Burning Ember (23 page)

“Shit.” He laughs, and I glare at him. But his laugh circles through me like a hot breeze. He holds one hand up as if he’s surrendering. “Look, that’s not it either. I really need your help.”

“No way.” I push at his arms.

“Shhh, c’mon. Settle down and look. Trust me.” He grabs my shoulders and spins me 180 degrees. I’m forced to look at Jade in all her glory withering on the bed.

“Mav, what in the hell are you doing? I don’t like this. Talk to me.”

“Jade.” His voice turns harsh. “Have I ever hurt you? Beyond . . . you . . . know . . . the normal.”

I try to jerk out of his grasp again and his hold tightens.

“No,” Jade answers him.

“Then shut up and don’t move,” he commands. Oddly, I find myself getting wet from the tone of his voice and the way his accent curls around his words. Which unnerves me, because at the same time, it also makes me beyond nauseous, the idea of Mav having sex with someone else, and the notion that he gets off on this kind of sex. Just like the night he was with Star, my dinner sits like acid in my stomach, bubbling, boiling, and threatening to come to the surface at any moment.

I want to close my eyes and forget I ever saw this. Scrape it from my mind.

Jade huffs, “Fine.”

Reaching around, Mav grips my face and shifts it so I’m looking at the end of the bed and Jade’s feet. “Look.”

With a frustrated whisper I say, “I don’t know what I’m supposed to be looking for.”

He points again to the bed. “There. Under the sheet, watch.”

My forehead crinkles with confusion as I watch. Nothing. Did he just bring me in here to test my reaction? See if this would make me jealous? Or is this a payback for last night when he looked pissed about me agreeing to ride with Dozer on his bike?

Then I see it.

My mouth gapes open as I observe the sheet still and then move again. And it’s not Jade moving because she’s as still as a statue on the bed.

The sheet is brown and in disarray so it’s hard to see, but every few seconds, the sheet shifts.

“Do you see it?” The words whispered directly into my ear send every hair across my body standing on end. A small noise escapes my lips. He steps closer and blankets his body with mine. His front is flush to my back. And I feel all of him. The heat of his skin. His hot breath tickling my sensitive neck. His erection nestled perfectly in the crease of my ass.

In mere seconds, he’s set me aflame.

My reply of “Yes” comes out as a barely audible rasp.

His hand moves from my chin and slides to my cheek and he turns my face so that I’m looking up at him. I can’t look in his eyes though. I’ll do something utterly stupid like kiss him if I look in his eyes. I study his jaw, his scar, and his lips. His thumb rubs over my cheek. Once. Twice. Then it moves down and skates across my bottom lip. Back and forth. That small movement causes an avalanche of lust to rush between my thighs. It’s the most erotic moment of my life. God, I want to kiss him. But he’s definitely not the right man for me, and this isn’t the right moment. His head dips. His breath fans across my mouth and I close my eyes. “This is so wrong,” I murmur as his breath caresses my lips.

He nods slightly, in total agreement. “But it feels right, doesn’t it?”

Before our kiss can connect, Jade screeches, “What the hell are you two doing? Fucking untie me!”

The spell’s broken and I pull away. Mav’s breathing heavy and he cuts a glance once to me before he moves toward Jade. I look to the end of the bed and see two hairy legs, and then a small body as the little creature crawls across her ankle.

Jade screams. “What the fuck is that?” She starts kicking her legs. “That better not be what I think it is!”

“Fuck! Hurry, grab it!” Mav shouts.

I don’t think. I just do. I scoop up a T-shirt from the floor and while trying to dodge white skinny legs, I grab for Taz’s tarantula. Because I’m pretty sure if Jade hurts Boop, Taz is going to bury her alive.

“Got her!” I say in an excited and relieved voice as I back away from the bed.

Mav goes for the ropes and starts untying Jade.

“Is that Taz’s fucking spider?”

Boop gets halfway out of the makeshift bag I’ve made of the shirt and Jade lets out a wail befitting an actress in a horror movie.

“Was that thing crawling on my leg? Oh my God, ew, ew, ew!” In frantic movements, she brushes at her legs, then her arms and chest, like she’s being attacked by a million ants.

