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  I remembered my strategy and smiled brighter. “Thanks, guys, for the help, I appreciate it. Can I get you some tea? Or brownies? I made them last night.”

  Silent communication passed from Dare to the other two. They both declined very politely and left. Zayn arched one eyebrow when he passed by me.

  “Where’s your stuff?” Dare leaned against the bare white living room wall, arms crossed.

  “I uh...don’t have any.” I snapped my spine straight. “Why are you here? I’ve had a long day.” I crossed my arms and met his questioning gaze with my own flat stare.

  A hint of a smirk passed before he closed the distance between us, pinning me between his arms. “You. I wanted you, but now I want answers.”

  “That’s not going to—”

  He growled and I jumped.

  “—happen.” It came out as a squeak. “You need...to go.” I dragged the final two words out. I pushed away the words I wanted to say because please fuck me defeated my goal. I had to shut down all my crazy notions.

  Chapter Three: Dare

  Earlier in the day

  Red’s kiss changed the game. I liked women, but few struck me like lightning with only a kiss. Now I’d have her, tonight if I was lucky. I started my Dyna and sped out of town. The Old Man loved picking at anyone who showed up late to council meetings, I had no intention of being the ass of his jokes today.

  I parked next to Jericho’s bike. I loved that brother as much as I hated his father, the Old Man. The council meetings were shadow games of manipulation where the Old Man enjoyed fucking with Jericho.

  I strode into the club and was not even close to the last one there. Jericho spoke with Wolf, the sergeant at arms. I slid into the seat on the other side of Jericho; we weren’t subtle in our unity.

  The Old Man came into the room like some king, but he was a joke, only he didn’t know it. The meetings were never the same, except for one thing, he wanted to know profits right away. We moved around the table and reported. I gave mine, and we moved on to Bear, who ran the JB Productions, our porn business, then to the Jericho Security company, and finally Bound, the sex club, which barely broke even month to month because of the way Renegade and the Old Man used it as their personal harem. But I wasn’t the Prez, and the Old Man was.

  “We need some muscle up at Bound, this stupid fuck, Joe Morgan, is roughing up women. Dare and Jericho, take care of it. He’ll be there at five tonight. Make sure he’s too sore to return to my club.” The Prez leaned back with his eyes settling on his son.

  I hated this shit. The Old Man loved making Jericho and me do his dirty work. This should be Wolf’s job. The worst part was I wouldn’t be seeing Red in two hours, probably not even today.

  Eventually the Old Man declared the meeting over, and Jericho and I headed outside. Bear joined us.

  “This guy will be an asshole, and you’ll end up bruised,” Bear said.

  “Yeah.” Jericho shrugged. “We’ll clean his clock. You having any more Renegade trouble?”

  “Nah, my fist to his face, my foot to his ass, then he hightailed it back to Bound to play with girls nobody protects.” Bear stomped the cigarette under his boot.

  “All shit ends sooner or later,” I said, and if Jericho’s complicated mind fuck of a plan worked, he’d be Prez by this time next year.

  We talked a while longer before Jericho nodded to his truck.

  “Let’s go,” Jericho said to me before he slapped Bear’s back. “See ya soon, motherfucker.”

  Bear headed to his bike and back to directing the girls at the porn building just a mile from the club.

  The job in Ardmore turned out to be easier than I’d imagined. The dude talked tough, but when he saw the two of us headed his way, he lost his nerve. I didn’t even get a love tap from the pussy as I reminded him one fist at a time, over and over, not to hurt our girls.

  Jericho stood back while I pounded him. He called enough, and I gave him one final kick with the warning not to come back to Bound.

  No one hurts women. I had few standards and gave a shit about even less, but that pissed me off, even more than it did Jericho. I just wished I could do the same to Renegade—that asshole was rougher on women than anyone I’d ever met, but he was a brother.

  “You want to go to Bound?” Jericho gave me that shit-eating smile of his. He already knew my answer.

