“Eight,” Jag shot over his shoulder before the door slammed behind him.
Jewel’s eyes flicked to Ivy. “Eight what?”
Ivy looked at her now ravaged fries and shrugged. “No idea.”
“Right.” Jewel tapped a crispy fry to her lips, thinking way too hard for Ivy’s liking. “My brother wants down your pants. It’s so obvious.”
“That’s your brother you’re talking about.”
“So? At least I didn’t see him busting a nut in Goldie on the couch at church that night. Ugh. Now, then I would’ve been scarred for life.”
Ivy winced. “Wasn’t pleasant. That was for damn sure.”
“Why? Because it was someone fucking Goldie or because it was Jag fucking Goldie?”
Ivy picked up her half-eaten burger and inspected it where Jag’s teeth had been. Did she want that mouth on her again? Should she call him and have him come take care of her business? Or should she continue to look for someone less complicated? Someone she wasn’t constantly butting heads with?
But then that would be boring. Another con when it came to being with the men she dated.
“Still waiting on that answer,” Jewel prodded.
Ivy quickly shoved the burger in her mouth so she couldn’t answer and pointed to her full mouth. By the time she was done chewing and swallowing, Jewel’s attention was now focused out of the front office window into the large paved lot of the business.
“Wonder why the beast is here?”
Ivy’s head spun toward the window. “The beast?” Diesel was climbing off his bike and looking in their direction. Her gaze went back to Jewel. “You call Diesel the beast?”
“Yeah, ‘cause he is one.”
Ivy laughed but agreed. Diesel did seem to be a beast in his own way.
“Never heard you call him that before.”
Jewel murmured, “It’s a new nickname.”
“Aaaah.”
“Ain’t like that,” Jewel quickly said.
Ivy shrugged. “Okay.”
She frowned. “Nice way to deflect off the subject of you and Jag.”
“There is no me and Jag.”
Jewel opened her mouth to respond but snapped it shut when the exterior door was pulled open and Diesel pushed his way into the room. With him in it, the room shrunk in half.
Diesel’s eyes landed on Jewel first, held for a second, then his gaze swung to Ivy. He did a chin lift. “Cuz.”
“D, how’s it hanging?” Ivy asked her cousin with a smile.
She got a typical grunt as an answer. That meant “good” in Neanderthal.
“That good, huh?” Ivy teased.
She got another grunt, then his eyes dropped to their almost gone food. “Bangin’ Burgers.” His massive hand reached out and the rest of her food was history. Down his gullet in a flash. The few fries, the mouthful of burger and the little bit of lemonade disappeared instantly.
Ivy shook her head and sighed, then held out a napkin to him. He grunted again and his eyes swung back to Jewel, then dropped to her food.
“You touch mine, I’ll kick you in the balls,” she warned before quickly stuffing the rest of her burger in her mouth.
“What are you doing here, D?” Ivy asked, curious why the club’s enforcer was stopping in at the shop in the middle of the day.
“Club business,” he grumbled.
Uh huh. So basically he was saying club business was none of her and Jewel’s business. So typical.
Jewel held out a fry to him. “Give you a fry if you tell us what’s going on with using one of the strippers to infiltrate the Knights.”
Diesel snagged the fry and had it swallowed before she could even react. She looked at her empty fingers in surprise. “Damn,” she whispered. “You need a woman to make you meals if you’re that hungry.”
“So, make me a meal.”
“I’m not your house mouse! Get someone else to cook for you.” Jewel pointed to the remaining five fries in front of her. “You get the rest if you give us info.”
He eyeballed the fries and then grumbled, “It’s a no-go.”
“I need more than that for five whole fries, D.”
“No one trustworthy. Girls scared of gettin’ in the middle of war between Knights an’ us.”
Jewel’s steel-blue eyes, just like her brother’s, slid to Ivy and she gave her a look, which meant her mind was turning and she was getting ideas.
Which may be good, may be bad. It could go either way with Jewel.
