by V. Theia
FILTHY LOVE
By V. THEIA
COPYRIGHT
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Names and characters are the property of the author and may not be duplicated. The use of any real company and/or product names is for literary effect only. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.
Filthy Love
Cover photo: istock.com
Cover Design: V. Theia. ©2018
Published by V. Theia 2018.
All Rights Reserved
DEDICATION
There’s only one person I can dedicate this book to and that’s the man himself who waited ten long years to love his little bit of a thing. Even sociopaths deserve love, and the VP more than most.
Hawk, (you are my favorite, shhhhh, don’t tell the others) I hope I gave you the happily ever after worth waiting for. (PS. Killer really is obsessed with you)
COPYRIGHT
DEDICATION
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FORTY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
EPILOGUE
BONUS EPILOGUE
MORE FROM V. THEIA:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
CONNECT WITH ME:
PROLOGUE
“I never thought I’d be giving her away to him of all people …” Ajax Marinos
A day in the Future
Jumpy energy slithered hot and cold down her spine until shivers attacked her in the midday heat, pure gooseflesh on her bare arms. Though she had no reason to be nervous.
All roads had led to this moment, hadn't it? She was sure of it.
Twists and turns and now here she stood in a sleek off-white wedding gown that trailed along the floor behind her and dipped tight at the waist over her tiny, unseen bump.
That was a surprise later for the baby-daddy.
She had to marry him first.
A knock on the door had her turning. Rider, also known as her favorite big brother Ambrosio framed in the doorway, smiling, looking unlike himself in a button down white shirt, black pants and the matching jacket. He wasn’t wearing his traditional leather cut that marked him as the president of the Renegade Souls MC, but as Gia scanned her eyes she noticed he was wearing his biker boots. You can take the man out of the club, but you can’t take the club out of the man. His hair tied back in a low knot and his facial hair was closely cropped didn’t do anything to lessen Rider’s fierce aura.
But to her he was simply her beloved brother who had always loved and protected her.
She answered his smile and motioned him in.
“Have you seen him?”
A slow nod. “Yep.” Vague.
It was well known Rider wasn't fully accepting of his baby sister getting married so soon, though he had accepted her choice in a life partner finally. He was a bossy man through and through, default of his upbringing and him ruling his MC for more than ten years now. Thank god for Zara keeping him in line or he would be unbearable. One little well placed pout from her sister in law and Zara could turn Rider's attention instantly as if by magic.
Gia loved that sort of sisterhood power. She'd have to try it.
“You look ... beautiful, squirt.” She beamed a smile, nerves dropping away for a moment she took his embrace and squeezed him around the middle.
Of all people in Gia’s life, Rider was one of her favorite; bossy and all. It had been a weird old year, some good, some bad, but all roads led her here, she believed it. And with every slow roll of her heart, the time growing ever closer until she tied her life to someone else, she believed more than anything this was meant to be.
Wasn’t it?
Her heart said yes.
Her mind said yes.
Her brother’s face said he wanted to hurt someone.
She grinned and brushed a kiss to his cheek before stepping out of his arms.
He was stoic as ever.
“You sure about this? It's not too late. We can have you in Mexico in a few hours. I got contacts.”
The baby nestled in her belly would disagree.
Time was of the essence.
All she needed was for her father to assume she was getting married because she had to. He was already salty the wedding to her fiancé was happening at all, but even that was better now. He was trying at least. Trying not to be so Ajax Marinos.
Something about nobody being good enough for his mikrí kóri.
Ajax Marinos was a difficult man and had been for most of her life. More so of late. Typical older generation male who wouldn’t dream of talking about his feelings and Ambrosio would rather cut out his eyeballs than approach their father about anything if he could help it. She had a feeling he knew what Ajax’s problem was but wasn’t saying.
In any case, she could only be nervous about one thing at a time and today it was all about merging her life with someone else.
As if her brain knew where her thoughts wanted to go, it put an image right there of the last time she spoke to him. She turned to the mirror, looking at herself.
The pink flush crawled up her neck, heated her cheeks.
Hawk was never far from her mind.
Maybe that's how it would always be.
He'd consumed her heart and life for nearly half of it, she'd been unrequitedly devoted to one man for what seemed like forever, it would be more of a surprise if he wasn’t on her mind today of all days.
