Slam. She banged the glass on the counter, waited two seconds until it fizzed, and then shot it back. If she’d learned anything during her marriage to Mark, it was how to set boundaries. Although Mark was controlling, he was at heart an insecure man. Zane, on the other hand, was utterly dominant and if she didn’t draw her line in the sand now, he would walk all over her when it came to decisions about Ty. “Thanks, Gunner. I’ll have another.”
She turned and met Zane’s gaze, lifting her chin the tiniest bit just to let him know his dark scowl didn’t affect her, but deep inside, fear curled in her belly. Not because she was afraid of him—for all the darkness in him, and the fear and respect he engendered in his brothers, he was still her Zane—but because she didn’t know if she’d pushed him too far. Was this the moment he would walk away?
Silence. No one moved. No one spoke. Clearly she had crossed some hidden line.
Braced for his reaction, Evie expected a growl or even a shout, perhaps even the sight of his back as he walked away. So when he grabbed her hair, yanked her head back, and sealed his lips over hers in a fierce, possessive kiss, she gave in without a fight, her arms twining around his neck as he ravaged her mouth.
“Well … that was … unexpected,” she said when he gave her a moment to catch her breath. “Maybe I should have another drink.”
He drew her to the side of the bar, away from the curious stares of his brothers. His hands slid over her bare skin, exposed by the cutouts in the dress, and then he yanked her against him and pressed his lips to her ear. “Don’t push me, sweetheart.”
“I already pushed you.”
“And I’m still here,” he said quietly, giving her the reassurance she needed, although she had no idea how he understood her so well.
“Maybe we can be friends again.” She pressed herself against him, breathing in his scent of leather and liquor, and the faintest hint of smoke. He snorted a laugh. “Friends don’t fuck like we did last night.”
Crude. But true. In fact, she’d never had a boyfriend who’d made her come the way Zane had last night. And he was right; it wasn’t just sex. They had a connection. Whether it was from their shared past, their child, or something deeper, she didn’t know.
He kissed the rise of her breasts above the thin strip of fabric, his hands encircling her waist, fingers trailing up and down the small of her back. “And they don’t fuck the way I’m gonna fuck you now.”
“Maybe I don’t want to fuck in the middle of Sparky’s garage while the Sinners party around us.”
Just saying the word fuck sent a naughty thrill through her body. And the thought of fucking Zane right here, right now made her mouth water. How long had it been since she’d taken a risk? How many years since she’d felt that rush of adrenaline she’d shared only with Zane?
“I can smell sex on you, Evie,” he murmured as he licked along the shell of her ear. “If I slid my hand into your panties, I’d find you wet and ready for me.”
His dirty talk made her pussy wet, her nipples hard, and sent desire through her like a crashing wave. Her hips swayed, grinding ever so lightly against his rigid shaft, and she gripped his forearm when he slid one hand beneath the front panel of her dress, and into her panties, his fingers resting just above her clit. The world faded away, the bikers laughing and talking around them, the music pulsating through her body, the clink of glasses as Gunner poured drinks. There was just her and Zane and an ache only he could take away.
“That makes you hot.” With his free hand he caressed her thigh, just at the hem of her dress, lifting it slowly, exposing her creamy skin to his ardent caress.
“Yes,” she whispered. There was no point denying the potent chemistry between them. Plain and simple, Zane made her burn.
“I make you hot.” Passion and raw hunger blazed in his eyes, and something darker, deeper, something that curled warm in her belly, spreading out to her fingers and toes.
“Scorching.” She rocked against him.
“Tell me you want me.” His hand snaked up her back, fisted her hair. She gasped at the sharp pain, felt a rush of heat between her legs.
“I want you, Zane.” And she did. She wanted this, the thrill, the risk, the rush.
She wanted him.
* * *
Fuck she was sexy, with her lush lips, pink and glistening, wanting him to fill her sweet mouth. She labored her breaths, teasing him with the view of her breasts rising and falling, taut nipples just waiting to be pinched. The act of claiming her, knowing his brothers were watching, curious about the first woman Zane had ever brought to a club function was unexpectedly, inexplicably erotic and he’d never gotten so hard so fast in his life.
