Undercover in the Dark

by Ann Jensen

  He shook off his thoughts. “That some kind of joke?”

  “Nah, your Wildcat picked it out all by herself.”

  They would have matching tattoos. If a girl he was with had ever suggested such a thing, he would have dropped her quickly. However, the idea of his tattoo on this woman ignited a primal pride he kept locked down deep in his soul. He nodded over at Ink’s station. “Why aren’t they out here?”

  The back area was usually reserved for piercings and tattoos in intimate places. Though his Brothers often took women back there for more carnal pleasures as well. The idea of his fiery Latin wildcat getting intimate with Ink raised his blood pressure.

  “Ink thought you might want privacy for your reunion and questioning.” He nodded at the curtain that separated the private booths. “They should be almost done. Why don’t you let him know you’re here.”

  Max ignored the teasing tone in his Brother’s voice and strode to the back. Though he wasn’t sure exactly how he was going to handle things, their reunion was long overdue.

  The sight that hit him when he stepped past the curtain had his dick jumping to attention. Avery lay sprawled on her side, her gorgeous ass on display barely covered by red satin bikini panties. Her now chestnut hair pooled behind her on the leather chair. Ink was leaned over her hip with a tattoo gun working on what could only be a duplicate of his artwork.

  As Max stepped closer, the outline of the road warrior bike looked identical to his. On her curvy body it took on a much sexier appeal. His Brother was a genius with a needle, there was no denying that. Even without shading or color, the piece looked like a photograph captured in her skin.

  Ink looked up and smiled. With a slow swipe, he cleared the excess ink and rolled his chair back a bit.

  “I think that’s enough for today, sweetheart. We can finish up the color next time.”

  “I can take more.” Her voice held a light, flirting tone that seemed off for the powerful woman he remembered.

  “I’m sure you can. But I have a surprise for you.” Ink nodded over at Max.

  Her puzzled expression as she rolled and looked over her shoulder was amusing. Max watched as interest, but surprisingly no recognition, replaced confusion. Since she was here getting his tattoo, he had assumed she had somehow identified him and his Brothers as the ones who had raided the warehouse that day. He tried to keep his own face neutral as he soaked in every sexy detail of her body.

  She raised an eyebrow and gave him a smile that was probably supposed to be seductive, but the heat never reached her eyes. “You’re my surprise? Not sure what I did to deserve such a generous offering but I’ll make sure to do it again.” Her voice had dropped into husky tones. She shook her head and looked down, as if embarrassed.

  Ink barked a laugh. “Cat, this is my Brother, Max. The man with the tattoo you loved so much.”

  Max watched carefully as her face went through subtle transitions. An untrained person would have missed the slight widening of her eyes, her lips parting and muscles tightening in fight-or-flight response. She was excited and scared, but covering it well.

  Avery sat up. Her body leaned forward in a deliberate motion that gave him a magnificent view down her shirt. “Can I see it?”

  Max was suspicious and intrigued by this woman. What a contradictory mix of personality. It was like he kept getting peeks of the real woman under the fake seductive persona she was trying to display. Pretending to be taken in by her charms, he smiled.

  “Sure.”

  He stepped forward, pushing up the sleeve of his black Henley. When his arm was next to her thigh, he moved it so the tattoos were right next to each other. Ink had mirrored the image so they weren’t exactly identical. It was appropriate in a very philosophical way. Both had been undercover agents betrayed by a system they had believed in. They both used secrets and false identities to cover the warriors under their skins.

  How had she ended up here? Why had she sought them out? There had to be a plan. Max found himself wanting to play along with her game and discover what she really wanted. Until he figured it out, he could pretend they were strangers. Hopefully, his Brothers would feel the same. The brush of her fingers as they traced over his tattoo broke him from his thoughts.

  The small, wistful smile on her face confused him. He knew the look of someone recalling a memory. How had she seen his tattoo back at the warehouse? Their combat gear covered everything. Had she caught a glance while they were wrestling on the ground? His cock punched at his zipper, at the memory of her fire and determination.

