Biker (6 page)

“I mean, I didn’t mean it as an insult. It was a compliment. It just...I don’t know it doesn’t seem to fit you.”

“Well, can you imagine the reception I would have had at the Mirage if I had shown up in ripped jeans and a muscle shirt? I was trying to
not
look like a gang member.”

That made sense if his plan had been to rob the casino.

Noelle’s head spun as she tried to process and assimilate this new information with what she had assumed about Blaze.

“Besides,” Blaze continued, “it’s not like I had a choice. I told you my father runs this club. I was born into it.”

Noelle went to speak and then bit her lip. The way Blaze said it made her think that he had wished for a different life.

“So...you don’t like this life?” she asked tentatively.

Blaze let out a bitter laugh. “As if that matters. Basically, I’m the son of a biker lord. One day I’ll be the one running this place.”

Noelle couldn’t picture that. However, she realized now that his name seemed to make more sense.

“And is your mother here, too?” she ventured.

“Yep. She’s in there somewhere.”

Noelle didn’t know what else to say at the moment and she realized that Blaze was leading her down a long hallway. They passed various rooms, including a large kitchen.

“So, what is everybody doing here? I mean, does everyone live here?”

Blaze let out a laugh. “No, no one lives here, but it’s not uncommon for people to spend the night. There are a bunch of bedrooms back here,” he gestured in the direction they were headed. “Because my dad is the so-called-leader, he and my mom have a permanent room here, as do my brother and I. The rest of the rooms are just general rooms for use when people need them.”

Noelle looked around as they rounded a corner. “And what would people need those rooms for?”

Blaze gave her a knowing look. “What do you think?”

“Oh.” It took Noelle a moment to figure that out.

“Everyone here likes to have a,” he paused, thinking of the right words, “good time.”

“I get it.” Noelle nervously pulled at her hair, unsure of what was happening since Blaze made it seem like they were heading toward the bedrooms. “So what will everyone do now?”

“Celebrate. Drink themselves into oblivion. Get high. Fuck.”

Noelle didn’t know how to respond so she only nodded.

“Here we are,” Blaze said, leading Noelle toward a door. She took a deep breath.

Blaze opened the door, but it wasn’t the bedroom she had expected. Disappointment coursed through her.

Of course it wasn’t a bedroom. Why would Blaze ever be interested in her? He had only used her to help rob a casino.

“Come on in,” Blaze said, pushing her forward.

The room was an office done in dark colors. Blaze moved quickly to a lock box on the back wall, and Noelle walked slowly into the room, checking out the framed black and white photographs of motorcycles that adorned the walls.

When she turned back to Blaze he was counting out crisp bills.

“What are you doing?” Noelle asked with alarm.

Blaze looked up, confusion in his eyes. “Counting out your cut.”

“My cut!?”

“I told you I was going to help make all your problems go away. Did you think I was lying about giving you two-hundred thousand?”

Noelle’s jaw hung open. “Well, yeah, actually I did. I didn’t really think you were going to give me that much money.”

Blaze looked offended. “Noelle,” he said seriously, “I am a man of my word. If I said I would give you two-hundred thousand dollars, then I will give you two-hundred thousand dollars.”

“I—I can’t accept it,” she stammered.

“Of course you can. Don’t be ridiculous.”

He continued to count the cash.

“Damn,” he muttered. He scooped the cash he had into a thickly padded envelope. “Come on,” he said, “follow me.”

Noelle hurried after him as he strode out of the room.

“Where are we going?”

“There wasn’t enough in there. My father usually keeps close to a million in cash in that box. My mother must have raided it recently.”

As Noelle hurried to keep up with Blaze, her mind reeled from the fact that his mother could have taken out hundreds of thousands of dollars for some reason.

“Why would your mother raid it?” she couldn’t help asking.

She had so many questions.

About everything.

Blaze scoffed. “For drugs. She’s pretty much high as a fucking kite all the time.”

Noelle was silent. She knew all about that. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

Blaze turned and gave her a probing look. Then he shrugged. “It is what it is.”

They rounded a corner and Blaze pushed the door open. This time Noelle
was
surprised to see a bedroom.

