Page 15

“How long before Kinobi will be back at home?” Cade asked from where he sat on his haunches, scratching behind the dog’s ear.

“A day or two, I would say. She’s become so much stronger these last couple of days. How’s Demon?”

Cade turned, looking at me over his shoulder, hair falling over his forehead in that boy-next-door look. “He came out of hospital last night. But I dunno how he’s gonna look after himself. He’s still in a state.”

“How come they discharged him?”

“Don’t think they did.”

“Oh. Is that wise?”

Cade scratched the dog behind the ear, and she turned to nuzzle his hand.

“Demon is a lot of things, Al. Wise, he is not.”

“Sometimes people do better once they get out of hospital. At least when they reach a certain point in their journey.”

Cade stood, turning to face me, smiling. But it wasn’t the wide beam, or the cheeky grin I was used to seeing. It was weak, forced, sad.

“Kinobi can go home in a few days. They both may recover more with each other’s company if they both take it easy.”

The unconvincing smile on Cade’s face melted away, a darkness washing over him like a sky in a storm.

“And we all need Demon better soon,” he muttered, his eyes searching for something behind me.

“Are you alright, Cade?” I touched his hand lightly, the warmth of his flesh instantly hitting my skin.

We hadn’t touched each other since the other night. He’d turned up, petted the dog, cuddled kittens and then we parted ways like the night in my flat hadn’t happened.

“Yeah,” he muttered. “Yeah. Just lots going on. At work, at the club.”

“I just thought…”

Cade moved closer, scooping an arm around me.

“You thought I’d got what I wanted and now I was done?”

“No…I…err…. maybe.”

He smiled and this time his face flooded with light, the corners of his eyes wrinkling. Amusement and happiness, and I liked this much better than dark and stormy Cade. Because when he looked like that, there was something frightening about him. Something that told me to back away slowly and run in the opposite direction, and that was not what my body wanted right now.

He pushed a finger under my chin, staring into my eyes, searching me for answers to questions not even asked.

“I enjoyed the other night, Al,” his voice was low, a deep purr of guttural vibration. “I’ve wanted to do that from the minute I set eyes on you.”

His words dusted over my neck, his nose brushing my cheek.

“Why?” I croaked.

“I dunno, Al. I can’t say these green things are all that sexy. But these…”

He pulled his face backwards, his hand sliding towards the back of my neck, his thumb swiping over my cheek.

“These freckles.” He moved his thumb. “These dimples,” he pressed gently into the indents of my face. “These…” he breathed, his thumb pressing against my lips, and slipping between them.

Deep in my stomach, something swirled, the start of a whirlpool slowly circling. Cade’s thumb pressed that little harder, and I opened my mouth. He hummed, deep and heavy in approval, his eyes boring into mine, the pressure never releasing. I let my tongue circle the end, his skin hinting at saltiness. And then suddenly he snatched it away.

“Fuck,” he breathed, pushing his forehead against mine.

I expected him to step away from me then, to go back to the dog he’d come to visit or to the kittens he’d cuddled and fed. Cade inhaled. A long, lung-filling breath, uncertainty in his eyes, but, whatever question he was pondering, he answered it.

Fingers gripped at my hips, not sure whether they wanted to hold me tight or push the part cotton, part polyester, green delights down my legs. After a couple of seconds, Cade’s gaze moved to my face, over my shoulder and then down to my body. He settled on the latter, hooking his fingers into the waistband and sliding his hand into my knickers in one smooth transition. I gasped, staggering backwards, crashing into the wall of cages behind me.

“Cade,” I half whispered, half choked the words out of my mouth. “What…”

But he answered with his mouth. And his tongue, forcing it past my lips, stealing my breath and any objections I had with it. Icy fingers laced under my top, gliding over my stomach, stroking over the sensitive side between my hips and my ribs, cupping over my bra, while fingers dipped inside me, wetness leaking around them, gliding in and out.

I think I groaned. I may have closed my eyes. My head felt unstable on the end of my neck, like it might just roll right off. Cade’s tongue never stopped, his lips tasting and pulling, our tongues dancing, an X-rated waltz, him leading and me following. Inside me, he massaged and twisted, pulsing in and out, his thumb drifting over my clit but not quite touching. Just a hint, a gentle threat. My stomach swirled to the beat of his tongue and the march of his fingers, my heart drumming in my ears, blocking out all other noise. The room of cages was normally filled with the low snuffles of ailing animals and the bleep of machines, the lap of water, and the faint scratch of claws. Now it was nothing, soundless, airless, like a vacuum. Just me and Cade, with his fingers and tongue inside me.