Consumed with desire, he released her and led her out of the shop and into the hallway leading outside. With a low growl, he shoved her up against the wall between the stairwell and the washroom, then yanked her dress up over her hips.
“Zane!”
Heedless of her cry, he pushed her silky panties aside and pressed a finger into her wet heat, angling his body to keep that particular intimacy hidden from anyone who might be watching.
“You’re so fucking wet.”
“And you’re so fucking sexy.” She rocked her hips against his finger.
Christ, was there anything hotter than his woman needing him? Zane’s blood pooled in his groin. He would give her what she wanted and more. When he’d first arrived at the shop this evening, he’d been off-kilter, still thrown by her withdrawal the night before and the mess he’d made of the morning with Ty. But now, with Evie willing and responsive to his touch, he felt grounded. In control.
“He removed his finger and replaced it with two, parting her thighs with a gentle nudge of his knee.
“Oh, God.” Her nails dug into his forearm as he thrust his fingers deep into her wetness. “Is this what happens at all the Sinner parties?”
“I wouldn’t know. Usually I take watch.” He rubbed his fingers along her sensitive inner walls, and her pussy tightened around him.
“They must have been … surprised … to see you … tonight.” She stammered, breathless, close to climax, her body trembling.
“More like shock.” He slowed his thrusts, teasing her with light, shallow strokes, taking her down so he could send her higher, make her scream. “Never brought a woman to the club either, so they got a double dose.”
Her head fell back against the wall and she moaned. “I feel flattered.”
“What else do you feel, sweetheart?” He added a third finger and thrust in so deep her breath caught in her throat.
“I feel like I need to come.”
“Soon. But not here.” He withdrew his fingers, wiping her wetness along her inner thigh so she would have something to remember as they made their way upstairs. “I don’t want to share any more of you than you’ve already shared with my brothers.”
“Yo! Zane.” A highly inebriated Tank stumbled toward them as Zane steered Evie toward the stairwell, his mind focused on getting her naked and upstairs as quickly as possible.
“Not now, brother.”
“Where’s Connie tonight?” Oblivious to Zane’s scowl, Tank leaned against the wall and took a swig from the beer bottle in his hand.
Blushing, Evie reached out to steady him. “She’s with her grandmother in in Joilet.”
Tank leaned closer, slurring his words. “She’s one hot chick.”
“Back off.” Zane shoved Tank in the chest. “Maintain a perimeter.”
“Hey, brother. We were just having a conversation.” Tank jerked away from Zane’s touch and the beer in his hand splashed over Evie’s dress.
“Jesus. Fuck.” Without thinking, Zane hauled back and punched Tank in the face. Control around Evie, it seemed, was fleeting.
Evie gasped as Tank staggered back and into the shop, Zane following him. People scattered. Someone chanted “Fight! Fight!” and a space cleared around them. Unlike civilian parties, fights were expected and, in fact, encouraged at biker e
vents.
Tank recovered quickly and launched himself at Zane, who stepped neatly to the side, sending Tank sailing in the crowd. Sparky and Gunner lifted Tank and pushed him back into the ring. He spun around and scowled. “I didn’t mean any offense, fuck-wit.”
“Offense taken.” Zane hit him again, landing a punch in Tank’s stomach. Tank retaliated with a quick thrust kick, followed by a sequence of punches that had Zane reeling.
“Zane. Please. Stop. He didn’t mean it,” Evie shouted. But now that his tension had found an outlet, Zane wasn’t interested in stopping until Tank was on the ground.
Of course, Tank was so named for a reason and he absorbed blow after blow, until Zane’s wrists ached from the effort of trying to knock him down.
In a last-ditch attempt to end the fight, Tank ran at Zane, picking up speed as he crossed the floor to the cheers of the drunken crowd. He plowed into Zane, carrying him back with his shoulder and straight into the wall.
Jesus. Fuck. He was so not going to lose this fight with Evie and the brothers watching.
“Stand down.” Jagger pushed his way through the crowd, but Zane was already in motion.
