Protection (Death Knights MC Series Book 1)

by Michelle Betham

  I nod slowly, dropping my gaze again.

  “Weren’t you scared?”

  I nod again. But I don’t say anything, I stay silent.

  “And then you found Vanni.”

  I stand up and cross my arms against myself as I walk into the kitchen. “It was just luck, I guess. That I ended up there, in Vanni’s bar.”

  “Luck?”

  His cynical laugh makes my head shoot around and I stare at him. “Vanni saved me, Logan. And I don’t expect you to understand…”

  “We all need saving sometimes, Piper.”

  I cock my head to one side, narrowing my eyes slightly. There was something there in his expression that I’m not sure he meant to put out there, but I saw it. “You talking from experience?”

  He drops his sunglasses down over his eyes and follows me into the kitchen. “Why’d you want me to be your babysitter?”

  “You’re not my babysitter.”

  He opens the fridge and takes out two beers, handing one to me. “I think that’s exactly what I am. Your husband just isn’t all that keen on me using that term, but that’s what I’m doing. I’m looking after you. I’m keeping you safe, that’s my job now.” He takes a swig of beer, his eyes fixed on mine. “So, why me?”

  “I had to pick someone, Vanni didn’t want me left on my own.” I lean back against the counter and pull the top off my beer. “And I liked you. After we talked, back in Nevada… I wanted someone I could at least talk to, y’know?”

  He says nothing, just takes another swig of beer, and I do the same.

  “You don’t look all that happy.”

  He turns his head to look at me. “Don’t I?”

  “I’m guessing ‘babysitting’ duties weren’t something you signed up for, when you became a Death Knight.”

  “It wasn’t high on my list of shit I wanted to do, no.”

  He turns his head away again and I feel my stomach dip a little, causing a sharp intake of breath to escape, which I try to hide by downing another mouthful of beer.

  “I’m sorry, that Vanni asked you to do this.”

  He shrugs, but he keeps his eyes straight ahead. “It’s fine. To be honest, I’m not really in the mood to be shot at, either.”

  “Shot at?” I frown, and he looks at me, an almost withering expression on his face.

  “You think Vanni’s come all the way here just to say hello? You know he’s come here to fight, Piper. And coming from the world you grew up in…”

  He leaves that sentence hanging, and I walk back into the living room. “Maybe I’m just tired of living in worlds that involve violence and bloodshed and all kinds of shit that just…”

  Now it’s my turn to leave a sentence hanging, and I drop my head and close my eyes and I know I never meant to say any of that out loud.

  “Just what, Piper?”

  I shake my head, and I know he’s behind me, I can feel him. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”

  “Why did you really want me here?”

  “You’ve already asked me that question.”

  “Yeah, well, this time I’m looking for a more honest answer.”

  I turn around and look at him, reaching out to push his sunglasses up onto his head, I want to see those eyes. “I think you know why.”

  “And that’s every reason why I should get outta here.”

  “You want to go, you go. But you’ll have to explain to Vanni why you walked out on me. Why you won’t do what he wants you to do. What I need you to do.”

  “Oh, believe me, princess, he won’t want me to do what you need me to do.”

  I smile slightly, letting my fingertips trail lightly over his rough cheek. “No. He’d kill you, if you did that.”

  I should tell him to go, for his own good, for his own safety, and mine. I know why I wanted Logan Sandero to be the man my husband sent to watch over me; to keep me safe from my father and the men who want me dead. I know why I wanted him, and no-one else. But if Vanni knew the real reason why…

  “He’d kill you, too.” Logan’s voice is almost a whisper as he moves a little closer to me, his hand gently grasping my wrist, pulling it away from his face. “So I’d take a step back if I were you, sweetheart.”

  He lets go of my arm and I take that step back, crossing my arms defensively across my chest. And for a second he just stands there, his eyes once more looking me up and down, scanning my body, each glance he takes sending warning shivers up and down my spine.

  “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”

  “No maybe about it, darlin’. It’s a fucking crazy idea.”