My eyes flew open, my tongue stilling, realisation and common sense breaking out from the prison Cade had put me in, breaking through the hypnosis of his touch, and the smell of aftershave and leather.

Shit.

I pulled my head away. “Cade.”

My voice was barely audible in the heavy atmosphere. And now suddenly all eyes were on me. Tiny beady eyes watching me be violated by Cade against their cages.

Cade nuzzled his nose against mine, his fingers still inside me, still working against me, my body still quietly pleading for more of him, and my heart raging in my chest at the interruption.

“What’s wrong, Al?” his voice had morphed into that low purr, the tendrils of the vibrations adding to the pulsing in my pussy.

“Not here.”

“Here?”

“Yes,” I breathed, the fingers inside me crooking at the top, hitting a spot that was threatening to render me helpless. “Not in front of the patients.”

“They won’t dob us in, don’t worry.” He chuckled lightly, a deeper rumble of vibrations, and I could feel the rawness of them from where he filled me with his fingers.

“I can’t. Not here. Not in front of them.”

Cade sighed, carefully stopping and sliding his fingers out of me. I was sure he was disappointed, that I’d upset him, that he would pull a face. Instead, he wrapped his arm round my waist, pulling me into his body and pushing his lips towards my ear.

“Ok, Al. But be a good girl and go get your coat. Or I’ll have no choice but to fuck you here for all your patients to see.”

My pussy pulsed; my stomach swelled, and my throat suddenly felt like I hadn’t had a drink for a week. I nodded silently, catching the darkening green in Cade’s eyes, the same darkness I had seen the other night, green crossing to hazel. And my pussy pulsed again. If I didn’t get us out of here soon, then I might even let him do it.

“I need to get the kittens into their carrier,” I told the man standing in front of me as I straightened my clothes and pulled the cups of my bra back into position.

“Get your coat, babe. I’ll sort the kittens.”

“The carrier is just on the floor over there.” I nodded to the corner and then hurried away to grab my big, padded jacket that was hung up in the staff room.

The kittens were packed by the time I’d returned, Cade waiting patiently in the corridor.

“Ready?” he asked, holding out the black pet carrier towards me.

Outside, the paths were coated with a layer of frost already, the sky above one expanse of stars and space. I shivered, the icy chill of a cloudless night contrasting against the warmth of the surgery and the thin layer of cotton trousers giving little insulation.

“I brought a spare.” Cade held out the black helmet towards me. “I’ll drive you down.”

Holding the bag of kittens up, I shook my head. “Where am I supposed to put these?”

“Between us. Just don’t squish them.”

“Thanks. I’ll just walk. It’s too icy to get on that thing.”

Cade grinned, the smile pulling across his angelic face and his green eyes still noticeable, even in the shadows cast by the streetlight.

“Not been on one of these before, have you?”

I shook my head, still staring at the metal contraption in front of me.

“No more slippy than a car.”

“Really? Do you know what the stats are if you fall off one of these? How easy it is not to survive or the type of injuries you could get?”

Cade’s grin faded, hanging the spare helmet back onto the handlebars and swiping a hand through thick blond hair.

“I do,” he said flatly. “I do.”

There was more to the answer to my question, much more. But out here, on the cold street, icy air clinging to my legs and a bag of kittens with no mother to snuggle up to, was not the place to ask for an explanation.

“I’m gonna keep walking. Meet me there?”

Cade’s lips moved, an acknowledging smile, not quite chasing away the stillness on his face. Then he tugged on his helmet, the only part of his face left unobscured was those eyes. I waited, bracing myself for the roar of the bike’s engine, knowing it would make me jump, no matter how many times I’d heard it now. He kicked the stand back, his fist turning. The quiet street was disturbed by its call, the sound vibrating off the rows of terraced houses standing opposite each other like sentries. Cade nodded, and I walked forward, feeling the low rumble behind me as he followed, escorting me home.

Cade positioned the motorbike under the streetlight just a few doors down, squeezing it in the gap between cars, where it sat snug, lulling over to one side as it rested against the stand. If the neighbours were bothered by the noise of the engine, they didn’t seem to show it. Not a curtain twitched at the surrounding windows, not a sliver of light peeking out into the street, watching. The engine seemed to rumble on for ages, the guttural vibrations even reaching my feet where I stood waiting on the pavement. In my hand a kitten mewled, the cold ruffling baby fluff, and even I shivered in response.

