‘Have you had enough to eat, honey?’ Angie asked, cutting into the pie, once more filling the room with the most delicious aroma.
‘Jesus, Mum, she isn’t twelve,’ Kip sighed, rolling his eyes.
Mia laughed. She couldn’t help it. She’d already decided that she felt incredibly comfortable in this situation. It felt nice. Safe. Normal. Even though this place, this club, it was anything but normal. But it was the only life she knew. ‘I actually quite like being fussed over, for a change.’
‘Of course you do, darlin’.’ Angie smiled, giving her another friendly wink. ‘You two kids have a good time now, you hear?’
Kip held up his hand in acknowledgment as he and Mia left the kitchen. ‘Kids. I’m forty frigging years old.’
‘She’s your mum. And you’ll probably always be her little boy,’ Mia teased, pulling his cap off his head as she linked her arm through his.
‘Hey, missy, give that back!’ Kip laughed.
Mia pulled his cap down over her dark curls, poking her tongue out at him. ‘You want it, you come and get it.’ She let go of him, running out of the clubhouse into the bright afternoon sun. She felt happier than she had done in a long time, and she didn’t know whether that was because of Ben, or just because she was finally accepting her new home. She only knew that, right now, she was falling in love with life again. And she liked that feeling.
***
Ben couldn’t help but look up as he heard her voice, her laugh ringing out around the relatively quiet clubhouse. He’d known she was there, he’d just never dared throw even the smallest glance in her direction for fear of giving something, even the tiniest detail, away about what he really felt for Mia Rose. A woman who’d given him a whole new lease of life in a space of time so short his head was still spinning with the speed at which everything was happening.
He watched as she came out of the kitchen with Kip; watched as she pulled his cap off his head and down on to hers, their laughter filling the air. He watched as she ran out of the clubhouse, followed by Kip, and even though envy was never an emotion he’d been a fan of, the stab of jealousy that shot through him was painful enough for him to acknowledge it. Was Kip Hart a threat? Jesus! What was he? Some fifteen year old kid? Ben had a connection with Mia. A strong, very real connection. And he wasn’t about to let anybody break that.
Twelve
‘What are you doing out here?’ Lexi asked as she joined Mia out in the back yard at Tay and Angie’s. ‘The post-dinner party’s just getting going.’
Mia held up her cigarette as way of an explanation.
‘So, it’s not because you’re intimidated by that lot in there, then?’ Lexi smiled, folding her arms against herself as an unexpectedly chilly breeze cut across the garden.
‘Hardly,’ Mia laughed. ‘You’ve seen that lot over in Newcastle. If I can handle them, these guys’ll be a pushover.’
Lexi looked at her, but Mia refused to meet her friend’s eyes. She could sense the sudden serious atmosphere, and the last thing she wanted to talk about was her life back in Newcastle. Even though she’d been the one to, unintentionally, bring it up.
‘You don’t want to talk about it any more, huh?’ Lexi asked, grasping Mia’s mood immediately.
Mia took one last draw on her cigarette before stubbing it out on the wall beside her. ‘I’ve moved on, Lex. And things are good now. So that’s what I want to concentrate on, okay?’
Lexi smiled again, rubbing her shoulder. ‘Okay. I’ll see you inside.’
Mia nodded as she wondered whether to light up another cigarette, but then decided against it. She was just looking for another diversion. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to join in with everybody inside, it was just that, with Ben being around, it was hard, to be in the same room as him and not let her emotions show. He looked so handsome tonight too, with his short dark hair just a touch mussed-up, dark jeans and a black T-shirt that was just tight enough to show the contours of his hard, toned stomach. She ached to see him naked. Ached to feel him fuck her again.
‘You all right?’
She looked up as Kip leaned back against the wall beside her. ‘Yeah. I’m fine. Just taking a breather.’
His eyes met hers, and she felt her stomach sink. Here it was. That moment when he told her something she didn’t want to hear, because it meant she’d have to tell him something she didn’t really want to tell him. But she knew she had to. It wasn’t fair to let him think anything could happen, when it wasn’t going to.
