Page 4

Saint

I should have shot him. I should have killed all of them!

Hearing Jade break down in sobs and feeling her quake against tears me into shreds, and I want to turn this bike around and head back to the club just to make sure none of those men leave there with a pulse. I’ll kill them, from the men who put her in that position to the ones who made crude jokes as she stood on stage suffering.

I’ll fucking kill them all, but first I need to get Jade somewhere she’ll feel safe. I could take her to her home, but a part of me is unwilling to let her out of my sight. I need her somewhere I can protect her in the way only I can.

Jade is sniffling into my shoulder when I pull up outside my house. She climbs off my bike, and I half expect her to sprint down the road screaming, but she stays quiet as I push my bike into the garage and secure it. She’s seated on the front steps when I walk back out, her face buried in my jacket.

“I’m not crying,” she whispers when she senses my presence, lifting her pretty tear-stained eyes to meet mine.

“What you went through tonight was horrible. I’m not going to judge you if you do.”

“Well, I’m not crying. There’s nothing to judge or…not judge.” She sniffs.

“In the event you choose to cry, I want you to know that it’s okay. You’re safe with me.”

“Thank you,” she murmurs, breaking eye contact.

I sigh and let the conversation drop, walking to the door to open it. Jade climbs to her feet and quietly steps beside me. I open the door to my home and walk in, expecting her to follow, and she does just that, closing the door behind. Having Jade in my home stirs something deep inside me. I don’t bring women here. On the rare occasions I want a physical release, I get it at the clubhouse or follow a woman home from a bar. My home is my sanctuary. So why did I bring Jade here instead of taking her to the clubhouse?

“Would you like something to drink?” I ask, pushing my thoughts away.

“Water, please,” she says, following me into the kitchen. “I haven’t had anything in hours. They offered me drinks, but I was scared to accept in case they were laced with something.”

I hold the glass firmly, nearly breaking it with my grip but force myself to rein in my anger. I don’t want to scare her by losing control. I fill up her glass and slide it to her. She picks it up, smiling and thanking me. I watch her take a hurried gulp, which causes the water to spill down her front.

“Oh, shit!” she curses as the water hits the bare skin of her chest before disappearing beneath the fabric of her dress. I know I should be grabbing her a towel, but I’m frozen with my feet glued to the floor as I watch water droplets trail across her perfect skin to the space between her breasts.

I’m mesmerized, but at the same time I know I need to look away. Staring at her like this after what she’s been through makes me feel like the biggest asshole in the world.

Jade is breathtaking. Every inch of her from those beautiful locks down to that tight body, she’s easily the most gorgeous girl I have ever seen. It’s wrong to look at her the way I am, with lust and need so strong, it’s a battle between what I want and what is right.

Passing her dish towel instead of ogling her chest would be the right thing to do, but I can’t get my body to move.

Fuck!

My cock is hard in my jeans and has been most of the night since the moment I first saw her. Her innocence turned me on just as much as it did those fuckers at the club. She was a sight to behold when she walked up on that stage; there was little I could stop to control my body’s reaction. It was pure torment pretending I didn’t want to fuck her in that small room back at the club, but I also didn’t want her to think of me as a monster—at least not one who was no different from the other men who bid on her. So, I pushed down my need for her and focused on getting us out of the club safely. But then…she wrapped herself around me on my bike, pressing those perfect tits against my back, and my control threatened to snap!

She didn’t even realize what she was doing then, and she doesn’t now.

Slowly but easily crumbling my resolve to dust. Jesus Christ, I need to remind myself why the fuck I can’t have this girl. Why I can’t even fucking look at her!

“Were you kidnapped?” I blurt out, which seems to finally unfreeze my body and I’m able to pass her a towel, which she uses to dab at her chest and neck.

When she’s as dry as she can be, Jade takes another sip and looks at me over the rim of her glass. “No,” she answers, lowering the glass to the counter. “I walked in there myself.” She laughs, but the sound is as can. be. “Can you believe it? I just walked right into their trap.”

“What happened?”

She shakes her head, turning away from me, but I spot the tears before she can hide them. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Would you like to make a call? To family, or a friend and—”

“No!” That takes me by surprise. For someone who was terrified by the thought of leaving with me, she doesn’t seem in a hurry to escape my presence now that we’re away from the club. “My family is in Petersburg, and they would be sick with worry if they found out what happened. My dad… He has a weak heart. I don’t want to risk it.”

“I have a spare room you can stay in for now,” I offer. “You’ll be safe. No one in the entire city would think to come here.” That’s because they would be signing their own death warrants by doing so, but I don’t tell her that last bit.

Jade stares at me for a moment, and I can sense that her guard is still up. “You’re not going to do anything to me?”

“I’m not going hurt you.” Or let anyone else do so.

“Then why did you spend one million dollars on me if you’re not going to do anything?”

