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“Generally, this point is used on women to help with PMS or menstrual cramps, but I’m doing it for you now because we need to stimulate your blood flow to help your shoulder pain.”
Demo really wanted to tell her that lack of blood flow was not a current problem for him but did not want to draw further attention to his dilemma. If she was anyone else, he would have, but this was Paige . Lucky would castrate him if he did anything to disrespect or upset her. Hell, Demo would sit back and let him if he did too.
Paige was refreshing and funny. He’d never met a woman like her before and wondered how she could have been under his nose for so long without him knowing about her.
True to her word, Paige was very gentle with him. She talked him through the different points and why she was placing needles in his feet to help his headaches and his calves to help his liver spots. He was still pretty sure she practiced witchcraft. There was no way she could know based on feeling the energy of his body that he was sleep deprived due to pain.
And why were there needles in his ears? Demo couldn’t remember her reasoning.
Demo was definitely going to do some research once he was out of here. He truly didn’t doubt Paige or her profession, but it was a bit freaky to watch her work her magic after being subjected to thirty-one years of modern ‘Big Pharma’ medicine. He found acupuncture and her practice of it utterly fascinating. He’d heard of acupuncture before, seen it in movies and such, but he’d never experienced it himself. It was in his nature to learn everything he could about something that caught his attention like Paige had. Acupuncture was a big part of her life, so it was about to become a big part of his.
That knowledge still didn’t help him relax though. By the time Paige came back into the room, he was trying to think of the time he’d accidentally walked in on his grandparents doing it to get his libido under control. Fuck. Watching her approach him in the low light, seeing her stand over him, her loose shirt gaping just enough for him to see she was wearing a lavender bra beneath…
Fuck! Demo slammed his eyes closed. Careful of the needles, he slid his fingertips beneath his ass to force his hands to behave when they wanted nothing more than to pull her down on top of him. Christ, the things he wanted to do to her body… Nope. Fuck. Demo wondered if one of her magic needles could divert blood flow. That ’s the needle he needed right then.
“How are you feeling?” Her voice was slow, soothing. Like she didn’t want to wake him. Jesus, he wanted to hear what she sounded like first thing in the morning just before he plunged inside her…
“Fine,” he forced out. His own voice sounded tight and restrained. Demo cleared his throat and retried, “Fine.” At least that time he didn’t sound like he had swallowed a dog’s squeaker toy.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, like she didn’t believe him. She journeyed down towards his feet. “I’m going to remove the needles and then we’ll get started on your shoulder.”
Demo couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Looking longways down his body, his eyes tracked every minute movement. He pictured taking all of those pens out of her hair, one by one, and then grabbing her elastic hairband that must have the strength of Superman and easing it out of her curly locks… Letting her mass of curls fall down to her shoulders, brushing them out of her face, holding them bunched on top of her head as she sank to her knees before him…
“Demo?”
He jumped. Blinked. Paige was standing by his left hip now. Fuck, when had she moved up from his feet? So much for watching her every move. “Yes?”
He didn’t bother to hide the heat in his eyes or his body’s obvious desire for her. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Nothing was working to quash his need and he had every intention of making her just as hot as he was later on.
“You know I’m married, right?”
And just like that, a bucket of ice water was thrown on top of him. The fire extinguished, sizzled down to burnt embers.
He’d forgotten. It was his only excuse. He certainly hadn’t forgotten who her husband was or what he had done or how his decisions were still affecting Paige now, but he’d forgotten she didn’t know Richard was dead.
Two years ago in April. Two years since the club had secured Richard Hannigan naked to their cellar ceiling and tortured him for abducting women for Mateo Castillo’s human trafficking ring. Two years since Lucky had burned the man’s feet like they were rotisserie chickens as payback for Richard throwing several Molotov cocktails through Lucky’s living room window while Lucky, Harper, Scotty, Steel, and Jenna slept peacefully inside. Two years since Steel had ordered Scar to remove Richard’s cock and balls as punishment for raping a woman to prove his loyalty to the cartel. Two years since Scar had delivered his broken, dead body to Mateo Castillo as proof that he was no longer alive to pay back his debt of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars and as an example of what would happen to Castillo if he came to Mount Grove seeking that money from Richard’s widow or sister.
Four months later, Bulldog had shot Castillo in the head as he hung from the same chains Richard once had.
