Page 15 of Cocky Jerk

“Seriously,” she hisses. “You. Owe. Me.”

Closing the little distance between us, she lifts her hand from my chest and winds it around the back of my neck. The alarm bells sound somewhere in the back of my head, but I tune them out as soon as my gaze falls to her lips.

“Come on, Officer, pretend I’m your dream girl and look at me like you can’t wait to rip my clothes off.”

It’s not that much of a stretch. I definitely wouldn’t mind ripping her clothes off, at least then I might get her to shut up. I also wasn’t wrong when I assumed there is more to Antonia than meets the eye and now I know, I know she’s fucking nuts. I always did like them a little colorful.

“What the fuck is this?” a deep voice growls from behind me and just like that, I’m pretending to be someone else’s boyfriend—at least I think I am. There’s got to be a limit as to how many times one man fits the same role in a single lifetime. At this rate, I should put an ad for hire in the newspaper.

Antonia’s eyes continue to plead with mine as I mutter another curse and confession with Father Murphy works its way to the top of my list of things to do.

Sighing, I roll my neck and brace myself to face my audience. Antonia’s fingers curl into my neck and she drops her head to my chest and my hands subconsciously grip her hips. Behind every lead actor is a convincing lead actress, and Antonia delivers.

“Get your filthy paws off of her,” the guy sneers.

Now, I like to think of myself as a levelheaded man, someone who doesn’t let too many people get under his skin. But this guy…this fucking guy.

First off, I’m barely touching her. Second, who the hell does this asshole think he is talking to me like that? I lift my hand to the back of my neck and begin to pry Antonia’s fingers away so I can deal with the jerkoff behind me, but her hold tightens.

“Hound,” she clips, acknowledging the douchebag behind me. She lifts her head from my chest and stares over my shoulder. “I thought I made it clear I didn’t want to be followed by anyone.”

My brows knit together as I process her words. Suddenly, it all begins to click for me, and I conclude the reason she assumed I was following her is that she’s already being stalked by the arrogant tool behind me. Fearing she might be in some kind of trouble, I lower my mouth to her ear and just as I’m about to assure her she’s got nothing to worry about, she buries her nose against my cheek.

Damn, she’s good.

“Marco and I were just about to go inside,” she continues, seductively. “Get lost unless of course, you want to watch.”

I don’t know who is taunted more by her words, me or the guy she’s clearly trying to get a rise out of.

“Antonia,” I growl.

Ignoring me, she takes my hand and starts pulling me toward the front door. I dig my heels in place and she shoots me a glare.

“What are you doing?” she hisses.

If we’re going to play pretend, we’re going to do it right. I would never allow some guy to talk to my girl like he just did, and I sure as fuck wouldn’t let her drag me away before I got my own jab in.

“Fuck him, you’re coming with me. Get on the back of the bike,” dickwad orders.

I was really hoping to walk away from this with my jaw intact, but that’s all the son of a bitch has to say for me to lose the little patience I have left. Tearing my hand out of Antonia’s, I spin around to face him. I don’t get very far though, because his fucking fist collides with my jaw.

Come on!

How is this happening again?

An unintelligible sound erupts from the back of my throat and before he can get another shot, I grab his wrist and pin his arm behind his back, much like I did earlier with Antonia.

“Do you have any idea who you just hit? I’m a—”

My words die as Antonia stomps on my foot. I lose my grip on the animal in front of me and turn to glare at her, but she slams her elbow right into my gut, knocking the wind out of me. I’m getting the shit kicked out of me by my fake girlfriend and her jealous‘hound’.That’s what you get for taking an oath to uphold the law and protect the citizens of New York—a fucking day from Hell.

“Jesus fuck,” I howl.

I don’t know what hurts more, my face, my ribs or my fucking ego. A thought creeps into my mind and with my hands pressed to my knees, I lift my head and look between the two of them, wondering if I’m being played by both sides.

Before I can find out, Antonia brushes past me. My gaze follows her, and I get my first look at Hound as Antonia shoves him back. She starts shouting, but I only make out every other word as I take in the man that towers over her by a good foot or so. His size ain’t the only intimidating thing, the motherfucker is covered head to toe in ink, but it’s the leather vest and the center patch adorned to it that has me straightening to my full height.

It’s the infamous insignia of the Corrupt Hellraisers, and aside from the Satan’s Knights, they’re the most prominent outlaw motorcycle club this side of the Hudson. Without giving myself a chance to question my actions, I start for the two of them, eager to pull Antonia away from him, but I pause when he tears his eyes from her to look at me.

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