Kellan (16 page)

“Jesus.” If I let my mind wander too far into what might have happened if she hadn’t been near the station, I would have smashed something a lot bigger than a couple of beer mugs.
 

“You finally going to let me in on what the hell’s going on, Kellan? My brother won’t tell me anything.”
 

“Well, that sounds like it’s between you and him then.”
 

“Cut the shit. This is a small town, Kel. You’ve got a bunch of girls scared to go back to work for you. Now, I
know
you’re not the one they’re scared of. Though maybe they should be. One of our patrolmen took a report from a Lisa Clark the other night. She got roughed up in the parking lot of her apartment on her way back from a shift at the
Den
. Now your talent’s getting damn near rammed off the road.”
 

I looked through the office window. Mallory had her back to us. A female officer stood next to her rubbing her upper arm. Mallory said something and waved the woman off. God, she was like me. She’d rather cut that arm off than let anyone help her. Tonight though, I didn’t plan on giving her a choice.
 

“Kellan,” Jase barked. “Sooner or later you and my brother are going to have to clue me in on what’s going down in my own city.”
 

“When there’s something for you to know, you’ll know it.” My voice came out a hell of a lot harder than I meant. I didn’t have a beef with Jase. Not really. He’d proven himself an ally to the club more times than I wanted to remember. Tonight was shaping up to be another one. But for now, whoever was trying to put the squeeze on the Great Wolves was our problem. If we couldn’t find a way to handle it without the cops, then we’d never be able to hold the chapter together.
 

For now though, my main priority was Mallory. I needed to get her out of here and someplace safe. Then I needed to figure out how not to explode. The first two things would hopefully help with the last.
 

“Fine,” Jase said. He knew me well enough, I think, to understand this conversation wasn’t going any deeper. “Get the girl home. Watch your back. But we’re not done talking.”
 

“Right,” I said. I didn’t wait for him to say anything else. I left the office and went back to Mallory’s side.
 

“Come on,” I said, putting a gentle hand on her arm. “Let’s get you home.”
 

She tucked a hair behind her ear and followed me back out to the parking lot. I had a thousand things to say to her but we couldn’t very well carry on a conversation from the back of my bike. I tossed her a helmet. I could see gooseflesh covering her skin. I peeled off my leather jacket and put it around her. Letting out a resigned sigh, she slid her arms into the sleeves. Her hands disappeared inside it, but at least she’d stay warm.
 

Mallory still looked scared for a second, then her pale blue eyes fixed on mine.
 

“We need to talk,” she said. “Really talk. You need to let me in on what’s going on.”
 

She was right. I just wish I had more I could tell her. The truth was, I wasn’t fucking sure who was trying to mess with my girls or my club. I had a couple of solid guesses, but this was bigger than a two-minute conversation with Mallory.
 

“I know. For now though, can I ask you to just trust me?” I knew it was a big ask for a woman like her. Mallory was used to taking care of herself. Relying on nobody. She had to have learned it was easier to avoid being hurt that way. I got it.
 

“Where’s your brother tonight?”
 

Her mouth dropped open and she narrowed her eyes. She got a little crease right between her brows whenever she got angry. God help me, it only made me want to kiss her hard and pull her close.
 

“He had a baseball tournament this morning. He’s best friends with the coach’s son. He crashes there on the weekends during the season.”
 

I nodded. “Good. I’m pretty sure nobody followed me out here. And I’m also pretty sure whoever followed you earlier is long gone. But I don’t want to take any chances. You’re coming home with me.”
 

The crease between her eyes deepened.
 

“Get on,” I ordered. She could be mad at me all she wanted, but I was going to make her do it from the safety of my house. She let out a little grunt, but she climbed on the back of my Harley. Then she squealed when I peeled out faster than she was expecting.
 

I didn’t take her back to the
Den
. I took her home. She might have thought I planned the whole thing. Maneuvered her to a place where she’d have to depend completely on me. Yeah. That would have been a way to play it. I can’t deny I wanted this girl all to myself. But that night, it wasn’t about that. Or at least, it didn’t start out that way. I only wanted to keep her safe and warm and help her chase away the fear that clouded her eyes in those first few minutes after I showed up.
 

