Protected (Divided Loyalties) (2 page)

"Aw, Mary!" a rich voice said from just beside Alexa. "Are you telling lies about us again?" he laughed, but it had a dark twinge to it.

Alexa stole a glance up and discovered that the man she had been admiring was leaning against the bar right beside her.

“If you wanted to know about us, you could have just asked,” he said casually as he accepted a beer from Mary who had grown very silent.

Alexa studied him intently. She could tell there was something dangerous about him, but it was different than what usually set off alarms within her. She found it hard to place exactly what his intentions were.

“So, I'm asking,” she said mildly. “Why are you bad news?”

The man locked eyes with Mary for a long moment before settling those dark green orbs on Alexa.

“My friends and I tend to get a little wild,” he said with a shrug. “Blowing off steam, after a hard day. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?”

Alexa found herself swept up into the smoothness of his voice and the depths of his gaze. She was not usually so easily smitten but in that moment, she was.

“I don't mind blowing off some steam,” she replied as she took a sip of her beer. “But you know, I have different ways than hanging out with a bunch of guys in a bar.”

“Do you now?” he replied, leaning his elbow just beside her on the bar, so that his muscular frame leaned closer to hers. There was only a few inches of space between them as he looked down at her, seeking a constant connection with her eyes. “Is that an offer?”

Alexa knew she should listen to her instincts, that she should ask him a few more key questions before she let things get too far, but she didn't want to. For once, she just wanted to throw caution to the wind and enjoy the mystery, the adrenaline,
of a quick and passionate encounter with a complete stranger.

After all, she was still riding on the confident wave created by taking down three drug dealers all by herself earlier in the day. What could one pretty boy do to her?

“Well, I wouldn't want to keep you from your friends,” Alexa smirked. Mary tried to distract her by offering her another beer, but Alexa waved her away.

“Keep me,” he said calmly, his eyes still holding hers. “Please.”

Alexa's slow smile made her entire body feel warm as she let him gaze as deeply as he desired into her eyes. It was not often she had the opportunity to have such a stimulating experience and no matter what that little voice in her head was trying to say, she could not hear it over the pounding of her blood flowing through her veins.

“Did you have something in mind?” she inquired, her voice low, inviting. She wasn't going to play hard to get. She knew what she wanted, and she was going to have it.

“Walk with me,” he suggested, and only then stepped back enough from the bar to allow her to stand up if she chose. He waited, his eyes roaming her figure as if it was something he could memorize and keep within his mind for as long as he desired. She stood up slowly and he offered her his hand. When she grasped it, she noticed how rough and dry his skin was on the back of his hand, but how soft and warm it was along his palm. She lifted one eyebrow, as if daring him to follow through with his invitation. Without a second glance to his friends or to the bartender, they walked through the back door of the bar and out into the empty alley beyond it.

All Alexa could think was how very delightful his firm grasp on her hand was.

She barely had a chance to think about where they might be going when he suddenly pushed her hard against the alley wall. She looked up at him with surprise in her eyes.

"I didn't mean here," she laughed, her eyes widening at the very idea. She was not exactly a prude but being shoved up against an alley wall surrounded by dumpsters, and who knew what scampering through the garbage on the ground was not exactly her idea of a good time.

He didn't answer her, instead his lips found hers, and crushed against them. She melted at the caress and responded eagerly, her tongue tasting his for the first time. His mouth was just as warm as his hands were as they began to traverse the length of her body. His fingertips crept up beneath the hem of her blouse, sweeping it upward as he stroked along the slope of her stomach.

Seizing the opportunity to do something she had been waiting to do since she first laid eyes on him, she snaked her fingers through the dark waves of his hair. It was just as soft and luxurious as she had expected, and the warmth of his scalp beneath tickled the palms of her hands.

She encouraged the kiss by tipping her chin and diving deeper into his mouth. The kiss was both passionate and just a little bit rushed as there was the pressure of knowing that anyone could step outside the bar and catch them in the act. His muscular body pressed against hers, and his fingertips wandered further up along her sides, just barely grazing the curve of her bra. She shivered, and drew back slightly from the kiss.

"Not here," she demanded, her eyes searching his for any sign of the spark of warmth she had seen in them earlier.

"Anywhere," he replied, and returned to the kiss with even more determination. She groaned through the kiss as one of his palms cupped her breast and rubbed across her nipple over the silky material of the cup of her bra. Her heart was pounding, and her mind was spinning as she felt him lightly nudge her knees apart with his own knee. One of his hands began to lightly rub along her inner thighs, up and down, to the edge of her skirt but not beyond. She could feel the heat from his skin getting so close, and it made her entire body tremble.

If anything, this man knew how to keep her on the edge and even though she was certain she did not want to have sex in that alley, her need to feel him inside of her was beginning to convince her.

He had just started hiking her skirt up along her thighs when the sound of the back door opening startled both of them.

"Nick, let's go," the biggest of his buddies said as he stepped out the back door. "We've been summoned."

Nick cursed as he quickly smoothed her skirt back down and briefly met Alexa's eyes. He turned quickly to shield her from the view of the other men.

"Whatcha got there?" the smaller of the three crooned as he tried to peek around Nick. "Don't you know you have to share?" he laughed.

"No, I'm not sharing anything," Nick barked. "Just give me a minute, I'll meet you out front."

"Aw," the biggest guy smirked at Alexa behind Nick's back. "Picked the wrong one sweetie, I'd give you much more than a minute."

