“Smart and beautiful,” Brian says under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear. “You got me.” He holds up his hands in mock surrender. “I may have come over here just to see if I could rile your brothers up a little bit, but that’s not why I’m still here,” he admits.
“And why is that?” I ask, looking up at him from under my dark lashes, smiling and knowing that I’m flirting with someone that there is no way my family would allow me to be seen with.
“Well, you’re pretty easy on the eyes to start with,” Brian replies, openly staring at my long legs and the denim mini-skirt that doesn’t leave much to the imagination. “And it turns out that you have a brain in that beautiful brunette head of yours,” he says, “and that’s rarer than you might think around here,” he adds a little bitterly.
Before I can agree and tell him that I can’t wait to get out of this place either, Aaron’s voice comes from behind me: “This guy bothering you Case?” he asks, looking threateningly at Brian. Aaron is eight years older than me; he’s head of the family and the oldest of the Stone boys.
“No, it’s fine, Aaron, he was just getting me a drink and then he was going to leave,” I say, looking pointedly at Brian.
“I hadn’t realized it was illegal to speak to a beautiful woman in this place,” Brian says lazily, like Aaron’s challenge isn’t even worth his time. But from the way he’s taking in his surroundings I can tell he’s figuring out his exit options in case things get too hairy.
“She’s not a ‘beautiful woman,’ she’s my sister,” Aaron replies, and I see my other two brothers start to get up from the table looking like they’re getting ready for action.
“Well gee, thanks big bro,” I joke, trying to diffuse the situation. “But Brian really is just about to leave,” I say firmly, looking at him. “Please go,” I whisper, quietly enough for Brian to hear me but no one else.
He looks down at me and for one dreadful, wonderful moment I think he may be about to kiss me. But he just gives me a gentle smile and steps away from the bar, raising his hands. “Great to meet you, Casey. Aaron—always a pleasure,” he says sarcastically and makes his way slowly out the door. I don’t start breathing again until I hear a motorbike engine roar into life and then drive away.
“You alright?” Jake, my middle brother asks as he quickly comes to my side with Max, and I’m suddenly surrounded by the full force of the Stone boys.
“I’m fine. You guys didn’t have to make such a big deal about it. We were just talking,” I tell them. I don’t add that I wanted to do way more than just talk to Brian.
“He’s an Eagle, Case, he shouldn’t even have been in here,” Jake tells me. “And I didn’t like the way he was looking at you.”
“I’m 21 guys, I’m not a kid anymore,” I remind them all, and I catch a look of understanding from Max. He’s my twin, only a minute older than me. We had always been so close, but since he’s got more involved in Stone Biker business it seems like he’s drifting further and further away from me. He was always a happy, gentle kid, but whatever they’re getting him to do is making him hard.
“No you’re not a kid, but you’re a Stone and that means no Eagle looks at you that way,” Aaron says decisively. After a few more assurances that nothing happened and that I’m fine, the boys head back to their table and, I hope, forget about what just happened.
“Who was the honey?” Brooklyn asks as she appears out of nowhere looking substantially less green than when she left.
“Just a guy. A guy I can’t have,” I add under my breath.
“No such thing as ‘can’t’ sweetheart,” Brooklyn tells me, smiling smugly. “He slipped me his number on his way out,” she tells me and holds it up triumphantly like a trophy.
***
That night in my bedroom I hold the slip of paper with Brian’s number scrawled on it in my hands and I think about what to do. I’ve never been the one to make the move, so this was new territory for me. My brothers had made it clear that I wasn’t to talk to Brian, let alone do anything else with him. But I’m finding it hard not to think about him and it wasn’t just because he was insanely hot. There was something more there, a connection I felt as soon as I saw him and our eyes locked. In that second everything had changed for me, but I know that the only reason he had come over to talk to me was to rub my brothers up the wrong way. Well, he’d definitely achieved that! I look at the clock by my bed. It’s close to 1am. Too late to call, and I know that I shouldn’t call him, but I also know that I want to, I want to more than anything else.
He picks up on the third ring. “Took you long enough,” he says in a low voice, and I feel a tingle just at the sound of his voice.
“How did you know it was me?” I ask, standing up and pacing around my room. I’m nervous and I need to burn off some of that energy.
“How many beautiful girls do you think I gave my number to tonight?” he asks, and I feel myself blush.
“I don’t know, I guess it depends on how many people you were trying to piss off,” I joke, and I’m rewarded by his laugh.
“I hope they didn’t give you a hard time?” Brian asks, and he sounds genuinely concerned.
“No more than usual,” I half-joke.
Brian is silent for a moment and then, as if he’s decided something, he asks, “What are you doing right now?”
“Walking around my room wondering how I’m going to get to sleep,” I tell him truthfully.
“I’ll be at the end of your street in 10 minutes. If you want to see me then be there, if not then don’t worry, I won’t contact you again,” he says and then abruptly hangs up.