“So you need someone trustworthy and not scared,” Jewel stated.
Diesel’s eyes narrowed as they landed on Jewel. “Will fuckin’ cuff you to a bed if you even think ‘bout it.”
Ivy’s brows rose. Interesting.
Jewel swatted a hand in his direction, dismissing him. Which you did not do to Diesel. “You’re not cuffing me anywhere. And it wouldn’t be up to you, anyhow.”
He took a menacing step closer to Jewel. “Get it out of your head.”
“It would be up to Pierce,” Jewel continued, ignoring the dark look crossing Diesel’s face.
“Pierce agrees to that, it’ll be the last thing he does as prez,” Diesel grumbled. “Last thing,” he repeated, standing directly over Jewel now, staring down at her, while she stared up at him, her eyes hot.
Very interesting.
“An’ you won’t be able to sit down for a week,” D’s growl rumbled through the room.
Damn. Her cousin was laying down the law on Jewel. Yes, he was the club’s Sergeant at Arms, yes, he managed In the Shadows Security, but Ivy never saw him be this protective about any woman before, even Bella.
Very, very interesting.
“You have no say,” Jewel whispered, not breaking eye contact with him.
Boy, did she have a set of balls on her. Ivy loved Diesel, as both her cousin and her club “brother,” but didn’t think even she would challenge him. Jewel called him a beast, and he was exactly that. A no-bullshit type of guy, he was one of the few members who wore his hair brutally short. Soldier-like. Ivy didn’t think she ever saw scruff on that man’s face, even when he was younger. He liked to keep his shit tight. But he certainly was wound tight like a spring, didn’t take much to blow his top, and Jewel was clearly pushing his limit.
“Woman,” was all he grunted as if a warning.
“Beast,” she answered him softly and his large body jerked as if she struck him.
Suddenly, Ivy felt the need to escape the office. The air became thick and electric and she found it hard to breathe as she watched the two of them in a stare down.
But before she could move, Diesel turned, wearing a dark scowl, and went through the shop door, slamming it so hard the wall shook.
Jewel, appearing a bit shaky, gave her wide eyes.
“What the fuck, Jewel?”
The younger woman’s mouth opened but nothing came out. She sat back in her office chair and stared at the five fries that still remained on her desk. She grabbed the wrapper they sat on, crumpled it up, and threw it in the garbage.
“You okay?”
Jewel’s gaze met hers. “Yeah.”
“Are you going to talk to Pierce?”
She hesitated, her eyes sliding sideways to the door that Diesel stomped out of, like a pissed off bull. “No. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Not if you want to be able to sit down for a week,” Ivy murmured, then laughed, trying to break the remaining tension in the room.
Jewel’s eyes widened even more, then she burst out laughing. “I know, right? These guys... You’d think we’d be used to their grunting, chest-pounding ways. Me man. You woman.”
Ivy snorted. “Tell me about it.” She deepened her voice to mock them. “Club business, babe. Not for vaginas with ears.”
Jewel shook her head, still laughing. “Fucker made me waste five Bangin’ fries, damn it.”
“Sacrilege.”
Jewel sighed. “So, I wonder what Pierce is going to do about t
he Knights now that they can’t find any of Dawg’s girls to do it?”
Ivy shrugged. “Ask for a sit-down, I assume. That’s what I heard Ace telling Dex.”
“Oh, damn! If they find out you’re eavesdropping, they’ll put chastity belts on your ears.”
Ivy grinned. “Can’t help but overhear them. They talk like they’re hard of hearing. They could be standing next to each other at the shop and they’re booming back and forth.”
“You should do it, Ivy.”
Ivy gave her a look. “Uh huh.”
“Yeah, you don’t have any man breathing down your neck. Talk to Pierce, tell him you’re interested. I’d do it in a second.”
“So, besides being dangerous and a really bad idea, you’re not going to do it yourself because D just told you no? Really? Don’t you think he’d say the same thing to me if he knew I was interested?”