Fuck Jagger and the rules. Fuck Tank for making him lose control. Just. Fuck. He pounded his fist into Tank’s sternum, grunting his satisfaction when Tank dropped to his knees.
“I said stand down, brother.” Jagger got in his face, shielding Tank with his body. But Zane was too wound up to stand down. Vulnerable, raw and exposed, his control already stretched thin by his decision to bare his personal life to his brothers, he hauled back, ready to punch Jagger, although the repercussions would be severe. But before he could let loose, Evie grabbed his hand.
“It’s okay, baby. I’m okay. But you won’t be if you throw that punch. Even I know there’s no going back if you hit Jagger.” She kept her voice low as he allowed her to back him away from Jagger, away from Tank and the fight he didn’t want, away from the shop and into the hallway.
“And if you get hurt,” she continued, “or Jagger kicks you out, then we won’t get to finish our evening the way I want.” She slid one hand down his chest to his belt and then tugged his hips toward her. “You know what I want?”
Already peaked, Zane’s primal instinct took over and he grabbed her hands and slammed them up over her head, thrusting his thigh between her parted legs. “You want to be fucked.”
Her eyes dilated and she licked her lush lips. “No.”
No? Had he read her wrong?
Evie took a breath, arching toward him, her breasts straining against the wet fabric of her dress. “I want to be fucked by you.”
SIXTEEN
When you’re ready for your first test run, turn on the gas, put on the choke, and kick.
—SINNER’S TRIBE MOTORCYCLE REPAIR MANUAL
Zane pulled Evie against his body, and claimed her mouth in a brutal kiss. She tensed at first, wary of his loss of control, but then she met his passion with her own, lips clashing with his, driven by the same deep desires.
Dark, delicious Zane. She moaned, letting him know she wasn’t afraid of the fierceness of his kiss, loved the way he mastered her mouth. She couldn’t remember ever being with a man who made her feel such passion, who made her feel alive. Well, maybe she did. Except back then he’d been a boy.
“Take me upstairs,” she whispered, melting against him, as he released her hands.
“Go, Evie.” He pulled away, a pained expression on his face. “Not after the fight … I’m not safe, not in control…”
“I don’t want to run from you.” She teased him with a tiny nip on his bottom lip, and he growled and slanted his mouth over hers, his kiss hard and aggressive as he reclaimed her lips, leaving no doubt that he wanted her just as much as she wanted him.
“Fuck.” He pulled away and slammed a fist on the wall beside her. “I lost it out there. You in that dress showing so much skin, drinking, the brothers looking at you like they wanted to fucking eat you up, then Tank just blew off the lid…” He pressed his body against hers. “That doesn’t happen to me. I am always in control.”
“Except when you open yourself up. You let them see the real you, Zane. You shared something about yourself. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Evie ground her hips against the bulge in his jeans, her pulse pounding as Zane unraveled in the darkness. He had never shared his feelings except that one night they were together, never bared himself the way she did when things went wrong, and now that he had shown himself to his brothers, to her, he clearly couldn’t handle it. Emotions couldn’t be controlled and Zane was always in control.
“Take me,” she whispered. “Take what you need from me.”
“You don’t understand.” He groaned. “There’s a side of me … I’ll hurt you.” He released her and pushed her toward the stairs. “Go upstairs and lock the door.”
A shiver ran up her spine. “You want me to run from you?”
His entire body shuddered, like he was fighting something that grew larger by the second. “Evie.” His voice dropped to a warning growl. “Run.”
She made a split second decision and then kicked off her shoes and took off, a grin splitting her face. Her bare feet pounded on the concrete hallway and she hit the door to the parking lot at full tilt. He wanted her to run, so she’d run. But not in the way he expected. Because she understood—the loss of control to passion, emotion so intense it overwhelmed, the instinct of a predator to chase its prey.
As she surged forward, she felt the rush of adrenaline she hadn’t felt in years, the freedom of baring herself to the night.
“Evie. Come back.”