I cradle the cell phone in my hand for a few moments, knowing what it would mean if I go; my brothers would never approve—he’s a member of a rival gang and there’s no way they will let that slide. But I’ve already made my decision: I want to see him. I’m desperate to see him, in fact. My brothers are probably out back shooting the breeze and drinking a few beers in the warm Colorado night air. They won’t even notice I’m gone. I slip down the stairs, careful not to step on the floorboards that I know creak. As I get to the front door I hear the swing door to the kitchen open and close behind me.
“Where you headed, Case?” Max asks, and I turn around slowly while trying to even out my breathing.
“Nowhere. Couldn’t sleep, thought I’d take a walk,” I say, although I’m aware how improbable this sounds. I’ve never been very good at lying, especially not to Max.
He looks doubtfully at me and I know he doesn’t believe me, but he lets it slide. “You know we weren’t kidding about that Brian guy, right? If he tries anything with you, if he even looks so much in your general direction, we want to know about it,” he tells me. “This is serious Case,” he adds, but he doesn’t expand.
“I know, I’ve got it Max,” I assure him. “I’ll see you later,” I say and close the front door gently behind me. I take a quick look around to make sure that my twin brother hasn’t decided to check up on me, and when I’m satisfied that I’m alone I take off down the street, hurrying to make sure I’m not late. The last thing I want is to be late and for Brian to think I don’t want to see him. When I get to the end of the street I peer through the darkness and see a figure leaning against some railings. I take a deep breath and without hesitation I walk towards him.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d come,” Brian says, and even in the dark I’m aware of the heat of his gaze.
“I almost got busted by one of my brothers,” I tell him and I see him take a look behind me as if to double check that I’m on my own.
He takes a step towards me, planting his hands on my shoulders and looking deep into my eyes. “They can’t know about us. No one can,” he says firmly.
“What about ‘us’?” I ask breathlessly, putting emphasis on the last word.
“I don’t know yet,” he tells me, leaning his head down towards mine, “but I can’t wait to find out.” He then closes the gap between us, shutting my mouth
in a kiss. He’s caught me off-guard but I kiss him back hard and my arms go around him almost automatically as the kiss gets deeper, hotter, full of need. After what seems like an eternity of his lips against mine, Brian pulls away and I can see he’s as affected by the kiss as I am. “Let’s get out of here,” he says, taking hold of my hand and not letting go of it until I’m sitting behind him on his bike. I wrap my arms around him and we speed off into the darkness. I don’t even think to question where we’re going.
After around 20 minutes we pull up outside what looks like a warehouse and I hear a warning bell sound in my head. I’m in the middle of nowhere with a guy I’ve only just met and who my brothers have warned me not to see. Either I am really stupid, or Brian has completely addled my brain.
“Where are we?” I ask, looking around me before I get off the bike.
“My place,” he replies holding out his hand for me to take it, which I do without even thinking about it. He unlocks the door and leads me inside and far from being a run-down place, it’s an amazing house. The floor is a gorgeous polished wood, the walls are exposed bricks, it’s completely open plan and there’s so much space; it’s beautiful.
“Wow,” I say as I take in the place. “It’s not what I’d expected.”
“What had you expected?” he asks, looking at me in amusement as he heads to the kitchen and pulls out a couple of beers from the silver refrigerator. Everything in his house seems to have been chosen with an eye on design and detail.
“I’m not sure,” I tell him truthfully. “I guess I hadn’t expected you,” I say as he hands me the beer and I feel a spark of electricity when our fingers touch.
“Ditto,” he replies, smiling and shaking his head like he can’t quite believe it. We sit together on the big leather couch and he reaches around my shoulder, pulling me close to him as I snuggle down into him. It’s as if we’ve known each other for a long time, we’re so easy and comfortable with each other, but there’s a definite feeling of sexual tension rippling under the surface. We start talking about our lives. I ask him about how he became a member of Eagles, he asks about how I lost my parents. We both want to see the world, not just the state. I knew he was older than me but I’m surprised when he tells me he’s the same age as Aaron. They were at high school together; they were even friends back in the day. I don’t ask what happened, because it doesn’t seem like he’s ready to tell that story yet. We talk for hours and I feel completely relaxed with Brian, like I could tell him anything.
“It’s late,” he says eventually. “You take the bed, I’ll take the couch.” It’s the last thing I had expected him to say.
“Is that what you want?” I ask, leaning in closer to him, knowing exactly what I want.
“I don’t want you to think I brought you here expecting anything,” Brian says slowly, looking at me curiously. “I just wanted us to get to know each other.” He shrugs and smiles and I just want to bite the dimple on his cheek.
“Well I’d like us to get to know each other a whole lot better,” I whisper, leaning in to him and kissing him softly. My words have the desired effect and Brian responds to my kiss, turning it deeper and harder. I have to hold on to him, I’m so turned on.
