She could see my struggle. It was written all over my face, not to mention throbbing in my pants, even now. But so was my determination.
“I can’t budge,” I said to her.
“Good luck with that,” she whispered, a sly, teasing smile spreading across her face as she reached up and pulled her shirt over her head.
“Lucky…”
She wiggled out of her jeans in a flash, with sparkling eyes full of temptation. Standing in only her bra and panties, I swallowed hard as she peeled them off next.
“Lucky…” I growled.
She lifted her chin in defiance, meeting my gaze with a steely dare.
“I can’t, babe,” I muttered, the pain of my words ripping through every inch of me. She turned on her heel, spinning away and slowly walking down the hall, giving me a perfect, excruciatingly, painfully tempting view of the sweetest bare ass I’d ever seen.
She disappeared around the corner without a word, leaving me drooling in a pool of regret.
CHAPTER 12
NICHOLAI
Sometimes, it was so easy it was boring.
Dressed as a bellboy, I lingered near the burly group of bikers gathered in the lobby. I’d watched them since they’d arrived and now that they’d left Lucky’s room, they stood huddled together, quietly talking amongst themselves.
Standing by the glass front doors, I hung out near a luggage cart, quietly and discretely looking at my phone. I’d donned a wig and glasses and put lifts in my shoes, making me appear much taller than usual. After stealing a uniform from the laundry room, I walked into the hotel lobby like I’d been there a million times, blending in perfectly while I watched Lucky’s new security team get their bearings.
Sure, they looked strong. Big, scary guys that never had to be afraid of anything. Men that relied on their brawn to get them through life. Maybe they weren’t formally educated, but men like that gain their intelligence on the streets.
They’ll be a formidable opponent, no doubt.
I'm up to the challenge.
In fact, I’m quite sure it’s going to be joyfully fun and entertaining, and I’ll have an absolute ball leading them around in a game of cat and mouse before they, too, are given the boot by my fiery creation. Lucky won’t keep them around long. The previous two teams tried so hard, I almost felt bad for them. At the same time, I was starting to think of myself as a sort of security team myself. It’s good that I’m showing them all how weak they are, especially when they thought they were so tough and impenetrable.
I guess I just like proving everyone wrong.
And, as I watched the one called Ziggy, the one my love had decided to open her thighs to, walk off the elevator and join the others, I realized proving them wrong wasn’t going to be enough for me this time.
These guys?
With their ironically cool leather vests and their tough exteriors? Walking around like a muster of fucking peacocks? Thinking they’re going to do a job others couldn’t before them? And that asshole? Fucking my woman like he owned her? There’s no way in hell I can let this happen.
I’m going to destroy them.
CHAPTER 13
ZIGGY
Ryder gave me a look of sympathy as I walked off the elevator. Riot was giving everyone instructions as I joined the group.
“Hey guys, we’re all leaving soon. It’s a three-hour drive to Portland. We’ll be following right behind Lucky’s bus, and basically just be resting until we get to the venue. Once we’re on the road, I’ll go over the blueprints of the venue and assign everyone’s posts,” Riot said.
“Thanks for doing this, guys,” I said. “I’ll be staying with Lucky, on her bus, and by her side, taking point throughout this whole job. You all have my number. If there’s anything —.”
“—Wait a minute,” Riot said, interrupting me. “That’s not what I planned.”
“What’s the problem?” I asked.
“First of all, this is a Solid Ground job. And because of that, Ryder and I are the ones who work out the logistics. And Grace, too, but since she isn’t here, it’s just us. And the most experienced get the most important, hardest jobs. I’d say the person glued to Lucky’s side would have the most important job, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes, but —.”
“— But nothing. I’m sorry, Ziggy. I know you’re the one who found the job, but now that we’re here, we need to follow protocol.”
I stood in front of him, looking back and forth between him and Ryder, my head spinning. There’s no way in hell this is going to happen.
