Owned by the Outlaw (10 page)

Stinger exhaled and shook his head. “No, Malice is
good at hiding what he feels, but why else would someone act like that if they
still didn’t want the woman?”

“Malice wants what he can’t have. There isn’t any
love between us anymore, not in that way at least. But he will always be in my
life.” She didn’t know why she was saying all of this to him, because frankly
it wasn’t his business. They had barely met, but for some reason she felt this
ease with Stinger. “We have a three-year-old son together.” Stinger didn’t
move, but she also could sense, in her puny human way, that he wasn’t turned
off by what she was saying like most men probably would be. “Dakota is our
son’s name, but Malice and I parted ways over a year and a half ago.”

“You broke it off?”

She nodded. “Yeah, but he didn’t fight me on it. He
knew that the relationship was long since dead.” She looked down at her hands.
“I think we stuck it out for Dakota, but in the end it wasn’t healthy for
anyone.”

Stinger nodded.

 
“I don’t
think it is so much the fact he still has feelings for me, but that Malice
likes to have control over everything that is involved in his life.”

Stinger’s expression looked less than amused.

“Like I said, it isn’t that he is still in love with
me, but that he doesn’t like being denied anything, and I denied him.”

“Did he hurt you?” There was a bite in Stinger’s
voice.

Molly knitted her brows and sat up straighter. Here
they were, both sitting here naked after just having sex like a pair of wild
animals, and all of that euphoria that had once filled her faded as she sensed
this proprietary wave come from Stinger. “No, he didn’t hurt me. We just didn’t
see each other much because of the club, and over time we just parted as a
couple.” Why was she telling this to him?
Because
you feel comfortable around him, as strange as that may seem, and talking with
Stinger comes really easy.

“I can see how that might cause problems, but he
should have made time for you and your son, too. The MC is an important part of
a member’s life, but so is an old lady and children.”

Molly swallowed, because suddenly emotion was thick
inside of her. Shaking her head, she knew this was not a conversation she
wanted to get into right now, especially after just having amazing sex with
him. “I’m going to take a shower.”

He stared at her for a second and then slowly
nodded. “I should leave as I can tell you’re uncomfortable.”

Her heart thundered once again, and for some
inexplicable reason she reached out and took hold of his hand. This was only
supposed to be this one night, right? “You don’t have to leave.” She watched as
he looked down at where her hand was curled around this thick forearm, but
before she could remove it he had his hand covering hers. “I just want you to
know I don’t go around sleeping with random guys. In fact, I’ve never done this
kind of thing before.”

“And what kind of thing is that?” His voice was
steady, but there was that dominance and control laced within the words.

Why had she gotten so embarrassed over his question?
“Only knowing a guy for a week and taking him into my bed.”

A low growl left him, and the hairs on her arms stood
on end. “Taking a male into your body?” He was looking at her mouth and then
lowered his eyes so they took on this sleepy half-lidded quality.

And there it was. She was aroused once again.
“Yeah, and that.”
She was staring into Stinger’s face. He
looked back at her, and they held each other’s gazes for several seconds. For a
moment she thought he would go another round, especially when she lowered her
gaze and saw that he was sporting another huge erection. God, this man was
insatiable, and she was realizing that so was she.

Chapter Seven

Stinger was wide awake. In fact, he hadn’t slept much
at all last night. It was hard to rest when there was a woman as fine as Molly
lying right beside him. His bear had been a stubborn, anxious bastard, too, and
obviously the orgasm he’d had wasn’t enough to tame the beast. She may try to act
like she just wanted to have that one night, but he knew she wanted more, and
felt more, with him. The declaration he had made was not because he had been in
the moment. No, he had said he owned her and claimed her because he had done
just that last night. She
was
his.
Stinger didn’t take that shit lightly, and certainly didn’t go around saying
things like that to women he was with. But he also wasn’t about to force her
into something she was uncomfortable with. She needed time, needed to realize
for
herself
that she wanted him, and he could wait. He
was a patient male, and when it concerned this he had all the time in the
world.

But there was also the problem with Malice, because
although he did believe that the Brother may just want her because she had
denied him, he really thought Stringer was trying to move in on what he thought
of as still his family. The issue Stinger saw for the future was that Malice could
be a problem if things were taken to the next level and he and Molly progressed
in a relationship. Stinger scrubbed a hand over his face and cursed internally.
How fucking strange was it that he wanted Molly as his old lady? He had never
seen a female as more than a few hours of pleasure, but there had been this
instant connection when he had seen her. Of course it had been sexual, because
she was a gorgeous woman, but it wasn’t just that. Stinger didn’t believe in
love at first sight, or two souls coming together as one. What he did believe
in was his feelings, and his bear instincts, and both of those had told him
instantly that she was it for him.

Glancing at her, Stinger had to refrain from
reaching over and running the pads of his fingers along her spine. She was on
her belly with her head turned toward him. Her red hair was spread out across
the bed, and although she had put an oversized shirt on—to his disappointment—
he could still see all of her curves through the thin white material. Her skin
was this milky, creamy color, and his tongue swelled to run along every smooth
line on her body. But what really turned him on were the little, pale and
almost nonexistent freckles that lined the bridge of her nose and ran along the
curves of her shoulder blades. As if she sensed him staring at her she slowly
opened her eyes, blinked a few times, and then smiled. But there was this dazed
quality on her expression.

“Hi.” Her voice had that husky, sleep-filled quality
to it, and if possible made her even sexier. “You’re still here?” She smiled,
but before he could answer she pushed herself up in bed. Her hair was a wild
mess around her face.

