Forbidden (Star Crossed MC Lovers, #1) (11 page)

"What?" My sadness disappeared as I jerked up from the table and jogged down the hall. After flipping on the light in the bathroom nearest the guest room, I leaned in toward the mirror and inspected myself. "What the fuck?"

"Watch your language, Lena." Her voice was strict.

How she heard me whisper from down the hall was beyond me, but she'd always been able to do stuff like that. I studied the marks a few more times and moved back, chalking it up to Lucky getting a little too rough.

My phone buzzed and I pulled it out, looking down to see he'd replied.

Romeo: Feelings mutual, chick. Next time you invite a guy you pretend to like to a party that you're at with your new boy toy, might wanna just kick him in the nuts instead. Probably would feel better.

Juliet: What the fuck are you talking about?

Romeo: Typical.

I growled and slid the phone back into my pocket. I wasn't diving down in the dark hole that he was pulling me toward just yet. I wanted to talk to my grandmother for a little while longer and then I would get to bed and text him a little more. Maybe.

My fingers played over the sore skin just beneath my throat as I took my seat across from Grandma again. "No clue what happened. I went to a party tonight and someone spiked my drink. Next thing I know, I'm at the police station and dad's bailing me out."

"Oh
meja
." She reached across the table and took my hand. "I hope no one hurt you, child."

"No. Just shook me up a lot." I laid my phone face down on the table beside me. "The boy I'm in love with showed up at the end, but something must have happened to us while I was drugged. He's mad and I've no idea why. He left me there. I should be the mad one."

"Just call him and talk it out. He must have seen something that upset him, or is he one of these girly men that flies off the handle at any type of drama?" She lifted her eyebrow.

I picked up the apple-filled treat and shook my head. "No. He's not that type at all. He's actually pledging with the Stone Wolves."

Her eyes widened as she stopped chewing and stared me down. "Have you lost your mind, baby?"

"No, Grandma. My heart."

Lucky

––––––––

"U
nbelievable," I muttered into the empty bedroom as I held my phone in front of my face. I'd been worried sick about Lena since leaving her at the party. It was a shitty thing to do, and yet my heart was breaking. Now she was telling me to fuck off? No way.

I dropped the phone beside me, not willing to let her know just how much she'd hurt me. I didn't need a girlfriend. Or women in general. I'd use them for what they were good for and keep moving.

"That's all they've ever used me for, anyway." I brushed my fingers over my chest and closed my eyes, wishing like hell that I didn't see her every time I did. She was so beautiful; the woman I wanted by my side for the rest of it, but she was a Delgado. Tonight, she'd reminded me of that and it wasn't something I was willing to soon forget.

Besides... she had another man now, anyway.

I wanted so badly to drive to her place and throw rocks at her window until she came down. We could apologize for the misunderstanding, get on my bike and drive until we ran out of gas.

"Fucking fairy tales." I let out a long sigh and jerked up as my phone rang.

Lena.

"Hey." I picked it up; incapable of denying her anything, though I hated myself for it.

"Luck." Her voice was soft, like she was lost or hurting. My heart swelled in my chest and I moved to the edge of my bed, ready to grab my shoes and be out the door in seconds. "Did I have bite marks on me when you came to the field tonight?"

"Yes." I bit my lip and pressed my hand to my face.

"And you didn't give them to me?" The fear in her voice opened me up wide.

"No, baby. You said your new boyfriend did." It hurt so fucking much too even say it.

"New boyfriend?" Panic filled her voice. "I don't have a boyfriend. I've been single for years. Why would you even say that?"

"You said that, Lena. I didn't." I stood and began to pace in front of my bed. The room wasn't large by any stretch of the imagination, but it was at the clubhouse, which meant my drunken father was far away.

"I did?" She let out a soft cry that sounded like a sob.

"Where are you? I've been worried sick, Lena."

"I'm at my grandma's now. I was taken to jail, but my father came to get me." She let out another sob. She was crying.

