Risk It All (Risqué #2) (21 page)

‘No, not a chance,’ Gary said. ‘I took care of Rafe, me, not this piece of shit!’

‘You don’t need to take care of anything,’ Bri said. ‘It’s done. Blaser dealt with it!’

‘You can’t be with him,’ Gary spat. ‘His fucking family—‘

‘Accept us,’ Bri said. ‘They have helped me in ways you can’t even imagine. Colt listened, he took the time to listen, unlike you who is more interested in running his mouth, and Colt’s fiancée? She’s a therapist, she’s helped me process what happened last year, she has listened and praised me. We’re working together and you know? It’s working! Blaser and I made love last night, I am moving on, I am getting better. But you, you’re stuck in the past and won’t even think about growing as a person or developing any sort of maturity!’

‘He’s not different,’ Gary said, climbing to his feet. ‘He’s going to screw you over, he’s a prick!’

‘He took the rap for all of you,’ Bri said. ‘You should be grateful to him, he went to prison and kept his mouth shut about all of you! He took the rap and he could have taken you all with him, you, Marshall, Mattie, all of you! But he didn’t. He kept his mouth shut and he set me free. He told me to get away from you, from all of you, and he was right! Look how great his life turned out when he cut ties with you and all of your crew!’

‘He’s not a fucking saint!’

‘No, he’s not, but he doesn’t pretend to be! Don’t stand there and act like you are coming after Blase for my benefit. You’re not worried that he’ll hurt me, you’re scared that I won’t be dependent on you anymore! That’s what you need, you need the power and when you don’t have it, when someone doesn’t need you anymore… you can’t handle that.’

‘We’re family, I need to look after you.’

‘And if that’s what you were doing maybe I could cut you some slack. But that, what you just pulled, that wasn’t love, that was a power trip. You wanted to take control of me, and of Blaser by taking me away from him… If you were sure that I was going to choose you over him, then you wouldn’t have come in here with the gun… would you?’

Holding Blaser’s wrists, she pulled them further around her. ‘I love her, Wilcox, all the way. Isn’t it time we all grew up?’ Blaser’s calm words were the final piece she needed, exhaling the panic, she relaxed her body to his.

Some of Gary’s anger was gone though she wasn’t sure if that was through acceptance or embarrassment. ‘You’re gonna choose him?’ Gary asked her. ‘All we’ve got is each other.’

Her heart broke a little, her brother needed her now maybe more than she needed him. ‘I don’t want to choose anyone,’ she said. ‘I want both of you in my life. But I wouldn’t stand by and let Blaser bully and threaten you, I won’t do the same for you. I can’t let you think that it’s ok to behave that way anymore.’

Gary examined the whole scene and she anticipated his response, hoping that he would choose to stand with them instead of against them. But her brother said nothing, he turned around and walked out without saying another word.

Her impulse to follow him was thwarted when Blaser tightened his muscles to hold her in place. ‘Let him go, Doll,’ Blaser said. ‘He’s out and we know where to find him. Give him time to think about this. Hopefully, he’ll realise that we’re not kidding around and accept us, but it’s not going to happen overnight.’

‘I guess,’ she said, listening to a vehicle engine rev outside, it flared a couple of times, then sped out of the parking lot and faded into the distance.

Blaser’s phone rang, the startling sound made her draw back against him, he kissed her head then eased her out of his arms so that he could retreat to the bedroom and answer it. To distract herself, she went into the kitchen and opened the cabinet with the hole in it.

Glass showered down, there wasn’t too much damage other than the broken glasses. The bullet had lodged itself in the back of the cabinet. They’d have to pick it out and mend the space, but time was getting on and she was due at Risqué for the start of her shift. She was covering for one of the other waitresses tonight.

The reminder had her seeking out a clock and she gasped when she read the time. There was no more time to waste on Gary and this mess, so while Blaser was on the phone she grabbed her purse, ran out and up the stairs to her own apartment to get ready for her shift.