He breaks away after a few minutes and I’m panting, I’m so out of breath. “Not here,” he growls, and then picks me up as if I don’t weigh anything and he carries me to the other side of the warehouse to his bed. He lays me down and slowly, deliberately, he starts to undress me. He unbuttons my jeans, pulling them off, quickly followed by my black panties. Then he turns his attention to my shirt, which he pulls off and throws behind him. He rubs his hands over the lacey material of my bra, making my nipples perk up instantly. I let out a little sigh at his touch and Brian looks at me as if I’m the best present he’s ever had.
I pull him down to me hungrily and he kisses me deeply, unclipping my bra and twisting my nipples between his thumb and forefinger, making my pussy ache. I’m completely naked and he’s fully clothed. “There’s something wrong with this picture,” I joke breathlessly, moving my fingers underneath his t-shirt and pulling it up over his head. I run my hands down his muscular torso, over the ridges of his abs and down towards his jeans where I can feel how aroused he is. I unbutton his jeans and reach inside his boxers to feel how hard he is and he groans as I take him in my hand.
“I want to take this slow,” Brian tells me, panting, trying to control himself.
“I just want you,” I reply looking deep into his eyes so he can see how serious I am.
“I’m so hot for you,” he tells me as he dips a finger between my thighs and a smile spreads across his face as he feels how wet I am. I moan as he draws slow circles and strokes up and down, putting pressure on my clit and I feel like I’m going to come right there in his hand. “It seems like you’re pretty turned on too,” he says, and then his lips are against mine and I let out a whimper as he slips his fingers inside of me. “I want you to come like this first,” he tells me, his voice full of heat and fire as he moves his fingers and my hips buck as I do exactly what he wants me to and I climax around him. “You’re even more beautiful when you come, Casey; do you know that?” he asks, pulling his fingers out of my pussy. Then he does something which just drives me wild: he puts his fingers in his mouth and tastes me, and then he kisses me. I taste my own salt on his tongue and I feel like I might come again.
“I want you… inside,” I say breathlessly, tugging at his pants until his length is throbbing in my hand. Brian leans over me and I guide him inside and we watch each other as he fills me up.
Brian starts slowly and then speeds up, pumping his hips, thrusting into me harder and then softer, harder and then softer, and all I can do is enjoy the ride. “Fuck me,” I plead with him and he buries himself inside of me as I groan his name. I whimper as Brian closes my nipple in his mouth and his teeth graze the sensitive skin. We’re both desperate for each other, we’re biting, licking, sucking, covered in sweat, and I know I’m not going to last for much longer. “I’m close,” I tell him, and he looks down at me as he thrusts hard into me once, twice, and as he enters me the third time I feel like I’m falling over a ledge and I scream his name and I hear him grunt mine as we come together.
Consciousness starts to return slowly and I feel deliciously drowsy and completely satisfied. “Well, we definitely need to do that again.” Brian laughs and I smile at him, wondering at how gorgeous he looks collapsed on top of me.
“I think that could be arranged,” I joke back. Brian kisses me hard and we start all over again.
***
In the morning I wake up and notice that the other side of the bed is empty, and for a split-second I don’t remember where I am. Then the events of the night come rushing back and I stretch out feeling my aching muscles. I can smell coffee and I scrabble around on the floor looking for my clothes. I pull on my jeans, but can’t find my top, so I settle for one of Brian’s T-shirts that are thrown over the rocking chair. I follow the smell of cooking and the sound of pots and pans and I find Brian busying himself cracking eggs and looking perfectly at home in the kitchen.
“Well you’re just full of surprises aren’t you?” I ask, taking in the domesticity of the scene.
“I hope you like eggs,” he replies, smiling at me as he stirs and adjusts the heat. “Coffee’s fresh.” He nods over at the pot.
I pour myself a cup and lean against the kitchen counter, watching him work. He divides up the scrambled eggs he’s made and kisses me softly on the lips as he hands me a plate. “Morning gorgeous, I could definitely get used to waking up with you,” he says.
We take a seat at the kitchen table and the reality of the situation hits me like a ton of bricks. “What are we going to do?” I ask him.
“I don’t know,” Brian says quietly, looking at his plate rather than at me. “How much do you know about what’s happened between The Eagles and The Stones?” Brian asks, looking at me warily.
“I know that you guys ar
e rival gangs and you don’t like each other very much. There’s a lot of dick-measuring, but that’s about it,” I tell him. “What else is there to know?” I ask, ducking my head so Brian has to meet my gaze.
“There’s a little more to it than that,” Brian starts to say and then stops, getting up from the table like he’s heard something.
“Brian, what? What’s going on?” I ask before I hear it too. It’s the unmistakable noise of motorbikes—a lot of them—and it sounds like they’re heading towards us.
“God Dammit,” he curses, looking between me and the door. I can only watch as he heads into the kitchen and pulls something out of a drawer. As he turns around I see that he’s holding a gun.
Runaway Ride: Alpha Bad Boy Biker and MC Romance Box Set Page 50