Alex Read online

  “Let’s just say I know there’s more to you than meets the eye. I’m saying that where people don’t underestimate you, don’t underestimate me.” She stood up, pulling out of his hold, and moving around the counter. He couldn’t move. His dick was rock hard, pressing against the hard ridge of his zipper. “You wear a suit like every businessman in the city. The Skulls, they have no idea how dangerous you really are.” She opened the fridge up and took a look inside.

  Turning to face her, Alex frowned. “Then why aren’t you running?”

  “I figured if you were all that scary you’d have killed me by now.” She turned to look at him. “I’m still living and breathing. The only threat is that man who wants revenge on you. Would you like some food?”

  “Fuck yeah,” Adam said, walking into the kitchen. His response interrupted what Alex was about to say.

  “I guess we’re all hungry.”

  “I’m Adam.”

  “Sunshine,” she said, taking the hand that he offered. Alex watched as Adam touched her. He didn’t like it, and the urge to tear the bastard’s head off was strong.

  “Fighter.” The other prospect walked into the room, giving a nod in her direction. Fighter never really talked that much.

  “I’ll go ahead and make us up something,” she said, smiling at all of them.

  “Come on, leave her be.” Alex walked toward the door, giving her space. He didn’t want to go, but he knew if he didn’t, he’d do something he regretted.

  “I’ll call you all when it’s time for food.”

  The other two men left the kitchen.

  “Man, are you fucking that?” Adam asked.

  “Stay away from me. No one makes a play for her, and that’s all I’m going to say about that.” Alex made sure each of them had paid notice.

  “Sure. I’m more than happy with club pussy,” Fighter said.

  “I can find my own woman to fuck.” This came from Adam. Alex seriously doubted if he could find his own woman but didn’t say anything.

  Leaving them alone, Alex headed up to his room. He needed to clear his head, and right now, being near Sunshine didn’t help clear his head. All it did was make him even more confused. She wasn’t reacting how he expected. One, she wasn’t running. Two, she wasn’t angry at him, and three, she was acting like nothing had happened.

  Sitting on the edge of his bed, he opened the drawer beside his bed, pulling out the stack of photographs that he’d stashed inside. They were photos from Tiny’s wedding to his sister, Patricia. The couple actually looked happy, smiling back at him. Over the years the smiling faces turned into something darker, to hatred.

  “What the fuck did you do to me, Patricia?” he asked. His sister was long gone, but the anger he felt toward her was still there.

  They were all younger, less wise, but still hopeful of the life they were creating. Not long after this first picture, Patricia had gotten pregnant with Tate. Rubbing at his eyes, Alex was shocked to find himself crying. Staring at the photo he saw the woman who he’d walked away from. Claire had been the woman he was going to marry. No one knew that truth. Before he was given a reason to fight, to kill, he’d been on the brink of love.

  “Hey, man, Sunshine’s finished food,” Fighter said, knocking on the door.

  “I’m coming.” He put away the pictures, and getting up from his bed, he walked toward the bathroom. Staring at his reflection, he wiped away the tears. He didn’t cry and wouldn’t give in now. Crying was for pussies, not for men like him.

  Cutting the thoughts, the loneliness, and the feelings off, Alex forced the façade into place. He wasn’t going to leave this room until he got control of himself. He’d been controlling himself for the past twenty-five years, and he wasn’t going to stop now.

  ****

  “You were fucking wrong to send Eva out like that,” Tiny said, watching his woman walk toward the kitchen. Sully was waiting in his office, but Tiny needed to get shit straight with Ned.

  “Sully’s not a dangerous man.”

  Before he could stop himself, Tiny held Ned around the neck up against the wall. Not one brother moved to stop what was happening. Lash stood beside him, checking out his nails while Tiny tried to gain control of his shit.

  “He killed a woman. A woman who was related to a man who left my brother-in-law gutted on the floor.”

  “I think it’s time you start taking notice of your club, Tiny,” Ned said, wheezing as Tiny gripped him a little tighter. “No one likes Alex. He’s not a brother.”

  “I don’t give a fuck what they think. Alex is a brother, and he’ll always be a brother.”

