Page 11 of Lockout (The Vikings MC: Tucson Chapter #11)

Keely

O ur impromptu girl party ended as the guys started piling out of the back hallway. It was getting near dinner time anyway and these women had families to feed. I made sure to get another round of hugs, and this time Isla didn’t escape my embrace.

“You people hug too much,” she muttered, but her arms closed around me as she squeezed me tight.

I gave Toxic a warning look as he wrapped his arm around Billie and called out, “I still expect you to take care of her, Toxic.” I made a fist and dragged my thumb over my throat, threatening him.

I was only half serious. I knew from Billie’s happy chatter over the last couple of months that Toxic was smitten with her.

Though he’d never use that word and would be horrified if he heard me say it in connection with him.

But I’d called and threatened him once before and I didn’t want him to forget that if he ever slipped up, I’d be there to thump him on the head and set him straight.

I’d do the same to any of these guys. Well, almost any. Butterflies fluttered inside my stomach as Lockout stalked out of the hallway, eyes pinned on me. Why did he always look so intense? And why did he elicit this reaction inside of me every time I looked his way?

Of course, this time it was stronger because now I knew I was basically going to throw myself at him.

What’s the worst that could happen?

Billie’s question sounded in my mind once more.

He could embarrass me. He could turn me down.

He could sleep with me then treat me like a club bunny.

Ugh. The ways in which this could go badly were many.

But I’d promised to try. And my heart wasn’t going to let me get away with keeping him at arm’s length anymore.

Not after what happened to us this afternoon.

I gave him a tentative smile as he stopped in front of me. “Church go well?”

He searched my expression and gave a clipped nod. “Let me show you to your room.”

I fell into step with him as we headed upstairs.

It didn’t surprise me that he didn’t tell me anything about church, or do more than acknowledge that they’d had it.

He only told me what was strictly need to know.

That was fine. I didn’t need to be involved in their club.

I had my own stuff to deal with most of the time, now especially.

We passed the door to the apartment I’d stayed in before.

Space was getting tight with all the men and their families living in the bigger apartments now.

My steps slowed as we headed further down the hall toward his apartment in the back.

“I’m not staying with you, Lock.” Though it would make it easier to seduce him if I did.

His eyes flicked my way before he stopped at a door right next to his. He opened it and waited. “I want you close by.”

I was going to have to give my heart a stern talking to, because it leapt so high it was in my throat.

I couldn’t fall in love with him. Even if we did sleep together there was no guarantee that Sloane and Isla’s plan was going to work.

He could still walk away at the end of it, and I’d be left with a shattered heart if I completely gave it to him.

Going into this, I needed to protect myself until I knew what was what. Then maybe I’d start opening up to him. Not jump in like a love sick fool and end up drowning.

I walked into the small apartment and looked around. It was cute. Small. Which was fine for me.

“Figured I could always knock out a wall and add another section to my apartment if I needed to,” he said, motioning toward the little studio apartment.

“It’s perfect. Thank you for letting me stay.” I turned to face him. Neither of us were going to mention the fact that he’d practically forced me to come with him. It didn’t matter. “Did the club agree?”

“Of course,” he answered. He didn’t need me to clarify that I was talking about helping me out. He knew. “You’re a part of our family, Keely.”

Sighing, I turned and saw that he’d set my bags in the little living room area.

Just like all the other apartments Priest and Jenny had this one decked out with everything I’d need to live here.

“I don’t want you, or them, to think that I don’t appreciate this, Lock, because I do,” I said, turning to face him again.

“But this is big. The things these guys do…” I raised my hands then dropped them immediately.

It was a gesture of hopelessness. “I’ve seen a lot, being a criminal defense attorney.

” I gave him a wry smile. “I like to think I have a stomach of steel. But the photos…”

The one of a body half dissolved in a barrel of acid still haunted me. And that was only a fraction of the things I’d seen working on this case. Going through all the case notes and reports of the agents working on various killings and kidnappings had shown me a lot. “I’m worried about you.”

One light brown eyebrow shot up as he studied me. “You’re worried about me?”

“All of you,” I insisted.

“We’ve handled worse,” he said, folding his arms over his chest.

“I don’t doubt that,” I told him. Though I did.

“And I’m not saying that you can’t handle these guys.

If anyone can, it’s you.” I ignored his satisfied smirk.

Sure I was probably inflating that massive ego even more, but there was a point to this.

“But if anything happens to any of you…it’s going to be my fault.

I don’t know if I can live with that,” I whispered.

