Page 24 of Guarded By Atlas

“God, I should have set the alarm. I promised the girls I would join them at nine-thirty, and—shit, I have less than half an hour to get ready.”

“Why don’t we shower together?”

“No!” she hisses, scrambling out of bed, her feet tangling in the sheet and falling off the bed before I can catch her. “I don’t want you anywhere near me. Every time we shower together, I always end up being late. Don’t come any closer, Atlas, I’m warning you.”

I smirk. “Is that a challenge?”

“No!” she shrieks, running fast toward the bathroom, but I’m faster and catch her before she slams the door closed. My mouth is on hers, and that seems to melt her protest, her arms winding around mine as she whimpers into the kiss. One that turns into love making in the bathroom, her hands gripping the sink and her nightgown bunched up at her waist as I take her hard and fast, sending us both tumbling over the edge with pleasured groans.

“You are bad for me,” she sighs, but the dazed eyes that meet mine in the mirror tell a different story. “Remind me not to challenge you next time.”

I laugh, slapping her butt as I walk away, leaving her to get ready first and heading to the kitchen to make coffee. Rusty lets out a loud yowl when I walk out of the bedroom, twirling around my feet and looking up at me expectantly as I open the shelves. I glare at him when he swipes at my hand, scratching it as I pour cat food into his bowl.

“You never give Marie this treatment when she’s feeding you.”

He ignores me as he attacks the food. With a sigh, I get back to preparing coffee and decide I might as well fix breakfast. I’m just about done when Marie comes flying out of the room, sliding into her coat as she goes. “I’m so late! You made me so late!” she cries, hopping as she tries to put on a shoe. “If the girls scold me, I’m blaming it on you.”

Then she’s gone before I can offer her a cup of coffee. I chuckle, carrying my mug to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

***

“You’re in a good mood today,” Doc tells me as Church–the club’s weekly meeting—ends, but it seems I’m not the only one in a good mood. The atmosphere at the meeting was especially light today as most of the talk revolved around the Chrome Vipers and how we cleaned the streets off those scum bags. Finally.

It doesn’t hurt that by ending the Vipers, we now control their territory as well.

“The Vipers are gone; it’s a good reason as any to be in a good mood.”

The man hums as we head for the elevator. “Are you sure it has nothing to do with the woman you follow around like you’re her personal bodyguard?” He smirks. “I’d be surprised if you didn’t have a tracker on her.”

“Oh, fuck off!” I say, showing teeth. Of course I have a tracker installed on her phone, but I don’t tell the fucker that. Judging from his smirk, he’s figured that out already. “Just wait until you find a girl of your own then come back and talk to me about following her around.”

His smirk falls, and he quickly looks away, but I don’t miss the look that crosses his eyes. It seems I’ve touched a sour subject, because he goes stiff as a flagpole. “Perhaps you’re right,” he says, and I can tell the conversation is over.

Like most of my MC brothers, much of Doc’s past remains a mystery. I know he was locked up for four years after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, and although he never talks about it, I’ve always suspected that there is more to the story than him getting into a fight with an old neighbor. Before going to prison, he’d been in the military as a combat medic, but even that part of his life is a gray area.

Doc has always been a quiet man, and I don’t imagine he’ll want to talk about it. Rarely does anyone in this place want discuss their lives before coming to the club, including me. That’s what the gym is for. We have an entire floor in the building fully equipped with all kinds of equipment dedicated to letting out pent-up rage.

The elevator doors open on the terrace, which is a hive of activity. The smell of food hits, and I start to head toward it when a small hand closes over mine. Doc stops to see what’s holding me back, smiling when he spots Marie. “I need to talk to youabout something,” she whispers, her voice tight, which makes my brows furrow in concern.

“I guess I’ll see you later,” Doc says, walking away.

“What’s the matter?” I ask, looking around as if expecting to see some kind of threat, but this is the freaking Steel Rebel clubhouse. Trouble doesn’t just walk in.

“Not here,” she says, pulling me toward the bathroom. Barely anyone notices us sneak away, and it’s not until we’re somewhere private that Marie pushes me against the closed door. For a second, I’m stunned when she leans in and presses her lips against mine, her hands roaming my chest, and my cock stiffens in an instant. Christ, all she has to do is touch me to send need burning through my veins and all blood rushing south.

I grab her arms and push her back gently to study her eyes, surprised to find them clouded with lust. “Baby, what’s happening here?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m trying to seduce you.”

“And you pick now? Here?” I chuckle, but it morphs into a groan when her hands drop to the bulge growing in my jeans and rubs at my erection.

“Yes, here,” she says, moving her hand up and down my covered shaft. “And now.”

“Fuuuck!”

She smiles, leaning in to brush her lips over mine, and I groan again when I feel the press of her breasts against my chest. I take control of the kiss, bringing my hand to her nape and spinning around so that her back is to the wall. The kiss turns fervent, and I slide my hand under her T-shirt and cup her breasts. She moans into the kiss when I pinch her nipples over her bra, ready to tear the thing off and lick at the peaking beads.

“Nuh-huh.” She chuckles, sounding drunk, but I don’t smell or taste any alcohol on her. She giggles as she slightly pushes me back. “I’m the one seducing you, remember?”

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