“But he doesn’t know.”
“And you heard what he said about it being the last thing Pierce would do as president.”
“Yeah, but that was about me. Not you.”
“Damn, girl, you’re splitting hairs.”
“Maybe. Can’t hurt to ask.” She hesitated, an excited look in her eyes. “Don’t you want an adventure?”
“Your idea of adventure is fucked up.”
“You’re super smart, too. You could figure out ways to get info out of them.”
“Probably a simple blow job would do it. No need to be smart for that.”
Jewel laughed. “Though, I’m sure you’re good at it, I doubt that’s enough to make them spill club business.”
Probably not. Not that she was doing it. Even if she was crazy enough to, she certainly wouldn’t go into their ranks plan on giving head to a bunch of bikers from another club.
She looked at the clock on the wall. “Shit. I have to get back to the shop.”
“Like you’d get fired for being late.”
“No, but I’ll have to listen to Dex whine about being left alone to run it. I think Ace had to take Nana to the doctor or something.”
“She good?"
“Yeah, just a checkup, I think. Still the same crotchety old woman as ever.”
“Well, there’s a relief.”
Ivy arched a brow at Jewel. “Says you.”
Jewel laughed. “Anytime you want to stop by with Bangin’ Burgers, don’t hesitate.”
“I hear ya, sister. See you soon.” With a wave, Ivy pushed out into the bright afternoon light and headed toward her car.
A parts truck must have arrived when they weren’t paying attention and squeezed between D’s Harley and her Dodge Charger. As she rounded the box truck, she came to a sliding halt.
Jag leaned against her driver’s door, arms crossed over his chest, dark sunglasses hiding his eyes.
“You’re not getting grease on my car with your filthy self, are you?” she asked as she unfroze herself and moved forward.
“An’ if I did, whatcha gonna do ‘bout it?”
“Kick your ass.”
He stared down at his boots for a moment and when he looked back up, he wore a half smile. “Lookin’ forward to you tryin’.”
Unless he moved, she’d never be able to get into her car to leave. She stopped right in front of him and planted her hands on her hips. She hated that she couldn’t see his eyes behind his dark shades.
Before she could react, his hand snaked out, snagged her waist and pulled her to him until she was pressed between the V of his outstretched legs.
Ivy panicked. Not because she was close to Jag, because his heat seared her, because her pussy just went into a spasm, and her nipples started to ache. Nope. Wasn’t that.
Her gaze swung around the parking lot. Luckily no one was outside and the box truck blocked them from being seen by anyone in the office.
Like Jewel.
“What are you doing?” she hissed in his face, trying to pull back.
“Havin’ conversation,” he answered, holding on to her tighter.
“We don’t need to be touching to have words.”
“True enough.”
She attempted to jerk away from him again with no luck. “So, let go. Someone is going to see us.”
“Don’t give a shit.”
“I do. If you need to say something, say it, then let me go. I need to get back to the pawn shop.”
“What time you workin’ ‘til?”
Her brows knitted together. “Why?”
He blew out a frustrated breath. “Can’t feel why?” He moved his hips slightly. His cock was hard and long as it pressed into her belly.
Oh, yeah, she could feel it. “I don’t remember calling you to come over.”
“Can hear my phone right now,” he murmured as he grabbed his cell from the front pocket of his coveralls and pressed it to his ear. “Yeah, baby? That right? You want me to come over an’ give you some? You got it. Be there at eight. Wear somethin’ sexy.”
He pulled the phone from his ear and slipped it back into his pocket, giving her a cocky smile.
She couldn’t decide whether to be amused or annoyed at his pushiness.
When he dropped his head toward hers, her breath caught. Was he going to kiss her right here in the body shop lot?
Holy shit, he was.
His lips crushed against hers while one hand tightened on her waist and the other squeezed her ass. Hard. She gasped into his mouth and he took that opportunity to slide his tongue in and find hers.
