Page 34 of Burning Bridges

She stares back at me, lifting her chin defiantly. “I can handle myself. I don’t need you worrying about me as well,” she says, but her voice comes out all shaky. She’s scared.

I make a snap decision and pick her up, hauling her over my shoulder. You would think the crowd around us would notice and come to her rescue, but they don’t. They watch on, knowing who I am, and I can do whatever the fuck I want. I carry her out of the venue.

She’s slapping my back and screaming at me, trying to get me to put her down, but I won’t. I don’t care how reckless she is, trying to stay just to prove a point to me is ludicrous. She’s not getting hurt on my watch. I don’t put her down until I’m well away from the venue, next to her car. It wasn’t hard to find in the lot in that fire-engine red.

She stares back at me, her eyes teetering on the edge of psycho. “What the fuck, Leo.” She tries to lash out at me, but I pin her between my body and the car.

“It’s for your own good,” I tell her, not able to say anything more on the subject.

“Sometimes you make me so angry,” she cries, obviously frustrated with me.

“Better angry than dead,” I say, my hand sliding down her side to settle on her hip, my grip still tight. Being this close to her is distracting. I’m no longer worrying about the threat inside. Instead, my body is alive with the need to feel her lips on mine, her body buried under me just the way it should be.

Her eyes search my face. “Who told you the Kings would be here?” she whispers, and I can tell she is just as distracted.

My other hand cups her chin, tilting it up to me. I run a thumb over her ruby-red lips. “You know I can’t give you information like that, sweetheart. I’ve already said too much.”

Her eyes drop to look at my lips, lingering there longer than they should for someone who is searching for information, not wanting to be kissed. “But you did, and now I want to know more.”

I drop my face to hers, closer. “Always wanting what you can’t have, aren’t you, Princess.”

“Yes,” she breathes. Reaching up on her tippy toes, she brings her mouth to mine, doing exactly what I wanted and kissing me like she has forgotten the fight inside and her ex completely. I pick her up, and she wraps her legs around my waist. Her body against mine is scorching hot. I claim her mouth with my tongue, enjoying the way we fit together like this.

She pulls back from me, breathless. “But I think I can have you,” she whispers.

I pull her back to me, needing my lips back on hers. She can have me, I’m all hers, but I can’t admit that to her. She kisses me back with as much desperation as I feel. She is going to be the death of me.

My phone rings in my pocket and reality comes back to me. I remember what I’m supposed to be doing. The fight. The Kings. “Sorry,” I tell her, knowing I need to take this call. I keep her balanced against the car so I don’t have to separate our bodies as I answer the call from Kobe.

“Where the fuck are you?” he growls down the line.

“What’s happened?”

“Nothing. The fight is over, and everyone is leaving, no sign of any trouble.”

“Who won?” asks Piper, listening in on our conversation. It’s not hard when we're so close together, but I glare at her for the interruption.

“Are you with Piper?” he questions.

I glance at her, and she challenges me with her gaze, waiting to see if I’m about to lie to my brother for her.

“Yes,” I admit, knowing the backlash I’ll get from my brothers for it later. “She's coming home with me now,” I add.

She looks at me, surprised.

“Really hope you know what you’re doing. I’m heading to The Joker with Jett and some of the boys to celebrate. Oh, and tell Piper that Axel won. Catch you guys later.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you in the morning. Be careful tonight, Kobe.”

“You too, Brother.” He chuckles as he disconnects the call.

“So, I’m coming home with you, am I?” A smirk spreads across her face, looking as if she just hit the jackpot.

I’m not ready to let her go yet, and I have a bad feeling about tonight. Axel wouldn’t bullshit about something like this. If he thinks the Kings are a threat, they will be. I want her close by just in case our tipoff was right. I let her down to standing.

“You are the most confusing human I know, Leo. So hot and cold. I have no idea where I stand with you.”

“Know what I tell you. My words don’t lie, Piper. If I say I want you to come home with me tonight, then I do.”

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