Chapter Nine
Viking eyed Jinx, knowing he needed to back up and give her space. She wanted him; that was easy to see. Hell, he wanted her even more. If he pushed too hard, she’d run, and that wasn’t something he was willing to risk.
“Go get ready, Vakker. I’ll wait in your kitchen.” He placed his hands on her hips, giving her a little push.
“There are drinks in the fridge,” she stammered.
“Thank you. I’ll help myself. You want something?
” he asked as she moved through the large open area, heading toward the stairs at the far side of the living room.
He took in the space with its rustic elements mixed with modern ones.
The large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the backside of the home with the frozen lake in the distance as a backdrop.
A massive stone fireplace took up another wall with built-in bookshelves on each side filled with books and items he’d like to inspect.
The furniture looked large, yet comfortable and elegant.
A mixture, he realized, she’d likely chosen to suit the house more than for partying.
He glanced back toward the stairs, which were a gorgeous mix of wood, stone, and iron, wondering what her bedroom looked like.
“None of your damn business, Bekkett,” he muttered.
The kitchen was no less a showcase of stainless steel and granite with lots of white and black touches, giving it a mix of rustic and modern. She’d added pops of yellow and turquoise throughout, making it less stark and homier. His mother would love it.
He pulled open the massive double doors on her refrigerator, smiling at the array of drinks he had to choose from. The woman called him an enigma, but it was she who was a puzzle. She had a big, beautiful home, more creature comforts than most, and she acted like it was nothing.
As he grabbed a can of Mountain Dew out of the fridge, he shook his head. “She’d be the one it would be hard not to fall in love with if he were the falling-in-love kind. Too bad I don’t have a heart.”
He shut the door with a little more force than necessary.
He settled on one of the barstools at the island, staring out at the darkening landscape with nothing on his mind.
It was quiet upstairs and down, giving him a respite from the usual turmoil when he returned home.
Unlike at the clubhouse back in California, he wasn’t busy watching the door or breaking up a fight.
As a lawyer who focused on land rights and tax law, he worked to untangle the shit they snagged when they broke up different underground things.
Some people might call them lowlifes, but The Royal MC, led by King Royal as president, did a lot of good for many people.
Sure, they might go about it differently than the law, but they got shit done that most agencies couldn’t or wouldn’t.
When a woman or child gets taken, it could take proper channels days, if not weeks, to move. If you have enough money, he and his MC brothers move faster and more efficiently. Whatever they took during their raids was their spoils to keep, kind of like modern-day Robin Hoods.
“You look awfully pensive. Penny for your thoughts.” Jinx walked into the kitchen, wearing a pair of tight black jeans and a figure-hugging, red sweater that looked soft to the touch.
Her hair, which had been down her back, was now up in a messy bun with a few loose tendrils around her face.
She’d applied some makeup around her eyes, giving her a sexier look than before.
He’d thought she’d been beautiful, but now he realized she was stunning. Shit, he wanted to spin her around and tell her to change into something else. Like what? A fucking pair of sweats and an oversized sweatshirt. Even those she’d more than likely turn heads in.
“Damn, you’re fucking gorgeous.” He took a huge swallow of his Mountain Dew, finishing the last of his drink before he did or said anything else.
She held her arms out to her sides. “This is pretty much my standard work clothes, except the red sweater. Usually, I wear a T-shirt or tank with a flannel over top. I thought I’d dress up slightly for the holiday.”
He grunted. “If that’s you not trying, I’d probably have a heart attack if you tried.”
She chuckled. “Are you hungry? I can whip up a sandwich before we head into town.”
Viking didn’t trust himself or his self-control to be inside her house, alone with her, without making a move. “I’m good unless you want something.”
“I usually pop a pizza in at the bar while I’m getting things prepared.”
Why that hurt his heart, he wasn’t sure. This woman shouldn’t be eating bar food alone. Hell, she shouldn’t be working at a bar, but he knew better than to say shit like that to her. She’d give him the middle finger and stomp her sexy little ass away from him.
“Well, let’s hit the road then, Vakker. Do you need to grab anything or turn your lights off?” He could see that some were still on upstairs.
Jinx shook her head. “Nah, I like having them on when I return after a late night.”
He moved, caging her between him and the bar. “Do you like being out here all by yourself?”
She swallowed, licked her lips, and watched him through the screen of her impossibly long lashes. Viking gripped her by the hips and settled her onto the granite surface, stepping between her spread thighs.
“I asked you a question, Jinx.” He bent and placed a little kiss on the corner of her mouth.
“I like the quiet and the peace here. I feel safe.” Her lips rolled inside her mouth as if she wished she could call back her words.
“People usually find safety in crowds and in town with neighbors.” He didn’t ease back, liking the way they were close enough he could feel every quiver of her body against his.
“I’m not most people, Viking. You scare me,” she admitted.
He jerked back, letting his arms drop to his sides. “I’d never hurt you.”
She reached out, touching his bicep. “I don’t mean like that. Physically, I trust you. I wouldn’t have invited you into my home if I didn’t. But in here,”—she placed his hand over her heart— “in here is a completely different story.”