“Yes, I'm sure.” She kissed Rider's cheek again. “How are the parents?” Whilst her childhood had been princess houses and spoiled trips to the beach, Rider's had been altogether different, their dad was too hard on him, always pushing him to do better and that had led them both down a road they couldn't come back from, not even now Rider was a father himself. The best father. Having them all in the same room together was testament they all loved her but wearing on the nerves.
Rider’s most of all.
“Mom is with Zara, they're talking about Thanksgiving.” He shrugged a massive shoulder nonchalantly. “You know dad, always has some shit to complain about. Don't let him ruin your day, Gia. I'll kick him out if I have to.”
Hugging him again, she was so damn grateful for Rider being the
man he was.
She wasn’t so much nervous as she was settled in the decision she’d made.
“He’s trying. Walk me out to dad.” She asked smiling, hooking her arm through his. He gave her an encouraging squeeze, eyes so like hers looking down as if to silently ask if she was sure again.
Yes, she was.
Hawk would always remain in her heart.
Forever.
First love was powerful.
Every event in her life brought her to this. She fully believed in that.
“Let's go get you hitched then. If that fucker wears a path in the floor I ain't payin' for it.”
Gia laughed. At least she wasn't the only nervous one.
“Let's go then. I don't want to keep my groom waiting any longer.”
CHAPTER ONE
“If Grace Kelly tells you to work it, then you work what your mama gave you.” - Gia
The key to happiness was different for every person, but could hers be less complicated and maybe a bit more attainable, you think? She wasn’t asking for much at all.
Sometimes a woman got tired of waiting for the mountain. Sometimes she just needed a little divine intervention.
And like now; she was listening to her whispering, wanting heart.
As she’d done for the past few months, Gia Aella Marinos studied her image in the full-length mirror in her bedroom, meticulously picking out just the right outfit for the day ahead. Looking at herself, she liked what she saw most days. She was a female after all, there was days she loathed her straight brown hair and wished she had more exotic eyes than her normal blue. And her slim figure was fine because she worked out even though she hated spin class, but her love of chocolate dictated she exercise at least once a week if she were to uphold her addiction. Turning left and then right, she surveyed her hips and boobs.
Most days she liked what she saw.
Today she was too nervous to care about a few extra pounds hanging on for dear life around her stomach.
She was no fashionista, but her girl Grace Kelly often helped her out with outfits and what trend was in season this year. Not THE Grace Kelly, she hadn’t taken up Ouija boards for fun, her best college friend was lucky enough to have the same name. It was always funny when she gave it at Starbucks.
Today was an A-line baby pink skirt that fell modestly just above her knees, paired with a white, big collar, big cuffs rolled to the elbow shirt. Both looked cute against her olive skin.
Sedate but stylish, she thought, gazing at her image. She wore her dark brown hair down to her shoulders, it was without a kink unless she used the curling iron.
Next, she took care with her make-up, she’d never been a fan of too much, keeping it light, it was for work after all, not a night at The Silver Spoon, her favorite bar in town.
When she was finished, all that was left was to spritz her preferred daytime perfume and slip into her black ankle booties and she was done.
Why was she taking such care when only six months ago any old sweater and pants would do for work? But all that changed, hadn’t it, months ago when she’d walked into Gem’s Eatery and saw him.
Hawk.
Hawk being in Austin changed everything.
Gia adored her work as a psychologist, choosing to focus now on relationship counseling for couples in crisis of splitting or just needing a love tune up.
And she loved her social life, it wasn’t as active as she’d like, she supposed, she dated here and there but nothing set her on fire. She traveled every summer for six weeks, this last year she’d been to Greece and Italy and had a blast with four of her longest friends.
Hawk in her hometown, the place she lived, changed everything inside her.
Hawk was here.
It was on her mind a lot.
Hoping to run into him again.
Butterflies constantly manic in her belly when she thought of him.
Which was, oh, every other hour of the day.
She had it bad for that rude, hard-hearted, unsociable man.
She’d always gravitated towards prickly people. It would explain her attraction to him and the love she held for her own father since everyone knew he could be an unfeeling asshole at times towards most everyone except Gia and her mom who her father openly adored.
Seeing Hawk there as if by magic had completely stolen the breath out of her, stunning Gia into mutism. Sitting quietly and alone at one of the window booths had sent her on such a high so gloriously fast she hadn’t come down from it since.
It was why she was so damn jittery trying to look nice. Just in case. Such a female thing to do, but whatever, it wasn’t as though she even had a chance with Hawk.