I pulled into my driveway and cut the engine. She hesitated for a minute, perched on the back of my bike. I did a quick check around the house and gave her a nod. She dismounted, wrapping the oversized sleeves of my leather jacket around her, and walked up to the front porch beside me. I let her in. She stood against the wall by the front door as I walked into the living room. She looked small and still a little scared. My jacket hung off her shoulders, reaching down to the top of her thighs. She wore high-heeled leather boots and a tight leather skirt slit up the side. She’d owned the stage in it.
 

“Where were you tonight?” she asked. Of all the things she could have said, I wasn’t expecting that.
 

“When I sang, I mean. I can usually find you. But tonight, you weren’t out there.”
 

I smiled and closed the distance between us. I wanted to wrap my arms around her, but she stayed pressed against the wall. She wasn’t ready yet.
 

“I was there. I’m always there. There’s an office behind the bar. The mirror is a two-way. And you’re one of only two people outside the club who know that. I wanted to watch the crowd tonight.”
 

“Oh. Did you see anything?”
 

“I said I
wanted
to watch the crowd. I couldn’t though. I couldn’t take my eyes off you. I can
never
take my eyes off you, Mallory.”
 

She let out a breath and slid her shoulders out of my jacket, setting it on the chair by the door. The red Great Wolves logo sparked on the front of her chest like a brand. My brand. God. I wanted to make her mine now and forever. I really hadn’t meant to let things go this fast with her. But from the second I thought she might be in trouble, I knew everything was going to have to be different.
 

“What’s going on, Kellan?” she asked. It was in me to deflect the question, just like I had with Jase. It wasn’t fair though. She was involved now.
 

“I don’t know for sure. That’s the truth. You’ve lived around here long enough to know my club wasn’t always just about the bar and the gym.”
 

Mallory moved away from the door. She crossed in front of me and headed deeper into the house. There wasn’t much to it. It was a simple ranch with the living room up front, the kitchen in the back, and a long hallway to three bedrooms and a single bathroom. I didn’t even have the basement finished yet.
 

She went into the kitchen and ran her hands across the black granite countertops. I installed those myself. My own brand of therapy after I got stateside.
 

“You have anything to drink?”
 

I smiled. “Whatever you like.”
 

“Just a beer. Something ice cold.”
 

“Help yourself.”
 

Mallory turned and went to the fridge. She opened it and leaned down. My eyes followed the curve of her sweet ass as she reached in and grabbed two bottles. She tossed me one and twisted the top off hers. She brought the amber neck to her lips and took a long sip. I was glad to see her hands were steady now. She set the
bottle on the counter and hopped up next to it, perching on the edge with her feet dangling down.
 

“My best guess is we’re dealing with the Devil’s Hawks,” I said. I stood in front of her, planting my hands on either side of her thighs. “Word’s gotten out that we’ve gone legit. They’re trying to move in. Easiest way to do that is to mess with our businesses. Make people scared to work there. Scared to go there.”
 

“Is it working?” she asked.
 

“You tell me. Are you scared to go back?”
 

“I suppose I should be. And yeah. I am a little bit. Kellan, there was a minute there tonight that I thought ...”
 

I reached up and ran my fingers along the top of her ear, tucking her hair back. She shivered under my touch, her body swaying into mine.
 

“Kellan.” Her breath touched my cheek, sending a shiver straight through me. My blood ran hot. My cock twitched inside my jeans. I could stop now. I
would
stop now if she wanted me to.  But there was something different about tonight. We’d been dancing around the truth for a while now. It was time to stop.
 

“I’m never going to let anyone hurt you. I swear to God, Mallory. I need you to trust me.”
 

“I want to.” She didn’t raise her voice above a whisper, but it seared me, just like when she powered through some song on stage.
 

“I want you.”
 

