I spin on him, leaning close and clenching my fists. “Shut your fuckin’ mouth. I don’t have to answer to any of you fuckers. My business is just that, fuckin’ mine.”

“It ain’t just your business, Prez. It’s all of us you’re puttin’ at risk. Involvin’ her in this shit, it’s fuckin’ bad.”

“She ain’t gettin’ involved!” I bark. “She’s protected by the Knights, and she ain’t got shit to do with what’s goin’ down.”

“It’s dangerous!”

I clench my fists. “She ain’t gonna be involved.”

“You’re playin’ with fuckin’ fire, Prez. You want to lose another woman to fuckin’ Hogan?”

“No I fuckin’ don’t,” I bellow, slamming my fist onto the counter. “I don’t want her to have anything to do with that sorry son of a bitch, but I can’t fuckin’ tie her up and force her away from me. I fuckin’ tried, Granger. I fuckin’ tried, but she ain’t takin’ no for an answer. Best option for me right now is to keep her fuckin’ close to make sure she’s safe.”

Granger studies me for a long moment, and then shakes his head.

“Fuck, Prez...”

“What?” I growl.

“You fuckin’ love the bitch.”

“Call her a motherfuckin’ bitch again, I’ll cut your fuckin’ dick off and shove it up your ass.”

“Didn’t answer my question,” he snorts, lighting another cigarette.

“Nothing to fuckin’ answer. I don’t love, and I sure as shit ain’t gettin’ another woman killed. I’m enjoyin’ her, keepin’ her safe while that prick is on the streets. After that, it’s done.”

“Whatever you say, Prez.”

I glare at him, but can’t say another word because I hear the floorboards squeak, and turn to see Ciara walkin’ out. Fuck. Well fuck. She’s wearing one of my shirts and it just barely covers her sweet ass. Her hair is flowing down around her shoulders, and she looks like a tiny fuckin’ pixie. She turns those yellow eyes to mine and I shudder, yeah, fuckin’ shudder. I want her again. My cock burns to be buried deep inside her again.

This shit ain’t good. It ain’t how it was meant to go, and yet I fuckin’ can’t turn away. I want to run my fingers across those sweet, full cheeks and slide my tongue across those full, sweet as sugar lips.

“Hey,” she whispers, letting her eyes slide over me, then she gives Granger a quick glance.

I catch his expression; it’s shocked. His brows are raised and he’s standing straight now, instead of leaning against the counter.

“Hey, Tom Cat,” I husk.

“I...woke and didn’t know where I was for a minute. I couldn’t find my clothes.”

Her cheeks just flushed. Motherfucker.

“Got ‘em.”

“Right,” she whispers. “Well, um, can I have them? I have to work.”

“Yeah, babe, I’ll take you.”

I give Granger a warning look, before turning and walking towards Ciara. She flushes deeper, and I have to grip my boxers and adjust my fuckin’ cock so she won’t see how badly I want her. Fuck this want. Been fightin’ this want for fuckin’ years and now she’s pullin’ it outta me, and I can’t turn her away.

I don’t have it in me anymore. I can’t say no. I don’t want to fuckin’ say no, even thought I should. I should be tellin’ her to leave, tellin’ her it was a great fuckin’ night but it ain’t goin’ to be happening again. But I’m not goin’ to say that.

I’m fucked.

~*~*~*~*

PRESENT - CIARA

Jesus, he’s looking at me like he wants to eat me alive. And I want him to. Again and again.

I turn on my heel, cursing my flushing cheeks as I walk back toward his room. I can hear him behind me, padding down the hall, no doubt thinking about last night. I can’t stop thinking about last night. He fucked me four times, and each time was better than the last. His body, his mouth, his hands, everything about him had me drowning in my own fucking pleasure. He made me feel, and god, it’s been so long since I’ve felt anything.

When we step into his room, I try to keep my eyes off his body—his ripped, large, tattooed body that is all I can see right now. Lazily, my gaze slides down over his hard chest and taut abs. I stop at his cock straining in his loose boxers and shit, I want to get on my knees and suck him until he’s growling my name and coming, hot and hard, in my mouth. I step forward, not even realizing I’m moving until I am just about flush against him. His eyes grow hooded as he looks over me. Damn, just damn. I stretch my fingers out, grazing them over his chest.

“Babe, I would love to be buried in you right now, but there’s no fuckin’ way I’m putting my cock inside you again. I’ll leave you raw and not fuckin’ walkin’.”

I don’t care.

I want to be raw.

“Don’t care,” I whisper.

“I care,” he says, gripping my chin and tilting my face up. “And you gotta go to work.”

This is it. He’s going to send me on my way with a poor excuse as to why he can’t continue seeing me. My eyes burn and I turn my face away, ashamed that yet again, I’m going to have to walk away from him. I spin, not wanting him to see the tears glistening in my eyes.