A rough hand slid around my neck from behind to cup my throat as heated breath tickled my ear. “Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?”
Heart tripping and fluttering at his touch, I sucked in a stuttered gasp. A slight curl lifted the corners of my lips. “Maybe, but I forget.”
Teeth tugged at my earlobe. A growl rumbled his chest against my back, and his other hand slid around my waist to flatten against my stomach. “Fucking breathtaking. That’s what you are. Need to make sure every motherfucker in here knows you’re mine.”
Looking around the room at the rowdy bunch of bikers, I hesitated. Then my gaze flickered toward my shoulder to where he teased my ear and jaw. The man was fast sucking me into his vortex. Though I knew better, I boldly asked, “Am I?”
The hand around my throat tightened slightly. Not enough to hurt or scare me, but enough to get my attention. It also sent my pulse skittering.
“You’re goddamn right you are. And if you aren’t sure yet, then maybe I need to fuck you again until there’s no question. This body?” He pulled my backside flush against his front. I moaned softly at the feel of his growing erection. “It’s mine. This mind?” He pressed a kiss to my temple. “Also mine. But this heart?” He slid his hand that was flat on my abdomen up to lie over my pounding heart. “I’ll share with our son—and the rest of our children.”
Nervously, I licked my lips, deciding to ignore that comment. The son in question was across the room plying Voodoo’s father, Hawk, with a million questions about motorcycles. It was so weird to think of Voodoo as anything other than Ogun, even though I couldn’t say what Hawk’s real name was. The few times I saw him when we were kids, he was big and scary and all biker-ish.
“Pretty confident of yourself,” I breathlessly attempted to tease in deflection.
“Hell yes, I am.” He turned me to face him. When I tried to drop my gaze to pretend to study his cut, he used the edge of his forefinger to raise my chin. “Korrie, I love you. Always have, always will. Too many years were wasted and lost. Not happening again. Unless you can tell me you don’t love me back and never will. Then it will fucking gut me, but I’ll set you up wherever you want to be. The only thing I ask is you don’t keep my son from me.”
Swallowing with difficulty, I reached up to cup his cheek. My thumb brushed back and forth across his short beard. His eyes closed briefly before the warm chocolate of his irises filled my vision, patiently waiting for my answer. He was the gorgeous one, not me, and that was dangerous.
“I hate what my mother did to us, and I don’t see her taking this lying down. I’ll be honest, I’m afraid of what may have been unleashed by what happened in Kentucky. This isn’t over.” I trembled as a shiver shot through me. Though the former senator may believe his son ran off, he wasn’t the only one to worry about.
My mother was not a passive person. The thought of her made me think of how unfair she’d been to me my entire life. When I thought about the years and milestones Angel and Trace had missed with each other, I wanted to cry and rant at the injustice of it all.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you and Trace safe. My brothers will do the same. You’re family now, and that’s what we do.” He dropped his head to rest his forehead against mine. “I’ve learned a few things over the years.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?” I asked with a half-hearted grin, because he was nothing if not adorable.
“Life is fleeting. The good guys don’t always win. And sometimes the bad guys are the only ones who can save the day.” He gave me a chaste kiss. “Oh, and something Voodoo’s grandma insists… love always wins. Which is why I know we’re going to get through this.”
Unfortunately, I didn’t have his optimism.
Pulling me back into the shadows of the room, he cradled my face and kissed me.
“Mom! Dad! Uncle Hawk said he’s gonna build me my first motorcycle!”
We broke apart and turned to face our son. It was so strange to think about not being in the parent thing alone anymore. Even if we didn’t stay here, Trace had a father in his life now. Then what he’d said sunk in.
“What?” I asked, shocked and a little afraid at the thought of my son on a motorcycle.
Angel simply laughed as he high-fived our beaming son. I shot him a look that said he was insane.
One of the older guys called Trace over to teach him to play pool. It was a little comical, because he wasn’t really tall enough to have very good aim.
Or so I thought. He was surprisingly good.
It seemed like Angel’s brothers were doing their best to keep Trace occupied so Angel and I could spend time together. My face heated at what he might’ve told them in their meeting. Not that I was ashamed of being with him, but I was still on the fence about what was right for us. I also didn’t know how much guys like them discussed.
“Looks like he might be a natural.” Angel looped an arm over my shoulder and tugged me close to his side as he raised a beer to his perfect lips. I found myself staring at the movement of his throat as he swallowed and finding everything he did sexy as hell.
Dangerous.
I was quickly falling into the lovesick girl I’d been at fifteen and again at twenty. He did that to me, though. I’d never been happier or more proud than when he’d asked me to be his girlfriend. I’d been just shy of fifteen when we lost our virginity to each other, but we’d been flirting with the change in our feelings for years. I’d been sure that he’d never see me as more than the tagalong with him and Ogun.
My hand splayed over his chest as I turned into him.
“So you really think this is a wise decision? Us?” I was incredulous that he saw things so simply.
His gaze dropped to me, all molten and intense. “Damn straight, babe.” Then he pressed a kiss to my head and gave me a squeeze. My heart was so full I was sure it would burst, but I was worried.