  Ink leaned in to tape a cotton pad over her tattoo, butting into their private moment. Max traced his fingertips over her knee as he caught her gaze and smirked. “There is a party at the Clubhouse tonight do you want to join me?” Her face tightened in suspicion. Afraid she might not come, he gave her a push. “If you think you can handle it. It gets pretty wild.”

  He was baiting her. Pricking her ego was the most likely way to get him the desired outcome. He wanted to get her to the Dark Sons compound. Away from any public that might interfere if things got heated. It would be fascinating to see how far she would go to get whatever she wanted. Both Ink and Avery gave him a raised eyebrow. Max knew she would come with him when her lips thinned, followed by a very fake smile.

  “Oh, I can handle anything you can.”

  “I’m sure you can.” Max nodded to the hallway. “Bathroom’s the last door on the right. It’s a half-hour ride.”

  She snorted. “Yes, Dad. Should I wash my hands and eat my vegetables too?”

  He leaned in and caught her gaze. “You always snap at people trying to be nice?”

  He could almost feel her struggle not only against him but against herself. Her instincts would be to push back and fight him, but whatever game she was playing required her to play nicely. Her eyes dropped. It was hard to hide his grin as her body language announced she had decided to play along. Her small submission wasn’t as exciting as true surrender, but for now it would do.

  “I’ll be right back.” She swung her legs off and stood, taking a moment to straighten her skirt before walking in the direction he had indicated.

  Max wanted to chuckle at the tight muscles in her legs that twitched as she walked. The involuntary movements projected loudly how much she didn’t want to be doing what he asked.

  “What are you up to?” Ink pulled off his latex gloves.

  Max made sure Avery was out of earshot before answering. “That woman has ulterior motives and I want to know what they are.”

  “I thought the point was to help her like you did the other women. Has that changed?”

  “No. I’m going to help her but I’m going to do this my way.”

  The challenge of finding out all this woman’s secrets was going to be fun. It had been too long since he had a true interest in a woman. Somehow he knew her trust wouldn’t be easy to earn. But the prize would be worth any effort.

  Ink chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that look on your face, Brother. This is going to be interesting.”

  Max shrugged. A plan formed in his mind. Trapping his Wildcat was going to be fun.

  “Here is what I need you to do.”

  Chapter 7

  Tell me not to do something and I’ll do it twice and take pictures.

  * * *

  What the hell was she doing? Somehow, in the last few hours, Avery was convinced she had lost all her common sense. Yes, she wasn’t a DEA agent anymore, with backup, rules, regulations, or any of the things that came along with that job, but that didn’t mean she should throw basic precautions out the window.

  Getting on the back of a motorcycle to go to a location she didn’t know was just stupid. It was like this man had a straight link to all of her reckless impulses. One moment he had her captivated with his gorgeous eyes and hotter than sin looks, the next she was ready to strangle him for challenging her in such odd ways. The half-hour ride on the back of Max’s bike with her arms wrapped arou
nd his well-defined stomach had been exhilarating. The thing was like a giant vibrator between her legs, ratcheting up her sexual tension and erasing logical thoughts.

  The Clubhouse, and what a joke that name was, took up a huge parcel of land and was more a fortified compound. Four large buildings were visible from the parking lot. The two-story building they went into was bigger than any club in the city. She could pick out a large bar, pool tables, dance floor, tables, and couches scattered throughout the room. Several doors and hallways led out from the main room, meaning there were more areas available than this giant space. With the fifty or so people in the room, the place didn’t even feel crowded.

  How many men were in this Club that not only could they afford something like this but needed it regularly? She had wondered if she would fit in or stick out with the women who would be here, but shouldn’t have worried. The majority of the women scattered through the room were dressed either like strippers or rocker girls. Her short-skirt, tight shirt, and way too high heels fit right in.