In her own apartment, she jumped into the shower and out again within a couple of minutes. Freshening up for her shift, she ran a brush through her hair and opened the bathroom door to dash across the hallway to the bedroom directly opposite. Except as soon as she opened the door she saw Blaser standing in front of her.

Fully naked and still glistening from the body butter she’d slathered over herself before brushing her hair, she smiled when words fled his lips and his hungry gaze did the talking for him.

‘I wasn’t running away, I was getting ready for work,’ she said, having to ease him aside so that she could pass to get into her bedroom.

‘You don’t have to work at the club anymore,’ he said, coming after her. ‘You can move into my place.’

‘Yeah,’ she said, picking out underwear and an outfit for the night. ‘That was my plan all along, get into your pants so I could move into your place and never work another day in my life.’

‘We’re together, right? Why shouldn’t we—‘

‘I am not going to rush this,’ she said. He sauntered across the room to sit on the bed next to the clothes she had laid out. ‘Yes, we’re together, but I want to keep seeing Lyssa and keep working through this. Just because we’ve been physically intimate doesn’t mean that all of my issues are gone.’

‘I know that,’ he said, fingering the lace of her bra. ‘But I’d like to spend the night with you.’

‘Case and point why we shouldn’t rush into living together,’ she said, fastening in earrings then heading over to don her underwear. ‘We haven’t actually spent a whole night together yet.’

‘We will.’

‘Yeah, we will,’ she said. ‘But we’re going to pace ourselves and even when we do decide that the time is right to move in together, I’m not going to stop working. I want to pull my weight. I want to help out here and at the garage and I want to be more involved in the club. I want us to be a team.’

‘We are.’

‘Good,’ she said. ‘Because I don’t want you thinking that I need to be looked after anymore and I don’t want you doing anything illegal, not even for me.’

‘Understood.’

‘I’d like it if we took the time to learn each other again and develop our relationship properly, at a normal pace.’

‘We’ve lived together before.’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘A long time ago, but we should enjoy this, maybe you could take me out somewhere.’

‘Like a date?’

‘Yes.’

‘I can’t tonight. That was Crystal on the phone, there’s a problem at the club, something about the air conditioning that they think I fixed last night.’

‘But you didn’t?’ she asked. She finished getting dressed then went to the wall mirror with her makeup bag to put on her face for the evening.

‘I got a guy in to do it this morning,’ he said.

‘Everyone thinks you fixed it once so you can do it again,’ she said. ‘You didn’t tell Crystal about last night?’

‘I didn’t tell anyone, except Dax.’

‘Can it wait five minutes?’ she asked. ‘I could use a ride to the club.’

‘Sure,’ he said and pushed up on his hands to bounce back and lie down on her bed.

Flicking her eyes to the reflection of him staring up at the ceiling, she swiped on her mascara. ‘You’re distracted, Love.’

‘Thinking about what I’m going to say to Ruger.’

‘When will he be here?’

‘Don’t know,’ Blaser said. ‘Could be in an hour, could be in a day. Everything you told us is just proof that we don’t really know where he is or what he’s up to.’

Finishing up with her makeup she looked at her own reflection for a while thinking about what had transpired. ‘Do you think that Dax has killed people?’

‘Don’t know,’ he replied. ‘From the way he was today… I’d guess he’s more lethal than a lot of guys around here.’

The ex-cons that Blaser hired tended to be thieves or dealers who’d got clean. Somehow Dax had slipped through the net, Bri wasn’t so sure that he was clean, which was one of Blaser’s requirements for hiring guys and leasing apartments to them. And there was no way that Dax was a simple criminal caught because of his own stupidity like most of the other guys around here. From what she knew, Dax had never done time inside.

Ivy was cagey about answering questions. The story that she had told about how she and Dax had met was shocking, but now Bri was getting the impression she’d only understood broad strokes. But Dax didn’t raise his hands to Ivy and he’d bailed them out of a jam, so she couldn’t judge his skills negatively, they might have saved Blaser’s life. Giving him a pass seemed like the least they could do.

