Page 49 of Scorched King

“You sure about that? These hands have been involved in things that would make you run and hide if you knew the details.”

“Stop trying to scare me away. If getting blown up in a building by a mad man didn’t do it, then finding out that an outlaw biker has done bad things isn’t going to shock me either.”

As if to punctuate the power of those words, a phone not mine, started to vibrate on my nightstand. JD growled and lifted me off of him, pressing a quick kiss to my neck as he placed me on the bed. “Gotta get that. Expecting a new job to start today.”

“Oh yeah?” I didn’t hear much about Wrath business, beyond the rumors around the staff, but it seemed that with the poker club temporarily shut down and the dealings with the group out of Seattle concluded, business had been unnaturally quiet around the compound.

JD swiped his cell from the table without another word and brought it to his ear. “Yeah.”

I wasn’t trying to listen to his conversation, but it was hard not to notice the change in his demeanor. He went from semi relaxed and definitely aroused to something akin to high alert. Whatever was going on, I got the impression it wasn’t great.

“Okay. I want everyone at the clubhouse within the hour so we can vote on this shit. I’m going to let them know yes for now, and we’ll sort out the details in church.”

I always thought it was weird they referred to their club meetings as church. I’d heard it was a common practice amongst motorcycle clubs, but still. Why not just call it a meeting?

He placed his phone down and stood. “I’ve got to get going. Club business.”

“Okay.” Saved by the cellphone, I guess? I mean where were we headed anyways? We were flirting dangerously with sex, and as much as I wanted that…

“Don’t look so sad, baby girl. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Probably going to send Bear over here to keep an eye out on you.”

I shot him a look. “You can’t force me to be his old lady, JD. No matter how much time we have to spend together, nothing is going to change. He’s like an older brother to me. I love him, butI’m not in love with him. And before you get a wild hair, do not tell me that could change. It won’t.”

“Then you might want to tell him that. Boy’s got a hard on for you something fierce. You don’t want him or me to get the wrong idea? Then set him straight.”

“What about—” I stopped before I could finish the question. We both knew I wouldn’t like the answer so what was the point of asking in the first place.

He crossed over to me and gripped my chin to tilt my head until I looked him in the eyes. “You talk to Bear and set him straight. But do it with all that kindness you’ve got inside you, because he’s a good man and deserves the truth and maybe a little sweet. Then we’ll talk, okay?”

I could barely breathe, but I did manage a nod. Was he saying what I thought he was saying?

JD shook his head. “I swear to Christ you are too fucking sweet for your own good. I give you a hint I want you on my dick and you look ready to jump the fuck on. Do you have any idea what kind of power that gives a man like me? Fuck, Sasha. You need to be careful. You need to learn how to guard your heart from a monster.”

“You’re not a monster,” I whispered, still barely able to breathe.

He shook his head and on a curse, his lips connected with mine. I thought it was just going to be a swipe of our mouths on his way out the door, but he went deep, grabbing me by the throat and forcing me to open for more. I melted the instant his warm tongue slid against mine. I thought he was in a hurry and this would be quick, but he kissed me like a man who had all the time in the world and then some.

Instead of pulling away, he deepened that kiss with the force of his tongue and a squeeze of his calloused fingers wrapped around the column of my neck keeping me right where he wanted me. He ate at my mouth, and every abrade of his beard against my sensitive skin sent shock waves of pleasure racing down my spine.

By the time he broke away from me, I was both dazed from the sensuality ofthatpossession and panting for more. “Be my good girl and talk to Bear,” he said, his forehead pressed against mine. “Then we’ll see. I honestly don’t know where this can go. I’d tell you not to get your hopes up, but I’m pretty sure you’re going to feel the way you feel no matter what I say or do.”

I bit back a grin as he let me go and finished dressing. By the time he walked out the door, I was on cloud nine. Between him calling me his good girl and leaving me breathless with the kiss of a lifetime, I had half a mind to get my vibrator out and give that another go because I was pretty sure I would die of want long before JD ever made it back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

JD

I entered Tel’s technological fortress forty-five minutes early in the hopes that he would have some news that would make me feel better about tonight’s mission.

“Tell me you’ve found something.”

He shook his head silently.

“Fuck! How is this asshole hiding so well from us?”

Tel glanced over at me. “I honestly don’t know. You’d have to be a goddamned genius to evade me at this point. I’ve turned over every rock and kicked everything else.”

“And yet he has. We aren’t one damn step closer into figuring out who our fucking traitor is.”

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