But Lila still stole a quick glance over her shoulder as she walked away.
If I played my cards right, I might have a chance to change her mind. As long as we agreed that it didn’t mean anything besides scratching a mutual itch and releasing some sexual tension.
Chapter eight
Lila
The deadline had arrived. Forty-eight hours were over, and it was time to face Sweeney.
I pulled myself together before meeting him, scraping my hair into a high ponytail, swapping my shorts for jeans, and my sneakers for my favorite black leather boots with the chunky five inch heels. It was difficult to be menacing at five-foot-two. I needed all the help I could get in the height department.
With my hangover held at bay by a handful of ibuprofen, I felt more like myself again. As I leaned forward in the bathroom mirror, setting my eyeliner in place, my mind drifted back to earlier this morning, with Pretty Boy in the alley.
A bubble of warmth welled up in my chest at the memory of his hands on me, and the sinfully perfect glide of his cock. I would never admit it out loud, but holy shit, he wasgood.
Pretty Boy shouldn’t have sold his bike for my sake though. Despite his reassurance that I didn’t owe him anything, it still got under my skin. That was a big sacrifice for him to make. And it bothered me because…
…because it showed the depth of how much he cared for me and my father. Pretty Boy could claim all he wanted that it was just part of his duty as acting President. He was protecting his people, his club.
But I knew it was more than that. I could tell.
And the part that scared me the most was that I liked it.
I didn’t have time to sort through my complicated feelings about all this though. I needed to get this debt off my dad’s back first.
An hour before sundown, I met Sweeney in the parking lot of the clubhouse. Every member of the Reckless Order stood behind me, fanned out in a semi-circle.
Sweeney pulled up in a sleek silver Jaguar. The engine was so quiet that I didn’t even hear it coming. When he climbed out of his car, he chuckled as he gestured to the bikers behind me.
“I see you brought the cavalry this time. Is that meant to intimidate me?”
I shrugged.
“They’re here to make sure you behave yourself.”
“Me?” Sweeney replied, incredulous. “I’m being perfectly civil. Your Da and I had a gentlemanly agreement. Speaking of which, where’s my money?”
I held up a yellow envelope stuffed with cash as I crossed the parking lot and shoved it in his chest.
“It’s all there. Every last penny.”
Sweeney flicked a quick glance at the club, then opened the envelope and thumbed through it, counting.
“Are we done here?” I said.
Sweeney clucked his tongue.
“You forgot something, pet. A business loan must be paid back with interest. You covered the three hundred grand well enough, but by my calculations, you still owe—”
Quick as a flash, Pretty Boy lunged forward and grabbed Sweeney by the throat, cutting off his words.
“You slimy little prick,” he hissed. “You have your money. Now get the fuck out of our faces. And if I find you lurking around here, or breathing anywhere near Lila, the only payment you’ll be getting are a few broken kneecaps. Is that fucking clear?”
Sweeney wheezed a strained laugh.
“Well, well. Sounds like someone’s pussy-whipped. I bet her Da would love to know what you’ve been up to while he’s away.”
Silence stretched through the parking lot. A few bikers shifted behind me. Pretty Boy bared his teeth and growled something in Sweeney’s ear. It was supposed to be too low for me to hear. But I caught it anyway.