by Maree Green
I didn’t know how it was possible for her to find me in the darkness of the club, but when her gaze came to rest on me, I froze. A surge of triumph rose up in me, and I instantly knew I wasn’t leaving until I’d touched her in some way. Yep. I was a prick.
Holding her gaze for a little while longer, I finished my beer and placed the empty bottle on the table beside me. Turning away, I strode towards the back of the club, glancing back once to make sure she got the message that I wanted her to follow me.
Finding a hidden place in the shadows near the bathrooms, I leant against the wall and waited.
Less than five minutes later I saw her step through the crowd near the hall. Her gaze flittered from place to place, searching, as she slowly moved forward. When she got closer, I grabbed her hand and pulled her deeper into the shadows.
Thankfully she didn’t resist. As much as I hated to admit it, irritation was flowing through me, and I knew it had everything to do with those guys having their arms around her. I knew I had no right to be pissed, but I was. I didn’t want anyone else touching her.
Fuck me. Possessive much?
When I had her pinned up against the wall, I gave her a sardonic grin. I needed to find out what those guys were to her. “You were getting quite the attention in that little VIP section of yours,” I said teasingly.
Her eyes flashed with irritation. “Yeah, I know. Those girls are seriously crazy. It really makes me worry about Mia. I hate to think what they could do to her…”
She’d lost me. I had no idea what she was talking about. “I’m not following…Are you talking about those girls you were dancing with?”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, no sorry. I was talking about some of the girls on the dance floor who were giving me dirty looks. Mia’s my best friend. She’s going out with Jace, the lead guitarist. Aiden, the bass player, is her twin brother. We grew up together.”
Ah, that explained the familiarity. It didn’t discount her going out with any of them though. “So…any of them your boyfriend?”
She looked taken aback for a second. “God, no. They’re all just really good friends.”
I held back a sigh of relief. Fucking stupid, I know, because by no means was her being available good news for the assignment. “How much do they know?”
She frowned at me, that adorable little crease forming between her eyebrows, then her eyes rounded out with understanding. She sighed. “Nothing. I haven’t told anyone. That doesn’t mean they’re not suspicious though. They keep watching me like I’m about to fall apart or something.” She frowned again, like something irritated her.
I liked knowing she had friends who cared about her. I knew it would help me relax a little, knowing that between Leah and her friends, she’d be getting looked after.
My mind instantly went to the bass player’s arms around her, and I felt a growl brewing inside my chest. Okay, yes it was a good thing, but it didn’t mean I had to like it. I wanted it to be my arms around her.
Her frown deepened before lifting just as quick. I wanted to know what she was thinking. I could see emotions rolling through her like the tide.
She looked up and met my gaze with a curious cock of her head. A slight smile played on her lips, although it looked like she was trying hard to appear serious. “Why are you here? Were you following me again?”
My lips twitched. I swore she almost looked pleased with that thought. “Not this time. I’m here on business.” I narrowed my eyes thoughtfully. “It’s not a place I thought I’d ever run into you.”
Her gaze dropped to my mouth and I watched her suck on her lower lip. Oh hell. My body reacted instantaneously. She should just kill me now, because I knew without a doubt I was heading for hell. Did she have any idea what she did to me?
Without any conscious thought, I moved a little closer. I had no clue what I was doing. The cop in me was giving me a good stripping down, telling me to get back on my game, but the man in me was pleading with me to go with it, to take this tiny bit of pleasure before it could be ripped away from me.
I knew I should walk away. Turn my back and leave her be, but I just couldn’t. She had this crazy hold on me that I just couldn’t deny, no matter how hard I fought it.
Without breaking eye contact, I leaned closer to her. She smelled so fucking sweet. The scent of her instantly set off a chain reaction through my body. The memory of the taste that went with that smell made my dick harden. Fuck me. I just wanted to devour her.
