Chapter Sixteen
I’d overheard Harley and Caroline murmuring about stuff now and then, and it finally made sense.
The secret project sounded like a plan to trash the entire club site, and rebuild from scratch.
It couldn’t happen soon enough for my liking, because the place was a shithole.
Compared to the other Phoenix site, it was a dump, and I’m being kind there.
It also started as a bad place, and wiping the slate clean really couldn’t hurt at this point.
“You hold Nixie, and I’ll go order.” I passed the pup to V before she could argue, as she tended to do, and instead raised my eyebrows at her until she declared what she wanted.
A latte and cinnamon roll? Yeah, that sounded good.
It was only when I sat beside her again, and we had our coffee and ‘breakfast’ that I addressed some of the shit we were both tiptoeing around.
“I like you, V. Not just as a friend, but if that’s all you’re looking for, that’s enough for me… for now.”
She choked on her coffee and glared at me.
“Thank you. I was looking to be choked by you today.”
I grinned slowly. “That can be arranged. I have no problems with gripping your throat as I-”
“Will you shush? There are kids at the next table!”
Yeah, no shit. Noisy fuckers. They wouldn’t hear us over the way they were yelling at each other about some fucking shitty TV show they seemed to like and hate in equal measure. TV shows sucked lately. I liked the older stuff, and thankfully so did V.
“Just saying. You mentioned rebounding, and that’s fine. I get it. You come out of something big, and sometimes what you need is just meaningless fucking. I can definitely give you that.”
The table of noisy teens quieted a little, and if they wanted to earwig on us, they were gonna hear shit that they wouldn’t even begin to understand yet. Ugh. Even to my own brain that sounded creepy. I turned and glared at them.
“Mind your own biz.”
Several of them widened their eyes and turned away. Teenage boys all think they’re the shit until someone bigger glances their way. Maybe they’d keep it down now too.
“Rocket!”
I shrugged, chewing on the last piece of my cinnamon bun thing, which honestly was fucking delicious. I had been tempted to offer a piece to Nixie, but I wasn’t sure she was allowed solid stuff yet.
“I’m trying to put my cards on the table here, V. I like you. You’re fun. You’re wicked smart. You’re deadly. And you know what else? You are seriously fucking hot. I mean, I swear I’d give anything to spend a night licking you all over.”
“Oh my god! Will you stop?” She didn’t look embarrassed though, I mean, maybe it was wishful thinking, but I think she looked horny.
“No strings, babe. Just you, me, and my cock. Could be fun?” I shrugged again, because I was trying to fake carelessness, while simultaneously realising this meant more to me than it should.
If she said no, fine, we could just be friends, but I think I’d still keep wanting her.
Wanting more. Wondering how she tastes. How she looks when she comes.
How responsive she is to the way I’ll touch her.
“Dickhead,” I muttered to myself, because I was horny now too, and in a fucking public place, with kids nearby. I couldn’t even risk adjusting my jeans without looking like a perv or something.
“What?”
I leaned over the table, and lowered my voice.
“Gave myself a boner. Kinda awkward right now, ya know?”
V giggled, biting her lip as she sobered again. Oh yeah, definitely fucking horny too.
“So... you’re saying, if I came to the club again tonight, to your room, all freshly showered, and… and… what would happen?”
I grinned widely. “You’d get devoured faster than a fucking cinnamon bun, that’s for sure.”
She gasped, and you know what? I liked it. I wanted more of those sounds. I liked every fucking sound she made, whether in humour or anger, or fucking horniness. I wanted them all, like a soundtrack to my otherwise empty fucking days.
“Bet you taste a million times sweeter too… with a little salty tang, because you have a tendency to be a little salty sometimes.”
“Oh my god. Stop talking, dickhead!”
I grinned widely. I’d put my fucking cards on the table here.
I was baring my soul, and risking getting my heart handed to me right along with my ass.
She was a terrifying woman at times, but it seemed that it was something I enjoyed.
The threat. The way any conversation could turn into a fight.
The way we could defuse it with a little humour, and go right back to the way we were.
It worked. Did it work for her? Was she getting as much enjoyment out of it as me?
“We’ve both been hurt,” I said, quieter now, because this was the scary shit.
V sobered, glancing down at Nixie as she ticked her ears. “Yeah.”
