I needed to up the ante on this game.
As soon as I walked in the door, every head turned my way. Daunting, and yet exactly what I wanted. Cocking my hip, refusing not to see this plan through even as all those not-quite-human eyes stared, I smiled and waved.
“Hello, boys.”
There was a grumble of greeting from the various men in black leather. Not quite a resounding welcome, but something better than going wolf and taking a chunk out of my leg. Or pissing on it. Didn’t dogs do that? Something about territory… Whatever. No bite, no piss, I was happy.
Amber rolled her eyes and dragged me across the room, always the responsible one. I let her, not really wanting to be out here anyway. Still, I grinned and shrugged as we passed the bar, smiling at the men sitting and watching some kind of car race on the big screens. I might need their attention later if Shadow showed up.
“C’mon, Hester Prynne. Rebel’s office is down here.” Amber yanked me along a hallway, almost knocking me off my feet.
I pulled my arm from her hold. “You could ease up a bit.”
“And you could act like an adult now and again.”
I smirked. “Oh, I’m an adult all right. You can take my word on that one.”
“Could have fooled me,” she said, her voice soft but tight. I followed her to the back of the club, past men of all ages and sizes, making sure to put a little extra swing in my hips. Even before I looked, I knew the moment Shadow walked into the bar behind me. I sensed him, felt him in the tug of the thread around my heart. I nearly trembled at the pull, almost faltered in my stride at the weight of his eyes on my back. But I stayed strong, walking tall and working every curve I had.
That’s right, buddy. I’m in your denhouse. Deal with it.
“Hey, ladies.” Rebel stood when we turned into his office, a wide smile on his face.
Charlotte hurried around the desk to greet us with hugs. “Thank you so much for coming. I was getting a little overwhelmed with everything.”
“It’s no problem,” Amber said. “We’re glad to help.”
“Great.” She turned to give Rebel a good-natured glare. “You…go do your thing. I’ve got this covered.”
Rebel laughed and pulled her close, kissing her nose and cheeks before pressing his lips to hers. The kiss looked soft and sweet, filled with so much emotion it almost hurt to watch. The thread around my heart drew tighter, making me ache. Making me burn for something I was missing. I wanted that kind of connection to someone, I really did. But I wanted to choose the other half of the equation, not let the Fates decide for me. I’d lived my life following someone else’s rules, why couldn’t I follow my own for once?
“Behave,” Rebel whispered against Charlotte’s lips before taking a step back. He walked out the door with a casual, “Have fun, ladies. Try not to talk about my four-hundred-year-old dick, Miss Scarlett.”
I leaned out the door and grinned, remembering the first time I’d actually hung out with his mate. “I’ll do my best.”
Rebel shook his head, chuckling as he made his way to the bar. To the other guys in the club. To Shadow. I felt a need to follow him, to search out the end of my red thread, but I walked back into the office instead. I would not surrender.
“So,” Charlotte said, looking excited and a little flustered. “We have around sixty people signed up so far to come to the kickoff party, though not all will be riding. That’s the responsibility of hangers-on and the Pups of the club. The patched guys are handling the logistics of the ride to Chicago themselves. We’re in charge of the charity carnival that will be held at the park where the ride will end.”
Amber gave me a sidelong glance, probably checking to make sure I wasn’t ready to run yet. “What do we need to do?”
Five hours and what felt like a hundred conversations later, I walked back into the bar area. My head hurt, my throat was raw, and I never wanted to
As soon as I walked in the door, every head turned my way. Daunting, and yet exactly what I wanted. Cocking my hip, refusing not to see this plan through even as all those not-quite-human eyes stared, I smiled and waved.
“Hello, boys.”
There was a grumble of greeting from the various men in black leather. Not quite a resounding welcome, but something better than going wolf and taking a chunk out of my leg. Or pissing on it. Didn’t dogs do that? Something about territory… Whatever. No bite, no piss, I was happy.
Amber rolled her eyes and dragged me across the room, always the responsible one. I let her, not really wanting to be out here anyway. Still, I grinned and shrugged as we passed the bar, smiling at the men sitting and watching some kind of car race on the big screens. I might need their attention later if Shadow showed up.
“C’mon, Hester Prynne. Rebel’s office is down here.” Amber yanked me along a hallway, almost knocking me off my feet.
I pulled my arm from her hold. “You could ease up a bit.”
“And you could act like an adult now and again.”
I smirked. “Oh, I’m an adult all right. You can take my word on that one.”
“Could have fooled me,” she said, her voice soft but tight. I followed her to the back of the club, past men of all ages and sizes, making sure to put a little extra swing in my hips. Even before I looked, I knew the moment Shadow walked into the bar behind me. I sensed him, felt him in the tug of the thread around my heart. I nearly trembled at the pull, almost faltered in my stride at the weight of his eyes on my back. But I stayed strong, walking tall and working every curve I had.
That’s right, buddy. I’m in your denhouse. Deal with it.
“Hey, ladies.” Rebel stood when we turned into his office, a wide smile on his face.
Charlotte hurried around the desk to greet us with hugs. “Thank you so much for coming. I was getting a little overwhelmed with everything.”
“It’s no problem,” Amber said. “We’re glad to help.”
“Great.” She turned to give Rebel a good-natured glare. “You…go do your thing. I’ve got this covered.”
Rebel laughed and pulled her close, kissing her nose and cheeks before pressing his lips to hers. The kiss looked soft and sweet, filled with so much emotion it almost hurt to watch. The thread around my heart drew tighter, making me ache. Making me burn for something I was missing. I wanted that kind of connection to someone, I really did. But I wanted to choose the other half of the equation, not let the Fates decide for me. I’d lived my life following someone else’s rules, why couldn’t I follow my own for once?
“Behave,” Rebel whispered against Charlotte’s lips before taking a step back. He walked out the door with a casual, “Have fun, ladies. Try not to talk about my four-hundred-year-old dick, Miss Scarlett.”
I leaned out the door and grinned, remembering the first time I’d actually hung out with his mate. “I’ll do my best.”
Rebel shook his head, chuckling as he made his way to the bar. To the other guys in the club. To Shadow. I felt a need to follow him, to search out the end of my red thread, but I walked back into the office instead. I would not surrender.
“So,” Charlotte said, looking excited and a little flustered. “We have around sixty people signed up so far to come to the kickoff party, though not all will be riding. That’s the responsibility of hangers-on and the Pups of the club. The patched guys are handling the logistics of the ride to Chicago themselves. We’re in charge of the charity carnival that will be held at the park where the ride will end.”
Amber gave me a sidelong glance, probably checking to make sure I wasn’t ready to run yet. “What do we need to do?”
Five hours and what felt like a hundred conversations later, I walked back into the bar area. My head hurt, my throat was raw, and I never wanted to
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