She stiffened against me. She didn’t pull away, but I knew she struggled with all the reservations of why getting the hell away from me was probably the smartest thing she could do. I was too far gone for that.
 

“I want you,” I said again. “I shouldn’t. I get that. And now you’re dragged into this. But I
am
going to keep you safe. Can you handle all that?”
 

She chewed the corner of her mouth and looked over my shoulder. She stiffened, straightened her back, then shut her eyes tight. When she opened them again, she focused them straight on me and didn’t flinch. It was all the answer I needed.
 

“You’re mine,” I said. I pulled her closer. Her breath fell heavy against my cheek. I ran my hands up her thighs, hiking her skirt up. She threw her head back,
moaned and parted her legs. She wore lacy black panties and I slid my fingers between her thighs. She gasped when I found the sweet little bud. She was soaked for me already.
 

“Say it,” I said. “I want to hear you.”
 

I hooked my fingers behind the crotch of her panties and started to drag them down. She was slick with desire. I felt a tiny pulsation in her clit and knew it wouldn’t take long to get her there. It’s what I wanted. We’d have time later to savor each other. To make love if that’s what she wanted. But right here, right now, I meant to claim her and make her mine once and for all.
 

I dipped a finger into her wetness. She twitched for me and spread her thighs even wider. Her whole body shuddered and I knew how bad she wanted me to rip those panties away. And I would. But I needed something else from her. “Say it.”
 

“Yes,” she gasped. “Kellan, yes! Make me yours.”
 

I moved my hands to her ass and pulled her forward so she was tilted against the edge of the counter. She balanced on her palms as I went for my fly. My dick sprang free. Mallory’s eyes widened when she saw how hard I was for her. She cocked her head to the side and licked her lips. Just that little gesture damn near sent me over the edge. She threw her head back and closed her eyes. But I didn’t want that. I wanted her to watch. I wanted her eyes wide open when I took her.
 

“Look at me. Say it again.”
 

Her lids were heavy but she opened them and looked at me through those thick lashes. Her blue eyes glinted as she spread herself even wider for me.
 

“Please.” Her voice was breathy, ragged with lust. Yeah. I wanted that. I wanted to make her beg for it all night long. For now though, I needed to hear just one thing. She knew exactly what that was.
 

“I’m yours. Oh, Kellan. Yes. All yours. Please!”
 

I reached down, spread her legs wider. Then, with both hands, I grabbed the waistband of her panties and ripped them off her with a quick, fluid motion that made her gasp. I raised myself up and nudged the tip of my rock hard cock against her slick cleft. Testing her with my fingers, she quivered as I slid them inside her. Then I was done teasing.
 

I closed my fingers around my shaft, guiding myself into her. With my other hand, I pulled her even closer to the edge of the counter. Then I slid home,
sheathing myself into her hot, soft, tight wetness all the way to the root. She grabbed my shoulders to keep from falling off. I had her now though, impaled on me as I thrust in and out of her. I felt the walls of her pussy clench hard. A fresh gush of juices coated us both as she came hard and fast. I’d wanted to draw her out a little more but she couldn’t help herself. Turns out I couldn’t help myself either.
 

“Fuck,” I whispered against her chest as I held her tight against me. I tried to stay in control, stay in the moment and make it last. But the second I felt Mallory come, all of it went out of my head. I just wanted to pour myself into her sweet wetness and stay there for the rest of my life.
 

She pushed off the counter and wrapped her legs around me. She ran her fingers through my hair and peppered my forehead with soft kisses as she crested down. My own lust built inside me. My cock stiffened and twitched as I tried to hold back, just for a second longer. But Mallory felt too good with her legs spread so wide, her head thrown back, and that sweet, hot wetness inviting me home. I pressed into her hard, rising up to the balls of my feet. Mallory opened her eyes wide and grabbed my shoulders. Her nails cut into my skin even under the fabric of my t-shirt. She held tight, bracing for the release she knew I had coming. Then I let go, pouring into her as she struggled to open her thighs even wider to take it all in. I spent myself hard and deep, exploding inside her.