  “Yeah, the manipulating bastard wears the pants here. No wonder Devil cut his losses.”

  Tiny raised his fist, and Lash caught it. “Now is not the time to be fighting about Alex. There’s always going to be a time and place for him. It’s not here, and it’s not now.”

  “Fine. Sully killed a bitch, and now we’re dealing with the consequences. You may not like Alex, but you’re partners with him, Ned. Don’t try to think you can lie to me. I’ve known for years you’ve been partners, making deals, and using The Skulls to get your shit done. I’m not afraid of you. You put Eva’s life in danger again, and I’ll fucking put a bullet in your head. I don’t give a fuck about my life. My kids, my woman, my club? Then we’ve got a problem.”

  Tiny stormed away, entering the office. Sully was looking out of the window.

  “Ned told me what was going on. I never thought shit I did ten years ago would come and bite me like this,” Sully said.

  “Why kill the girl?”

  “You’ve got beautiful kids.” Tiny moved to see Tate was out with Murphy looking over the kids of the club. Anthony, Miles and Tabitha, Rachel, Darcy, Michael, Markus, and Simon, they were The Skulls kids, the next generation of keeping the club alive. Tiny was ever so proud to be witness to the club’s development. With the kids he was also afraid. Kids made it harder to make choices. He couldn’t just let shit happen and hope everything would be okay. Tate, Nash, and Lash were all his responsibility, but he was younger. Tiny wasn’t a fool and knew more now than ever before. The danger men like Preston Cooper posed to the club could blow back on those kids, those sweet, innocent lives. This was what he hoped to give Lash when he handed over the gavel. A club that was out of illegal business. A club that wouldn’t ruin the lives of the club members. He wasn’t an idiot. Any of those kids died, it would destroy the very foundation of the club. Tiny was the father to Tate, and the twins, Miles and Tabitha, but he was the father to all. They were all a family, and he’d feel every single one of their losses as if it was his own flesh and blood.

  “Why did you kill that girl?”

  Sully sighed. “She didn’t like being turned down for sex. I wasn’t into young girls. Never have been, never will be. When I wouldn’t fuck her, she threatened to scream rape and expose all the shit Ned was doing, the illegal fights, the coke deals. It seems someone close to us was talking to her. The moment he got his dick in her mouth, he started talking. She was going to ruin us.”

  Tiny didn’t say anything. He was aware of Lash and Ned joining them.

  “I was a fucking hothead back then. I didn’t take a lot of time to talk about shit. Too many blows to the head and I fucked up. I didn’t know how to shut her up. Before I knew what was happening, she was dead.” The shame on Sully’s face was clear. “I’ve never killed another woman. She’s the only one I’ve killed, and I’ve lived with that every day.”

  “Well, now we’ve got a problem. The guy she called a brother, he’s got a bit of an issue. You’re going to have to stay at the clubhouse for a little while until we get this shit handled.”

  Someone knocked on the door.

  “Come in,” Tiny said, calling out.

  Whizz entered the clubhouse, holding up a small piece of paper. “I got our guy, but you’re not going to like it.”

  “What?”

  “According to this, Preston Cooper is
dead. His body was identified, records confirmed, and he’s in a grave somewhere in Alaska.” This was the information Tiny already had after talking with Alex. He’d wanted more information and told Whizz to find out what he could.

  “Documents were falsified?”

  “Yep, but that’s not the only interesting little piece of information.” Whizz closed the door behind him. “The guy who verified the death was found with a gunshot wound to the head a week after the funeral. Suicide, apparently. I’m not saying Preston Cooper isn’t who he says he is. He’s got a new identity, and I’m betting whoever’s in the grave as Preston, that’s the identity he’s got.”

  “Does this sound like shit to you?” Tiny asked. He trusted Whizz. After everything the man had gone through, Tiny knew he put the club first, apart from his woman Lacey. No one came before her.

  “It’s shit, but it’s the truth. I’d be careful, Tiny. This is a vendetta against Alex and the past. This isn’t about us, but it could soon be.”

  “I’m not cutting off ties to Alex.”

