Chapter 38
BLAIZE
Ipivoted on my toes, dodging Hunter’s punch with a swift side step.
I could feel the air whoosh past my face as her fist narrowly missed.
She knew I was not focused, and for this reason, I chose to spar with her.
Of all my people, she was the one who could read me like the back of her hand and I, her. I wouldn’t let her know that, though.
“Nice try, but you need to be better than that,” I teased, a smirk playing on my lips.
Hunter scowled, her eyes narrowing as she adjusted her stance. “Oh, please. You’re just lucky I didn’t aim for your head. Besides, you’re the one who’s always running away.”
I dodged another swing, stepping back just in time. “Running away? I’m just giving you a chance to catch up. Maybe if you spent less time talking and more time focusing, you’d actually land a hit.”
Hunter huffed, frustration in her movements. “I’m not falling for your tricks, Blaize. Keep talking, it boosts my ego.”
I rolled my eyes as she lunged forward again, kicking me in my shin.
With a grunt, I stumbled and she took her chance and pinned me to the mat.
Hunter had a victorious grin plastered on her face as she hovered over me.
I glared at Hunter, who was looking triumphant and comfortable above me.
She was watching my lips with a curiosity in her blue eyes, and I knew what she was thinking about.
“No,” I said tersely.
“You don’t even know what I was going to say,” she pouted playfully.
I arched my brow, throwing her off of my hips. “Your eyes are dilated, your skin flushed, and you’re eyeing my lips. Do you think I’m that vapid?”
“Touché.” She grinned. “So what’s wrong?”
“Why would anything be wrong?”
“Because I pinned you in five minutes, even with your teasing. Is it Kadence? It’s been a couple of days since you touched her.”
Touching her was a stupid mistake, and like an addict having their first dose of cocaine, I wanted more.
One touch ignited my soul on fire, and I wanted to have every part of her belong to me.
Everything about her was so goddamn tempting.
I wanted to control her pleasure, to watch her beg me to fuck her as she did in my office.
I’m not asking you to love me.
I wasn’t capable of love, not the one she deserved.
I could use her body to feed the need that ignited when I first saw her. I wondered how far I could get her to submit. What she’d let me do to her body for the sweet pleasure I knew she craved. I shook the idea from my head.
It was a distraction.
I couldn’t let her sweet pussy cloud my mind. Only a few days passed since my fingers were buried deep inside her and her moans rang in my ear. She was avoiding me, which shouldn’t piss me off as much as it did.
“Blaize,” Hunter snapped. “Damn, she really has you under her spell.”
“Hunter, enough. I’m still trying to figure out who torched my hotel and who is trying to bring a dead man back from the grave.” It was like Hawke heard my words as my phone rang. “What is it?”
“Meet me at the pier.”
Hawke was standing at the pier with a middle-aged man in a three-piece suit and dark shades that covered his eyes.
I kicked my leg off my bike, pulling my helmet off and letting my dark hair cascade down my back.
Placing my helmet on my bike, I walked over to them with a neutral expression.
I didn’t know all of Hawke’s inside sources, just as he didn’t know all of mine.
“Blaize Matthews,” the man greeted. “Nice to meet the face of the most feared woman from here to Ashwood Cove. I’m Agent Foster.”
“Nice to meet you. Now, what do we have?”
“Well, let’s see. For starters, you are on the FBI watch list for arson.” I curled a brow.
“Excuse me?”
“Yep. Someone’s been throwing your name around. Brought up the Vandals’ massacre from five years ago, too.”
I looked at Hawke. “I don’t know, boss. Everyone who would talk about that night is dead or on your side. Our men are loyal to you.”
“The ones in Westhaven, maybe. How do I know the other men are loyal and not babbling to the feds? I can’t monitor them like I do here or in our neighboring territories.”
“Do you know who this source is?” Hawke asked.
Agent Foster shook his head. “No. It’s just intel for now. Which means it’s a rumor until proven true. It’s why Agent Nichols went to your club, as well. There are rumors about illegal prostitution happening in the basement.”
That made me laugh. “All sex is consensual in my club, agent. Hawke informed you of why that night happened. I don’t accept any form of sexual abuse in my territories, and I will kill anyone who partakes in it.”
“I didn’t hear that. All I’m saying is I don’t have a problem with you, but someone does. Watch your back and keep your ears open. I won’t be able to stop them if they arrest you.”
I kept my expression neutral as I thanked him and watched him walk off.
All I’d done for the last two decades was cover my ass.
When Agent Foster was gone, I glared daggers into Hawke.
I was done tiptoeing around this shit. I wanted whoever was trying to ruin me strung up by their toes, bleeding out in the clubhouse basement.
“I want eyes everywhere. Any strange activity, deal with it and find out who is feeding information to the feds.”