Chapter Five
KNOX
“You’re a real dumbass, you know that?”
“Me?” My brows furrow at Wrath. “What the hell did I do? I didn’t say a fucking word.”
“Yeah, that’s the problem. You’ve been stringing that girl along for months now, Knox.” Thorn’s eyes narrow.
My eyes lock on his, and I know he’s right, but it’s not like I’m purposely trying to fuck with her head. I want G more than anything, but I’ve got my own shit going on with Crystal and my boys. I’ve been trying to do the right thing and not draw her into my shit.
Frustrated with everyone coming at me, I throw my hands up and yell, “What kind of asshole would I be if I drug her into all this shit with my ex-wife? Huh? You both know that Crys will fuck with her.”
“I get that shit’s all over the place with Crys, but you’re going to lose that woman,” I follow Wrath’s hand when he points to G’s retreating back, “if you don’t pull your head out of your ass.”
“Fuck.” That’s the last thing I want.
“Lock your fucking woman down,” Wrath snaps, pushing on my arm to get me moving.
Shit. He’s right.
I’m blowing it before I’ve even gotten a shot. Viper didn’t give Kierra a choice, and she’s happier than a pig in shit.
I take off in the direction she went, and when I round the corner, I spot her three blocks down, sitting on the curb with her face in her hands and her shoulders shaking.
Fuck.
Looking both ways, I check for traffic and cross the road, closing the distance between us.
“I’m sorry,” I admit as I take a seat on the hot concrete next to her. Slowly, she turns her head to face me, but I keep my eyes trained on the road in front of me. I can’t look at her, knowing I’m the reason she’s in tears.
“What?” Her voice is laced with sadness.
“I fucked up.” I shake my head. “I want you,” I clarify. I’ve allowed the shit from my past to interfere with the one woman I want most, and that stops now.
“What?” she asks, sounding even more confused.
“I was playing games. I didn’t realize it. I fucked up.” She tilts her head, still not getting what I’m trying to say.
“Fuck!” I curse under my breath. I’m not good at this shit.
“I’ve been fucking up since the minute I laid eyes on you three years ago. I saw you first when you hobbled into the clubhouse with some skank.”
“I met her at the women’s shelter,” she whispers, wiping at her cheeks. My brows furrow as I toss that bit of information around in my head. How did I not know that?
“I want to know about that, but let me get this out before I fuck things up even more, yeah?” Her lips twitch, so I’m taking that as a win.
“I saw you then, and I felt a pull, but I fucked up and left the clubhouse when Crystal called, pulling her usual shit. I told Rock to keep an eye on you until I got back, and he…” I growl.
“Knox…” My eyes follow her hand as she rests it on my arm. “Rock and I —”
“I know the truth about you and Rock, babe. The whole club knows now.”
Her eyes widen for half a beat, then soften as she guesses at the reason why. “Sierra?”
“And Sparrow. Rock has also admitted as much.” Her eyes soften even more at the mention of his name, making my hackles stand on end. I know there was never anything more than a friendship between them, but it’s going to take a while before I don’t feel homicidal that they have a connection.
“Now what?” When she squeezes my hand in her smaller one, my eyes flash to hers.
“Now,” I dip my head, eyes locked onto hers, “you let me kiss you.”
Her fingers tighten onto my hand as her tongue slips between her lips to wet the pouty flesh before she ever so softly whispers, “Okay.”
My eyes flick between hers as I close the distance. I can see the desire shining back at me as her breathing picks up.
“You want me?” I whisper against her lips, pushing her to give me more.
“Yeah.” Her head nods, giving me the green light.
I slip one hand around her waist as the other glides up her back and into her hair. “Good,” I growl, pressing my lips against hers.
Her lips part, and the sexy little intake of breath is my undoing.
I pounce, taking full advantage as I slip my tongue inside her mouth to duel with hers. Beautifully, she submits, allowing me to take full control of the kiss.
