Page 50 of Savage Lust

“Let’s chill,” I interrupted, both hands up for peace. And then to Preacher. “This deal was already made in good faith, already set up with the buyers.”You don’t want to piss them off.

I wasn’t about to get beat down by Ukrainian mobsters because Preacher wanted to measure his dick. Merc stood closer to me, out of the immediate line of fire.

When I offered my hand, Ky grabbed my forearm and pulled me to him again. The Ukrainians were touchier than the cartel, for damn sure.

Releasing me, he turned to Preacher. “Two days.”

His face tight with barely contained rage, the older man nodded once, slammed the shot glass onto Ky’s desk with too much force and stormed out.

“My unclesdowant to speak to you,” he said low to Merc.

My friend rapped his knuckles against Ky’s. “I’ll make it happen.”

“And make him understand, I won’t sell local. Not to those methed-up hicks, and if he keeps it up, not to the club either.”

“I hear you, brother.” I bumped his fist with mine and went out into the club.

Preacher’s shit was going to boil over for Merc if I didn’t put a stop to it. There were things Merc didn’t like to think about—much less talk about. A part of his life that was darker than selling cluster bombs and other explosives to the cartel. Not to mention the cartel weren’t the only ones who got weapons from the Soletskys.

It’s how the Kings protected our part of the desert.

Fuck.

When he wasn’t right behind me, I turned to see him watching a dancer on the main stage. She wore a blue wig and little else. I looked away before he did. Had I not had another woman on my mind, I might not have.

“Know her?”

Merc snapped his head up and out of whatever trance he’d been in. “Nah, but…she looks familiar.”

“Don’t they all, brother?” I smacked his shoulder with a laugh. And with that, we walked out.

nineteen

Riley

Watching Cam and Merc ride away from the house left a tug of longing inside me. How could I miss a guy I hardly knew? If I thought about it, it was almost embarrassing how a few bouts of sex left me feeling like a clingy, hormonal teenager. I was a smart, independent woman. Wasn’t I?

Of course you are.

This was crazy. Yet the pit in my stomach was only trumped by the excited ripples of anticipation that he’d come home. The promises of the dark, of Cam, were enough to force me to swallow hard while standing in AP’s kitchen.

“You ready?” Dylan gave me an easy smile when she came back in, stopping to drop a kiss to her dad’s cheek. “Puck and Drop Top are at the house already, playing cards on the back patio.”

“Don’t let them get too drunk.”

She scrunched her nose. “Puck barely drinks.”

“It’s not him I’m worried about.” He snorted.

“True. Love you.”

“You too.” Then to me. “Take care, Riley.”

“I will. Thank you for inviting me.”

There was a softness to AP in that moment. Beer left his eyes red rimmed and took the edge from the way his lips curved. Here was home. He was just a man watching his daughter and her friend get ready to leave after a happy night with his family. The gangster, wild ass biker, was gone, the family man in his place. I could see him bouncing grandchildren on his knee with candy in his pockets.

Had I been raised here, known my father, AP would be that protective uncle I’d never had. Something in my heart swelled, and I stopped to give him a quick hug.

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