Rebellious

by Gillian Archer

  “Does she seriously fucking think this bullshit will fly with me? That it’ll go unchecked? She’s gonna have a serious fucking wake-up call.”

  I watched from the corner of my eye as he paced by me one more time. But this time, when he came to the far wall next to the front door, he turned and punched the wall with a sickening crack. Shrieking, I covered my head and dropped to the floor.

  Silence reverberated.

  Then a soft “fuck,” from Reb.

  I crouched on the floor trembling, my heart pounding in my ears. I wasn’t aware of anything around me. All I could think of was the last time Michael had gotten ahold of me. That look in his eyes. The muffled sound of his fist hitting me.

  From somewhere far away, I heard a muted voice calling my name. Slowly lowering my hands from my head, I blinked in confusion as Reb’s face filled my vision. Not Michael. Reb. He sat on his butt within arm’s reach of me but had yet to touch me. Like he knew he was dealing with a flight risk.

  I sat back onto my butt and covered my face with my hands. Michael wasn’t in my life anymore, I reminded myself sternly. I hadn’t seen him in six months, and he hadn’t slapped me around for two years before that. And yet my little pep talk didn’t stop the tears from welling in my eyes or the sobs from shaking my shoulders. I really didn’t want to cry in front of Reb. But like a few minutes ago, my mind and my body were in two different places.

  “I-I-I’m so s-s-s-sorry.” I could hardly talk with the sobs wracking my body. “I d-don’t kn-kn-know what came”—I stopped, took a deep shuddering breath, and sighed—“over me.”

  I couldn’t bear to look up to see how Reb was handling my freak-out. I didn’t want to see that look in his eyes. The one of disgust—or even worse, pity.

  “You’ve got nothing to apologize for, baby.”

  I really wished the ground would swallow me whole even as a warmth spread through me at his whispered “baby.”

  “In all this bullshit with Rhonda I forgot about your shit with the dipshit. I just…I don’t want you thinking I’m like him. Because I’m not. I don’t hit women. The fact that my bitch of an ex is still alive is proof enough of that.”

  I couldn’t help but smile wryly at his screwed-up defense. I’d met Rhonda, so I saw his point. With one last shuddering sigh, I wiped my thumbs under my eyes, then peeked up at him.

  He scrubbed a hand over his buzzed head. “This isn’t going to work, is it? I just…” He sighed and gave me a grim smile. “I’ll get one of my guys to watch Rhonda and make sure Tuck is taken care of, but I don’t think I should stay over tonight, sunshine. Clearly you need more time.”

  He put a hand down between us to push himself up. I reached out and covered his hand with my mine. “Wait, Reb. Don’t go.”

  “I don’t really see the point in staying. You aren’t—or can’t be—comfortable with me right now. I’m moving too fast. That’s just the kinda guy I am. I see something, I take it, and fuck the consequences. But this…” He gestured to my hunched figure in front of him. “It’s just fucking breaking my heart, sunshine. You deserve someone a hell of a lot gentler than me.”

  He made a move to get up once more, and I put a hand out on his chest this time. His skin jumped like I’d touched him with a hot iron.

  “But I don’t want you to go. I just…I need a minute. That’s all.”

  Reb sighed. “We’ve got a problem here, sunshine. I’m not the type to hit a woman. I do, however, like to punch walls and occasionally toss a chair across the room. That’s not gonna change. I can lie and say it will, but like I said, life’s too fucking short. You need someone who’ll treat you with kid gloves, and I must’ve left those fuckers in my other pair of jeans.”

  “You’re wrong. Yeah, that stuff scares me, but despite my little anxiety attack I’ve never felt safer than when I’m with you. I don’t need kid gloves. I need someone who will respect me and push me not to accept the bare minimum. Jessica said you could be that guy. And I’d like you to stick around so I can see if she’s right.”

  Reb threw back his head and laughed. “So let me get this straight. You want me to stay so you can prove to your friend that she’s wrong? It’s not the worst reason I’ve heard, but I gotta say it’s a new one. Usually girls wanna be with me to get back at their daddy.”