I waited until she lifted her eyes again, because I needed to see her when I said this, just like I needed her to see me. To see the truth right here in my fucking eyes. In my soul.
“I’m not looking to hurt you. I want to spend time with you, have fun, make you smile and laugh.
Make you come a lot, obviously. But I want to do all of that with you feeling safe that you’re protected.
That I’m not about to fuck around, or mess with your emotions.
I’m not about to fucking manipulate you or gaslight you.
I’m not a complex person, but despite what others might assume about me, I’m genuine.
I’m trustworthy. If I say something, it’s because I fucking mean it. ”
V was chewing at her lip as she listened to me, and the conflict in her eyes told me she wanted to try, but she was still struggling to trust. Who other than me could understand that feeling?
“How about we do it like this? We say up front what we want, and make it clear. We don’t hint.
We don’t fake. We don’t fucking assume. I want you.
That’s a fact. That’s truth. I’ll make it fucking good for you.
That’s also fucking truth. I won’t hurt you, or break your trust, and I’ll take the time to try and fucking earn it.
All facts. All truths.” I cleared my throat and jabbed a finger in her direction. “Your turn.”
V wrapped her free hand around her coffee, and took a moment to sip it.
She wasn’t fucking with me, or edging me for a response.
She was composing herself. Forming her words silently first. The least she deserved was the time to do that.
I sipped the last of my coffee while I waited, and I could see the apprehension was still there, but her shoulders were lifting a little, like she was steeling herself.
Suddenly I was afraid of her next words.
She sighed, setting her drink down again, angling it precisely with the handle away from her. Focusing. Preparing.
“I like you, Rocket. I didn’t expect to, and I certainly didn’t think I’d trust someone again. Not one with a penis. I… I’m not saying I trust you, not yet. I am saying I’m willing to give you a chance though. I’ve laughed more with you these last few days than I have in years.”
She swallowed, lifted her chin a little, and forced a slow breath.
“I want to come to the clubhouse tonight. To your room. I want you to do things to me that you say will make me feel good. I want to feel good, Rocket. I want to feel freed from all the shit weighing me down right now. I want to… I want to breathe easier.”
I felt my lips twitch a little, but it wasn’t humour in response to her words, not really. It was more the thought that I’d have her gasping for breath, rather than breathing easier, but I got her point.
She groaned. “You’re thinking something rude, you bastard. You’re so easy to read.”
I laughed, keeping eye contact even though the moment was a little askew at this point.
“Not gonna lie. I was definitely thinking something rude. Something about making it harder for you to breathe… you know… while we’re doing it.
But remember that thing you just said there.
I’m easy to read. I don’t hide shit. I don’t lie.
I don’t cheat or play with people’s emotions.
I’ve been there. I’ve lived that hell. So yeah, keep reading me, babe. You’ll only see what’s real.”
V
Inever expected him to literally put it out there.
He wanted to fuck me, and I wanted that just as badly.
Did I think it’d lead anywhere? Probably not, but was I worried it might lose me the only friend I’d made since I moved here?
A little. I say a little, because I have a feeling he’d be hard to shake, even just as a friend.
He needed one just as much as me. It’s why we connected the way we did.
Betrayed by partners, feeling lost, alone, unsupported. We were the same in so many ways.
“Hope you’re as good as you say you are, Rocket. I need to come a lot.”
He had just taken a mouthful of his coffee, and practically spat it back in the cup.
“Jesus, woman!” He grabbed the paper napkin from his plate and wiped his mouth.
“Did I get you?”
I shook my head, and he crumpled up the coffee-coated napkin and tossed it aside.
“Seems we were both looking to get choked today.”
Someone gasped behind him, and I looked up to see the barista who’d served us, carrying a tray.
I watched as she hurried away from us, and grinned at Rocket.
“I think we’re that table that everyone’s starting to stare at because we’re being unruly, Rocket. That’s your influence.”
He grinned again, showing his mostly perfect teeth.
There was one that looked like it’d been damaged as it grew, so it was ever so slightly out of line, but the irregularity added charm.
Fucking hell. I was finding a man charming, and a biker, at that.
He was though. I’d watched him melt over his tiny puppy, knowing he’d beaten on the guy who’d abandoned her.
He was all heart, and that was someone I might be able to trust with a little part of mine too.