Page 5 of High Stakes

Isteeple my fingers together and lean forward, bracing my forearms on my knees. From my seat on the front steps of Emelia’s house, I watch Hayden circle his bike for the sixteenth time and vow that if he makes another turn, I will shoot him in the foot. He leans over and tinkers with something on the handlebars.

My eyes slide down to the phone sitting on the wood beside me, still open and revealing the text we had both received about thirty minutes ago.

Another panic attack but she seems fine now.

She made me stop and get French fries…

I blow out a breath and lock the phone screen after checking the time again. Hector might be a giant cockblock and a pain in my ass, but he makes sure that Emelia is always taken care of. I bristle slightly when I think about all the times I’ve caught him staring at her longingly over the last few months. I narrow my eyes at the now black phone screen and scowl.

“Jealousy is not a good look for you, Dec,” Hayden says with a chuckle as he leans against his bike. “We share her. What’s the difference if he also shares her? If it’s what she wants…” his voice trails off.

I look up and catch the slight quirk of his lip. “She gets,” I finish the rest of the sentence for him. He is absolutely hopeless when it comes to Emelia, literally worshiping the ground she walks on.

Hayden nods once and shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly. “Who am I to judge?”

The sounds of gravel crunching underneath tires and the thunderous noise of a motorcycle engine echoes through the thick trees surrounding the house.

“Are you ready?” I ask Hayden as he slips on his helmet and climbs on his bike.

“So ready,” he responds deeply, but I still catch the delight in his voice.

“Take off. I’ll see you in a few.”

He revs the engine and surges forward, disappearing between the trees and creating his own path through the forest. I slide my helmet over my head and flip the visor down, hiding my eyes.

Emelia slides to a stop, slinging gravel with her rear tire as she does. She pulls her helmet off and narrows her green eyes at me in a suspicious glare. “What are you doing here?”

I inhale deeply through my nose and take her in silently. Her long hair is pulled back in a thick braid. Her curves are hidden under thick, black riding gear, leaving very little skin showing. I have always hated that. My eyes travel back up her body and land on her face. Her eyes, while sharp and perceptive, are surrounded by dark circles, and her face is paler than normal. “You still have some blood,” I say cooly, and gesture to the right side of her jaw, just under her ear. “Right there.”

Emelia shrugs and drops her helmet onto the seat. “He texted you. Didn’t he?” she asks pointedly.

I nod once and fold my arms across my chest.

“Fucker,” she mutters under her breath and tries to shoulder past me on the steps. I sidestep and block her path. “I really suggest you get the fuck out of the way, Declan. I’ve already murdered one person today, and I can tell you right now that I am not against doing it again.”

My teeth clench and I twist my head to the side, cracking my neck. “And I suggest,” I say darkly and lean forward until my helmet is millimeters from her nose, “you watch that attitude with me, or I’ll fuck it out of you.” I smile when she gasps softly. “You’d like that, though, wouldn’t you?”

Her eyes narrow and I can see the gears turning in her mind. I know she’s had a long day already and her mind is exhausted. She’s been running on fumes for a while now, but she struggles to give up control. While she lets me take over and dominate sometimes, other times I know it’s hard for her to surrender. Today is one of those times.

She tilts her head back to look at me, but she can’t see my face with the helmet on. All she can see is her own scowl. “About as much as I would like to run you over with a tractor trailer,” she retorts, and puts her hands on her hips. The fabric stretches over her curves as she puffs out her chest. I shift slightly as my cock hardens in my jeans.

If she’s ready for a fight, then I’m going to give her one.

“I’m going to give you a twenty second head start.” I gesture towards the forest where Hayden disappeared a few moments ago. “We’re going to play a little game.”

“What kind of game?” she asks skeptically and squares her shoulders.

“I’m going to let you run that attitude out instead of you running that mouth.” I take a step toward her, and she counters with a step back and to the right, just out of reach. Smart girl.

“And if I don’t?” Her tone is hard.

My fingers flex and then curl into fists. “I’ll put you over my knee right here on your front steps.”

Emelia’s cheeks turn a faint shade of pink and I watch her shift her legs together.

My smile widens. “You deserve several hand prints after the stunts you pulled today.” I take another step toward her and tuck my hands into my pockets, the picture of easy confidence. “The clock is ticking. I suggest you run, Princess.”

My favorite smile graces her lips as she turns and sprints into the forest, weaving through the trees until she’s out of sight.

---