“Fuck protocol,” I said, finally, shaking my head. “I’m not leaving her side. Look, man,” I lowered my voice to a whisper so everyone in the hotel lobby couldn’t hear me, “I already told her we had to cool it, okay?”
“Ziggy, that’s great, but —.”
“— No, man. Look, I care about her, okay? I know I just met her, but I made her a promise and I’m not about to break it. Can’t you guys understand that and make an exception here? I can’t leave her. I just can’t.”
I crossed my arms over my chest to show them I meant business, standing firmly in my boots. The two of them exchanged a glance and Ryder nodded.
“Give him a partner,” Ryder said. “He’s right. Lucky already trusts him, she’ll be more receptive if he’s there.”
“Alright,” Riot agreed. “Slade?”
“No way, man,” Slade spoke up. “I want to be in the mosh pit! Breaking skulls and shit!”
“Slade, there’s no fucking mosh pit at a pop show,” Riot laughed.
“Oh, well shit,” he replied. “Put me where I can crush some skulls then.”
“Look, guys,” Riot said. “This is most likely going to be a boring job. Standing around killing time and surveying the scene. No mosh pits, no backstage groupies, no drugs, no sex.”
“Jesus, dude,” Slade said. “Why don’t we just slit our wrists right now?”
“Shut up,” Ryder barked. “Enough. We’ll figure a more permanent situation out later, but right now we need to get our asses on that tour bus before it takes off without us. Ziggy you can stay with Lucky. Call us if anything’s weird. Take one of the guys with you,” he said, scanning the lot of them. “Take Blade.”
“That’s fine,” I said. “Thank you, Ryder.”
“Just don’t fuck it up,” Riot warned, with a menacing stare.
“Trust me, I won’t,” I replied. Blade stepped up with a determined nod. “Thanks, brother.”
“My pleasure, Zig,” he said. Blade was tall and thin, his limbs wiry and lanky, but he was pure muscle and intimidation. I was happy to have him as a partner. We said goodbye to the guys and headed for the elevator and back up to Lucky’s room.
As the doors opened into her penthouse and I saw she was safe and sound, sitting on top of a bulging suitcase, a look of frustration on her pretty face as she attempted to zip it up, my heart swelled.
“I’m here now,” I said. “Blade’s here, too. We won’t leave you alone again.”
“Good,” she said. “Now, get over here and help me, please?”
“That’s never going to close. There’s too much shit in it.”
“I thought you were here to fix things?”
“We’re here to keep you safe,” I said.
“Well, if you don’t zip this up, I’m going to shoot myself, so maybe a change of attitude is in order?”
Blade burst out laughing, and then so did I, followed by a smirk from Lucky. The urge to pull her into my arms was strong. I swallowed hard and turned away from her, focusing all my attention on her suitcase, which was overflowing with wispy pieces of fabric, all of which smelled exactly like her, which wasn’t helping one bit.
I looked over at her again, standing there watching me with a sweet little grin on her pretty face, her hair hanging in thick strands and falling around her delicate shoulders…
Thank God Blade’s here, I thought.
Otherwise, I’d be in a heap of
trouble.
CHAPTER 14
LUCKY
He’s trying so hard to be professional.
If it wasn’t so fucking frustrating, it would almost be funny. Instead, it was quickly beginning to piss me off. He’d gone from being warm and affectionate, in a way that was so addicting, to completely hands-off. Hell, he’d barely smiled at me in the last three hours.
As if that stoic expression was some kind of armor. Didn’t he realize I could see right through him?
I didn’t even have to glance at his crotch to see he still wanted me.
It was written all over that devilishly handsome face, no matter how much he tried to hide it. He thought he could put a buffer between us by bringing Blade with him, but that didn’t keep him from trailing me around the tour bus with those stormy, brooding eyes.
