Cocky Read online

  Curling up against him, her hand on his chest and her legs entwined with his, Moose thought, yeah, they were a pretty damn good fit, weren’t they. He could see more days ahead like this. He wouldn’t have any problem with that at all.

  “I want you to wear my patch.”

  The words were past his lips before Moose could think better of it. Both of them stiffened as if waiting for a bomb to go off.

  “You uh…want me to…?”

  Moose hated the hesitation and doubt in Angel’s voice. He was unable to open his eyes due to the sun blasting him with its blinding rays, but he could feel her head tilt back and felt her questioning eyes on him. Well, shit.

  “Be my old lady, Mouse,” he said, aware of the—somewhat—demanding tone of his voice. “I need a good woman to stand behind me, and I’m thinkin’ that’s you.”

  Despite the ninety degree weather and the eighty-percent humidity, Moose felt the heat of her anger hit him with the force of a tsunami.

  Using his bare chest as leverage, Angel crushed his left lung as she pushed herself up. Moose held up an arm to shield his eyes from the sunlight, and what he saw in her face wasn’t encouraging.

  “Kade, I appreciate the offer, and while I really like you and I love spending time with you, the last thing I’d ever do is make myself someone else’s property. No offense,” she apologized, her nose scrunching up.

  Kade hadn’t expected her to say no. Hearing it come from her lips, he had to admit, that shit hurt. A lot. More than it should. Like lifting too heavy at the gym and tearing a muscle. He sat up, fighting back a grimace, and avoiding her gaze.

  He couldn’t bring himself to look at her.

  Clearing his throat, he found it odd that his voice felt tied up in his throat, too. In fact, the whole moment felt shockingly oppressive, and all he wanted to do was get the hell out of there. But they’d rode in together, and he couldn’t just drive off and leave her behind.

  “No offense taken,” he said, somehow finding a steady voice. “I was just throwing it out there. Seeing what you’d say.” He rose to stand. “We should head back.”

  The sun was starting to set. They were miles away from home. He didn’t like driving in the dark. Blah, blah, blah. All lies, he knew, but he needed some distance from her. The sooner, the better.

  Angel’s eyes stayed on him, filled with concern, as she got to her feet. “Are you upset?”

  “Why would I be?” he grunted as he started walking. The trail was short, thank God. It would only take a couple minutes to reach his bike. The ride back, with her pressed intimately against him, though, was going to be murder.

  “You seem upset,” she observed as she followed behind him, hurrying to keep up with his longer strides.

  “Nope.” That didn’t even sound convincing to his own ears.

  He felt her fingers on his wrist as they reached the small clearing where he’d parked. Stopping, he reluctantly turned to face her. Flicking her one glance, he decided he still couldn’t look at her and cast his gaze out among the trees.

  “I’m sorry,” Angel said softly, stepping into him and sliding her hands around his waist. “Sometimes, I’m too blunt. It’s just that…” She huffed. “I just don’t know how to hold anything back with you, and you’re…well you, and I just feel like, if we defined things, it would get serious, and I can’t risk losing my identity to a relationship. That’s not how I want to live.”

  Moose’s gaze jerked down to hers, and he searched her eyes. “Why would you think that?”

  She shrugged and looked down at her feet, covered in dirt and sand and a few pine needles. “Things I’ve heard and seen. And you’re so dominant. And I’m not the kind of woman who takes orders well. And I’m not a homemaker either. I don’t even know if I want kids. And when I get married, it’s going to be once and forever—”

  “Whoa, wait. Slow down,” Moose said, shaking his head. “Who said anything about kids and marriage and all that?”

  Her wide, green eyes found his again. “Isn’t that what we’re talking about?”

  Realization washed over him and Moose chuckled. “Honey, a patch isn’t a marriage proposal or a life sentence. It’s a promise. Simple as that. Can it lead to those things? Sure. Many have. But it doesn’t have to.”

  Her brows pulled together as she absorbed this information. “So…it’s like…giving me your letterman jacket?”