"Don't cry, baby. I'll come get you. Everything is fine, okay? We'll make it better." My heart constricted in my chest and I had no doubt that I was setting myself up for more anguish than one man should ever welcome.

"No. I'm okay; I just need to know what happened. Why would you leave me there? I thought you were different." The strong, ballsy woman from earlier was all but gone and this beautiful creature underneath had me captivated. She needed saving in so many ways and I wanted to be the man to do it.

"You forced me to, Lena. I came to get you and you were..." I paused and let out an angry growl, unable to help myself. "You were dancing with some big, Hispanic dude. I pushed him and threw you over my shoulder. You were drunk or high and kept waving a bag of cocaine around, bragging that you'd been sent to be the life of the party."

More tears and subtle sniffles.

"Baby, let me come get you. I need to see you, okay? I'm not like other men. Not at all."

"Yeah. Come take me for a ride on your bike. I need to see you, too." Her voice was small, like a little girl's would be.

"Text me the address and I'll leave right now."

"Okay," she whispered and ended the call.

I dropped back down to my bed and let out a deep grunt as agony and relief warred inside of me. Someone had hurt her and I had no doubt that it was her fucking old man. I would kill him. Maybe not tonight, but I would take his head from his shoulders before it was all said and done. She might hate me for it, but her safety was far more important than my happiness.

***

I
drove up the short driveway to the small house and cut the lights as the front door opened. Lena bounded down the stairs and jogged to me, slipping on the back of my bike and sliding her arms around my waist.

Her cheek pressed to my back and she squeezed hard, as if scared to lose me. I knew the feeling all too well. I handed her the helmet and decided that we could talk after a short ride. The wind and road were all we needed to set us back on the right path together.

Selene's fingers rubbed softly along my chest and sides. She held onto me like I might run away if she loosened her grip. I wanted to tug at her fingers to force her to stop digging into my flesh, but I understood where she was coming from. I was an asshole for leaving her at the party. Someone had his teeth on her neck and chest. God only knows what else he did or could have done to my girl.

Anger burned through me and I stiffened.

She seemed to notice and pressed herself harder against me. It was getting hard to breathe and I was damn lucky the lake we'd gone to a few nights ago was just up ahead. I pulled into the sandy part of the woods and stopped the bike, turning it off and waiting for her to get off before flipping the kickstand and taking her helmet.

Her long, dark locks moved over her narrow shoulders, catching my attention and stilling my heart.

I reached for her and pulled her slowly to me before leaning down and brushing my lips over hers. "Forgive me. I thought you were with someone else. I saw you with him, and then you validated it, calling him big and manly and me puny."

"I did not." She slid her fingers into the side of my hair and pulled me down for an elongated kiss.

I swept my tongue deep inside of her mouth and rubbed her back and the top of her ass in slow circles as I took my time with her. My body hardened and I pressed my hips forward, wanting her to know how much power she had over me.

She moaned against my mouth and broke the kiss. Her fingers splayed out on my chest as she looked up at me in the moonlight.

"Forgive me? I don't want anyone but you. I haven't for years. Those drugs were forced on me, making me act like an idiot. Nothing happened between me and anyone."

My eyes moved down to the bite marks. "Something happened, Lena. Did he hurt you?"

"No." She reached up and rubbed at her chest. "I don't know where these came from, but I promise you, nothing other than that happened. It was a test. The whole damn thing."

Tears filled her eyes and she pulled away, turning and walking toward a nearby picnic table. She climbed up on top of it and sat down, pressing her hands to her face and sobbing softly.

"Baby..." I walked toward her and took up the space beside her on the table top. After wrapping my arms around her, I pressed soft kisses to her exposed shoulder and brushed my nose along her cheek. "It's all over now, okay? You're safe and we're together. Nothing to worry about."

"We almost weren't together." She jerked from me as tears spilled onto her cheeks. "This is why I didn't try to get your attention over the last four years. I only have one person I can count on in my life. My grandma. She's never hurt me or turned me away. Tonight at the party..."

I reached for her and forced her to move into my lap as I cuddled her. "I left you there. I know. Forgive me, Lena. You were out of your mind, and I was hurt by what you did and said."

