CHAPTER SIX
Jolt
I'm leaning against the bar, nursing a whiskey and taking in the familiar chaos around me.
My eyes scan the room, taking in everything.
Shiver's by the pool table, his booming laughter carrying over the noise of clinking glasses and loud conversation.
Siren's perched on a barstool nearby, her lips quirked in that half-smile of hers as she watches the antics unfold.
I can't help but grin, feeling that familiar warmth in my chest.
This is home, as dysfunctional and chaotic as it might be.
These people are my family now, more than my blood relatives ever were.
My happiness is broken as Shiver saunters over, a shit-eating grin plastered across his face.
He's holding up his phone, and there's a glint in his eye that tells me I'm about to be on the receiving end of some prime Shiver bullshit.
"Yo, Jolt," he calls out, waving the phone in my face. "You wanna explain this?"
I squint at the screen, trying to make out the message through the haze of cigarette smoke and the slight blur of alcohol.
It takes me a second to realize what I'm looking at.
"What the fuck?" I mutter, reaching for my back pocket.
My stomach drops when I feel nothing but empty denim. "Son of a bitch."
Shiver's grin widens, if that's even possible. "Looks like someone's been naughty," he drawls, his Texas twang more pronounced than usual. "Care to share with the class?"
I snatch the phone from his hand, my eyes widening as I read the message.
It's from my number, all right, but I sure as hell didn't send it.
I read aloud. ‘‘Catch me if you can.”
Then, below it. “Come show me what that Harley can really do.”
Siren, who's drifted over to join the fun, lets out a snort of laughter. "Damn, Jolt. I didn't know you had it in you. That's some grade-A flirting right there."
I run a hand through my hair, feeling a mix of annoyance and amusement.
"Little bitch," I mutter, but there's no real heat behind it.
I can't help but be impressed by the audacity.
Shiver's practically cackling now, his muscular frame shaking with mirth. "Oh man, this is gold. Who's the lucky lady? Or should I say, who's the ballsy chick who managed to swipe your phone?"
I shake my head, a rueful grin tugging at my lips. "Three guesses, and the first two don't count."
Siren's eyes light up with understanding.
"Aggie?" she asks, her hazel eyes dancing with amusement. "Damn, that girl's got some serious stones."
I nod, unable to keep the grudging respect out of my voice. "Yeah, she's something else, all right."
Shiver claps me on the back, nearly knocking the wind out of me. "Well, well, well. Looks like our boy Jolt's met his match. What are you gonna do about it, man?"
I drain the last of my whiskey, savoring the burn as it slides down my throat. "What do you think I'm gonna do? I'm gonna go get my damn phone back."
Siren raises an eyebrow, her lips quirking in that knowing smirk of hers. "Just the phone, huh? Sure you don't want to, what was it? 'Show her what that Harley can really do?'"
I flip her off, but I can feel the heat rising to my face. "Siren, I don't need any more sass from the peanut gallery."
Shiver's still chuckling, his eyes gleaming. "Oh, come on, Jolt. You gotta admit, it's pretty fuckin’ hilarious. Little college girl giving a big bad biker the runaround? That's some sitcom-level shit right there."
I roll my eyes, but I can't quite keep the smile off my face. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. We'll see who's laughing when I get my hands on her."
As soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize how they sound.
Siren and Shiver exchange a look, and I can practically see the wheels turning in their heads.
I growl, but it's too late. "Not like that, you pervs. I will say, it’s good to see you laughing, Siren."
Siren offers me a soft smile. “Yeah, well, what was I supposed to do? No way in hell I was gonna let Serpent cut out my humor.”
"Jesus, girl!" Shiver shakes his head.
I raise my brows and shake mine, knowing I shouldn’t be shocked anymore with her sense of humor and crudeness.
I groan, pushing away from the bar. "I'm outta here before you two decide to start planning the wedding or some shit."
As I turn to leave, I catch sight of my reflection in the mirror behind the bar.
My dark hair's a mess, my green eyes bright.
The tribal tattoos on my arms seem to writhe in the dim light, the tiger on my hand almost looking alive.
For a split second, I wonder what Aggie sees when she looks at me.
Does she see the prospect, eager to prove himself?
The charming smartass with a quick wit and quicker smile?
Or does she see something else entirely?
I shake off the thought.
It doesn't matter what she sees. I'm just going to get my phone back, nothing more.
Shiver calls out as I reach the door. "Hey, Jolt."
I turn back, bracing myself for another round of teasing.
But there's something different in his expression now, a hint of seriousness beneath the ever-present humor.
"Yeah?"
He hesitates for a moment, then says, "Be careful, all right? I know you can handle yourself, but... just watch your back out there. Those college girls could eat ya alive!"
I crack up. "Shut up, you dumb fucker!"
My heart's pounding like a jackhammer in my chest as I make a beeline for the door.
