought he was handsome in the past, but it had nothing on witnessing him like this. Happy…and if I dare admit, pleased with me. That feeling has warm tingles spreading all over me and my heart warming to him. My protective shell cracks a touch more, and suddenly I’m looking at him with hearts in my eyes.
How on earth did this happen? I want him, and not only for a quick morning orgasm. This is bad—really bad. I’m no longer hoping he chokes and dies on his next meal, but I’m wanting to make him something to see the appreciation reflected back at me. I’m wanting things that I was against when he first brought me here. At some point, I have to come to terms, is it wrong or behind the times if I want to do something for him? Is it truly bad if I want a strong alpha male to be next to me? Or in front of me to protect me, and at my back when I need him? He’s pilfered away all of my arguments and made me doubt them.
“Eat, you need some meat on your bones,” he comments, and I glance down. His observation has me questioning my appearance. I hadn’t cared what he thought before, but now I do.
“You think I’m too thin?” I rebuke, on the fence of being offended.
His lips turn down as he takes a huge bite and chews. Once he’s finished, he argues, “I didn’t mean anything by it. I said it because you skipped breakfast. Weren’t you ever told you’d have to keep rocks in your pockets from not eating enough or you’d blow away? You know…weird shit adults say to get kids to eat.”
“So…you, uh, think I am attractive?” I glance at him through my lashes, both wanting and not wanting to know his answer.
“Fuck yeah, have you looked in the mirror?”
A smile breaks free, taking over my face like some lovesick schoolgirl with a middle school crush. His compliment shouldn’t make me so ridiculously happy, yet it does. “You’re not so bad either,” I confess softly.
He huffs. “Not bad? Babe, you seen these abs?” He goes to lift his shirt, and I giggle.
Yep. I giggled. It’s ridiculous that I can be deduced to act like this. I’m a strong, independent, career woman, who’s goal minded and successful, yet here I am giggling over a man’s sexist comment. I shake my head at myself. I’m morphing into everything I preached against. Funnily enough, I can’t find it in myself to stop it from happening. This is my life right now; I’m going to go with it and worry about what happens tomorrow, tomorrow.
He flashes another smile my way, and I’m a goner. If he walked around wearing that smile all the time, I don’t think I’d be able to speak much. He has this effect that makes me want to be quiet and smile back. It’s utterly absurd.
“Blaze?”
“Yeah, babe?”
I swallow, building up my nerve. Eventually, I ask, “Would you untie me, please?”
He immediately becomes serious. “You’re asking me to take the ties off you completely?”
I nod, chewing on the inside of my cheek. He gazes at me for a few beats. I meet his stare head-on, not about to retract my request when it’s extremely important.
“You gonna attempt to take off on me? You realize I’ll have to tie you back up, and you may get hurt if you try anything, right?”
I don’t like him voicing that aloud, but I get it. I’m in the middle of a biker club, filled with people who don’t like me. I’m not leaving here until they deem it so, whenever that may be. “I understand. I won’t try to run.”
“You promise? A man is his word.”
“I’m not a man, though.”
“But I still respect you in the same sense,” he reveals, and my chest blooms at his acknowledgment of thinking of me as his equal.
“Then, yes, I promise you.”
He releases a breath, sets his plate down, and makes his way back to me. “Don’t make me hurt you,” he whispers, peering into my eyes. “Please.” His cobalt irises shine with a warning and something else I can’t pick out.
He pulls a knife free from his jeans and cuts the rope in half. It falls to the floor, and my shoulders slump overjoyed that I can fully relax my arms once again. It’s like a weight’s been lifted off me.
“Thank you,” I murmur and lean in to press a chaste kiss to his cheek.
His eyes widen, shocked at my move. I can be tender when the occasion warrants. I’m not an unfeeling robot. If anything, having him take away my pills has released an abundance of emotions and feelings.
“Now, are you any good at cards?” I ask, ready to use my newfound card skills I’d gained from the girls on him.
“Oh, babe, you have no idea.”
“Good enough to place bets?”
His grin is feral as he nods. “You’re about to find out.”
Chapter 19
Blaze
She beat me. Of all things, I’d never expect this neurotic principal to beat me in a couple games of Bullshit. Not only that, but we spent the day wasting time by playing cards, laughing, and actually getting along. Not only am I completely on edge when it comes to wanting to fuck her, but then throw in the fact that I like her personality when she chills the fuck out. Now I’m a bit of a goner, and I’m not sure what to do with that fact. Would she ever accept me?
She’s kept good on her promise she made to me on not attempting to get away. I’ve had a prospect posted outside my door each time I’ve left the room. Not that I think she’d make it far, but better to be safe than sorry. She’s not aware of the video just yet, and I have a feeling that if she were to get out of here, she’d be contacting the cops immediately. We can’t have that; I don’t want to be locked up, and the club would come down hard on me for that big of a fuck up.
