The Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club, Books 1-3 (99 page)

Teasing? She'd been annoyed he only wanted a kiss. So what had changed? Why did the thought of that bristly beard brushing against her skin set her teeth on edge? Or maybe she was just overthinking. Only one way to find out.

“Okay. Just one kiss. I'm not that comfortable with public displays of affection.”

“That's not what I heard.”

Before she could ask what he meant, he pulled her toward him and sealed his mouth over hers. A shudder ran through Evie's body, and she tried not to wrinkle her nose as his beard rasped over her skin. Cold, hard lips forced her mouth open, and when he thrust his thick tongue past her teeth, she almost gagged at his milky taste. When he finally pulled away, she was almost overwhelmed with the desire to brush her teeth.

“Damn you've got a soft little mouth.” He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip, making her think of a school visit to a local farm where the farmer had pried back a horse's lips to show off its teeth.

The first few notes of the band's “The Edge of Darkness” cover, drowned out the chatter of the crowd. Viper sent one of his bodyguards for drinks, then hooked his boot around the front leg of her chair and dragged her closer, throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Good cover band. They always start off with Iron Maiden.” He gave her a wink and a self-satisfied smile. “After they're done we can pick up where we left off.”

Her eyes flicked to the door and a shiver licked up her spine. This wasn't the Viper she knew, charming, teasing, and flirtatious. Tonight, he exuded a subtle, threatening sense of power that rattled her more than she cared to admit. She felt no excitement at the prospect of picking up where they let off, no thrill of desire. Instead, for the first time since she met Viper, she felt an uncomfortable sense of wariness.

The band played. Evie sipped her cooler. Viper downed his whiskey in one gulp, then peppered her with questions about the shop and her work. He asked for her opinion on the sexual escapades of her favorite radio show host, and lamented the governor's latest stance on crime. Although his body language appeared relaxed, and his conversation witty and entertaining, she sensed anger simmering beneath his skin, and lust, barely contained.

“Call your babysitter,” he said, after the band announced a short break. “Tell her you won't be home tonight.”

Evie's blood chilled. She'd been careful not to mention Ty, not wanting to share too much of her life until she knew where the relationship was going, to protect him if things went wrong. “How do you know I have a babysitter?”

“I know everything about you, Evangeline.” He slid his hand up her thigh, his long, thick fingers brushing along the edge of her panties. “Except one, and I'm going to find out just how tight and wet your pussy is tonight.”

Evie sucked in a breath and stood so abruptly, his hand slid away. “I need to use the restroom.”

“Rob will go with you.” He gestured to the biggest and scariest of the bikers and Evie swallowed past the lump in her throat.

“I don't need an escort. I can find the restroom on my own.”

“I'm sure you can.” Viper's cool, shrewd gaze chilled her to the bone. “But someone needs to protect you from the Sinners. I understand they've been following you around.”

Run. Run. Run.
But where would she go? Viper had taken her keys. Controlling. Just like Mark. Although Viper's need for control was clearly not the result of insecurity. Still, it had taken her years to break free and she had promised herself she would never again get into a situation where a man would control her life. Straightening her shoulders, she said, “They were looking for Axle.”

“They found him this morning.” His dark eyes bored into hers, challenging. “At the morgue.”

She didn't take the bait, swallowed the question on the tip of her tongue simply because she didn't want to know the answer. “I'm sorry to hear that you lost one of your men. It was nice of you to come out tonight when you must be in mourning.”

Viper stood, annoyance flickering across his face at the hint of sarcasm in her tone. He slid an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “Don't you think this game has gone on long enough, kitten?”

“What game?”

“The game where you pretend to be innocent and I pretend to be civilized.” He leaned down and nuzzled her neck, the scrape of his beard on her sensitive skin sending a shiver down her spine.

She tried to pull away, but he slid one hand over her ass and squeezed her cheek, grinding her hips against the bulge in his jeans. “I've been patient. I've played the civilian game, and I have to admit it was entertaining. But we both know where this is heading, and now that the Sinners are sniffing around you, I can't wait any more to stake my claim.”