"I know. It's my fault. I know it is." She snuggled against me, though her shoulders remained stiff. "I'm so sorry, Luck. Please forgive me."

This side of her drove a stake deep in my chest. I wouldn't be able to turn her away, no matter what. I couldn't lie to myself anymore and turn our casual relationship into just sexual desire and curiosity. I was in love. Completely.

"I don't have anyone, really," I started, hating the fact that I was ready to lay myself bare. It had never worked in the past, and yet here I was, willing to try again. "The guys at the Stone Wolves are the closest thing to family I have, but with my mother dying when I was born and my father hating me... I just don't have anyone."

She glanced up and brushed her hand along my face. "What about Dane?"

"He's great. He's been there for me more times than I can count, but guys are a little different with their friends, baby. We talk about bikes, girls and the latest flavor of beer to hit the store down the street." I forced a laugh. "I've wanted a woman for so long. A girl that I could call my own, but I knew where I was headed, so asking you just didn't seem right."

"I know." She moved up and kissed my cheek again, dragging her lips back to my ear as she sucked at the flesh near the lobe softly.

I groaned and tightened my grip on her, loving how good her thick curves felt against my arousal. Her subtle shift stroked me through my jeans and I knew I needed to tread lightly. She was hurt and I was vulnerable. Sex would only tie the knot tighter.

"Every woman I've been with has seemed to be so caring and giving, but none of them stayed the night, Lena. They took what they wanted and left. It's the weirdest thing. Like I'm honestly not worthy of someone's love." I shrugged, not sure how to react to letting my deepest hurts out to dance before a girl who seemed to be a lot like the others.

"I know exactly where you're coming from." She kissed my lips softly and climbed out of my lap, dropping to her feet on the ground below us. "There are only men in my family right now, which is weird, to be honest. The town hates me, and everyone we went to school with would rather roll in honey and dance through an ant pile than even acknowledge me."

I nodded, knowing all of this, but willing to let her get it out.

"I keep telling myself that it's no big deal, you know?" She glanced back at me and the conviction to protect herself in her eyes mirrored my own.

"I know." I nodded in agreement.

"But I'm lonely." She shrugged and moved closer. "I don't have a Dane to hang out with, but I don't need one, I don't guess."

"Everyone needs someone, Lena." I reached for her as I stepped down from the table. She fit in my arms perfectly. Everything about her lit me on fire in so many ways. To deny whatever was happening between us in hopes of protecting myself was stupid. I was already in harm’s way, waving my arms wildly not caring for my own survival.

"Can you be my someone? Can we make this work somehow? I didn't do anything with anyone at that party. I love my family, but I'm nothing like them. I just have no other choice, Lucky. I'm out of options." Her eyes were rimmed with tears as she looked up at me.

The world stopped and I felt like my heart might explode in my chest.

"Yes. Make me that guy. We'll figure out the details later. I want you more than I've ever wanted anyone."

She tightened her arms around my neck and forced us back onto the picnic table. I laid back and pulled her with me, kissing and sucking at her mouth as she rubbed herself against the front of my body.

"Make love to me," she mumbled against my mouth and I growled low in my chest and tugged at her t-shirt.

"All night long, baby. Anything you need."

Selene

––––––––

H
e was willing to try. To forgive me.

I swallowed my tears and pulled my t-shirt over my head before tugging at his. He leaned up and pulled it off before running his fingers up my stomach and over my breasts. I arched into his grasp and gave him a low moan.

"Is that table below you too rough?" I reached down and pressed my hands to his thick chest, leaning forward and rocking my hips to feel him better.

"No. I'm fine. I'd lie on a bed of nails right now if it meant having you on top of me." The sexy smile that played along his lips lit me on fire.

Glancing down the length of his body, I realized that the skin around his stomach was angry and red. A large white bandage took up more of his lower stomach.

"What's this? What happened?" I sat back and moved my fingers along the edge of the bandage as he grunted and locked onto my hips.