Fuck, I need to get out of here before anyone else catches on.
But just as I'm about to taste freedom, a familiar voice stops me dead in my tracks.
"Jolt? Thought you were down by the university."
I turn to see Cobra, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Shit.
Think fast, Sterling.
"Yeah, well," I say, forcing a chuckle, "seems like Aggie took my phone thinking it was hers. I'm on my way to swap now." The lie rolls off my tongue smooth as silk, but my palms are sweating.
Cobra's eyes light up. "Want some company? Could be fun to hit up a college party."
"Nah, man," I reply, shaking my head. "I don't need Izzy beatin’ my ass for dragging you around a bunch of college girls. You know how she gets."
That gets a laugh out of him. "Fair point. Wouldn't want to piss off the ol’ lady."
As Cobra walks away, still chuckling, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
That was too close.
As I step out into the cool night air, I’m a little bit excited to get off the clubhouse grounds and play this game with Aggie.
I may be annoyed, but there's a part of me that loves the idea of it.
Aggie thinks she's got me figured out?
Well, she's about to learn that Jack 'Jolt' Sterling isn't so easily pinned down.
I swing my leg over my bike, feeling the familiar rumble as it roars to life beneath me.
It’s time to go hunting.
The streets of Vegas blur past me as I weave through traffic, the neon lights painting streaks across my vision.
My mind races faster than my bike, thoughts of Aggie mingling with the thrill of the ride.
Before I know it, I'm pulling up to a house near the university.
The second I arrive, I know I'm in the right spot.
The front lawn is a minefield of red solo cups, and the bass from inside is so loud I can feel it in my teeth.
Typical frat party bullshit.
I kill the engine and sit for a moment, taking in the scene.
A group of giggling sorority girls totter past, giving me curious glances.
I can't help but smirk.
If they only knew what they were getting into, eyeing up a Reaper's Reject like a fresh piece of meat.
"Well, fuck me," I mutter to myself, glancing down at my cut.
The leather vest with our club's patches isn't exactly subtle.
Normally, I'd have it off for a situation like this, but tonight?
There’s no other option.
I swing off the bike, my boots crunching on discarded cups.
As I approach the house, I can't shake the feeling that this night could go one of two ways— smooth as whiskey or a complete clusterfuck.
I climb the porch steps.
It’s time to find my little phone thief and show her what happens when you mess with me.
I'm barely on the porch when two frat boys block my path, puffing out their chests like they're hot shit.
One of them, a blonde douche with a popped collar, eyes me up and down.
He sneers, his breath reeking of cheap beer. "Where's your invite, man?"
I clench my jaw, my patience already wearing thin.
I'm not in the mood for this bullshit, not when Aggie's in there with my damn phone.
"Up your asshole," I snarl, shoving past them. "Go fish for it."
The other guy starts to protest, but I'm already through the door, leaving them sputtering in my absence.
The heavy bass hits me like a wall as I enter, the air thick with the smell of weed and spilled booze.
I pull out Shiver's phone, bringing up the tracking app.
My eyes narrow as I see the blinking dot indicating my phone's location.
She's on the far side of the house.
I mutter, weaving through the crowd. "Gotcha, you little minx."
As I push my way through the sea of drunk college kids, I can't help but be amused.
Here I am, a grown-ass man chasing after some college girl who swiped my phone.
But there's something about Aggie that gets under my skin and makes me do crazy shit like this.
It's not just about the phone anymore, and I know it.
I spot her in the back living area, and my breath catches for a second.
She's with Sienna, the girl from earlier, both of them dancing to the pounding music.
They're sipping on what looks like cheap beer, laughing and swaying to the beat.
My eyes narrow as I notice a couple of guys inching closer to them, clearly interested.
A surge of possessiveness rushes through me, catching me off guard.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
It’s not like the woman is mine.
I bee-line it for the ladies, shouldering past the wannabe casanovas.
As I get closer, I can see the flush on Aggie's cheeks, the way her body moves to the music.
It's intoxicating, and for a moment, I almost forget why I'm here.
But then I remember the phone, and the wild goose chase she's led me on.
Time to end this little game.
I wrap an arm around both Aggie and Sienna, pulling them close.
"C'mon, girls," I say, my voice a low rumble.
I can feel Aggie tense against me, but I don't give a shit.
I steer them away from the dance floor and into a quieter corner of the room.
Once we're away from prying eyes, I let them go and turn to face Aggie.
Her emerald eyes are blazing and it sets my blood on fire.
"Ghost," I growl, using the nickname I'd given her for her ability to slip away unnoticed. "Gimme my damn phone."
Aggie crosses her arms, her chin jutting out stubbornly. "I don't know what you're talking about, Jolt," she says, her Scottish accent more pronounced now that she's angry.
I take a step closer, invading her personal space. "Don't play dumb with me, girl. I know you took it. You texted Shiver, remember?"