She crossed the parking lot and ran into the small field behind the shop, praying there wasn’t anything sharp in the grass. Warehouses dotted the commercial area around her; giant, corrugated metal structures surrounded in barbed wire. Spotlights, streetlights, and the bright moon gave her a clear view of the soft grass underfoot. She veered over to a small thicket of trees, hoping to find more cover. Although she worked out a few times a week, the thrill of fear coursing through her body ratcheted her pulse up to a level that would have made her kickboxing teacher proud.
Chase me.
And he did. The door slammed open, clanging against the metal wall, and she heard him call her name, this time with a growl of determination that sent a delicious shiver up her spine. This was her game now. She was in control. If she wanted him to catch her, she could slow down her pace. If she wanted him to chase her, she could pick up speed. If she wanted to hide, she could head for the dense underbrush ahead. He was hers to command. Zane, VP of the Sinner’s Tribe. Dark warrior. First love. The man who had stolen her heart.
Chase me. Chase me. Chase me.
Her heart pounded furiously with each footfall, her speed hampered by her tender feet and the fabric of her dress. She heard him call, nearer now, his voice echoing in the stillness, but now that she was going she couldn’t stop. Not until he caught her. And God, she wanted him to catch her. But first he had to prove himself worthy of his reward.
Evie laughed as she ran, drawing in breaths of air scented with pine and a hint of diesel. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt such a rush, fear and excitement mixed into a heady cocktail that made her heart race and her sex throb.
Exhilarating. Had Zane felt like this the night she chased him through the forest? Had he run in anticipation of being caught, as she did now, or had he run in fear? Had he succumbed to her desires simply because she brought him down?
The crack of a tree branch behind her made her kick up her pace, every step a delicious thrill that made her heart flail against her ribs, her body tense in anticipation of the moment he caught her.
“Jesus. Fuck. Evie.” With a grunt, he lunged, his shoe just brushing the back of her heel. Finally, blissfully, his hand closed around her neck. She tensed for the impact, but he pulled her against him and rolled, taking her to the ground in the cradle of his arms. She almost came at the surge of adrenaline
that accompanied her capture, her legs shaking so violently, she was grateful when he rolled again, positioning her on all fours in the cool grass, covering her with his body.
“Need you.”
Evie looked over her shoulder. His eyes glittered in the semi-darkness, his face masked by shadows.
“Yes.”
Zane shoved her dress roughly over her hips, then tore her panties away with an animalistic growl. “Now. Can’t wait.”
Evie’s body flared to life, seized by a lust unlike anything she’d felt before. Zane reached around and cupped her breast, his thumb rubbing over her nipple until it peaked beneath her bra.
“More,” she rasped. “Take off my dress.”
“Like the dress. Naughty dress. So fucking hot it drives me outta my mind. Wanna fuck you in this dress, but I won’t be gentle.”
She wished she could see his face, although the torment in his voice told her what she needed to know. “If I wanted gentle, we wouldn’t be here.”
He groaned and kicked her legs apart with his thigh, sending a shock wave of pleasure through her belly. His big body pressed hard against hers, and Evie trembled in anticipation, her ragged breaths the only sound in the still of the night.
“Mine.” He swept her hair aside and pressed his lips against her nape, his teeth scraping over her skin. Sweat broke out at the base of her spine and spasms contracted her inner muscles. The men she’d been with since Zane had been nice, kind, but dull in the bedroom. Mark, in particular, had been appalled at her suggestions for spicing things up, and she’d resigned herself to the most traditional positions, taking her own pleasure in private to fantasies of rough men and even rougher sex.
“Harder.” She rocked back against him, grinding her ass into his huge erection.
He hissed out a breath. “I came to the shop tonight thinking last night shouldn’t have happened, that we had too much hurt between us. Then I saw you and I couldn’t think anymore. I don’t know how we got to be here, but if you don’t want this, tell me now.”
“I want this. I want you.”
He nipped her shoulder, his body covering hers, keeping her warm despite the chill of the night air. A bird fluttered above them and the pine boughs swayed in a silent breeze, scenting the night with a fragrance both fresh and sensual. Primal.
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