Page 79 of Running on Empty

“Then let’s get the fuck out of here,” Rusty said, stepping forward. “This is all very touching, but unless you want to have hot monkey sex in a cell tonight, get the fuck in the car.” He held up the bags of money they’d retrieved. “We’ll head out to the MCs, see if we can strike a deal while you lot scuttle back to the hideout. We’ll have an answer for you by tomorrow.”

My brothers nodded and then everyone began to move and not on my order. I tried to breathe through it, forcing my legs to move when theirs did, follow Ronan and Jax rather than being the one to lead the way. Because I was held back in the rear by a small hand that clasped mine, and found that more than made up for not being in control.

Until we got back to the car.

“No, you’re in the back,” Stevie ordered the moment I went for the driver’s seat.

“Fuck yes…” Ronan hissed, holding out his hands for the keys and I just stared at him with narrowed eyes. “C’mon, give them over. We need to get the fuck out of the city.”

Stevie watched me closely, an air of challenge in her eyes.

“Baby steps,” she said. “And don’t worry, I’ll keep you distracted throughout the drive.”

Fuck… I remembered the sounds she made in the car when she was with Ronan, when she fucking claimed him. My wolf stiffened, panting hard, imagining us in his place, even though I knew that it wouldn’t happen.

“Something you need, omega?” I asked in a low rumble.

Her brows creased and something world weary filled her eyes, but she smiled at me.

“Scar back and out of that fuck’s clutches. Jack fucking Spencer’s head on a pike. The whole Spencer family on their knees before me, begging me to stop the implosion of their whole empire.” That smile widened. “But right now I’ll settle for a little team building activity.”

“Team building…?” There was no point asking what, I could see that in the hectic gleam in her eyes. I shook my head as I tossed Ronan the keys and then got in the backseat, the space already feeling weird and claustrophobic. I heard my brothers’ snickers from the front, because before I could put my seat belt on, something else pinned me to the upholstery.

“Omega,” I growled. “You need to sit down and—”

“I am,” she replied, straddling my lap and wedging the two of us into the space between the driver’s side seat and mine.

“This isn’t safe,” I said, putting my hands on her waist and going to manually put her in the seat next to me, but she knocked them away.

“Hands behind your head,” she ordered, the real command in her voice making me smile involuntarily. My hands moved without thinking, only conscious effort forcing me to stop from obeying her. “Now, Ash, or we don’t move an inch. Imagine what the cops will think if they arrive—”

“Fine.” The engine started as I moved slowly, placing my hands behind my head and that’s when I saw it. Whatever bossy shit my omega was trying to play, it all fell apart as soon as I did.

“Damn…”

Her eyes were hungry, raking across biceps that popped the moment I did as she told him. I only flexed them a little for her benefit.

“Hold tight, lovers,” Ronan said with a characteristic cackle. “This might be a bumpy ride.”

“Ronan—!”

Any protest I might make was cut off by a squeal of the wheels as we tore off down the alleyway and out onto the main road.

Chapter47

This wasn’t smart.

Sitting on a man’s lap when the cops were swarming towards The Viper Club site would only draw attention to us, but somehow I couldn’t bring myself to sit beside Ash, not even just until we were clear of the strip of clubs.

Because Ash Kelly was mine.

I don’t think I dared to believe that until now. Jax, Ronan, it was so much easier to accept, but the big alpha? He watched me closely, some of that arrogant fuckboy look of his on his face.

But not entirely.

The mask was cracking, making me aware it was there in the first place and I couldn’t stop until it was in pieces, so I reached out, dragging my fingers along his stubbled jaw, touching a face I’d dreamed of, fantasised about, for longer than I had thought possible.

It was as if my fingertips were numb, unable to register the feel of his skin, the heat of it right up until his hand went up and covered mine. Then it was hot, hot, hot, all that longing I’d kept tamped down rushing up.

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