Paige knew none of it. As far as she knew, her husband was a missing person. Did she think he’d been kidnapped or joined the ranks of deadbeat dads who ran off with their secretaries? What did Paige think of her husband? Had she known about the depths of his sins? Even if she didn’t know everything, did she know anything?
Did she still love him?
Demo’s stomach soured at the thought. Clearly, she was still loyal to him at the very least. She didn’t wear her wedding rings, but that might have been because she was at work and wore gloves.
He had the strongest urge to tell her the truth, that she was a widow and free of any obligations she might feel towards her husband. But what the hell was he supposed to say? Why would he know her husband’s fate when the police didn’t? Demo knew from Carlos’s last report that Paige was still making inquiries with the sheriff’s department about her husband’s disappearance.
Didn’t that show she was still concerned about him? How fast does one fall out of love? Especially if she didn’t think Richard did anything wrong? What if she thought he was the victim? Her money troubles meant she knew at least some of his gambling habits. Was she still praying and hoping he would return home? To her ?
Paige was a single mom. She had two young sons who were also missing their father.
Demo needed to talk to Lucky. He needed to know how much Paige knew and what she believed. At the very least, he needed to know if she still loved her husband. The argument could be presented that she did. After all, if she didn’t, she wouldn’t have reminded Demo of her marriage when he was so openly aroused by her.
“I know,” he told her solemnly. “Ignore me. My body’s a total flirt when it comes to beautiful women. Curse of being a good-looking bachelor.”
Her cheeks flushed again—but this time it wasn’t from her own arousal. She was close enough to the club to know about the Honeys. Even if they were no longer a filled position within the club, it was a known fact around town that two of them now worked as waitresses for the club’s bar, Demon on the Rocks , and that many of the single club members still frequently visited them after work hours. Ghost would not hear of anything happening during business hours, refusing to allow his bar to become a brothel.
Was it wrong of Demo to remind Paige that he was single and that women found him attractive? Probably. The words tasted like acid coming out of his mouth. But what could he say? That he wanted to flirt with her because she was enticing and she was free to flirt back because her husband was actually dead? That she deserved to have a stress-free life filled with nothing but love, happiness, and more babies?
Demo’s brain faltered at those words. More babies? What the fuck? He was not in the breeding or fatherhood business. He was not like his club brothers who had taken children under their wings so readily, regardless of biology. He was around SJ recently because he and Pumpkin were friends and SJ was wherever Pumpkin was. There’d been a few floundering moments and first-time panics, but Pumpkin had taken to fatherhood like a fish to water. Additionally, the club had bombarded Pumpkin with pumpkin baby toys, clothing, and accessories. A few weeks ago, when Pumpkin had been out with the ol’ ladies shopping at Costco , the brothers, Scotty, and Lila had completely redecorated SJ’s nursery with pumpkin-themed bedding, pillows, and a tummy time rug. If they had the time, Demo was sure they would have painted the nursery to look like a pumpkin patch. One drunken mistake over six years ago and Pumpkin was still paying the price.
Despite his love for his son, Demo wondered if Pumpkin also considered his time with Cheryl a mistake. Demo didn’t think so. Lord knows, Cheryl had spent time with a lot of brothers, including Demo.
Even with the sudden depression and guilt swarming inside him at the reminder that Paige did not know she was a widow, Demo couldn’t shake the fantasy of Paige, the desire for her. God forbid—the need to claim her.
The only adult female who had ever ridden on the back of his hog with him was Sissy. As Lucky’s daughter, she was welcome to all club events, including the runs. She had a club kid denim cut, even though she was an adult. She was also very much off-limits. Recently, she’d come out as bisexual and was dating the club’s female prospect, Sara. Her sexuality aside, Demo had never looked at Sissy as anything more than his niece. He’d spent a lot of time with her in her late teenage years to help her prepare financially for college. There’d been nothing extra about their time together, and not just because she’d been jailbait age. Sissy had always been family , like a little sister. Having her ride as his backpack had been fun and pleasurable, but in a completely platonic way.