  I don’t move as he takes a step toward me, but I feel my heart start to hammer painfully hard inside my chest.

  “But I’ve never been the kind of man that takes the easy way out.”

  He smiles, and I back up against the wall, my arms falling away from me, dropping to my sides.

  “Where’s the fun in life if you don’t take risks, huh?”

  He’s right in front of me now, so close I can feel his breath on my skin, and he smells of beer and cigarettes and a dark, heady cologne I’m not familiar with, but it’s filling my nostrils, making me slightly dizzy.

  “You took a risk, running from your gangster daddy, right into the arms of another crazy-assed motherfucker. You took a risk, Piper.” He drops a hand to my thigh, his fingers playing with the tie-sides of my bikini panties. “And I think you really, really want to take another one.”

  He tugs gently at those tie-sides until they come away in his hand, my bikini panties falling to the floor, and all I feel now is fear and excitement and a deep, deep longing to have this man. And I don’t know why, I love Vanni. I love my husband. Don’t I? I need my husband, I don’t need this. Nobody, needs this.

  I close my eyes as his hand rests against my thigh, and he leans in to me, his breath now scorching my neck and the second his lips graze my skin that fear I felt a second ago intensifies, pulling my stomach into a tight, painful knot. But I don’t push him away, I don’t want to. I’ve wanted this ever since that day in Nevada, when Vanni left him to ‘look after’ me. I’ve wanted him, this…

  He pushes his hands up over my hips, his thumb skirting the outer edges of my labia and I sigh quietly, even though I’m terrified now. We aren’t safe here, doing this, it’s crazy! It’s dangerous. And I still want him. And I still don’t know why…

  Logan

  She widens her stance as my fingers find her soft, smooth pussy, and my cock, man, it’s killing me. I need to be inside this woman like I’ve never needed anything before, I need that rush; that kick.

  Cupping her ass I lift her up, ramming my cock inside her as her legs wrap around my hips, and I swear, I’ve never felt relief like it. She’s warm and wet and she’s gripping me tight, making each and every thrust harder and faster, her fingernails digging into my shoulders as she clings onto me. And the sounds she’s making as I pound into her, Jesus, they’re hot as hell, they’re driving me on, forcing that climax out of me until I’m spilling into her, my hand on the side of her neck keeping her face forward ‘cause I want to look at her, as I come inside her. Mrs. Vanni Colletti. I’ve just fucked the wife of one of the most dangerous bastards I’ve ever come across, and I’ve met a few. I’ve just shot my shit inside his girl, the woman I’m supposed to be keeping safe. And instead, I’ve just put both of us in more danger than either of us could ever imagine…

  Eight

  Piper

  “We shouldn’t have done that.”

  He sits down beside me outside on the terrace and lights up a cigarette, dragging deep before he offers it to me. “Can’t really take it back now, can we?”

  I take a drag on his cigarette and give it back to him. “Vanni can’t ever know what we did.”

  He laughs, dropping his gaze as he flicks ash onto the bright white tiles. “Like I’m gonna go shooting my mouth off.”

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  “I know.” He raises his
head and his eyes meet mine, and once again I can see something there that belies the man I think he’s trying to be; the man he’s become, for whatever reason. “He won’t find out.”

  I can only hope he’s right. “What do we do now?”

  He shrugs, flicking more ash onto the tiles. “Nothing. We don’t do anything.”

  “You got what you wanted, huh?” And now I suddenly feel used, but I wanted that just as much as he did. I wanted to fuck a man that wasn’t Vanni; wasn’t as controlling, as Vanni, even though I’m quite happy to play his twisted games, be that woman he wants me to be. And suddenly the guilt just swamps me, I feel sick. What have I done?

  Logan looks at me, the corner of his mouth edging up into the smallest of smirks. “Yeah. I got what I wanted.”

  “Jesus…”

  I pull myself to my feet and head back inside, and he follows me, of course he does.

  “What were you expecting, Piper? I mean, what exactly can I give you, huh? You’re married to Vanni for Christ’s sake, I can’t give you shit.”