  “Not asking you to. What I’m saying is right now, we don’t know who we’re dealing with. All we know is what Alex told us, but there’s a big problem with that information,” Whizz said.

  “Yeah, what’s that?”

  “Ten years. In ten years people change, men change. Whoever we’re dealing with, it’s not the same person that Alex remembers. He could be worse or not. I’d say with the way he tried to gut Alex and Sunshine, we’re dealing with someone a hell of a lot worse.”

  Tiny turned to stare out at the kids. The club depended on him to make shit right. How could he make it right when he didn’t even have a clue what was going on in the first place?

  ****

  Sunshine rubbed her hands together. She was shaking as she stared across the table at Alex. He didn’t look at anyone else but at her. Adam and Fighter were talking about a football game, but she wasn’t really paying attention. Her body was on fire, and it was all because of his intense gaze.

  Biting her lip, she pushed her chicken around her plate. Her appetite was long gone while the men devoured her chicken casserole.

  Talking to him in the kitchen, she’d dropped the wall she’d built whenever she was alone with him. When she first found out about him buying her, the truth was she’d wanted to hate him. Her body betrayed her whenever she was around him. Sunshine should hate him, want to make him pay, but she couldn’t do it.

  Alex awakened something inside her, and since it had been opened up, she couldn’t just turn it off.

  “I’m going to wash the dishes.”

  She picked her plate up, taking it into the kitchen. Never one to waste food, she wrapped the plate up in plastic wrap and placed it in the fridge.

  He’s old. He’s old, and he put your life in danger.

  Even as she tried to reason with her traitorous body, she couldn’t help the tingle of awareness that traveled through her. His hands were large, and there were some calluses on the tips of his fingers.

  His body was hard, well worked out by the weights he liked to lift so much.

  “Are you okay?” Alex asked. His voice was so close that it sent a shiver down her spine. Turning around, she plastered a smile on her face.

  “I, erm, I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “It’s okay, baby. Not many people do.” His answer just showed how dangerous he could be. She’d not even heard him come in.

  He stepped a little close, and she didn’t have a choice but to lean against the fridge. The hard metal was cold against her exposed flesh. She’d worn this dress on purpose to gain his attention. The hungry look in his eyes made her feel nervous.

  She hadn’t fucked anyone and was still a virgin, but she wasn’t scared to do research. At first when she’d discovered the truth about Alex and her parents, she’d wanted to go out and fuck the first available man. Instead, she’d decided to see where this would go with Alex.

  “You’re confusing me, and I don’t like it.” His hand moved beside her head. Smiling, Sunshine tilted her head to look at him.

  “What’s the matter, Alex? Never had a woman who’s made you think about them for longer than ten minutes?”

  “More like an hour, baby. I take longer than ten minutes to fuck a woman. I don’t care about them after that.”

  There he went making her think about him naked.

  “Do they leave satisfied?”

  “Do you want to find out, Sunshine?”

  She didn’t know what she wanted. Her pussy was slick, and she wanted more than anything to take him up on his offer. His free hand stroked down her face, going to her collarbone. The tips of his fingers brushed over her pulse. “Your pulse is racing, Sunshine. Have you ever been kissed by a man?”

  She nodded. The kisses were a mere brush of lips against lips, nothing consuming or life altering.

  “Okay, has a man ever left an impression on you after he’s kissed you?”

  Shaking her head, she couldn’t stop herself from glancing down to look at his lips. How would they feel against her own in a passionate kiss?

  “Then we’d better change that.” He closed the distance between them, slamming his lips down on hers.

  She gasped, moaning as his tongue played along her bottom lip. Within seconds he was sliding inside her, and she met him halfway. Wrapping her arms around his body, Sunshine held him close. The hand at her neck glided up into her hair, gripping the length even though it was in a ponytail. His grip was strong, startlingly painful, and yet she didn’t want it to end.

  Alex pulled away from the kiss, tugging her hair back so she didn’t have any choice but to look at him. “Do you have a clue what you’re getting yourself into?”

  She didn’t answer him. No, she didn’t have the first clue what she was getting herself into, nor did she care. The way he held onto her was driving her crazy. She pressed her thighs together in the hope of creating some friction to ease the fire building within her.

