by Wilder, L.
“Until we know more, I’m not taking any chances. As of right now, consider yourselves on lockdown. I want all families and ol’ ladies secured by nightfall.”
“What about Marlowe?”
“Bringing her here would only make this guy suspicious and put her in more danger than she’s already in.”
I knew he was right, but at that moment, I cared more about her safety than my own, and I was going to do whatever I could to protect her. “Then, I’ll stay over at her place.”
“Not sure that’s a good idea, brother. One of you says or does the wrong thing, and this whole thing blows up in our faces,” Menace warned.
“I won’t let that happen.”
Shotgun, our club’s enforcer, had been all but silent since we’d started church. He’d been taking in everything we’d discussed, but when it came to this, he refused to keep quiet. “Menace is right. You need to be here.”
I wasn’t surprised by his remark. It was his job to protect the brothers, but it was my job to protect Marlowe. “If the tables were turned, and this was Remington we were talking about, what would you do?”
“I would do exactly what you’re doing.” His eyes grew intense as he warned, “You’re gonna have to watch your back, brother. If you run into any trouble—”
“You’ll be the first to know.”
Once that was settled, Viper dismissed us all from church. Usually, the guys quickly dispersed and went about their own business. Not today. It seemed they all had something to say about the situation with Marlowe. While I appreciated their concern, I was eager to find out more about this Eric asshole, so I excused myself and went down to Menace’s room. I didn’t want to disturb him while he worked, but I needed to be there in case I could lend a hand with anything. When I walked in, Menace was at his computer with Hawk sitting right beside him, quietly sifting through a folder.
Neither of them paid me any mind as I made my way over to the empty chair next to Hawk and sat down. As I peered over Hawk’s shoulder, I whispered, “Whatcha looking at?”
“The pictures of Stark’s place in San Antonio.”
I’d already seen them a few days before, but I peered over his shoulder for a second glance in case there was something I might’ve missed. He was sifting through the different images when something caught my eye. “Hey, go back to that last picture.”
As he flipped back to the previous photograph, he asked, “Why? You see something?”
“Yeah.” I pointed to a real estate sign in the front of the lot. “Is that for this property?”
“Looks that way.” Hawk leaned in closer, then said, “Holy shit. Are you seeing this?”
“Yeah, I see it.”
Curious as to what we were looking at, Menace glanced over his shoulder and asked, “What?”
Hawk handed him the photograph and said, “Check out the name on the sign.”
“Stark Realty? Are you fucking kidding me? How the hell did I miss that?”
“I missed it, too.”
“That’s how he keeps moving so fast.” Menace quickly turned to me as he asked, “Hey, am I crazy or wasn’t Kate bragging about the fact her new boyfriend was in real estate?”
“I believe she did. I also think she mentioned him working on some development while he’s in town. Bought some property and was prepping it for resale. Shouldn’t take much to find out which property, right?”
“Just a matter of looking up recent sales.”
“Well, I’ll be damned.” A smirk crossed Hawk’s face as he said, “I think we’ve got him, boys.”
“It’s certainly looking that way, but I’ll run the facial recognition just to be sure,” Menace replied. “I want to cover all our bases.”
“Agreed.”
“Let’s give him some breathing room.” Hawk stood as he looked over to me and said, “’Bout time for us to head over to Stilettos for our shift.”
I glanced up at the clock on the wall and was surprised to see it was already after three. I told Marlowe I would be coming by her place this morning, but time had gotten away from me. As I followed Hawk out to the parking lot, I got it set in my mind I was going to make it up to her, and I knew exactly how.
When I walked into Stilettos, I found Marlowe busy behind the bar making drinks. Damn. She looked so beautiful she took my breath away, and I couldn’t wait to have a few minutes alone with her. I walked up and just watched her go through the motions of making one of her fancy drinks. She was a great bartender. She took pride in her work and never failed to impress. When she finally realized I was standing there, a soft smile danced across her perfect, full lips.
“Hey there, beautiful.”
“Hey.” A shroud of concern washed over her as she muttered, “Where’ve you been? I was expecting you to come by my place.”
"I was planning to, but I got held up at the clubhouse.” I stepped behind the counter as I asked, “You got a minute to talk?”
She glanced over at the waitresses hovering at the bar, waiting for their drinks, then said, "We’re pretty swamped.”
"Hey, Lisa.” When she turned to face me, I asked, “Can I borrow Marlowe for a minute?"
“Sure thing. Take all the time you need.”
I gave her a nod, then I grabbed Marlowe's hand and led her down the hall. I knew there were no cameras in the VIP room, so we wouldn’t be seen by anyone, including Stark. As I reached for the door handle to open it, Marlowe asked, "What are you doing?"
Without answering, I pulled her into the room, and as I turned to close the door, I put my finger over my lips, hoping she would understand. Once the door was closed, I stepped over to her and started unbuttoning her blouse. “Remember last night when I said my patience was running thin?”
“Um-hmm.”
“Well, it’s finally run out.” I slowly slipped it down her shoulder, then leaned in and kissed her soft skin and did the same to the other one. “I need you to know something.”
“Okay.”