  “You seem tense.” Max sat on a stool at the bar, pulling her in-between his legs with a gentle tug on her belt loops.

  The man needed to stop being so sexy. Maintaining a cover had never been difficult for her. In the past there had been handsome men, even a few charming ones whom she had to interact with. Remembering that this was an act shouldn’t be hard. Fake flirt, find where they might store the files they took, both physical and digital, and get the hell out. Actual attraction had no place in her plan.

  Avery fingered the digital cracker in her pocket she had grabbed from her car before getting swept away on the motorcycle. She had paid an exorbitant amount of money for the device. The small USB drive would connect with any Windows machine and clone the drive for her to look over later. She had tried it out a few times, and so far it had worked like a charm. If she managed to get alone time with any of their computers tonight, she would be prepared. She forced herself to focus.

  “Not tense. Just taking it all in.” And trying to figure out why this group of men had rescued her. Attacking that compound, killing all those men, and saving all the women wasn’t something that she would have believed an MC known mostly for running guns and protection would be interested in.

  “You need to relax. I’m getting us shots.” He nodded at the man behind the bar who was wearing a cut with the name Decaf on the shoulder.

  “What can I get you, Max?” It was surprising how good looking every one of the men in the black leather cuts was. Did they have some sort of requirement that their members worked out eight hours a day?

  “Tequila, line them up.”

  Avery raised her eyebrow, about to protest. His smirk froze the words in her throat.

  “I thought you wanted to have fun, Cat. Was I wrong?”

  She barely bit back the growl his challenge deserved. When the first shot was placed on the bar next to them, she gave him a smile that was more a baring of teeth. “You weren’t wrong.”

  She threw back the shot, and while the burn of alcohol slid down her throat, she decided to get a little payback for all the teasing he had been doing. She reached up and grabbed the back of his neck and stepped up onto the first rung of his stool. With her head now above his, she lowered her face until their lips met.

  The kiss was a declaration she wouldn’t be toyed with. His lips parted, and she took the lead, dancing her tongue with his. He was a good kisser. Nothing extraordinary. Disappointment was a leaden weight in her stomach. After so many sparks, she had hoped for something more.

  Seducing him and keeping him on the hook till she got what she needed wasn’t going to be a hardship, but it would not be the wild ride she had hoped for either. She stepped down, breaking the kiss. His cock was visibly hard and his eyes held the fire she had hoped would be in the kiss. She had won the challenge he had thrown down, but it was unsatisfying.

  “My turn.” He moved so quickly she didn’t even register it, turning her back to the bar until he had her pinned with his body against its edge.

  He leaned forward, his thigh sliding between hers. His chest pressed against hers, the leather of his cut cool against the exposed skin of her stomach. Max’s blue eyes captured hers as he slowly swallowed a shot. The sound of the glass hitting the wood barely registered before she felt her head tipped backward by a rough grip in her hair.

  All sound faded away except the pounding of her heart in her ears. He didn’t kiss her. He claimed her with every part of his body. This was the heat she had wanted. A kiss she would never forget.

  Sharp nips to her lips, the rough denim of his pants between her legs, all of it building a sensation that was new and wonderful. She couldn’t move if she wanted to, his hands, body and the bar pinning her in place. She wanted the kiss to last forever.

  The heat between them flared, and she wanted to crawl inside him. She gripped his shirt. A moan vibrated in her throat as she rubbed against his leg to get the friction she needed. She had never orgasmed from a kiss, but he was starting to make her think it might be possible.

  “Oh, I do hate to be a bucket of ice water.” A sweet southern twang cut through her haze. “Hawk wants to talk to you, Max.”

  Max’s grip on her hair loosened, and she couldn’t help the small sound that escaped her throat. She was torn. Glad they had been interrupted before she completely lost herself in the man she was supposed to be using to get information. Also pissed he stopped before she was ready.

