by Jani Kay
What would Jade’s reaction be if she knew I was here? How would she react? I was more afraid of finding out than of watching, so I just stood there, my insides churning. This was what I had wanted, right? I wanted Jade to find someone who was more worthy of her than me. Wasn’t that what I’d told her?
Fuck NO. I couldn’t bear it.
From the corner of my eye I saw Razor push to his feet and scramble across the dance floor, shoving people out of his way. I was too late to stop him. Ratbag tried to go after him, but the crowd was too thick, and Razor disappeared amongst a sea of people bobbing up and down. Fuck.
My gaze went back to the mezzanine level . . . back to the women. My eyes widened when I saw what had gotten Razor so agitated. A large sturdy guy with even more tattoos than Razor, had his hands on Lexi’s ass, pressing her into what I assumed would be a raging fucking hard-on, his fucking tongue down her throat.
And Jade? She had her fucking head resting on Cowboy’s chest, her eyes closed, swaying to the rhythm of the slow song.
Next thing Razor was taking the steps, two at a time, till he got to their table. Rebecca screeched as she saw Razor storm down on Lexi, her hand over her mouth as terror filled her face. Razor must have looked like one mean motherfucker at this moment. I'd seen his angry face often over the years, and I knew it wasn’t pretty. It would scare the living shit out of anyone.
Chapter 28 ~ Jade
Hallelujah. The plan we’d hatched in the taxi was working. And it was about damn time, because I was about to punch Cowboy if he licked my ear one more time.
After we’d settled in on the back seat, Rebecca had gone all quiet and deep into thought for a moment, and Lexi, just being herself, started questioning our cousin about it. Rebecca told us about the man she’d seen in the lobby who looked completely out of place, yet she could tell he was there for a reason. What really bothered her most was that he reminded her of her boss, Maxwell Grant. Apparently the similarities in looks were uncanny, and freaked her out a bit.
So when Lexi started interrogating poor Rebecca for more details, we both looked at one another, not believing our ears. LA was a big place, but how many biker-type guys that looked just like Ryder Knox could there be?
We decided to be on the lookout to see if he was following us. My heart nearly jumped out of my damn chest. I wanted it to be Ryder so badly that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to contain myself if it really was him.
The taxi driver was on our side. He’d been a rookie cop for six months before his partner was shot, and he consequently decided that kind of life wasn’t for him. But he loved the whole premise of us being followed, and the excitement of using his skills to evade our stalker.
He confirmed that a motorcycle was indeed following us. He went roundabout ways, weaving through traffic to shake our pursuer, but the motorcycle stuck to us like shit to a blanket, as Rebecca had put it, bringing us all to tears with laughter. Whoever he was, he was never more than two cars behind us.
When we got to the club, Lexi told me to not look around once we got out of the taxi—under any circumstances. It was also her crazy idea that I should be an exhibitionist tonight and dance seductively to attract men in the club, forcing Ryder—if it was indeed him—to show himself.
Lexi pulled a hip flask of bourbon from her purse and ordered me to drink some of it. It burned all the way down my throat, but it also helped ease the jitters that had come over me.
If it was Ryder, why the hell was he following us? Surely he knew that he we could talk at any time, so why would he feel the need to stalk me? Presuming, of course, that it was me he was stalking, and not Lexi or Rebecca. An uneasy feeling churned in my stomach. Maybe Ryder had his sights on my cousin? After all, she was more his type, with her tattoos, and piercings, and foul mouth.
But it would be cruel to chase after Lexi in front of me. Maybe he just didn't care. I sighed heavily, anxious to see Ryder again, whatever the reason for him being here.
“Oh my God, don’t look now, but it is fucking Ryder Knox! And guess who the fuck just joined him?” Lexi groaned as we got to the entrance. To give her an opportunity to turn around and face where she thought Ryder was hiding out, she proceeded to flash her ass to the crowd.
I had to laugh out loud. It would only be Lexi that was willing to expose herself to strangers for our cause. She laughed and said it was worth it, because none other than Razor, the man she was sweet on, had joined Ryder on the curb.