I want to trust her, I do…but I don’t, not just yet. She hasn’t asked me to let her go home since I’ve been back from our run, and that has my head spinning as well. In the past, the captive women begged and pleaded nonstop to be let go. Jekyll always had them killed in the end, but I won’t be hurting Amelia. I don’t care what anyone says if I have to stick to her ass like rubber cement to protect her, I will. I don’t know where the intense necessity to keep her safe has evolved from,
but I’m going to roll with it. I’m too old to fight against my gut feeling. I’ve learned over the years to listen to my instincts. When it comes to her, they tell me not to lose her.
“You ready to take care of that bet?” she inquires, smiling widely the next morning while we’re lying in bed. She’s mighty proud of herself for kicking my ass, even though it was only a couple of card games.
“I’m not licking or eating anything disgusting,” I grumble, miffed at her well-earned gloating.
She shakes her head, ready to burst with a laugh. She revels in me being disgruntled far too much. “It’s nothing like that,” Amelia promises, and I snort, not sure I fully believe her or not.
“All right, shoot.”
“You have to spend the day naked with me.”
My brows shoot up. Definitely the last thing I was expecting to come out of her mouth was for me to lose my clothes. I’m naked frequently, especially when I’m chilling in my room. I’m either fucking, showering, or sleeping, so no need for anything covering me up. Her request isn’t anything that’ll be putting me out. If anything, I get to see her on edge a bit. I don’t admit as much to her, of course, let her think she’s got me out of my comfort zone. To be honest, I prefer being naked. I throw on clothes around her, not wanting her to be too uncomfortable, but that can easily change.
“Naked?” I repeat. “You’re sure about this?”
“Mmhmm and no cheating. You have to stay that way all day, even when you leave the room.”
Ah, the kicker…she thinks she’s being sneaky tossing in that last bit.
My lips tilt as I think about Viking’s cursing I know he’ll do when I walk into the kitchen naked to get Amelia and me some breakfast. They’ve all seen my junk plenty of times. He’ll bitch about it while the ol’ ladies will roll their eyes at me. The club whores will giggle and then make me a few offers…so, yeah, being naked won’t be quite that bad for me.
“Fine,” I exhale, acting as if I’m put out by her terms. “A bet’s a bet.”
She beams excited.
“You come up with the other wagers yet?” We made three bets, and of course, each of those times, she won. The games I won were when we didn’t make a wager. Funny how that turned out. I swear she must’ve cheated somehow—no one as goody two shoes and uptight as she is can win three rounds of Bullshit that easily.
“Maybe…”
I lick my bottom lip, curious why she suddenly seems bashful. “Let me have it, babe,” I rasp, enjoying her like this. She’s so fuckin’ sexy, but when she looks all sweet and innocent, it makes me want to corrupt her prim ass.
“I-I want to touch your stomach.”
A wide smile blooms so fiercely my cheeks hurt. A chuckle rumbles my chest. “Oh, yeah? These?” I point down at my abs, and pink dots her cheeks. Cute, so fucking cute.
She follows my finger, her eyes trained on my stomach. She breathily replies, “Yes.”
“I can handle that.”
She reaches out, and I stop her hand before she makes contact.
“But not right now…”
Her nose scrunches, and I chuckle.
“If you touch me there, now…you’d be getting more than you’re asking for.”
“Maybe I want more,” she taunts.
I pull away the blankets resting over my hips to show her my engorged cock. It’s angry and needy, pissed at me for not taking care of my desires sooner. I could fuck a club whore and get a quick release, but they aren’t holding the appeal lately that they used to. “Trust me, you don’t want me like this. It’d be a hard, tense fuck. I’d probably hurt you, and that’s not the image I want you to have of me.”
She looks like she’s ready to pout and pounce on my cock, so I quickly hop out of bed, dead set on doing the right thing with this chick. I refuse to confirm her initial opinions of me being some unhinged heathen who can’t control himself. I meant it when I said the bitch would have to really want it. She needs to be ready to beg me to sink my cock in her pussy before I give in and fuck her like she desperately needs.
After me licking her delicious swollen pink pussy yesterday morning, I can’t help but keep torturing myself thinking of her flavor. I want more and badly. I lost control yesterday when I woke up to discover her coming all over my cock. I was damn near ready to explode and had she rubbed my head anymore, I would’ve. Licking her pussy was the only way I could keep myself from thrusting my cock into her. Tasting her turned me on, but it also gave my dick a chance to have some space too. I’d run to the shower as soon as I’d had her juices on my tongue, then I’d beat my dick so hard, it’s a miracle I don’t have a friction burn today from it.