He moved so fast, I could only gasp as he grabbed me by the upper arms and hauled me closer. He was scowling down at me. “And what the fuck do you think I’m going to feel if we find you dead?” he growled. “Knowing I could have done something to help?”

I hadn’t really thought of it like that. Thinking about dying wasn’t exactly something I spent a lot of time doing. It sent a cold chill skittering down my spine. I didn’t know what to say to him though, so I stayed quiet.

“Promise me, Keely,” he said, those hazel eyes burning into mine. “Promise me you’re not going to do something stupid.”

I gasped, irritated at that phrasing, and started to snap at him. His next words made me swallow my own. Made me release the offense I took from his statement.

“I don’t want anything to happen to you. Promise me you’ll let me help.”

How was a girl supposed to yell at him when he says things like that?

“Okay, Lock,” I said.

His eyes narrowed. “You’ll stay here at the clubhouse.”

It wasn’t exactly a request, but I nodded. “I will.”

“And you’ll let us handle the LoS?”

Again, I nodded.

“The words, Keely,” he muttered. “I’m going to need you to say them out loud.”

Rolling my eyes, I asked, “Don’t you trust me?”

“Not that much,” he said with a smirk.

He was still holding onto me, his fingers digging into my arms, the heat of his body so close. It took all my self-control not to just lean into him. Now wasn’t the time for that. “I’ll stay here and I’ll let you handle it,” I told him.

Satisfaction lit his gaze as he nodded. “Good.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to tell the FBI though,” I added. “They’re not going to let me stay much longer.”

“Static had an idea about that,” he said, releasing me and crossing those muscular arms over his chest again. “If you talk to your bosses, could you convince them to tell the FBI that they need you back?”

I tilted my head, considering the idea. “They might…”

“We’ll go speak with them tomorrow,” he said.

Arching my brows, I frowned at him. “Is this a part of letting you handle this?”

“What?” he asked, his lips twitching upward as if he knew what I was about to say.

“Letting you boss me around?”

“Pretty much,” he said with a chuckle.

Huffing out a sigh, I shook my head at him, but I was biting back my own smile.

He was lucky he was cute. Otherwise I wouldn’t be willing to deal with his high handed ways.

Well, that and the fact that he was probably going to be the only thing keeping me from having to go on the run in order to survive.

“I’m not agreeing to that,” I warned him.

One side of his mouth lifted in a sardonic grin. “Wouldn’t expect anything else. As long as you agree to staying put and letting me handle the LoS, we’ll figure the rest out as we go.”

I nodded. “I can agree to those terms.” My mind was already rushing ahead, making a list of things I needed to do, like text my bosses and ask for a meeting with them tomorrow.

“Then we’ll get along just fine.”

Sucking in a breath, I stared up at him. Now was the time. We were laying out rules and expectations. I should bring up what happened earlier. Tell him I wanted him. But the words stuck in my throat.

I wasn’t a virgin. I’d had two boyfriends in the past and sex had definitely been a part of those relationships.

But they’d both asked me out and we’d done all the normal things before we’d had it.

They’d taken me out on dates, eventually asked me to be their girlfriend.

I’d never asked a man to just…sleep…with me before.

What if he laughed? On the other hand, a man never threw me over his shoulder caveman style, fingered me and made me suck my own wetness from his fingers before either…

My cheeks heated as he raised a brow. “What?”

“Nothing,” I said.

He frowned. “Don’t worry so much, Keely. We’ll keep you safe.”

He thought I was worrying about my life.

And really, maybe I should be, but now that I was here with him?

It was easy to set aside my fear. I trusted him.

Trusted his ability to keep his word and take care of this mess.

Even if I’d hesitated at first, now that I was resigned to it and had given my word, I knew I didn’t need to worry.

Instead I was thinking about sex. With him.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” he asked, his voice low, gravelly.

“Nothing,” I said again. There’d be plenty of time to seduce the man later. “I was just making a to-do list,” I lied.

Pounce on gorgeous biker, suck dick, make him moan… That would be considered a seduction, right?

Both his brows shot up. “Of course you were,” he said, humor flooding his tone. “I’ll let you get settled. If you need anything, I’m just next door.”

I nodded, following him to my front door, then shutting it after he walked out.

Turning, I leaned back against it and stared up at the ceiling.

I was officially a coward. But I’d spend the night thinking this over, making a plan.

I always worked best with a plan. I just needed to figure out what the best way to proceed was. Then I’d lure Lockout into my bed.