“That was the safest way I could get alone with you and get you out of there. Besides, those assholes aren’t actually going to get a cent of my money.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you care? Is it because you are called Saint? Wait…” Those pretty green eyes widen with surprise. “Are you some kind of a vigilante? Do you go around saving people? Is that what you do?”

I can already hear Knox’s bark of laughter in my head at the thought of me running around saving anyone. I didn’t get my name because of how good of a person I am. All of the men in my family have nicknames with religious origins. My older cousin runs our sister MC, the Steel Order, and his name is Priest. Anyone who knows me well has said that I have the patience of a saint, and not for reasons someone like Jade would want to know. Unlike my brothers who are impatient and impulsive when it comes to getting results, I can be quite persistent putting someone through hours of hell until I am satisfied with the answers they give me. I get results; it doesn’t matter how long it takes, which is why most people would rather deal with the impulsive Knox than me even though he’s a good deal more unhinged than I am.

“I’m not a vigilante,” I say, walking past her, and she follows as I take the stairs.

“You’re right, you don’t even look anything like a vigilante,” she says before quickly adding, “So, why did you save me?”

I shake my head at her question. It’s obvious to me that she’s not going to let this go, but at least she’s not crying anymore, so I take that as a win. I walk to the first door off the stairs and wait until she’s next to me before pointing to it. “You can stay here for the night,” I say, pushing open the door for her. Jade steps in front of me and peeks into the room, worrying her bottom lip, and I sense her hesitation to enter the room fully.

“W-what about you? Where… I mean, where are you going to sleep?”

“Down the hall, the last door to the left is my room,” I tell her, leaning against the wall and nodding for her to enter. “You can lock the door from the inside if you're afraid I’ll try to come in while you’re asleep.”

“Y-yeah, I’ll lock it,” she whispers, dragging her feet as she hesitantly steps into the room. I thought we’d moved past this point, but it’s clear I haven’t done enough to assure her.

“You are not a prisoner here, Jade,” I tell her, seeking to assuage her fears. “You can choose to stay or leave at any moment.”

She nods, but her steps are hesitant, and she’s almost completely inside before she turns around and grabs my arm, her nails digging into my skin. “I…I can’t sleep here,” she confesses shakily, her grip tightening on my arm. “Buck locked me in a room like that one you met me in. I was alone for hours, with nothing to do but imagine what might happen to me. My pleas to leave were met with threats, and…I don’t fully trust you; heaven knows I can’t bring myself to trust anyone right now after what happened, but I don’t want to be alone either.” She sniffs. “What if someone from the club comes looking for me? So far, you’re the only person who has shown me any kindness. I can’t stand the thought of being alone.”

I watch as tears gather in her eyes once more and realize that this girl is fast becoming my kryptonite. I want to take care of her, appease whatever the fuck is bothering her. Does she need me to go back to the club and bring her the head of whoever caused her this much pain? Because I will! I’ll fucking go back there, bring them to their knees, and make them beg for her forgiveness!

“Hey—” I start, but she cuts in.

“I keep thinking that they’ll come for me. They have my ID and my phone. They know everything about me, and I am terrified that they’ll somehow track me down, and I’ll be locked in that small room once again with no way to leave.”

“Jade—”

“Let me stay with you, please,” she pleads, blinking away tears, and I am helpless to do anything but reach up and wipe them away with my thumb. “I’ll sleep on the floor, or I don’t even have to sleep. I just can’t bear the thought of being alone. Not tonight at least.”

Fuck!

“Okay, alright,” I say, my voice thick with rage, but I discipline myself into hiding just how much fury is burning inside of me. “You can stay with me for the night,” I add, brushing hair from her face, and she leans into the warmth of my touch, nuzzling my hand; I don’t think she even realizes what she’s even doing.

Fuck, I have to remind myself that her actions are innocent and I shouldn’t look too much into the things she does.

She’s scared and afraid to be alone.

Jade has had quite a traumatic night, and what she needs is rest and not some hulking biker lusting over her in such a vulnerable state. But try telling that to my dick, which seems to notice when she pushes up against me and wraps her arms around my waist in an embrace.

“Thank you,” she whispers, her voice muffled as she buries her face in my chest.

Fuck!

Control yourself!

I’m not some pubescent teen experiencing his first touch from a girl. At thirty-five, I am way beyond that and this shouldn’t affect me as much as it does. Christ, my need for her is at a fever pitch, and I bet it would be easy to nudge her into the room, drown myself in her scent, and kiss every inch of her perfect body. Considering the looks I’ve caught her giving me, it would be nothing to seduce her into wanting me just as desperately.

A jewel.

That’s what the auctioneer called her, and Jade is very much one. A jewel that is fast melting at my resolve. And now she’s going to spend the night in my room—with me. Fuck, I need to get a hold of myself. The last thing I want is to scare her after everything she’s been through.

