Page 59 of Misery and Ecstasy

“In fact, I was the initiator.”

It only takes one look at Marissa’s wide eyes and Olivia’s rapid blinking to know they were not expecting to hear that.

“Frankly, honey,” Olivia clears her throat. “Based on the little you told me the other night, and now this, it sounds like you honestly like him. And him being the first person in a long time that you feel any amount of emotion for, it scares you to think that he may not feel the same. That you’d be worried to let him in, only for him to…”

Leave.

The three of us all think it without saying it.

Marissa nods her head, silently agreeing with everything Olivia just said.

Whether it be a sign or a bad omen, a loud, distinct rumble of engines echoes in the distance before drawing closer to the restaurant. The three of us whip our heads toward it.

My pussy gets wet instantly, knowing what—or who—is the source of that sound.

It’s confirmed a moment later when the entire club roars through town, including the women. Seeing Draven leading the pack in his Trans Am has my nipples pebbling and my heart trying to beat out of my chest.

And then I’m back in the garage again, Draven standing in front of me, talking about his car. The significance of his words when he peered into my soul and said he has an appreciation for beautiful things.

No one has ever spoken to me like that before. I yearn to have his voice in my ear again. To whisper sweet yet devastating words to me. To have his hands on my body, causing me to melt beneath his searing-hot touch.

I can’t see through his tinted windows to find out whether or not he’s seen me. To see the emotion on his face. If he’s angry or hurt.

Or indifferent…

But if I had any question at all about my feelings for him, the way my breath leaves me like it did when he pushed inside of me last night tells me everything I need to know.

Fuck my life.

I’m falling for Draven.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

DRAVEN

The torment in McKinsey’s eyes as we rolled through town earlier today is still with me as I back my car into the garage.

We were on our way to Hershey to participate in a ride for a children’s hospital. We do several of them a year. It’s good for the community, and when people see us out and about, helping others, it’s good for our image. Not that we wouldn’t want to help raise money for kids to begin with. Overall, we are a well-intentioned club.

Even when hiccups arise along the way that need to be dealt with accordingly.

Like Delilah’s father and Drew Sullivan.

And like the Rojas Cartel, who I don’t know we’ll ever be able to shake.

Though my bike is still out of commission for the next few days, I wanted to go to share my support. It was also a good chance to network with members of some of the other clubs in and around Pennsylvania.

The fact that I saw the doc on the way was an added bonus, even if she did appear to be distraught.

She was sitting outside of Bastien’s with two of her girlfriends, looking pained. I’ve never been so happy to have tinted windows. She couldn’t see me as my eyes locked onto her. She missed the way I winced in pain when my cock hardened against my zipper, thinking about how her lips felt around it last night. I studied her for a little too long based on the fact that I nearly rear-ended the car in front of me at the red light farther up the street. I ached to know why she looked so upset. I wanted to pull over and run to her. To take her in my arms and kiss away whatever was causing her distress.

Had I not woken up alone, I might have done it.

But just like after the first time we were together, she put up a wall between us, barring me from seeing the person she is when she’s not distracted by sexual urges. She may strip parts of herself away to let me in—and I fucking love those parts—but she holds on tight to the other parts that I also crave to explore.

Parts she probably talks to the girls she was with about.

I wonder if they were talking about me. About us.

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