  “I don’t want to prove her wrong. I’m really hoping she’s right.” I gave him a watery smile. “I like you, Reb. But if it helps, I think my dad would hate your guts.”

  Reb smiled back at me. “Sounds good to me, sunshine. Let’s go sit somewhere more comfortable, then.”

  I took his proffered hand and let him pull me up. Once I was standing he dropped my hand. We stood there, close enough to touch, close enough to kiss, but not touching at all. I’d never been one to go for bad boys. But something about Reb called to me. He was an intoxicating mixture of scary and sweet. I could see it in his gentle blue eyes and his neck tattoos. Not to mention those scarred knuckles that were dripping blood on my kitchen floor.

  “Oh my God, Reb. Your hand!” I grabbed his hand and tugged him to the sink. After turning on the faucet, I ran his swollen knuckles under the water. “I think I have a first-aid kit in the bathroom. I’ve got some ointment or gauze or something. I just can’t believe you—”

  “Emily. Look at me.”

  I stopped mid ramble and looked into his suddenly serious eyes.

  “I’m fine. Just a little blood. No big deal. It’s not the first time and likely not gonna be the last. Just give me a paper towel and let’s go sit down on your hard-as-fuck couch.”

  Mutely I turned off the water and tore off a paper towel. He took it from me and wrapped it around his knuckles. A small amount of bright red blood bloomed in the paper. I gulped and tried not to look at his knuckles again as he led me to the couch with his uninjured hand holding mine. I really didn’t enjoy the sight of blood. “I should mop up before—”

  “It’s fine. Sit down.”

  I obeyed the tug of his hand and sat down next to him on the couch. So close to him that his jean-clad thigh rubbed against mine. So close I could feel his body heat radiating toward me. So close I could smell that scent that was undeniable Reb.

  Leather. Tobacco. Man.

  Reb just grunted when I sat down. He nonchalantly threw an arm around my shoulders, picked up the remote with his other hand, and turned on the TV. Like it was nothing. Like this was some scene from our everyday lives.

  Meanwhile, I was trying not to hyperventilate.

  I couldn’t remember the last time I just sat on the couch with a guy before I mauled Reb earlier this afternoon. Or didn’t want to remember anyhow, because those were the few untarnished memories I had of Michael before. I didn’t want to spend one more second thinking about that bastard.

  So I settled in, cuddled up to Reb’s side, and feigned an interest in the nature show he stopped on. And it worked. Five minutes later I was practically on the edge of sleep in this man’s arms when he spoke.

  “You wanna order pizza or something?”

  I blinked blearily up at him. It took me a second to process what he said, then I sat up with a start. “No. I can cook. I’ve got some chicken in the fridge. Just give me—”

  Reb tugged me back down into his arms. “Not tonight. You can play hot housewife tomorrow. Right now I just wanna sit here on the couch with you, eat some pizza, and drink some beer. So what do you want on your pizza?”

  “I don’t have any beer. Sorry, but I don’t drink it. I could run out and get so—”

  “Don’t worry about it, sunshine. I’ll take care of it. What do you like on your pizza?”

  It felt like he was vowing to take care of me, too. A warmth that had nothing to do with his body heat swept through me. I cuddled closer to him and answered. “Pineapple and Canadian bacon.”

  “Fuck me. Of all the toppings possible, really?” Reb groaned. “I guess there had to be something wrong with you. We’ll go halves.”

  “Okay. My pu
rse is over there.”

  Reb’s chest vibrated with his laughter under my cheek. “Damn, you’re cute. But that’s not what I meant. Hang on a sec.”

  After some jostling beneath me, Reb found his cell, thumbed at the screen, then lifted it to his face. “Bam, I need you to bring a large pie from J.J.’s. to Emily’s place. Zag can give you the address. Half supreme, half Hawaiian. Yeah, I know, but she’s hot so I guess I can live with it. Don’t forget the ranch dressing. And a six-pack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.” Reb paused as he listened. “I don’t give a fuck. Figure it out.”

  Reb tossed his phone onto the coffee table, then plopped his booted feet near it on the table. “Fucking prospects. Need to have their hands held every goddamn minute.”