Razor hadn’t spotted her yet, but she was sure it would only be a matter of time before she drove him crazy with her antics and he came to claim her.
I channeled my inner stripper and gyrated my hips, needing to down the drink to numb my mind, because I was feeling like a huge fool—and a tramp. I searched the darkness for Ryder, scanning the booths, trying to see his face as I rocked my body.
But he was nowhere to be seen.
“Bring it, girl.” Lexi laughed as she gyrated her ass against a huge raging hard-on belonging to a rather handsome guy. She was enjoying herself way too much . . .
Shit was going to go down tonight. Ryder had told me about Razor’s attraction to Lexi, and also about what a hothead he was. Chances were good that the biker boys were going to play beautifully into our hands.
Then Cowboy stepped up and claimed me. Shit. Not the man I wanted right now.
“Work it, Cuz,” Lexi spurred me on. “Pretend it’s Ryder.”
That helped. I closed my eyes and let the stranger fondle and embrace me, all the time smiling as I imagined that it was Ryder. But when Cowboy licked my ears, I couldn’t pretend any longer. What the fuck was taking Ryder so damn long? Or did he really not care? Damn, maybe I should just leave with Cowboy, let him take me somewhere, ply me with more alcohol and fuck me. The booze was already working its way through my system, helping me lose my inhibitions.
I hadn’t had a man since Ryder had left. It was six weeks, and counting. I was tired of using B.O.B. and I wanted Ryder inside me. But if he didn't want me, I'd have to settle for someone else. Peeping through my lashes at Lexi, I squirmed when I saw she’d let the tattooed guy palm her ass, and virtually suck her up with his mouth. She’d worked him into a frenzy, and although it was all part of the plan, my throat tightened. What if our tactics bombed? What if neither Razor nor Ryder came to save us?
My eyes flew open when I heard Rebecca shriek. Razor was storming down on Lexi with a murderous look on his face.
“Shit!” Cowboy mumbled in my ear. “Let’s get out of here.”
Cowboy must’ve seen Razor’s face, because he’d gone paler that his baby-blue shirt. I looked behind him to see if Ryder was in his wake, but no. No Ryder. My heart sank into my pointy-toe stilettos.
“Come, babe, let’s go somewhere quiet,” Cowboy said and pulled me in the opposite direction to where Razor had come from. Disappointment washed over me as my heart squeezed. If Ryder was here and had seen all of this, he obviously couldn’t care less. What if he was in fact chatting up another girl, planning to fuck someone else? Of course. I could’ve slapped myself. Ryder isn’t following me. What an idiot I am.
Following Cowboy, I nearly tripping over my own feet as we left the scene. Cowboy seemed to know exactly where he was going, so I just followed him past the crowd of bodies until we got to a secluded passage at the back end of the club. I was humiliated, sad, and angry, all rolled into one. I needed someone to take my mind off how bad I was feeling.
Cowboy was very handsome. His sandy-brown hair peeked from under his hat, his square jaw was cleanly shaven, and he had bright and intelligent eyes. He was the kind of man I would’ve gone for—before I met Ryder. Clean, wholesome, smart—those were the things that always attracted me to men. So why wasn’t I turned on by Cowboy? Had I gone all cold again? What the hell was wrong with me?
We reached a narrow flight of steps that led to a door. Where was he taking me? Slightly out of breath, my heart beat wildly as a mixture of fear and excitement swept through me. We sto
od on the landing, Cowboy’s arm possessively around my waist, as he punched numbers into a keypad. I heard a click and he pushed the door open, pulling me inside.
How did he know what the code was?
Who the hell was Cowboy?
Chapter 29 ~ Jade
“Wait. Who are you? Where are you taking me?” I gasped. He’d already closed the door behind us. Fuck.
“Don’t worry your sexy ass about that, babe. My brother and his partners own the place. I help him out. We were watching you and your friends from up here—the security room—when I decided I needed to tap your pretty ass. If you were offering, I was taking.” He winked at me, a lascivious grin on his face. “Wasn’t letting the other pricks beat me to the prettiest girl here tonight. My brother fancies the redhead, but I want you. You and I will have the room to ourselves, soon. I’ll send the boys on a floor-round. That should give us enough time alone.”