‘We’ll ponder that later,’ he said, springing off the bed and coming over to grab her hand. ‘Let’s get to the club, there’s nothing else we can do until Ruger gets here. Dax’s business is Dax’s business, let’s just be grateful that he’s on our side.’

That was true, she couldn’t imagine that being on Dax’s bad side was a place anyone would want to end up. Blaser was right and for now they would have to tolerate the wait. Until Ruger got back, Blaser was going to be tense, but no matter how long it took Ruger to get here, Bri planned to do all she could to ease every burden that Blaser shouldered.

Messing around with the AC unit wasn’t actually supposed to yield results, but giving it a final thwack it shuddered into life and he looked up, triumphant. The girls applauded, all except Bri, who was hiding a smile behind her hand. With a wink at his girl, he sent his audience back to work.

The rest of the night was just like the old days, routine, boring, normal… except his view had improved. Bri’s drinks orders got priority because when she came in his direction he automatically gravitated to her position. She didn’t seem to notice, but the other girls had and delighted in giving him a hard time. Crystal was the only one who showed no good humour about it.

Bri stayed after all the other girls, even after the place was squared up she remained to put away the last of the cleaning supplies. Counting the cash out of the register, he noted the figures in the columns of his accounts book as he went along. Keeping a nightly tally in ink was a habit he’d started on night one.

The only lights left on were behind the bar, so when the front spotlight blasted a white beam onto the stage, it caught his attention. He hadn’t expected such a bright flash. Bri strode onto the stage, he heard the footsteps before he saw her because the glare of the light shielded her form.

When she entered the cloak of the shining white glow, he stopped counting and watched her stretch out her arm to curl her fingers around the streak of metal that dozens of his women had thrown themselves around.

Observing Bri spin her body around the pole in a down and up pendulum move, she then twisted to lean back on it, lifting her arm above her head. Coiling a leg around it, she went around again this time the thrust of her breasts captivated him.

Putting down the money, he kept his eyes on the performing woman who caused the wood to grow in his jeans. She undulated to inaudible music, rocking her hips left and right. Bending at the waist her ass rose high as she straightened her legs and tossed back her hair.

Picking up the pace, he leapt up onto the stage and gripped her waist, making her gasp. He’d never craved a woman on this stage and now he was up here with one thing on his mind.

‘You’re hired,’ he whispered and kissed her neck.

She laughed and rested her weight on him. ‘Who says I want a job,’ she asked, rubbing her ass back into his groin. ‘I wanted to know if I could still do it.’

‘You can do it, Doll, all night long.’

Keeping close contact, she circled around and began to open his jeans. ‘We’re all alone,’ she whispered.

‘We are,’ he agreed.’

‘Have you ever had sex on this stage?’ she asked.

‘No.’

‘Then tonight’s your lucky night.’

She took off his tee-shirt and began to kiss his torso. Bri could get away with anything. There were tasks to take care of like cashing out and locking up, but when she stepped back and pulled her top over her head, her breasts bounced out of the spandex and he caught the glorious soft flesh, thinking only of her. Gripping and kneading the mounds, he tried to get closer, but she dropped to her knees and pulled off his jeans.

She took his hands and pulled him down on top of her. ‘You’re not going to fire me for getting kinky with a colleague on your premises, are you?’ she grinned.

‘This is the only time you take your clothes off on this stage, or anywhere, when I’m the only one in the room to see you.’

‘Deal,’ she said, sliding a hand around to the back of his neck to pull him down for a kiss.

Tracing his fingertips through her cleavage and down her abdomen, she parted her thighs to welcome his digits. Her skirt bunched around her hips, but he kept working his fingers over her panties, rubbing and teasing her clit. Her breathing quickened and the moisture his attention garnered soaked right through her underwear.

‘Yes,’ she exhaled and brought up a knee to plant her foot on his shoulder and pressure him away. When he sat up, she shimmied out of her thong and used her feet to clasp his hips and bring him back toward her.