  “Uh…sure. Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

  Her expression brightened. “So you’re saying you want to go steady?”

  Moose grinned. “In a not-so-nineteen-fifties way, yeah, basically.”

  Her smile was wide and her eyes shined. “In that case…yes. I’ll wear your patch, Kade Hunter.” Happy again, Moose leaned in to kiss her, but her hand pressed against his chest stopped him. Very seriously she amended, “On a trial basis, though. I need to make sure my prince doesn’t turn into a toad after midnight.”

  “Sure, Mouse,” he agreed, amusement coloring his tone. Another trial. He’d gotten past the first one. If he had to, he’d get past this one too. Then Moose lifted her off her feet and pushed her back against the nearest tree and showed her how happy she made him—twice.

  eleven

  Angel hadn’t expected Kade to hit her with the big question so soon, but she sure as hell was glad it wasn’t as big as she’d thought. Then she really would have had to walk away from him. As great a guy as he seemed to be, she wasn’t planning on marrying the man. He was smoking hot and strong and smart, and yeah, she sometimes imagined what it would be like to have a family with him, but she didn’t have any desire to marry him. Or any man, for that matter.

  Life was going just fine without having to complicate it with legal forms and such. She liked the idea of common law stuff. If it got serious enough between them, and they went the long haul, that would be great, but she’d just as soon be able to walk away or kick him out if the need arose than have to get a lawyer and courts involved.

  Divorces tended to get nasty and complicated, and that just wasn’t her style.

  The wind whipped around them as Kade drove down the country back roads toward town. She couldn’t believe they’d almost broken up back there. When she realized how bad things had gone from that one question, she’d felt an overwhelming, insistent need to fix it—fast. The clenching in her chest, that breathless feeling of drowning had scared the life out of her. Still, had his answer been any different, she would have had to walk away, no matter the way it made her feel.

  But it scared her just how much it did make her feel. Good Lord, but she was in trouble with this one. That moment had made it all too painfully clear.

  Still, the relief she felt when he’d laid that smile on her then took her again before they left was palpable. And now, snug up against his back, feeling the heat of his skin beneath her hands as she held on tight to him, she knew she’d made the right choice. For now.

  Later, it might change out of necessity, but this was how it had to be. For her sanity’s sake.

  The world sped by at amazing speeds, the trees flashing green and brown, the ground a blur of gray. Overhead, the cloud-dappled blue sky seemed not to remain stationary, giving her a perfect view of a couple of crows flapping by—probably on the hunt for an evening snack.

  Which reminded her, Angel was starving.

  “I’m hungry,” she called over Kade’s shoulder, fighting to be heard over the roaring wind.

  Turning his head slightly, he said, “What?”

  “Food!”

  He nodded, his right hand dropping to her knee to give it a gentle squeeze to let her know he’d understood. Good, because she’d worked up quite an appetite today, and assuming he didn’t have plans later, she did, and that meant they were going to have to maintain their strength.

  The deer came out of nowhere.

  One second, it was smooth sailing, and the next Kade was slamming on the brakes, the bike fishtailing across the road and the tires fighting to gain pur
chase…and then they were falling. Angel knew it was going to hurt, but there was nothing either of them could do to stop the collision that was about to happen. All she could do was tighten her hold on the man in front of her and send up a few fervent prayers while hoping for the best.

  ***

  It’d be a long-ass day at the office—a cramped trailer in the middle of a construction zone in the middle of summer with the AC unit on the fritz—followed by a headache at the clubhouse he’d needed to sort out, leaving Blake hot, tired, hungry, and mean.

  “Hey, Prez—”

  Blake snapped his hand into the air and kept his eyes trained on the exit. “If it isn’t broken, dead, or dying, I don’t want to hear about it.”

  “Uh…okay.”

  He didn’t know who’d been talking to him, but he heard them muttering something about having to talk to Repo and needing a bulletproof vest as they walked away.