  “I got business back home.”

  “Redheaded business.” He laughed. “You’re in full hunt mode.”

  I stepped into the cab of his old Ford and slammed the door closed. “It’s what pussy hounds do, and I got the scent.”

  Jericho’s smile went flat. “Make sure she stays when you’re done with her.”

  “That’s normal shit for us. Hell, I can’t think of the last chick who left my bed angry when it was over.”

  He nodded. But the idea of someone else replacing me in Red’s bed didn’t set well with me. I wasn’t going to tell Jericho that she’d already managed to create this new itch in me and I hadn’t even tasted her, let alone heard her scream my name.

  Once we got back to the clubhouse, I headed for Marked Man, only to find her gone. When Zayn told me about her questions, I thanked him for doing my job. I hung around with the guys an hour or so, and thought about heading home, but I wanted to see Red, so I got comfortable on the bottom step, popped in my earbuds and played some Godsmack.

  The wait was so worth it when she walked in and saw me. I didn’t look her way, but I saw in my peripheral vision the raw hunger that flashed on her face right after the comical surprise. The woman had a terrible poker face.

  She stood there weighed down with too many bags, so I took them. I skimmed her palms as I transferred her bags to my hands. Sweet heat warmed my hands, it was the same every time we touched. If I didn’t get moving, my hard-on would be only too obvious. When I was about halfway up the stairs, she finally got a move on. I looked over my shoulder to see her blush. Damn she was sexy when her cheeks pinked. And then I imagined her other set of cheeks pink. Another to-do on my growing list of ways to pleasure her.

  Once in her apartment, she dropped her stuff, told me to wait, and almost ran from the room. I stared after Red’s retreating back, wanting nothing more than to get into her pants. After that kiss this afternoon, no way I’d be leaving without tasting both sets of her lips. Wondering if she was a true redhead had driven me a crazy since the moment I saw her.

  Bags down on the counter, I stared around the place I’d lived with Jericho for the first five years after I joined the club. Even our piss-poor furniture, including a bed in the living room and fold-up table and chairs, beat Red’s furniture. A single chair that Rebel had left behind was the extent of her furniture. Boxes lined the living room walls and a couple sat in the corners of the kitchen. Where the fuck was her furniture?

  I dialed the boys and had them meet me at Red’s car so we could get this shit done.

  “I want to get her crap unloaded and you guys gone, she owes me some answers.” Irritation built in me.

  They fell in beside me. When Red bumped into me, I swear she jumped out of her skin. She definitely didn’t look happy to see me, and then when she turned and faced the other two guys, I had to hold back a laugh at the scared rabbit face she pulled. We’d totally freaked her out.

  Of course, the three of us beat her up the stairs.

  “What the fuck?” Rock turned in a circle.

  I shrugged, leaning against the wall. Her lack of stuff made me suspicious. I needed no surprises in the shop and no one bothering her. Just the thought of her in danger did things to me. No dude wanted to be on the receiving end of my anger for hurting her.

  Eventually she quit stalling and joined us in the apartment, right before I’d decided to go retrieve her ass. The fake smile and confident sway of her hips
didn’t fool me, she wished us all gone, and I’d bet me most of all. Too bad. I tapped my fingers on my crossed arms, barely able to keep quiet until the guys split.

  “Where’s your stuff?” I assessed her stiff shoulders pushing out her perfect tits with spunk I hadn’t seen before. I thought Red was gonna be even more attractive pissed off.

  “I uh...don’t have any. Why are you here? I’ve had a long day.” Every ounce of her body gave me attitude.

  “You. I wanted you, but now I want answers.” I swallowed the smile from the way she ruffled up, ready for a fight.

  “That’s not going to—”

  She wasn’t avoiding me on this.

  “—happen.” It came out as a squeak. “You need...to go.”

  “You are going to answer my questions.” I crowded her until she was pressed against the door, where I closed her in with one arm on each side of her.