“She’s not on you. I got her,” I say as I roll my eyes.

Jade throws me a glare as she flees the room.

The rumble of laughter has my eyes widening and my head whipping in Mav’s direction. His laugh is throaty and guttural. Sexy as hell.

“I’m glad you find this funny,” I say. “I nearly got concussed by her bony legs.” Though it comes out stern, I’m grinning. His laughter is contagious and I find myself laughing too though not as freely or as loudly.

Mav bends forward and his laugh gets deeper. Freer. He’s holding his sides. It’s enthralling to watch. When he stands, he laces his fingers and puts his hands behind his head. He looks up at the ceiling and yes, he’s still laughing. And it’s the most amazing thing I think I’ve ever seen.

It’s captivating, because not only are his gorgeous muscles on display but also it’s the first time I’ve ever seen the darkness fully leave him. Watching him like this leaves me breathless and sparks melancholy deep within my soul.

I’m sure of it now. This is the old Mav. This is what he was like before Dana came into his life.

His laughter softly dies.

“Christ, I haven’t fuckin’ laughed like that in ages,” he says. “I can’t believe it was on her leg.” When he looks over at me, he adds, “You did good. If she would’ve . . . Taz would’ve . . .” He shakes his head.

Yeah, I know exactly what Taz would’ve done.

“Thanks.”

Walking toward him, arm out, I say, “No problem. Here.”

Mav eyes bulge to the size of golf balls as he jumps back. “Fuck! Get that thing away from me.”

My jaw drops as I take in the panicked expression on his face. Then it dawns on me. “That’s why you needed me. You’re scared of spiders.”

He swallows thickly. Shakes his head. “No. I needed to untie her so she didn’t—” I shove the spider toward him again. He shouts and holds his hand out to ward me off.

I’m the one laughing hard now. “You are too!”

“Jesus. Okay, fine. I am. Just . . . get her away from me!” He rubs his hand over his head. “Go put her in her cage or somethin’.”

I’m very, very tempted to throw Boop at him, but I’m not into animal cruelty so I restrain myself.

Mav pulls a phone from his pocket. “Call Taz. Push number three.”

“Why can’t you call him?”

“‘Cause I need to get those sheets off my bed. I’m not fuckin’ sleepin’ in those after she’s been in there.”

Oh, right, the girl. Gross. I did not need a reminder. “T.M.I. Mav.”

He cocks a half smile. “I meant the spider, Doll. Not Jade.”

“Oh. Right. Of course you did.”

“Wanna tell me why you freaked out about the rope?”

I shake my head. “I didn’t—”

“Don’t even. You did. Listen, I’ll make you a deal. You don’t mention my thing with spiders, and I won’t bring up the rope shit again either. Deal?”

After a moment, I nod.

When I leave the room, Mav follows me out into the hallway, though at a safe distance. I try Taz’s door only to find that it’s locked.

When I turn back, I find Mav staring at me with a contemplative expression covering his features.
“The small spaces thing . . . is that why you open the window and the door?”

I’m tempted to lie to him, but I’m pretty sure he can see the truth on my face right now.

“I’m sorta claustrophobic.”

He tilts his head and considers me for a minute. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“You didn’t really give me a chance to.”

He’s actually acting like a human being and I don’t know how to handle this new Mav. “You know. It’s nice to see you like this.”

He looks down at his chest. “Like what? Like this?”

I laugh and shake my head. “Wow. Cocky much. No. Not so . . . Me asshole . . . you Jane.” I even use the Tarzan voice. All humor fades from his face.

Oh for the love of God, Em . . . did you have to ruin it? Why couldn’t you just keep your mouth shut?

“Never mind. Forget I said anything,” I mutter. I turn away from him before the glaring starts up. I hit three on the phone.

Taz answers on the second ring. “Yeah?”

“It’s Pumpkin. I found Boop.”

Taz is silent for a second, “Be right there.” The line disconnects. I look down at the phone. It’s a flip phone. Maybe even one of those prepaid ones. For a split second, I consider asking Mav if I could use it. I’d love nothing more than to call Sundown and Will. But I know what Mav will say. And I’ve just insulted him so now probably isn’t the time to be asking for favors.