  She swallowed, trying to force her pulse and breath back into a normal rhythm. She looked up and was glad to see her own frustration mirrored in Max’s face. “Who’s Hawk?”

  “He’s the President.”

  He said the position like it held weight. Men in the Cartel used titles like that, as if everyone should be ready to bow down and scrape for the people in question. As if being in the leadership of a criminal organization was impressive.

  “I guess you better run along quick, then.”

  His body pushed up against hers. Max’s growl against her ear sending chills down her arms.

  “I like your spunk, Cat, but don’t let it slide into disrespect. You won’t enjoy the consequences.” He stepped back so quickly she swayed. “You mind keeping Cat company, Val?”

  “Sure thing, Sugar. I’ll introduce her to the other Old Ladies.”

  Max nodded and walked away without another word. In his place was a very pregnant redhead. She had big red hair and a glittery t-shirt that read: The bump gets what the bump wants. Avery had to smile. The woman named Val was a cross between Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton. She looked familiar.

  Avery stumbled a step as she realized how she knew this woman. Last week she had broken into the house of an FBI agent named Victor Taylor. He was the man who had been assigned to coordinate with the DEA on the Recluse case. It had been a desperate act to try to find out who had betrayed her.

  After going through his place, Avery was sure he was the one. Nothing she could present as evidence, but enough oddities to make him suspect number one. This woman’s picture had been attached to one of the files she had stolen from his computer. The man had a directory labeled S.T. In it were twenty dossiers. Mostly women and children who lived in the Denver area. The people listed had had no connection she could find with her limited resources.

  From what Avery could remember, the file had said this woman was a nurse at a local VA rehab center. Why would an FBI agent have a file on a pregnant nurse?

  “So you're Max’s woman?” Val’s smile was open and inviting, pulling Avery out of her dark thoughts like sunshine on a summer day. She tried to return the smile, doing her best to hide her concern. This was something to worry about later.

  “Oh no. We just met,” she said as much for her own benefit as Val’s. The chemistry between them might be so hot it had almost set her panties on fire, but they were strangers. This was a temporary thing and couldn’t last. Even if she didn’t go back to the DEA after she cleared her name, he wouldn’t want to b
e with someone who used him to get close to his Club.

  Val laughed, and Avery thought it sounded like bells. “You keep thinking that. Come on, the other girls are at a table.”

  She followed the woman across the room, not sure what else to do. “No, seriously.”

  “Honey, if you were just another piece of ass, he wouldn’t go to all this trouble. Here we are.” Her words were confusing, and she couldn’t afford to pretend it might become more.

  The women sitting around the table were an odd mix. All wore black leather cuts, but that was the only thing they had in common. On the right, a short, plump Asian woman in jeans and a t-shirt sat next to a gorgeous, tall black woman dressed as if she should be selling crystals and natural remedies. On the other side was a cute blonde in a pink sundress sitting next to a purple-haired girl in an elaborate belly dancing costume. None of them looked like what she would picture when someone said biker chick.

  Avery’s stomach clenched as each of these women’s faces sparked a memory. In Agent Taylor’s files there was an entry for every one of them. The man had to be targeting the Dark Sons’ women. None of it made sense, but she wasn’t one to fight against the reality that lay in front of her.

  A cold, selfish part of her realized this information would make things both harder and easier. If she didn’t find what she needed, maybe she could offer a trade for the information to clear her name. Guilt rolled in her stomach. Could she live with herself if something happened before she shared? Hell, it wasn’t like she could just blurt out the information and appear as anything but a lunatic.

  “Ladies, this is Max’s new friend, Cat. Cat, this is Anna, Queenie, Pixie, and Cami.”

  Details from the files raced through her brain none of the names matched those in the files, but the pictures left no doubts. Pixie was a new culinary student with an infant son, Queenie, a yoga instructor who managed a spa, Cami a hacker and Anna a home health aide. Avery struggled not to let her concern for these women show.