  I swing around to look at him. “I don’t know what I want. And I don’t know why I let that happen, I just know that I’m scared of being alone, scared of Vanni finding out what we did; scared of what’s going to happen if my father’s men catch up with me… I’m scared. And that’s making me do crazy things…”

  He comes over to me, takes hold of my hands to stop me from wringing them, I hadn’t even realized I’d been doing that, but I had. And he holds onto them, his eyes burning into mine.

  “We all do crazy shit, Piper. We all do that, believe me, you want an expert in crazy shit, you’re looking at one.”

  I take a deep breath and wrench my hands free of his grip, sitting down on the edge of the couch.

  “I don’t do relationships, Piper.”

  “Who said I was looking for a relationship?”

  “Well, nobody. ‘Cause you already got one, sweetheart. You got Vanni.”

  Almost as if he was waiting for his cue we hear the door out in the hall slam shut and Vanni strides into the room, and my heart, Jesus! I think it just skipped a thousand beats, and I’m grateful Logan was across the other side of the room. Grateful that I took a shower, to rid my skin of any traces of a man I should never have let touch me. A man I want to touch me again, and again. But he can’t, touch me again. He can’t.

  “Hey, baby girl.”

  I throw Vanni a smile and he leans over to kiss me. “Hey.”

  “You OK? Logan here been looking after you?”

  He turns to face Logan, who’s now leaning back against the wall, his hands in his pockets, his face a mask of stoicism.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Good. That’s good.”

  He walks over to Logan and I feel my heart start to pound away behind my ribs, my throat tightening as a wave of fear washes over me, but I need to get that in check. I need to lose that fear because I know Vanni can sniff that kind of shit out in a heartbeat.

  “You can go back to the compound now, brother.”

  Logan pulls himself away from the wall and heads for the door. “You need me back here tonight?”

  “Yeah, I need you back here. We’re gonna kick some Devil Hound ass in a while and that’s not happening without me. I just wanted to come home first. Freshen up, so to speak.” Vanni looks at me again, a slow smile spreading across his face. “I want to spend a little time with my girl, before I go back out there.”

  “OK, so, when do you need me back here, then?”

  I quickly glance over at Logan, but he’s avoiding my gaze.

  “An hour. Now get outta here, leave me and my girl in peace.”

  I turn away and focus on the view outside, waiting until I know Logan’s gone before I look at Vanni.

  “You sure you’re OK, baby?”

  “I said I’m fine, Vanni.”

  “You seem a little tense, is all.”

  “I’ve got my father and his mafia henchmen hunting me down, I’m almost a prisoner in whichever home of yours I happen to be staying in, I can’t go outside because… Yeah. I’m a little tense.”

  He shakes his head slowly, a slight smirk twisting his mouth up at the corner. “In that case, maybe I need to help you relax a little, huh?”

  I push both hands through my hair and sit back against the couch pillows, closing my eyes for a second or two. “Maybe.”

  He crouches down in front of me and reaches up under my dress, tugging at my panties, sliding them down over my legs.

  “Close your eyes, come on.”

  I do as he says, and I breathe in deep as he lifts up my legs and pulls them apart; cry out quietly as his tongue touches me, as he pushes me back even further, licking me from asshole to clit and I cling onto the couch pillows and feel all the tension slowly flood out of me. I instinctively widen my legs a little more as his tongue circles my clit, crying out even louder as he pushes it inside me, and I’m so wet, and so ready to come, I can already feel my thighs burning up, my whole body readying itself for the crashing climax it’s about to experience. And when it comes – when I come he pulls his tongue out of me and replaces it with his fist, thrusting it deep, and I’m coming so fast now I can barely catch my breath. All I’m aware of is my voice screaming Vanni’s name, because I know he likes to hear that. I’m screaming his name and feeling him touch me deep inside my body, and I want him there, I do. I want him there. I just want Logan there more. Now. Because I didn’t, before. I didn’t…

  “Feeling better?”

