at the obvious erection in his pants and began to glide down to my knees. His hands caught me under my arms and pulled me back up.
“No.” He swiped his hand across my brow and kissed me tenderly. “Not today. Today was just for you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You don’t have to.” He shook his head. “Now, about that conversation we never finished.”
“Again?” I rolled my eyes.
“You could go to school, get your nursing degree. Get a job that pays in actual cash. Be free. Why would you say no to that?”
I studied him. He hadn’t shaved since I last saw him, the stubble gave him an even more dangerous look. His blue eyes weren’t playful as they usually were, they were hard and focused on me. If only he’d understand. “Because I would be trading one club for another. Do you really think Jayson won’t go after me, or you, or your club? Why would you want to start a war over me?”
“I protect what’s mine.” He crossed his arms over his chest, taking a stand.
“Maybe I don’t want to be yours.”
“That’s a lie. And lies are punishable.”
“Christ. Mason, you don’t know what you’re asking.”
“If I told you the MC life wasn’t all I wanted, that one day I wanted out, would that change your mind?” If he was trying to throw me off balance, that statement did the trick.
“You don’t want to be a Reaper anymore?”
“I don’t want this forever. I see my president and look at Jayson. Worn down by years of stress and warring. For what? Money? Fuck that. I’d like to go to bed at night and not worry some asshole is gonna try to stick a knife in my back the next day. Besides, things are changing. This alliance is bullshit and both sides know it. The cartel is gonna barrel through and rip us both to shreds, and then what?” I watched his face, wondering if he was making up a story for my benefit.
“Since when?” I eyed him with suspicion.
He raked a hand through his hair, leaving it standing on end in some spots. “I don’t know.” He blew out a breath. “Since you, this deal with the cartel. Tick getting engaged.” Tick? Who was Tick?
“He’s never going to let you pay off the debt.” I spoke more for my benefit than his. I couldn’t entertain the idea of actually doing what he proposed. Jayson would never allow it. “Just asking could start shit between your clubs.”
“Let me worry about that.” He stepped to me, cupping my face in his hands. “I want you to think about this. Really, really think. I can get you out of here. You’d be safe. Able to go to school.”
“And you? If you did leave your club, what would you do?” I doubted MC member looked good on a resume.
“We’ll figure it out together. One step at a time, though.” His eyes moved over my face and he pushed the hair away from my eyes. “Fuck your beautiful.” He kissed me, pressing his lips against mine. He tasted sweet, clean, and I lost myself in him for that moment. The possibilities he laid out seemed real, during that kiss.
When he pulled back and looked down at me, I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
“Think about it, Lucy.” He released me and pushed the door to the room open. I stepped out of the store room and watched him make his way through the lounge. Another man, bald and just as scary looking, stood from a table and followed Mason through the door.
Could I let him try? I didn’t want to put anyone else in danger, and if putting the clubs on opposite sides because of me would hurt anyone, I wouldn’t do it. But I would let myself indulge in the fantasy. For a little while at least. For one night. Imagining what it would be like to be on Mason’s arm. Not his old lady, or his whore, but his girlfriend- wife? He talked like he saw a future outside the club, but would he really be happy? A guy like him didn’t know any other way of life, how
“No.” He swiped his hand across my brow and kissed me tenderly. “Not today. Today was just for you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You don’t have to.” He shook his head. “Now, about that conversation we never finished.”
“Again?” I rolled my eyes.
“You could go to school, get your nursing degree. Get a job that pays in actual cash. Be free. Why would you say no to that?”
I studied him. He hadn’t shaved since I last saw him, the stubble gave him an even more dangerous look. His blue eyes weren’t playful as they usually were, they were hard and focused on me. If only he’d understand. “Because I would be trading one club for another. Do you really think Jayson won’t go after me, or you, or your club? Why would you want to start a war over me?”
“I protect what’s mine.” He crossed his arms over his chest, taking a stand.
“Maybe I don’t want to be yours.”
“That’s a lie. And lies are punishable.”
“Christ. Mason, you don’t know what you’re asking.”
“If I told you the MC life wasn’t all I wanted, that one day I wanted out, would that change your mind?” If he was trying to throw me off balance, that statement did the trick.
“You don’t want to be a Reaper anymore?”
“I don’t want this forever. I see my president and look at Jayson. Worn down by years of stress and warring. For what? Money? Fuck that. I’d like to go to bed at night and not worry some asshole is gonna try to stick a knife in my back the next day. Besides, things are changing. This alliance is bullshit and both sides know it. The cartel is gonna barrel through and rip us both to shreds, and then what?” I watched his face, wondering if he was making up a story for my benefit.
“Since when?” I eyed him with suspicion.
He raked a hand through his hair, leaving it standing on end in some spots. “I don’t know.” He blew out a breath. “Since you, this deal with the cartel. Tick getting engaged.” Tick? Who was Tick?
“He’s never going to let you pay off the debt.” I spoke more for my benefit than his. I couldn’t entertain the idea of actually doing what he proposed. Jayson would never allow it. “Just asking could start shit between your clubs.”
“Let me worry about that.” He stepped to me, cupping my face in his hands. “I want you to think about this. Really, really think. I can get you out of here. You’d be safe. Able to go to school.”
“And you? If you did leave your club, what would you do?” I doubted MC member looked good on a resume.
“We’ll figure it out together. One step at a time, though.” His eyes moved over my face and he pushed the hair away from my eyes. “Fuck your beautiful.” He kissed me, pressing his lips against mine. He tasted sweet, clean, and I lost myself in him for that moment. The possibilities he laid out seemed real, during that kiss.
When he pulled back and looked down at me, I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
“Think about it, Lucy.” He released me and pushed the door to the room open. I stepped out of the store room and watched him make his way through the lounge. Another man, bald and just as scary looking, stood from a table and followed Mason through the door.
Could I let him try? I didn’t want to put anyone else in danger, and if putting the clubs on opposite sides because of me would hurt anyone, I wouldn’t do it. But I would let myself indulge in the fantasy. For a little while at least. For one night. Imagining what it would be like to be on Mason’s arm. Not his old lady, or his whore, but his girlfriend- wife? He talked like he saw a future outside the club, but would he really be happy? A guy like him didn’t know any other way of life, how
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