All In: ALL IN KNIGHTS OF MAYHEM (5 page)

Leo is a fucking psycho!

Lol no he’s not, give him a chance.

Shit she is in on this, Piper actually wants me to spend time with this guy.

No Piper! I have to leave.

She doesn’t answer me back. I stand and flush pulling my pants up
. I scan the bathroom for some sort of weapon. The door is flung open making me jump, ‘took you long enough.” Leo glides his big frame around me and begins to relieve himself right in front of me.

“Oh God.” I
shout as I throw my hands up to shield my eyes, ‘do you not have any manners?”

“What
, never seen a man pee before, good lord Avery loosen up. At this rate you are going to have a heart attack before you’re forty.” He talks back to me over his shoulder.

I
see my chance and rush for the door throwing it open, only to find Beeker leaned up against the opposite wall. Righting himself he begins to laugh, ‘Leo said you would try to run.”

I can feel Leo at my back, ‘thanks man.” Beeker nods as he almost skips down the hall
back to the party.

Taking my shoulder Leo spins me around to face him, ‘where were you going?”

“Leaving, like I said, if I ask nicely will you take me home, please?” I am not above giving him the pouty lip.

He steps back and rubs
his hand through his sexy hair. I wiggle my fingers resisting the urge to help him with the task, shit get it together Avery. I watch as he wages an internal struggle with the fact I don’t want to be with him. Which I am certain, by the look on his face, doesn’t happen often, if at all ever.

“Okay fine, let me go and talk to a few people and I will get you home within the hour but you have to stay right
on my ass. Don’t go trying to wonder off again, we clear?” I start to argue but I appreciate the effort because for a man like Leo this is a huge step to compromise.

“Fine.” I agree.

“Fine.” Leo repeats as he is once again dragging me behind him down the hall and back out into the large room filled to the brim with people.

***

Leo

She has got to b
e the most infuriating woman on the fucking planet. What the hell was I thinking when I decided to throw my lot in with her? I can't leave her alone with any of the guys, they have a tendency to want to brag and the last thing I need is them telling secrets that do not belong to them. The fact she is the bosses daughter makes their lips loose, trying to impress her with knowledge she isn’t ready for.

After I get her somewhat calmed down, we head back out into the general population of the party. I see Roman and nod in his direction letting him know we need to finish the conversation we had started before she tripped balls on me in front of everyone.
If she sticks around we are going to have to have a talk about her mouth and using it to back talk me in front of my crew.

She is acting much better this time around
, standing at my right as I finish up the business at hand, ‘hey man so did you get the twenty on the car?” We keep it vague, talking in only mechanic shop lingo just in case she decided now would be a good time to pay attention to me.

“Not really
, they couldn’t find the street, but they know the color and the plates.” Roman is joined by Dalton and Calvin, I nod in greeting.

“They just called, we need to get a truck over to follow.” Dalton flips his phone closed shoving it down into his pocket.

“Okay,’ I glance over my shoulder at Avery who has stepped away to be with Piper. Looking back to my guys and smiling knowing Roman and Calvin will be the fall guys tonight, ‘any volunteers? I have my hands full with this one tonight.” I throw my head back in the direction of Avery and plaster a grin on my face as I watch as Roman’s face contorts with a bit of jealousy. Maybe after tonight he will be over that bout of stupidity.

D
alton snickers and slaps Roman on the shoulder, ‘looks like the odd man out is in.” Dalton’s snide comment garners him a punch. Dalton will be with Piper tonight, I am sure.

Calvi
n looks between us both and then smiles giving Roman a punch in the shoulder, ‘Dude you might as well give it up and you know it.” Calvin doesn’t work in the shop, he works as foreman at a farm just outside of town most days. So he has been out of the Avery loop all week, but as soon as his boots hit the parking lot Kayla had filled him in on all the gossip floating around.

Shrugging us all off, ‘d
ick heads, both of you,‘ Roman steps away then turns back, ‘hope you fuckers get a severe case of erectile dysfunction.”

I throw my hand up to my heart acting hurt, ‘oh man
, don’t be like that.” Dalton slaps my back as we both laugh at Roman as he heads for the door flipping us off for good measure as he leaves with Calvin close on his heels.

He
turns to point his finger at Dalton, ‘I am going to beat your ass if you hurt my sister.” He moves through the crowd bidding everyone goodbye. He and Calvin will keep an eye out tonight until I can relieve him of his duty in the morning.

“Keep your phone on just in case things turn ugly and
they need our help.” I tell Dalton as I walk to Avery.

“Will do.” He nods as he sweeps Piper up into his arms whispering something into her ear
making her laugh.

I place my hands on Avery’s small
hips and out of reflex she reaches and touches my hand with hers, realizing what she had done she quickly withdraws it and shoves it in her pocket.