  My eyes spring open as Vanni sits up beside me, and I smile, because he needs to think I’m fine. He doesn’t need to know there’s all kinds of weird shit going on in my head.

  “Yeah. Much better.”

  “Do I get a thank you?”

  I sit up and straddle him; kiss him deep and dirty as his cock pushes into me. And I close my eyes and wish with all my messed-up heart that he was Logan…

  Logan

  Under no circumstances should I have touched her. I shouldn’t have even thought about it, I mean, I’d told myself, time and time again, that just thinking about her was suicide. Kissing her was like putting a gun to my head, but sleeping with her – I might as well just pull the fucking trigger.

  “Well, if it ain’t The Bodyguard.”

  “Shut the fuck up, Bullet.” I sit down at one of tables outside the clubhouse and pull a cigarette from my cut pocket, lighting it up and drawing deep.

  “Jesus, Logan, what’s with the face? There’s a line of brothers here who’d rather be babysitting Vanni’s old lady than facing off against a new bunch of assholes trying to take us down. I know which job I’d rather have.”

  I shoot him a look. “I’d rather be here.”

  Bullet sits down opposite me. “Seriously?”

  “I didn’t become a part of this club to be a minder to Vanni’s wife.”

  “Yeah, but, she’s in trouble, right?”

  I throw Bullet another look, narrowing my eyes slightly. “Vanni told you?”

  “He told me she’s in some kinda trouble. He didn’t go into details.”

  “Shit!”

  I drop my head and drag both hands backwards and forwards through my hair. He really wants this to happen, he wants us to go up against Frankie Cabbetto and the full might of his army, and yet, I understand exactly why he needs to do that.

  “Do you know something, Logan?”

  I look back up at Bullet, his expression’s slightly wary now. With good reason. “I know as much as you.”

  “OK… You seem pretty agitated. You all right?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You sure?”

  I don’t answer him, I get up and start pacing the floor, dragging deep on my cigarette, man, I’ve fucked up so bad this time. And yet, I don’t regret a fucking thing, I don’t. I can’t. She’s got under my skin, this woman I shouldn’t be going anywhere near, and all of a sudden I want to protect her, too. I want to save her, from her family. Fro
m Vanni. And I said I was never going there again, I promised myself, I was never going there again. But it’s too late now. I’m already there, it’s too fucking late.

  “What’s going on, Logan?”

  “Nothing. I’m just pissed, y’know? That I don’t get to do what I became a part of this club to do. Fight for what’s ours.”

  But I don’t just want to fight for what’s ours. I want to fight for something that isn’t mine, something I have no right to take, but I want it. I want her. And I know I should be putting my loyalty to this club – my loyalty to Vanni – before any of this shit, loyalty means everything in this world… I fucked her, once. That’s all. I fucked her, once. Is that really worth betraying Vanni, and this club, for? After everything they’ve done for me? Haven’t I already betrayed him? Betrayed them? Shit! What the fuck is wrong with me?

  “We’re gonna take those assholes down tonight, brother. Now we got Vanni and his men, along with Jonjo’s brothers and a few other favors Vanni’s called in, we’re gonna finish this job, tonight. I’ve even called off Herb’s men, told ‘em we don’t need ‘em no more, we’re good.”

  “We’re good?”

  “Vanni’s got it all under control, Logan.”

  Vanni wants us to go to war with the mafia, just wait ‘til Bullet hears that one. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m sure he has.”

  Am I scared? Of the kind of unpredictable battle Vanni wants to get involved in? No. Nothing scares me, not anymore. And that’s a lie. What happened with Piper, that scares me. What I might be feeling for her, that scares me even more, which is why I need to see her again, alone, to try and get this shit under control. To try and make sense of it all. But am I scared of fighting her daddy? No.

  “I gotta get back.”

  “You only just got here… Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with you lately?”

  I turn around, and yeah, Bullet’s just confused now, he has every right to be. I’m not sure what the hell’s going on here, either. Not anymore.

  “There’s nothing wrong with me, Bullet. I told you, I’m fine. Everything’s fine.”