Evie bristled, fear warring with indignation. “I'm not a piece of land.”

“But you are a piece of pussy.” He fisted her hair and yanked her head back, his lips, wet and cold, sliming a trail across her cheek.

Evie raised her hand to slap him. Lightning fast, Viper grabbed her wrist, twisted it, and wrenched her arm up behind her.

“Jesus Fuck,” he growled under his breath. “Why did you have to do that? I can't tolerate disrespect, especially in front of my men.”

“What's wrong with you?” Anger surged within her. “Why are you acting like this?”

“Did you think I wouldn't find out about you and the Sinner VP?” Viper tightened his grip, forcing her up on her toes. “I don't want to hurt you kitten, but I had you first, and I am not a sharing kind of man.”

“Let go.” She struggled to hide her fear, taking deep breaths to keep her voice even. “You're hurting me.”

“If you want to play around with a Sinner, and disrespect me in front of my men, you gotta pay the price. What's a little pain, kitten, when I'm going to give you a whole lot of pleasure?”

His heated words were followed by the scrape of chairs and the pounding of feet. As the people seated around them moved to the far end of the bar, the bouncers approached, only to come up against a solid wall of Black Jack muscle.

“I'm not playing games with you,” Evie gritted out. “I'm not with Zane. I grew up with him. I hadn't seen him for nine years until the night Axle came to bring your message. What Axle saw … I didn't want that.”

Viper loosened his hold on her hair, and gripped her jaw, forcing her to meet his stony gaze. “You grew up with him?”

“In Stanton. But we lost touch after high school. I didn't even know he was in Conundrum.”

His dark eyes bored into her as if searching for the truth. But she had nothing to hide. Well, except for Zane's relationship to Ty. Still, she met his cold, hard stare full-on, although she trembled inside. Zane had been angry about Ty, but she knew in her heart he would never hurt her. She couldn't say the same about Viper.

“You know why I like you, Evangeline?” His voice lost its edge, becoming smooth and sickly sweet like her mother's bourbon.

“No.”

“Because you're honest and you can't lie for shit.” He released her arm, one hand snaking up her back to her hair, the other firm around her waist. “You aren't like the deceitful, conniving bitches I got at my club. You aren't jaded from living an outlaw life where every day is a struggle to survive. I believe you.”

Her body sagged with relief. “Then let me go because you're scaring me.”

Viper laughed and tugged her head back. “You wouldn't be out with me if you didn't like it a little rough. You know how many women I've asked out? The key word there is asked?”

She shook her head, and he ran his thumb over her lips, parting them with gentle pressure.

“None. I don't ask when it comes to women. When I want a woman to suck my dick, I push her to her knees. When I want to fuck her pussy, I spread her legs. The women in my club will do whatever I tell them to do because I own them. But Black Jack women are hard women and they're always wantin' something, and that makes 'em cold. You're warm. You're soft. You're sweet. You're real. You don't want anything. Me being president of the Jacks doesn't mean shit to you. Never had that before. Not willing to give it up.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips over her neck. “The fact I did nothing other than twist your arm after you tried to slap me says it all.” He bit down on the delicate skin between her neck and her shoulder blade, drawing it between his teeth. Evie gasped as a curious mix of pleasure and pain surged within her.

“What are you doing?”

“Thought I'd leave my mark.” Something sharp and feral flashed in his eyes, and then he kissed her, his lips firm and hard. Possessive. “Just in case your Sinner trash doesn't get the message.”

“Zane? Why would he—?” Her voice caught as Viper turned her around, sliding one arm around her waist and pulling her into his chest in a gesture she didn't understand until her gaze lifted to the door.

Zane.

“Because he wants what I have.” Viper nuzzled her neck and Zane's dark eyes hardened.

“Looks like you have to make a choice, kitten,” he said softly. “Choose wisely.”

 

TEN

Repairing a bike is a long, arduous process. You will require patience, skill, and the proper tools. But mostly patience.

—SINNER'S TRIBE MOTORCYCLE REPAIR MANUAL

“I'm gonna kill him.”

