As we piled outside I wanted to ask about Sax, but held my tongue. I would be seeing him soon anyway. I wasn't too happy that I would be staying at his clubhouse and would have to see him with club whores, but I had no choice. Ava was already there, so it only made sense. I didn't want to put her in danger by picking her up just to bring her to a different clubhouse.
I met Spider's look with a smile. "I guess you're with me."
In the past, I’d felt sorry for the prospects. They were essentially nothing but gofers. They did all the work, were treated like crap, and got none of the perks of belonging to the club. They were also treated like punching bags to any member who was aggressive or was high on adrenaline and needed to fight it out. Some of them put up with it for two years or longer just for the chance to be patched in. Once Sax had explained the process to me, telling me that they’d all gone through it, I understood that it was a trial period to prove themselves worthy of becoming full-fledged members.
"I got ya, sweetheart," Spider said with a flirty grin.
I climbed into my car and waved back at the girls as they plowed into the SUV in front of me. I'd see them again soon. Cole and Reid climbed onto their bikes, while LD broke away from Jolene and walked to Spider.
"Take Holly straight to her house, and then to the clubhouse. You see anything…" LD didn't finish his sentence, but it was clear that Spider didn't need him to. "You radio in. Don't engage unless they make the first move."
Spider nodded at LD's directions and then looked back at me. "You ready?"
Jolene and I gave each other a finger wave. She, at least, would have Danny and Annabelle with her. I wasn't familiar with the members and their old ladies at LD's clubhouse, which had been created while I'd been away. I was kind of glad to be going to Demon's.
I still had a hard time believing that Jolene and LD were together. I’d never thought that LD would find a woman that would put up with his dark moods. Jolene had broken down the barriers around his stone heart and won him over. I was happy for them both.
I started my car and took off down the drive. I noticed in my rearview mirror that LD and Spider continued to converse for a minute, but as I neared the road they parted and Spider was soon behind me.
I headed home, anxious to get to Demon's clubhouse and have Ava in my arms again.
Chapter 12
Holly
I was tossing clothes into the small suitcase laid out on my bed when I heard the familiar sound of a motorcycle rumbling outside my house. I didn't think anything of it. Spider was waiting for me, and I assumed that one of his brothers from the club had joined him. I couldn't say that I was exactly happy to be going on lockdown, but I knew the drill by now, and I'd have been a fool to deny Ava the protection of the club. I would do whatever it took to keep her safe.
Even if it meant being around Sax.
Glancing down at the contents in the suitcase, I had to chuckle. Ava's things took up more than half of the room. I shoved some of her clothes aside to make room for my meager things. I knew there were a washer and dryer at the clubhouse, so that made packing easier.
As I went to the bathroom to gather a few toiletries, I heard the sound of a motorcycle revving up and taking off. A moment later I heard my front door opening, and then the noise of boots stomping through my tiny house. "Almost done, Spider," I called out, leaving the bathroom with an arm load of toiletries. I set them on the bed, deciding I should put them into a plastic bag before packing them. The bags were in the kitchen. I turned to head out of my bedroom and came to a startled stop. My breath caught at the sight of Sax standing in the threshold, watching me.
"Spider is gone," he said bluntly.
God, he looked hot. His hair was a little longer than he usually wore it, and the five o'clock shadow on his jaw defined the strong, square cut of it. Eyes that had always reminded me of rich mahogany gleamed with an intimate knowledge that made my underwear wet. The way they moved over me caused me to shiver with awareness. I wet my lips. "What are you doing here?"
"Spider had something to take care of."
Why did I get the feeling that he was lying? "So I'm important enough for the VP of Desert Rebels to drop whatever he was doing to pick me up?"
He shrugged. "I happened to be in the neighborhood."
Yeah, okay.
"Did you make that appointment yet?"
I knew exactly what he was talking about, and I released a huff. "Sax, it's only been two days." I wasn't in any hurry to find out if Ava was his or not, and I'd been busy--busy with work, busy with taking care of an active baby, busy putting off the inevitable and stressing over the whole thing. Talking to the girls and telling them my awful secret had actually made me feel better, but the thought of hurting Sax even more made me sick inside.
Or maybe I was more afraid of what his reaction would be to the results.
To hell with a plastic bag. I turned away from him, crammed my toiletries into my suitcase, and slammed it closed. "I will," I said with little conviction, avoiding his eyes. Before I looked up again, Sax had moved further into my bedroom. The speed in which he moved and the look of purpose in his eyes caused me to gasp and take a step back. Another sharp gasp escaped me when I found my back pressed against the wall and Sax practically on top of me.
"What are you so afraid of?" he growled down at me. "What the fuck you hiding from me?"
He saw too much.
I couldn't even bring myself to shake my head in denial. We locked eyes, the tension growing between us. I dragged my bottom lip between my teeth in a nervous effort to hold myself together. The heat between us was palpable and sexual in nature. It always had been. All the scents that I associated with him were there, turning me on. Old leather, smoke, and the light scent of the aftershave he liked. His own personal musk. The longer the silence went on, the harder it was to keep from throwing myself at him. I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to touch him. I watched his jaw clench and his nostrils flare with arousal. Sax may have wanted me too, but I could see the truth in his eyes--he wanted to lash out and hurt me just as badly.
I swallowed hard, blinking back the emotion that threatened to expose my weakness for him. His hooded gaze dropped to my lips, and he closed his eyes as if he were fighting against himself. Slowly he shook his head, breathing in deeply. I could tell that he was struggling for control. Every instinct I had warned me that I should get away from him, but I knew that the minute I moved he'd be on me. I wasn't sure I could handle Sax's hands on me again.
"Why are you really here, Sax?" My words were soft, barely above a whisper. "Are you here to hurt me?"
His eyes snapped open, anger changing the brown until they were almost obsidian. "Maybe," he said gruffly, shocking me. "Hurt you or fuck you."
What was I supposed to say to that? I felt my pulse jump, and caught my breath as more wetness pooled between my legs. I slowly shook my head, but I wasn't sure if I was denying my arousal, or if it was my way of telling Sax that he couldn't do either. I tried not to recall the night that he'd shown up in my room at the clubhouse, but a sharp tingle traveled down my spine as I remembered his rough hands and hard mouth on me, giving me pleasure.