Chapter 8
CHAPTER
EIGHT
ADAM
With her arms wrapped around me from behind, I ride toward a restaurant. It’s just a diner, nothing special, but I’m starving, and I could use something greasy and salty. Pulling my bike into the parking lot, I find a spot in front.
Austin climbs off the bike behind me. Throwing my leg over the side, I take her hand in mine, and together, we make our way toward the door. I don’t ask her if this is okay. I know that it probably isn’t for her. If she’s anything like my mother, then she won’t like it.
It’s not that my mom is snooty or anything. It’s just that she and my aunt, Shawn, run a healthy-style bakery. And this greasy spoon is the least healthy place we could eat, but when you need a burger and fries, you fucking need it.
There is no hostess, just a chalkboard that reads Seat yourself. Guiding Austin toward the back of the diner, I sink down on the bench with my back against the wall. I watch as Austin sits down and then scoots to the middle of the bench.
Reaching toward the side of the table, I grab two menus, peeling them apart before I hand one over to her. Austin takes it from me, and then I watch as she tucks her hair behind her ear and looks down at the sticky laminated paper.
“You good?” I ask.
She lifts her head, her eyes meeting mine. “I’m not used to eating stuff like this,” she says softly.
I can tell that she doesn’t eat this shit, but at the same time, a few extra pounds would not look bad on her. And since she’s not dancing anymore, I don’t see why she couldn’t have those few extra pounds on her sexy-as-fuck body.
“I’m sure you’re not,” I murmur. “One time won’t hurt you, baby.”
Austin sucks in a breath, her eyes searching mine from across the table, and it seems as if she’s going to say something. Her lips part, but then she presses them together as if she decides not to say whatever it was after all.
“Can I get y’all somethin’ to drink?” the waitress asks as she appears next to us.
“Coke,” I order, never taking my eyes off of Austin.
“What kind?” she asks.
I almost laugh because I want a fucking Coke, but I can tell she’s getting ready to go through the list of drinks. And she does begin listing drinks. When she gets to Diet Dr Pepper, I clear my throat once and then twice until she stops.
“Just a Coke.”
She nods, then turns her attention to Austin. Of course, Austin orders a water. I should have known. I’ll corrupt her to the dark side soon enough. That day is just not today, but it will be soon enough.
The waitress leaves, and that’s when I feel Austin’s fingers touch my forearm.
There is a moment of silence, and then she leans forward, her eyes searching mine.
“I know it won’t hurt me to eat like crap once, and I will because it smells amazing, but as a dancer, I should not be eating this way, generally speaking. ”
“And you’re still going to dance?” I ask.
“It’s who I am,” she says. “Ballet has been my only escape from the childhood trauma that I endured as a kid. My mom couldn’t or wouldn’t pay for my classes, so I worked at the studio where I trained for lessons.
Then, later, I got a scholarship before I was hired at the company.
This is all I know. It’s my passion and my desire. ”
And fuck me, but the conviction is there.
If I was on the fence before, I’m not now.
I’m paying her debts so that she can live her best ballerina life, even if it doesn’t work out for us, which I know it will.
And I want her to be happy. And watching the way she lights up talking about ballet, I know that this is her happiness.
AUSTIN
Adam watches me in silence for a moment. Then he leans back in his seat as the waitress brings our drinks. He’s eyeing me, though, watching me and studying me as if he’s trying to figure me out.
“What?” I ask, unable to stand the silence.
“I’m looking at you, listening to you, but I can’t believe that you’re real.”
My lips curve up into a smile. “Why is that?” I ask.
“Because I’ve fallen for you, and I’ve known you for about thirty fucking seconds. I know that the life I live is so far removed from the prima ballerina lifestyle, but at the same time, you’re not that, are you?”
“If you’re asking me if I’m upper class and snooty, you already know the answer to that, especially since you’ve met my mother.”
He nods once. “Yeah,” he murmurs. “I do.”
“But?” I ask.
My heart is racing. I don’t know why I’m so nervous to hear what he has to say, but I am beyond nervous. Holding my breath, I wait for whatever he says next because I know that he is going to say something.
“I know you’d fit in with all the women back here. I’m just not sure you’d be happy, and once I claim you, there’s no walking away.”
Laughing softly, I shake my head a couple of times. “You make it sound like a movie. Like I would be the Mafia bride for contract or something.”
“Not Mafia,” he says with a grunt. “Motorcycle club, old lady, and that’s a title that means everything in my world. You’d basically be a queen. There is no divorce because it’s only a title for our world. However, there is no walking away, not without my permission.”
“Sounds sexist.”
He leans forward, his eyes searching mine. They’re sparkling and he looks sexy as hell as he smirks. It looks like he’s holding a secret, and he’s about to share it with me. A secret that I’m not supposed to know.
“Oh, it is, baby. But you’ll fucking love it.”
It’s my turn to snort. “I’m not sure that I will,” I whisper, knowing without a doubt that I’m full of complete shit. I don’t think it would matter what this man’s world entailed. I want it if it involves him.
Adam reaches out, and his index finger trails from my elbow to my wrist before his fingers encircle me there. His gaze never leaves mine. Then he speaks, and I have to press my thighs together because I’m seconds away from begging him to fuck me in the middle of this diner.
“Your man taking you anywhere, everywhere, he pleases. Having you on his arm so that the world can look, but they can’t touch.
Your man protecting you with his own fucking life until the day that he dies.
Nothing, nobody, will ever fucking touch you again, Austin, because I won’t fucking let it—not ever again. ”
Oh. My. God.
Panties.
Melted.