He’s being so nice and it only makes me feel worse about the way things ended last night. “I’m sorry,” I blurt out.
I risk a glance up into his eyes and only see concern. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I told you we wouldn’t do anything you weren’t comfortable with.”
“I was. I wanted you… to do…but I just—”
Heat flares in his eyes and it stops any more babble from tumbling out of my mouth. “Did you like it?”
“What?”
“The ropes.”
“Oh, yes. I think so. It’s neat. The suspension stuff sounded cool.”
For a brief moment he rubs the back of his hand over my cheek. “You’re special, Karina. I hope Dante always treats you well.”
I’m not sure if it’s a question, concern, or statement, so I simply answer, “He does.”
“Whenever you’re ready, you guys can come over for another lesson. I’ll leave it up to him.”
“Okay.”
I watch as he walks away, feeling like we had two very different conversations.
Tucker must have reached down and found his balls since the last time I saw him. He scowls as if he remembers we’re practically family and he ain’t too fond of the idea.
Tough shit.
He flicks a piece of paper at me. “I got Kadence’s number.”
“And?” His blank face begs me to smash my fist into it. “You have that talk with her?”
Ballsy motherfucker grits his teeth before answering me. “Yes. It was very unpleasant.”
“Life’s gonna get a whole lot more unpleasant if you don’t stop making me ask you questions. Tell me what the fuck I want to know so you can leave.”
He finally drops the attitude. “At first she was pissed and hung up on me. But she called back and she’s excited to meet Karina.”
“Good.”
“She’s in California right now and won’t be back until next week though. Broke up with her boyfriend or something. I’m warning you, there’s always some drama—”
A quick shake of my head shuts him up. “Ain’t your concern. I’ll take care of Karina.”
By the look on his face he’s annoyed he has no say over his younger daughter’s life.
Too bad. He gave up that right a long time ago far as I’m concerned.
“You know her momma was involved with the Savage Dragons’ prez, right?”
“Don’t concern me.”
We stare at each other for a minute. He breaks eye contact first and finally hands over the information. “I’ll give Karina the number and let her work things out with her sister.”
The coward flinches, but doesn’t contradict me. No, instead he follows me inside. Brave fucker.
Romeo must have warned Karina because she’s nowhere to be found. Sadie stops me from tearing the place apart.
“She’s upstairs.”
“Thanks, Sadie-girl.”
Karina smiles when I open the door to our room. She’s perched on the bed reading a book, and looks so frickin’ cute, I forget all about how much I wanted to beat the shit out of her dad five seconds ago.
“Got something for you, baby girl.”
She closes the book and sits up. “What?”
Can’t say I blame her for being a little wary. I’ve thrown a couple surprises at her in the last few days.
I drop down next to her on the bed. “Now, I don’t want you to get too excited. Nothing can happen until next week.”
“You’re killing me.” She glances at the paper in my hand and bites her lip. “What is it?”
My other hand closes over hers. “Whatever happens, I’m here. You and me. What we have, no one can touch.”
“Thank you.” She meets my eyes and whispers. “You know I feel the same way, right?”
I can’t help it. My hand cups the back of her head and I pull her to me for one of the softest kisses I’ve probably ever given her. “Yeah, baby girl. I know,” I say against her lips. I brush one last kiss on her forehead and sit back.
Tucker’s warning about Kadence’s wildness and her mother’s involvement with a rival MC is strong in my mind. I’ll need to make sure the sisters have their first few meetings on my turf so I can keep Karina safe.
None of that’s stuff she needs to worry about right now. I hand over the slip of paper and she unfolds it, reads it, then stares up at me with shining eyes.
“Ready to meet your sister, baby girl?”
First and foremost, I need to apologize for the delay in getting Entwined to you. Thanks for sticking with me though, it means a lot! I plan to have Book #4 out a lot quicker.
Originally, I said Book #4 would be Unhinged and it would be about Kadence (actually, I’ve never said who it would be about, but that was my plan). But while finishing up Entwined, Romeo got pretty vocal, so Book #4, Vexed, will be Romeo’s book. I’d love to say it will be out in March or April, but I like to think I’ve learned my lesson.
My plans for the future of the Iron Bulls include at least three, probably four, more books. I also have plans for some other filthy, taboo stories I’d like to explore. We’ll see what the year brings!
As always, I love hearing from my readers! Everyone who has reached out to me, either to tell me you loved Asunder and Disconnect, or to ask me when the hell Entwined was coming out—thank you!