Eventually, Cade secured the Harley, pulling the thick chain and padlock through the back wheel. He stood, the tight leather of his trousers gripping his arse, the emblem on his back, glaring back at me, and I dropped my eyes, feeling like the three skulls could see right into my soul.

“Come on, Al,” he breathed, pulling off his helmet, the blond hair underneath even more ruffled, locks falling over his forehead.

The orange glow of the streetlight caught over his face, shadowing his cheek bones, contouring him in darkness, yet still his eyes shone through, like there was a light in them all their own. Mesmerising. Haunting. Captivating. And there in the dark I don’t think I’d ever met a man more beautiful and handsome all at once.

“You ok, Al?” he touched my elbow with his gloved hand, just a little nudge, pushing me towards the door.

“Uh-huh. I…let’s get inside. It’s cold.”

“Brassic, babe.” Cade chuckled, low and velvety.

I wasn’t so cold anymore. The touch on my elbow, the rugged, mussed up hair, the gravelly purr of his voice and the smell of him behind me. The stairs creaked under our feet, obscenely loud in the silent house.

“Your flatmate home?” Cade asked.

“No, she’s out.”

“Good.”

We reached the top of the first set of stairs.

“Where do the kittens sleep?”

“With me.”

“Better take them up to bed then, hadn’t we?”

I giggled, the sound releasing from my lips before I had a chance to stop it.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, tilting his head sideways as if he could understand me better that way, his hair flopping to one side with him.

“Nothing. We sound like parents…” I stopped, suddenly conscious of what I had just said, that those words might frighten him away.

“What is it now, little Al?” Cade’s face straightened, looking at me with concern. “Why did you suddenly stop mid-sentence?”

“I didn’t mean to sound like that.”

“Like what?”

“Weird. Like I was picturing a future or something.”

“What worries you about looking into the future?” Cade asked, stepping closer, his arm looping round my back.

“Because. Well, because this,” I circled my hand over his torso.

He looked disappointed suddenly, like my words had hurt him.

“What type of person do you think I am, Al?” he asked, his hand straying over my jaw, fingertips lingering over the vein in my neck, as if he was feeling for how fast my heart was beating right now. And I was sure he could feel it pulsing under his fingers, building to some sort of heart explosive crescendo at just being so close to him.

“Alice?” he prompted. “Why?”

“Because…look at you. You’re incredible.” I closed my eyes at the sound of those words and then opened them onto his lop-sided grin.

“Go on.”

“I mean, why would someone like you be interested in someone like me?”

“What do you mean, someone like you?”

“I’m plain. I work all the time. I look like a sweaty mess most of the time. Why would you even like that?”

Cade stroked at my neck with his knuckles.

“Because you are raw. And beautiful. And perfect.”

“Cade…” I warned.

“You could have anyone. So why me? Am I that easy?”

“No. No. Alice…” Cade dropped his hand from my neck, sweeping it through his hair instead. “It’s the opposite. Well, not just that.” He stuttered.

That was the first time I’d heard him stutter. The first time he’d sounded anything less than confident, with that tiny touch of arrogance. Apart from that first day I’d met him. The terrified, half naked man, hugging a dying dog to his chest.

“Alice,” he continued, his hand rising to my face again. “You never looked at me like I was some sort of conquest. You never threw yourself at me. There was never any handing yourself to me on a plate or pretending to be something you are not. You were just all you. From the very night you saved Kinobi’s life. From bossing me about to being nervous around me the next day. To watching you with the animals, with the kittens. Nothing about you is false, Al. And I love that.”

“Love?” Now I cocked my head to the side, offering a grin, trying to lighten the moment which had become suddenly suffocating, stoking feelings inside me I’d never felt before and others that I was becoming more familiar with every time I set my eyes on him.

“Yes. Maybe. Shit, Al.” Cade swiped his hand through his hair again, the leather jacket pulling across his chest. “Fuck it.”

He reached out, grabbing the back of my head, forcing me to him, pushing my lips to his so neither of us could talk anymore. His tongue pushed into me, opening my mouth for him, swirling inside of me where mine met his.

*****

“I’m going to have to go soon,” Cade’s words wisped against my back.

“Do you have to? Could you not just stay?”

“One night I will. One night.”

