Page 6 of Fatal Temptation

“Why do I have to come if you’re just going to get laid?”

Maggie gave him a pinched look and said, “That’s so not why we’re going to the bar. You feel safe going there and sure, I could have a quicky in the stock room, but I want to play pool with you. Talk. Drink. Like college students are supposed to.”

It was a biker bar and a lot of the guys who frequented it were friends of his brothers. They were always looking out for him, so yes, he felt safe going there. The few times he’d gone with Maggie to a club, he’d felt like his skin was too tight and he’d gotten a massive headache within the first five minutes, so he’d stopped trying to go.

Maggie went with a few of her other friends if she wanted to go clubbing but, most often, she preferred the bar, too. After all, she had at least three of the bikers under her spell. Which made sense considering how stunning she was. She was five foot six with all the right curves, beautiful freckles across her nose, and brown curly hair that could make anyone envious.

“Fuck. Fine,” he breathed with a shake of his head.

“Yay,” Maggie exclaimed and poked Akio with her elbow. “We might even getyoulaid this time.”

They both knew that wasn’t happening, though he didn’t bother telling her. Again.

The bar didn’t exactly scream gay hookup place. The bikers there weren’t homophobic, but they were all straight. It didn’t matter anyway. His heart wasn’t in it. There was only one man he wanted, and he couldn’t have him. There was no point.

He sat back and watched as Maggie pulled clothes out of his closet to pick something for him to wear. As if it mattered. Everyone there would be wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

He almost released a sigh of relief when Maggie dropped a pair of jeans and a black shirt into his lap.

“Get dressed,” Maggie said, clapping her hands together and giving a little jump in excitement.

He rolled his eyes and started laughing when she urged him to get going. He changed clothes, satisfied with the look she had chosen.

It was still quite cold outside, so he grabbed his jacket and pulled on his boots. They were black lace-up motorcycle boots Chris and Diesel had bought him for the few times he rode behind either of them on their bikes. They were extremely comfortable and also warm, so he’d started using them as everyday boots.

Once ready, he followed Maggie out the door and down the stairs to the street. They decided that walking to the bar would be fine. It was only a twenty-minute walk, and they spent the time talking about their weekend.

They turned down the street to the two-story brick building that sat between a gym and a parking garage. There were at least twenty motorcycles parked in front of the bar, and it made him breathe a little easier. A small group of men in leather cuts were standing just outside the bar talking and when they heard someone approach, they turned around.

“Akio,” one of them said and stepped closer, a smile on his face. “Good to see you.”

Ryder was easily over six foot tall with wide shoulders covered by the black leather of his cut, dark blond unruly hair, tattoos everywhere, and sparkling blue eyes that always put him at ease.

“You too, Ry,” he said and shook the man’s hand.

“I see you brought the trouble maker,” Ryder said, gaze on Maggie who rolled her eyes and walked past them toward the door.

Ryder was the vice president of the Savage Rebels Motorcycle Club. He’d had to pull his brothers off each other a few times because of Maggie. He understood why the guys liked her. She was drop-dead gorgeous, smart, and took no shit. Half of those MC guys liked it when a woman could hold her own against them. The other half tried to keep those guys from making fools of themselves.

“How’s your brother? You were home this weekend, right?”

Akio turned back to Ryder and smiled. “I was. He’s good. Addie’s driving him up the wall, but nothing new there.”

Ryder laughed and slapped Akio’s shoulder.

“Girls,” Ryder said, a gleam in his eye. “They’re good at making men lose their minds, huh?”

He shook his head with a low laugh and headed inside, looking around until he spotted Maggie at the pool table. She was racking the balls, one guy next to her being all chatty, while another was staring at them from the other side of the pool table with his arms crossed and an offended look on his face. Mr. Chatty had probably given up the table for Maggie much to the other man’s annoyance. He wasn’t surprised. She had that effect on most men and unlike some women, she was well aware.

He walked to the bar to get them drinks, saying hello to all the MC guys he passed on the way. When the bartender put their beer bottles on the bar, he grabbed them with a nod of thanks and headed toward the pool table.

“Here you go,” he said and handed Maggie her beer.

“Thanks, babe.”

Mr. Chatty was wearing a cut Akio didn’t recognize. The name of his club wasn’t on the front so unless he turned around so he could see the colors on the back of his cut, he wouldn’t know which club he was from.

“Don’t tell me you’re with that guy,” Mr. Chatty said, then motioned to himself, “When you can be with me.”

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