Kissing her mouth, he tasted her deep and pushed his finger into her. She was wet and ready to accept him. But he wouldn’t move too fast, he kept up his internal massage, urging his finger deeper he curled it and pulled out then slid it in again. His kiss was warmed by the pulse of her breath, each inhale told him how her arousal was growing and when she reached fever pitch, right on the cusp of her orgasm, he removed his hand and his lips and gazed down into the devotion she poured into him.

He didn’t need to check if she was comfortable or happy, he could tell that she was by the way that her body squirmed under him. She got hold of his dick and he directed his hips to her centre. When she raised herself, he let her keep hold of him and force the bulb of his head between her folds. Pushing down he slid in deeper, she kept her hips up but let her hands fall away.

Gliding through her juices was easier today, there was no hesitation from her body or her mind. Her loose muscles welcomed the bulge of his aroused member, there was no blockage, just the woman he loved basking in the thud of fervour pounding to the silent bass produced by the beat of their deafening hearts.

‘Blase,’ she called, gritting her teeth and impelling her hips higher, begging him to move faster and bring her to the chemical conclusion of pleasure. Working harder, he kissed her and brought his hands to the sides of her skull to support it and trace his thumbs up and down in the grooves behind her ears.

Spasm locked their bodies together and her crescendo squeezed his cock so tight that the ferocity of her reaction pitched him to his own summit. Forcing his groin into her pubis, his spunk pumped out in an erratic stream. Even after he’d gone soft, he didn’t want to leave the heat of his favourite cocoon.

Her broad smile grew and she sagged onto the solid floor. ‘Oh, Love, we did it.’

They’d already had sex so he assumed she meant the position of having him on top or the location here at Risqué.

‘We can do it again,’ he said, kissing her throat and cheek.

‘Let’s get dressed and finish up here,’ she said. ‘You’re going to need your sleep now that you have another job to take care of every day.’

‘Every day?’ he said, taking her hand to pull her to her feet when she gave him a nudge.

‘You never know when I’ll need satisfaction,’ she said, swiping up their clothes from the stage.

‘So I’m just on call now twenty-four seven,’ he asked, taking his tee-shirt when she handed it to him.

‘You can have weekends off,’ she said, covering her breasts, which caused him to groan.

‘Don’t need time off, page me whenever you need me, Doll,’ he said.

She fizzed with static energy that bounced off him making him hyper-aware of her proximity. Overcoming her fears infused her with such a powerful delight that it was contagious. There was still a long way to go, and he wouldn’t be pushing any boundaries for a while, but it was nice to see her being playful.

It was only banter at this stage because she wasn’t capable of throwing out all of her hang-ups. But he was pleased to know that she had hope that there would come a time when they could be on each other every minute of the day. He planned to be there for her, providing whatever she needed, he would give her anything she asked for.

Together, they completed the last of the tasks at Risqué. The novelty of having a companion with him during his routine was enthralling. Now when he spoke, someone spoke back. Someone laughed with him, gave him opinions and advice, and was there with him to cut the work in half, which was highlighted when they left the club earlier than he ever had before. They locked up and were in the truck on the way home in record time.

Pulling on the parking brake he turned off the engine and she leaned over to kiss his cheek. Then she was out of the truck and running upstairs toward her own apartment. His hope had been that they would spend the night in his bed, all night together, but his chances didn’t look good now.

Not giving up without at least asking, he followed her and reached her door at the same time she stuck her key in it.

‘Are you going to invite me in?’ he asked.

She spun to reply, but Suzette’s door opened in time with Ivy’s. ‘I called Gus!’ Suzette declared to Ivy who was wrapped up in a sheet. ‘He’s going to throw you out!’

‘I don’t think so,’ Ivy declared. ‘Maybe you better invest in some earplugs… or just ask a surgeon to remove that stick from your butt!’

‘What’s going on?’ Blaser asked, approaching the feuding women.

‘That… that pair of Neanderthals! That’s what!’ Suzette shouted. ‘They’re always at it! It’s stupid o’clock in the morning and all I can hear is them panting and grunting!’

Suzette’s red-faced fury was nothing to smile at, so he cleared his throat and turned his focus to Ivy, but she was no calmer.

