Pack Challenge (3 page)

Sara turned to Marrec in an attempt to hide her smile. He’d gone over to greet the older biker as Casey spoke quietly to him. When she was done, the two men stared at each other and, finally, shook hands.

“Name’s Yates. And I really appreciate this,” he said with genuine warmth.

Marrec nodded. “No problem. Just remember whose territory this is.” Yates smiled at that. “I don’t think that’s a problem.” Sara and Miki frowned at each other. Sara had never known Marrec to be so territorial before. Bikers came in to his shop all the time, but he never seemed concerned about any of them as he did this group. And these people seemed positively kittenish compared to some of the hardcore criminals who’d walked through the doors of Marrec’s business over the years.

Of course, all this had Miki’s major brainpower working on hyperdrive. And Sara knew her friend was on the verge of saying something completely inappropriate—again.

Angelina, however, was busy putting on lip gloss while staring into a mirror customers used to try on sunglasses. Angie was one woman who didn’t let herself get worked up over stuff she couldn’t control. Although

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that rather Zen-like philosophy did take years of court-ordered therapy to obtain.

“Oh, God. Oh, God,” Miki whispered desperately. Sara watched the blond bear meandering toward them with the possible intent of trying to talk to Miki. Turning to Sara with a look of pure panic, Miki yelped, “Tell me he’s not coming over here.”

“Not everyone is loved by Thor, God of Thunder.” Miki glared but couldn’t stifle a laugh. “I hate you.” Sara grinned, about ready to help her friend escape true love—but
he
walked in.

He’d been outside checking out the damaged bike. He was tall. Taller than Yates. Taller than any of them, except for the big blond guy who kept silently staring at Miki and slowly moving in on her. This new guy was big too. Sara actually wondered how he possibly got those shoulders through the door. And at six-feet, there were not a lot of men who made her feel small.

Dark brown hair reached to his shoulders and swept across his face, practically covering bright hazel-colored eyes. He had several days’

growth of stubble on his jaw, and a thick muscular neck she could spend all day chewing and licking. Dressed in black jeans, black T-shirt and a black leather jacket, he was, simply, the most beautiful man Sara had ever seen in her life. And she wanted him so badly she couldn’t breathe.

He didn’t notice her when he walked in, but everyone else did. The rest of the members stopped talking, stopped shopping, stopped moving.

As one, they all lifted their heads and sniffed the air. Then they all turned and looked at Sara.

She couldn’t understand it. She hadn’t done anything. Hadn’t moved.

She’d also stared at Yates when he walked in. Exactly what cued them in to her sudden need to be naked and straddling this brown-haired god, she had no idea.

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Shelly Laurenston

As she obsessed over this, Angelina leaned in and said, “Um…hon?

Are we going to need to peel you off that seat?” Sara, distracted from being the center of attention, turned to Angelina. “Shut up.”

“You don’t remember him,” Miki chastised, her blond stalker quickly forgotten.

“Remember who?

“Tragic, black leather–clad biker guy over there.” Angie started laughing. “Oh, my God, it
is
him.”

“Who?” Sara snapped.

Before she got an answer, Sara realized that after greeting the females of the group, he’d finally noticed her. His eyes locked on her and she actually felt her face get hot and the walls of her pussy tighten.

“The good Samaritan,” Miki offered.

“I think your exact words were,” Angelina added in, “‘Pretty man is all mine’.”

“Just before you stuck your tongue down his throat,” Miki filled in.

“And I believe there was some crotch-grabbing.” Angelina shook her head. “Whore.”

Sara growled at her friends when the insanity from the previous evening came flooding back to her. Too much tequila. Asshole club pigs grabbing her. And the classic Sara-drinking stupidity, where she did something she ended up regretting the following morning. Apparently, this time her regret was him.

“Oh, hell.”

“But clearly he remembers
you
.” Angelina giggled.

Of course he did. When a tall, scarred woman calls you a pretty man, and sticks her tongue down your throat—you remembered her. And if Sara had any doubt, the sudden grin on his face confirmed it.

“Uh-oh,” Angelina whispered.

“He’s headin’ this way,” Miki chimed in. Fuck, she almost sang it.

