“Damn, Prez. No wonder you look ready to kill. But come on, this is Madeline. Your saucy little woman and—” Lynx wiggled his eyebrows like Groucho Marx. Sometimes I couldn’t deal with his antics.
“She’s not my fuckin’ woman,” I yelled, pushing off my stool. It crashed onto the floor. “Just someone I fucked, all right?” I blew and in a big, disastrous way. The words flew out of my mouth as I lost my cool. Reacted to Lynx’s taunting. But dammit! Why didn’t she tell me about Miller? Deputy fuckin’ Miller! This kind of shit was a deal breaker.
“Oh, man…” Track whispered, lifting his beer to his lips, tilting his head toward the door.
And I knew then, Madeline had heard me.
I turned my head to the entrance of the bar. Madeline and I stared at each other for a long second. Nothing I said now would matter. Not with this fireball. I knew a massive ass-chewing was heading my way. She just better not do it in front of my brothers.
“I’m here. What do you want?” She crossed her arms over her chest, a scary expression on her beautiful face. But I didn’t miss the slight tremble rolling through her body. She was afraid, but trying to hide it.
Hero and Wolf stepped behind the bar and out of the way. Smart guys.
“How about a quick fuck?” She scanned the bar. “Right here with an audience. Isn’t that how you guys like to do things? Out in the open?”
Her goddamn smart mouth fired me up and turned me on every fuckin’ time. I drank Madeline in. Her lithe, curvy body was cloaked in a red and white polka dot sundress with thin straps. It fell mid-thigh. She had on her brown boots with the stitched cross on the front. Her dark, silky hair fell in loose waves over her sexy shoulders, her makeup light and natural. Seeing her on the video did not do her justice. She was stunning, even with the bitter scowl on her face.
“Lost for words?” She tapped the toe of her boot, getting angrier. “Where do you want me? On my knees? Laid out on the bar, spread eagle? How about I just strip right here.” She turned toward AJ. “Put something titillating on so I can do a striptease.”
Now she crossed the line.
“Will you just shut the fuck up for one goddamn minute, woman!” I scratched the side of my head, willing myself to get a grip.
Of course, she didn’t listen.
“I know you brought me here because of Dane. Let’s just get this over with. I betrayed you and should be punished. But it’s not really a big deal because you were just fucking me and cut me loose—”
I tilted my head at her, feeling like I was about to explode. “The fuck you say?”
She held up a hand, stopping me. Damn, stubborn woman. “No worries. It’s what I expected. It’s why I didn’t open up to you about my private life. Or tell you Dane was a deputy in Winters. Let me assure you, I know nothing about your club’s dealings or any of your brothers. I’d never say anything to that son of a bitch.” She inhaled a deep breath, eyes glossy but resolute. “Gentleman. It’s been… interesting. Happy Independence Day. Stay safe.” She spun on her heels and bolted, leaving me speechless and livid.
What the fuck just happened?
“You gonna just let her leave?” Track asked. “She’s fucking awesome, by the way.”
“A little too mouthy for my taste,” Wolf muttered.
Lynx and Hero laughed.Assholes.
“Son of a bitch.” I stormed after Madeline, catching her wrist just as she exited the double entrance doors. “That mouth of yours always gets you into trouble, Angel.” I spun her around and pushed her up against the wall. My breath caught in my throat, seeing tears rolling down her face.
“Let me go.” She turned her face away, as if embarrassed, and tried to wiggle out of my grasp.
“You’re mine, Angel. Not giving you up.”
“Bullshit. You don’t own me.” Her baby blues flashed and the disgust in them put a severe ache in my chest. I never wanted her to hate me.
“I. Heard. You.”
“I was angry and talking out of my ass.”
She shook her head. “Every time you’re angry, you gonna talk out your ass? You gonna make it sound like I don’t mean anything to you just so you look big and bad in front of your brothers? Because if so, Storm, I’m out. I am so freaking out. I don’t need that kind of shit in my life again.”
Again.
I had a feeling she was referring to Miller. I wanted to wrap my hand around his long, thin neck and squeeze the life out of him for hurting her. When I saw her so broken at her place, I already wanted to kill him. Well, now I wanted him gone—yesterday. I didn’t know the details of what he did, but I would find out. Then I’d make the motherfucker pay.
I ran the pads of my thumbs under her eyes, wiping away her tears, and kissed her nose. She didn’t fight me. I was damn grateful, too. Lowering my voice, I said, “I’m sorry for being an ass. But you should’ve told me about Miller.”