I’m not sure how long we sit there on the curb kissing, but the sound of horns honking as they drive by finally brings me back to reality. I peck her lips a few more times before pulling back and resting my forehead on hers.
“Can I take you home?” I whisper, my eyes slicing back and forth between her crystal blue peepers and her pouty-pink lips.
“Yeah,” she agrees easily.
My lips twitch. “I like you like this.”
Her nose scrunches. “Like what?”
“Soft, sweet, and docile.” She rolls her eyes as she uses my shoulders to push herself off the hard, unforgiving concrete we’re sitting on.
“Don’t get used to it.” She plants her feet and waves her hand down like she thinks her tiny ass is strong enough to heft me up.
She’s fucking adorable, but I don’t want to risk hurting her, so I push her hand aside and climb to my feet.
Her hip cocks to the side, and her hand lands on it as her foot taps. “I’m stronger than I look, ya know.”
There’s that backbone. “I know, baby, you’re dead on your feet. Come on, let’s get you home.”
Hand in hand, G and I make the three-block trek back to the bakery parking lot, and I’m not surprised that everyone else has already taken off.
“Here.” I hand G my helmet. I need to take her one of her own. She can’t make the trip to Daytona Beach without the proper riding gear. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’ll be on the back of my bike when we roll into Bike Week.
“Thanks,” she says, pulling me from my thoughts when she takes the helmet from my hand.
I look her up and down, frowning at her short shorts.
“Get a good look?” she sasses, cocking her hip like she does when she’s gearing up to argue.
“I did,” I smirk, “and your legs are sexy as hell. That wasn’t what I was thinking about, though. We need to make a trip to the Harley store soon.”
Her nose wrinkles as she tilts her head. “Uh… Why?”
“You need a helmet of your own and some sturdy riding leathers.”
“Yeah, that’s not gonna happen. They cost a lot of money — money I don’t have right now.”
“I’ll take care of it,” I inform her as I climb on my bike, offering her my hand so she can climb on behind me.
She grips my shoulder and steps onto the peg, then tosses her leg over the seat like she’s done it a thousand times before.
I’m impressed up until the moment she doesn’t move to scoot in closer.
Turning at the waist, I lift my brow. “Really?” She knows better than to sit that far back, especially when there’s no bitch-bar to keep her from falling off.
When she continues to just stare at me, I say the words. “Scoot closer.”
Her cheeks turn the cutest shade of pink as she rocks her hips, scooting closer. “I wasn’t trying to crowd you.”
“You ain’t, woman.”
Once she’s snuggly at my back, I bring my Harley to life and hit the throttle.
I would love nothing more than to take the scenic route with her at my back, but I know she’s exhausted, so I aim us in the direction of her duplex.
Barbs press in at the back of my neck when I pull into her driveway.
I scan the men sitting out in front of the unit next to G’s and recognize one of them, but I can’t remember from where.
He turns his head in our direction, and his eyes widen when he catches me staring.
Oddly, he turns back to his boys, offers his fist for a bump, and quickly takes off.
What the fuck was that about?
“Who the fuck is that?” I ask, nodding to our audience.
“Craig and his annoying friends.” There’s an annoyance in G’s voice as she hoists herself off my bike.
“Need me to make a statement to these clowns?” I ask as I climb off my bike and pull out my phone.
Me: Need you to run a check on G’s neighbor.
Dex: On it.
I slide my phone back into my pocket and look down at G. “I’ll handle it.”
“Was that necessary?” she asks, nodding toward my pocket.
“Yes.” She’s been around the club long enough to know that some of our enemies would do some heinous shit to hurt us and wouldn’t think twice about using one of our women to do it.
“Come on.” Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I walk her toward her front door.
“Trying to stake a claim, big guy?” she asks, clearly not upset, considering her own arm wraps around my back, making a claim of her own.
“Yeah, got a problem with it?”
Her body vibrates as she laughs and mutters, “Caveman,” under her breath.
Maybe so, but she’ll get used to it.