Page 24 of Property of the Hellfire Riders

”How come you guys left the bar so early?” I ask forwardly.

”The guys were getting rowdy,” Vance says, leaning back on the sofa. Izzy's gaze shifts from me to Vance, her smile as smooth and untroubled as a water at dawn. "Yes, the bar was a bit much tonight," she agrees, her voice light, betraying her ever so slightly.

She’s more than nervous.

“Rowdy, huh?" I muse aloud, taking another sip of my whiskey. The liquid burns just right. “What the hell were you all expecting? A fucking picnic?”

Tank chuckles, oblivious to the probing nature of the conversation. "Hawk's just being his usual hospitable self," hejokes, but there’s a glint in his eye that suggests he's enjoying this a bit too much.

"Come on, Hawk. You know we just wanted to talk,” Vance says. “Relax a little without one of the guys trying to start a fight. You should try it sometime.”

"I know about relaxing and that talk is good," I reply, setting my empty glass down with a soft clink. "Especially when new faces appear. Helps to know who's who, and what's what."

I wonder which one wants her or perhaps they both do. They’re both watching her as though she’s the grand trophy of the evening.

Izzy's eyes flicker between us, her heartbeat just the slightest bit elevated. She knows she's on shaky ground here.

"We can come back later," Tank says.

I arch an eyebrow at Vance. "Why?"

Vance clears his throat but doesn't elaborate further.

They haven’t figured out which one she wants either. Most likely she’s not planning on getting her back blown out.

I sit down on the couch, leaning back directly across from her. My towel’s doing a decent job of staying up.

"So, what are your plans now, pretty thing?" I ask casually.

Izzy swallows, her slender throat rises and falls, and for a brief moment I let myself imagine my cock lodged there, her body trembling beneath mine.

“I…” She hesitates. “I’m not sure. Vance and Tank invited me to come up with them.”

Her eyes flicker to Vance, then Tank, and then back to me, she’s asking them for some kind of help. I can practically smell the questions brimming within her.

I reach down and grab a joint off the coffee table and take a long drag and blow the smoke out in a thin stream, my eyes never leaving her face.

“That was nice of them to invite you into my apartment.”

“I didn’t know,” she says sheepishly. “I can leave.”

Damn. I clench my jaw. There’s something about her naivety that I’m drawn to. Poor thing wasn’t made to be among…

“No.” I say, waving a hand. “Stay.”

I’m just getting started.

I give her a long look, my eyes raking over her curves. “If you’re so inclined, that is.” The unspoken words hang in the air.

She shifts on the edge of the sofa but doesn’t go anywhere. Good.

“Tank. Vance. Head back to the club.” I lean forward, drawing another long pull from the joint. The smoke snakes out from between my lips. “Make sure the guys don’t lose their shit and tear the club down.”

“And tell the others. No one comes up here tonight until I say so.”

They share a look, and Vance grits his teeth. Tank nods, but he doesn’t leave without one last look at Izzy.

I wait until the door closes behind them before I turn my full attention back to her.

---