“Hold back, brother.” Jagger put out an arm to stop Zane from drawing his weapon in the middle of the crowded bar. “She came here by choice. Nobody forced her.”

“Fuck, Jag. She just tried to slap him. You saw what he did to her.” He shook off Jagger's arm and slid his hand into his cut.

“And then she kissed him,” Jagger said, his voice cold. “She's not screaming for help, brother. Not like when we saved her from Derek the Dick.”

“You're the one being a dick.” He had never spoken to Jagger that way before, and if they hadn't been alone, he wouldn't have dared. But goddamnit. This was Evie. Their Evie. No.
His
Evie. The mother of his son. And she was in danger.

“Maybe you suddenly got tired of living.” Jagger's hand tightened on Zane's arm. “Friend or not, you don't speak to your president that way, and your president is saying we're not taking Viper out tonight. Too many witnesses. And Benson texted to warn me the cops are on their way. Despite the disrespect, I've gotten used to having you around. You still got a warrant on your head. I don't want to see you spending the rest of your life in jail.”

Zane's blood pounded in his ears so loud he could barely hear. Of all the men Evie could have chosen … Or maybe it wasn't a choice. Maybe Viper had forced her to go out with him. Maybe he was blackmailing her, or worse, threatening her life. There would be no other reason why she would want to be with that evil cockfucking piece of bastard slime who had to be twice her age.

As if he knew what Zane was thinking, Viper locked gazes with Zane over Evie's head and brushed his lips over her ear. It was a challenge Zane couldn't ignore.

“This is worse than the night with Derek the Dick.” He closed his hand around the smooth, cool steel of his weapon. He had never understood Evie's interest in Derek, a high school dropout who fronted a heavy metal band in town. But when she'd blown him and Jagger off to go on a band road trip with Derek and his pals, he hadn't hesitated to hunt Jagger down and convince him to go after them. They'd almost been too late, and it was the first time in his life he realized he could cross a line not many would cross. Only Evie's intervention had saved Derek's life, but he spent three months in the hospital and never played guitar again.

“You think she knows he's using her as a shield?”

Viper stroked his thumb along the underside of Evie's breast, and Zane slid the gun from its holster.

“She looks mighty pissed off,” Jagger said. “But I'm not sure if that's 'cause we've caught them together or because he's feeling her up in front of us.”

Tables emptied around them as the bar owner and his bouncers encouraged people to make use of the back exit so they didn't get caught in the middle of a biker showdown. The band scurried off the stage. Over in the far corner, a few civilians, most likely off-duty law enforcement from their posture, fatigues, and disregard for the danger of the situation, watched with interest as Viper's bodyguards fell into position behind him.

“How many brothers we got outside?”

“Five,” Jagger said. “And Tank didn't see any other Jacks outside, so we're evenly matched. Your choice, brother. If you want to fight, we got your back, but put the gun away.”

“You aren't fighting in my bar.” A short, stocky man in a Riverside Bar T-shirt strode into the center of the bar as Zane tucked his gun into his holster. “I've already called the cops. Last time we had bikers here, I was shut down for three months. You want to have a shoot-out, take it outside.”

“Not here to fight,” Viper said. “Just here enjoying the music with
my girl
.”

Mine
. In that moment the choice became no choice. Zane couldn't stand by and watch Evie be manhandled by any man, much less Viper. He closed the distance between them in three quick strides and ripped Viper's hand away.

Although braced for the intervention of Viper's bodyguards, he wasn't prepared when the biggest and ugliest brute lifted him as if he weighed nothing and tossed him across the bar.

“Fuck.” Jagger yanked open the door and yelled for Sinners who had accompanied them to the Riverside Bar. “We got a fight.”

“Evie. Come.” Zane pushed himself to his feet, keeping some distance between him and the monolith in front of him as he held out one hand and drew his weapon with the other.

If he thought she'd throw herself sobbing into his arms with gratitude like she'd done when he saved her from Derek, her livid expression quickly dissuaded him of that notion.