The Outlaw's Dirty Dancer (5 page)

“This is insane and a complication I don’t need in my life,” she said breathlessly.

“I’ve already decided you are mine. My bear has already decided you are mine. And if you know anything about a shifter, or a biker, then you would know that none of that is taken fucking lightly.”

She stared at him right in the eyes, and her breath came out in hard, fast pants. She smelled sweet and
minty,
and the little puffs of air from every exhalation moved along his lips. He could close the gaps that separated them, take her mouth in a bruising kiss, and show her how true his words were, even if they were ludicrous.

“You’re insane.”

He grinned, but he knew it was more animalistic than anything else.

“Baby, I am a lot of fucking things, and being insane is the least intense of them. Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way.”

She swallowed.

He wanted to taste her mouth, but he needed to show a miniscule amount of self-control. He leaned back enough that she wouldn’t feel so crowded.
“The hard way?”
He might have thought she was frightened by his words, but the truth was he smelled her arousal grow tenfold. She might be human, but she was also very smart, and had good instincts to be able to know he was no threat to her. Now, to other guys that tried shit on her, Brick was most definitely a fucking threat to them, and breaking her door down to make that known wasn’t even the farthest he was willing to go to make that point clear.

She shook her head, but he didn’t even think she knew why she was shaking it. He saw the way she kept looking at his lips that were so close to her, and he felt the tiny points of her nipples press against his chest.

“I can be a persistent bastard, Darra.” He grinned, but he didn’t feel anything of humor. “And that would be the hard way, because I want you, and I’m not about to let you go.” He may never force anything upon her, but he sure as fuck could make his presence annoying as fuck so she knew he wasn’t about to walk away from her now that he had decided she was going to be his.

“I’ll say it again … you’re freaking insane.”

A deep chuckle left him, and it felt really good. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had felt like laughing, let alone actually doing it. “You have no idea, baby.”

She exhaled and glanced around at her apartment. “How in the hell am I supposed to get my door fixed at this time of night?” She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him back. She wasn’t stronger than he was, but he relented and took a step back. She looked over at him and narrowed her eyes. “And for the record, I am not saying I’m yours or anything remotely close to that—”

“But you also aren’t denying that you
will
be mine.” There was no amusement from him,
no
grin or easiness. She would realize soon enough that she was
his
,
and that there was no going back from that. Brick had never experienced anything like this before in his very dark and fucked-up life, and he wasn’t about to let that slip through his fingers, not now that he had accepted it.

She moved over to the front door without responding, but he could see on her face that she was thinking about his words. “Are you always this stubborn and aggressive?” She placed her hand on the door hanging from its hinges and looked over at him from over her shoulder.

“You really haven’t seen anything yet, Darra, but when it is something that I want, there isn’t anything I won’t do to make sure I get it.”

 
She didn’t blink, didn’t even show any expression as she stared at him, but his words had done what they were supposed to. Darra realized that this was him, and there was no changing that. That was clear on the emotions that passed over her face, and the understanding that this was who he really was. He wasn’t a human with an animal inside of him, but a bear that was able to become a man.

“What if I told you I don’t want anything from you?” Again, she kept her expression neutral, but when she turned to face him he saw the light tremor in her hands. She was trying damn hard to appear unaffected. He admired her even more because of her strength.

“If you tell me you want nothing to do with me, that you don’t feel this intense connection between us, and actually mean it,” he let that last part sink in, “then I’ll leave you alone.”

She didn’t answer for several seconds.

“Come on.” He took a step toward her.

She shook her head and held her hand out for him to stop. “Come on where?” Brick should don’t have taken those three words she said and warped them into some sick image of her whispering them to him as she lay naked on his bed. He also shouldn’t have been thinking of his cum all over her lush, creamy body, marking her like he was marking his territory. He was a sick bastard. “You don’t actually think I’m going to let you stay in a place that doesn’t even have a door?”

Her nostrils flared from her annoyance, but that just had him grinning. “You’re the one that made it so I don’t have a door.”

He moved closer to her. “You’re right, but you’re my female, and I plan on taking care of what is mine.”

“I never said I am your
female
.”

“You didn’t have to, Darra.” He stepped right up to her. “I can smell it coming off of you.” He heard her heart race and even smelled the way her body reacted to his presence. “You can stay at my place.”