“You must be tired. Let me show you to my room,” I say, reaching behind her and pulling the door to the guest room closed for no other reason than to have something to do with my hands so I don’t her embrace and pull her tightly against me.

“Okay.” She nods, breaking the embrace. I miss the feel of her body pressed against mine, but I force myself to step away before I cross a line and scare her with the need bubbling inside of me.

There is no hesitation this time when she steps into my bedroom, and it’s hard, nearly impossible to ignore the king bed in the center of the room, but I try. “The bathroom is through that door. You can take a shower if you want. I’ll loan you a t-shirt for you to change into. Tomorrow morning I can send someone to your address to get some of your things—”

“No,” Jade cries out in panic. “No one can know I’m here. Your clothes are fine. I’ll just borrow a shirt or something.” I don’t push her to explain her reaction, instead offering a simple nod to her words. “Thank you,” she says, heading toward the bathroom but stops before she can open the door, chewing on her lip when she turns to me. “Umm.”

“Would you like me to step out while you shower?”

She shakes her head. “It’s not that.” Her expression turns to that of discomfort before she can voice what she’s thinking. “I know it’s weird asking this but…can you stand guard outside the door? Please?”

God, she’s killing me.

Is this how I pay for my sins? For all the fucking evil I have done, is this my karma? Even so, I am helpless to say no when it comes to this girl, so I simply nod, playing it off as if it’s not a big deal.

Just the thought of Jade naked behind the door sends need clawing at my chest, but the little temptress doesn’t seem to notice. She’s left the door cracked open, probably so I can hear her if she needs something, so I turn away to face the room, pretending I don’t hear her unzip her dress or shrug it off. It takes everything in me not to turn around and go to her, and it’s not until I hear the sound of the shower turning on that I release a heavy breath.

I’ve never had much interest in women. In my world, they are liabilities a powerful man like myself cannot afford to have. Loved ones can be used as leverage by an enemy, so I never allowed myself to get close enough to anyone for them to matter. I close my eyes and shake my head as if I can dispel these unwanted thoughts. Going to the linen closet in the hall, I choose a soft towel for Jade.

Approaching the bathroom door, I plan to toss the towel onto the counter for her, then back away again. But as I reach through the partially open door to do so, I catch sight of her reflection in the mirror. My shower is a large walk-in big enough for four people, and the glass wall is still clear despite the steam from the hot water. As I stare at Jade’s naked reflection and realize with a jolt that I never want another man to see her like this. Ever. I know I should look away, but for the life of me I can’t tear my gaze from her.

Mine!

“Fuck!” I choke out as my growing cock presses hard against my zipper. I wrench myself away from the door with a near-violent jolt and press my hand over my erection, willing it to go away, it’s no use. She’s goddamn perfect. From the swell of her breasts to her narrow waist and an ass I want to bite, Jade is a fucking masterpiece. Every inch of her is shaped to perfection, making my dick ache with need.

With a click glance at the bathroom door, I unzip my pants and push them down along with my boxer briefs. I groan loudly when I fist my hard dick, imagining her in the shower as I start stroking my shaft slowly. I know I don’t have much time until she’s out of the shower, so I pick up the pace, working my erection with rough pulls as I picture her gorgeous tits wet from the spray of the shower.

Fuck!

A deep growl climbs up my throat as I start fucking my fist like an animal, imagining it’s that sweet spot between her legs that I am hammering into. That it’s those juicy tits I’m kissing, her pebbled nipples I’m sucking…

“Saint,” she calls out, her sweet voice breaking through the thick fog in my brain. “Are you still there?”

Jesus Christ, as if I could leave this place for a second. No amount of threats could make me leave this spot. “I’m here!” I manage through gritted teeth.

She turns off the water before calling out again. “Saint?”

“I’m here,” I choke out, clenching my fist around my cock as my hips jerk forward. “Not going anywhere, precious.”

“Okay.” The water turns back on, and she goes back to showering, but I barely notice as the base of my abdomen tenses and white lights burst behind my lids. I clench my teeth hard as I come into my fist, picturing her wet pussy taking me in as I spill an endless stream of my seed into her tightness as she begs me to take her harder and faster against the shower wall, ramming into her until she’s sobbing and screaming out my name.

Mine!

My spend drips down my tight fist as I stroke myself through the orgasm until I’m wrung out. I slump against the wall with a heavy sigh, my breathing labored as I stare at the bathroom door, my thoughts on the girl on the other side, vowing to make her mine. I force myself off the wall and snag a dirty shirt from the floor to wipe off my hand before fixing my pants.

Mine , comes the unbidden thought once more, but the truth is Jade became mine the second she walked on that stage to be auctioned. She became mine even before I bid on her, and I will destroy anyone that dares hurt a strand on her head.

I’ve been known to do worse for less. I would do anything to protect this precious girl, a jewel that will only ever belong to me.

Mine!