Her breathing increased, her chest rising higher with every intake. The brightness in her eyes flamed, burning into mine with an intensity I knew could only be desire. My mouth ran dry. I swallowed.
I felt her fingers brush against my hip and that was all the invitation I needed. Closing the distance, I took her mouth like a starving man. Her hands found their way to the back of my neck, fingers tensing and gripping against my skin. I grabbed her hips firmly, pulling her hard against me, my fingers tensing over her ass.
My dick throbbed, begging to be allowed inside her. I pushed my hips into her, pushing her against the wall, and rubbing my cock hard against her stomach. She gasped, but she didn’t push me away. Her hands tightened on my neck, keeping me to her.
That was when my body took over. My hands went everywhere. I just couldn’t touch enough of her fast enough. “Do you have any idea how much I want you?” I growled against her lips.
Her response was to deepen the kiss, her tongue sweeping in to slide against mine, before coming back out and licking at my lip ring. Then she sucked it into her mouth, sliding her tongue over it. Fuck!
I slid one hand into her hair, and the other under the hem of her top, stroking the soft, smooth skin of her stomach. She moaned, sending my need for her skyrocketing.
“Mitch,” she whispered.
The sound of my fake name on her lips was like having a bucket of ice cold water thrown over me. What the fuck was I doing? How could I do this to her? She didn’t even know the real me. If I took this any further, she would never forgive me when it all came out. I had to stop. I couldn’t do this to her anymore. I had to do what was right for her, and that wasn’t me.
Forcing myself to pull back, I broke the kiss, panting like I’d just run a mile, but Kaeli only tightened her hold on me, her fingers tensing on the back of my neck and on my head.
Weak. That was all I could say about my state of mind. My mouth crashed against hers again. Hard. She moaned softly, blurring the lines even more. Fuck, I wanted her so bad.
“Kaeli,” I managed to choke out.
She moaned again, pressing her pelvis harder against me. Jesus fucking Christ!
“We have to stop…”
Her head shook a little with defiance, and she kissed my jaw, her tongue taking tiny tastes of me. “I want you,” she whispered.
Fuck, if I could stop this and walk away I was a fucking saint.
“Please, Mitch.”
Thank fuck she added that, because it was the only thing that was going to be able to stop me. Reaching up, I grabbed her by the wrists and drew them between us. She didn’t stop though. She was too far gone. Managing to push herself forward, she kissed my neck, her hot breath sending shivers of pleasure over my skin.
“Kaeli, stop.” My voice still sounded unconvincing.
“No.”
Her straight refusal stumped me. How the hell was I supposed to stop someone who clearly didn’t want to stop, when I didn’t really want them stop either?
I searched my head for something that would help me, but all I came up with was every time I’d seen her. Every time I’d tasted her. Damn it! That was so not fucking helping.
The image of Pock holding her down on his bed came to mind, and a flash of anger shot through me. Thank fuck. It was just what I needed.
Taking both her wrists in one hand, I held them firmly between our chests, then I cupped my free hand over her mouth, effectively keeping her from kissing me. Her body still writhed against me though, so I pushed up hard ag
ainst her, forcing my thigh between her legs to keep her still.
Gazing down at her, I watched her glazed eyes slowly widen. “We have to stop, Kaeli,” I said. I used a low voice, with a hint of authority in it.
Her eyes flickered with confusion and she moved her mouth like she wanted to say something, but then her gaze moved to something over my shoulder.
“Mitch.”
I stilled at the sound of Davo’s voice, quickly assessing the situation. I had Kaeli pinned in what I hoped looked like an aggressive way. Enough that I hoped Davo would think I was trying to force something, and not that I was trying to actually stop something.
I looked over my shoulder and gave him a death glare. His gaze flashed to Kaeli and I saw the recognition hit. He smirked. “Sorry, man. TJ’s got a lead. He wants us at The Cross in ten.”
I pressed my lips together tight to show him I wasn’t happy.
His eyebrow quirked. “I’ll meet you out front in five.”