  She stared up at me, then a mulish line formed across her mouth right before she ducked under my arm and headed to the kitchen.

  “Red, what the hell?” I followed her.

  “Did you need something?” Her voice quavered even though she fisted her hands tight at her sides.

  “Yeah, where’s the furniture? What are you hiding?”

  Time passed and she stayed silent, sipping her water. The girl had moxie, not many guys could hold out when I demanded answers. But there she stood, water bottle in hand, taking turns glaring at me and studying her feet.

  I saw the moment when she gave in—her face softened, like the holding out had been what was out of character. It could be, for all I knew.

  “I don’t have furniture. I stuffed what fit in the back of my SUV before I headed out of Texarkana and away from my ex.”

  “I’ve got a truck. We can—”

  “No, we can’t. A few pieces of furniture aren’t worth the hassle.” She turned away, running her hands through her hair.

  The way she stood alone bothered me, so I circled my arms around her middle and drew her close. Her body stayed tense for a beat then she relaxed into me. Now this was the way it should be. A strawberry scent drifted up from her hair—of course it’d be strawberries, a happy scent.

  Arms crossed, she turned to me. “Happy now?”

  “Hell no. I’m not happy.” I struggled against the anger rising since I didn’t want her to stop talking. “You know we’d help you without a second thought.”

  “I can take care of myself.” She bristled and walked to the door. “See you in the morning, boss.”

  Now she was pissed. What had I said to bring out the anger? I was trying to help.

  With her green eyes blazing with heat, she was sexier than ever. I just wanted to sweep her up and carry her to bed. We could work out the other shit tomorrow. But she was more than some random chick, she was my employee. My responsibility.

  I crossed to the door, reached over her head and swung the damn door shut. It made a satisfying boom.

  “No, not even close to done with you.” The time for games was over.

  The minx pushed me, not that I moved. “What do you—”

  That was it, the spitfire had tempted me one too many times. I restrained both her wrists above her head and claimed her mouth. She went lax in my hold, letting me control this kiss. No, I was wrong about that. She leaned forward and pushed into my mouth, taking as much as she gave. My cock hard, the punch of need hit me full center; if I didn’t back down now, we’d be fucking in seconds. With self-control I reached deep for, I stepped away from her hot lips.

  “You and me—got something between us.” I strode across the room trying to control my breathing. “But I will sort this shit first.”

  She stayed where I’d left her, wide-eyed and fuckable. I wanted to take her up on that offer. Hopefully she’d still be wanting me after we were done here.

  “You got a man chasing you?”

  “No.”

  “The loser lay hands on you? He hurt you? Why you running?” I fired questions at her. Her face drew tight.

  “You got a woman? What do you want from me? Why won’t you go?”

  I could see she thought I wouldn’t answer, but I’m an open book, at least in those areas. “No woman. To fuck you, over and over.” I gave her the truth. “Give me answers and I’ll leave.” That should get her to spill. She kept insisting I go, not that I wanted to go, but I did want answers most, right now.

  Her thoughts played quickly across her face. “I always run.” She met my gaze with defiance bright in her expression. “Yeah, Tony hurt me some but needed to control me more. When Jericho hired me, I packed my things while the jerk worked, and hauled ass before he hurt me worse. But I’m not something he’d track down.”

  “Dammit.” I hated the cold way she talked about some man using her, hurting her. This Tony needed a lesson in manners.

  “Do you need to hurt me?” She shook with emotion. “Control me?”

  Rage shot through me. How could she think I’d do that? With a deep breath, I searched for some calm. “I want you. I want to do all sorts of wicked things to you in bed, but I never want, or need, to hurt you, or any woman. And control is overrated—I like my women wild.”

  Her chest heaved and lips were parted, ready and willing, but I’d made a promise. I stood staring at her, just to pound home the point we wanted each other. I meant to just walk out the door, but my thumb traced her full bottom lip before I walked out. The next time I kissed her, I’d be buried deep inside her.