He pinched my ass, and shoved me toward another door. Through the large, darkened glass windows, I could see the people beneath us. This was a really cool place to check the crowds from without them even knowing. The one-way windows were covered with mirrors on the outside so it looked like décor, not a security office. Damn.
“Floor round,” he barked as we entered the room. “Thirty minutes, minimum.”
The two guys nodded. “Sure, Colt.”
“No, please stay,” I begged. Shit; I didn't want to be alone with Cowboy. They ignored me. Treating me as if I were thin air, they stuck earphones into their ears and left the room.
“Strip, babe. Take it all off,” he commanded.
“Colt? I hardly know you. Can we have a drink, and get to know one another first?” My previous ideas of wanting to fuck a stranger were sounding dumb to me now.
“Why not?” he drawled, his eyes raking my body appreciatively. “The guys won't be back for a while. Plenty of time for a good fuck, huh?” He opened a cupboard and brought out a bottle of bourbon and two glasses. Maybe if I had a few drinks in me, I'd forget about Ryder and let Colt take me, hard, so I could get Ryder out of my system. Yeah, that was exactly what I needed. Another man’s cock riding me, replacing Ryder once and for all so that I could move on. The message was loud and clear. Ryder didn't care—he didn't love me, or even want me.
Move on, Jade, the sooner, the better.
“God, you’re beautiful. I can't believe you don’t have a man.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What makes you say that? Maybe I do have a man.”
“No fucking way would your man let you come to a club dressed like that, putting out like that on the dance floor. You were practically begging to be fucked, and it looked like you wouldn’t care if it was right there in front of everyone. And letting a stranger touch you the way you let me touch you . . . I bet your pussy is so wet right now.”
Sweet Jesus. When Lexi told me to imagine it was Ryder, I must’ve let all my longing take over if that’s what Colt saw. And why was it so fucking sexy when Ryder spoke to me like this, yet I was offended by Colt’s direct ways? What made it different? Dirty talk was dirty talk, right?
Grow up, Jade. Stop living in the past, hoping for Ryder to come back. Do what the women in your romance novels do. Let this hunk of a cowboy ravish you—give you pleasure. Yes, my pussy was wet, but not because of Colt. But why waste that? He didn't have to know about my thoughts, that I was imagining Ryder . . . that I was wet and throbbing because I imagined Ryder was watching me dance.
“Give me another drink, Cowboy,” I said, trying to sound cool and mature. My head was starting to spin, and I even started to relax as Colt stroked up and down my thigh, his hand going higher every time, closer and closer to my pussy. It was a matter of moments before he explored further . . .
He kissed me, hard and passionately. Colt was in to me. He really wanted me. He pulled me into his arms, his raging erection making his intentions perfectly clear. His hand slipped to my breast, and rubbed over the nipple.
“Mmm babe, you feel so soft. I can't wait to taste you,” he murmured at my ear as he lifted my dress to my hips, exposing the garter belt and matching thong I wore.
“God, you’re hot. That’s sexy as fuck,” Colt groaned as he stroked over the fabric, feeling my dampness. He spun me around so that I was facing the window, my ass naked to his eyes. My back arched as he stroked the orbs of my flesh before he pushed me forward so that I had to place my hands on the glass to keep my balance. I felt the music vibrate through the glass, the beat of the drums echoing in my heartbeat.
Fleetingly, I wondered what had happened between Lexi and Razor. Was Rebecca okay? I hoped she wouldn’t be mad at me for leaving, but I had little doubt that she’d have male company regardless.
I bit into my lip as Colt stood behind me, grinding his erection into my ass while both hands fondled my breasts. Did I really want this? Below me, hundreds of people swamped the dance floor—a throng of bodies gyrating against one another. It seemed like a mass orgy moving in time to the music and strobe lights.
My gaze fell on a man, standing with his hands on his hips, totally disconnected from the rest of the mob. He looked so out of place, it was hard to miss him. I sucked in a breath when I recognized him. It was Ryder.