I watched him turn and disappear through the crowd before turning back to face Kaeli. It surprised me a little to see my hand still clamped over her mouth. With the sexual tension gone, it looked wrong. Slowly, I relaxed my hold on her, her wrists sliding out of my hold. She didn’t pull away from me though, she just licked her lips while she watched me.
Before I could change my mind, I stepped back. “I have to go.” The emotion in my voice shocked me. I had to get out of there.
Spinning on my heel, I didn’t wait for her to answer. On my way out the door, I looked back to see Leah watching me with narrowed eyes. I wondered how much she saw.
Chapter 33
Kaeli
I woke thinking I’d heard something breaking. Sitting up, I tried to shake off the drowsiness and listen out for anything unusual, but was only met with silence. Taking a slow, deep breath, I released it in a huff. Maybe it’d been in my dream.
Falling back on my pillow, my mind wandered back to my encounter with Mitch at the club. I’d been breathless when I’d watched Mitch walk away. I had no idea what had happened. It’d actually frightened me a little to think how out of control I’d become during our little make out session, but that was completely overshadowed by how exhilarated I’d felt.
I couldn’t understand it. What that boy did to me was insane. How did he make me so completely abandoned like that? Whenever I was face to face with him, I forgot everything except the way he made me feel.
In some ways I knew it was doing me a favor, because I really did need to forget some of the shit I was being dragged into, but just like the aftermath of the kiss we’d shared earlier that evening, all my common sense seemed to come back to me, and I just felt stupid and naïve for letting him in.
I sighed, ready to push it all out of my mind and get back to sleep, but a muffled thump brought my attention right back to the present. It was quickly followed by a whimper. My heart immediately jumped into a full out sprint and I felt the blood drain from my face.
Ken’s low voice faintly reached my ears. I could barely hear it, but it was enough for me to interpret the malice in his tone.
Anger boiled up inside me. We’d made a deal. I was willingly walking into the house of freaking horror in return for my mother’s safety. Fuck him!
Scrambling out of bed, I threw open the door and raced towards the sound downstairs. Flying down as fast as I could, I rounded the bend and jerked myself to a halt. I couldn’t hold back the gasp my body released at the sight of Mom’s crumpled body at the base of the stairs, surrounded by a sea of broken glass.
Despite the fact that Mom lay unmoving and bleeding from a cut on her temple, Ken reared back, ready to strike again.
With a scream, my body unlocked itself and I lurched forward, throwing myself between them. Ken pulled back at the sound, but he couldn’t stop the momentum completely and his body clashed with mine, sending me tumbling sideways.
Pain lanced through my cheek as it connected with the bannister. I heard myself scream again as I collapsed in a heap beside my mom, clasping my hands over my cheek as though it would ease the pain. Other pain pricked at me from the little pieces of glass underneath me, but it was nothing compared to the one in my cheek.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!” Ken demanded, looming over the top of me.
“You promised!” I spat.
He laughed harshly. “What are you going to do about it, Kaeli? Go to the police? You know that won’t stop me. Even if I go to jail, I can still reach you and your mother. Don’t ever forget that.”
“Maybe I’m willing to take the risk,” I ground out through the pain.
Another laugh. “Just try me, sweetheart. It would mean nothing to me to lay your mother out on a cold slab. Nothing! I’d prefer to do it myself, but if I have to get someone else to do it, I will.”
A flashing of red and blue lights shone through the front window and Ken cursed under his breath. Leaning over me, he gave me his best intimidating snarl.
“Remember what I said and you and your mother might live to see another Christmas.”
With that, he spun and walked away. A few seconds later I heard the back door softly close, then a few more seconds after that, a loud knock rattled the front door.
I glanced over at Mom, willing myself to get up. I needed to see if she was okay. She moved a little and moaned pitifully. Relief washed through me. Thank god she was alive.
Still holding onto my cheek, I forced myself to my feet, swaying a little with dizziness. Clasping the bannister for support until I regained my balance, I stumbled around the broken glass to the door as best I could.
