Locke Brothers Series

by Ashley, Victoria

His words have my entire being feeling as if it’s igniting into flames and the closeness of his hard body has my brain in a mush. I can’t think straight when he’s so damn close.

  “Okay,” I say on a tremble. “We can go somewhere alone. But just to relax, to talk.” I somehow find the strength to push him away so he’s no longer practically glued to me. “And you have to leave your hammer at home. No violence.”

  He flashes his usual twisted grin that always seems to spark something in me I can’t seem to understand. “Done. I left it in the SUV.” He reaches out with his scabbed-up knuckled hand and closes my car door. “We’ll take my truck.”

  Oh shit, is the only thing that runs through my mind as I allow him to lead me to the other side of his truck.

  What am I getting myself into by allowing the scariest Locke of them all to get me alone?

  5

  Ace

  It may be twisted to admit, but feeling the way Melissa’s body trembled when I pressed mine against hers fucking turned me on and had my cock jumping with excitement.

  I know a part of that is because she somewhat fears me still, but the other part is because she wants me just as much as I want her.

  She knows how dangerous I am. She knows I’ll kill any motherfucker who threatens my family. But what she doesn’t know is that I love just as hard as I intimidate, maybe even more.

  I hear a small breath escape her as I grip her waist and hoist her into my truck.

  I’m not sure I can ever get used to how damn good it feels whenever I touch her. That’s why I need to do everything in my power to make sure she wants me to keep touching her.

  Things may get a little ugly, but I’m going to twist her up and shake the fucking innocence in her.

  And by the time I’m through with her, she’s going to be my beautiful, twisted angel.

  When I climb into the vehicle and take off, I can feel her gaze on me as if she’s taking this moment to take me all in, most likely thinking that I won’t notice since I’m driving.

  But fuck me… it’s hard not to notice.

  “Do you like what you see?”

  From the corner of my eye, I catch her quickly turn away from me so she’s now looking out the passenger side window. “Just checking for any fresh blood or any warning signs that I should jump out of this moving truck and run for my life. Don’t get too cocky.”

  “Is that a deal breaker for you? Because I’m pretty sure you saw me covered in blood last night…” I glance over at her and raise a brow. “Yet you’re still here in my truck with me.”

  She’s silent after that.

  That is, until she notices me pulling onto a side road and into the woods.

  “Is this one of your kill spots?”

  I laugh. “You’re supposed to relax, remember?”

  “How am I supposed to be able to relax when the woods are where axe murderers bring their victims before they cut them into tiny pieces and hide their body parts? Or in your case…” She turns behind her and begins looking into the backseat. “Smash your victims’ body parts until they come off.”

  “That’s not a bad idea. I’ve never tried that before. It could be a good workout.” I park and look over to see her staring at me all wide-eyed and somewhat shocked. “Do you really think I’d do that?”

  She watches me as I reach for my cap and take it off before running a hand through my messy hair. “God, I hope not. I’m not that twisted.” I offer her a half smirk and reach over her to open her door. “Come on.”

  I’m the first one to hop out and I can’t help but be a bit amused that she hesitates before getting out herself.

  I really have my work cut out with Melissa.

  “What are we supposed to do out here in the middle of nowhere?”

  “Lay back and relax. Talk, shit like that.” I flash her a grin. I grab a blanket out of the back of the truck and make my way to the tailgate. I pop the back and lay the blanket down. I jump up before reaching out for her hand. “This is the most peaceful place to think. I’ve been coming here for years but this will be the first time I’ve not come alone.”

  “Really?” She finally gives me her hand, allowing me to pull her up beside me. “What do you like to come here and think about?”

  I lay back and rest my hands behind my head. “I don’t know. Just whatever’s going on in my life at the time, I suppose. It’s kind of hard to relax and have some me time when my brothers are always around and there’s always some fucked-up shit for us to handle. This is the one place that is mine alone.”

  She’s sitting on the edge, hanging her legs off as she looks up at the sky. “I have to admit that this is a pretty nice spot. I can see why it’s so relaxing.”

  “Come here,” I say softly, wanting her to see that I’m not all that bad. I hold my hand out for her to grab. “Lay with me.”

  It takes her a few seconds, but she eventually takes my hand and allows me to pull her down beside me.

  Her gaze locks with mine. I should try to be a gentleman or some shit, but being so close to her has me all in knots, has the possessive side rising up. I crawl above her, spread her thighs with my knees and place my hard body between her legs. I can see her eyes go wide, feel her chest start to rise and fall faster. She breathes harder, and I know that she wants this just as much as I do. “Does this make you nervous?”

  I see her throat work as she swallows. After a second she nods. “A little.”

  I press my body farther between her legs as I lean in to brush my lips against her ear. I know she can feel how hard I am for her. “How about this? Does it make you nervous to feel how badly I want you, Angel?”

  She nods again. “Yes,” she whispers.

  “That’s all I needed to know.”

  With that, I roll over and lie back in my spot, allowing her to breathe easily again.

  The next hour goes by in silence.

