Page 19 of Lore (Serpents of Chaos MC #3)

ATIANA

“You didn’t tell me he sent flowers,” I whisper-yell, while Lore cups my face with his big hands. We’re sitting at the bar, and I’m having a soda while Lore is having a beer. “And now a letter? Do I even want to know what it says?”

“I didn’t want you to worry,” he replies, running the pad of his thumb across my jawline.

After going to visit with the adorable Zade, who has his mom’s blue eyes and a thick head of dark hair, Lore went to church, and only then, after that meeting, decided to tell me about the flowers and now the letter Trent sent.

He can’t get to me in here, so he’s doing what he can to let me know that he hasn’t forgotten about me. What did I ever see in Trent? However, he gave me Dove, so I can’t complain. I just wish he would leave us alone now.

“He can’t get you in here, and he knows it,” he says, pulling me against his chest. “With all the shit he’s gotten himself into, we might not even have to do anything. The mafia is after him, which is what’s making this situation a little trickier.”

“The mafia?” My brows furrow as I wonder just how deep into this shit Trent has gotten. A small part of me feels sorry for him, but he did bring all of this on himself. I can only protect my children now, even if, for Dove, that means from her own father.

“We’re handling it,” he vows.

“Thank you,” I whisper, not knowing what I would have done without him. “I’m sorry I dragged your club into this.”

“Don’t be. It brought you back to me,” he rasps, tracing my lips with the pad of his thumb. “You did the right thing, Butterfly. Always come to me.”

I look up at him. He can be so sweet sometimes. But then again, he always was, even back then.

“You know, seeing Zade…” he trails off, running his hand over his beard. “I wish I were there to see Rider being born. It makes it even fucking worse knowing you were there all alone, then seeing how much support Ora had. You should have had all that. I wish you did.”

“Lore,” I whisper, my voice catching.

He lifts my chin with his forefinger and thumb, forcing me to look at him. But I don’t see any blame when I look into his violet eyes, not anymore.

Just pain for all that we lost.

And regret.

“I know there’s no going back,” he mutters, smiling sadly.

“But I am sorry I wasn’t there for you both.

I’m sorry I walked away from you. I’m just fucking sorry, and I hope you can forgive me because if you think I’m ever letting you go again…

” He presses his lips to mine in a hard, almost desperate kiss.

“Looks like the party started early,” one of the twins calls out as he steps into the room.

He has on nothing but a pair of light, low-slung jeans and his cut, showing off his chiselled stomach.

Is that an eight-pack? Unlike most of the other men here, it doesn’t look like he has any tattoos.

When he starts to thrust his hips suggestively, I know that it’s Bones.

He’s always playing around. Skull is close behind him, a bandana on his head.

He, too, isn’t wearing a T-shirt, just his leather cut and all that smooth, tanned skin.

He also has an eight-pack.

How do they manage to maintain identical muscles, too?

A deep growl rises through Lore’s chest, gaining my full attention. When I catch his narrowed eyes, he lowers his face to me, his brows drawing together dangerously. “Keep your eyes on me, Butterfly, unless you want me to kick both of their asses.”

I roll my eyes and place my palm on his chest, my eyes sliding away to see Rose and Brandy walking in carrying some bottles of alcohol, wearing barely any clothing.

I dip my head toward them, and he looks over, flinching.

“You’re not the one who has to be around people that you’ve fucked every day.

If I want to check out some abs, I’m going to. ”

He slides off his cut and places it on the bar, then grips his T-shirt at his nape to pull it off, showing his impressive muscles covered in sexy inked skin.

“That was in the past, and this is fucking now. Do you see me looking at them? I don’t want anyone else.

You want to see some fucking abs, take your fill.

But it will only be mine you’re looking at. ”

My lip twitches, and I tilt my head to the side, studying him.

I know my guard has been slowly lowering itself as each day passes, and I’ve stopped trying to keep it up.

Of course, there’s a part of me that’s still terrified because he could break my heart all over again, and it’s not just me I have to think about this time.

But then he says things like that, or he shows me what a good dad he can be, and my resolve crumbles.

I’ve grown over the years, and maybe he has too.

Or maybe he’s just doing that now. I don’t know.