  “You’re a virgin?”

  “Yes.”

  He pressed his cock against her body, and she gasped. His cock was rock hard, rubbing against her stomach.

  “Do you feel that?” She nodded. “That’s how much I want to be inside your tight pussy. I’ve wanted you for a long time.”

  “Then why haven’t you made a play for me?” she asked. Not once during the time they’d known each other had he ever given away his feelings. They rarely talked, and it was only now that they’d said more than a couple of words to each other.

  “You weren’t ready.”

  “You didn’t even give me a chance to be ready.”

  Dropping her hand from his back, she slowly brought it down to rest against his cock. He released a growl but didn’t let her go.

  “Do you know what you’re doing?”

  “I’m grabbing your cock.”

  Alex pressed a hard kiss against her lips, biting on her lip. She cried out at the sudden assault of pleasure that crashed through her body. The little pain was delicious, and she didn’t want it to end.

  “You’re playing with fire, little girl.”

  “There’s nothing little about me.” She was growing tired of being treated like a child. There was nothing childish about her. She was a full grown woman, and no one seemed to see her as such.

  “I know.” His lips brushed across her neck going to her chest near the tips of her breasts. “If you want to stop being seen like a little girl, come to my room tonight.” He held her hair a little tighter forcing her to look at him. “I’m warning you, Sunshine. Be sure you want my dick inside you before you come to me. I’m not someone to mess with. I won’t rape you, and I sure won’t feel guilty about being inside you.”

  He released her hair, taking a seat at the counter. Seconds later Fighter and Adam walked into the kitchen. Turning away from them, she started to work on the dishes. She accepted the two men’s praise for the casserole she made. Cooking was something she enjoyed doing and was pleased th
ey liked her food. Every chance she got, she found herself looking toward Alex. He was staring right back at her, watching her every move.

  “I’m heading to bed. It’s getting late, and I’m tired,” Fighter said.

  “I’ll take the first watch,” Adam said, pulling his gun out of the back of his jeans.

  “Adam,” Alex said in warning.

  “What? Her life is in danger if that prick decides to come around. I’m going to watch a movie. I’ve got this,” Adam said, leaving the kitchen.

  “He’s right. She’s going to need to get used to seeing guns.” Fighter left them alone.

  “Remember what I said,” Alex said, moving away.

  She watched him leave the kitchen. Once alone, she placed the dishes away. She tried not to think about what Alex said. He was getting under her skin, and that she didn’t like. Biting her lip, she washed down the kitchen then made her way up to her room. It was dark outside, late but not too late. Sleep wasn’t going to come easily to her. Stepping into the new bedroom she’d been given, Sunshine forced herself to look in the mirror at her reflection.

  Her nipples were rock hard, pressing against the summer dress. “You’re an idiot. Wearing a summer dress in the winter. You’re stupid.”

  She pressed a hand to her neck, licking her lips. Alex’s hands had been heaven on her body.

  “Do you want to stay a virgin forever?” She shook her head, answering her own question. No, she didn’t want to be a virgin, nor did she want to be alone. Alex was the only man who’d ever made her want to lose herself. It was like a burning fire that wouldn’t be put out. From the moment she’d first met Alex it had been simmering, and if she wasn’t careful, it was going to get out of control.

  Pulling the band from her hair, she fingered out her hair. When that was done, she lifted up her dress and removed her panties. Her heart pounded even though she was the only person in the room. Next, she unsnapped the bra, removing it.

  “You can do this, Sunshine. You want him, and this is what you want.”

  She’d never been naked in front of a man before. Alex wasn’t just any man. He was mature, older, wiser, and nothing like any of the boys she used to go to high school with. The way he’d touched her—Alex knew exactly how to touch her to arouse her. He was deadly, dangerous, and with that in mind, she stepped toward her door. Enough time had been wasted in the last couple of years. He’d not spent a great deal of time at his home, and when he did, he wouldn’t stick around to say too much to her. She wasn’t an idiot. This was going to be their last chance, as otherwise it wasn’t going to happen.