Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
HENDRIX
It’s Saturday night, drinks are flowing, and it’s good to see Storm letting her hair down and enjoying herself.
Enzo stands beside me, but his gaze is aimed at his sister. “You ever think our parents shouldn’t have had us in this life?” he asks.
I shake my head. “I wouldn’t change our lives for the fucking world.”
He grunts before taking another sip of his drink. “If they didn’t have us, we wouldn’t be targets.”
I turn my full attention to him. “What happened to Storm had nothing to do with the fucking club, and everything to do with that asshole being a cunt. Club or not, that shit could happen to any of us.” I sigh when he doesn’t say anything.
“Fuck, man, pull your head out of your ass. Yes, it’s fucking horrific what happened.
I get that you feel the guilt of not being able to protect her, but she’s here now.
She’s mending, and she’s getting back to herself.
She wants to forget about it, so why the fuck can’t you? ”
He grits his jaw as he looks down at the amber liquid in his glass, swirling it around.
“I made Dad a promise that I would always watch out for her when he couldn’t.
It’s not just guilt. It’s that feeling that I failed.
I let him, her mom, the fucking club down.
Fuck. Every time I close my eyes, I can’t get that image of Dad carrying her in his arms.” His ice-cold eyes flicker to mine.
“I wanted what they have, my parents; not now, but later in life, but if I can’t look after my own fucking sister, how the hell am I going to be able to look after my own family? ”
I place my drink down and take a step back, bouncing on the balls of my feet in front him, my fists balled up. “Come on, then,” I goad him.
He scoffs and shakes his head, looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Why the fuck would I fight you?”
“Because you need it,” I state, my fists braced and ready.
“Yeah, I need it, but I ain’t about to fight my best mate and my brother,” he refuses.
“What if I said I want to fuck your sister?” I goad him.
His eyes narrow, and his jaw ticks. “Man, do not say shit like that to me. I know you have it bad for her. I don’t need to hear the fucking details,” he warns me.
I smirk. “But we are best friends, right? I should be able to share this shit with you. I want to fuck her. I want her mouth. I want to do so many nasty fucking things.” I smirk. “Come on, asshole, give me your best shot.” I wink.
He throws his glass down and takes two purposeful strides towards me, rearing his fist back. I don’t block him. I allow it. His fist slams into my nose, and I stumble back, smirking.
I wipe the underside of my nose with the back of my hand, seeing the bright claret coating my skin.
“Enough. I know what you are trying to fucking do, and it won’t work,” Enzo seethes, his chest heaving before he turns to walk away.
“After I’m done fucking your sister, I’m going to fuck Maisy. Help her get over you,” I state to his retreating back. His shoulders tense as his body halts. I chuckle. “Got you, motherfucker.”
He launches himself at me, his fist colliding with my face, my ribs, my gut. I swing, hitting back, my knuckles colliding with his cheek. His head whips to the side, and I take advantage and slam my fist in his side. He lets out a groan, clutching his stomach.
“Shit!” I pant. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
My words are cut off as he catches me unaware, with a quick one-two, before the final blow to the gut that has me dropping to my knees, winded.
Enzo pants, resting a hand on my shoulder as he leans down. “I’m sor—” I don’t let him finish as I give him a hit back into the gut. He lets out a loud groan and falls to his knees beside me. Both of us are wheezing, trying to catch our breaths.
“What the hell are you guys doing?!” Maisy yells. I look up and see Maisy, Storm, Mabel, and Oliver standing there.
“Looks like they’re clearing shit up.” Oliver shrugs. “When you guys are done, I got us a table and a tab behind the bar,” he states, picking up a shot off his tray and knocking it back.
“Hey, don’t go drinking all those!” Mabel yells, following after him. I look to Enzo, who is looking up at Maisy. I glance at Maisy, but she shifts and looks away, taking a sip of her drink. I shake my head.
“Here,” Storm says, holding out her hand for me. I grasp her hand and pull myself up. I stand before her, still clasping her hand in mine as I brush my thumb softly across her skin. She looks up at me, rolling her bottom lip through her teeth. “You’re bleeding,” she states.
I lift my hand to my nose. “Yeah, your brother normally hits like a little girl. Guess he got lucky,” I quip.
Enzo gets to his feet, slamming his fist into the side of my arm.
I release the hold I have of Storm’s hand and rub my arm.
“Fucker.” I laugh. Grabbing the hem of my T-shirt, I lift it off and press it to my bleeding nose.
I catch Storm’s eyes roaming over me, but I don’t draw attention to it.
“You’re bleeding, too,” I say, pointing to Enzo’s split lip.
