The sounds of boots scraping over concrete sounded as Trouble and the other two men turned, gave one last pointed look at their president, then made their escape.
Obviously, Odin hadn’t like what she’d said, and his men could read the tension rolling from him as easily as Skathi had.
“About that night at party—”
“Was that man dealt with?” she asked, wanting to steer the conversation away from anything personal. The last thing she needed was to allow emotion to slip in between them. Barriers. High, thick barriers. That’s what she needed. “He did assault my friend, and I probably should have called the police, but I hoped you would deal with the problem in house.”
“We did. Despite the rumors circulating about our MC, we don’t take kindly to men who hurt women. Slick got a beat down and was demoted to prospect for the next month. He didn’t lose his patch because he earned it, but he’ll be kissing ass for the next while until I feel like he’s been humbled enough to get his honor back.”
Skathi could imagine that a beat down by this man could break some bones, but what good did making him an MC lap dog do? He was still in a position of power in the MC, and who was to say if he actually learned his lesson?
Not that it mattered to her. She was done with the MC, the clubhouse, and Slick.
Let them deal with their own problems. I have too many of my own.
“Good. Next time, make sure your brothers keep their hands off the ones who say no.”
“They usually do. Slick is a little shit, but he has potential. He just needs a rabid adjustment once in a while.”
“Well, I gladly adjusted him for you this time around.”
“That you did, and I owe you for that.”
“No, you don’t. Breaking his nose and laying him out was reward enough for me.”
“I bet it was, but that’s not how I roll. You had to deal with one of my men behaving badly, so I want to show you that I’m a man who can treat you better than that.”
“No need. I wouldn’t want to keep you from your business.”
“Right now, goddess,youare my business.”
Before she could begin to fathom the definition of the words he’d used, his mouth was on hers, his large hands cradling her face, holding her in place, his massive body pressed against hers.
His tongue surged in and explored her mouth, gliding alongside hers and lathing, tasting, enjoying. Lost for a moment in the sensations of being conquered, Odin tilted her head with his strong hands, and deepened their kiss, ravenous need sending frenetic blasts of pleasure through her. Carried away by the sensual onslaught, Skathi tasted the roof of his mouth before dipping her tongue to flick against his. The deeper the kiss, the stronger his hold on her face as he held her place for his savage attentions. The kiss seemed to last forever, draining her of all thought save one: need.
Odin broke the kiss and laid his forehead against hers.
He sucked in a breath, his gasping, heaving chest rubbing against her incredibly sensitive breasts. She trembled, her own breaths jagged and shallow, her mind unable to focus on something as menial as oxygenation. All she could think about, all she could feel was the hot, silkiness of his mouth as it had been against hers. How amazing and right it felt.
Gods, she was in trouble.
His voice rough gravel sliding against velvet, he murmured, “Iwillhave you for dinner, my goddess. My Valkyrie. And now that I’ve had a taste of you, I’m fucking ravenous.”
Skathi clearly remembered Odin devouring her mouth, turning her to a puddle of womanhood in the Lock ‘n’ Load ready room. Never in her life had a man taken such control over her—body, mind, and sensation. Not even her husband, a man she’d vowed to love and honor, had ever made her feel as out of control, mindless, and molten as a single kiss from Odin.
Definitely in trouble.
His soft lips had felt like velvet heaven against hers, and the abrasion of his mustache and beard against the skin of her face and neck had nearly made her come in her tactical pants.
Out-of-control Skathi was new and…bad for her health.
Despite having remembered every second of her meeting with and kiss from Odin, Skathi didn’t remember how she got home. She hadn’t even realized she was inside her condo until her cat, Nixie, a brown and orange tiger tabby, began rubbing herself against Skathi’s legs.
Going through the motions, she showered, put on her sweatpants and gray Steele Fist gym hoodie, and sit on the edge of her bed. Stunned. Stricken. Her body pulsing with a strange energy she’d never felt before. Couldn’t properly name even if she knew all the words in the world.
It wasn’t until the buzzer of the front door sounded through the condo that Skathi began pushing her way out of the haze of whatever the hell Odin had done to her.
That kiss…that gods forsaken kiss. A kiss that had completely flattened her, even as it filled her to overflowing with longing.