Page 8

Torrent

The second we step outside into the yard of Savage Steel, the vibe shifts.

Music’s thumping, the grill is going, and my brothers are already well into their second or third rounds. Bottles clink, laughter echoes, and the scent of smoke and sweat hangs in the air like something primal. It’s our kind of party, rough around the edges and free as hell.

But for the first time in a long time, my attention isn’t scattered across the chaos.

It’s focused.

Right on Tessa.

She’s walking just a step ahead of me, her eyes wide with curiosity, but her shoulders finally starting to loosen. That tension I’ve seen in her since the day we met is melting. Little by little. Like she’s letting herself be here, in this world of mine, and not just as a guest.

As someone who belongs.

“Beer?” I ask, dipping into the cooler and pulling out two.

She nods, takes it with a smile that does something sharp and reckless to my chest. “Thanks.”

We don’t need words. Not yet. There’s still something buzzing between us after that kiss. Hell, I haven’t caught my damn breath since it happened.

But she’s not running.

She’s here.

And damn, she looks good surrounded by the roar of my life.

Crab walks over and slings an arm around her like they’ve been friends for years. “You surviving your first Royal Bastards party?”

She laughs, nudging him with her shoulder. “Barely. I’ve only been offered a shot three times in five minutes.”

“Only three?” he teases. “We’re slippin’.”

The guys are drawn to her but not in that flirty, territorial way. More like they’re curious how someone like her ended up in a place like this. But she handles it, even jokes with them. Laughs. She laughs, and the sound of it settles something in my chest I didn’t realize was tight.

She fits.

More than I expected.

Maybe more than I’m ready for.

We drift through the party together, never far from each other. Her hand brushes against mine. My arm slides around her waist when we’re talking to a group. She leans in when she laughs, her shoulder grazing my chest. It’s light touches, casual and innocent to anyone else.

But to me, it’s a goddamn firestorm.

She’s not just flirting.

She’s giving in.

And I feel like I’m one heartbeat away from grabbing her and claiming her right here in front of everyone.

A few of the club bunnies wander over, clinging to some of the guys. Tight dresses, louder than hell, trying way too hard. I don’t blame them. This life is addictive. And the men in it? Dangerous as sin.

Tessa watches as one of them practically climbs into Finch’s lap, her lips curled in dry amusement. She looks over at me and mutters, “Club bunnies are the worst.”

I choke on a laugh, caught off guard. “Club bunnies, huh?”

She just sips her beer, lifting a brow at me like it’s obvious. “What? You think I don’t know things?”

I stare at her for a beat, searching for an answer in her eyes.

She doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t explain.

I could press her on it.

But I don’t.

I file it away. Add it to the growing list of things I don’t know about her. But tonight isn’t about that.

Tonight is about this.

Us.

Fun.

Fire.

Freedom.

So, I smirk and clink my bottle against hers. “Good thing you’re not one of them.”

She laughs again, brighter this time, and bumps her hip into mine. “Damn right I’m not.”

The night wears on, and she doesn’t fade. If anything, she shines. Playing darts with Finch, kicking Riptide’s ass at pool, dancing with some of the old ladies to a song that should’ve been outlawed in the 90s.

And me?

I can’t take my eyes off her.

Her cheeks are flushed, eyes sparkling, that guarded edge she always wears finally dulled. I’ve never seen her this free. Wild. Happy.

And fuck, if it isn’t the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.

Every time she moves, I feel it. Every glance she throws over her shoulder, every smirk, every laugh it’s gasoline. And I’m the match.

By the time midnight hits, the tension between us is wrapped so tight it’s a miracle we haven’t exploded. I catch her looking at me from across the yard, and I know that if I don’t touch her again soon, I’m gonna lose my damn mind.

But I don’t make the move yet.

Not here. Not now.

Because this night isn’t just about sex.

It’s about her.

Seeing her like this.

And knowing she chose to come.

To stay. With me.

It’s fucking amazing.

The party’s still rolling, but it’s mellowed.

The firepit’s burning low, and the guys have switched from beer to whiskey, voices low and easy.

Tessa’s curled into the corner of the patio couch, laughing with Finch and Crab about something dumb, I’m sure one of them said.

She’s glowing completely at ease, and fuck if that doesn’t do something to me.

She fits here like she’s always belonged.

I move toward her, catching her eye. There’s a flicker of something behind her smile. Want. Curiosity. Heat. I nod toward the shop, and she stands without hesitation, brushing her hand along my chest as she passes.

The touch is light, but it burns me like fire.

I guide her through the back door of Savage Steel and close it behind us, the heavy metal clicking shut and sealing us off from the world.

The party fades into a dull thump beyond the walls.

In here, it’s quiet. The soft hum of electricity, the faint scent of oil and steel. The place where everything is built.

Where everything’s real.

She steps forward, running her hand along one of the workbenches, her fingers trailing across a disassembled barrel. I move behind her, slide my hands into her hair, and gently pull her back against me.

“You have no idea how fucking happy I am that you came tonight.”

She exhales, a soft sound that rolls through me. “I almost didn’t.”

“I know. But you did. And watching you tonight?” I turn her slowly to face me, my fingers still tangled in her hair. “Watching you laugh with my brothers, move through this place like you belonged in it, you’ve never looked sexier.”

Her eyes darken, and her fingers grip the hem of my shirt. “You’ve been driving me crazy all night. Every time you touched me, every time you looked at me, I thought I was gonna combust.”