Besides, until Sissy had told the club at Christmas that she was dating Sara, most of them had been under the impression something had been going on between her and Scar. That idea had taken some brainpower to process. Scar was… Well, he was Scar . There was nothing normal or typical about him. Since everyone knew that Scar did not like to be touched, it hadn’t been that far of a stretch to assume Sissy would need to ride with another club member on the club runs, even if there was something romantic between the two. No matter how many times Sissy insisted they were ‘just friends’, there was no getting past the fact that, for years, Sissy was the only person Scar would hang out with at gatherings or have a conversation—though silent on his part—with.
Demo saw it though. He saw Paige on the back of his hog, her thighs spread around his hips, her breasts flush against his back. The clearest part of the vision, though, was the cut on her back.
The one that said Property of Demo .
It floored him. Completely threw him for a loop. Was this some aftereffect of nearly dying? Of the regret he’d felt at never having had a permanent woman in his life? Or was this something more profound, more life altering?
Was this how it had been for Lucky when he’d met Harper? Bear and Tessa? Bulldog had once described meeting Abby as shifting his life’s focus. Mind, he was six years old, but it had been intense enough for a six-year-old to notice. Demo knew little about Steel and Jenna’s history, though recently it had become known that Jenna’s father had hated Steel and tried to pay him to break up with Jenna. Steel had taken her father’s check—but then he used it to pay for his and Jenna’s wedding.
Demo knew very little about Paige’s life. He didn’t even know which of her sons was Nelson and which was Michael. But there was something… possessive about his desire for her.
Her cheeks were flushed and she wouldn’t meet his eyes. It was like her confidence had been sifted from her. “It’s a perfectly normal reaction for men,” she explained in a very demure voice. Professional. There was nothing familial or sassy about it or her expression. Demo found his jaw tightening in dislike at the sight. “It’s common and you are not my first patient to react so.”
The fuck , went through Demo’s mind. He did not like the idea of other men sprouting erections during her treatment. Not at all.
“Acupuncture and massage therapy increase blood flow and release toxins from your system. It is normal for male genitalia to react to that and the stimulation. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” she added quickly, though the color in her cheeks darkened. “I just need you to know that nothing can come of it. I’m sure you know about my marriage from Lucky or Bulldog, but please know that I am not…” Her voice trailed off. Still staring down, she continued in a sterner voice, “I am still married. I hope you will respect that.”
Demo stared at her for a long, silent moment. Lying on his back on the massage table, he had a good view of her, despite her shy posture. In one regard, she did have a point. Despite his apprehensions about being pinpricked by hundreds of needles—yes, he was aware of the exaggeration—the treatment had felt good. He probably wasn’t as relaxed as she’d been hoping when she left him alone for twenty minutes, but he couldn’t argue the fact that his muscles felt less stiff and the pain in his shoulder seemed less intense. It wasn’t gone, not like an instant cure or anything, but more spread out with less sharpness to the pain. He felt like he could at least move his shoulder without the risk of agony.
But his ‘bodily reaction’ as she put it? That was all her and not the treatment. He’d been fighting with his dick against ‘reacting’ since before they’d walked into the therapy room. That reaction was all Paige’s fault.
However, he didn’t think she’d be happy knowing that fact.
Which brought him to his second realization: Paige did not love her husband. There was no longing or desire in her voice when she spoke of her marriage. It was more like a fact of life that she couldn’t change, like saying she had curly hair. She was married. Period.
“I apologize for making you uncomfortable.” That was entirely true and not a line. Regardless of her reasons to claim her marriage, he was sorry he’d caused her embarrassment by his obvious arousal and flirting. “That was never my intention. In all honesty, yes, I know about your husband. I assumed with your ring gone that you were legally separated or divorcing him.”—Fuck, he hated to lie to her. But what else could he say?—“You’re a beautiful woman, Paige. Flirting aside, I do wish to get to know you better. Even if it is only as friends. You’re a part of my club, even if only by marriage. The very last thing I want to do is disrespect you or cause you anxiety.”
Slowly, her chocolate brown eyes lifted to meet his. In the low light of the room, they shone with unshed tears. “Thank you,” her voice was moist, like she was holding back a sob. “That means a lot to me.”
Conscious of the needles still protruding from his body, Demo sat up. His shoulder let out a protest, which he dutifully ignored.
“What are you doing?” she gasped out, putting her hands up as if to stop him.