"Shut up
, Lou," Nick snapped, and then suddenly lowered his eyes. It was clear from the reaction of the three men that Nick speaking up in such a way was a bit of a mistake.

Alexa was regretting ever getting herself into this situation
, and kicking herself for letting her libido make her choices for her. The guys seemed a bit rougher than she had anticipated and a whole lot less harmless.

"I have to go, anyway," Alexa smiled sweetly, trying to diffuse the situation. "Thanks for the fun, Nick," she cast him a wink and started to walk past him toward
s the door.

"Now wait a minute," Lou warned as he blocked the doorway. "You can't just leave our guy hanging there, can she, Nick?" he laughed darkly and looked at Nick. "You want to tell me to shut up, now you're gonna watch me take her, got it?"

Nick's jaw clenched and his muscles tensed. Alexa began to relax her stance, preparing for a fight. Nick opened his mouth to come to her defence but before he could, she was already speaking up for herself.

"Listen, I'm going to give you guys five seconds to get out of my way, before I teach you a lesson," she said calmly and with such confidence that it drew the attention of all four men.

"You're going to give us five seconds?" Lou shook his head and looked at the two guys that were standing next to him. "We'll take as long as we want," he replied.

"Enough!" Nick demanded. "Come on, we need to get going."

Lou lunged forward and slammed Nick hard against the back wall of the alley. "You better watch your mouth," he hissed right into his face.

Alexa shook her head and did her best to sidestep the violence. She was just about to head for the door when she noticed the jackets the men were wearing. Each one had
the death adder snake on the back.

Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of the men. They weren't just some lonely drunks hanging out at the bar, they were members of one of the most ruthless motorcycle gangs ever formed.

Alexa felt her breath leave her lungs as she watched Lou hand Nick his jacket.

"Now put it on, and act like a man," he demanded.

Nick rolled his eyes and pulled on the leather jacket.

Alexa could barely believe the mistake she had just made. Not only had she placed herself into some serious danger, but she had almost let a member of the
Death Adders have his way with her in a dark alley. How would that look on the police report?

Even though she was more than a little terrified, she was also rather elated. She had the opportunity to see some of the most elusive gang members first hand. Lou was one of the most famed enforcers, responsible for countless deaths. She guessed that the two other men with him were the infamous Dern Brothers, who used very persuasive torture techniques to get the information or payments they were seeking.

“Oh, hey, I'm a big fan,” she smirked as she looked over their jackets. “I didn't mean to offend you or anything, really,” she jutted her hip slightly outward, which she knew was an alluring gesture to most men. If she could get them to trust her, she might be able to learn more about their gang. Of course, there was only so far she was willing to go. She was walking a thin line between getting good information and getting into a situation that she could not get out of.

“A fan, eh?” Lou chuckled. “Well, that makes things even more interesting.”

“Don't,” Nick warned as he met her eyes. She barely paid any attention to him, she had already made one foolish choice because of his intoxicating looks.

“Sure, of course,” she said, acting as if she was some sort of motorcycle gang groupie. “My friends and I all watch for your bikes to roll by. We love the sound.”

“Friends?” one of the Dern brothers perked up.

“Just leave her alone. We've got to go, right?” Nick reminded Lou, only in a more respectful tone. He had been a little too caught up in his passionate experience with Alexa to remember his place.

“Shh,” the Dern brother said. “She's got friends!”

“No, Nick is right,” Lou said firmly. “We have to go. We're already late.”

Alexa felt a mixture of disappointment and relief. She wanted to know more about them, but she had been a little afraid they might decide to take her with them.

“So, we'll just come over later,” Lou suggested out of the blue, and reached for her purse. “What's your address honey?” he tugged lightly at her purse.

Alexa began to panic as she knew that her badge was inside. She knew if they found it, they would likely kill her right then and there.

“Oh, I'll just tell you,” she said swiftly and tried to pull her purse back. In the slight struggle that ensued the well worn fabric of the purse tore, and the contents spilled out on the alley floor. She lunged downward, reaching for her badge, hoping to disguise it before anyone saw, and at the same time she reached for the slender weapon she always kept strapped to her ankle. It was hidden by her calf-high boot.

“What's this?” Lou asked, when the badge skidded across the ground and struck the side of his steel toed boot.

Alexa had her gun in her hand as she stood back up, in the same moment that Lou was picking up her badge.

“Oh, shit,” he muttered as he lifted his eyes swiftly to Alexa. “Grab her, Nick,” he barked. Nick was slightly behind her, and the Dern brothers were creeping in on her. There was no way to get the upper hand when she was surrounded on all sides, and her only escape routes were blocked by the alley walls.

She could hear the releasing of the safeties on the guns that the Dern brothers held. Then she felt Nick's warm and firm hand curling around her arm.

“Put the gun down,” he said calmly. Just minutes before she had been drooling over the sound of his voice, the warmth of his touch, but now she heard them as if they were the last sounds she would ever hear. She knew the moment she put down the gun, she would have no way to defend herself. Would they kill her fast, or would they make it slow?

“Goddamn, Nick, you know how to pick 'em!” Lou shook his head as he continued to glower at Alexa. “Put down the gun girl, you've got five seconds.”

Alexa considered her options quickly. She was sure she could take down the Dern brothers. Lou would be harder since he was massive, but he would go down hard. Nick was the problem. Nick was in her blind spot, and she would have to take care of him in the same moment that she took care of Lou or she would be shot dead on the spot. There really was no way out of this situation. However, when she was backed into a corner, that was when she did her best work.