"Prove it," she challenges, not backing down an inch.
Christ, she's infuriating.
And fucking gorgeous when she's riled up like this.
Sienna clears her throat, looking uncomfortable. "Uh, I think I should probably go," she says, glancing between us. "Seems like you two are in the middle of a lover's quarrel."
I hear Aggie scoff beside me. "We'd have to be lovers to have a quarrel," she retorts, her eyes never leaving mine. "And we're not."
Her words sting more than they should.
I grit my teeth, trying to ignore the way my chest tightens at her declaration.
Why the fuck do I care what she thinks we are?
"That so?" I ask, my voice dangerously low. "Then why'd you take my phone, Aggie? Why lead me on this little chase?"
She shrugs, but I can see the slight tremble in her hands. "Maybe I just wanted to see if you'd come after me."
Her admission hits me like a sucker punch to the gut.
I've had enough of her games.
My patience snaps like a rubber band stretched too far.
I grab her forearm, intending to drag her somewhere we can talk without an audience. "We're done here. Let's go."
But Aggie's not having it.
She wrenches her arm free with surprising strength, her eyes flashing with defiance.
Before I can react, her palm connects with my cheek in a stinging slap that echoes through the crowded room.
For a moment, I'm too stunned to move.
Then the anger surges through me, hot and fierce.
I huff out a breath, my fists clenching at my sides. "Oh, you have no idea what you've done now."
She doesn't back down, meeting my gaze with a fiery intensity that only serves to turn me on. "Shut the fuck up," she spits. "You're not gonna do a damn thing!"
Her challenge ignites something primal inside me.
In one swift motion, I grab her waist and slam her against the nearest wall, not giving a shit who sees.
The music's too loud for anyone to hear, but they can sure as hell see.
I lean in close, my lips brushing her ear. "I'm gonna do exactly what I want to you, sweetheart," I growl, feeling her shiver against me. "And I don't give a flying fuck who watches."
My heart's pounding so hard I can feel it in my throat.
Part of me wants to make good on my threat right here, to show her and everyone else that she's mine.
But a smaller, more rational part knows that's a bad fucking idea.
Instead, I pull back slightly, meeting her wide-eyed gaze. "You want to play games, Aggie? Fine. But remember, I always win."
Aggie arches a perfectly shaped eyebrow, her emerald eyes glinting with defiance.
A smirk plays at the corners of her lips, and the heat is radiating off her body.
"You know, Jolt, you obviously do care or else you wouldn't be here."
Her words hit me like a sucker punch to the gut.
Fuck.
She's right, and we both know it.
I try to keep my face impassive, but I can feel a muscle twitching in my jaw.
"I came back for my phone," I growl, but even to my own ears, it sounds like a weak excuse.
Aggie opens her mouth to retort, but before she can speak, a lanky frat boy materializes out of thin air beside us.
He's got that clean-cut, preppy look that screams 'mommy's credit card,' and he's eyeing me up and down.
"Hey, Aggie," he says, not taking his eyes off me. "Everything okay here?"
If I had hackles, they’d be rising right now.
Who the fuck does this kid think he is?
Aggie shifts slightly against me, and I realize I'm still pinning her to the wall.
I don't move.
"Trevor," Aggie says, her voice suddenly softer. "It's fine. We're just... talking."
Trevor.
The name registers in my brain.
My grip on her waist tightens involuntarily.
Trevor puffs out his chest like he's some kind of fucking hero. "Doesn't look like talking to me."
I'm about two seconds away from showing this punk what a real man looks like when Aggie's hand comes to rest on my chest.
The touch is light, but it's enough to make me pause.
I'm about to tell this Trevor kid to fuck off when he does something monumentally stupid.
He reaches out and puts his hand on my shoulder, squeezing firmly.
His voice is dripping with confidence and he has no idea who he’s fucking with. "I think you should leave her alone, dude."
Time slows down. I see red. Before I even realize what I'm doing, my fist connects with Trevor's jaw.
There's a satisfying crunch, and he stumbles backward, crashing to the floor.
I snarl, standing over him. "Don't fuckin' talk to me like that."
The party around us goes silent.
I can feel dozens of eyes on us, but I don't give a shit.
All I care about is the way Aggie's looking at me, her emerald eyes wide with a mix of shock and... something else.
"Jesus Christ, Jolt!”
I don't respond.
Instead, I grab her wrist and start dragging her toward the exit.
She struggles at first, but I'm not letting go.
"We're leaving," I growl, not bothering to look back at her.
We burst out of the frat house onto the front lawn.
The cool night air hits us, a complete opposite to the stuffy heat inside.
I march toward my bike, Aggie stumbling behind me.
She snaps, trying to wrench her arm free. "Let go of me, you absolute bampot !"
I spin around, facing her. "Get on the bike, Aggie. Now."