He does the same, removing his T-shirt and pressing it to his lip.
Storm rolls her eyes. “You will get kicked out.”
We both laugh. “We’ve just had a fight, and they didn’t kick us out,” I point out.
“Exactly, and I think you will find it will draw in business for them,” Enzo says, gesturing to our bare chests.
Strom rolls her eyes, shaking her head. “Come on, Maisy. I need more alcohol if we are going to be dealing with these douchebags all night.” She links her arm with Maisy’s. Maisy just gives a small, awkward smile to Enzo before walking off with Storm.
I hook my T-shirt through my belt loop. “You good now?” I ask once they are out of earshot.
“Better.” He nods. “Come on, let’s get a fucking drink.”
The night is fun as we all drink, laugh, and relax, forgetting about past events. Enzo had at least three women stood around him every time he went to the bar. He never went off with one, though. I couldn’t tell if that was because he wanted to keep an eye on his sister or Maisy.
The bar is just across from the church, and the shadows of the night sky make it look eerie. I take a sip of my drink, gazing at it. I’m not drunk. I want to be on high alert so she can enjoy herself. After everything, she needs this.
“Hey!” Storm says, swaying on her feet beside me, her cheeks rosy and her eyes hooded from the alcohol.
I grin. “Hey, you having a good time?” I ask her.
She bites down on her bottom lip, smirking. “Yeah, sooo much fun,” she slurs, giggling. “Do you remember when we used to play truth or dare?” she mumbles.
“I do.” I smile back, my eyes drinking her in.
“Dare me,” she goads.
I shake my head. “I ain’t about to dare you to do jack shit while you are in this state.” I laugh.
“Come on!” she urges. “Anything.” She tries to wink, but it looks more like she’s got something in her eye.
I throw my head back and laugh. “Fuck, is that you trying to sweet-talk me?”
She snorts. “Maybe.” The word slurs off her tongue as she sways.
Her foot catches on nothing, and she pitches forward, but I catch her before she can fall.
My hands close around her waist, steadying her against me.
She giggles, and the sound is soft and careless.
Then she tips her head back. The laughter dies and her eyes lock onto mine.
For a second, neither of us moves. Her gaze drops to my mouth, then back to my eyes, then down again.
“BB,” I warn, my voice rough enough that I barely recognise it.
A frown creases her forehead. “I hate it when you call me that,” she mutters. “I’m not some biker brat.”
My mouth twitches. “No, you’re not.”
She blinks up at me. “No?”
“It means something different now.”
Confusion flickers across her face. “What?”
My fingers slide through a strand of midnight-black hair, tucking it behind her ear. The silk of it catches against my knuckles.
“Bullet Beauty.”
Her brows pull together. “Why?”
God help me.
Because every time you walk into a room, my pulse kicks up like a live wire. Because you’ve been driving me insane for years. Because I can’t stop looking at you.
Instead, I trace my thumb along her jaw.
“Because you walk into a room and stare down the most dangerous man there without blinking.”
Her breath catches.
“Because you’re beautiful enough to steal a man’s breath...” My thumb settles beneath her chin. “And you’re dangerous enough to make him think twice about taking it back.”
The space between us shrinks. Or maybe I’m imagining it. Her lips part slowly before her tongue drags across her bottom lip.
Heat slams through me, and the air turns thick, electric.
I can feel every breath she takes, every inch separating us, every beat of my pulse hammering against my ribs.
My gaze drops to her mouth. I want one kiss.
Just one. A taste. Enough to know if she’d melt or fight me for control. I lean down before I can stop myself.
Her breath hitches, while mine fucking stalls. Another inch. Then another.
Then reality punches straight through the haze.
She’s drunk. If I kiss her now, she’ll wake up tomorrow wondering if any of this was real.
Wondering if she wanted it, or if I took advantage of a moment she couldn’t fully choose, and I want her choosing me.
Every second of it. With no alcohol, no excuses, and no regrets.
The realisation tastes like blood. I force myself back. Distance snaps between us like a stretched wire. Her eyebrows pull together, confusion clouding those impossible eyes, and God help me, the disappointment there nearly breaks my resolve.
“Did he dare you?” Maisy comes bouncing over. Storm steps back and I release my hold of her, hating the cold distance.
Storm clears her throat. “No, you dare me,” she tells Maisy, but her gaze never leaves mine.
“Ummmm.” Maisy pulls as face as she thinks. “I know, I dare you to break into that church.”
My eyes snap to Maisy. “Fuck no.”
“Sure,” Storm answers as she takes off across the street.