  It kind of made him feel shitty for passing the buck. On a good day, his VP was a cantankerous bastard. On a bad day…no one dared to cross his path. But since Repo and Red had shacked up and were starting a family, the old man had been a regular ray of sunshine—if sunshine was dull with a slight cloud cover. Still, it was a huge improvement from the man Blake had grown up knowing.

  Needing to get home to his wife and kids, take a load off, and eat away his troubles, Blake was a man on a mission. But even his one-track mind couldn’t escape or ignore the heap of trouble that burst through his front door.

  “What the fuck happened to you?” Blake demanded as his escape quickly turned into a kind of rescue mission.

  “Fucking deer ran out in front of us. Didn’t have time to stop,” Moose grunted as he limped his way inside with his new girl, Angel, tucked under his wing.

  Blake breathed a momentary sigh of relief, glad it hadn’t had anything to do with rival gangs or anything else untoward. It was common knowledge that Manuel Contreras was still in the area, but so far he’d been laying low and keeping a low profile. Blake wasn’t stupid enough to think he wasn’t still getting his hands dirty, but he wasn’t in the mood to kick up or reignite another turf war. Right now, all he wanted was some damn peace and quiet.

  It looked like even without an active war going on, that just wasn’t in the cards.

  Moose and Angel were both pretty banged up, blood and scrapes and debris everywhere, looking like they’d just walked off the set of a Quentin Tarantino movie. They needed showers and new clothes—the whole lot.

  Like his nickname implied, Blake was quick to action, tucking his shoulder under Angel’s other side and helping his brother carry her over to a table and ease her down into one of the chairs. He would have preferred she be on something soft, but the couches sanitary state were questionable at best.

  To Ginger, who stood watching with worry from the bar, he said, “Call the doc. Tell her to get here, pronto.”

  “Already on it,” she replied, the house phone already pressed against her ear.

  “Don’t need all that fussin’ about,” Moose said as he sat down with a wince and a grunt, holding his hand against his side as if in pain. “We’ll be fine. Nothing but superficial stuff.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Angel whined. “I think I broke something.” She cradled her elbow against her chest, calling Blake’s attention.

  Concerned, he gently grasped the injured arm’s wrist and asked, “May I?” She nodded, fear making her eyes wide and glossy, as he slowly and carefully extended her arm toward him. She winced and caught her breath, and he stopped. “Too much?”

  She thought about it, then said, “No.”

  So he continued until he had her arm fully extended. Then he smiled softly at her. “Good news. I don’t think it’s broken.”

  “How do you know?” she asked hopefully.

  “Because if it was, you’d be screaming your head off by now. At worst, maybe a hairline fracture or a sprain, but my money is on some deep bruising. We’ll wait until the doc gets here, though, to know for sure.”

  “Impressive, doc,” Moose said sarcastically. “Do me next.”

  “No thanks, man.” Blake got to his feet. “You know I don’t float that way.”

  “Clearly not, with the way you and Gabby keep popping out kids.”

  “Hey,” Blake said, shooting Moose a cocky grin, “gotta pass the time somehow.”

  “Got that right,” he agreed.

  Getting serious again, Blake cast Angel a concerned look. “You’re gonna be fine. Just sit tight and wait for the doc. She’ll patch you up.”

  Angel nodded, a weak but grateful smile appearing.

  To Moose, Blake said, “I’m glad you’re okay, but if you plan on having yourself a woman, you need to learn how to take better care of her.”

  “Hey,” Moose said, taking offense, “that deer had it out for us. I know I’m a total badass and this incident has damaged your hero worshiping view of me, but even I can’t beat Mother Nature when she decides to strike.”

  “Are you sure there’s room for you in this relationship, between him and his ego?” Blake asked Angel.

  She laughed and shook her head. “I ask myself that often.”

  Moose looked incredulous. “Mouse, seriously? That hurts.”

  She shrugged, all what? It’s true. And they all knew it wasn’t as much as it was. Moose was one of the best brothers in the clubhouse. He might be overly confident and a bit cocky, but he was one of the most honest and loyal brothers they had. Angel could definitely do worse.