Mav comes out of his room with a pile of sheets. He dumps them at my feet. He’s now wearing a navy T-shirt, his face is stoic, and his eyes are blank of emotion. He plucks his phone from my hand and once back in his room, slams the door.

I call out after him, “I’m guessing you want me to wash those for you?”

Music comes on, turned up so loud that if I shout again, he won’t be able to hear me. The song is Wicked Game, by Stone Sour and for some reason it makes goosebumps spread down my arms at the same time that my stomach ties itself into a knot.

I sigh and look at the bundle in my hand. “Should we let you back in there? Huh? You wanna spend the night with Uncle Luce, don’t you, Boop?” She wiggles around trying to get free. “Don’t worry, girl. I’m not that mean. And Taz misses you.”

A good poker player knows when to bluff, when to play, and to fold when the odds are stacked against them.

EMBER

I’m elbow deep in a toilet bowl, when I feel someone nudge my butt from behind. Startled, I fling water everywhere as I whirl around and come face to face with a white English bulldog. He’s old, overweight, and has a brown spot over his left eye, and drool dripping from the corners of his mouth.

“Where did you come from, little guy?” He opens his mouth, panting, and his breath hits me. I wave my hand in front of my face. “Wow, obviously somewhere they don’t have doggy breath-mints.”

A red bandana with a small circle patch on it, hangs around his neck. The patch reads, “Property of a HOC”. I check his collar. “Donut, huh?” There’s a phone number below his name, but that’s all. “Who do you belong to, Donut?” He tilts his head.

“Not a big talker. Mmmm.” I peek underneath him. “Yep, men never are.”

He steps forward and licks the skin at my hip, the small bit between my tank and my shorts. I giggle and cover the patch of skin with my hand. “Whoa . . . we just met and already you’re getting friendly.” I bend down and get face to face with him. I whisper, “I don’t know what you’ve heard, but I’m not like those other girls out there.” His long tongue licks me from chin to nose as I giggle and pull away. “You definitely fit in with the guys, don’t ya?”

I face him fully, sit, and cross my legs. Thinking it’s time for a break. Cautiously, I pull him into my lap. As I start petting him, he licks my hand, eating up the affection.

Ten minutes later I get back to work, but pause here and there to give him a belly rub or a scratch behind the ear.

After I’m done, I pick him up so he doesn’t go running all over the clubhouse. Seeing Lil’ Bird and Goose at the bar, I make my way over to them. “Do you know who this little guy belongs to?”

They both turn and Lily immediately smiles ear to ear. She reaches forward and pets the dog. “Hey, Donut,” she coo’s. “Did you find yourself a hot girlfriend? Hmmm? Cap would be so proud you.”

“He’s Cap and Nick’s. Kinda the club mascot. Nick went out of town. So she asked Mav to watch him,” Goose explains.

Cap and Nick.
From what Lily told me, Cap is the current president of the club. He was in a motorcycle accident not too long ago and he’s been in the hospital. They’re not sure yet if he’s going to make it. Nick, his wife and Dozer’s mother, is the mother hen around here. The queen
killer
bee. I haven’t met her yet but I’m sure I will. She supposedly doesn’t like Lily, and Lily thinks she’s pitted the other old ladies against her.

I raise both eyebrows. “Mav?”

Goose nods. “Yeah, don’t worry, cherry girl. Not only would Nick kick his ass if something happened to him, but Mav’s partial to dogs. He only hates women, redheaded women to be specific.”

“Oh, jeez, thanks,” I deadpan and earn a sexy smile from Lily’s old man.

“Usually, Axel watches him. Bethany’s oldest. But Bethany sent him to one of those camps for troubled youths. She’s the one I told you about who’s looking for a nanny.”

“Lil’ . . .” Goose says her name as warning. “Don’t go there. It’s his business.”

She turns fully to him, “But she needs help, Baby. And I’m her friend. I’m not just going to ignore the fact we know someone who could help her.”

Grabbing her hand, he says in a harsher tone, “Woman, if she really needed help, she could ask one of the other old ladies. But either way, it’s best if you stay out of it. You don’t need any more trouble comin’ your way.”