Leaning into her ear I take a minute to smell her perfume before speaking, ‘you ready baby?”

****

Avery

True to his word, we are on his bike and screaming down the road on the way back to my apartment. I had been permitted to step away from Leo for a while and talk to Piper while Leo discussed whatever with Roman and Dalton.

Pulling up I notice
d a few lights switch on at the noise the bike made, I give Leo an aggravated stare, ‘what, isn’t my fault they go to bed at eight.” He shrugs his shoulders with his comment.

“It's not eight
Leo, it is more like eleven thirty.” I stomp up the walk to the front porch I only turn to tell him goodbye forever when I am stopped dead in my tracks by a wall of Leo.

“What do you think
you’re doing?” I push him down a step, I know now it is only because he let me move him.

“Coming in to hang out with you, I do believe Piper will be busy this evening
and you will need some company.” He takes the keys out of my hand, ‘hope you have beer.” He clicks the lock open and walks in like we have been together forever.

I follow
in him shaking my head in disbelief, once inside I slap him on the arm with my purse. He turns to me, removing the leather bag from my hand I see it in his eyes, he means to have me and there isn’t anything I can or will be able to do about it.

Dropping my bag on the table by the door he claps his now empty hands together
in front of him, ‘so where is the alcohol?” He begins to walk through our apartment taking time to stop and look at the framed photos we have hanging on the wall.

I brush past him on my way to the kitchen, ‘it is
in here,‘ I stop and turn back to him, ‘you can have one and then you have to go.” Jerking the door to the refrigerator open I pull him out a beer and a bottle of wine for me.

I feel him close behind me looking over my shoulder
surveying the contents of my refrigerator, ‘wine drinker uh?”

I step to my right to try and free
myself from his closeness but he steps with me. I do the same to the left only to have him follow me again. Turning to face him, my back is now pressed firmly against the counter as I try to avoid any more than necessary contact. He places a hand on either side of my body pinning me between his arms.

He just stands there devouring the features of my face, tilting his head every once in awhile to take in parts not
staring him straight in the face, ‘you are gorgeous, you know that?”

Shaking off the comment
I turn to try and reach my wine, ‘you need your eyes checked, did you know
that
?” My retort is not well received.

He turns his liquid onyx gaze which lands heavily on me
, ‘why do woman always shrug off compliments?”

“I don’t know maybe because I look at this face and body,’ I run my hand over my waist stopping at my hips, ‘every morning in the mirror and I am not impressed.”

“So you think I am just feeding you a line?” He raises his eyebrows with the question.

“Yes Mr. Tucker
, I do believe you are.” I give him a knowing smile.

“
Okay we will have to agree to disagree. You can think whatever you want but remember it only matters what I think, Avery.” He pushes off the counter taking his beer with him. Grabbing me by the hand, ‘come on let’s go and watch Saturday Night Live.”

****

I snuggle down deeper and I am wrapped in a cocoon of warmth and man. My bare legs are entangled with two long strong legs. My hand caresses a chest lightly dusted with dark hair. He smells incredible, all man and a little bit of sweat mixed in. His breaths are deep as he is still sleeping and I lay there and reveal in the fact he is all mine for the moment. I roll into him laying my head on his chest and use my free hand to pull on his side bringing my body in closer to his strong form. My finger traces the ridges defining his abdomen and I splay my hand on his v of heaven.

As I shake off the sleep and blink my eyes to clear them of the haze I jump straight up
in shocked horror, looking to my left and see a very naked Leo on his back in my bed. I drag my leg up his body and feel nothing but skin.

I start to move away and off of him but h
e pulls on my arm trying to get me to lay back down, ‘lay back down and quit freakin’ out babe, nothin’ happened.” He never opens his eyes.

I fling up the covers and I am somewhat relieved to see I
still have on the boy short and tee shirt set I had changed into. Shortly after he had proceeded to drink every beer in the house and had moved onto my bourbon stash. I had plied myself with wine to keep from losing my mind. We had sat in front of the T.V., until it got to the point where neither one of us could focus with both eyes open. I don’t remember much after that.

Never opening his eyes but sensing I was still freaking out he starts to explain how we ended up in the situation at hand, ‘
Don’t worry I got you drunk and put you to bed, now lie back down.” He mumbled as he kept tugging on my arm.

“Leo get out of my bed and my house, tak
e your crazy ass possessiveness with you. I am done.” I flip my legs over the bed but before I can stand I am hauled into a strong tattooed chest. I am flipped on my back and feel the pressure of his body on mine.

He has me down and his lips are inches away from mine, ‘
Avery, you are the most fuckin’ irritating woman I have ever met.”

“Yes
well right back at ya.” I am so mad I could spit but I don’t think it would go over to well right now.

