Page 148 of Hidden Ties

Straightening, Kent rose from the bed, his hand going to her hip to tower over her. “Are you sure?”

“Are you the type of man who disappears after they get what they want?”

His hand tightened on her hip. “I’ll be in your life as long as you want me to be.”

Sage looked at him with her whole heart in her eyes. “What if I never want you to leave?”

A pained expression crossed his face, which shot an arrow through her heart. The expression was gone in a millisecond. If she hadn’t been staring at him, she would have missed it.

“Then it would be a first for me.”

Reaching out, she started to unbutton his dress shirt. “Then tonight is going to be a first for both of us.”

TWENTY-NINE

He shrugged out of his shirt when Sage slipped the last button free, then slipped his belt from around his waist.

How in the fuck Sage was still a virgin blew his fucking mind. To be fair, if he hadn’t seen her at Matthias’, cleaning his house, he would have been fooled by the oversized, dull clothes she wore at the office. When he had picked her up at her apartment and saw her in the sexy dress that moved as she walked, leaving her back bare, he knew he wasn’t going to bring her home without getting her in his bed.

Carefully watching her expression, he took off his pants. Her shy eyes widened as he removed his underwear.

He stood still as her eyes remained fixated on his cock. Then she lifted her eyes to his and took a step back. “That doesn’t look normal.”

“It’s normal,” he assured her. Reaching out, he grasped her hand to tug her toward him.

Sage stared at him in disbelief.

“All right, maybe an inch or two above normal.”

“Is it supposed to be that thick?”

“Sage, it’s okay. I’m going to make sure I don’t hurt you.”

“How?” she asked skeptically. “You going to wave a magic wand, and half of that thing will disappear?”

Kent winced at the image she had planted in his head.

Releasing a heavy sigh, he sat down on the bed and pulled her onto his lap.

“We’ll go slow. Relax.” Rubbing her back, he held her gently until he felt the tension ease from her body. “Better?”

She nodded into his shoulder.

“You’re so beautiful, Sage.” Nuzzling her neck as he continued to rub her back, he deliberately started building her desire. “Your breasts would put a goddess’ to shame.” He cupped one, and his thumb started stroking the taut nipple. Pliantly, her body melted into his. Rising with her in his arms, he walked around the bed to lay her down on the cool sheets.

“Give me a second.” He moved to the side and went to the entertainment center. Turning on the audio system, he searched for what he wanted. Soon, he was walking back toward the bed, with subdued music filling the room.

He sank onto the mattress next to Sage and lay on his side, raising one of her thighs to rest on his hip. Using the steely mental strength gained by being raised in the Hellion’s Highway clubhouse, he had learned to shut his emotions off with an internal switch, turning them on and off at his will. His mother had been one of the Hellion’s Highway’s club whores until Twister had claimed her. He had worked his way through the club ranks until he made enough money to get his mother and him an apartment. They were together for six years, in which time, his older brothers were born. His mother was pregnant with him when Hellion’s Highway’s president became convinced Twister was trying to take control of the club. The in-fighting between the members turned vicious.

Machete, the Highway Hellion’s president, accused Twister of stealing from the club. The result was him being dragged outof the club, with over twenty stab wounds and two gunshots, being left to die on a highway exit ramp.

Finding out Twister hadn’t died as he was supposed to had sent the fear of God through them. Twister was a mean son of a bitch on a good day; being betrayed by the brothers and Machete could only be assuaged by their deaths. They knew it was only a matter of time before he came for them, so the cowards had kidnapped his mother and his brothers, keeping them hostage at the club. Threatening to kill them if Twister hurt any of the Hellion’s Highway or tried to get them back.

The fuckers thought they had beaten Twister. They hadn’t. It had taken Twister almost six years to get his revenge and get his sons back, but it was too late for Bubbles. She had died giving birth to him. Twister hadn’t known, and in retribution, once he had his sons back, he killed Machete, leaving his body at the same exit ramp the Hellion’s Highway men had left him. While Twister had been shot and stabbed, Machete had been beaten until he was unrecognizable and suffered four bullet wounds—one in Machete’s lying mouth, one in each eye, and one through his heart.

Kent stared down at the beautiful woman gazing at him as if he hung the moon in the sky just for her. She had no idea about the type of man he really was, and when she found out, she would be the one walking away from him.

He should get out of the bed, get her dressed, and take her home. He wasn’t going to, though. She had sealed her fate when he saw her play tonight.