  I hummed in response. Honestly I didn’t know what to say. The idea of having people obey your every command wasn’t something I was familiar with, so I couldn’t really relate.

  But that was who Reb was. He was the president of a motorcycle club. He had people ready and willing—or was it frightened?—to do his bidding. I looked down at his swollen knuckles and reminded myself who the man I was cuddling with was. He ordered people to do things, violent things. Had probably done even worse himself.

  It was hard to reconcile the two sides of this complex man. When Jessica was shot last year, I’d seen him for weeks holding vigil in the waiting room at the hospital. And then there was how he was with Tucker. He could be so gentle and caring.

  But he was also a man who punched holes in walls when he was pissed off. When his ex pissed him off. What would he be like with me when I frustrated him? Could I trust him?

  “You okay, babe?”

  “Uh, yeah. What?” I jerked back to the present and found Reb watching me intently.

  “You looked a thousand miles away just now. Everything okay?”

  I settled into his side and made a decision. I was in. Something told me that this guy was worth it. “Everything’s great.”

  Now all I needed was for that little doubting voice to shut up.

  Chapter 9

  Two hours later we’d devoured most of the large pizza and were still sitting side by side on my hard and uncomfortable couch. Despite the spring digging into my lower back, I was enjoying myself. We’d jumped from the nature show to a horrible movie, which we then spent two hours making fun of while eating pizza and cuddling.

  And that was all we’d done. Cuddle. No kissing. No groping. It was so nice just to eat pizza and be relaxed with a man but have no pressure.

  Don’t get me wrong. There was still sexual tension. The air practically crackled between us. I was aware at all times of the very sexy guy sitting next to me. Each time we touched I felt a zing in every erogenous zone. When his legs brushed mine, I felt an answering pang between my thighs. When he put his arm around my shoulders and idly traced my arm with a finger, I couldn’t stop the shiver that shook my body. But Reb never pushed me for more.

  I mean, he was a scary, tough-as-nails biker guy. Wasn’t he supposed to be all take charge and commanding? Where’d that guy go?

  Instead I had someone who listened to me, looked into my eyes when I talked, and hadn’t done anything more risqué than put his arm around my shoulders.

  What the hell was wrong with me? Reb was great. He was obviously going the sweet route because of my freak-out earlier. So I’d have to give him a sign.

  But what?

  It’d been so long since I was here with a guy, I’d forgotten what to do. Really, there had only been Michael—who I didn’t want to think about—and Scott—which had been so awkward I still cringe when I think of his name—so I didn’t know where to start.

  I peeked up at Reb, but his attention was so finely tuned to the show that he was no help. Like most men, he was having problems reading my mind.

  Ugh. Why did this have to be so hard?

  Taking a deep breath, I lifted a trembling hand and softly rested it on his chest.

  He didn’t so much as twitch. Nope, and his attention was still on the damn TV. It had felt like such a big move to me, but I got nada from Reb. This was gonna be harder than I thought. After another shaky breath, I slowly slid my hand down his chest until it rested on the very large bulge at his crotch.

  There was no mistaking my intention now. And Reb’s cock flexed under my hand as if to underline my point.

  “I’m only gonna give you one warning.” Reb’s voice rumbled under my cheek because I didn’t have the nerve to look up at his face.

  “Uh, what do you mean?”

  Reb pushed against my shoulder until I tipped far enough away that I couldn’t help but look into his eyes. Not that my hand left his lap. I’d taken up residence, and I wasn’t leaving without being evicted.

  “I was willing to take things slow—be the nice, sensitive guy for once—but you’re skipping a few steps. So this is your one warning, because if you don’t get your hand off my dick, there’s no turning back.”

  Where my sassy comeback came from, I’ll never know, but somehow I answered before my brain could catch up to my mouth. “Sounds like you’re trying to scare me off, and I don’t scare easily. I’m pretty happy where my hand is, so what are you gonna do about it?”

  Reb’s eyes narrowed and his lips firmed into a straight line. He looked every inch the badass biker. My heart kicked into an unsteady rhythm.

  “Fuck the nice-guy routine,” Reb growled.