  I walked around her and out the door, like I promised. That sucked.

  * * *

  I woke up the next day with a pounding headache, but then drinking with Jericho always resulted in a hangover. Even full of whiskey, neither my cock nor I could forget the green-eyed redhead who had refused to back down from me. She probably had no idea how rare that was, but even my MC brothers backed down when I wanted something. Not Red. Either she was crazy brave or plain crazy—didn’t much matter to me. Tonight, she’d be under me in bed—that wasn’t optional.

  I left the clubhouse about noon to head out to my trailer and get changed for the day. I had a client at four and a woman to settle.

  My place wasn’t much, but it was a lot quieter than the clubhouse. Still I ended up sleeping at the club about half of the time. That’s where Jericho lived as a result of another one of his father’s commands, but he’d got the last laugh, and now his rooms were nicer than this trailer.

  I rolled into Marked Man about three with an hour before the customer arrived. Anticipating Red’s reaction, I strolled in ready for whatever came. No doubt, I’d left her pissed last night and she’d still be fired up.

  “Hey, Red.”

  “Dare. You got two today, one at four and one at six, then you’re out.” She spoke to my boots, not a bit of fire anywhere in sight. Before I could say anything, she fled into the office.

  My tiger had turned back into a pussycat, at least that’d make it easier to close the deal. The first customer I could’ve done in my sleep, but the second, that work I loved. I’d drawn the intricate Celtic knot with scrolling around it for a couple. Last week I’d done the husband, today was the wife.

  Red’s tattoos were sexy as fuck. I’d wanted to lay her out on the table and fuck her from behind, staring down at her back. My cock hardened just thinking of the art that had been hidden by the waist of her jeans. How far did it go? Goddam, I’m not some kid with blue balls who chases after women. We fucked, or not, and I moved on. But I’d never felt, no...I’d never wanted a woman like I did her.

  After my client left, I sent the boys home. Tonight, right now, she’d tell me what she wanted with those sweet lips of hers. But when I joined her up front, she had an edge of panic about her. I went over to change the station from Zayn’s alternative favorite to the heavy-hitting rock music
I listened to. Ten, then twenty minutes passed, and she didn’t settle, so I gave up that idea.

  She’d be happier once we’d cleared the air. “Are we going to do this?”

  “What?” She jumped and whirled away from me.

  I stared her down, letting her know the time to hide had run out. “Fuck? We going to fuck?” I needed to take our intense connection to the most intimate level.

  Her body stilled and I could almost smell the sweet scent of her arousal. Her breathing sped up.

  “This isn’t about work, so I’m asking straight up.” I leaned back against the counter, needing her to understand I wasn’t like the stupid dick she’d been with before.

  “It’s not a good idea.” She almost whispered the words.

  I barked out a laugh. “Of course it isn’t. Nothing fun ever is.”

  I wanted to kiss her when she bit her lip, that sexy little tell drove me wild. I closed in and lifted her chin so I could see the expression hidden by her hair, another turn-on. I had endless fantasies when it came to Red.

  “This is just physical,” I warned her. “I don’t do relationships. And nothing changes here.”

  “Right.” She snorted. “I just left a hot mess that started with sexy words like these. Not two weeks free of him and you want me to repeat one of my worst mistakes?”

  “Don’t piss me off by comparing me to that douche or any other man from your past.” I tried to stay calm but even I heard the pissed-off edge in my voice. “We got some powerful needs brewing between us and I want to see where that goes. I know you do too.” I caressed her bottom lip and she shuddered.

  Her nipples poked out, already on board for some fun. She had to feel it same as me, and fear was never a reason to say no. She stepped away from me, closing her eyes. When she opened them, her face was set with determination. “I’m not ready to fall into anyone’s bed, no matter how much I might want to taste you.”

  Her honesty stole my breath a moment, but I growled, determined she’d see it my way. “This is about the job, isn’t it?”