The most bizarre thing happened next. Ryder actually looked up, directly to where I was standing, with another man making his moves on me. As if he was drawn to me, Ryder scrunched his eyes, rubbing his chin, staring in my direction. I knew he couldn’t see me through the mirrored windows, yet it felt as if he was looking at me.
Colt’s hand moved to my groin, but before he could slip his fingers under my panties, I bucked my ass and shrugged him off me.
“Let go, Colt. This isn’t happening tonight.” I pulled my dress down, trying to regain my dignity.
“Babe,” he groaned. “What do you mean? I want this, you sure as hell want this—”
I held up my hand. “Sorry.” I shrugged. “It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind.”
“Are you fucking serious?” He raised both eyebrows, and his lips drew into a thin line.
“As a matter of fact, I’ve never been more serious in my life,” I replied as I fixed my hair.
“Well, it doesn’t work like that around here. Just so you know, I don’t take no for an answer. You are a cock-tease; I get that now. What do you want, babe? You want me to beg? Does that get you off?”
With my mouth gaping, I shook my head.
“Ah, you want me to force you, take you rough. Sure, sweetheart, I can fuck you hard. No problem. That’s it, yeah?”
My throat went dry. Jesus, I was in trouble. “N . . . no,” I stuttered.
He threw his head back and laughed. “Fuck me. I get it now. Money. I never thought that’s what a classy woman like you would want. How much?” He walked to a drawer and pulled out a wad of cash. “You’re lucky you’re so fucking gorgeous, and that I’d be willing to pay to fuck you.”
Fully aware that the door was locked and I needed a code to get out, I had to play my cards right. “No. I don’t want your money—” I stammered. “I just want to leave.”
“Pretty baby, that’s just not going to happen. I’m hard for you. The more you resist, the more it fucking turns me on. I like fight in my woman. I grew up on a ranch—I like things rough. It going to be fun to tame you, baby. Fuck, yes.”
The wad of cash landed on the wooden table with a thud. He rounded the desk, lust burning in his eyes as he closed the distance between us. The circular room was cramped; there wasn’t space for me to maneuver, unless I crashed through the glass. However, I had no doubt that would be impossible. This was most likely shatterproof glass. Plus, Colt had positioned himself between me and the door. Even if I knew the fucking code, I still had to get passed him.
“You look so sweet and innocent, but I bet you fuck like a tiger.” His top lip curled into a lewd grin. Colt grabbed hold of the fabric at my neckline and ripped the top open with one hard tug. I heard the buttons scatter
on the floor.
“Colt. I'm not looking for trouble. I like you; you know that, right? But I'm an old-fashioned girl. I just want to move slower.” Panic had risen in my chest, and my mouth went dry. I was going to need every skill in my arsenal to get myself out of this damn fix I’d gotten myself into.
“Tonight you can count on one thing. I am going to fuck you. Long and hard, up against the window, so that you can watch the people below us while I make you cum.”
“Please, Colt. Let’s go down to the club and get a drink. OK?” I would beg if I needed to.
Colt pushed me against the glass, his mouth on my chest, hungrily licking over my skin.
“No. First, we fuck. You’ve teased my cock long enough. This is a soundproof room. You can scream as hard as you like when I make you cum, because nobody can hear you. Besides, the noise from down there—”
The door burst open. Stunned, both our heads jerked toward the intruder. I could have cried with gratitude. My eyes locked with stormy grey ones. Ryder stood there, fists clenched, his face contorted in anger.
“What the fuck, man? Get your fucking paws off my woman,” he roared, ready to punch the cowboy in the face.
With three long strides, Ryder stood in front of me. He looked me over, taking in the ripped top and fear in my eyes.
“Jade. You OK?” he rasped. He didn't touch me. And he called me Jade. Not Princess. Not even bitch. Just Jade.
But . . . he’d said I was his woman . . .
I just stared at him, at a loss for words. Did he really mean that? Should I be happy he saved me? Again? And how did he know where to find me?
My heart beat wildly in my chest.
His woman.
Chapter 30 ~ Ryder
Marcus was a prick. There was no denying that. But at least he was screwing some other bitch. This Cowboy, on the other hand, was trying to screw my woman.