Prologue #3
“Damn, where’d you come from?”
He’s suddenly right in front of me, like he was plucked straight from my thoughts.
That gruff midwestern twang rolls down my spine, and I’m caught in the warmth of it, struggling to formulate an answer as I stare up at him. He has amber eyes. Not quite gold. Not quite brown. Little flecks of orange dancing around the edges. Flecks of black expanding as he stares.
“From out there,” I breathe. My thoughts aren’t connecting to my mouth, but it earned me a smile.
A crooked quirk of his smooth lips. His nose has a slight crook to it too like he may have broken it at some point.
The imperfection only adds to his sexiness.
So do those tattoos. The dragon etched on his neck moves with every word he speaks. Like it’s flapping its wings.
“Don’t think I’ve ever seen a girl as pretty as you walk through that door.”
I don’t think I’ve seen a man as pretty as him in my entire life.
“You are too,” I say, my brain short-circuiting again. His chuckle helps clear my head. I just told this giant of a man he was pretty too.
“I’m calling dibs.” He brushes my hair behind my ear. That slight touch rocks me with a heavy shiver. “My brothers are going to have to get in line.”
“In line for what?” I stare into those amber eyes. They’re even darker now.
“For a taste of this new sweetbutt?”
For a taste of my ass? I shift back. “That’s a little forward, don’t you think? We haven’t even had a drink yet.” I don’t even know his name.
“Forward? Thought you were here for some fun.”
I may be here for some fun, but I didn’t expect to be cornered for sex the moment I walked through the door. Whatever happened to talking and getting to know one another first?
“Figured I’d have a drink first. Maybe mingle a bit, get acquainted with everyone before I’m even considering jumping into a man’s bed.”
I’ve never been with anyone but Dusty, so I’m going to need to get warmed up first to get over these nerves.
“A sweetbutt who plays hard to get.” He nods. “I like it. What can I get you to drink, doll?”
“Will you stop calling me that? My name is Chassie, and no, I don’t want a drink.
” I think I need to remain completely sober if this is how the guys are going to act.
“If you’ll excuse me,” I say, scooting past him.
I rush back over to Meg who still seems to be in a heated exchange with Dozer.
Meanwhile, Dakota looks terrified. I turn to where she’s staring and there’s a man watching her.
A man with a gnarly scar running down his face.
It’s not so much the scar as it is the look in his eyes that has me moving to her side and wrapping my arm around hers.
I hate to say it, but Meg was right. These men are terrifying. I was expecting them to be like Cage, nice and funny, not act like womanizing pigs.
“My bad, doll,” comes that rough voice again as he saddles up to my side. “Thought you were one of the new club girls. Didn’t realize you were just visiting. The name’s Preacher.” He holds out his hand.
“What’s a club girl?” I ask, not bothering to shake it.
He looks taken aback by the rejection. Too bad. I’m offended by everything that is him.
“They are.” He scans the crowd and that’s when I notice all the scantily clad women.
Some already in the state of undress as they make out with the guys.
“Those girls hang around the club and see to our needs; in exchange they get free room and board. I was told we had a new girl coming tonight, and I assumed you to be the one.”
I never thought it was possible for a man to turn ugly when he opened his mouth to speak, but I’ve just been proven wrong. This guy is getting uglier by the word.
“We have an open room if you’re interested?” He has the nerve to crook his brow at me. If I wasn’t surrounded by dangerous men, men who are known criminals around town, I’d be slapping him across the face. I’ve never been so offended. The guy just asked if I wanted to be a whore.
“Meg, are you ready to go?” I don’t even bother to respond to him. There’s no need. He and his crooked smile can move along.
“Yes.” She turns toward me, looking relieved by my offer.
I look to Kota, but her attention is still locked on the dark corner of the room.
The scary man is still watching her, looking like he wants to take my friend as his prisoner and do who knows what to her.
It’s time to get her out of this place. None of these men seem like Cage.
“Kota? Are you ready to go?”
I finally gain her attention, and her throat swallows nervously.
I don’t think I’d be able to get a single word out of her right now if I tried.
But I can see that she’s more than ready to go.
This night did not turn out to be what I expected.
I thought we’d come out and dance and drink, meet some hot men and see where the night led us, but now we’re all in a sour mood.
And I know I’m going to have to listen to Meg’s “I told you so” all the way back to town.