  I’ve got Melissa alone for the first time and although I’d love nothing more than to fuck the fear out of her, to make her see that she is meant to be mine, I hold back because I can tell it’s too soon.

  I’ll take things easy this time, but I can’t say the same for the next. My willpower only goes so far.

  After a while, she finally sits up and turns to face me. “It’s getting kind of late. I should probably get home. Mind taking me back to my car?”

  Without saying a word, I sit up and get off the tailgate, grab her hips and pull her closer to me so her legs are hanging off the side, and stare at her. I look into her eyes for a second, wanting to kiss her, to possess her. But I hold back and instead help her down as well.

  “Let’s go.”

  Once we get back to her car, I lean across the seat and unbuckle her seatbelt.

  I can feel her heavy breaths hitting my neck and I know without a doubt that I’ve got her walls slowly crumbling.

  “Goodnight,” she says quickly. “Appreciate the relaxing night. I actually needed it.”

  I turn my head so that my lips are right above hers as I speak. “Good” is all I say before I lean back to my seat and listen to her uneven breathing.

  She’ll go to bed thinking about me and that’s enough for tonight at least.

  It definitely won’t be enough for next time.

  6

  Melissa

  I spent the entire night tossing and turning, thinking about Ace and how good it felt to be alone with him.

  When he first asked me to go somewhere with him I was nervous. I was scared, not sure of what to expect from a guy like him. I never would’ve imagined that I’d be able to have a normal moment with him and enjoy the night as if nothing else mattered.

  I’m so damn confused right now, because even though I know he’s twisted and dangerous, I also know that there’s more to him. There’s a side to him that I could easily fall for and get hurt.

  Kadence is sure to get a kick out of this and that’s why I need to keep my feelings from her until I know exactly what they mean.

&n
bsp; “Why did you leave in such a hurry the other night?” Kadence questions from across the diner booth.

  “I told you,” I say over my glass. “I had a headache and I was tired. Why do you keep questioning my motives?”

  She smiles and takes a bite of her cheesecake. It’s the whole reason we’re here. “It had nothing to do with a shirtless Ace that came inside a few minutes after you left?”

  “Why would it? We didn’t even talk. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  She laughs and stands up. “So it had nothing to do with the fact that he looks pretty damn good in red.”

  “That’s messed up.” I shake my head and try to fight back the smile. “It was someone else’s blood, Kadence. Of course not. I wasn’t attracted to him no matter how good he looked.”

  “So… you admit that he looked good?”

  “Don’t you have to get to work or something? I knew I shouldn’t have met you here. I should’ve known it would lead to me watching you scarf down your cake while you try to get something out of me that will never happen. Ace is…”

  “The guy you can’t stop thinking about.” She grins when I give her a dirty look. “Okay. Okay. I’m going. You should get some lunch or something while you’re here.”

  I shake my head. “I’ll just finish my drink and eat at home. The cheesecake is on me so leave before I change my mind.”

  “Thanks, babe.” She smiles that annoying smile at me again before finally turning away and walking outside.

  I take a moment to finish my drink and pull myself together before I walk out of the diner and to my car.

  It’s not until I reach for the door handle that I notice Ace’s truck parked behind me in the lot.

  My stupid heart betrays me at the sight of him and about flies from my chest again. It only gets more intense the more I see him.

  I swallow and walk over to his truck at the same time that he hops out and shuts the door behind him.

  The way his amber gaze roams over my body makes me hot, and when his gaze stops on my lips, I find myself wondering what it would feel like for Ace to kiss me.

  Surely, he’d be rough and demanding.

  “What are you doing here, Ace?” I lift a brow and watch as he tosses his keys up and catches them. “Is a Locke brother stalking me?”

  His lips pull up into a half smirk that causes my breath to catch in my throat. “You haven’t eaten yet. I’m here to buy you lunch.”

  My heart stops mid-beat as Ace grabs my hand and begins walking us back toward the door of the diner.

  A few glances land on us as he opens the door and guides me right back to the table that Kadence and I were just sitting at.

  I have to admit that being seen with Ace in public is sort of a rush. I know without a doubt by the surprised looks on everyone’s faces that there’s not one person in this place that doesn’t know that I’m here with a Locke.

  Ace pushes one of the menus in front of me but doesn’t say a word as he grabs for the other menu and begins looking it over.

  I find it to be crazy that he can make me feel excited and nervous just by sitting across from me in a diner. He doesn’t even have to speak to evoke these emotions inside me.

  We both place our order when the waitress comes by a few minutes later. I can tell by the slight shakiness in her voice that Ace makes her nervous, yet she can’t stop checking him out and it’s driving me crazy.

  Just the thought of Ace touching her or kissing her has jealousy rushing through me.

  I look across the table to see Ace’s attention on me, instead of the waitress who has barely finished taking our order. It’s as if he’s trying to figure me out.

  “Have you ever been in love, Melissa?”

  I nod and thank the waitress as she drops off two glasses of water. “Once. What about you, Ace?” He watches me as I take a drink of my water. “Have you ever been in a long-term relationship?”

