Page 3 of Tamed By A Knight

That’s the problem with cultivating a reputation, isn’t it? I’m here for a girl, but how many times has that excuse been used to save someone inside? And it’s not like the Riders to leave a place without cracking a few skulls in the process. Then again, we’re not usually called for personal errands.

I’m hit by a wall of sound when I enter the main club floor. Music blares from speakers hanging in every corner, and the DJ barks orders on how the dancers should be moving to thebeat. Overhead, men and women alike dance in cages on high platforms. Others hang over safety rails on the second floor. Most dressed so scantily, they might as well not have worn anything at all.

I don’t understand how Tara can stand being in this place. Darkened surroundings with a dance floor covered in unicorn vomit from the lights overhead. I feel a migraine coming on from a few minutes in this hell.

Scanning the crowd for her as I walk through, I miss someone taking a drunken step back. He crashes into me, almost toppling over completely, but my strong frame keeps me upright.

“What the fuck, man?” he shouts before turning around. And when he does, he stumbles back at seeing just how much bigger I am than him. That’s what I want to believe, anyway. More likely than not, he’s too drunk to stay upright. “Watch where you’re going.”

Spotlights from the main floor wash over us while he flicks his hands dry from whatever drink he spilled on himself, and they give me the perfect opportunity to see his face in the darkness. Not in the mood for this to turn sour, I make my mental note of him and walk away, hearing him drunkenly slur something at me. Unable to speak and too much noise in the bar, I can’t make a word out.

My damsel in distress, the words ring in my mind as I shuffle from one table to the next, looking for Tara. It’s such a pleasant thought when I’m in my environment, where I’m in control, but out here, it feels like a distant dream.

I don't mind it when she asks me for a ride. Nor do I mind pulling up to these places and whisking her away before thenight gets out of hand. Lately, I’ve been wondering while I’m searching for her amid the crowds alone. Wondering if a girl like Tara and I could stand a chance. She’s loud, out there, a party animal to the end, where I’m quiet, timid, and find myself preferring a night in over a loud and obnoxious drunk crowd.

But then I see her, casually sitting at the bar, light brown hair draped over her shoulders and a bright smile on her face while she talks to someone next to her. Not unlike tonight, it seems, as I stop on a three-stair high platform overlooking the more relaxed section of the club.

Stunning isn’t the right word to describe her. It’s placid and weak in comparison. She’s standing this time, with her ass pressed out in a pair of tight blue yoga pants, while the rest of her is hovering over the bar to whisper something in the bartender’s ear. Fuck, I could stand here for another hour gawking at her perfect peach, stretching the material nearly to breaking point.

Then again, that would be a disservice both to myself and to the rest of her exceptional physique. And tonight’s loose-hanging crop top seems the ideal shirt to get a peek at what waits beneath it.

Stop drooling and get a hold of yourself. You’re here to do a job.

Is there a difference between business and pleasure when it comes to her?

2

TARA

Even in a completely dark room, with our only light source, strobe and spotlights, Hush has a way of engulfing me in his shadow. Tall, broad-shouldered, and well-built, he’s a hard man to miss, and tonight is no exception. He doesn’t have to say he’s here for me to know he’s right behind me. Something about his presence alone is enough to make me feel warm and safe.

As if there’s a chance anyone else could carry the same raw essence, I look over my shoulder to make sure it’s him and not someone thinking they have a shot with me. I shouldn’t have doubted myself, because lo and behold, my silent monster waits patiently for me to finish what I’m busy with.

“See?” I say to the bartender, who stares wide-eyed at Hush in disbelief at his sheer brutish size. “Told you he was a giant.”

“You weren’t wrong.” The bartender, who isn’t small in his own right, shifts his attention away from Hush and back to me. “It’s like I’m staring at a dang tree come to life.”

“Quiet as one too,” I say, looking back over my shoulder at Hush, who nervously snaps his eyes away from my ass and up to my face. My pulse quickens, catching him in the act. After all, it’s what I was hoping would happen when I pulled on these pants.

Bought them a size too small, thinking I’d return them someday, but never got around to it. I knew they’d come in handy at some point, and now they’re paying dividends.

“So, you’ve been talking about me?” Hush doesn’t sound angry, but it’s hard to tell when it comes to him. He’s a closed book when it comes to showing emotions. And speaking. Reserved sums him up perfectly.

“Who wouldn’t?” the bartender answers for me. “But you can rest assured that Tara’s only told me the best of things.”

Hush furrows his brow, not used to another face interrupting our one-on-one time. With a sideways bounce, I’m facing him, smiling brightly. “Hush, this is Robby. Robby, Hush. We studied together at Winchester.”

“Pleasure,” Robby says, giving Hush a two-finger salute.

“Likewise.” Hush doesn’t move at all, eyeing Robbie through long strands of messy black hair hanging over his eyes.

“Strong silent type, huh?” Robbie snickers. “Well, can I get you anything to drink?”

“No. I’m just here to get Tara home safe. Ready to hit the road?” Hush asks, fighting his natural urges to look down the top of my shirt. I don’t always dress provocatively; sometimes I choose dresses, and at others, I favor simple outerwear to stay comfortable.

Nights like these, I can’t help myself. Wanting nothing more than to tease this hulking brute to breaking point. Have him show me that beneath the stoic statue he presents the world hides a savage beast that indulges itself in earthly pleasure. Carnal pleasure.

Let it be me he ravages.

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