‘You can tell me to piss off if you want to, but I don’t think I’ve made any secret of the fact I think you’re one of the hottest women to walk through those clubhouse doors. And than includes any of the Candy Cave girls.’
Mia couldn’t help laughing. Sometimes romance and bikers really was like oil and water – they just didn’t mix. ‘I’m gonna take that as a compliment.’
Kip grinned, and Mia wished this wasn’t happening. Because the last thing she wanted to do was hurt his feelings. ‘So, like I said before, you can tell me to piss off, but…’
‘Don’t, Kip. Please.’
She held his gaze, but the confusion in his eyes was evident.
‘I can’t,’ she whispered, shoving her hands in her pockets, scuffing her heel against the wall behind her – both nervous reactions to a situation she really didn’t want to be in. ‘I’m just… I can’t, Kip. Okay?’
His expression stayed almost stoic for a second or two, until he finally smiled, but it wasn’t one that reached his eyes. ‘Too soon, huh?’
How could she answer yes to that? When she’d already embarked on something – whatever it was, or turned out to be – with Ben. And she didn’t want to lie to Kip, on top of everything else. So she said nothing at all.
Kip sighed, throwing his head back, raking a hand through his dirty-blonde hair. ‘You’re breaking my heart here, darlin’.’
‘Kip…’
‘It’s okay.’ He smiled at her again – a more convincing smile this time. ‘I understand. Kip Hart gets blown out again.’
‘Nothing new there, then.’ Luca grinned as he walked past them, throwing Mia a cheeky wink.
‘Fuck off!’ Kip laughed.
‘I really am sorry, Kip.’
He shrugged as he started to back away from her. ‘No worries, sweetheart. We’re still gonna hang out, though? Right?’
‘Definitely.’ She watched as he strode back inside the house, his head slightly down, and she felt her stomach sink again. He really had made quite an impact on her since her arrival here in Paradise and, maybe, if it hadn’t been for Ben…
‘I can’t bear this.’
She swung around at the sound of his voice to find him standing right there beside her. ‘Jesus, Ben! You scared the frigging crap out of me!’
‘Letting him down gently, huh?’
She looked back inside the house. Kip had a fresh beer in his hand and was holding court with Jesse and Luca as he animatedly related some story or other to them. ‘Something like that, yeah.’
‘Do you want to get out of here?’
She looked at him through slightly narrowed eyes. ‘And how suspicious would that look? Me and you, leaving together.’
‘We don’t have to leave together…’
She shook her head. She was just as desperate as he was to be alone again, but she wanted to stay here for a little while longer. These people had done nothing but make her feel welcome, and the least she owed them was a few hours of her time to let them know how grateful she was for everything they’d done. ‘I don’t think it’s a good idea, Ben. Not tonight.’
His mouth was on hers before she had a chance to do anything about it, and the second their lips touched she was lost. Just to feel him that close again was enough to make her forget where she actually was as her arms slid around his neck, pushing him down on to her.
‘I’ll call you,’ he whispered, kissing her once more before he finally let her go.
And all she co
uld do was stand there and watch as he walked back inside.
***
‘Oh, Jesus Christ… That’s all we need,’ Coby groaned, pushing a hand through his hair.
‘What?’ Lexi asked, frowning at him as an expression she was more than familiar with took over his face – an expression that told her something was going on that Coby thought might spell trouble. But here? At one of Angie and Tay’s dinners? What could possibly be going on that could spell trouble here?
Coby jerked his head in the direction of the open back doors, and Lexi followed his gaze.
‘Oh. Shit!’ She watched Mia practically fall into the arms of Ben Salter, their kiss long and deep; the kind of kiss that told her this probably wasn’t the first time they’d shared something so intimate. ‘Do you think Kip knows?’
Coby shrugged, knocking back a neat whisky in one mouthful. ‘She blew him out a couple of minutes ago, I know that much.’
‘Shit!’ Lexi finally tore her eyes away from Mia and Ben. ‘What do we do?’
‘We do nothing. It’s not like they’re breaking any rules, is it?’