I reach out my hand, my fingers stroking down the center of his ripped abs, feeling every defined ridge. “We’re supposed to be celebrating Zade. This isn’t a strip show, Lore.”

“No, no show. It’s seduction for my woman,” he growls into my ear, nibbling down my neck.

“Getting a little ahead of yourself there,” I mutter, closing my eyes and tilting my head back to give him more access.

“No, I’m not. And the sooner you accept it, the sooner I can put a property patch on you and make you my old lady officially .”

My eyes open, widening. “You want me to be your old lady? Like… a commitment?”

He smirks, his eyes dancing with humor. “You don’t have to say it like it’s a forbidden word. Have I not been clear enough? I want you on my bike. My ring on your finger. My patch on your back. I want you and both kids to have my last name.”

“Lore.”

He lowers his tone to a delicious rasp. “I just plain want you , Butterfly. How about I give you a private show later? I remember that grinding move that used to make you so fucking wet.”

I know exactly the one he’s talking about. “You still have those moves?”

He lifts me into his arms, and my legs wrap around him.

“You know damn well I still have those moves,” he growls against my lips before kissing me. Cheers ring out around us, from the men anyway. Lore’s fingers grab hold of my ass, massaging the globes while his tongue works his magic against mine.

When he pulls back, I’m so turned on…

And fucking terrified.

I’m right back where I never wanted to be.

A place I once wanted more than anything.

But the thing about losing something you want so badly is that pain can sometimes overpower our strongest desires.

“Get a room,” Rune calls out as he steps into the bar, his brother, Curse, at his side. The two of them are also smoking hot, but I try not to linger on them for more than two seconds.

More members arrive, and soon the music gets louder, and the alcohol starts to flow.

“Well, aren’t you a pretty little thing,” a gorgeous redhead says, smiling at me. Her big, emerald eyes are lined with dark smoky liner, and her lips are painted a fire-engine red. “I’m Heaven.”

I shake her hand. “Atiana. Nice to meet you. Are you with one of the men?”

She laughs, her eyes twinkling. “I guess you could say that. I work at Club Cobra, the strip club that the Serpents own.” She nods toward a group of women on the dance floor. “Same as all of them. We come to party when we’re invited.”

“Oh.” I didn’t even know that the club owned a strip club, but I shouldn’t be surprised. Still, the thought of Lore being with one, or all of them, makes me feel sick. I take in her short black dress and smile. “I love your dress.”

She glances down at it, then grins. “This old thing? Who are you here with?”

“Lore,” I say, watching her reaction very closely.

She glances out at the bar, where he’s getting me another drink. “I’d watch out for that one, honey. He’s got heartbreaker written all over him.”

“Don’t I know it.” I sigh, watching as he throws his head back and laughs at something War says to him.

She nods toward Blade. “What about him? He’s a nice one. Smart. Sexy. Has the whole Clark Kent thing going for him. And you won’t have to make sure he gets an STD check before you touch him.”

A choking sound, half-amused and half-horrified, escapes me.

She threads her arm in mine. “Come with me to the pole room, there’s always something interesting going on in there.”

“The pole room?” I ask, losing track of Lore as she leads me through the crowd.

“Yeah,” she replies, and my eyes widen when I take in the scene in front of me. Two women are working a dance pole, with a few men watching. I see Bones with one of the strippers on his lap, his face disappearing into her bare breasts.

“Much more fun in here, don’t you think?” Heaven grins, playfully nudging me with her shoulder. She gives me a slow once-over. “You know, the men would love you at Club Cobra, all petite, tattooed, and shit. You need a job?”

“Uh, no, thank you. I’m actually a tattoo artist. Rune and Curse said they might have a job for me?—”

“Oh, those two are so sexy . Fuck, there’s Danger. How do I look?” She turns to me and fluffs up her hair. “I’ve wanted him since he was a prospect, but he hasn’t been interested. Maybe he’s not into redheads?”

“You are beautiful,” I assure her, and she beams.

Another pretty woman comes and stands next to us, winking at Heaven. She also has red hair and green eyes, but she’s dressed casually in jeans and a tight white T-shirt, matched with a pair of Converse.

“Who let you in?” Heaven asks, frowning. “Go home, Ana. Now. I’ll order you a cab.”