His thumbs are caressing my temples and his coal black eyes are studying mine, ‘I’m not a woman.” He studies me more, ‘we are going out to eat tonight.” Before I can protest he crushes my mouth with his, taking me
hard. His tongue begs entrance and with reluctance I grant it to him and what I received was the kiss of a life time. I can feel the tightness of anger start to unravel, damn him and his lips. His piercing is cold on my bottom lip and I flick my tongue out to caress it. Feeling the smooth steel against my heated flesh is undoing my resolve.

He tangles his hands in my hair
tugging at the scalp, sending a shiver down my spine as he deepens the kiss. The coolness of his lip ring sends zingers down my spine and they bottom out between my legs. He catches the moan in his mouth escaping my throat. He grinds his hips down into me hitting the growing sensitivity at my core his lips have started to cause.

He removes one of his hands from my hair
and glides his fingers down my side to take up my knee to get a better grinding angle. I push my hips up into him giving him a way better position to me. I tangle my fingers in his long soft hair pulling him as close as possible. I am lost in the kiss and release another moan of acceptance. I am a goner, my earlier reservations are vanishing with each stoke of his velvety tongue.

Suddenly he pushes himself up to his elbows, ‘
Oh shit Avery.” He mutters ripping his mouth away from mine to sit up on the side of the bed, feeling a little dejected I reach for him. This only makes him stand up to face me. He props both his hands on his hips giving me the full show of Leo Tucker in his boxers, and it is impressive. His olive skin is set off with the tattoos running all over his torso and arms. I sit up with a bewildered look on my face at his sudden withdrawal from our passion.

He takes a few deep breathes
steadying himself, leaning in over me placing a hand on either side of my hips, ‘Avery I have never wanted a woman like I want you or have I ever stopped when I was about to get what I wanted. I am telling you that so I can ask you this, when I walk out of this house do you want me to come back?”

Now is my chance to get rid of Leo Tucker forever
but do I want to, ‘yes.” What the hell just came out of my fucking mouth. Did I just involuntary say the word yes? Holy mother, ‘oh um no, I don’t know.” I try to back pedal and take the word back from the air between us. He has busted the walls and my body knows what it wants, but can my heart handle what I am sure Leo Tucker can fling at it?

“No take backs Avery.” His eyes are laced with a mix of desire and determination and they are set on me, ‘it is either a yes or a no
, there are no fuckin’ maybes.”

As it has been since I have meet the man
, he has left me speechless once again, ‘I can’t promise you-.“ He interrupts me before I can get the incoherent thought out.

“Promise me what
Avery, a hot meal on the table every night? That is not part of the deal, at least not with me.” He has begun to pace back in forth like a caged animal, trying to do is own sorting of the details.

“Then what are you asking me to agree to Leo?” He closes his eyes
and stops dead at my feet.

He stares
at me with those soulless eyes, I see a glint of it but only for a second it was there but is now long gone. I have a similar look too, I see it after I shower and it is just me in the bathroom. The look of loss and the regret of not doing anything about it. It is also mixed with redemption and the hope you can always get a second chance.

“You are
reading way too much into this Avery, I just want to have a good time with you.” He stands and turns to pick up his discarded blue jeans. I watch in awe as he shoves his long legs into them, finishing with the button and then his shirt, ‘Avery, this is all I can offer you.” Shrugging his shoulders with his statement, I see a hint of regret or something close to it.

Trying to act nonchalant about the comment but feeling a version of disappointment to my core
, I also climb out of the bed and begin to get dressed. I roll the offer over in my head and know I want him, anyway I can have him. So there it is, I have made up my mind, I am a woman, don’t judge me. If you had quit possibly the sexiest man alive offer to make himself available for sex wouldn’t you do it? So I take a deep breath and then take the plunge, ‘okay fine, let’s just play it by ear then.” I say as I enter my bathroom and slam the door behind me. Giving him the easy out I am sure he is use to, I lean my back against the door and slide down bottoming out on the cool tile floor. I lay my head on my knees, wondering if I am going regret doing what I had just agreed to.

I listen to the rustling for a few more seconds, I hear my
bed room door open and then followed by the front door opening and latching shut. My heart clenches and I am finding it hard to breath. I hadn’t realized I had begun to fall but I just hit rock bottom. I reach up with my fingers and brush my lips left slightly swollen by the intense kiss we had shared. Pressing my eyes together, the memory of his face being so close to mine is a ready thought I will keep at the fore front of my mind for a very long time.

Taking a deep breath I let my mind wonder,
I am not the type of woman who jumps into bed with a man often or frequently. And especially not after I have only know the man for what, going on four days. I run through the conversation and his comments about his expectations for what can only be called our future liaisons. The voice in the back of my mind sounds the warning alarm while my body screams with delight. My heart will be the hardest to get on board because it already knows I am in too deep, leaving it out on a precarious limb.

****