Page 22 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 2

The Desert Awaits

RHODES

“Sam, I put myself in the auction last night,” Maia shared with the man she’d told me was not only her landlord, but also her best friend. I watched as the man visibly got angrier, his gaze flicking to where I sat, waiting for Maia to give me the signal to get out.

Sam suddenly shifted Maia aside and pulled open the door to the limo. He pointed at me and roared, “I’m gonna fucking kill you!” as he attempted to crawl inside to attack me.

Flight or fight mode kicked in, and I pushed out the opposite side of the limo and came around the back to put myself between him and Maia. I held my hands up in supplication.

“I am not a threat,” I stated clearly and calmly.

The tall, muscular man scowled, puffs of air going in and out of his snarled lips. His face was a mottled red, matching the bandana he wore over his forehead.

The hotel limo driver, who was probably in his late sixties, finally got out of the car, a cell phone in his hand. “You start fighting and I’m calling the cops. I do not get paid enough to get in between whatever this is.”

“We’re fine. No cops needed,” I assured the driver who shrugged and got back into the limo.

“Sam,” Maia said as she slid from behind my back to my side. I kept my arm out, encouraging her to stay back just in case. Regardless of whether this man was friend or foe, he was visibly furious. Anything could happen, and I didn’t want her caught in the crossfire. “Rhodes is a good guy. I actually knew him before the auction. Stand down,” she instructed.

Sam crossed his impressive arms over his chest, the look on his face murderous. “Explain,” he demanded.

If he wasn’t staring at me like he wanted to pummel me into ash and run me over with his motorcycle for good measure, I’d likely respect the guy. He seemed genuinely ready to throw down for Maia. And from what she’d already shared, it didn’t seem like she had many people in her corner to count on.

“Rhodes and I met in the airport. I stole from him. We had kind of a moment…” She lifted her head to face me, a small smirk painted across her pretty lips. It was almost as if she wanted to see if I’d experienced the same special thing when we’d plowed into one another.

I nodded and put my arm around her shoulders, tucking her closer. “We did. Slammed into one another by accident,” I started, but Sam cut me off.

“By accident.” Sam snorted in disbelief. “She probably instigated the whole thing.My sisteris clever as fuck.” He made a point to express her elevated status in his life as a family member. This man cared a great deal for Maia and wasn’t about to allow any man to drag her into something she didn’t want. “And no matter what you have to say, Maia has the protection of the Las Vegas Hounds, so consider your next words carefully.”

“I assume that’s your motorcycle gang?” I clarified.

Maia nudged me hard. “Rhodes, it’s a club, not a gang.”

Sam shook his head. “Nah, it’s a gang. And we back one another up, no questions asked. Maia is one of ours. You fuck with her, you fuck with the Hounds.” He stepped a steel-toedboot closer to us. It took everything I had not to back up. I needed to protect Maia and show I wasn’t a man that would back down just because I’d been threatened by a biker.

Sam squinted and took in my face and then my form entirely. “How old are you?” He leaned forward. “You look like you’re old enough to be her daddy,” he snarled. His breath smelled of coffee.

“Whoa, Sam that is none of your business and entirely uncool,” she snapped and pressed a hand to his chest, forcing him to back away from us. “Besides, I’ve never dated a man that wasn’t at least ten years older than me, which you already know,” she added.

My gaze shot to hers. Here I was thinking I was robbing the cradle and trying to wrap my own mind around how much younger she was than me, and she’s into older guys.

“Just turned thirty-eight a couple weeks ago,” I admitted. “Not much older than you I suspect, big brother.”

His nostrils flared as he continued to glare.

“Sam, you’re only a few years younger than him. And my birthday is next month. We’re fourteen years apart not twenty-five. I’m telling you right now, as a friend, step back, and lay off. Rhodes offered me an out of the marriage when he learned a bit more about my circumstances. I declined. He’s not in this to screw me over,” Maia shared, emotion filling her tone.

“I’m truly not. None of this was planned, man. We ran into one another at the airport, sparks flew, and then somehow, she ended up on that auction stage. A mutual friend of ours owns it, and I happened to be there. Then I saw Maia and…” My throat suddenly went dry as burnt toast. “I lost all sense and threw caution to the wind. Now we’re working together to figure it all out. I’m not in this to hurt her. I, uh, I’m a little smitten, if I’m being one hundred percent honest.”

Maia spun to face me again. Her mouth dropped open. “You are?” Her voice cracked, and those big brown eyes stared with such hope in them, I wanted to haul her into my arms and kiss away every last one of her fears.

“So, what I’m hearing is,” Sam cut into the moment. “You’re hot for my sister and you plan to wife her up and take good care of her, so that no one will ever hurt her again.”

“What do you mean, again?” I frowned and clenched my teeth.

Sam shook his head. “Not my story to share. Come here, squirt.” The growly biker opened his arms, and Maia left my side and went straight into them, her cheek to his chest.

Instantly, I felt colder without her close. How her little body could radiate so much heat, I didn’t know, but I sure as hell looked forward to finding out in the near future.

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