5. Chapter Five
CHAPTER FIVE
ORA
“I can’t believe the creep showed up at your door like that.” Lu frowns, looking up from the chocolate mud cake she’s decorating. “But damn, War making him apologize like that is pretty hot.”
“I think he wants me but doesn’t want to want me,” I try to explain while I finish wiping down the counters. “And I don’t know what the hell I’m meant to do with that. Imagine how many women he has throwing themselves at him. I don’t know if I can handle that.”
“I don’t know, but if the MC keeps coming around here, I’m going to end up fucking one of them myself because it’s been a while, and I need some action. I wonder if the twins could keep things on the down-low.” She smirks, wiggling her freshly done eyebrows.
“Both of them?”
“I mean, why not? You only live once,” she replies, smiling widely. “It’s not like I’m looking to settle down right now. I could see myself as a Skull and Bones sandwich.”
We share a look, then both start laughing.
The bell chimes as a customer steps inside, and Lu’s eyes fill with mischief when she sees who it is.
Jake works in construction and comes in on his breaks sometimes. Lu thinks he’s here for more than just my cupcakes.
“Ora.” He grins as I approach the front counter, pushing his blond hair off his forehead. He’s a few years younger than my twenty-five, and his handsome yet boyish looks give him the classic boy-next-door vibes. I bet he was the popular jock at school.
“Afternoon, Jake.” I smile, tapping my white nails against the pink counter. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please, and a tray of your rolls. The boys on site all want one,” he explains, keeping his eyes locked on me. “I was wondering, do you have any plans this weekend? There’s this cool band playing and…”
The bell chimes again, but this time War walks in, and suddenly, the air is thicker, the room smaller. His dark eyes narrow when he takes in Jake leaning toward me, as far as he can from the other side of the counter, and then he storms toward us. It’s almost like he could sense another man trying to ask me out from the clubhouse and appeared here.
“I could pick you up at seven,” Jake was saying, and I know I zoned out the second War appeared. I’m pretty sure I hear laughter coming from the kitchen, and I just know Lu is sitting there, decorating her cake while enjoying watching the scene unfold.
“She’s not interested,” War declares, crossing his arms over his chest, standing with his feet spread wide. Fuck, he’s sexy. He’s in a white V-neck T-shirt and light jeans today, his inked arms all on show.
“She can speak for herself,” I reply, staring up at him defiantly.
“Okay then, let him down easy.” War smirks. “Either way, the outcome is the same. You shut him down, or I beat the shit out of him.”
My jaw drops.
Jake glances between us, his brow furrowing. He swallows hard when he sees the VP patch on War’s cut. “I’m going to go. I didn’t know you were seeing anyone, Ora.”
And that’s because, technically, I’m not.
Jake bails before getting his coffee or rolls, but I don’t blame him.
“You don’t get to come in here and scare off the customers, War,” I whisper-yell, walking around the counter to face him. I’m not scared of him. I know he would never hurt me, but he can’t go around threatening every male who looks in my direction.
The muscles in his jaw clench and unclench. “What the fuck do you think is happening here?” he asks, gesturing between us.
“I don’t know,” I reply in all honesty.
“Well, until we figure that out, I’d avoid other men.” His voice is rougher. “If you care about them, anyway.”
The tension dials up a notch, and I’m not sure if I want to kiss or punch him. “You might be some big deal in your club, but I’m not a Serpent of Chaos member. I’m not under your command.”
“You’re Serpent of Chaos property.” He smirks, putting his hand on the base of my spine to pull me closer. He brings his lips close to my ear. “And that’s basically the same thing.”
“You’re a dick!”
“The only dick you’ll be seeing,” he murmurs as he presses a soft kiss on my neck. “Just give me what I want, baby. It will be easier.”
“I’m no one’s property, War. I don’t think you even know what you want,” I reply, giving up and burying my face in his neck. He dips, picking me up and holding me against him. I can’t help but melt into him. He smells so good. Whatever cologne he wears causes me to flashback to our night together.
“I still remember the way your pussy tastes,” he growls out, and I moan softly. “So fucking sweet. Sweetest pussy I’ve ever had.”
Fuck! His mouth!
“You two need a room?” Lu calls out, amusement in her tone. I’m lucky she’s my friend because, otherwise, I’d probably be fired by now.
“Yes, I think we do,” War mutters under his breath, putting me back down. “What time are you finished here? I’m taking you for a ride.”
“Another one?” Lu calls out, laughing at her own joke. “And she can go now. I can close up.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, frowning. Do I even want to go for a ride with him? I’ve never been on a motorcycle before, but I feel like if I say yes, I’m going to be stepping further into his world.
And I need to decide if I want that.
Lu nods, winking at me. “Yes, of course, if you want to.”
“Nice for someone to finally ask me,” I retort in a dry tone. I’m still stalling with War’s beautiful dark eyes watching me, not missing a thing.
He lowers his voice so only I can hear, “Give me the chance to do what I wanted to do the morning you ran out on me.”
“Fuck another woman the second I left?”
Yeah, I might be a handful, but so are my tits.
I know my worth, and I’m not accepting anything less.
His jaw tenses, and he reaches out to run his thumb along my cheek. “Such a smart mouth you have, Ora. If you had stayed, I wouldn’t have needed to fuck anyone else. I looked for you, you know? But I only had your first name, and no one around seemed to have heard of you.”
His eyes flicker, and I get the feeling he didn’t exactly want to tell me that fact. I’m not going to lie. Hearing that surprises me. I never once thought he would go looking for me, a woman he spent one night with, especially when he clearly has so many options.
He’s not wrong—there is something here.
I’ve never felt this spark with anyone else.
“I’ll go and get my bag,” I whisper, and then he smiles, his face lighting up, transforming him from the biker badass he is to something a lot more boyish.
He leans forward and presses a kiss to my forehead.
I’m taking a chance.
I just hope I don’t regret it.