Page 57 of Taming Raptor

“Let him in,” I told Torque. He entered the remote code, and we watched as the lone bike entered the property. “Make sure the gate closes.”

“Roger that,” Torque replied.

I motioned for everyone to follow and turned to go outside. Lola moved back as I passed, and my hand brushed her ass. Her giggle told me it was on purpose, and I rolled my eyes as I shook my head, but kept walking. Gator and I were going to have to have a very serious talk.

We pushed the door open and stepped out into the hot Texas afternoon.

A grin broke out on my face that matched the ones on both Blade’s face and Phoenix’s next to me. It was a bittersweet reunion of sorts. Blade plowed into me and squeezed my ribs until I thought they might crack.

“You crazy fucker,” Phoenix shouted as he looped an arm around Blade’s neck and shook him slightly. Blade released me to give a massive embrace to Phoenix.

“Goddamn, I missed you guys.” He took a deep breathe, then exhaled, smile still in place. “It’s so fucking good to see you—you just don’t know.”

“Are you just here for a visit, or are you here to stay?” Phoenix asked as he patted Blade’s back patch and gave him another side hug. His smile faltered a bit, and I zeroed in on the change. Then his gaze darted back to his bike where his girl was taking off her gloves and unbuckling her helmet. She seemed to be moving in slow motion.

Several of the brothers appreciatively glanced around Blade at the perfectly curved chick in snug frayed jeans, knee-high black biker boots, and a tight red tank top. Someone let out a low whistle. The thick, mahogany braid fell over one shoulder and the end curled up around her peaked nipple. Deep inside, my hawk stirred.

I hated that I’d noticed anything about her because it felt like I was cheating.

And there was the crux of my problem.

Ripping my gaze from her, I glanced back to Blade who was looking at me strangely. That’s when a set of tits pressed to my arm, and I looked down to see Lola watching the other chick with a narrow-eyed stare. The woman who arrived with Blade had tits that were enough to outshine Lola’s any day of the week and twice on Sunday—and I only knew because Lola occasionally entertained the boys by dancing on the pole.

“Jesus, Lola. Get back inside,” I snapped at her with a glare. She fucking knew I didn’t like to be touched and I was getting tired of telling her. There was also no reason for her to come out here, but from her behavior, she must’ve been watching everything unfold through the window.

The brunette ripped off her helmet and threw it at me. I ducked and it hit the gravel behind me and rolled.

“This was a fucking mistake,” she snapped and turned on her heel. Frozen in disbelief, I stood there and watched her upside-down heart-shaped ass stalk away.

“You fucking asshole,” Blade muttered and took off after her.

I saw red.

It must not have been very subtle because I heard Rooster mutter, “Oh, shit.”

Banshee quietly asked what the fuck was going on, but I didn’t hear anyone’s response. I’d taken off after Blade. The gravel crunched and settled, making it hard to run at top speed, but my legs were longer than Blade’s. I grabbed his arm and spun him back. Surprise lit his face, but I ignored it as well.

Because when Blade started running after her, the little vixen took off and I was gonna hunt her down. She stumbled when her ankle turned and I tried to catch her, but she slammed into the chain-link fence next to the gate latch.

Momentum carried me into her, and I clutched the metal with my arms caging her in and preventing my body from smashing hers into the fence. She spun to face me, eyes spitting fire and teeth clenched. Instinctively, I took one hand and wrapped it around her neck. With light pressure I squeezed, and her racing pulse pounded against my thumb and fingers. My body had a mind of its own and pressed flush against hers.

“Let me go,” she demanded between bared teeth.

“Why? So, you can go back to your new toy?” I was being intentionally hateful because I was furious. and I was man enough to admit—jealous as a motherfucker.

“Fuck. You.”

“You wish,” I taunted against her ear and pressed the hard length of my cock up against her hip. I couldn’t believe the bullshit that was rolling out of my mouth. None of it was what I meant, but my rage at the thought of her with Blade—my friend and brother—instead of me, was short-circuiting my brain. My mouth opened and stupid fell out.

“I hate you,” she hissed.

The words stabbed through my chest like a jagged blade, and I gasped at the pain. My hand clutched her neck tighter. Not enough to hurt her, but enough that her face started to turn red. Of course, some of that was probably her fury that matched mine.

“You’re mine, goddamn it,” I rasped in a pained whisper.

A cold blade touch the vulnerable underside of my jaw and I went still.

“Do not make me choose,” Blade ground out behind me. His voice carried both anger and pain.

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