Unedited and subject to change.
Copyright 2016 Phoenyx Slaughter
I’m still fucked up from Karina’s little underage friend.
Athena.
That sweet little bitch has had me acting stupid since the day her sassy ass showed up at my clubhouse.
Running into her yesterday at her graduation hadn’t helped. Not when I knew today was her eighteenth birthday.
Like fuck am I planning to chase after her. I’ve got more than enough willing girls who’ve been legal longer than five seconds who will be more than happy to service me then go away.
Except, not one of them has caught my attention tonight. They’ve certainly tried.
Spotting Dante and Karina walk in the front of door, I glance behind them. No Athena.
I’m capable of casually asking about Athena without sounding like a complete creep, right?
Then she stumbles in the door. With her scared little Goldilocks expression, she looks like she’s about to meet up with the biggest baddest wolf.
Me.
Dante’s wearing his I need to choke someone face. Hooking my thumbs in my pockets, I approach the trio slowly.
“What’s up?” I ask Dante, who rolls his eyes at me. He’s not fooled one bit by my laid back act.
“Hi, Romeo,” Karina says shyly. I still can’t get over how a scary motherfucker like Dante managed to snag this chick. “Um, Athena and I spent the day with her family for her birthday, and she asked if she could come with us tonight.” Karina puts a lot of emphasis on the word birthday. I appreciate that she’s trying to tell me her friend’s now fair game.
Finally.
“That right? Is it your birthday, sweetheart?” I ask Athena. Girl’s not so tough when I put all my attention on her. She blushes and glances at the floor.
“Yes.”
Dante sighs and steps away from the girls. Karina leads her friend to the bar and I ain’t happy about not being able to say more than a few words to the girl who’s taken over my every wank fantasy for weeks now.
Taking me by the arm, Dante pulls me a few steps away. “I ain’t got no say over what you do, prez. But I feel responsible for her, being she’s Karina’s friend and all. So treat her with care, please.”
It’s a lot for my Sergeant-at-Arms to say. There aren’t many females he gives two fucks about. For once I set my sarcasm aside. “Yeah. She’ll be fine with me. I won’t let her out of my sight.”
Dante searches my face and finally deciding I’m sincere, nods. We join the girls at the bar and Dante pulls his girl to his side.
“Athena, we’ll be upstairs. Need something, call your girl.�
� He tilts his head toward Karina, then drags her upstairs. Not that she protests very much.
“So am I finally allowed to have a tour of your clubhouse, Mr. President?” Athena asks in a low, husky voice I don’t expect from someone her age.
Seems Miss Goldilocks isn’t so scared any more.
“Come here, you,” I say as I pull her toward me. Staring down into her bold, steel-blue eyes unbalances me. “Did you have a good birthday?”
“Not really. I think you can make it better though.”
I can make it better, or I can make it the biggest mistake of her young life. I shouldn’t be messing around with this girl.
Except, I’ve wanted her from the second we met. And now there’s no reason I can’t have her.
Coming…soon.
Did you know I have a stepbrother romance?
Infatuation
A Rebel Stepbrother Romance
by Phoenyx Slaughter
Digital ISBN#-978-1-943950928
Love begins where infatuation ends.
Infatuation makes you do things you’ll regret later.
Step-siblings at thirteen. Lovers at sixteen.
Ella and Flynn have a lot of shared history.
Their worlds were flipped upside down when their parents discovered their secret.
Love makes you regret nothing.
Now they’re adults and nothing can tear them apart again.
Except for the one dark secret Ella’s keeping that could destroy everything.
Love begins where infatuation ends…
Infatuation is a 20,000 word novella. It does not end with a cliffhanger.
Infatuation is not related to the Iron Bulls MC series.
Ella
Flynn’s downshifting kicks me in the ass. All the weaving and dodging of potholes along the turnpike doesn’t improve the situation.
“If you’re going to spend ninety grand on a car, shouldn’t you at least know how to drive a stick?” I tease, then snicker.
“I’m learning, little sis.” He glances over and smirks. I don’t move a muscle. He knows how much I hate when he calls me that.
"I could have sworn I taught you how to drive a standard back in tenth grade," I mumble as I place a hand on the dash to steady myself while my stepbrother rounds the exit ramp at rocket speed.
He chuckles, but doesn’t slow down. “It’s a sensitive clutch.”
