Page 19 of Falling Hard

Chapter 6

Libby

Once we reached the main highway, I loosened my grip on his waist, leaned my head back to stare up at the stars, and smiled. I was finally able to breathe normally since the night began, and the tension and anxiety left my body. Absentmindedly, my fingers started to rub the silky smooth skin of Lynx’s stomach just above his waistband, then exhaustion set in as I placed my cheek against his bare back, enjoying the warmth radiating from him. With my eyes shut, I continued tracing patterns on his skin and felt his body tremble. I was so at ease, so comfortable that a feeling of safety I’d never felt before consumed me, and I wondered if he felt the same intense connection I felt forming invisibly between us.

Wincing slightly, insecurities flooded my mind. There was no way a man like him would ever be interested in a girl like me—anxiety riddled, talked to herself, insecure, loud and obnoxious at times… The list could go on, so I would enjoy the time I’ve been given with him because I knew once we reached the hotel, I would probably never see him again.

Much to my dismay, all too soon, we pulled up to my hotel, and with eyes half shut, I peeled myself away from him and haphazardly climbed off his bike, stumbling slightly. I righted myself before shaking my head, trying to wake up a little, but failing tremendously.

With eyes widening, I watched as he put down his kickstand and climbed off his bike, then slowly walked around it, running his hand through his hair. My mouth went dry as I licked my lips, taking him in as he stalked toward me. I took several steps back until my back hit against the hotel wall, watching with eyes wide as he continued forward before placing his hands on either side of the wall. He pressed his body flush against mine. Leaning my head against the wall, I looked up at him as my hands instinctively latched onto his waist. I could feel how hard he was against my stomach as he leaned over, pressed his head against the right side of my neck, and inhaled slowly, sending chills up and down my spine. I bit my lip, holding back a moan as my eyes clamped shut. I pulled him in closer if that were even possible at the moment, and he growled at the extra friction, nipping at my ear and neck with just the right amount of pressure. His rough beard tickled my skin, and a soft moan escaped my lips as my whole body felt like it was on fire. He ground his hips into mine slowly, powerfully, and it had me squirming, not at all bothered by the fact we were outside where anyone and everyone could see what was going on or that the bruise I knew I was going to get on my neck from that man’s hands was really sore. It was just him and me, and nothing else mattered to me at that very moment.

My eyes locked with his, and I didn’t know why, but he looked at me in a way that almost said he knew me before this evening. Was that even possible?

“Libby, what the fuck are you doing?” shouted a voice from my left.

I jumped, squealing slightly as Lynx’s whole body went rigid, and a growl escaped his lips as he glared icily in the direction of the intruder, not moving an inch from the position he was in.

Turning my head, I caught a glimpse of Critter standing a few feet away just outside the entrance of the hotel.

A look of anger washed over his face as he eyed Lynx before looking at me with disappointment. “Libby, what the fuck? You have handprints on your neck. I heard about what happened,” Critter all but shouted. He took a couple more steps toward us and extended his hand like he was going to try to grab me and pull me away from Lynx.

Without a word, Lynx used his left arm to push me behind him, then he stepped forward and using his right arm, he punched Critter in the face hard enough that a crack was heard, a sure sign his nose had been broken.

“What the fuck man? What the hell was that for?!” Critter sputtered as his hands flew to his nose. Blood covered his hands, and he made no move to come toward me again. “Fuck, never mind. I get it, but come on, Libby, I got a call from Rusty, and you need to get your shit from the hotel room. The man who attacked you is the same man who was stalking Emmie. He got loose, and your father wants you at the estate immediately. It ain’t safe anymore, and he’s more dangerous than we thought. I can’t give you more than that because it’s club business, but you gotta go.”

“What? Like hell I’m going anywhere with you. It’s your fault I’m caught up in this mess anyway. You fucking promised you wouldn’t abandon me at that fight, and you did, you ass, and now you’re telling the psycho who tried to kill me is on the loose, and you want me to go with you!” Panic gripped me. “Wait, that means Emmie is in danger too!” Had anyone else thought about my cousin and what this could mean to her? “Someone has to warn Emmie!” As I looked between them both, Critter wiped the blood from his face.

“Maiden is looking after her,” Critter replied.

“That wasn’t my question. Has anyone told her?” I knew my uncle, and he liked to keep secrets from Emmie in case it caused her stress or brought on her symptoms. So I knew they would keep something like this from her.

“Maiden’s handling it.”

My face soured upon hearing the name. “Maiden! You just had to put her with him, didn’t you?” I groaned. “You know what is going to happen? She is going to fall for him!”

I knew my cousin well. Sure, we had been apart for a while, but Emmie and I just clicked. I guess it was because we both had our quirks.

Emmie and Maiden were like magnets being pulled to one another. I remember the first time they met when we were younger. Maiden had just got patched in, and I swear he was drawn to her.

Emmie had always stood out with her purple hair and flawless makeup. I knew why she always made sure her makeup was done because she wanted to appear to the world that she had it together and was a normal eighteen-year-old when, really, she was anything but normal.

She looked at her schizophrenia as a curse, but I could see that where she was given darkness, she was also gifted in other areas. Like in art. She was incredible at art, and I loved getting drawings from her when I was younger. One of the things I kept in my wallet was a hand-drawn picture she had created of Dad and me when I was little. She said the memory of us on the swing set was always on her mind, and for my tenth birthday, she sent me the picture.

As with anything Emmie did, it was flawless. You would think an artist who had been drawing for years had created it, not a nine-year-old, though she would never agree because she was always underestimating and doubting herself. But she was a hell of a lot stronger than anyone I’d ever met, and I admired her for that.

“Libby, we have to get you out of here.” Critter brought me back to the moment

I shook my head. “I don’t think so. I’m so furious with you right now. Where the fuck did you even go—wait, don’t even answer that because I don’t fucking care! I will find my own way to the estate.”

My mind was racing, and the anxiety was creeping in.

“Jesus, Libby, what the hell have you gone and gotten yourself into this time? This is what happens when you let men make decisions for you. Never again, Libby, never again. You’re a grown-ass woman, and from here on out, you make your own choices. Let me tell you, no man is going to control you anymore,” I rambled on, completely oblivious to the two men who looked at me like I’d lost my mind—which, to some extent, I had. All of the emotions overwhelmed me completely, so not knowing what to think or feel, I spun around and pointed at Critter.

“This is what’s going to happen. You, Critter, are going to leave, and me, I’m dirty, sore, and all wound up, so I’m going inside to take a nice, long shower. Then I’m going to take a nap and figure out how I’m getting to the estate all on my own.” I all but hollered, flailing my arms in the air as I stomped past him toward the hotel where I intended to go straight up to my room, have a shower and nap, and maybe have a massive meltdown in private. Terrified that the creepy man could be anywhere right then, watching me, I shivered and quickly made my way to the elevator. I pressed the button and waited for the doors to open, then rushed into it the second they did, pressing the button to my floor. I shut my eyes and leaned against the cool metal at the back of the elevator, aware another person had entered the elevator just before the doors shut.

“Jesus, Critter, leave me the hell alone before I put laxatives in your beer again,” I grumbled, rubbing the palms of my hands against my eyes in irritation. I slid down to the floor with a groan.

When I got no response, my eyes flew open, and for a second time that night, I found my mouth opening and closing at a loss for words. My face flushed red as I buried my head between my legs in embarrassment. “Oh, God, what did I do to deserve such humiliation,” I whined.

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