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Pack Challenge

“I’m in hell.” Sara began to search for something,
anything
to do. She was too distracted to focus, though. Her nipples had hardened. Her pussy was on fire. And she kept wondering what he looked like completely naked.

Naked with his head between her thighs.

Jesus Christ! What was wrong with her?

“Hi.” His voice was so deep she felt like he’d run a finger up her bare back. He leaned against the counter and lowered his head so they were eye to eye.

“Howdy!” Angelina piped up, a big smile on her beautiful face.

“Hey, y’all!” Miki said, her Texan accent suddenly ten times thicker than normal.

Sara hated them both. A lot.

Still she wasn’t going to let some guy freak her out. Sara looked up, a greeting on her lips, but it caught in her throat.

He was staring at her—well, more like smirking—with those beautiful eyes of his, and really it was all she could do to stop herself from giving him a hickey on that thick neck.

“Remember me? I’m your…what was it? Oh, yeah. I’m your pretty man. But I never quite got your name.”

Sara could
feel
her face getting red when the entire room erupted into laughter.

Before she could say a word—or punch him in the face—Yates interrupted. “All right people, let’s saddle up. Julie, we’ll pick up your new bike tomorrow.”

Marrec came back behind the counter and Angelina moved out of the way so he could get to the safe her long legs were in front of.

“You three.” Casey stood next to Sara’s deepest, darkest fantasy and Sara didn’t like it one damn bit. In fact, she wanted to punch the shit out of the bitch for standing way too close to him, which was clearly not a rational response when she didn’t even know the guy. “Because you were

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Shelly Laurenston

so helpful today,” Casey continued, oblivious to how close she was to getting her throat ripped out, “I’d like to invite you to a little party we’re throwing tomorrow night out near that big park off the state highway.”

“Kingsley Park?” Angelina practically knocked a crouching Marrec over to get closer to Casey. The woman did love a good party.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Casey confirmed. “I think you guys will have a good time.”

“Or,” Miki interjected flatly, “you could cut our throats and leave us for dead now so we don’t have to make the trip.” Sara knew she no longer had anyone’s attention. Miki and her mouth had thankfully stolen the spotlight once again.

Everyone stared at Miki—except
her
pretty man. He was still staring at Sara, but he did raise an eyebrow at Miki’s comment.

Marrec quickly stood. “Miki!”

“What?” she asked with that damned innocent smile.

Marrec took a deep breath, something the older man often did around Miki. “You guys, go to the party. Have a great time. I will personally vouch for these people.”

Angelina answered for the three of them, “We’ll be there.”

“Great. Ten p.m., day after tomorrow. See you then.” With that, Casey walked out of the store, the females following her, all loaded down with bags of Harley-and Marrec’s Choppers–branded clothes.

“Let’s go, gentlemen. We’ve got beer to buy.” The men moved out, but Yates waited. “Zach, let’s hit it.”

Zach stared at Sara for a few more moments, straightened up and followed Yates to the door. “Tequila, right?” Sara watched him as he moved, she couldn’t help herself—the man had an amazing ass. “That’s your drink of choice?”

Then he was gone.

“Sara’s got a hottie on her tail.” Angelina practically frothed at the mouth in her excitement.

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Pack Challenge

“More like a biker. And they’re on the List,” Miki pointed out.

“Fuck the List! She needs to get laid,” Angelina barked back.

Miki sighed. “Not if her last fuck will be a train pulled by some scumbag motorcycle club.”

“Okay!” Sara grabbed each by the shoulder. “Marrec here is as close as I’ve had to a father since I was eight. I would really appreciate the two of you not discussing me and fucking in the man’s presence. Do you think you idiots could handle that?”

Miki and Angelina were silent for a moment. But it was just a moment.

“Did you see the bulge in the man’s pants? He’s packing major heat and it’s for her.”

“
He’s on the List
!”

She was much prettier than he remembered. And sweeter. She actually blushed when he looked at her. She wasn’t remotely innocent, though. He smelled her lust from fifty feet away—as did everyone else.

What surprised him even more was his body’s immediate response to it.

To her. Which seemed strange. The woman wasn’t anything to him.