‘Someone needs to chill out!’ Ivy said. ‘We’re consenting adults! He’s my husband! He can fuck me any way he likes anytime! We don’t need to live by your arbitrary calendar! If you don’t like it – fuck off!’

‘I don’t think so,’ Suzette said and the women moved toward each other. ‘I’m family! You’re a troublemaker!’

Rushing over, Blaser got himself between them to prevent a physical altercation. Ivy was naked under that sheet, no doubt about it, but she wouldn’t let that slow her down if the huffing rage she was exuding were anything to go by.

‘You’re the one banging on walls and cussing us out!’ Ivy said, trying to swipe Blaser’s arm out of the way.

Gus bounded up the stairs, doors were opening along the walkway and the only person not watching events unfold was Dax. The women continued to try and get around him and Gus came over to help Blaser extricate himself from the flailing limbs that attempted to swat at their opponent despite the two men in between them.

Gus took hold of Suzette and yanked her back toward her apartment, he got her through the door and she tried to sneak around him when he looked back at Blaser.

‘Take her in there and calm her down,’ Blaser said to him, pinning Ivy’s arms down at her sides. Gus nodded and did just that, closing the door to cut off Suzette’s screeching.

‘She is so uptight,’ Ivy said as Blaser directed her back toward her own apartment. She noticed how many gawkers there were and she stared right back at them all without shame. ‘What the fuck are you lot looking at?’

‘It’s over,’ Blaser said to them all. ‘Go back inside.’

Most of the men were not long back from their shifts at Risqué and for those who worked in the garage they’d be expected at work bright and early. So there were no objections, just some smirks and sniggers as the men went back into their abodes.

Worried about what he’d see, he took Ivy inside her apartment, but saw no sign of Dax. ‘You were making the racket alone?’ he asked. If Dax were here, then Blaser could see no reason why he would leave his wife to deal with the complaining neighbour alone.

‘He’s in the bedroom,’ Ivy said, lifting her arm then tugging it down to free it from Blaser’s grip.

‘He let you out there alone?’

‘She can handle herself!’ Dax called from the bedroom. He might not have made an appearance, but he had obviously heard everything that went on.

‘There were ten guys out there,’ Blaser said, exaggerating only slightly. ‘She’s naked.’

‘Every one of them has met me,’ Dax said. The blurred outline of his figure came into the hallway but remained next to the bedroom. ‘Do you think any of them would take the chance of touching my wife?’

Dax made a good point and loyalty was a big deal around here. Still, Blaser wouldn’t have liked Bri to be on show for a group of slobbering men.

‘He has a deep end philosophy,’ Ivy said, tucking in her sheet.

‘What does that mean?’ Blaser asked.

‘I like to watch her jump in and give it her best before I dive in to bail her out.’

‘I swim just fine, thank you,’ Ivy said, directing her scowl into the darkness. ‘Your family made sure of that.’

‘Always pissed about something,’ Dax muttered and disappeared back into the bedroom.

‘Are you spending the night at Bri’s place?’ Ivy asked him.

‘Uh… I don’t know yet.’

‘You should. Then that wench will get it in surround sound. There’s no way we’re going without sex just because her panties are full of cobwebs.’

‘She’s had a rough time,’ Blaser said. ‘Cut her some slack.’

‘Fair enough,’ Ivy shrugged. ‘Since you asked so nicely and all. Goodnight.’

Dismissing him, she sauntered back to the bedroom without actually seeing him out. The apartments were his and he was a friend. He also wouldn’t stand here all night listening to the couple enjoy each other, so he guessed he was supposed to see himself out.

When he got onto the outer walkway and closed Ivy’s apartment door at his back he was just in time to see headlights sweep the length of the apartment block. A car drove into the space next to his truck and Blaser had to approach the railing to look down and see who was getting in so late. The headlights went off, the engine died and a door opened.

It took his eyes a moment to recover from the dazzle of the headlights, but when they did he picked out the features of his cousin Mattie, standing next to the car looking up at him.