He moved back between her legs, cradling her face between his hands. “Who hurt you, Jinx?”
She shook her head. “Don’t,” she whispered.
“Okay. Not yet, but we’ll get there.” He silenced her protests with a kiss, sliding his tongue between her lips, tasting the minty freshness of her toothpaste. He pulled back, sucking her full bottom lip into his mouth, and then released it.
“You’re used to getting your way, aren’t you?” she asked, giving his chest a little shove.
He pulled her to him and spun. Her legs went around his waist as he walked them toward the mudroom.
“I’m a lawyer by trade. Negotiations are my thing.
To answer your question: yes, I am used to getting my way because I like winning.
People pay me to win. When I have a job or a situation, I go in, figure out what I’m facing, sort out the issues, and go from there.
My motto is that if there’s a problem, there’s an answer. ”
He settled her onto the floor next to the boot warmer that held hers. Of course, there was a massive closet that could have a dozen boots and coats inside for all he knew, but he figured she’d still need to sit down to tug a pair on.
“Not every problem is that easy to solve, Bekkett. Sometimes, you have to walk away from shit because it’s the only way to survive.” She sat down on the bench and began pulling her boots on without looking at him.
In that instant, Viking realized she and he were more alike than either was aware.
He’d walked away from his family and found a chosen one to survive another day.
When he’d lost his daughter, he’d wanted to crawl into her tiny casket with her.
Hell, if he could’ve, he’d have given his life ten times over for her. Life didn’t work that way, though.
“Sometimes surviving is harder than dying,” he murmured.
“Ain’t that the fucking truth,” she agreed.
They finished putting on their shoes and coats, then he led her back out to his truck.
He’d had the foresight to hit the AutoStart, so they’d have a warm vehicle to get into, but her driveway had gotten a little slicker as the sun went down.
He kept his arm around her, guiding her toward the passenger side.
“Too bad you don’t have a bench seat. I could snuggle up next to you during the drive,” Jinx commented once they got on the road into town.
It was the first thing either said, breaking the silence that descended between them.
“Hell, if this had been a bench seat, I’d have probably pulled over during the drive earlier and made out with you like a teenage boy on his first date. It would’ve been embarrassing to get busted by the local police with a hard-on and my girl half naked next to me.”
She snorted. “Who says I’d have been half naked?”
He reached over, grabbing her hand and lacing their fingers. “Ssh, this is my story.”
Viking brought their hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “I like the way you smell.”
“If you could see me right now, you’d see I was blushing.”
“I’m picturing you in my mind right now.” He knew his voice was a low rumble and didn’t give a fuck.
She laughed, squeezing his hand. “Stop picturing me naked.”
Again, he pulled their hands to his lips. This time, he pressed her palm over his mouth and kissed the center, then licked it, making her gasp and laugh harder. “No can do. Already in my head. What color are your knickers?”
“First of all, ew. Don’t lick my hand. Second, double ew. Who says knickers? I wear panties like any self-righteous woman should.”
He winked over at her. “Good to know about the second, but the first, I can’t swear I won’t ever lick you again. You see, I find myself particularly drawn to your taste.”
She leaned her head against the window, sighing. “You are a strange man, Bekkett Larsen.”
“I’ve heard that before, Miss Jinx.” He released her hand as they pulled into the diner next to her pickup truck.
“Blair. My name is Blair,” she blurted.
“Blair,” he repeated. With one arm resting on the steering wheel, he stared at the woman sitting next to him. She looked like a Blair, but her fire and personality were all Jinx. “Where did Jinx come from?”
“My sister and I were twins. When one of us said or did something, the other tended to do the same. Our friends and family called us the jinx twins. When I left home...I wanted a new identity, but I also wanted to keep a part of my sister. Jinx felt right and felt like me.” She looked down at her watch and grimaced.
“I gotta go, or I’ll be rushing to get shit done.
Um, if you want to stop by, I’d love to see you.
That is, if you don’t mind, I’d be working, too. ”
“Hey, stop. I have to go back to my parents and do a few errands, but I’ll be by. Here’s my number.” He grabbed one of his business cards from the cubby in the center console.
Jinx looked at the silver foil card with a stylized skull on the front, his name, cell phone number, and email address. To his astonishment, she pulled her phone from her pocket, typed out a text, and then his phone buzzed.
“Now you have my number.” She turned the screen toward him.
“There’s that blush again,” he said, loving the color that covered what he could see. He wanted to see just how lovely she looked with that blush tinting her from head to toe.
“Okay, I’ll see you.”
He placed his hand on her arm. “Hold up.”
Viking got out and went around the front of his truck.
He looked around the nearly empty parking lot, feeling slightly exposed.
The odd sensation had him pausing with one hand on the passenger door, holding it closed.
He glanced around with a keener eye. Each vehicle appeared empty with frost on the windows as if they’d been there a while.
Jinx knocked on the window, jerking his attention to her. She mouthed the word what.
He shook his head, blowing out a breath. “I’m losing my mind.” Viking pulled her door open. “Just checking the lot.”