Her arousal dimmed with her shock, and she actually snorted.
 
“Wow, demanding much? I’m not staying at your house. I don’t even know you.”

“Anyone ever tell you that you are really damn frustrating and stubborn?” He braced a hand on the wall beside her head.

“Anyone ever tell you that you can be an overbearing jerk sometimes?”

“Every damn day, baby.”

She moved away from him and more into her living room. “Well,
baby
, I’m not staying at your place. You’re just going to have to fix the door because this is where I live.”

Brick could have argued, hell, he even thought about throwing her over his shoulder and putting her on the back of his bike to make his point. But he didn’t want to drive her away.

“Listen, how about we come to some kind of mutual agreement? And I’ll tell you, Darra, I don’t ever make mutual agreements. I do whatever the fuck I want, when I want.”

“Wow, what a charmer.” She snorted again.

“I’ll call some guys from the club tomorrow to fix the door, but I can’t leave you here with it hanging off the hinges like that.” He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. “This place isn’t safe for you even if the door wasn’t busted to hell.”

She glanced at the door and then looked back at him.

“Here are your options. You can either come with me and I’ll set you up at a hotel, or I can stay here with you until the MC can get this fixed. Those are your only options.” He was not about to argue this with her.

“I can’t afford a hotel room.” At least she had enough sense to know that even if he did stay here with her, and would make sure it was safe, a hotel room was the better option.

“I broke the door, so I’ll pay for the hotel room. Okay?”

She eyed him for a few seconds, and when she exhaled he felt her resistance crack.

“Okay, fine. But tomorrow you have to promise to get this door fixed.” She looked at it again. “But what am I supposed to do about it until the morning? I can’t leave it open like that so anyone can walk in here and steal what little I have.”

 
Brick was already reaching for his phone and dialing the club’s main line. “Diesel, can you send two prospects over to the Crawford apartments with a few sheets of plywood and tools to board up an entryway?”
 
After he was done talking to Diesel he shoved his cell back in his cut. “Everything is good. They will be here in twenty, and in the morning they will get the supplies to fix the door.” Just looking at her, hearing her voice, and feeling her annoyance with him and his alphaness had Brick so unstable, and feeling so unlike how he had always lived his life, that for as much as he wanted her there was still a small part of his darkness that said pushing her away was the right thing to do. But he wanted her a lot more than he wanted to push her away, and that was a very dangerous combination. Getting involved with her would eventually mean telling her was about himself, and for the first time in longer than he could remember, that thought scared the fuck out of Brick.

Chapter Five

Darra sat on the edge of the bed in the hotel Brick had set her up in for the night. Not only did he piss her off with his demanding, alpha attitude, and the way he had just come into her home like he owned the damn place—like he owned her—but he also turned her on liked no other. Brick had left her at the hotel an hour ago, but she stood and walked over to the window, pulled the curtain aside, and stared out at the parking lot. There was a guy on a motorcycle sitting in front of her room, and even from the distance and the fact she was on the second level of the building, she could see that the back of his cut said PROSPECT. Although it annoyed
Darra
to no end that Brick thought she needed some kind of babysitter, she’d be lying if she didn’t admit that having someone care about her wellbeing, and just caring about her without wanting something in return, made her feel very good.

But does he really not want something in return, Darra?

No, he did want something in return, and that something was her. A shiver worked its way through her entire body at that thought. Yes, he was possessive, territorial, demanding, and got under her skin with the attitude that he could have anything he wanted … even a woman. But the way he looked at her, talked to her, and growled out the words that she was his, didn’t make Darra feel like she would just be this plaything for Brick. She had met a lot of men who were douche-bag assholes, thinking they could have any woman they wanted and do anything to her. In fact, she had experienced firsthand men like that and felt the pain from their wrath when she refused what they wanted. Despite how dominating Brick clearly was, his words and actions didn’t make her feel anything but desire and almost cherished in a sense. She didn’t feel like he would control her, take from her, and cause her pain in the emotional or physical sense. And because Darra had nothing in her life to rely on but her instincts and personal experience, she trusted herself and her judgment. That was the reason she allowed herself to be where she was right now.