For a moment, I think she's going to argue.
Her eyes are blazing, that fiery Scottish temper of hers threatening to explode.
But then she looks back at the house, where curious faces are peering out the windows, and her shoulders slump.
"Fine," she mutters, climbing onto the back of my Harley.
I swing my leg over, feeling her reluctantly wrap her arms around my waist.
The engine roars to life, drowning out the muffled sounds of the party.
Without a word, I peel out of the driveway, leaving a cloud of dust and the chaos of the frat house behind us.
As we speed through the dark streets of Las Vegas, I can feel Aggie's warmth pressed against my back.
Despite everything, despite how pissed off I am, I can't deny the electric current that runs through me at her touch.
We weave through traffic, the neon lights of the Strip blurring around us.
I know where I'm taking her—back to her sorority house.
I holler back at her and ask where it is, and I didn’t realize how close to the frat house it was.
Then again, I should’ve known better.
Hell, I have to fucking backtrack to get her there.
We pull up to the sorority house, the engine's rumble fading as I cut it off.
Aggie slides off the bike, her movements stiff and angry.
I follow her up the steps, my blood still boiling from the scene at the party.
As soon as we're inside her room, she locks the door and grabs her phone.
Her fingers fly across the screen, and I watch as she types out a message.
"Texting your buddy Sienna?" I ask, my voice low and dangerous.
Aggie nods, not looking at me. "Telling her I'm okay and sorry for ditching her."
I let her finish, my patience wearing thin.
The second she hits send, I snatch the phone from her hands and toss it onto the bed.
"Hey!" she protests, but I'm already moving.
I shove her against the window, my hands rough as I yank up her crop top. "You wanna act like a little tease, Aggie?" I growl, yanking down her pants. "Fine. Let's give the whole fuckin’ campus a show."
Her breath hitches as I press my hard cock against her. "Jolt, what are you?—"
I silence her with a bruising kiss, my hands gripping her hips. "I'm gonna fuck you right here, against this window," I growl against her ear. "And I don't give a shit who sees."
Part of me is screaming that this is a bad idea, that anyone could walk by and see us.
But the larger part, the part driven by lust and anger and possessiveness, doesn't care.
I want her, and I want everyone to know she's mine.
As I thrust into her, Aggie lets out a moan that's utter and complete pleasure.
Her nails dig into my forearms, and I know we're both thinking the same thing: this doesn't solve anything between us, but damn if it doesn't feel good.
I fuck her like a savage, her exposed tits pressed against the window.
The light is on behind us, giving anyone who’s watching an illuminated view on how I’m plowing her tight cunt.
Aggie wants to be defiant, well, that’s fine.
She can be defiant all she wants, a minx for all I care, and drive me up a wall.
But I get to do this.
I get to ravage her body, bury myself deep inside her, feel her wetness around me.
My hand slips down her sleek stomach, soaking up the heat of her skin, to where we're joined.
My fingers find her clit and I apply pressure.
Her whole body arches against me, a gasp tearing from her lips.
I continue to thrust, my pace steady and relentless.
The windowpane shudders with each impact, and I see her breasts shaking with the motion.
Each time I pull out, she whimpers in protest, the sound swallowed by our hungry kisses.
"Fuck," she curses through gritted teeth as she tightens around me, "Jolt..."
I nip at her shoulder, sucking the nape of her neck into my mouth.
She squirms beneath me, a delicious friction against my shaft.
Suddenly, her body spasms and convulses around mine, her nails raking down my arms as she comes hard.
The sight of Aggie writhing in ecstasy against me is too much for any mortal man to bear.
Pressure builds within me until it's unbearable.
My strokes become reckless in pace and aim, driving into her with a primal urge only she can sate.
She matches each thrust with one of her own, grinding against me in an erotic dance that pushes us both higher and higher.
Sweat drips from our bodies onto the floor below while her clothes lay discarded on the other side of the room—proof of how badly I needed to devour her.
Aggie's cries echo around us as I pound into her again and again.
Her face twists with pleasure while I watch her writhe against the glass like some erotic show for anyone who dares to walk past.
Suddenly, everything tightens—a knot at the base of my spine coiling tighter and tighter until it snaps.
A rush of heat floods me as I explode inside of her.
For a split second, all goes quiet except for our heavy breathing echoing off the walls.
I press a kiss into the hollow of her throat, tasting the salty tang of sweat.
Slowly, I withdraw from her, watching her eyes flutter open to meet mine.
"You're something else," I murmur against her ear as she tries to regain her breath, each word punctuated with nips along the shell of her ear.
She's clutching at my arms, her beautiful face flushed and sweaty.
Her muscles twitch involuntarily from our intense coupling.
Her emerald eyes meet mine in a look that's both defiant and satisfied—a silent challenge for more.
Panting, we slide down to rest on the floor.