Page 34 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 2

I set the shower spray on full blast and high heat, then went about removing my clothes. Once done, I went straight under the water, allowing the heat, steam, and pressure to ease the chill from my bones.

Why does someone want to hurt me?

Why Maia? She already had so very little to her name.

Then it dawned on me, like a slap to the face.

What if all of my candidates are being threatened?

Episode 42

Above the Law

MAIA

I woke to the sound and smell of coffee brewing. My body was warm, covered in a blanket I didn’t have when I crawled out of Rhodes’ bed last night after he fell asleep.

Memories of the night filtered through the fog of sleep as I allowed myself to stretch and burrow into the couch.

Rhodes and I talking to the cops.

Pictures being taken of the mess and the threatening message spray-painted on the wall above my bed.

A grim-faced Sam, rolling up on his Harley to find police cars camped in his driveway, their flashing red and blue lights spinning.

Not long after he arrived, another ten motorcycles rode up, led by Torch, the club president himself. He walked the perimeter of the house, checked out the mess, and then approached me. He put a hand on my shoulder, dipped his head, and looked me dead in the eye. First, he asked me if I was okay, to which I nodded. Then his lips pursed, his nostrils flared, and he growled, “The Hounds will handle this. You’re family and under our protection.” The cops had a few words to say, none of which Torch bothered to listen to. Instead, he instructed his men to roll out.

After statements had been taken, we boxed up as much of my things as we could and stored them in Sam’s garage for now. Then we locked it up and Rhodes took me straight to my hotel room where he helped me pack up those things and moved them to his suite. He put mine in what I assumed was Emily’s room, for which I was eternally grateful. He didn’t need to know there wouldn’t be a time where we’d share space in the same way normal couples did. That discussion would come later. I could fake it for a while, but eventually he’d figure out that I wouldn’t be sleeping in a bed next to him each night. It just wasn’t a possibility for me. Sex was fine, but the actual sleeping together…

Even the mere thought of such a thing made my skin crawl and itch.

I rolled over onto my back and sighed then heard a cursed, “Shit!” and the sound of water running.

I sat up and the blanket Rhodes must have placed over me at some point fell to my waist.

“Oh, hey, good morning. Sorry I woke you.” Rhodes winced as he held his hand under the water.

“Did you hurt yourself?”

“Spilled coffee on my hand. I wasn’t paying attention when I was pouring, and yeah.” He sighed. “It’s okay though. Coffee?” he offered.

“Yes, please. But I can get it. You don’t have to.” I popped up and crossed the living room to the open kitchen, then promptly stopped in my tracks.

So much bronze male skin was on display.

My mouth went dry as I stared at Rhodes’ bare chest and legs. His hair was wet, slicked back, and curling around the ends as it air-dried. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, his skin still a bit dewy from the shower he’d just taken.

He was my every fantasy come to life. Tall, broad, muscular, not so toned and shredded that his abdomen was a washboard, but there was some obvious definition of his abs. A smattering of hair spread across his chest, just enough that I could already imagine the soft, feathery feel of it under my fingers if I placed my hand there. And those two indents at his hip that led to his groin…I gulped. I had never wanted to place my mouth on something more than I did at that moment.

Rhodes cleared his throat, and my gaze snapped up to meet his. Fire burned in his eyes as he took in my body. Which was when I realized I was wearing only a pair of black panties and a rather sheer tank top. My erect nipples pressed tightly against the cotton as I watched him look his fill.

He swallowed slowly, both of us silently staring at the other. The sexual tension instantly ramped up a thousand degrees, but neither of us was ready to pull the plug on that particular well. Because, once we did, who knew where it would lead us.

“I should probably, uh, put some clothes on,” he murmured, but didn’t so much as move a muscle.

I didn’t want to break the spell or the weighted electricity weaving between us as I responded, “Yeah, that’s probably a good plan. Me too,” I shook my head as if clearing the cobwebs and spun around to get my jeans.

Rhodes groaned as I did so. I looked over my shoulder to find his gaze planted right on my ass. If I had to pick a feature on my body I was most proud of, it would be my tush. It was high, rounded, and toned naturally. I didn’t have to work at it, I’d just been blessed with good ass genes.

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