“I won’t let anything happen to you. Not now. Not ever.”
His words caught me by surprise, but it was what he did next that shocked me even more. I was standing there looking back at him when he slowly started to lean over to me. Every single nerve in my body came alive as I watched him slowly lower his mouth to mine. The man who’d done everything in his power to keep me at arm’s length finally gave in and kissed me long and hard. I’d never felt anything so incredible.
I lifted my hand up to his face, inching my body closer to him as his tongue delved deeper into my mouth. The bristles of his beard were rough against my palm, but his lips were soft and warm, luring me in for more. He threaded his fingers through my hair and tugged me closer. Unbelievable. My heart was racing, my entire body itching for more, as I whimpered into his mouth. His hand drifted to the nape of my neck, then snaked down to the small of my back. He felt so good, smelled so good, and it was all I could do to keep myself from completely losing myself in him. I couldn’t believe how my body reacted. In such a short time, this man had taken my world by storm. He’d made me feel things I never dreamed I could, and as much as it scared me, I couldn’t imagine wanting anything more.
I thought he was enjoying the kiss just as much as I was until he quickly jerked back, breaking our embrace. He growled under his breath as he ran his hand over his face and grumbled, “Fuck.”
“What’s wrong?”
“This.” He motioned his hand between us. “This can’t happen.”
“But—”
“No, Remington. This isn’t up for discussion.” He brushed past me like a raging bull as he started out the front door. As he charged outside, I heard him grumble, “Goddamn it. She’s gonna fucking ruin me.”
Damn. That was not the reaction I was hoping for. In fact, it was enough to break a girl’s heart, but I wasn’t giving up—not just yet.
Shotgun
Damn. Things had gotten totally fucked up, and it was all my fault. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking. I’d meant to keep Remington at a distance. I tried to ignore the insane pull I’d felt towards her, but seeing her with Rafe fucked with my head. I could still remember the way he was looking at her, like he intended to make her his next conquest; I nearly came unglued and Rafe knew it. When we stepped out on the porch, he looked completely confused when he said, “You wanna tell me what that was all about?”
“You didn’t do what you were fucking told.”
“That’s a crock of shit, and you know it.” His eyes narrowed as he asked, “You got something going on with Remington or what?”
“You know better than that.”
“Can’t say that I do, especially after the way you freaked out in there.” Rafe was being overly dramatic, especially when he added, “Hell, the way you were glaring me down, I got the feeling that my life was on the line. I was seriously starting to wonder if I was gonna have to start sleeping with one eye open or some shit like that.”
“Wouldn’t have to worry if you’d just done what you were told.”
“I don’t know. I got the feeling it’s more than that, and if it is, I totally get it. Remington’s a knockout. If I had my eye on her, I wouldn’t want anybody getting in the fucking way.” A smirk crossed his face. “Hell, I’d show my ass just like you did.”
“Didn’t show my ass.”
“Um-hmm. Whatever you say, brother.” He gave me a quick shrug, then changed the subject. “Find out anything on the guy?”
“Yeah. Menace was able to use the picture I sent him and found out the guy’s name—Colby Michaels. After he had a name, he was able to track his phone and check all his records.”
“And?”
I leaned back on the porch’s hand-railing. “Apparently, he was meeting up with his baby momma to return their kids.”
“So, what were they fightin’ about?”
“Motherfucker hadn’t paid his child support in over a year, and the poor girl was struggling to make ends meet while he was partying it up in his new pad downtown.”
“Fucking asshole. Y’all decide to just leave it or what?”
“No, we didn’t leave shit. The Punishers are good as dead. Each and every one of them.” I thought about the look on the motherfucker’s face when he saw the barrel of my gun pointed at his head. “Now we just have one less to contend with, and that momma finally has the money she’s been asking for. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a win for both of us.”
“Can’t say I disagree.” Rafe nodded his head over to Ada. “You got things covered here?”
“Yeah, we’re good.”
“All right then.” Rafe gave me a pat on the shoulder. “I’ll leave you to it.”
With that, he went down the steps and got on his bike. I stood there on the porch, watching as he pulled through the gate. Even after he was long gone, I was still standing there—trying to prepare myself to face Remington again. I finally pulled it together to go back in, or so I thought.
The second I walked into that kitchen, I knew I’d gone back in too soon. I was still wound up from my conversation with Rafe. I couldn’t seem to think straight, and it didn’t help matters that Remington was staring a hole through me. She was looking for answers I wasn’t prepared to give. Instead of talking about it, I chose to ignore it altogether and didn’t say a word through dinner. Apparently, that didn’t sit well with Remington.
As soon as the dishes were cleared, she started in on me with one question after the next. I’d already told her that I couldn’t discuss club business, but clearly that didn’t matter. It wasn’t as if I didn’t understand why she wanted to know what was going on with the Michaels guy we’d seen across the street. Anyone would be curious about how it had all played out, but I couldn’t and wouldn’t talk about that with her.
I could’ve ended the conversation there, but then she came at me with her bullshit about the Punishers finishing her off, and I lost it. I started thinking about what it would do to me if something happened to her, and the next thing I knew, I was reaching for her, pulling her against my chest as I planted my mouth on hers.
I should’ve pulled back, forced myself to stop, but I simply didn’t have the strength. She felt too fucking good in my arms for me to let go. When her tongue met mine, it sent a shock straight to my cock, making it difficult to restrain my need for her. I’d never felt anything like it. With a simple touch, she had me twisted in knots, and I wanted nothing more than to stay right there in her arms. Damn. When I finally realized what the fuck I was doing, I forced myself to pull back, freeing her from my hold. As soon as I saw that look in her eyes, I knew I’d fucked up. I had to get the hell out of there, and fast, so without any delay, I headed outside to do another perimeter check.
I’d only been outside a few minutes when my burner started to ring. I grabbed it out of my pocket, and as soon as I saw that it was Viper, I answered, “Tell me you have some good news.”
“Sorry, brother. Just more of the same.” I could hear the frustration in Viper’s voice. “Menace and Hawk have been at it for days. They’ve been able to locate most of the Punishers, but forging a plan to get forty or more members in one location has been problematic at best.”