Page 45 of Havoc

I let out a breath and leaned back on the rock, arms folded behind my head. Above us, the sky was a stretch of stars and shadows. The kind of night that felt too perfect to belong to the world we’d woken up in.

Riley lay back beside me and tilted her head towards mine. I started to ask if she was cold, but she spoke first.

“This is really relaxing,” she murmured. “You’re lucky to have a place like this.”

I turned my head to look at her. Her face, soft in the moonlight, looked peaceful for the first time all day.

Yeah, I was lucky. But not just because of the cabin.

Because she was here—with me.

I couldn’t help but grin. “This is the ultimate escape in my book.”

“Do you come here often?”

I nodded and went back to gazing up at the stars. “Yeah, at least once a month. Usually, when I come, there’s another club brother or two here as well. I don’t mind having the place all to myself, but it’s more fun when there’s someone to share it with.”

She elbowed me gently and asked, “Someone like me?”

I nodded again. “We both needed this. Especially you, because today was a shit show from start to finish.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “This morning was pretty terrifying, but this evening’s more than making up for it.”

“You shouldn’t flirt with me,” I grumbled. “If I start taking you seriously, you won’t like that very much.”

She rolled to her side and propped her head up with one hand. “And just why is that?”

“I’m not your type, I imagine. In my mind’s eye, I see you with a banker or an accountant.”

“Oh, so you think I’m a gold digger?”

“No, I think you’re a nice lady. Real classy. You deserve a man who can buy you nice things.”

Her free hand landed lightly on my chest. “Maybe I don’t want a man to buy me things. It could be that I like buying nice things for myself. Did that ever occur to you?”

“You look like the type. Strong. Independent. You own your own business and seem pretty successful. But none of that means you want a big, rough biker like me—a fuckup you were hired to fix.”

I didn’t know why I said all that. Maybe it was my way of forcing her to see the real me so she could decide whether to keep flirting or run for the hills. I knew what I wanted—to draw her close and make her mine. And when she moved in closer, that need clawed to the surface like something wild I couldn’t contain.

Before I knew it, her face was inches from mine. She whispered, “Maybe I don’t see you as particularly fucked up. There’s a difference between fucking up every now and then and being a fuckup. You shouldn’t confuse the two.”

When Riley leaned in closer, I braced for the kiss I was sure was coming. I loved the way she looked at me, the way she touched me. Her lips ghosted across mine, and I loved everything about the moment—her coming to me instead of making me chase her. This beautiful woman wanted me, and I wasn’t about to turn down anything she was willing to give.

I wasn’t stupid. I knew she might just be scared, needing reassurance from a big, strong protector—or maybe just a distraction from the chaos of her life. I was okay with that. She could use my body however she liked. I wouldn’t complain. I wanted this more than she’d ever know.

My heart thundered in my chest by the time she pulled back. That was when I tangled my fingers in her long red hair and pulled her down for another kiss, one of my own making. I plundered her mouth, my tongue brushing against hers, and her body softened against mine. She kissed me back with a hunger that stole my breath. Her hands slid up my chest and wrapped around my neck. I could feel her breasts pressed against me.

Riley, this woman who carried herself with such command and coached people through their worst, became something else entirely in my arms. All sensual grace and quiet submission. She was everything I craved in a woman—strong, intelligent, soft in the right moments. Irresistible.

Having her lips on mine set something loose inside me. I wrapped my arms around her, sinking into the sweetness of her curves, the taste of her mouth, the soft sounds she made when we kissed.

When I finally pulled back, I ran my fingers gently through her hair, massaging her scalp. Her eyes were wide and surprised. I smothered a smile.

“You didn’t expect to like that so much, did you, sweetheart?”

She let out a strangled laugh. “No, sir, I did not.”

I could tell she was trying to be funny by calling mesir, but damn if I didn’t like that way too much. Maybe that made me an asshole. Probably did.

---