Satin and Steel by Jayna Vixen Page A

behind her ears. As the strange man came closer, Rhee was unaware that she had pressed fearfully into Dax until his arm came around her waist. Rhee stiffened and tried to jerk away, but his arm tightened, keeping her close. The feel of his hip pressing into her side sent an unexpected shockwave through Rhee’s body, and she gasped at the feel of him.
    “Steady there, little girl,” he said softly.
    “Wince, back off man,” he told the other man sharply.
    Wince stopped in his tracks. “Whoa, man. Just wanted to get a look at her. Is she alright?”
    “Rhee, this is my buddy Wince. He comes on a little strong, but he’s harmless. He’s the one who found you that night, in the van.”
    Rhee managed to look up, her cheeks dancing with heat. She hadn’t been in control of her reaction to the man who approached her or to the man who held her close, and it bothered her. A lot. Steeling herself, she regarded Wince. He was thin and dark, with an anxious smile on his face. “Hello,” she said softly.
    “You’re really okay?”
    It seemed like he really cared. Rhee nodded shyly. Then, the sound of more footsteps reached her ears. Three more men approached, and Rhee stiffened visibly. Dax’s arm flexed around her protectively as though he sensed her anxiety. Rhee felt another little tingle run down her spine as his scent hit her nostrils. He smelled of sandalwood, leather, and something else that was just raw male.
    “Boys. This is Rhee. She’s got a bum shoulder and she’s probably a little freaked out right now. Keep your distance and maybe she won’t run screaming out of here. I’m gonna get her set up in my bunk. Then, I’ll meet with you about the next order coming in.”
    Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the others looking at her curiously. Dax ushered her down a corridor lined with doors. Rhee’s hands were shaking at this point, and her throat was very dry. Dax let them into the last door on the right and Rhee was surprised to see the furnishings inside. A small double bed, a dresser, and a reclining chair fit snugly into the small space.
    The walls were made of dark wood, rather than the sterile while she would have expected to find in an industrial warehouse. A framed photo of Dax and a bunch of guys on motorcycles hung on one wall. A flat screen television graced the wall opposite the bed. There were two wooden doors along one wall. Rhee could see clothes sticking out from one of them. Dax pushed open the second door and a few seconds later, Rhee heard water running. Wow, it even comes with a bathroom! Nicer than my college dorm room last year! Dax held out a glass of water and Rhee gulped it down.
    “Like it? It’s my home away from home,” he told her, gesturing around the room.
    She nodded, smiling nervously. Rhee was all too aware that she was alone in an enclosed space with a man she hardly knew. Looking down at her shaking hands, she willed them to stop but they just wouldn’t. She could hear Dax using the toilet now, and the sound of the intimate act was even more disconcerting to her.
    When he came out, one look at Rhee told Dax all he needed to know. “Hey, little girl. Look at me.” Instead, she turned her tear-filled gaze to the ground. He could practically feel her tension. Dax gently placed a finger on the girl’s chin and tipped her face up. Her eyes were wild with fear and her breath was coming fast and shallow. He could see her pulse fluttering in her throat. So naïve, so innocent….wonder if she’s a virgin. That would explain a lot.
    “Rhiannon.”
    Rhee turned her wide eyes on him. Her pupils were dilated so that he could hardly see the green beneath the black of her anxiety.
    “Good. Look at me while I tell you this, because I want you to believe me. I am not going to touch you, okay? Not like that. No one here is going to hurt you. No one messes with my guests. Do you believe me? Rhee?”
    Rhee was mesmerized by the sound of his voice. Soft, but firm, it danced