‘She’s his client, Cobe.’
‘For Christ’s sake, Lex, you know as well as I do that he’s really working for Charlie. And Charlie only got Mia to speak to Ben in the first place as a way of making her feel as though she had some kind of control over a situation she had no control over at all.’
‘Are you serious?’
‘What do you want me to do, sweetheart? Storm over there like some over-protective dad and pull her away from him? Tell them I forbid it?’
‘That’s not what I meant… Does he know what he could be getting involved in here? I mean, Mia’s got a hell of a lot of baggage…’
Coby looked at her, raising an eyebrow. ‘You want to talk baggage, huh?’
She glared at him, but she couldn’t stop the smile from breaking through. ‘Don’t you think it’s too soon?’
‘Look, darlin’, I can do without the crap it might cause, but I can’t really do anything about it.’
‘Maybe I should talk to her.’
‘Knock yourself out. I’m not getting involved.’ But Coby knew he was already more involved than he wanted to be. Because he knew something. Something he wished he didn’t know. And keeping it from Lexi wasn’t something he wanted to do, because he knew she was going to throw a shit-fit when she found out the truth. But he couldn’t tell anyone. Not yet.
Lexi sighed, standing up on tip toes to quickly kiss him. ‘Yeah. Probably for the best, soldier. You ain’t no expert on relationships, that’s for sure.’ She winked at him, and he grinned, grabbing her around the waist, pulling her back against him. Oh, this woman could take his mind off any amount of shit, she really could.
‘I’ll see you later, baby girl.’ He almost growled the words in her ear before he kissed her again, long and slow, pushing her body up close to his. ‘Lose the panties, okay?’
She gave him a knowing smile, her voice low and husky as she spoke, her mouth almost touching his. ‘Who says I’m wearing any?’ Wriggling free of his grip she left him with an over-the-shoulder wink, and Coby watched as those incredible hips of hers swayed from side to side in a way that made his dick stand to attention without any hint of a warning. Jesus! He loved his old lady, so fucking much.
Looking back outside he breathed a small sigh of relief as he noticed Mia chatting to one of the other old ladies. He wasn’t happy that she’d thrown herself into a relationship she probably wasn’t anywhere near ready for, given her past. And he was even less happy that Ben Salter was the man Mia had chosen to turn to.
Another storm was brewing over Paradise. And this was one Coby was powerless to do anything about.
***
‘Are you fucking kidding me?’ Kip groaned, watching as Mia and Ben kissed. And that was no first kiss, either. That much was obvious. ‘She’s blown me out because she’s got something going with the club’s frigging lawyer? I mean, what the hell…?’
‘Told you you didn’t stand a chance, brother,’ Luca said, biting into a slice of Angie’s chicken and mushroom pie.
Kip looked at him. ‘Did you not have enough at dinner?’
‘What can I say?’ Luca grinned through a mouthful of food. ‘I’m a growing boy.’
‘You’re in your fucking thirties, you tosser.’
‘Hey, don’t take it out on me just because your woman’s got eyes for someone way more attractive than you.’
‘I’ll fucking do you in a minute.’
Luca held up his hands in mock surrender, backing away from Kip. ‘Look, man, you’re probably better off without her. The shit that girl’s carrying around…’
‘I can handle shit, Luc.’
Luca just shrugged before turning around and walking away, stopping only to whisper something to Lexi as she approached her brother.
‘You all right?’ Lexi asked, coming over to Kip.
‘Luca tell you, huh?’
‘I already knew,’ she sighed, digging her hands into her pockets. ‘I saw it happen.’
‘She didn’t say anything, when I spoke to her earlier.’ He threw his head back, letting out a long, heavy sigh. ‘When she blew me out.’
‘Well, I’m guessing they didn’t really mean for this to go public.’
Kip said nothing, just stared down at his boots. ‘I really liked her, Lex.’
‘Yeah. I kinda had my suspicions. About you, I mean. Not about her and Ben. I’m surprised, though, I have to admit. I wouldn’t have thought a lawyer was her type.’