  “All right, you two, I’m on my way out.” Blake pointed at Moose. “Keep me updated.”

  “Worried I’ll croak on ya?”

  “Hell yeah. I’m thinking about buying a new bike, and I need your expert eye to make sure it’s a good choice.”

  “No shit?” Moose said, his voice rising with excitement. “Shit, tell me when and where and I’ll be there.”

  Blake grinned and nodded, knowing how much the man loved to get his hands on a bike. He was a true grease monkey, which was why he was the club’s mechanic. Most days, whether at the clubhouse or his own home, he could be found in the garage with a tool in his hand. Since he’d met Angel, it was the first time Blake had ever seen the man spend so much time out in the open…and clean. He was very clean.

  “Catch you all later,” he said as he headed for the door.

  It swung open, letting in the heavy summer air. Catching it before it could smack him in the face, Blake nodded at Sable as she stepped inside, medical bag in hand.

  “Hey,” she greeted. “The doctor wasn’t available, so you get me today. Where’s the patient?”

  “Long time, no see. You look good, hon,” Blake said, glad to see the woman. She’d never been in tight with the club, choosing to keep her distance from any trouble they might encounter, which was prudent, since she could lose her job just being there. But she’d helped them out of more than one tough spot, and she’d been there to fix up his Gabby a few years back when she’d been caught in the middle of Spartan business.

  “Thanks, Blake. I’m glad to see you’re still alive.” Her dark eyes scanned him. And no new scars or anything to note. “Staying out of trouble?”

  “Trying to.”

  She tipped her head.

  Pleasantries aside, he said, “They’re over there,” and pointed to the table where Moose and Angel sat.

  Sable nodded grimly and headed their way.

  twelve

  Manuel wasn’t the romantic type, despite the way Americans romanticized his culture and most especially not since his wife passed away. So when Rena Grace snuggled up to him after their furious sexcapade, he gently but forcefully pushed her away.

  “Sorry, I guess it’s too soon for cuddling, huh?” Rena commented.

  Manuel could tell from her tone that she wasn’t happy about the way he’d rebuffed her advances. Women tended to get emotional when it came to sex, expecting more than a man like him was willing to give. And for a man like him, who appea
red to have the world to give, it seemed callous, but not only was it a matter of protecting his wealth, it was also a matter of protecting himself.

  And whether she realized it or not, he was, in a way, also protecting her. She would thank him for it later.

  “I have work to do.” He made no move to leave the bed, instead remaining on his back and reaching for his phone. As he scrolled through his long list of emails, he could feel her eyes on him. “What?”

  “I can’t believe you’re working after all of that.”

  “Why?” He glared at the phone, reading the name of a sender he didn’t particularly care for. He’d done business with the man once, helping him out of a tight spot—with interest—and now the guy hounded him day and night. Do one favor, and people acted as if you owed them something. He was going to have to deal with him soon, but for now, he deleted the message and continued scrolling.

  “Well, maybe you didn’t enjoy it as much as I did, but I thought it was worth a little relaxation time at least.” He didn’t answer, and she scooted closer, despite the cold shoulder that should have discouraged her. Tracing a finger through his chest hair, she said, “Why do I get the feeling you’re a workaholic?”

  “Because I am.” He sliced a look down at her. “I take care of my business, and my business takes care of me.”

  She stared up at him with those mismatched eyes that, admittedly, captured his attention. “Has anyone ever told you that you are a very serious man?”

  His right hand lifted, and he pinched her chin somewhat playfully, eyes narrowed on her sexy mouth that he wanted to kiss, but he didn’t want to encourage her. “Never. Everyone’s too afraid of me to dare.”

  She laughed, thinking he must be joking, but when his expression didn’t change, she grew quiet again. “I don’t think you’re scary.”

  “Wait till you get to know me.”

  “Does that mean you’re planning to keep me around long enough for that to happen?”

  His brows pulled down, and he could feel the frown on his face. Was that what he’d meant? He hadn’t given it any thought. None whatsoever. It’d just come out that way, and now she was attributing an errant remark to something more…