  I could only squeal as I found myself suddenly on my back on the couch, with Reb looming over me. His face was cast harshly in the shadows, but I could still see his narrow-eyed intent before he swooped down and took my lips in a fierce kiss. After that I couldn’t see anything. I could only feel. His lips moving over mine. His tongue teasing mine. His fingers plucking at my aching nipple.

  My recent bravado forgotten, I let him take control. I was just along for the ride.

  He pulled away slightly and let out a low, throaty growl that made the hair on the back of my neck prickle. I shivered, and before I could even catch my breath, his mouth was slanting over mine again, taking me deep. His mouth kept me distracted as I lost myself in his kiss. He did this thing with his tongue that had my entire body throbbing. If he could do that with just a kiss…Oh God.

  Finally I had to break away and catch my breath. Either his talent or the lack of oxygen had me seeing stars. I pulled back slightly and collapsed onto the couch. We’d probably been kissing for only minutes, but it felt like a lifetime later. But that was probably the lack of oxygen talking.

  Reb loomed above me. The combination of his buzzed head, the neck tattoos, and that intense look in his eyes had me shrinking back into the cushions. The threadbare material rasped against my shoulders, and I suddenly realized that I wasn’t wearing a top. Somehow, amid all that amazing kissing, he’d managed to get my shirt off. I wasn’t sure if I should be thrilled that he’d been so skillful or scared that I’d lost myself so deeply I hadn’t noticed.

  But it left me so exposed. Only my tiny bra covered my sadly small chest. It was all out there for him to see. I fought the urge to cover myself with my hands. Was he disappointed? Did I not measure up to his usual caliber of women? I couldn’t tell anything from that look in his eyes. My skin started to itch, and I wanted to be anywhere but here.

  “You’re thinking too much.”

  I looked up from my perusal of my very minimal bra and found him staring intently at my face. Not at my small chest or my visibly hardened nipples that the scrap of lace couldn’t hide. He was looking at me.

  And then it all just went away—my nerves, my fear of disappointing him, my expectations. There was just me and this man.

  “You’re right.” I pulled away until I could get up. I stood before him in my jeans and bra and held out a hand. “Come on.”

  Reb’s lips twitched as he eyed my offered hand. After a beat he grabbed it with his bruised one and pulled me toward him. Before I could ask him what he was doing, he’d tossed me over his shoulder and carried m
e toward my bedroom.

  “Reb!” I squealed.

  But much like that first night at his clubhouse, he didn’t listen to my protestations. His smug, husky laughter echoed around us as he opened my bedroom door and walked inside the only room I hadn’t cleaned in my earlier frenzy. He stepped over the pile of laundry I’d been sorting earlier, and my hair brushed against the curve of his ass hidden behind his jeans. The combination of my nerves and the blood rushing to my head from him tossing me over his shoulder had me light-headed. Then he jostled me again and all my breath left me in a whoosh.

  “Reb,” I gasped. “Let me—”

  Suddenly my upper body righted as Reb pressed on the back of my legs, and I slowly slid down his body. My legs momentarily cradled the large bulge at the apex of his thighs. I couldn’t hide the gasp that left me when my jeans bit into my clit as I coasted over the speed bump in his pants. With my feet finally on the ground, it felt like my breathing sounded overly loud. I was still so nervous, my eyes could only rise so far as his chest. Meeting his gaze took more courage than I was capable of at the moment.

  But apparently Reb didn’t need any more cues. He wrapped his arms around me and made me soar again as he took my lips in a seductive kiss. I closed my eyes, tipped my head back, and floated.

  We stood there and kissed for what felt like an eternity. Until my knees went weak and Reb was totally supporting my weight. Until I could no longer remember my own name.

  Still holding me up, his lips cruised down my jaw and he blew hotly in my ear.

  “Oh God, Reb.”

  “Mmm, what, baby?”

  My head fell back as I gave his lips access to my throat. “Hmm?”

  I could feel his lips curving into a smile as he murmured back, “Nothin’.”

  I gasped as his teasing turned into a full-on blitz. At a point just below my jaw, he sucked until I moaned in surrender. Until my nipples and the junction between my thighs throbbed. I groaned and sagged in his arms.