‘He’s a lawyer who used to be a biker, remember?’
Lexi looked at her brother. ‘She could have done a lot worse than you, you know.’
Kip laughed, nudging her gently. ‘Yeah. Go tell her that.’
Lexi gave his hand a gentle squeeze. ‘You gonna be okay?’
Kip just raised an eyebrow, and Lexi quickly kissed his cheek. ‘Gotta run. Coby’s waiting.’
‘For what…? Oh, hang on, don’t answer that… Seriously? Here? At Angie and Tay’s?’
‘It wouldn’t be the first time.’ Lexi winked, turning to go.
‘You two not over the honeymoon period yet?’ Kip yelled after her. She replied by giving him the finger without turning around.
Kip looked back down at his boots, shaking his head and smiling to himself. He’d missed his sister with a pain he’d never told anybody about all the time she’d been over in England. He’d never stopped loving her, no matter what he might have said. No matter what he’d told her. He’d never stopped loving her. He was just glad she was back here in Paradise now, where she belonged. Because he had a feeling he was going to need her.
They were going to need each other.
Thirteen
‘Jesus Christ! I can’t believe this has fucking happened!’
‘We should have seen it coming, boss.’
Charlie threw Bear a look so sharp it could have cut through steel. ‘Not helping.’
‘Do you think he’s found out where Mia is?’ Bear poured them both a shot of whisky, sliding a tumbler across the bar to Charlie.
‘You’re stating the fucking obvious now.’ Charlie knocked the shot back in one mouthful. ‘Of course he’ll be where Mia is. Why else would he have disappeared? And who the fuck was supposed to be watching him?’
‘Roller.’
Charlie raised both eyebrows in question.
‘But his old lady’s waters broke in The Eagle, and things got kind of messy after that. There was a lot of shouting, a lot of people rushing around, and I guess we just took our eyes off the ball…’
‘You guess? Jesus! I go away for two frigging days and everything turns to crap! I would’ve been better off leaving the fucking Prospects in charge. Shit, Bear, you were supposed to be making sure there was someone watching Lennie at all times… Shit!’ Charlie’s head dropped into his hands as he let out a loud, almost tortured sigh of frustration. ‘Shit!’
‘Maybe it’s tim
e to let us know where Mia is, brother. I mean, things haven’t exactly gone to plan…’
Charlie slowly raised his head. ‘Oh, you think?’ He gave another long sigh. ‘Maybe you’re right. Keeping it to myself obviously wasn’t one of my better ideas. It’s gonna be all hands on deck now, to deal with this one.’
‘We’ll sort it, boss.’
‘Yeah. Let’s hope you’re right.’ Charlie reached for the whisky, pouring himself another shot and quickly drinking it back. ‘I’ve got calls to make.’
‘Boss…’
Charlie slammed his empty glass on to the counter, sliding down from his stool. ‘I’ll let you know when I need you. In the meantime, just make sure no more shit happens, okay?’
***
Mia nudged the front door open with her shoulder, kicking it shut behind her, her hands full of bags of groceries. Angie’s nagging regarding her eating habits had started to sink in, and in a funny kind of way she’d actually enjoyed mooching around the grocery store, checking out products you couldn’t get back home in the U.K., and those she was more than familiar with. It had been fun, doing something ordinary.
Carrying the bags into the kitchen she threw them down on to the counter and switched on the kettle. She was just about to start unpacking everything when the doorbell rang, and she looked at her watch, a slow smile spreading across her face. Lunchtime. And she knew exactly what was on the menu.
Almost running down the hallway, she flung open the door, dragging him inside by his tie, which she’d loosened and almost pulled from his neck before he’d even kicked the door shut behind him.
‘It’s good to see you too.’ He grinned, slipping his hands up and under her skirt to drag down her panties.
She smiled, grabbing his wrist to stop him. ‘Not yet,’ she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. ‘We’ve been together a while now, lawyer man. And even though I’ve let you fuck me, a lot, and I have loved every single thrust of that dick inside me…’
Retribution (The Lone Riders MC Series Book 2) Page 9