Chapter Two
P owerhouse
I’m not even joking, I swear to G, trumpets go off in my mind. If I could have hearts lighting up my eyes, it’d be happening right now as I stare at this stunning woman in front of me.
“Hi,” I sign . Proud of myself because I’ve been making it my GD mission to learn how to better communicate with her.
Her perfect little mouth pops open for a beat, momentarily stunned.
Her lips twist into a soft smile, and she shoots me a thoughtful glance.
I feel like for the first time since she’s been here, she finally sees me, no longer looking right past me when I’m around.
Her attention has my stomach spinning in excitement and nerves.
I’ve wanted to talk to her from the moment I first noticed her.
“Hi. You can talk; I can read your lips when I look at you.”
Hmm… maybe that’s why she never checks out any of the men, only the women.
She misses every disgusting word uttered by those fucknuts but is able to communicate with the girls.
Raven is smart. But also dumb. Doesn’t she know how dangerous that can be?
G-forbid the wrong dipshit thinks she’s being a bitch and ignoring him, and they try to hurt her.
The thought of a man laying hands on her in any way nearly sends me spiraling.
It has my fingers clenching into fists, wanting to rip skulls from spines to keep her protected and sweet.
Her gaze flicks to my fists, her brow furrowing, so I immediately relax them, dipping my head and leaning closer so she’ll catch my gaze again. I want to sign to her so it’s easy for her, but she told me to speak, so I also don’t want her thinking I’m disrespecting her wishes.
I’m not the smartest guy around, been told so my whole damn life, but I was hoping she wouldn’t notice since she wouldn’t hear some of the dumb shit coming out of my mouth.
My momma always told me I was nothing but a dumb-dumb and I’d grow up to be more of the same.
Will Raven notice? Will she think I’m stupid too, or will she think I’m not so bad since I know how to sign to her?
“All good. You’re stunning; it has my heart beating fast,” I lay my hand against my chest and say the words, rather than admitting what I want and all the worries running through my mind of being nothing but a big disappointment to her too.
How I’m sorry for making her give my hands a second look and how they’ll never, ever hurt her.
I want to tell her my fists belong to her, she can wield them however she sees fit, and if anyone touches a hair on her pretty little head, I will raze them down.
Too soon? Probably.
Crazy? Don’t care.
Obsessive? Yep, I’m aware.
When you know… you just know. There is not one doubt in my mind there isn’t another woman on this planet for me, other than Raven. Now, I have to figure out a way to get her on the same page because my idea of a fun time is not kidnapping the woman of my dreams against her will.
‘Feel’ by Beneld begins to pump through the speakers, and then I’m being transported to another place entirely. It’s only me and Raven in this club, and in this world right now.
Me and her.
Her and me.
Her hips shift, right then left. Raven’s body rolls with the lyrics and the beat as if she can feel them down to her soul.
She’s a goddess, and watching her this closely has goosebumps prickling over my flesh.
The air conditioning blows cool air against my heated skin on this warm December evening.
The hairs on my arms are standing on end from the chills coating me all over.
It’s always warm in Texas this time of year, but then it’ll randomly drop. It’ll spit a bit of snow sometimes purely to confuse everyone, and my birthday’s no different, it seems.
I’m in fucking love with this chick. I know it down to the marrow of my bones. I would do anything to have her. To make her mine.
There are no limits and the reality of it is extremely dangerous. I shouldn’t feel this way for Raven, this unending obsession buzzing right beneath my skin.
The lyrics croon on about feeling, while Raven moves closer and closer with each tilt of her hips.
Her tits are at the perfect level with her still standing for a massive man like me.
It’s another reason why I’ve kept my distance from her.
I’m easily six-foot-five, and this sweet, petite woman is barely pushing five-foot-three if I had to take a guess.
She’s tiny . I’m huge . It makes everything inside me want to be her shadow. Her protector.
I don’t want to frighten her. There’s nothing soft about me; I’ve honed my body into a prime fighting machine. I’m scarred up from taking hits and being stabbed. I’m not pretty anywhere. Not like her.
She spins, giving me her back while she removes the scrap of fabric over her breasts. The smooth expanse of her exposed back is enough to make me catch my breath in anticipation of seeing the rest of her. I’ve fantasized about being this close to her, and now she’s inches from my touch.
I can’t refrain, no matter how much my mind silently screams for me to stop, I reach for her. My fingertips lightly trail down along her spine, reveling in the silky, tanned flesh—nothing like my own. She’s so fucking soft. Perfect in her own way.
Leaning forward, I graze my lips over the smoothness, aware I’m not supposed to touch her. As a patron, I have to keep my hands to myself, but every inch of her calls on me to worship it, to stroke her and covet her as she deserves.
How is she here right now? She should be married. Holed up in a big house. Spoiled. Yet, I’d lose my mind if that were the case and she belonged to another. This is fate, it has to be.
Pressing a gentle kiss, she shivers from my careful touch, her goosebumps skating over her flesh.
Then she’s moving, spinning around to face me once more and straddling my thighs.
They’re big and bulky, making her spread her legs wide so her pussy is pressed up against my length as she leans forward, attempting to balance herself using my expansive chest.
One of my giant paws grips her tiny waist while the other gently presses flat against her back.
I want her to know I’ll hold her, that she’s safe and can use me in any way she needs to.
I’m hers for the taking. Her eyes are wide when they meet mine, cheeks flushed, and lips parted.
She’s so fucking captivating in every way; she easily steals the breath from my lungs as I gaze at her, consumed by the feeling of her sweet curves pressed flush against my massive frame.
My thoughts are interrupted as the place is suddenly stormed.
Men in tactical gear stomp through the club, grabbing anyone they can reach.
Females everywhere are screaming, and the employees are racing for the back.
My gaze lands on my brothers, watching as they’re forcibly put into cuffs, as a few scuffle a bit before giving in.
I’m immediately spinning us, swapping places so my body is in front of Raven, blocking and protecting her.
Removing my shirt, I push it over her head.
I don’t want her in cuffs, and especially not without any clothes on.
I’ll end up going to jail over breaking heads while attempting to protect her.
One hand goes to her face, gripping her jaw hard enough that her wide eyes stay trained on my mouth.
“Something’s happening. Go find a place to hide, and when you’re able to, go straight home. I don’t want anyone bothering you.”
Worry clouds her irises as she attempts to dodge to the side of me and look, but I grip her jaw a touch harder, jerking her to meet my stare again.
I need to make her understand this is important.
I’ll go crazy if she doesn’t do what I ask her to.
“Promise me,” I order, wishing I could carry her away, to make sure she’s safe.
She nods, and I release her, tugging her behind my body. I’m big enough that as I shift along the front of the private booths, no one can see her. Once we get to the end and closer to the side door, I carefully push her in the direction she needs to go.
With Raven where I need her to be, I turn my attention back to my brothers. This is a shitshow, there’s no other way to explain it. People are being held, handcuffed in place, while being questioned. My brothers, however, are being roughly hauled out the front door.
“Hands together behind your back!” Is yelled. The order is directed at me, and I immediately comply. I’ve learned over the years that with my size, I impose a direct threat to everyone smaller than me, so I raise my hands and spread them apart.
“It’ll fuck up my shoulders, I’m too big. Will you do me a solid and cuff me from the front?”
He stares at me for a beat, his eyes taking in my wide, muscular shoulders no longer hidden beneath a shirt, only my cut, before eventually nodding. “Yeah, I can do that. Put your wrists together and hold them out, away from your person.”
I do as he says, and he reaches forward, quickly cuffing me. He’s a skittish little thing, but I can’t blame him for being cautious.