“What’s this?” she asked, sounding foolish.

“My room,” Blaze explained, moving towards a small lock box on a bookcase pushed against a wall.

Noelle looked around, taking in her surroundings. Somehow, it seemed fitting for him. There were no windows. In fact, she had noticed that were no windows in the entire building. The room was done in varying shades of gray, and a large, comfy-looking bed took up much of the room. There was a sleek white dresser on one wall and then the bookcase, also white, along the other wall.

“Here we go,” he said, more to himself than to her, sealing up the envelope. “Two-hundred thousand cash.” He tried to hand the envelope to Noelle, but she didn’t move. “I’m sorry. Would you like to count it? I shouldn’t have sealed it.”

“No,” Noelle shook her head, “I – I don’t think I can take it.” She backed away, as if she were afraid the money might hurt her.

Her mind raced. What should she do? It’s not like she could go to the police. They would arrest her on the spot, and then arrest Blaze and everyone else. And she couldn’t exactly walk into the casino and return the money, now could she? She bit her lip, terrified of taking the money but also terrified of not taking it.

“Are you really considering whether or not you’re going to take this money?” Blaze demanded, thrusting the envelope at her.

“Yes!” she said stubbornly.

“Take it,” Blaze ordered. His voice had so much authority, that she felt she couldn’t argue. She reached out and took the envelope, feeling the weight of it in her hands.

“This is crazy,” she murmured.

“You earned it,” Blaze said, “You played your part well.”

“Played my part?” she asked incredulously. “I had no idea what was going on. I was scared out of my mind. I thought you were a psychopath.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You
are
a psychopath because you just stole twenty million dollars from a Vegas casino!” She sank to the bed, burying her head in her hands. “Oh my God,” she moaned, “I’m crazy too. I just helped you steal twenty million dollars.”

“No, you didn’t,” Blaze assured her, grinning. “You were my hostage.”

“It’s not funny,” she snapped.

Blaze dropped the smile from his face, trying to look serious. “Sorry.”

“No, you’re not.” She sat on the bed, her head still in her hands, trying to gather her thoughts. “I just helped you steal. I can’t take the money.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You can absolutely take it. Put it toward your mortgage.

Damn, where are my manners?” Blaze said, shaking his head, putting the lock box down and reaching for something else on the bookcase. Noelle realized it was alcohol. “Let me get you a drink.”

Noelle shook her head. “No, really, I’m fine.”

“I insist.” Blaze’s eyes were dark and serious, and Noelle couldn’t say no.

“Sure,” she said softly. Blaze turned his back to her, and quickly mixed a drink and then handed it to Noelle. “Thank you.” She took a long sip, and the alcohol seemed to instantly calm her. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to settle her mind.

“Relax,” Blaze said softly. “You need to stay here for a bit until we’re sure that things have calmed down on the strip. But don’t worry,” he said quickly, seeing Noelle’s panicked face, “I’ll get you back to your friends by morning.”

“How will you know when things have calmed down? Aren't people looking for us?”

Blaze chuckled. “I have my ways,” he said elusively. “And yes, I’m sure that people are looking for us, but they won’t find us,” he said confidently. “But we still need to lay low for a few hours.” He poured himself a drink and took a sip.

He moved to the opposite side of the room, and Noelle heard him open and shut dresser drawers. She had her back to him, but she glanced up and saw him in the mirror that hung next to the bookcase.

Blaze had his back to her, so he couldn’t see that she was watching him. He pulled off his jacket, tossing it on the bed and then slowly unbuttoned the dark shirt. He slid the shirt off his shoulders and Noelle nearly gasped when she saw his back. It was broad and muscular and her fingers twitched as she yearned to touch him.

Not only did he have a mouthwatering body, but his back was covered with tattoos. Noelle had never before been attracted to body art, but everything dark and forbidding about this man appealed to her.

She wanted to freeze time, so she could study every line and shape on his back, but he pulled a dark t-shirt over his head. He then removed his pants, but unfortunately for Noelle the mirror wasn’t low enough for her to see what Blaze’s lower half looked like.