He pulled me in closer, hugging my body against his. I was warm. So warm. And tired. The clock on the bedside table blurred red through tired eyes. 2am. I needed sleep. Desperately.

Between my legs, I ached. A mix of tingling happiness and a dull discomfort. Cade pressed his lips against my shoulder, holding them there for a second, his fingertips swirling my belly button.

“One night I’ll stay. But don’t think there’ll be any sleep, Al.”

Behind me, against my arse cheeks, he swelled again. I could pull myself back onto him. Ride him again. But there were operations tomorrow, today.

“Are you coming to see Kinobi tonight?”

Cade breathed out, warm tendrils brushing over my back.

“I can’t tonight, Al. Club business.”

“Like a meeting?”

“Not really. Just some…admin to take care of,” he added after a pause.

I turned over so that I faced him. To look into the angelic green eyes of the man who had just folded me into shapes I didn’t even realise I could get into.

“Who are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I don’t even know your name. Not your full name.”

“I’m Cade Matthews,” he answered. “The club call me Chaos,” he smiled.

“Chaos? A nickname?”

“Yeah. Most of us have rider names.”

“Why?” I scooted into his warm, naked flesh.

“Not really sure. Just a thing the Kings and most bike clubs do, give you a nickname. It’s like a rite of passage, I guess.”

“You all have them?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“So, Demon…”

“Yeah, it’s his road name.” Cade pulled me closer, so now my head tucked under his chin, our flesh touching, and his cock pushed against my stomach. “He earned it because of his temper, amongst other things.”

“How many are there in your bike club?” I asked, trying to ignore the aching heat between my legs.

“Around thirty. Indie’s always looking to recruit more, though.”

“Indie?”

“Our president.”

“So, how did he get his nickname?”

“He didn’t. That’s his actual name. Indominous.” Cade pulled at my thigh, hooking it over his and now the head of his cock brushed against my entrance.

I closed my eyes, trying to control my breathing in case Cade noticed that change in rhythm.

“How long have you been part of the club?”

“Dunno. We’ve been part of the Kings….”

“We?” Cade pushed his hips against me, almost as if he was trying to distract me.

“Yeah. Me and my brother.”

“You have a brother? Older or younger?”

“Older,” Cade pulled on my thigh, lining himself up and my pussy throbbed, half in anticipation and half in dread at the threat of being entered by him again.

His fingers fumbled under the pillow, pulling out a condom.

“Last one, Al. Might as well use it up.”

His knuckles grazed my pubic bone, the spot between my legs pulsing, a dull, heavy throbbing radiating up inside me.

“What’s your brother like?” I whispered.

“Babe, I don’t want to talk about my brother whilst I fuck you. And the only thing I want to hear from your sweet lips is my name being moaned when you come.”

He pushed into me, the overworked tissues inside my pussy straining with a delicious mix of heat, resistance, and pain. I hissed, throwing my head back, feeling his hips rock into me. His breath quickened immediately, his fingers biting into the flesh of my thigh, tightening with each thrust.

“Fuck, Al….” he breathed into my neck, tracing a pattern with his lips and tongue, nip-kissing over the throb of my vein.

I moved into him, pushing myself onto his shaft with every thrust into me, my clit rubbing off the coarse hair on his pubic bone, until we moved together in one surging, hot dance. Cade’s breathing turned to grunts, low rumbles against my neck, his lips parted to let them out and I pushed onto him harder until I could feel the first lick of fire starting low in my belly.

“Cade….” The words tumbled out on a gasp.

“I’m here, babe,” he groaned. “I’m fucking coming too.”

His hips pushed hard and determined, his fingers digging so far into my thigh that I was sure I could feel bruises forming already. But none of that mattered, because the little flurry of fire erupted, exploding inside of me in a mass of tiny explosions.

“Shit,” I moaned through gritted teeth as Cade buried his cock as far into me as he could.

For a moment we lay there, my leg draped over his side, his sheathed dick buried in me. But it was a moment not long enough. He pulled himself free, and I winced.

“Shit, Al. Did that hurt?” he asked, pushing a hand into my hair.

“Just too much sex,” I whispered, another wave of exhaustion washing over me.

“There’s never too much sex, Al. Not with you.” Cade pushed his lips against the middle of my forehead. “But tomorrow I’ll let you rest. I won’t make it over to see you or Kinobi.”

“Mmmm, ok,” I muttered, sleep already stealing my words.

He pressed his lips against mine, a long gentle kiss.