Chapter 6 #2
I didn’t have the first clue how to go about handling the likes of a drug-dealing, strip-club-owning kingpin.
All I knew was I needed to find Marco and fill him in on what had gone down.
I might not have been a fan of asking for help, but I wasn’t stupid enough to think I could actually handle something like this on my own.
My eyes darted around the parking lot, looking for that familiar Cherokee, but when I finally spotted it, Marco wasn’t leaning against it like he usually was.
After three nights of him watching over me—whether I wanted him to or not—there was a niggling of disappointment that he wasn’t out here tonight.
I’d gotten used to him being the first thing I saw, and as much as I hated to admit it, even to myself, I didn’t like that he wasn’t there.
My shoulders slumped in defeat as I turned toward my car and started that way only to pull up short at the sight of Marco. The reason I didn’t spot him by the Cherokee was because he was leaning against my car, waiting on me.
“Hey,” I said tentatively, my feet starting back up and carrying me closer to him. My belly dipped at the darkness in his expression as I came to a stop a foot away. “What are you doing?”
“We need to talk,” he stated in a harsh, blunt voice.
Nervously tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I nodded in agreement. “Yeah. I was actually planning on coming to find you after I got off. I need to tell you something.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, accentuating the bulge in his strong biceps. If I didn’t have more important things on my mind, I probably would have started drooling at the sight of them.
“And I’m guessing what you need to tell me has something to do with Malachi Black.”
My chin jerked back in surprise. “Um, yes, actually. How did you know?”
What he said next explained the storm clouds brewing behind his eyes.
“Saw that fucker follow you backstage after watching you dance. Then I heard some of the other girls talking about how he cleared the room so it was just the two of you. Took an act of strength I didn’t know I possessed to keep from storming back there and dragging that asshole away from you. ”
Well damn. It looked like he was aware of the dire situation even before I was.
“What happened back there?”
Blowing out a frustrated breath, I lowered my head and stared at the grimy blacktop of the parking lot. “It would appear I caught his attention.”
Marco’s palm came up and rested on my jaw, the touch so unexpected that my eyes jerked back up to his. The shadows were still there, but they weren’t nearly as dark, and when he spoke next, his tone was softer, gentler. “What did he say, Gypsy?”
“That he’s noticed me, and he likes what he’s seen,” I admitted on a whisper. “A lot.”
His hand fell away and his jawline turned to stone as he looked away and hissed, “Fuckin’ shit.”
Panic set in, making my body tremble. “Marco?” My voice came out small and scared.
“Hey, hey.” He took my face in both hands and stepped in close, filling my vision. “It’s okay, baby. It’s all gonna be okay.”
“But what does this mean?”
His answer was instant. “It means the game has changed. I’ll talk to Linc tomorrow and get another guy in on this.
I’m thinkin’ it’ll be Xander. He spends most of his time behind a computer, so it’ll be easy to set him up with a cover since he’s not well known in town.
Meanwhile, I’ll be covering you even when you aren’t working the club. ”
“Wait.” Everything he was saying made my head spin, and I was struggling to keep up. “What?”
“This is not a man whose radar you want to be on. But now you are, and I’ll be damned if I leave you unprotected.”
The panic started to boil over, and it was no longer just about Malachi Black. I was already struggling with seeing so much of Marco and my steadily growing attraction to him. I wasn’t sure I could handle even more of him.
“Marco, really, you don’t need to do that. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“I’m not taking that chance.” His fingers drifted along the sides of my neck, sliding into my hair. “You’ve got too much at stake, girasol. You’ve worked your ass off to take care of your family. Those kids depend on you, and I’m not going to let the life you’ve built be put at risk.”
A knot of emotion formed in my throat, making it hard to breathe as I blinked against the sudden burn of tears behind my eyes.
Everything he’d just said was so moving, so sweet, that I was overwhelmed by it.
“Wow. You weren’t joking when you said you asked about me,” I rasped, trying to inject humor into my words in spite of everything I was feeling right in that moment.
“I’m never joking when it comes to you, Gypsy,” he said quietly, that statement dripping with meaning.
His thumbs rubbed gentle circles on my neck as he leaned down.
He brushed his lips against mine, and I sucked in a gasp at the heat that shot through me.
Taking that as an invitation, he increased the pressure and turned it from a light whisper of a touch to a full-blown kiss.
Butterflies burst to life in my belly when his tongue peeked out and slid against mine.
That first initial taste of him made me moan and melt against his strong body.
His fingers in my hair gripped harder, and I twisted mine in the material of his shirt, holding on for dear life.
It was the best kiss I’d ever had, a teasing push and pull, a battle for dominance.
I gave as good as I got, trying to take control while happy to lose to a man as delicious as Marco.
I’d imagined this scenario a million times—hell, I’d even dreamed about it—but this was so much better than anything I could have thought up. By the time the kiss came to an end, we were both panting and struggling for air.
I’d been so consumed that I hadn’t realized I’d leaned fully in to Marco, giving him all my weight. Pulling away, I took a step back and lifted my hand to my tingling lips. “Wow,” I heaved. “That was… wow.”
“Been dying to do that for months,” he said in a gravelly voice. “It was well worth the wait, Gypsy. But I need you to climb in your car and drive off before I lose control and fuck you against the hood.”
Oh my god!
I knew he saw the shiver that racked my body when his pupils expanded, swallowing up the pale gold and green of his eyes.
A rough, animalistic sound rumbled from his chest, and my nipples pinched into painfully tight points.
My panties were dripping wet, and at that moment I wanted nothing more than for him to do what he’d just said.
“The first time I’m inside you is not gonna be in the parking lot of a goddamn strip club,” he grunted. “We’ll have our moment. But for now, get in and go home to your family.”
He leaned in and pressed one last kiss to my lips before stepping out of the way so I could climb into the van and start it up.
I replayed that kiss a thousand times on the drive back home, quietly freaking out while at the same time hoping his promise of us finding our moment came sooner rather than later.