Demo swung his long legs over the side of the massage table. When she stepped up closer, either to help him or stop him, Demo snagged her hips with his hands and drew her between his knees. He kept a distance between them. Christ, he wanted to drag her flush against his body, to grind their hips together.
Her breath hitched but she did not protest. “You shouldn’t be moving with the needles still?—”
“Look at me, Paige.”
“Demo, I?—”
“ Please look at me.” His tone was gentle and coaxing. She swallowed hard and then met his eyes. Demo lowered his hands from her hips. His grip on her only proved what he already suspected; she was too thin. He could feel her hip bones protruding under her dress pants. Regardless of how this conversation ended, he was ordering her a large lunch from the diner, enough for her and the boys to have the leftovers tonight for dinner. “While I hold no respect for your husband who ran out on you, I do respect you and your marriage. If you are not emotionally available to date, that’s perfectly fine. I’m not mad or angry. Did I have the intention of asking you out once you finished trying to pop me like a balloon? Fuck. Yes,” he said with emphasis. “But I’m not going to force you.”
He gave her a half smile, to which he saw her lips twitch in response. “I like you, Paige. You’re funny and sweet and drop-dead gorgeous.” He lifted a needle-pricked hand to touch the corkscrewed curls at the side of her face. He gently pulled one straight and then watched it bounce back into place upon releasing it. Fuck, he could spend hours playing with her hair. “You could use a solid meal but needing some meat on your bones doesn’t take away from your beauty.”
Her eyes widened and her cheeks reddened again. When she opened her mouth to say something, Demo put a finger over her lips. “I’m not saying that to embarrass you or make you feel less. I would bet my last dollar that, while you haven’t eaten a full meal in some time, your boys are well-fed and not wanting for anything.” He lowered his hand. “I understand that times are hard. Moving to a new town is challenging enough, and then dealing with your husband walking out on you? It only complicates matters. How about instead of asking you out on a date, I ask you for friendship. We can start off slow, get to know each other. When you feel comfortable, you can introduce me to your sons.” Then he added, “Or re-introduce me. I’ve already met the older one. What’s his name?”
“Michael,” she answered automatically. “We call him ‘Mikey’.”
“Mikey,” he repeated with a grin. “I knew they were Michael and Nelson but wasn’t sure which was which.”
“Mikey’s five and a half. Nelly Bean’s my baby and almost four.”
“They’re good boys. I’ve seen them with Lucky and Scotty. You’ve done really well with them, even on your own for the last two years.”
Her cheeks flushed. “They’re everything to me. Which is why, as flattered as I am, Demo, I can’t go on a date with you. I can’t risk giving Richard any ammunition to potentially take away my boys in the divorce.”
Demo had to school his features. Fuck. There would be no divorce, but she didn’t know that. What the hell was he supposed to say in response to that?
“If you recall, I never actually asked you on a date,” he pointed out. “It’s actually a bit presumptuous of you to decline when I haven’t asked you.”
Paige blinked at him and then let out a long giggle. She rubbed her fingers against her forehead. “You are such a flirt.”
He couldn’t deny that. With his knee, he gently bumped her right hip. “I want to get to know you, Paige. Even if nothing comes of it, I’d like to be your friend. Lucky can vouch for me, if needed.”
He didn’t offer to financially help her. Her pride would automatically decline and he didn’t want her to make the assumption he was trying to help her in return for sexual favors. He had every intention of helping her, regardless of her accepting his hand of friendship or not.
Paige licked her lips. Fuck, she had no idea how enticing that action was. He wanted to pull her closer and taste those lips but forced himself to refrain. “Steel wouldn’t have allowed you into the club if you weren’t trustworthy.”
Demo cocked his head to the side. Her relationship with Lucky was obvious, she was Harper’s sister-in-law, and she saw Bulldog weekly for Abby’s appointments. For some reason, though, it hadn’t occurred to him that she would know Steel too. “You know Steel?”
Paige nodded. “The boys are growing like I’m adding Miracle Gro to their milk. Jenna suggested stopping by her consignment shop a few months ago. Both Steel and Jenna have been a godsend, even putting clothing or shoes aside for me that they knew were my boys’ sizes until I could get there. I’m pretty sure they don’t charge me for half of it,” she said with a trace of shame. “My bill never seems high enough for the amount of clothes and toys I take home.” Her statement didn’t surprise Demo in the least. Half the town’s kids were provided clothing at discounted rates or no charge by Jenna’s good heart. “Steel’s often at the store with her and I’ve gotten to know him well too. They’re both exceptionally good people.”