  “No,” he says, his gaze locked on mine. “I’ve been waiting for the right girl to claim as mine. Once I find her…” He runs a hand through his messy brown hair before licking his bottom lip to wet it. “She’ll be mine for good. That’s how us Lockes work.”

  My heart hammers around in my chest at the idea of belonging to Ace. He wants a girl to possess.

  Why do I find that to be so hot?

  The food comes a few minutes later and we eat in silence, both of us glancing up to look at the other every few minutes and every time that he does, excitement courses through me.

  I can’t help but to feel this way and it’s driving me insane.

  I’m not sure if I’ll ever be ready for Ace Locke, yet I can’t help but want him…

  * * *

  Ace

  Call me twisted. Call me a fucking stalker and I won’t deny that shit. I’ll do anything when it comes to getting Melissa.

  Melissa looks up when the waitress sets the bill down in front of us, but I decide to keep my attention on her, wanting to show her that I could care less about the hot girl that is checking me out for the tenth damn time since we’ve walked through the door together.

  I’m here for her and her only.

  “What are you doing when you leave here?” I ask, tossing down a fifty-dollar bill.

  She stands up and reaches into her pocket to pull out some cash. I grab it from her hand and shove it back into her pocket, getting up in her personal space.

  Just like before, my closeness has her breathing picking up. This has me lifting her chin up and leaning in close as if to kiss her, but I stop right before our lips can meet. “Are you going to answer me, Angel? Or make me guess.”

  “Work,” she says on a breath. “I have to be at work soon.”

  I can hear her swallow as I raise my thumb up to brush over her lips. “What about after work?”

  “I don’t know.” She backs away from my touch, but I take a step further, backing her up against the side of the booth. “Probably going home. To bed.”

  “What if I don’t want you to?” I run my hand up the side of her neck, before reaching around to cup the back of it as I lean in close to her mouth again. This has her fighting to catch her breath. “Come for a ride with me tonight. What time do you get off?”

  “Ten. Or a little after. It depends.”

  I release her neck and smile as her gaze lowers to my lips. “I’ll be out in the parking lot then.”

  She nods as I back away, giving her room to walk around me.

  I know I’m not exactly easy to fall for, but I can promise that after she does, she’s not going to want to go a day without me inside her.

  I’ve just got to move slow with Melissa and let her see how much her body craves me first. That’s exactly why I haven’t kissed her yet.

  I have to prepare her for me first.

  7

  Ace

  It’s half past ten and Melissa is just walking out of the coffee shop. She looks around for a few seconds as if she thinks that I’ve left her, but smiles once she finds me parked toward the back of the lot.

  I shift my truck into drive and pull up beside her. I lean over and push her door open before reaching out my hand for her to grab. She’s hesitant at first, but grabs it and allows me to pull her up.

  There’s a part of her that’s still not sure if she should be alone with me yet. That’s exactly why I need to take her where I have planned tonight… to soften her up toward me.

  She’s quiet as she shuts the door and fastens her seatbelt.

  “How was work?”

  I can feel her watching me as I pull out of the parking lot. “Boring as usual, but it pays the bills.”

  “How long have you worked there?” I pull my eyes away from the road just long enough to catch her checking out my thighs in these ripped up jeans I threw on before leaving the house. They’re snug and easily show the imprint of my dick, which her gaze now seems to be focused on.

  I laugh and look back up at the road. “Glad my body can be entertaining f
or you after a boring day at work.”

  “I was just thinking.” She quickly turns away as if that’ll make up for being caught staring at my package. “For four years now. I’ve had other jobs on the side, but this has been my main job for a while now. Do you have a job other than… you know…”

  I let out a little chuckle and head toward the garage. “Yeah, we’re actually headed there now. A mechanic. I have a little project I need to finish and thought maybe we could talk while I work.”

  I want Melissa to see the side of me that many don’t get to see. The me outside of what I do with my brothers.

  “You’re a mechanic?” she asks, her smile widening.

  “Why are you smiling so big?” I glance over at her again to see her watching the muscles in my arms flex as I grip the steering wheel.

  “I don’t know…” Her face reddens. “I guess I can just picture you all greased up, working on vehicles. “It’s–”

  “Hot.” The word leaving my mouth has her swallowing and fidgeting with her hair, as if she’s turned on by what she’s picturing now.

  “I work on motorcycles mostly.” I pull up in front of the garage and park. “I have a hard time sleeping some nights so I like to come here and work myself into exhaustion. That is, of course, when I’m not working with my brothers.”

  She follows me into the garage, looking around as I flip a few of the lights on. “So if my vehicle ever breaks down?”

  I lean in close to her ear, causing her to slightly jump when I speak. “I’ll fix it. Naked if you want.”

  She sucks in a breath and I walk past her, making my way to my old Harley. I reach for the stool, pulling it up for her to take a seat.

  I can feel her heated gaze on me as I yank my shirt over my head and stuff into the top of my back pocket and I can tell that I have her picturing me naked now.

  She sits there quietly for a long while, just watching me work, and I love just knowing that she’s here with me. It has this weird warmth spreading throughout my body, making me feel at peace.