A few seconds later, he was standing in front of her, dressed in the dark t-shirt and jeans. Besides having short hair, he now looked nothing like a well-cut businessman, but instead, he oozed sex appeal and danger.

There were more tattoos along his arms and biceps, and Noelle wondered where else he might have tattoos. She could feel the alcohol working its way through her system, relaxing her and lowering her inhibitions.

When she looked back up at Blaze, she thought his eyes were burning with desire.

But was she only imagining it?

“Do you know how beautiful you are?” he asked huskily, sitting gently beside her.

Noelle blinked. Was he serious?

She ducked her head, embarrassed. “Stop.”

“I’m serious. You’re fucking gorgeous. I thought it the minute that I saw you in the casino.”

“Don’t say things you don’t mean,” she said, her voice a little stronger.

“Why would I say it if I didn’t mean it?” He leaned in close to her. “You look so sexy in that dress. You were even sexier with the blindfold on.”

Noelle felt a tremor of lust and fear. Blaze was moving toward dangerous territory. Noelle wanted him desperately, and she knew she wasn’t going to be able to resist him if he kept coming on to her.

But why would she want to resist him anyway?

“Your ex was such an idiot,” he murmured, leaning closer, his mouth mere inches from her neck. His breath was warm and moist on her skin, and Noelle couldn’t help the small moan that escaped her lips.

“He was a fool. Why would anyone leave you?”

Noelle winced as if in pain. She didn’t want to think about Todd now. The pain was still so fresh and raw, and not even Blaze could heal her that quickly.

“What is it?” he asked softly.

“Don’t talk about him,” she said in a choked voice. “I don’t want to talk about him.”

“I’m sorry. I just wanted you to know that I think he’s a fool.”

“Thank you,” she shifted on the bed, but Blaze shifted with her, his hand moving to her exposed thigh.

“Do you know what I’m thinking?” he whispered.

Noelle shook her head, biting down on her lip. “No.” Her voice trembled with desire, and she was afraid she would implode at any moment.

His thumb caressed her thigh.

He leaned in closer.

“I want to fuck you.”

Noelle closed her eyes, sighing.

“I’ve been thinking about fucking you all night.” His hand moved higher up her thigh. “I’ve been imagining what you taste like. I’ve been thinking about how you would feel under my hands, under my body. What your body looks like without your clothes on. The sounds you would make as I pushed inside you, made you come, made you scream.”

Noelle moaned softly, turning her face to Blaze’s.

It happened so quickly that Noelle didn’t even think about it. She pressed her mouth to Blake’s mouth, and kissed him hungrily, tasting the liquor on his breath.

Blaze groaned, pulling her towards him, and deepening the kiss, as he pushed his tongue deep inside her mouth.

Noelle couldn’t resist as she leaned into Blaze, letting him invade her mouth and invade her thoughts. She didn’t want to resist him. She had wanted him since the moment she had laid eyes on him.

Better to be honest with herself.

Blaze was everything that Todd wasn’t. He was everything that Noelle had always avoided, and everything that she needed right now.

She let the kiss consume her, the passion within her growing deeper and stronger, and she wrapped her hands around Blaze’s neck, as she thrust her own tongue into his mouth, gently tracing the lines of his teeth.

He put his hands on her hips, pulling her roughly to him and Noelle gasped in surprise at his strength and urgency. She was in his lap now, and Blaze took charge, wrapping her legs around his waist. Noelle groaned as she settled onto his lap, unable to help herself as she began to grind against him and press her mouth harder against his lips.

She ran her fingers through his hair, tousling his careful style. Suddenly, he bit down on her lower lip, making her jump and yelp with pain. Now that he had her attention, he moved his hands to her hips.

“Stay still,” he softly ordered, “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

Ahead of herself? It was taking everything Noelle had to control herself and now Blaze wanted her to execute even more control? It would be nearly impossible.

“I want to savor you,” Blaze murmured, his lips traveling down her neck and pressing into the hollow of her collarbone.

“Ohhh.” She let her head fall back, giving Blaze full access to her neck. He trailed his fingers across her delicate skin, kissing her along her throat and then moving his mouth towards her cleavage.

Just when Blaze moved as low as he possibly could before he would need to pull her dress aside, he stopped.