They were. Even with Steel’s outward hardness, his moral compass always pointed north. It was what made him such a good leader. He saw the entire picture, not just the individual aspects. His first and last priority was the protection and safety of his family, which included the club he ruled over with an iron fist. Or, rather, a steel fist.
“But even knowing what a good man you are, Demo, I’m not ready or able to date anyone. Pennsylvania’s separation laws are stricter than Michigan’s. Until my divorce is finalized, meaning Richard agrees to the divorce and signs his rights away, my priority has to be my boys.”
Demo had to bite his tongue. “I respect that. So, no dating. Everything we do is in public or with your boys. That way no one can claim you were the one being unfaithful.”
God, he was such a bastard. He was dirt. He was lower than dirt. He was the sludge worms pooped out that mixed with dirt. He could so easily set her free of her worries and stress, but he couldn’t. Telling her the truth would endanger not only himself but his club. Regardless of Richard’s crimes, his club had murdered him. Scar might have been the one to do the physical deed, but the rest of them were complicit. Even Carlos could be connected to Richard’s death. Former Sheriff Hannigan too—not that Demo was holding back his tongue to protect him . He would just be collateral damage.
The law saw what the club had done as wrong. They had not killed Richard in self-defense. In fact, they’d tortured him before they’d killed him.
Paige could not know the truth. Harper couldn’t either. If they knew, they could be implicated too. He wasn’t just protecting his club brothers, but the women too. What was the saying? Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.
Paige was struggling enough in her life. She didn’t need the burden of her husband’s crimes and murder weighing her down too.
Demo had never looked into the marital laws of Pennsylvania before. It wasn’t something that had ever come up before. “Do you have a lawyer?”
She let out a dry chuckle. “Lawyers cost money. No, I don’t have a lawyer. Everything I know has been from Google searches. I have grounds to seek a divorce but not the ability to. Every penny I have goes towards keeping the lights on and food.” Demo knew that statement to be false but did not call her out on it. “What I do know, though, is that I have to find Richard to serve him papers.”
Which she couldn’t do because his body was wherever Mateo Castillo had dumped it. Which was unfortunate. If there was a way to find his body, Paige would know she wouldn’t have to seek a divorce without Demo or the club admitting to anything.
“It’s been two years. You haven’t heard anything?”
Paige opened her mouth to answer, closed it, and then put her hand over her mouth to stop her giggles. “I’m sorry, it’s hard to take you seriously when you have a needle sticking out of your E-12 point.”
Demo had honestly forgotten he was littered with needles. “Probably not the most appropriate questions to be asking my doctor either.”
She nodded. “Another reason for me to turn down your not-asked question of a date. It wouldn’t be ethical of me to.”
Demo let out a long sigh. She stepped back and he once more positioned himself on the massage bed. “Just for the sake of my curiosity, if I had asked, and you were divorced and not my doctor, would you have said ‘yes’?”
Paige leaned over him and started to remove the needles from his forehead, nose, and ears. She clicked her tongue against her front teeth. “Probably.”
He smiled widely up at her. Masculine pride swelled in his chest. “It’s because I’m naked, right? No woman can resist this body.”
Paige let out a loud laugh. “I’ve seen many naked men, good sir. Yours, while remarkable, is nothing extraordinary.”
Demo clutched his chest as if he was suffering from a heart attack. “Oh, the pain! Doc, the pain! It hurts.”
Her laugh was soon becoming one of his favorite sounds in the world. “Stop, you’re going to knock out your needles.” She moved down his arms and hands, removing needles as she went. He continued to fake the heart pain until she conceded, “Fine! You have an amazing body. I would go out with you because of it.”
Then she leaned close to his face and added in a sultry voice, “But just know that after I’ve had my hands all over it today, you’re going to be the one chasing after me . I know erogenous zones western culture doesn’t know about.”
Demo swallowed hard. His goddamn cock twitched as if trying to stand up to be her first volunteer. They both glanced down his body at what was concealed in his boxer briefs. Paige slowly turned back up to face him. She smiled wickedly at him—and Demo was pretty sure that was the moment he fell for Paige Hannigan.