My lips twitch. “You think that was me trying?”

She lets out a breathless laugh, then looks up at me. “This is a bad idea.”

I step closer, lowering my forehead to hers. “Yeah. The worst.”

And then I kiss her.

No hesitation this time.

It’s deep and hot and demanding. Her hands fist in my shirt, pulling me closer as my mouth claims hers like I’ve been waiting years. She opens for me, soft and hungry, and when she moans against my lips, I damn near lose it.

I walk her back until she’s pressed against the metal table. My hands are on her hips, lifting her to sit on the edge. Her thighs part, drawing me in, and her nails scrape down my arms like she needs to feel all of me.

We keep kissing, tasting, teasing. Our bodies locked in a rhythm that’s nothing short of lethal.

My hand slides up her thigh, her breath catches, and I break the kiss to look at her.

The need or want, probably both, that I see staring back at me is fucking hot.

I grin as I lean forward and suck on the delicate skin of her neck.

“You need relief, don’t you?”

I press my fingers against her center through her jeans, and she moans loudly.

“Tell me, Tessa. Tell me you need relief.”

I can feel her shaking, but it’s not her nerves. It’s the buildup ready to explode. She’s trying to fight it, but I know what she needs. I know what she craves, because I feel it too.

“Please, Torrent,” she whispers, digging her nails into my arms.

“Fuck, hearing you beg would make me do anything.” I unbutton her jeans and slip past the barrier of her panties, giving her exactly what she needs.

“Oh God,” she cries out, making my dick even harder.

“You’re dripping wet, and I’ve barely touched you. Do you have any idea how fucking sexy that is? How it makes me want to rip off all your clothes, press you against the wall, and slam my hard cock into you? How it makes me want to know your taste, memorize your sounds, and watch you come undone?”

“Torrent, God, please.” She rocks her hips against my fingers, begging for me to push them inside.

I don’t make her ask again. I slam my fingers into her hot, wet, tight pussy. We both moan, lost in the feeling.

There’s so much more I want. So much more I need. But not now. Right now, Tessa needs relief, and that’s what I’m going to give her.

My fingers fuck her pussy, curling as I find the spot that has her nearly falling off the table. “That’s it, Tessa, don’t fight how it feels. Let go of everything and give it to me. Give it all to me,” I hiss, watching her mouth as she pants around her moans.

“Torrent, fuck, it’s been so long. I’m not going to last.” She pushes forward on my fingers, drawing me deeper.

I drive my fingers into her faster and harder, pushing her closer to the edge.

Her hard nipples are poking through her shirt and making me want to do so much more.

Not now, though. Right now, she needs to see that this isn’t just about getting her into my bed.

This is about so much more. This is about her giving in to what we both know is inevitable.

“Let go, Tessa, I demand, curling my fingers and rubbing her clit with my thumb.

As if my words are enough, she explodes on me. Wave after wave crashing over her as her release spills onto my fingers.

“Torrent!”

My name falling from her lips is the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard. Watching her unravel for me in the middle of a room built for war might be the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.

She’s still panting when I kiss her again, slow and deep. I pull my fingers out of her, and she flinches as I remove them from her jeans. Her eyes lock with mine as I bring my fingers to my mouth and suck them clean.

“Fuck, you taste better than I imagined.”

She tries to fight a grin, but it hits her full lips as she pulls my shirt to bring me closer. “What about you?”

I press a soft kiss to her lips as I reach down and button her jeans. “My time will come, I promise you that. But for now, let the ache in your tight pussy be a reminder of what else is to come.”

“Fuck,” she whispers, wrapping herself around me.

“This is just our beginning, Tessa, don’t doubt that, but I’m not giving or taking more. Not tonight. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone before. You’ve been fighting it for so long, I need to prove myself to you. You get that?”

She’s quiet for a moment, her breath lightly blowing on my neck. “Yeah, I get that.”

“Good.” My forehead rests against hers, our breathing tangled. “I’m taking you home.”

She tries to speak, but I cut her off with a look.

“No arguments. You’re not walking again. If you need to go anywhere, you call me. Got it?”

She starts to smile like she might protest, but I pull her phone from her back pocket, type my number in, and hand it back. “That’s not a suggestion, Tessa.”

She studies me for a beat, then nods. “Okay.”

I help her off the table and brush my hands down her sides. “Let’s get out of here.”

The ride is quiet, but not in a bad way. She wraps her arms around me like she doesn’t want to let go. Her body pressed tight against mine on the back of the bike. It’s the kind of silence that says everything loud and clear.

When we pull up to her place, I kill the engine and walk her to her door. The street’s empty, still. The only light comes from the single bulb above her entrance. She turns to face me, her cheeks pink from the wind and maybe something more.

I cup her jaw, thumb brushing her cheekbone.

“You’re something else, Tessa.”

She lifts her chin. “So are you.”

I lean in and press my lips to hers, soft this time. A gentle promise. Her fingers grip my jacket, like she’s not ready to let the night go.

Neither am I.

But I pull back anyway. “Sleep, baby. I’ll see you soon.”

She nods, stepping back toward the door. And just before she disappears inside, she gives me a look over her shoulder that tells me we’ve only just begun.

And damn if that doesn’t make the fire inside me burn hotter.

Tonight has been more than I ever thought I’d get.