If my brothers only knew the lengths I’ve gone to with this female, they’d give me hell for months to come, and hell, maybe even longer. Speaking of admitting shit, I need to have a serious chat with Amelia about this damn sex tape. It really fucking sucks, too, since I feel like we’re finally making some headway together, and she’s learning how to relax. This new information is sure to stir the pot and get her hating me all over again, even though it’s not my fault in the slightest. It wasn’t my plan, and fuck knows how Princess dreamed it up.
I rub out my aching cock, amazed it’s not limp from jerking it so hard yesterday. It takes the edge off, but I’m still aroused when I eventually bail from the shower and dry myself off. Looks like everyone who sees me naked today will get an eyeful of stiff dick too. Awesome.
I grab us some grub and manage to procrastinate until after Amelia’s eaten and showered to speak to her about the video. I won’t lie, I’m not looking forward to her flipping her shit on me. I should probably tie her ass up again in case she tries to come at me. The last thing I want is for her to get hurt by her own hand or by mine restraining her.
I sit beside her on the bed and open with, “We need to talk.” I wince at how cliché that shit sounds. I was too much of a wanderer in the past to have any convos like that with women, and for her to be the first, it’s sorta eye-opening. Not that I want to upset women or anything, but Amelia seems to be the one who’s different for me somehow.
She swallows, gazing up at me curiously. She quietly replies, “Okay?”
“It’s nothing bad,” I say, trying to comfort her and end up sighing. I cringe. “Well, fuck…it sorta is.”
Her gaze widens as she folds her hands in her lap. Her legs are pressed together, her perfect tits just chilling in the open. I wish I could touch her right now, make her feel good, so this news isn’t as tough to take. I should give her some clothes, but fuck me, she’s so gorgeous to look at naked.
“While I was gone, something happened. You and uh, P, hooked up?” I ask, pausing as I try to word this correctly and not sound the least bit jealous. I am, though. Fucking shit, I wish it were me in Princess’s place.
She seems a bit shocked, probably at the fact that I know of what has transpired between them. I hadn’t mentioned it before now, so she probably thought I had no idea. Should I be upset that she hasn’t mentioned it to me? No, I’m not her boyfriend. That was her business, even though she’s in my room, in my bed. Yep, I’m irked, all right. Fuck my life.
“Right,” she admits, staring at me, waiting for my reaction. I don’t give her anything though, I’m trying to be calm, so she stays that way as well.
“I’m just going to say it. I’m not good at sugarcoating shit.”
She nods pensive.
“It was all recorded. The club has it on video with you in a very compromising position. If you go to the authorities, tell anyone about being here, or give our club brats a tough time from here on out, the video will be made public.”
She takes it in for a moment before asking, “You’re blackmailing me? Was yesterday recorded as well? Everything I do in here?”
My shoulders bounce, I guess she could call it that. Blackmail, a threat, intimidation tactics, fear, extortion…it’s many things. Apparently, my club doesn’t give two shits that I come off as the asshole sc
hemer with it either. I get it, though. It’s my job to take a little heat for the club, we all have to pull our weight and do our share. “Nothing else has been recorded, and it won’t be in here. You have my word on it.”
Calmly, she asks, “Was this your idea? Did you set it all up?”
She’s being far too calm about this. I don’t know what the fuck to do about it, either. Is she gonna explode or implode?
“It doesn’t matter whose idea it was; I’m executing it.”
“Okay,” she says randomly, breaking the tense silence. She glances around the room, processing. She appears to have a million things firing through that intelligent mind of hers, and I wish she’d say it out loud. I want to fix things, but I haven’t the faintest fucking clue how to.
“What do you mean, ‘okay?’” I’m damn near having to peel my jaw off the floor from her lack of a reaction. She’s being too easy on me; she should be throwing shit or something of the sort. This isn’t uptight principal behavior or typical ol’ lady behavior that I’ve witnessed in the past. When they get pissed, they chuck shit or try to shoot you. Is Amelia about to pull the same thing on me?
“Well,” she says eventually and lies back, gazing up at me. She’s so damn beautiful, even more so like this, right here, right now. “I don’t think this was your idea,” she states firmly. “I think you’re following orders, just like you did with the kidnapping.”
My brow furrows, my lips turned down into a frown as I process what she said. Someone’s been talkin’. They had to be. “How the fuck do you know it wasn’t my idea to take you?”
“Like you said, it doesn’t matter. What does is that it’s all happened already. I don’t want that video made public, so the only answer I can give you about keeping this to myself is okay.”
Heathen: Oath Keepers MC Page 17