Her gasp turned into a groan. Then both hands were on her ass, pulling her even tighter against his erection.
Finally, he pulled away enough to groan, “Fuck, baby. Could do a quickie in the back of your car.”
For a split second she considered it, then reality hit her like a splash of cold water.
Last thing she needed was to get caught fucking Jag in the back of her car in the parking lot of an open business where everyone knew them. And she could just picture the parts truck driver getting into his cab and seeing them going at it like cats in heat in the back seat of her Charger, which wasn’t very big in the first place.
No.
No.
Hell to the no.
Though, the thought did make her wet and her breasts ache, damn it.
“And, baby, just so you know,” he brushed his tongue over her bottom lip, “not bringin’ me an order of Bangin’ Burgers is a punishable offense.”
She cursed her pounding heart as she whispered, “Punishable, how?”
He pressed his lips to her ear, murmuring his promise of, “Tonight.”
She frowned as a shiver ran through her. “Right.” Like she would let him into her apartment.
Shit, she probably was going to let him into her apartment.
The thought of having more awesome sex with this man made her weak in the brain. And she could feel that bad decision coming on.
She just wished the promise of awesome sex wasn’t with Jag.
Or any male chauvinist biker.
Damn it.
“Maybe I have a date.”
“Yeah. At eight. Your apartment. With me.” He pushed away from her car and guided her back a couple steps. But before he let her go, he leaned close and said, “Don’t make me come find you.”
With that, he let her go and stepped around her, heading back toward the shop door. She quickly got into her car, the rumble of the Hemi engine soothing her nerves when she started it.
She sat in the driver’s seat watching him walk away. After rolling down her window, she shoved it into drive and pulled up next to him.
“Jag!” she called out her window. He stopped mid-stride and glanced over his shoulder. “Let me remind you of something. Just ‘cause we’re having—correction, we had sex doesn’t mean you own me.”
His lips twitched, and he continued on his path back into the shop, his head shaking.
Son of a bitch. That didn’t look promising.
Jag pounded on the door. Again.
She w
as pushing him to his limit. Again.
Yeah, he was late. But she should be used to the brothers never being on time. They got up when they wanted, got to work—for the most part—when they wanted, and certainly didn’t go to bed until they damn well wanted to, either.
But, hell—he hit the power button on his cell phone to activate the screen—it was only ten. It was early yet.
And it wasn’t like she had to get up to open the pawn shop in the morning. Ace was an early riser. He opened the shop early, closed it late. Anything to avoid going home to take care of his cranky old mother.
That’s what his ol’ lady, Janice, was for, anyway. To do shit like that. And both of his sisters lived on the farm, too, helping take care of Lonnie, Doc’s wife. She used to be a bearable woman until Doc got life without parole for murder. Since then, she’s been unbearable.
He sighed. He was going to knock politely only one more time then that was it.
He politely kicked the door with his heavy biker boot. Again. Leaving another mark again next to the one he left last time.
The woman had to be so damn difficult.
He closed his eyes and sucked a long breath through his nose. This time he wasn’t going to yell any threats. Nope.
This time he was using his fucking key. Though, he hated the fact that she’d now know he had one.
And no doubt, would probably change the locks.
Fuck.
He dug deep into his jeans’ pocket and pulled out his bike keys, singling out the one he needed.
Then he inserted it into the deadbolt and turned. His progression came to a quick halt by the chain she had secured the door with.
With a curse, he stepped back, lifted his boot and then kicked with all his weight. The door slammed open, the jamb splintering where the chain had been hooked.
He pushed his way inside.
The apartment was dark. But if Ivy was sleeping, there was no way that crash just didn’t wake her ass up.
He stalked down the hallway to her closed bedroom door. He turned the knob. Locked. What the fuck? Who locked their bedroom door in their own place?
He lifted his boot again and this time the door gave away much easier, but not much quieter.
The bedroom was dark, too. He slapped at the wall until he found the switch and lit the room up.
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