“Cute, huh, Zach?” Casey sat on the bike behind Yates. Her arm around her mate’s torso, her head on his shoulder.

“You’re leaving your bike here?”

“Marrec will take care of it. So, what do you think?”

“I think that with all due respect, you should back the fuck off.” Casey grinned. “Don’t take it out on me because you’re afraid to make a move.”

“Afraid to make a move? Really?” Zach shook his head. “I wish I could figure out what you’re up to.” He turned and looked at Yates’ mate. The Alpha Female of his pack. Affectionately known by him and his baby sister as the bitch from hell. “You’ve never given a shit about what I stick my dick in to before, why do you suddenly care now?”

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Shelly Laurenston

“I don’t. I only care about the Pack. And, unfortunately, that includes you.” She flashed him a grin as Yates started his bike.

“So what exactly are you hoping I’ll do?” Casey shrugged. “Follow your instincts.” Zach Sheridan watched them pull out, annoyed his mother raised him not to hit women in the face.

He walked to his bike and stopped. He looked back through the store windows. She used her arms to haul herself onto the counter. What strength she lacked in her bad leg, she made up for in the rest of her body. Lifting her legs, she twisted her butt around, and slid down off the case so she was in front of the counter. Her friends appeared to be arguing. She stood between them, trying to stop the fight, but the two women were in full swing. Finger pointing had begun.

Zach straddled his bike, but he couldn’t resist looking back one more time. It seemed she’d gotten tired of the fight. She grabbed both her friends by the face and shoved them in opposite directions. Zach laughed, causing Conall, who had been waiting for him, to stare.

“Did you just laugh or am I delusional?” Only Conall could get away with making fun of his less-than-impressive sense of humor. Anyone else, Zach would have kicked them in the teeth.

“Those women are crazy,” he offered as explanation.

“Yeah,” Conall agreed. “But so cute.”

Zach turned to his big, blond friend. He’d grown up with Conall and knew exactly what he liked. “The little black one, right?”

“Zacharias, I don’t notice color.”

“Maybe not. But you noticed the tight ass in those jeans.”

“Yes. That I did notice.”

“Did you also happen to notice the mouth that ass was attached to?”

“There’s nothing wrong with having an opinion.”

“If that logic helps you get through the night.”

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Pack Challenge

“
She’d
help me get through the night.”

“Shame she didn’t even notice you were in the room.”

“Unlike yours. Jesus, I thought she was going to mount you right there.”

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Shelly Laurenston

Zach and Conall arrived at their temporary den a few minutes after everyone else. The women had done a good job of finding a place with solid hunting, a lake nearby, and thick woods that allowed for privacy.

Julie and Kelly were already on their cell phones making arrangements.

They had the best connections and could have the place set and ready in no time.

Zach was about to head down to the lake and maybe get in some hunting but Yates called him and a few of the others over.

“Well?” He wanted their opinion on the female.

“She’s fucking clueless,” Jake, a recent addition to the Pack, offered.

“How’s that possible?”

“We can thank that bitch Lynette. She raised her. So just telling her the truth ain’t an option. She’ll never believe it.”

“But,” Conall added, “they’re already here. I smelled them on the outskirts of town.”

“So, the question remains. Do we just take her?” Yates looked at Zach. He’d been doing that a lot lately, seeking his council.

Zach shook his head. “I wouldn’t. She’s squirrelly. We take her now, she might snap on us. And the aggression’s already there. She’s about three tequilas away from losing it completely.”

“Sure we shouldn’t just put her down?” Jake asked. “She is seriously wounded.”

Zach turned to look at him. He knew Jake was young, but was he starting to discover Jake was stupid too. Still, the young wolf looked

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Pack Challenge

away—he wouldn’t try and stare Zach down. He knew better. He still had scars on the back of his neck from Zach quietly explaining his place in the Pack.

“That’s not an option,” Zach stated calmly.

“Fine.” Yates nodded. “We watch her and we wait. But remember, we’re on Marrec’s territory. Be nice.” He looked directly at Zach.

“What are you lookin’ at me for? I’m a ray of fuckin’ sunshine.”

“You’re an asshole.”