He was the type of guy to go after what he wanted.
He might look at Gia in unpredictable ways sometimes, but he’d done nothing about the heated stares he raked over her.
He might never make his move, so it was up to Gia to do the heavy lifting. Men; you can lead them to water, but you can’t drown them.
And with Hawk here, what better time to test his waters once and for all, no hanging back in hopes he’d ask her out for god’s sake, she was nearing thirty and wanted a love life. He was away from his club and her damn interfering brother; the time was now. Speaking of bossy pants who she claimed as her elder sibling, she’d called him, slyly asking after all his friends, making sure to drop Hawk in the mix, only to find out he was indeed in Austin ‘on business’ yeah, right. If it was for Ambrosio, Rider to his pals, then it was Motorcycle Club related and Hawk could only be at one place; the MC chapter just a way out of town.
It was where her father hung out a lot reliving his glory days no doubt.
Men never truly grew up.
Gia might not have involved herself in the MC way of life the way her brother, father and uncle have, and not as the way her mom lived by, choosing a different path for herself.
But she knew how they worked.
Her brother oversaw the mother chapter of the notorious biker club the Renegade Souls. Across the states everyone knew of them and their less than stellar reputation with their own rules and laws to follow. For years the cops tried to close them down, to pin any charges but since Rider had taken over as president they’d come to a certain understanding since her brother was nowhere near as shady or delinquently unlawful as the last boss who happened to be her uncle.
It didn’t stop the club being known and feared.
On some level, no matter how distant she stood from that way of life, she was proud of her brother. For everything he achieved and built on his own, he was an awesome man and she’d dick-punch anyone who dared say different to her.
Many thought him totalitarian, but she knew Ambrosio, as she called him, to be a better man than most. He might not always toe the line, but he had a respect for those he loved and that’s what mattered.
She wanted to believe the same for the man she was stupidly in love with too.
Taking one last look in the full mirror in her bedroom, Gia grabbed what she’d need for the day soon as she filled her travel cup of coffee and her files.
Work, for once, wasn’t her primary thought.
Oh, she had her notes ready for her two clients this morning, they were long standing appointments, with hopes to make some progress with both couples today.
But it was what she was doing at lunch time that dominated her mind.
Would he be there?
Would he speak?
Over the years she’d coveted every sly glance turned her way from Hawk. She’d squirreled them like a drug addict looking for a fix. Those glances full of sexy, unexplainable darkness stripping her naked kept her wet and wanting at night and hungry for a love that was forever out of reach.
Their interactions of the past months hadn’t gone so well. Since she’d messaged Hawk on his birthday, a stupid impulse because she couldn’t help herself, it was mostly dead air between them. Either the man didn’t know how a friendship worked or he was entirely bored hearing from
his best friend’s little sister.
Or he was in a relationship and found Gia to be an incredible pest.
Jesus. She sighed, hooking a leather purse over her shoulder, her briefcase and pink travel mug full of her morning coffee was next.
She sounded like one of those tragic Netflix series where everyone dies in the end.
She was in love with her brother’s best buddy and club vice president and had been for years. Nearly a decade if she was counting the change.
It was too long to lust after the unattainable without doing something about it.
More so now than ever it was time she made her move.
Hit or miss, she’d know once and for all if Hawk wanted to date her.
There was plenty of guys who did, and she barely put in any effort to any relationship, she was cognizant of being only half present with her heart, her mind and anything else that came with dedicating yourself to a partner and all because she wanted the unreachable.
With a promise to make this year the year she really gave it a shot and stopped hoping that idiot man made his damn move, seriously, he was slower than a turtle in shit going backward, and if it didn’t go her way, then Gia could move on with her love life, invest it in someone who wanted her fully.
Many things have drawn Gia to Hawk over the years.
She’d questioned once if she were a closeted masochist. But it’s not that.
His dominance enlivened her.
His veiled desire ignited her blood.
His magnetism, albeit a grumpier version, simply captivated her.
Locking up her modest house, she walked the short way down to her car, pressing the locking mechanism to open the door as she approached. Already her belly was in knots.
She looked good. Grace Kelly assured her of that last night when she helped pick the outfit.
Now it was just a matter of waiting those few hours before she went to meet her dad at the MC.
And hope Hawk was around.
Win the guy. Live happily ever after? Gia chuckled to herself.
Life goals were good to have, it was what she told her clients.