Stinger didn’t stop himself from lifting his hand
and snagging a lock. He rubbed her hair between his fingers, loved the silky
texture of it, and then leaned in to bring it to his nose. Was he acting like a
fucking creep? Maybe to her, but his kind needed to take in the scent of the
one they wanted, and right now he wanted her.
Badly.
Before he could lean in that last inch and take her mouth with his, she placed
a finger on his lips and smiled.

“Brushing my teeth is a must when I first wake up.”
And then she was off the bed and heading to the bathroom.

Stinger didn’t even stop himself from staring at her
ass, that big, round, and firm ass that had his cock throbbing. He wanted to
fuck it, wanted to part the cheeks again, stare at that tight hole, and slide
his dick all the way in. She shut the door behind her once in the bathroom and
he exhaled loudly. After her shower last night they had talked about “safe”
things. Maybe he shouldn’t allow himself to get pissed about what she had with
Malice, but the truth was he wasn’t going to not get pissed whenever he thought
about it, but he’d have to get used to it. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if that
asshole Malice would back the hell off.

A knock on the front door had him pushing himself up
in bed. He had his jeans on—unbuttoned— and no shirt. But he didn’t give two
shits
. Most likely it was housekeeping. He stood and walked
over to the door, and without looking out the peephole opened it. But of course
it wasn’t housekeeping. Malice stood on the other side, the scent of his
cologne and leather cut filling Stinger’s nose. Malice stared at him for a
second, and the rage built over the man’s expression with each passing moment.
Stinger braced a forearm on the doorframe and leaned into it. He couldn’t help
but grin, especially when Malice let his gaze roam over his half-dressed state.

“She’s in the bathroom…” Stinger was being a
motherfucker right now, but the scent of anger that came from the Brother was
strong, and that had Stinger’s bear rising up. It was either let his animal out
and really tear into the man, or keep his human side superior, and that meant
being a cocky asshole.
“…freshening up.”
He looked
down, saw that Malice had his hands curled into tight fists, and knew there was
about to be a brawl. But Stinger was more than ready, because his beast wanted
a little blood, and Malice was a man that would deliver on that violence.

****

           
Malice
slammed his fist into the side of Stinger. It was like hitting a brick wall,
but that didn’t stop him from hitting him again and again. He didn’t know what
had come over him, but when he saw the Grizzly standing there, this fucking
grin on his face, all Malice could see was red. He saw Stinger with Dakota,
smiling, doing fatherly things that only Malice should have been doing. It was
like some kind of movie reel playing right before his eyes: Christmas morning
with Stinger, Molly, and Dakota sitting around the tree, other holidays where
Malice had been excluded and Stinger taking over. This red sheen took its place,
and he felt something inside of him snap. As he slammed all of his body weight
into Stinger, they crashed into the wall and grappled for supremacy.

“You motherfucker,” Malice grunted out when Stinger
got a hit into his right kidney. They broke away, and Malice saw the way
Stinger’s green eyes turned black.
Good.
Malice wanted that asshole to break loose and not hold back. There was no fear
that if he went up against a shifter he couldn’t win. It wasn’t about who was
stronger in their human forms, because they were equally matched in that
department. This was about a shifter tearing into a human in their animal form,
and Malice not coming out of it alive. That was the only thing that had Malice
stilling. It wasn’t because of fear, but of the thought that if Stinger
couldn’t control himself and shifted he would never see Dakota again. But then
he heard the bathroom door open, saw Molly step out, and felt Stinger body
check him nearly across the entire room.

****

Molly looked at herself once more in the mirror and
ran a finger under her eyes. She had dark circles under them, but even if she did
just have the best sleep in a long time, exhaustion still weighed heavily
inside of her. After her shower she had been tempted to go another round with
Stinger, even if she was sore, but he hadn’t taken her again, and instead held
her until she fell asleep. Having him so close, his arms wrapped around her,
and the security she felt when around him, shouldn’t have been so comfortable.
Feeling resolve that for once in her life she wouldn’t let caution and her mind
control her life, she decided that maybe things wouldn’t be so bad if she
allowed herself to explore something more with Stinger. It was clear he didn’t
just want this one night with her either. What was the worst that could happen?

The sound of something breaking in the room had her
pulling the bathroom door open and stopping in her tracks at the scene before
her. Malice and Stinger were locked together, each throwing punches. Blood
covered Stinger’s chest and Malice’s white shirt, but she couldn’t tell who was
the one that was bleeding, or if it was both of them. Malice was grunting and
cursing, and Stinger was making this primal noise. But the violence and
testosterone that filled the small room could be felt, and it was like
electricity in the air. Stinger and Malice slammed into the table where the TV
sat, and it crashed to the floor.

“What in the hell are you two doing?” Her words fell
on deaf ears as the two men kept hitting each other, knocking into the
furniture and breaking it, and growling and snapping at each other.
“Stop.”
She said it louder this time, but still they didn’t
even acknowledge she was there.
 
The two
men came barreling toward her, their fists flying into each other’s faces and
sides. But she wasn’t quick enough, and Malice’s big body slammed into hers,
knocking her to the side. The back of her head hit the wall with a resounding
thunk
, and pain
radiated down her spine.

“You’re going to fucking pay for that, human.”
Stinger’s words were filled with anger.

Molly blinked several times to clear her vision and
saw both men looking at her. Stinger had unrestrained anger on his face, and
Malice had worry mixed with his own rage covering his expression.

“Fuck, Molly. Are you okay?”

She shook her head to clear it further. “I’m fine.”
She ran her hand over the back of her head. “Where’s Dakota?” A massive
headache was already starting to form.