Marlowe stood there with wide, hungry eyes as I slid her shirt down her arms. When I moved to the button on her jeans, I whispered, “You’re mine, Marlowe Davenport.”
A soft whimper escaped her as I eased the denim over her hips and continued down her thighs. I kneeled down to help her step out of them, then leaned in and kissed her through her panties. “Every fucking inch of you.”
As I stood, I let my hand trail between her thigh, the tips of my fingers raking her warmth, and when our eyes met, I had no doubt she knew exactly what I meant. A spark of need flashed through her eyes as she reached for my shirt, unbuttoning each button painstakingly slow. She knew what she was doing. She knew she was turning me on with every twist of her fingers. Fuck. My cock was so hard I thought it was going to explode right then and there. By the time she got to my jeans I couldn’t take it anymore.
I reached in my back pocket, pulled out a condom from my wallet, and stripped off my jeans. Without saying a word, she placed the palms of her hands on my chest and started pushing me back to the couch. As much as I didn’t like giving up control, I could see the self-assurance in her eyes, and I wanted to keep it there—to have her feel strong and confident with me. She stood in front of me assessing me like a hungry predator, and I couldn’t have desired her more. I reached for her hips and lifted her as she straddled herself over my cock. Dragging her center across my throbbing erection, she leaned forward and kissed me passionately.
I thought I’d lose my mind if I had to wait another minute to be inside her. Feeling the same need burning inside of her, she centered herself on top of me. The heat of our breaths mingled between us until the anticipation became too much. My hand snaked up her spine.
I’d never wanted anyone more. My breath became strained as she lowered her hand between us and started stroking me. A fevered hiss slipped through her lips as she slowly inched down, taking me deep inside. She was so fucking tight, warm, and wet, I had to fight the temptation to take over. I found myself wondering if s
he knew the effect she had on me—if she had any clue how wrapped up in her I really was.
I couldn’t believe how good she felt riding my cock. It was like heaven, absolute heaven; I wanted to savor every second, feel every sensation. A deep growl resonated through my chest as she quickened her pace, and even though it felt incredible, I needed more. Unable to control myself, I brought my hands up to her hips and guided her up and down. Her nails dug into my chest as she bucked against me, meeting every thrust with more force, more intensity.
Each drive became frantic as she took me deeper and deeper. My body was wound tight as I struggled to hold back my climax, and I could feel the pressure building as her walls constricted around me. Teetering close to the edge, I dug my fingertips into her hips and held on as her orgasm approached. Her hips rocked against mine in a feverish rhythm until she let out a muffled groan. With one last deep thrust, Marlowe's body tensed, and her breath stilled as her head fell back. Her orgasm exploded and she clamped down around me, making it impossible to hold back as she continued to buck against me. The fire that raged within me reached its breaking point as I came deep inside her. My voice was low and strained as I growled, “Fuck.”
I held on to her hips, holding her in place as I caught my breath. Still trembling, she collapsed on top of me, her heart beating wildly next to mine; neither of us moved as the aftershocks from our pleasure rolled over us. After several moments passed, our eyes met, and once again, I placed my finger to her lips. She pointed to the necklace, and I nodded, acknowledging I knew exactly what was going on. As I ran my fingers through her hair, I whispered, “Whenever you have doubts about anything, anything whatsoever, remember this moment ... what we have between us. It’s enough to get us through anything.”
“I will.”
“I better get you back out there before Lisa sends out a search party.”
We both got dressed, and after one last kiss, I led her out of the VIP room and back to the bar. While there was little said between us, I could tell by the look on her face she knew exactly why I’d taken her to that room, and if she happened to need more explanation later, I’d be more than happy to give it to her—again and again.
Chapter 18
Marlowe
When I walked out of that VIP room with Rafe, I felt lighter than I had in days. While he hadn’t actually said the words, he’d made it clear in his own way that he’d seen the messages I’d left for him, and I was feeling like things were going to be okay—at least temporarily. I’d barely made it back to the bar before I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket. I rarely ever got messages from anyone, so I knew before looking it was Eric. I didn’t want to see what he’d sent but knew I didn’t have a choice. I took out my phone and anger washed over me as I read:
Eric:
Looks like you and your sister have something in common.
You’re both a great lay.
Me:
Fuck you.
Eric:
Watch your tone or I just might.
I didn’t respond, hoping that would be the end of it, but after several seconds, another message came through.
Eric:
I expect information within the next twenty-four hours or your sister will pay the price.
.
As much as I wanted to tell him to go to hell, I knew it would only rile him up even more. Deciding it was best to leave it alone, I turned my phone off and shoved it back into my pocket of my jeans. I was about to get back to work when Lisa leaned over and asked, “Everything okay?”
“No, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“You sure?” A friendly smile crossed her face as she said, “I’ve been known to be a bit of a hard ass. If there’s somebody’s ass that needs to be kicked, I’m your girl.”
“I appreciate that, I really do, but this is something I’ve got to deal with on my own.”
“All right, but remember my offer. Just say the word, and I’ll put on my ass-kicking boots.”
“Thanks, Lisa.”
