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“What question was that?” I asked, stalling by playing dumb as if I didn’t remember.

“Why do you call me princess?”

I looked out over the room, seeing my brothers with their old ladies. I smiled and turned back to her.

“That night we met, I noticed you the moment you walked through the door. The designer jeans, the pristine cowboy boots, and the expensive leather jacket.”

She dropped her eyes to the glass in her hand. Setting it on the bar, she faced the mirror hanging behind the bottles of alcohol on their shelves.

“I get it,” she murmured.

“No, you don’t. I knew as soon as I saw you, you weren’t the type of woman to walk into a seedy dive bar. I knew you weren’t someone who would look twice at a guy like me. And yes, I judged you. I assumed you were stuck up. A princess looking to get down and dirty for one night.”

“Boy, were you wrong,” she scoffed.

“I wasn’t. The way your body moved with grace had me completely enchanted. It was what got me off my stool to prowl around the edge of the dance floor, watching you.”

My hand reached up and I took her chin in my hands, turning her to look at me.

“I knew you were too good for me. But I didn’t give a damn. I needed to be inside you. And when that guy put his hands on you, I wanted to rip his arms off and beat him to death with them for daring to touch what was mine. Then you hitched your eyebrow at me, silently asking what I was gonna do about him. And I knew right then. Not only were you a princess. You were my fucking queen.”

Leaning in, I kept my eyes open, waiting for her to pull back. When her eyes fluttered closed, I knew I had her. My lips barely brushed hers in a featherlight whisper when King yelled into the room.

“Everyone. Listen up!”

Fuck. My. Life.

Chapter Thirty-One

Melissa

Thank heaven for small favors. Travis had just barely pressed his lips to mine when King called out to the room. And thank God he did. Because hearing Travis talk about the night we met, calling me his queen.

Not only were my panties soaked, but I would have let him lay me out on this bar in front of God and everybody just to feel him inside me again.

Travis leaned back with a groan. My fingertips brushed over my lips as I watched him. The sexy, imperceptible wink told me he knew exactly what I was feeling at that moment.

Why did he have to be a biker?

Not just any biker. A biker in my brother’s club.

Tearing my eyes away, I quickly scanned the room for Dani. She was still on the couch with Tank, though the TV had been turned off. Standing from my stool, I intended to go get her, but Travis stopped me.

“Stay. She’s ok.”

He pulled me back against his chest and wrapped his arms around me. I should stop this. I should walk out of his arms and sit back on my stool. What I should do is reiterate that this thing between us could never happen.

But what did I do?

I settled back against him. I let his heat, and his strength, envelop me like a warm coat. Closing my eyes, I let myself have him for just a few minutes. Another memory I could cling to at night when I was alone.

King’s voice pulled me from the cocoon I was lost in.

“I just got a call from Danny. He and Dante are ok. They’ll be here tomorrow. Amber, I need to see you in church.”

I froze where I stood.

I didn’t know what to feel. So many emotions tumbled through me at once.