“Make a right at the next street, and take it easy. This is a quiet community.”
I catch him rolling his eyes, a sly grin playing over his lips, but he eases his foot off the gas. “Your mom asked if you’d come home with me after the wedding. She misses you.”
“I have to work this week.”
“Ella, you haven’t been home in four years.”
“That’s not my home. She knows where to find me if she misses me so much.”
Conversation grinds to a halt after that. He follows each one of my directions until we’re parked at the curb, staring at the old Victorian beach house that’s our home for the next seventy-two hours. “Sweet digs. Summer and Stu went all out,” he comments.
I want to be excited about my best friend’s wedding. Summer and I have known each other since first grade. But the thought of spending a weekend watching Flynn pick up chicks sours any excitement. “Everything will be perfect.”
He glances over with a questioning arch to his brow. “You’re not pissed about your bridesmaid dress?”
“Nope. It’s beautiful. Summer has excellent taste. She also paid for it, so even if it were a burlap sack, I’d be happy.”
His forehead wrinkles at the mention of who paid for my dress. My billionaire stepbrother hates that I refuse to take any money from him or accept a job at his father’s media corporation. Okay, billionaire is probably an exaggeration, but Flynn has done well for himself. Having a rich daddy to set you up in life works wonders.
“Any idea why they chose the Jersey Shore?” he asks as he opens my door. Such a gentleman.
“Don’t you remember? They spent every summer here. Oh, maybe you don’t. They stopped coming maybe a year after . . .”
I can’t finish the thought. After what? After the one time Flynn and I gave in to our attraction and it changed my world forever.
Six years later, and he still turns me inside out.
Flynn
Little Sister. No matter how much Ella hates when I call her that, it’s important to keep saying it so I don’t forget. She’s off-limits.
If I were the kind of guy who got nervous, my palms would have been sweating from the moment Ella slid her sweet little ass into my car. I’m about one step away from confessing my feelings, telling her to fuck what anyone thinks, and fucking her on the hood of my car. The romantic beach setting only highlights what Ella and I will never have.
I’m sure I can find several women at the wedding who’d love to ease my suffering. Not to be cocky, but I’m young, ripped, and come from a wealthy family. I’m also packing a larger-than-average dick.
We’ll be in close quarters with Ella’s former friend, Lena, who’s never been shy about her appreciation of my assets.
My ex-whatever, Lena.
Yeah, she’d been a huge mistake.
I think Ella’s forgiven me, but you never can tell with her.
What an awkward weekend I have to look forward to.
“Christ, lil’ sis, what did you bring?” I ask as I drag her luggage out of the trunk.
The blush that races over her cheeks reminds me of how my stepsister turns pink in other places. Places I have no business knowing about.
“I’m doing Summer’s makeup, so I had to bring all my supplies,” she answers so seriously I almost feel bad for teasing her.
But not really. Teasing puts us back in familiar territory.
The bored-looking receptionist imparts some lovely news as soon as we roll up to the desk and Ella asks for her room. “I’m sorry, Ms. Parker, but I don’t have a reservation for you alone. I have a Parker-Masterson reservation.”
I have to clamp my lips together to stop myself from laughing out loud. The gods must really hate my ass. Sharing a room with Ella all weekend without touching her is too much to ask.
Nudging Ella out of the way, I pin the desk clerk with my bedroom stare. “I’ll pay extra to get my own room.” I punctuate it with a raised eyebrow designed to let her know maybe she’ll get an invitation if she gives me what I want.
Flustered, she taps a few more times on her keyboard. Next to me, Ella snorts and rolls her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Masterson. If I could, I would. But it’s not the money. We just don’t have the room.”
I turn to Ella and give her my “I tried my best” smile. Even agitated—hell, especially agitated—Ella’s fucking beautiful. Her crystal blue eyes are practically throwing off sparks, she’s so pissed. It only makes me want her more. I’d be offended that she’s so adamant about not sharing a room with me, except I’ve never been able to stay mad at Ella for more than a second.
“It’s fine. We’ll make do.” I snatch the key from her hand and lead my stepsister upstairs to our room.
Infatuation is free on Kindle Unlimited.
Asunder (Iron Bulls MC #1)
Disconnect (Iron Bulls MC #2)
Entwined (Iron Bulls MC #3)
Infatuation (A Rebel Stepbrother Romance)
Coming Soon:
Vexed (Iron Bulls MC #4)
Unhinged (Iron Bulls MC #5)
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