Page 52 of My Darling Mayhem

He glanced back at Wren angrily. He looked like he was about to throw a punch at me.

“I’m not leav?—”

I stepped closer, clicking my tongue. “You’re not staying here with her. So, either leave, or I will have you taken out on a stretcher. Your fuckin’ choice.”

“Fuck you!” Brian pushed past me, shoving his shoulder into my sternum.

I let him go, giving Wren one last look. She wagged her fingers at me, giving me a little smirk, and mockingly said, “Have a nice day, honey.”

I replied in the same sugar-sweet tone, “You too,darling.”

THIRTEEN

WREN

My nerves were raw.

This could be because of the fifth cup of coffee I had downed or the fact that I had actually instigated a blow job this morning with my next-door neighbor. All while folding myself in half like a twenty-something-year-old to fit between his legs. My knee still had not recovered from choosing that position.

But also, I had never in my life been the person to offer to suck someone’s cock, and I certainly wasn’t the person who became obsessed and swallowed all that jizz down afterwards. I had always provided a few sucks, some licking, then we’d move on to the main course of the evening. I’d never experienced getting so enraptured by making someone feel so good that they couldn’t hold back or lose all sense that they came within mere minutes right down my throat. There was something sort of special that it had happened with Archer. I was glad it was with him, but it still had me jumpy all day.

Now, as I grabbed a ride home with Cruz, Kane, and Archer, I felt torn in half. Something was actively burning in my chest, like a fire had been lit, and part of me knew I needed to put it out, but some rebellious part of me wanted to keep feeding it.

“My mechanic will be here in about twenty minutes if you need to change or do anything before you tell him what’s happening.” Archer put the truck in park, and the boys started pulling up their backpacks and filing out of the back passenger door.

Archer gave me a warm smile before he exited as well. He looked tired, like he’d had a hard day with his suit jacket off, his sleeves rolled to his elbows and the top two buttons unclasped. He looked like he was slowly shedding this fake persona that he’d had to hide inside all day and was itching to get back into his denim and leather.

I should have let him go change so he could finally be at ease…but before I slid entirely out of the truck, I asked, “How was your day?”

Archer paused and twisted at the hips with an odd expression.

“What?”

God, this was embarrassing. “Your day…did you. I mean, how was your important meeting?”

His brows arched as he held his door open. “Oh…it, uh it went fine. Thanks.”

“Oh. Okay, well, good.” I slid out of the truck, feeling stupid for forcing him to hang back. Cruz ran over, and we headed to the house to change and get a snack.

Once in my room, I tossed my hair up in a bun, stripped out of my pencil skirt and top, and quickly showered. I donned familiar clothes that made me feel more at home in my own skin: a pair of yoga pants and an oversized T-shirt. Cruz was munching on Pirates Booty and wiping his hands on his jeans, unaware I was watching him.

I smirked, feeling too exhausted to even reprimand him. Instead, I headed toward the fridge, hoping for something to help my nerves. I had crossed a line with Archer today, and I hadno idea how to get things back where they were, where I felt like I had some semblance of control over things.

The memory of how he held my face, licked along my bottom lip, and moved his mouth over mine like I belonged to him came rushing back, making my face heat. That was the best kiss I’d ever had in my entire life. I’d never really had a romantic relationship with anyone other than Matt. Still, even then, things started so hot and heavy that we’d slid into romance after we’d already hooked up.

Cruz’s cute little lilt of laughter disrupted my thoughts and brought me back to my open refrigerator. There was nothing but sparkling water and milk to settle my nerves, so I sipped on a lime-flavored water while I stared off into space, deliberating how badly I had messed things up with my neighbor. A few minutes later, a soft knock on the front door had Cruz’s head snapping over, and, in his excitement, he jumped up to answer it.

“Is it Archer?”

The hope in his voice caused a small piece of my chest to shatter and fuse back together at a speed that wasn’t good for my heart.

“Uh, let me see.” I walked over and opened the door. Archer wore ripped jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt styled under his leather cut. His wild hair was tamed at the nape of his neck, exposing his freshly-shaven jaw and blue eyes.

Beside him was a man wearing the same cut, roughly younger and shorter. He wore a brown T-shirt under his leather, and a pair of baggy jeans. His hair was a mop of brown, tight curls that framed a round face. Next to him stood an excited-looking Kane whose hands were full of little Hot Wheel cars.

“Hey, Wren. This is Buck, he’s a member of Mayhem Riot and a damn good mechanic.”

Buck waved, and I waved back, stepping down the porch steps. Kane ran past me into the house, and Cruz waved him toward his room.

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