Darra looked down at her cell phone on the small table in the corner. Brick had sent her a text just a short time ago asking her if everything was okay. Although he didn’t mention about her little watchdog outside, he hadn’t denied it when she asked him about it. It was late, she was exhausted, and bed sounded more and more appealing the more she thought about it. But first she was going to take a shower in the tub that didn’t have mold growing in between the yellow and brown colored tile, and use a faucet that wasn’t rusty with age. She walked into the bathroom and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her blonde ponytail was lopsided on her head, but for the last hour she had been going from sitting on the edge of the bed to lying down. After taking off her shorts and shirt and letting her hair down, she started the shower and stepped inside when the water heated. Her thoughts drifted back to Brick, but then again they hadn’t been far gone from him since she first met him.

“Are you really going to do this, Darra?” She blinked away the water that fell into her eyes, and just gave up on the fight and closed them. The question to
herself
was rhetorical since she didn’t want to push Brick away, not really. She may put up a fight, but she had always been independent, and never had anyone to rely on for help of any kind. So what if he was the way he was, so harsh and coarse on the outside, and just demanding what he wanted? She had a lot of darkness inside of her, and she didn’t want to be alone anymore. But she was just thinking right now, because it was far too soon to even be thinking about anything like that concerning Brick, right?

But, even if she had just met him, she couldn’t deny that she felt safe with him, and that was saying a whole lot given the life she had been dealt. Besides, being with Brick wouldn’t be the worst or scariest thing she had ever done in her life.

****

“So, shit’s going good with the fighting.” Brick stared at the table in front of him, but was listening to Jagger. It had been several days since Jagger had taken Darra back to her house after the prospects had installed a new door. To say her surprise wasn’t amusing would have been a lie, because the moment she saw the door a plethora of emotions had covered her face. Brick had specifically made sure it was the highest quality, best strength, and even had them throw in one of those cast iron screen doors so at least he felt safer knowing she had double barricades. Of course he had played by the books, asked the manager of the complex about installing it, but it hadn’t taken much “convincing” since the guy knew of the club, and even frequented the illegal fights held at the barn.

“Stinger, you want to take the table?” Brick turned his attention to the black haired member with the light green eyes. He had a week’s worth of facial hair grown, but with his arm in a sling from the gunshot wound he got from Trick, and his stubbornness in thinking that he could do everything by himself and needed no help, Sticks had become a grumpy son-of-a-bitch.

“Like Jagger said, the fights are bringing in good money, but the bar is also helping.” Stinger tilted his chin toward Court, who had taken up the responsibility of the small bar that had been owned by the club for as long as the MC had been put together. It had never been a money maker, but more of a place for Grizzlies from all over the county to stop and chill when they passed through.

“You all know the bar has always brought in a steady income, but it was never enough to keep everything afloat. But now that we have the hefty amount of cash coming in from the barn fights everyone will get a nice cut this month.” Court stood and went over to the safe pressed against the far wall. He grabbed several thick brown envelopes and handed them to each member.

“I need Diesel, Brick, and Dallas to make a run this weekend. The Utah charter needs some help moving into their new clubhouse and asked for our help.” Brick leaned back in his chair and looked over at Jagger. “I’m heading out Wednesday night and coming back Friday morning to be here to celebrate Sonya’s birthday.”

“
You throwing
a party?” Court asked.

“Nah, she wants to go camping up at Steamboat. And I’m not about to deny my female anything. Besides, we both need to get away for a little bit and have some quality time.”

“Even if that means
roughin
’ it out in a tent in the middle of nowhere?” Dallas smirked around his cigarette.

“As long as she’s right by my side I don’t give a fuck if I’m naked as sin and in a ditch.”

There was no doubt in Brick’s mind that his President had fallen madly in love with his female, and Brick’s blackened heart beat a little harder when he thought of what that would feel like, especially what it would feel like with Darra. He wanted her on a physical level, but it wasn’t just about feeling how tight, hot, and wet she was between her thighs, but spending time with her, talking to her, and learning who she really was. There was a collective grunt from the males around the table.

“Brick, Diesel, and Dallas, if you can head out Friday and stay until Saturday they should be completely moved in,” Jagger said and leaned forward once again in his chair.

Brick nodded, and although he wasn’t pleased with leaving Darra, this was his club and his family, and he needed to get a grip. But he’d feel a lot better being that far away if he put a prospect on her just to make sure she was okay.

“I need Stinger to keep an eye on Sonya while I’m gone, and a few of the Nomads will come in to hang around the club.
Everyone good with that?”

