Page 4

Fuck, his own daughter was at our clubhouse. She’s seen me interact with the members. Seen me talk casually with my president and the others. All she needs to say is that she knows me, and it’s over. This mission, my life…everything.

Scarlett walks forward and extends her hand for me to take. “It’s nice to meet you.”

My eyes are locked on hers as I take her hand, so much smaller than mine, soft and cold against my calloused skin. “Good to meet you, miss.”

“Scarlett here is the little genius that does magic with the Viper’s books.

Our last accountant was stealing from me, so I buried a bullet in his skull, but my darling daughter would never do that, would you, sweetheart?

” Stone asks, his voice slicing between us like a knife, and Scarlett jumps back from me.

“No, Dad.”

“Women,” Stone scoffs. “You have to teach them their place, or they’ll walk all over you. Luckily for my daughter here, she knows the only way to earn her keep is either on her back or behind her desk. Luckily for her, she chose the latter.”

“Right,” I laugh without mirth, disgusted by the man’s crude words, but expressing my disgust isn’t going to do me or Scarlett any favors. “Gotta teach them their place.”

“That’s what I am saying,” the man echoes before his voice quickly hardens.

“That said, my daughter is off limits to you fuckers. No one in the club goes near her without my permission, or they’ll be digging their own grave.

Can’t have any of you messing with the one person I can trust to sort out my finances, or worse, get her pregnant! ”

“Of course, finding people you can trust these days is hard.”

Scarlett flinches at the not-too-subtle jab as she quietly places the file she’s carrying on her father’s desk and turns around to leave. “I have some more work coming your way,” Stone calls. “Get it done before tomorrow.” She nods once before leaving the room.

Stone turns to me, giving me a rundown on what my roles are going to be and inserting a threat or two on what will happen if I betray the club, but I hardly pay attention to a word he says.

It all sounds like static in my ears as my thoughts are on the girl who left her scent behind.

When Stone finally says that he’ll have someone text me what errands I need to run, I have to bite back a sigh of relief, ready to get the hell out of this place.

“I won’t let you down, Mr. Stone,” I call out, before slowly closing the door behind me, breathing out a sigh when I step into the hallway.

I start to head downstairs when a door to my left opens and someone grabs my arm.

It all happens so fast; I am pulled into a bathroom before I can even think about defending myself.

My first reaction is to fight, but then my eyes lock with beautiful hazel ones, bright in a dimly lit room.

“Please don’t make a sound,” she pleads, shutting the door behind me. Her breath is coming in short pants, and there is panic written on that gorgeous face. “God, what the hell are you doing here?”

My eyes narrow on hers. “I could ask you the same question about your presence at our clubhouse.”

“I asked first!” I raise a single brow at her words, watching her grow more flustered by the second before she finally gives in. “I know what you are thinking,” she starts with a sigh.

“And what’s that?”

“That I was spying for my father at your clubhouse, but I wasn’t.” Her eyes are pleading when they meet mine. “Look, Brooke doesn’t know that I am the daughter—”

“Obviously not, or she would have never let you in through those doors,” I hiss, angered by the thought of anyone using Brooke.

I’ve watched her grow up, and I have always treated her like a younger sister.

Everyone is very protective of her since she lost her father, and the thought that someone could have taken advantage of her kindness to get closer to her and use her…

“I didn’t use her,” Scarlett whispers, her eyes filling with tears at an alarming rate, and I question if she can read my mind. “I would never do that to Brooke!”

“Did you approach her knowing she was in the Rebel family?”

“Family?” she murmurs, blinking back her tears. “Is that what you call yourselves?”

I clasp her chin and force those gorgeous eyes back on mine. “Tell me, did you know who she was before you two became friends?”

“No,” she responds, and God help me, I believe her.

“I found out later when I saw the club patches on Axel’s jacket, but by then, it was too late.

She was already too important for me to just toss away.

I never planned on telling her about my father or letting him find out about her. I’m not some freaking spy!”

Like you , is left unsaid, but we both know what she means. And, okay, I deserve that.

“Fair enough,” I say, leaning in to whisper my next words.

“Your father is a sadistic fucker, and I plan on digging through the mess that is this club to expose what he is hiding.” She inhales sharply, but it clearly has nothing to do with my words.

A grin forms when a shudder racks through her body as my lips touch her ear. “Are you going to get in my way?”

Her chest rises and falls, quick pants of breath slipping through her lips. “My father is a dangerous man…”

Daring a move, I bring my hand to her cheek, rubbing my thumb over her soft skin, smiling when her mouth opens with a low whimper. “Is that a yes or a no?”

“Gray—”

Am I surprised that she knows my name even though we weren’t officially introduced? I want to tell her to call me Pete to avoid a slip-up in the future, but there is no ignoring the way my real name sounds on her lips. It’s sensual .

Fuck, I should be seducing her into helping me, but instead, I find myself getting seduced by those beautiful eyes and that sexy mouth, that body made for dreams, and Christ, the way she responds to my touch gets to me.

“You’re going to help me,” I say, my jaw flexing hard as I push down my desire for this woman.

My cock is stiff in my jeans, but this is not the place.

Down the hallway is one of the most dangerous men in the city, and downstairs are a bunch of his goons.

But I don’t stop as I bring my left hand to her waist, tugging her hard against me.

“You are going to help me bring down your father.”

“He’ll kill you,” she whispers, releasing a shaky breath when my hand travels slowly down her jaw, then her neck.

Her eyes flutter with lust when I cup her breasts over her blouse, biting down a growl when she pushes up against my touch.

My eyes stay on hers, drinking in her flushed expression as I knead her breasts, strumming her nipple with my thumb until she’s practically bucking in my arms.

“He can’t kill me…. Fuck, you’re so sexy,” I rasp, my cock aching and jutting hard against my jeans, begging for reprieve.

“Kiss me,” she whimpers, leaning in close until we’re practically breathing into each other’s mouths. “I’ll help, just please kiss—”

Our lips brush once, twice, and I slide my hand to the back of her head, fisting her hair, ready to deepen the kiss when a loud bellow cuts between us.

“Scarlett!”

She stills against me, and I feel her breath grow heavy against mine, but this time, it has little to do with desire.

She forces in deep breaths before pushing back, her eyes looking anywhere but at me.

“I’ll help,” she hisses, straightening her clothes.

“But in turn, please don’t tell Brooke about my father.

She’s the only friend I’ve ever had, and I don’t want to sacrifice that for my father. ”

“She’ll find out eventually.”

Scarlett nods, finally looking up at me, and in her eyes, I read need and desire.

She wants me almost as much as I want her.

“I know, but let me be the one to tell my best friend the truth,” she begs, her eyes dropping back to my mouth, and for a moment, I believe she’ll come in for a kiss, but the bellow comes again.

“Scarlett!”

“I have to go,” she says, reaching for the door, but doesn’t open it. “My father is a dangerous man. I know this better than anyone else. If he finds out that you’re a fraud or that I’m helping you, he’ll kill us both.”

And with that, she’s gone.