Ana rolls her eyes, then looks up at the stripper pole. One of the women, a blonde, is wearing nothing but a pink thong now. “I’m allowed to go out and have some fun too. I’m twenty-one.”

“Yeah, only as of this week!” Heaven snaps, trying to cover Ana’s eyes with her hands. She turns to me, frowning. “This is my baby sister. And she needs to get her ass back home to study, not be here at a biker party!”

“Mom is with Luka. It’s fine,” Ana comments, pushing her sister’s hands away. Her green eyes wander over to the men sitting and watching the show. “You weren’t lying… the men here are straight out of my dark romance novels.”

Heaven throws her hands in the air, giving up. “Fine, but I tried to warn you. And I’m telling all the men you are off-limits.”

“Deal,” Ana replies, watching her sister stalk away with her hips swinging, most likely to threaten anyone with a penis.

“I don’t think I could be a stripper. I don’t like making men happy,” Ana casually states, making me burst out laughing.

“I’m Atiana.”

“Anastasia,” she replies, smiling shyly. “Or Ana, as my sister calls me. Rory keeps me away from… this side of her life. But I’m finally legal, and I wanted to see this clubhouse she always talks about.”

Lore sticks his head into the pole room, his furrowed brow relaxing when he sees me.

He has a spicy margarita in his hand, and for some reason, that makes me laugh.

“There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.

” He glances up at the stage and winces, handing me the drink, then tries to turn me around.

“I purposely avoided this room, but I see you found it anyway.”

“Spend much time in here, do you?”

“Not anymore,” he replies, flashing me a mock innocent smile before looking next to me.

“This is Ana. Ana, this is Lore.”

Her eyes scan over his features. “He’s yours?”

I nod and then roll my eyes at his triumphant smirk. “I’m all fucking hers.”

Ana turns to me and mouths the word, Hot .

“Lore?” One of the strippers calls out. “Are you here to play?”

He puts his hands out, his palms up. “No, no I’m not. Now let’s get the fuck out of here before you change your mind about me being yours.”

I take Ana’s hand, not wanting to leave her behind. We’re back at the bar, this time getting my new friend a drink.

Prez says something to Lore, getting his attention.

“Congratulations on getting to bounce on that.” Ana smirks, tucking her long hair back behind her ear as she checks out Lore’s ass.

“You have no filter, do you?”

She grins.

I lower my voice. “You don’t need to congratulate me. I’m pretty sure most women here have.”

She laughs, a beautiful sound that has more than a few bikers looking in her direction. “Yeah, but he chose the best one, didn’t he? Plus, at least you know he’s good in bed. A man who isn’t wouldn’t go around flaunting that.”

“Okay, you’re now my new best friend,” I announce, my shoulders shaking as I join her laughing.

“I could use one of those,” she replies with a straight face.

I’m about to reply when Danger slides up next to me. He must have gotten away from Heaven, who, when I last saw her, was trying her luck with him. I don’t miss the way his brown eyes eat Ana up. “And who do we have here?”

“Ana, this is Danger. Danger, this is my new best friend,” I introduce, and she smirks, then narrows her eyes as she takes him in.

“Why do they call you Danger?” she asks, tapping her index finger on her cheek. “Let me guess. You’re either really bold or reckless. Or you’re shy and sweet.”

His dimples pop. “I’m not shy, sweetheart.”

“Reckless it is,” Ana murmurs, going up on her tiptoes and touching his curly hair. “I like your hair.”

“Thank you,” he replies, making a choked sound.

“There you are,” Heaven says as she smiles up at Danger. She looks at Ana and sighs. “Come on, I’m taking you home. You’ve had enough fun.”

“I’m staying with Atiana,” Ana replies, lifting her chin.

Danger’s brown eyes dart between the two of them. “You brought her here?”

Heaven rolls her eyes and puts her hands on her hips. “Hardly.” She then turns to him and runs her palm up his chest. “I’ll be back later for you, though.”

Ana’s face remains expressionless, but I don’t miss the dash of disappointment in her eyes before she masks it.

“You want to dance before you go?” I ask her.

She smiles and nods. “Yeah, let’s.”

When I turn around, Danger still has his eyes pinned on her.