The ride was long, bumpy and exhausting. By the time we arrived at the Moda Center in Portland, it was only a few hours away from showtime and soon, twenty-thousand screaming fans would be waiting for me to walk onstage. The production crew had already left after our show last night and had everything set up and ready to go hours before I’d even crossed the state line.
The Gods were just as prepared, it seemed.
As soon as we all streamed out of the tour bus, they surrounded me, shielding me from the group of screaming fans that had gathered near the underground parking garage. Ziggy stood at my side, vigilantly scanning the crowd. Riot led the way, obviously well versed in the layout of the place, because he swept us into the arena, down a maze of hallways and right to a cluster of dressing rooms deep in the basement of the place.
Their efficiency comforted me, despite my continued frustration with Ziggy. I knew I’d eventually have to let that go, but for now, I wasn’t done with this beautiful man and I wasn’t used to being told no.
That fact alone was getting to me.
I’d had a problem with authority figures ever since I’d endured such horrendous abuse at my mother’s hands. Since then, when someone told me I couldn’t do something, I took it as a challenge.
Watching as Ziggy insisted I stay just inside the door of the dressing room while he looked around first, I knew my biggest challenge was going to be keeping myself from teasing him relentlessly until he gave in. He checked all the corners of the suite and looked in the attached bathroom before giving me a thumbs up.
“Very thorough of you,” I said.
“Just doing my job, ma’am,” he said.
“If you call me ma’am again, I’m going to kick you in the balls.”
He laughed and winked at me. “Duly noted.”
We stood staring at each other, neither of us knowing quite what to do with our hands. Balling my fingers into tiny fists at my side, I willed myself to do the right thing. Teasing him was an asshole thing to do. The poor guy was only trying to do his job and he didn’t need me torturing him.
But, still. It sure was fun to see him squirm.
Which is what he was doing right now. His eyes lingered on my lips and I glanced down, the ever present bulge twitching behind his jeans.
“You can go,” I said. “I need to get ready. It’ll take me a while. I do my hair and makeup myself.”
“Oh, right,” he said, nodding, looking a little too grateful for an escape. “Of course. We’ll be right outside the door.”
“Thanks, Ziggy,” I said, flashing him a smile, when all I really wanted to do was flash him every thing else I had.
He left and I walked over to the bar, pouring myself a drink and sinking into a leather sofa lining the wall. Munching on carrot sticks and sipping my whiskey, I sighed a huge sigh of relief.
With a smile, I realized I felt safe for the first time in a very, very long time.
CHAPTER 15
ZIGGY
Watching Lucky perform her final encore, everything became very clear.
Her fame. Her popularity. The legions of obsessed fans.
She was a powerhouse. The full package. She had the illusive ‘it’ factor.
As I watched her work the crowd, pulling them in with every song, storming across the stage like she’d been born on it, keeping her adoring fans hanging on her every word and move — I got it.
I became one of them.
Mesmerizing and seductive, she made us all fall in love with her. She rocked us to our very core, leaving us sweaty and elated and begging for more. Even from the side of the stage, I could feel the intense energy pulsing through the crowd, the love, the desire, the intense devotion was unlike anything I’d ever experienced.
And it was all about her.
It was all for her.
And yet, at the same time, she was the one who created it.
She made us love her.
She demanded we love her.
There was no question. No negotiations. No timid inquiry.
She exploded on the stage like a fireball of energy, demanding you take notice and bathe in her light.
My eyes grazed over the crowd, the welcoming sight of the Gods, lining the edges and actively scanning the screaming, dancing audience for any visible threat, made me proud to be a part of such an amazing organization. And as I looked back at Lucky, the crowd eating out of her hand, I was proud to be here with her, too.
With any luck, we’d get rid of this asshole, Nicholai, in no time at all, and I could find my way back into her bed sooner than later. As I watched her dance around, the tight black leather pants cradling her ass like a prize, I prayed for sooner.
Show your face, prick, I thought. I can’t take this much longer.