There was another round of murmurs as everyone agreed with what Jagger said. Jagger dismissed the meeting, and everyone filed out. Dallas and Court immediately moved toward a couple of club whores dancing with each other, but the only female Brick wanted was Darra. He said his goodbyes for the night and headed out to his bike. It was still early enough that she might not have gotten dinner, and he knew just the place to take her.

Once on his Harley, Brick hit the road and headed toward the strip club first. When he pulled into the parking lot of Summer’s he saw her car right away, and he couldn’t help the surge of anger that slammed into him knowing that his female was in there right now shaking her tits and ass for a bunch of horny men. What he wanted to do was tell her that he refused to allow her to do it anymore, but aside from a handful of times they had actually interacted in person, and the phone calls and texts, they knew nothing about each other. Logically he knew he didn’t have a right, but his bear didn’t care, because as soon as he had seen her she had already been his.

But they wouldn’t be strangers any longer after tonight. He’d tell her about himself, about what she was getting herself into if she was serious and seeing where this went with them, and then once he laid his dirt out on the table he’d most likely see her fine ass walk out of the restaurant. But as much as he was an evil dick, had hurt a lot of people—bad fucking people, but people nonetheless—he wouldn’t trap her with someone as screwed up as he was. He would have one powerful internal fight between his animal and the human side of him, but if she really wanted to walk away then she had that right.

Once he was off his bike and heading toward the inside of the strip club his heart started hammering in his chest. He hadn’t even fucked her, and he was already pussy-whipped. The inside of the club was smoky, with seductive music playing overhead, and a spotlight on a female doing a burlesque dance on stage. But it wasn’t anything classy, but the trashy version.
 

Brick moved to the corner of the club and melded with the shadows. He didn’t see Darra, which pleased him knowing she wasn’t topless in front of these ass-wipes. It was only a few minutes after he entered, and then he saw her coming out of the backroom with her focus on her cell. A second later his phone vibrated in his pocket, and when he looked at it and saw she had texted him, the corner of his mouth twitched.

Darra:
How about dinner and a movie?

Yeah. Where do you want to meet?
He texted back and watched her as she stopped and looked her phone. The smile that curved her lips had his dick hardening. Fuck, she was gorgeous.

Darra:
You know any good diners? I mainly stay in so I’m no help L

Brick chuckled softly at her sad face, but he didn’t text her again, and instead stepped away from the shadows right when she would have moved past him. She did a double take when she saw him, and then the smile that took over her whole face had him smiling in return.

“You ass.”
She was chuckling, but what stunned the fuck out of him was when she stepped closer, wrapped her arms around his waist, and rested her head on his chest. For several long moments all he did was stand there, so fucking stunned that she was touching him. Since taking her back to his place they had only spoken on the phone, or texted each other. Although she had warmed up to him, she had never voluntarily been the one to touch him. “When someone hugs you it is usually customary to return the gesture.”

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and even though they were standing in a strip club with the smell of unrestrained sexual need, booze, and cheapness filling the air, having Darra cling to him, genuinely happy had everything else fading away. “I’m just surprised that you are so opening to this, given how adamant you reacted a few days ago.”

She pulled away. “Yeah, I know. I was just thinking a lot after you dropped me off at my house. I don’t want to fight about something that feels right.” She looked down at her hands and for a few seconds didn’t say anything, “I have just had a lot of crap thrown at me in my life, and moving to Steel Corner was my last step at trying to actually have a life.” She smiled, and although she didn’t elaborate on that last part, he knew they had time to talk. He planned on telling her a lot of things, and he felt touched that she was willing to let him in. “Come on, let’s get out of here.” She pulled away, and for just a moment he let her emotions into his body, absorbed them like they were his own. He reached up to cup her cheek.

Her smile faded, and she glanced down, but she didn’t pull away. Brick was the one to take a step away from her, but he took her hand and led her outside and toward his bike.

She stopped and tugged her hand away. “Wait a minute. I can’t get on that thing.”

Brick turned so he was facing her. He eyed her and cocked a brow. “Why? You have pants, and you can wear my helmet. You’ll be safe.”

She looked at his bike for a moment, and then looked back at him. “That thing is a beast.” Yes, yes it was. “I’ve never been on a motorcycle before.”