Page 31 of Saving Blood

“So, you came here to tell me two things I already know.” Her hand goes on her hip, drawing my eyes to her bare midriff where her tank top separates from her very sexy booty shorts. Not quite as short as the ones she wears in the cage, but still hot as fuck.

“Look, you’ve got a great record. You’ve won every fight, and I think, regardless of what happened between us, we should at least have a working relationship.”

“A working relationship?” She cocks her head, and her braid falls over her shoulder. “Did Diesel put you up to this?”

“No.” Interesting she should mention Diesel. Maybe this would work. “You and I are in the gym most days together, and it’s stupid not to get along just ‘cause we had some . . .”

“Some what?” Her light eyes bore into me, but I stay strong.

“Let’s face it, we had some smoking-hot sex that night, but, like you said, it was a one-off. I get it. It’s probably for the best, seeing you do work for the club, and I’m an officer. It would just end up getting messy.” I shrug. “It’s a definite bad idea, a hard no.”

Her expression changes. Yup, Maxine isn’t a woman who likes to hear the word “no.”

“I already said that, so I still don’t understand why you’re here.”

I pause like I’m trying to think about my next words. Playing this last part out is crucial.

“I guess just to tell you that you’re doin’ great in the cage . . . and we should move forward as friends or at least as employer-employee. You were right about us not getting together again. Huge fuckin’ mistake.”

Maxine slowly nods, but her brain is working overtime. I can almost smell the smoke.

“I wouldn’t necessarily go that far. I mean, we did . . .”

“Did what?” Okay, she took the bait, but a woman like Maxine has to be reeled in slowly.

She edges a half-step closer to me. “We did enjoy it.”

I shrug again. “Yeah, it was good.”

Her eyes widen right on cue. “Good? I think your words that night were ‘fuckin’ amazing.’”

I huff out a laugh. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Ahhh, no, that’s exactly what you said. You also said I liked it as rough as you, and you wanted to see me sprawled out on a bed the next time.”

“But we’ve already decided there won’t be a next time, right?”

Ohhh yeah, this is going exactly as I planned. In another minute, I’d have her stretched out across her bed screaming and moaning as I pump into her. Then, when the time is right, I’ll pump her for information about Hector’s plans in Tijuana. Talk about fuckin’ the enemy. Yeah, this is working out perfectly.

MAXINE

“Right.” I move toward the still open door, and his gaze rakes over me as he swaggers forward. What the hell kind of game is he playing?

“Shame though.” He positions himself between me and the door. So close I can smell his scent of leather, musk and . . . desire.

“Yeah, a real shame.” This couldn’t be working out any better. I thought I’d have to wait until tomorrow to work my magic, but here he is in living color, hitting on me like a dog in heat.

Even his banter has sexy vibes, but instead of playing word games with the biker, I would lure him into bed. Talk about killing two birds with one stone. I’d pry information out of him and feed it to Hector to keep him happy. Then take it up another level and tell Blood I desperately need his help. Nothing an alpha male likes better than helping the damsel in distress. While Hector is worried about the outlaw bikers, I can make my escape.

Blood lowers his head, and his lips touch mine. Soft and lingering, like he has all the time in the world. My back arches, pressing my hips forward as his hand settles on the small of my back. He increases the force of the kiss, and my disloyal body tingles with pleasure until Hector’s threats echo through my brain.

I angle my head and release his lips. “I don’t think you want to leave.”

“I don’t think you want me to leave.”

Oh yeah, he’s good at this, but I’m better. No longer am I the shy, timid girl afraid of her shadow. No, the cruelties of my life have made me the perfect match for an outlaw biker on a mission. I’d let him think he’s getting to me, playing me, when in reality it’s the exact opposite.

His large hands grip my shoulders, pinning me against the door until it slams behind me. He angles his mouth over mine, taking his fill, and I let him. I snake my hands under his cut, then his t-shirt, relishing the warm, firm skin of his abs.

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