The two police officers that were standing on the front porch eyed me with caution, their hands resting on the holsters of their guns.
“Good evening, Miss. We were called about a disturbance at this location. Can you tell me who is currently on the premises?”
I swallowed back the pain. “Just me and my mom. Please. She’s hurt. I think she needs an ambulance.” I opened the door wider so they’d be able to see her.
One of the officer’s eyes widened while the other’s narrowed with suspicion.
The suspicious one nodded. “We’ll make a call right away. Do you mind if we come in so we can assess the situation?”
I shook my head and stepped back to let them in. They both stepped in, eyes cautious. The suspicious one moved quickly over the where mom lay, while the other one spoke into his radio, making the call.
Mom moaned again as the officer checked her injuries. “Ma’am? It’s the SACPD. Hold still. We have an ambulance en route. Tell me if you understand.”
She groaned loudly. “Yes,” she croaked out.
“Can you tell me who did this to you?” he said softly.
“No one,” she strained. “Fell…”
My breath hitched and the officer’s jaw tensed. His glanced back at me before squatting down next to Mom. “Your daughter has quite a bruise on her cheek. She fall too?” he asked sarcastically.
Mom whimpered. “Kaeli?” her voice was panicked.
I rushed over. “I’m here, Mom. I’m okay. I stumbled a little when I saw you laying here. Hit my face on the bannister.”
She tried to roll over so she could see me and cried out in pain.
“Don’t move, Mom, okay? The paramedics will be here soon. We need to get you checked out. You probably have some broken bones.”
I knew it must’ve been bad when she didn’t argue with me, and I was suddenly scared. What if she had internal bleeding or something?
I looked up and was met with the officer’s bland stare. “You stumbled?” he said sardonically. “Really? That’s your story?”
With my mouth suddenly dry, I nodded.
“Okay, what about the reports of a raised voice? A raised male voice?”
I stared at him without blinking. I knew he’d be able to see the sadness in my eyes. “It must’ve been the TV.”
His jaw clenched again then he nodded. Before he could say anyth
ing else, the ambulance pulled up at the curb.
The officers and I stood back as they rushed in and took control of Mom’s injuries. I watched them carefully fit a neck brace and lift her onto the stretcher.
“You know, if anyone was hurting you or your mother there is a way out,” the officer said quietly beside me.
I didn’t look at him. I just kept watching my mom, then infinitesimally, I nodded. I heard him sigh a little before I followed the stretcher out the door.
Chapter 34
Noah
Groceries done. Want me 2 cruz the strip?
Checking the text I tapped out to TJ, I hit send and started the car. TJ’s code for dealing was doing the groceries. It wasn’t really original, but what the fuck did I care?
My cell pinged a few seconds later. Yep. Check X.
I groaned. I really wasn’t in the mood to go to The Cross, but if I got it over with quickly, I could go check in with Kate. I needed to know if they were onto anything with these counterfeit pills.
TJ had managed to nab one guy he’d found selling the fakes with Mr. X’s mark on it earlier that day, but after a pretty gruesome interrogation, all he’d gotten out of him was that the maker called himself The Shadow. That’s it. No location. No way of contacting him. Nothing.
Parking the car just down the block from the seedy club, I strode to the door and paid the cover charge to get in. Finding a dark corner, I stood back and took in tonight’s trouble. The usual idiots were there, hollering and grabbing the girls as they paraded past, as were a few newcomers.
Movement in the far corner caught my eye, and when my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I found Kaeli’s loser step brother with another guy.
It was plain to see they were doing some shady dealings. Ken was going to have to pull him into line. And soon.
Sticking to the shadows, I walked around the perimeter of the room, my eyes trained on Aaron and the buyer.
Just as I reached the corner, the buyer slipped away. Aaron tucked some folds into his pocket and went to step out, but I took the opportunity to intercept him.