The song ended and after a thunderous roar of applause, Lucky waved goodbye to the crowd and ran off stage towards me and jumped into my arms, her thighs wrapping around my hips, her arms snaking around my neck.
She was dripping in sweat and leather, but I didn’t care. For a split second, I leaned into her, squeezing her ass with my splayed out fingers as I held her up, the sudden embrace impossible to resist. But then I spotted Ryder over her shoulder, standing guard on the opposite side of the stage, his brow furrowed in disapproval.
“That was amazing,” I whispered in her ear, as I gently untangled myself from her with great reluctance. The sweat she transferred to my cheek cooled in her absence and as I smiled down at her, longing to lay a passionate kiss on her to show her just how much her performance had impacted me, it physically hurt to not give into such a raging need.
“Thank you!” she replied, grabbing a towel and wiping the sweat from her brow. My head spun as I watched a small drop fall from her temple, sliding down her sculpted cheeks, teasing me with touching the skin that I couldn’t.
I’m here to do a job, I reminded myself.
“Let’s get you to your dressing room,” I said, my voice a pained growl.
She was surging with energy, pacing around me like an excited puppy.
“I want to party!” she shouted.
I smiled, and gestured for Blade, who was standing near-by, to join us as we walked down the long maze of hallways that led back to the dressing rooms. Fury, Nate and Eli stood guard outside and they greeted us as we drew near.
“Everything clear?” I asked.
“Sure is,” Fury said. “Been pretty quiet down here. The concert sounded amazing.”
“It was,” I nodded, beaming with pride.
“Thanks for looking out down here, boys,” Lucky said, smiling at them, as she walked into her room.
“Voodoo Donuts delivered a huge amount of donuts,” Nate said. “They made a donut that looks just like you, Lucky.”
“Cool!” Lucky said, as the door closed behind us, leaving Blade, Nate, Fury and Eli standing outside. I watched as she walked over to the bubblegum pink box and opened it up. “Wow, Ziggy, look!”
Sure enough, staring back at us was a brightly colored purple pastry with Lucky’s face drawn on it in pink frosting.
“It’s a perfect likeness,” I said.
She picked it up and took a bite out of it, as bri
ght red jelly began oozing from the center and dripping from her lips.
“You have something on your lip,” I said, my eyes glued to her luscious lips.
“Here?” she asked, reaching for the wrong side.
“No,” I shook my head.
“Here?” she asked again, pointing to the middle of her bottom lip.
“Nope,” I growled, my tongue itching to escape from it’s confines and show her just where it was.
“I’m eating myself,” she said, chomping on it again playfully.
“I see that,” I said, as more of the jelly oozed out, covering her lips in sticky sweetness.
She looked up at me knowingly, her eyes sparkling with boldness.
“You could lick it off,” she said, arching her back, pressing her tits seductively against my chest. “I won’t tell anyone.”
“I’m a strong man, Lucky,” I said, turning away from her. “But I’m not that strong. You enjoy your donut, darling, and I’ll be right outside.”
“You’re no fun,” she called after me with a chuckle.
“It’s not fun you want, and you know it,” I said, throwing a last look at her over my shoulder before I opened the door. She stared back at me, licking the jelly from her lips with a smile.
“You know me so well already,” she said.
“I’m a quick learner.”
“Yes, you are,” she said, her voice like a knife in my heart. I’d memorized every inch of her, learned what made her moan, what made her scream — but the knowledge alone wasn’t enough.
It would never be enough.
I walked out into the hallway, leaving her there alone and taking my frustration with me.
CHAPTER 16
LUCKY
Ziggy was proving to be a tough nut to crack, but I admit I was enjoying it. My teasing was probably torture, but having him around had been a godsend of a distraction.
For the last few months, I’d been consumed with grief and anger and all the stages that came with the revelation that Nicholai had killed Eddie. After running away from him, everything in my life changed.
GET LUCKY: GODS OF CHAOS MC (BOOK NINE) Page 6