“Motherfucker,” Cole seethed as he made eye contact with his father before turning his attention back to his fiancée. “You’re on lockdown,” he commanded.
“Fine,” she agreed with a sigh.
I shot her a sympathetic look. But I couldn’t say I disagreed with his mandate. The guys knew I’d been followed and we all knew how that had ended for me.
“Why is this fuck putting such an obvious target on his back?” Sal asked Cole as he thought out loud. “He’s not making a secret of it and I don’t fuckin’ get it. He’s either crazy as shit or there’s got to be somethin’ bigger that he’s aiming at. Either way, I don’t fuckin’ like it. Makes me cagey as shit,” he muttered.
“Your women are all of your weaknesses,” Cal spoke up his, gravelly voice laced with controlled anger. “They’re your Achilles’ heel and whoever this is knows it. You can’t let them use it to their advantage,” he advised.
“What’s the plan?” Axel spoke up as they all stood thinking.
“Okay, women out,” Cole barked suddenly, and I saw Scarlet glare at him. “I’m not going to brainstorm how to keep my family safe with you all here,” he explained when she continued to look pissed. “I’m gonna tell you how it’s gonna happen. If you’re here, you’ll argue with me every step of the way.”
He was undoubtedly right about that. These men had chosen a fiery and opinionated bunch of women to share their lives with. Scarlet stood, and, in unspoken camaraderie, Connie, Ettie, and I stood with her. She shot a final glare at Cole over her shoulder as we strode out onto the back patio.
One thing was for sure, someone’s bed was going to be chilly tonight.
“I’m going to have to resurrect the house mouse argument,” Scarlet muttered as we situated ourselves in the shade. It was a known fact certain bikers would shack up with women who took care of them and their house without complaint. They cooked and cleaned, made sure everything was in order, and most importantly, they didn’t ask questions. There were no such women around this table, myself included.
“He knows you’re not a house mouse, babe,” Connie laughed. “It’s obvious to anyone, but, I hate to admit that he’s sort of right,” she shrugged. “We’re with the biggest alpha males on the planet. They can’t formulate their strategy while we’re in there arguing with them about it. And you know we would,” she said with a wink.
“Purposefully putting us at risk and making no secret of it is also a direct hit to their male egos,” Ettie put in. “You know how they all pride themselves on protecting us.”
Ettie was right about that. I swear there had been times with Sal, when all that shit was happening with Scarlet, where I’d thought he’d throw me over his shoulder and pound on his chest like a caveman when I was at risk. It was crazy, but I sort of loved it.
“How’s it going with Sal?” Connie asked as she raised her brows at me. “And can I just say I’m so fucking thrilled you two are back together?” Connie was always so cheerful. I loved that about her. She seemed to have a permanent smile on her face. When I’d first met her I thought it was fake, but I quickly realized it was completely genuine.
“Thanks,” I smiled back. “We’re working on it, but so far so good.”
“With the way that man looks at you, it was only a matter of time,” Ettie added.
It was another hour before the meeting broke up and the guys came out to collect us. By then we’d covered the details of Connie’s upcoming wedding and Ettie’s hope to have a ring on her finger sooner rather than later. She’d been with Mack for years, but they’d been in no rush. Now she seemed to have caught the bug, and I hoped for his sake he picked up on her mindset.
Gracie was now nursing under a blanket in the shade with her peaceful looking Mama. Motherhood had come so naturally to Scarlet. Despite her own mother passing away when she was young, she had an innate sense of what to do. She was perfectly at ease with the fragile, little being she’d brought into the world.
I watched Sal approach, his eyes focused solely on me. The sun glinted off his jet-black hair, and his tattoos practically shone with vibrancy in the midday sun. He was wearing a fitted gray T-shirt and worn Levis with his ever-present motorcycle boots. My mouth practically watered as it always did when I saw him.
“Let’s go,” he ordered when he reached me.
I rolled my eyes at his bossiness but stood up. “Later, girls,” I called over my shoulder.
“Later!” I heard in unison behind me.
We roared off on his bike and headed back to his place. When we walked in the door, he took me by surprise by spinning me around and pulling me close, his hands diving into my hair. He kissed me with welcomed determination as he backed us toward the bed. Clearly, he was working through some emotions from the recent events and I was more than happy to have him work them out with me.
My hands moved inside his jacket, slipping it off his shoulders, and then slid greedily up his muscular arms to his neck. His adept fingers slid under my shirt, tracing the outline of my bra and making me shiver. He smiled against my mouth, pleased at my reaction to his touch. He pulled my shirt up and off, my jeans soon following. A deep rumble of pleasure rose from his chest as he took in my black lace bra and matching panties.
“You’re so gorgeous,” his deep voice rumbled.
My hands slipped up under his shirt, finding the skin beneath warm and smooth. My fingers traced over the ridges and bumps of his muscles while he moved to my neck, biting the flesh just enough to elicit slight pain.
I broke away panting, tearing his shirt over his head and moved with greedy fingers to his belt.
His hands moved to cover mine, stopping my movements. Sal liked control, in all places, but especially in the bedroom.
“On the bed,” he ordered quietly.
I fought the urge to jump up and down and clap gleefully.