We both got back to work. It was another busy night with a steady line of customers streaming in. The stages were covered up with guests, and our waitresses hadn’t had a chance to catch their breaths since the doors opened. Normally, a night like this would be exhausting, but I was thankful for the distraction. I was so busy I’d almost forgotten Eric was watching my every move. Almost being the key word. There was no way I could forget I was being watched. I could almost feel his eyes on me, and I hated it. What I hated even more was the fact there was nothing I could do about it.
I was actually kind of thankful when Country came over with one of his goofy grins. I could tell by that mischievous look in his eye he was about to say something off the wall, but I didn’t care. I could use a moment with a good friend. “How’s it shakin’, bacon?”
“Pretty good, I guess.” I stepped over to him as I asked, “How about you?”
“Got no complaints.”
“Well, that’s good. Can I get ya a beer or anything?”
“Yeah, a beer would be good.” I reached into the cooler and grabbed a cold Miller Lite, then placed it on the counter. Country picked it up and took a long pull before turning his attention back to me. “Did you know that Antarctica is actually a desert?”
“Umm, what?”
“Yep. The place has like ninety percent of the world’s ice, but it only gets eight inches of rain a year … so yeah, it’s a desert.” His smile never faded as he said, “That’s crazy, right?”
“Yeah, pretty crazy all right.” Country wasn’t one to dish out nature facts, so I knew he was just looking for something to talk about, which I found to be very sweet. He knew I was going through a tough time, and this was his way of showing he was there for me. I glanced up at the camera above me and knew Eric would be expecting me to try to uncover some information for him. I hoped since Country kept glancing up at the camera, he was aware of the fact we were not only being watched but also listened to. I tried it play it cool as I leaned forward with a smile, “Hey, can I ask you something?”
“Sure, you can ask anything you want.” He cocked his eyebrow. “Doesn’t mean I’ll give the answer you wanna hear.”
“Ha! Nothing new there.” I inhaled a deep breath before asking, “I was just wondering, are the two strip clubs the only businesses the Ruthless Sinners are involved in?”
“Why ya asking?”
“I don’t know. Just curious I guess.” I shrugged. “I figure if I’m going to be involved with Rafe, I should know what I’m getting into.”
“I see.” As he lifted his beer, his eyes skirted up to the security camera, then quickly back to me. He took a long sip, then said, “If you want to know what Rafe or the brothers are into, then that’s something you should take up with Rafe—but I’ll tell you this. Rafe is one of the good ones. Nothing he won’t do for the people he cares about...Kind of like a wolf.”
“A wolf?”
“Hell, yeah, like a wolf.” He stood there for a moment, then leaned over the counter and said, “It’s his nature to be kind and loving, but when it comes to protecting his family ... his mate, you best not fuck with him. The man can be relentless.”
“Just like his brothers, huh?”
“Hell, fucking yeah. There’s a reason why wolves are at the top of the food chain. Live together, hunt together, and protect their own—to the fucking death.” He looked me dead in the eye as he said, “A lone wolf is one thing, but a whole damn pack. Damn. Not a predator around with balls big enough to go up against that.”
“I would guess not.” I knew Country well enough that there was a reason for this entire conversation. In the only way he could, he was trying to tell me he and his brothers would protect me and Rafe at all costs, and I appreciated it more than he could’ve imagined. I smiled as I told him, “Thanks for letting me in on that tidbit of information.”
He shrugged with a goofy smirk. “Just sharing the wealth of my profound knowledge.”
; “Well, I’m flattered you’d think to share,” I teased as I motioned my hand out to the crowd. “Now go forth and share that wealth of information with someone else.”
“Yeah, I could, but not everyone appreciates a mind like mine.”
I chuckled as I told him, “That’s such a tragedy.”
“I know!” He gave me a wink, then turned and ventured into the crowd “After while, crocodile.”
Even though it was strange at best, I felt much better after my conversation with Country. He’d always been what the brothers would call a “good ol’ boy”, but he had a way of putting things into perspective, and tonight was no different. Country wasn’t the only one who’d taken the time to show he was there for me. Widow and Lynch also stopped by and shared in a few minutes of idle small talk. It wasn’t out of the norm. The guys were always friendly and did what they could to make me feel like I was part of their crew, but tonight, their support meant more than they realized. While I had no idea how they would handle the situation with Eric, I knew in my heart they would find a way to put him in his place. I just hoped they could do it without anyone getting hurt.
It was a thought that weighed on me as I gathered my things and set out to find Rafe. Everyone was preparing to leave when I found him in the back talking to Menace. I could tell by Rafe’s expression they were discussing something important, and I hated to interrupt but wanted to let him know I was leaving. As soon as I approached, they both became tight-lipped, making it clear they didn’t want anyone knowing what they were discussing. I pretended not to notice as I said, “Hey, guys. I’m calling it a night.”
“We’re about to do the same.” Rafe motioned his head towards Menace as he continued, “We’ve got some things to wrap up here, and then I’ll be heading over to your place.”
“You sure?” He knew about the cameras at my place, so I was surprised he’d want to take the risk. Giving him an opportunity to back out, I said, “I know you’ve had a long day. It’s okay if—”