Page 7 of Fatal Temptation

Akio snorted, which, unsurprisingly, didn’t appease Mr. Chatty.

“You got something to say, little man?”

Mr. Chatty stepped closer, puffing out his chest like some Cartoon character. It still sent Akio’s heart racing. He’d seen what people could do to each other when they lost their shit, and this guy wasn’t exactly small.

“Do we have a problem here?” Ryder asked, stepping up behind Akio and putting a hand on his shoulder. Akio squeezed the shit out of his beer bottle, sloshing the sticky liquid over his hand and probably his shoes, too.

“Yes, but I’m handling it,” Maggie said and placed her beer on the table next to her before facing Mr. Chatty.

“Oh, you’re handling it, sweetheart?” Mr. Chatty sneered, clearly over his attraction to her already.

“Yes. I am. Let me guess,” Maggie said and ran her gaze over Mr. Chatty. “You’re one of those transactional assholes who think because you decided to do something for me, it means I have to spread my legs for you. Newsflash asshole, I’m not your bitch, but I’ll make you mine.”

Despite Ryder’s hand on his shoulder, nerves were starting to hit him, his pulse spiking rapidly. He didn’t like the look in Mr. Chatty’s eyes. There was something dark and dangerous there.

Before Mr. Chatty could do or say anything, every single Savage Rebel in the bar stood and turned toward them, arms crossed or a hand on their sidearm.

“I think it’s time you left,” Ryder said, the menace in his voice making the hair at the back of Akio’s neck stand on end. He knew Ryder would never hurt him or Maggie, but he also knew what it took to be an outlaw biker. He’d seen plenty of that ruthlessness before.

Mr. Chatty was smart enough to walk away, though not without sneering something derogatory under his breath as he passed Akio. His friend hadn’t so much as made a face throughout the ordeal and simply followed Mr. Chatty out of the bar.

The hand on his shoulder squeezed once, then disappeared.

“I don’t need saving,” Maggie snapped at Ryder and pushed past him and Akio, heading for the bar.

The groan coming from Ryder had Akio fighting a smile. His girl was ferocious. No, she didn’t need saving. He couldn’t say the same about himself, though.

“Thank you.”

He turned, smiling tentatively up at Ryder. The annoyance cleared from Ryder’s face, and he returned the smile.

“Anytime. I promised your brother I would keep you safe while you’re here, but I mostly do it because I like you, Akio.”

Warmth spread through his chest, and he knew he was blushing. He rolled his eyes when Ryder ruffled his hair.

“Asshole,” he mumbled, chuckling when Ryder winked at him as he backed away.

Akio shook his head and turned to the pool table. He put his beer down and reached for the balls Maggie hadn’t racked yet and placed them inside the black rack the way Maggie had taught him. He’d never played before coming here and Maggie had been so excited to teach him. Excited because it meant that she would win every game. He didn’t mind losing. Not to her.

He looked toward the bar, brows scrunching when he didn’t see her there anymore. She had likely found someone to angry fuck out in the alley behind the bar or in the stock room. She claimed angry fucking was the best kind of sex. He had no frame of reference himself, so he didn’t bother arguing with her, though something told him sex with someone you loved was probably the better of the two.

He heard a bang which he later realized had to have been the door slamming open as cops entered. The bar was swarmed by uniformed cops within seconds, the uproar loud with cops and bikers yelling at each other.

“Hands up. Turn around,” one barked at Akio who was quick to do so, confused as the cop grabbed his right hand to twist it behind his back. He cried out at the pain it sparked in his shoulder, gasping for breath as his heart raced in his chest and then he was slammed over the pool table, cold handcuffs closing around his wrists.

CHAPTER SIX

Akio

HE WAS tapping his foot. He knew it. He couldn’t stop it. If he tried, his anxiety would only get worse without that outlet. He’d never been in an interrogation room before. The walls were bare and maybe the paint had been white at some point but it sure wasn’t anymore. The chair he sat on was more comfortable than he’d expected. His hands weren’t cuffed nor attached to the table. It told him they either didn’t see him as a threat, or they wanted him to think they didn’t. He wasn’t sure which.

They had taken his prints when he came in and he dreaded what might show up. He knew his brother had done something to protect him, he just didn’t know how far he’d gone. He’d gotten a new identity. Diesel’s surname. His brother and his partner had shown him more love and compassion in the past four years than he’d had his whole life.

He heard a click and snapped his head toward the door. A man wearing a suit stepped into the room. It was a cheap suit. At least compared to the ones his father had worn. With good reason. Being a cop didn’t pay very well. At least not according to his brother-in-law who used to be one.

“Hello, Akio. I’m Detective Holland.”

Akio gave him a wary look as Detective Holland pulled out the chair across from him and sat down. He had a manilla folder with him that he put on the table. He didn’t open it.

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